Author's Notes: Before you, the reader, begin, I have a few things I'd like to say. I'd like to give special thanks to my real life friend Walker of Shadow, and to fellow author Turiski, both of whom have helped me tremendously in making this story the best it can be. I would also like to thank Shatter Dave, another real life friend, for his support as I have continued writing this story. Now go ahead, and feast your eyes on the monster that I have unleashed among you!
Chapter One: "Who is Kadar?"
Time: Tassadar's Brief Return to Aiur
A four foot by four foot screen, also part window, in a protoss warrior's private studies, large enough to house at least four zealots comfortably, comes to life as the face of Aldaris appears and begins to impart a message.
"En Taro Adun, young student of the Khala. We, members of the Conclave, wish to impart a most important message to you. A member of the Templar caste named Kadar has been reported to be of great importance to our goals. However, he has only returned to Aiur briefly, planning on returning to Tassadar's Carrier, the Ganthrithor, as soon as possible. We wish for you to 'convince' him to remain. This is due to our suspicion that Tassadar has been ignoring our orders. We wish that this powerful warrior not to be corrupted by Tassadar. You must succeed in this endeavor, or all is lost. May the Khala guide you."
A pause and then, "If you find out that this warrior, Kadar, has been successfully corrupted by Tassadar you have our permission to 'prevent' the corruption from spreading." The message ends.
"Who in the name of the Khala is Kadar?" asked the young protoss warrior turned hunter, as he paced impatiently about his private studies in the residential area of the city of Antioch.
"How am I supposed to know, brother?" responded a templar expressing the same feeling of confusion that the other protoss had.
After the hunter finally calmed down enough to sit down, he replayed the message. As the message played a figure, who had been residing in the dark shadows created from the setting of Aiur's sun, looked up at the "hunter" lifting his head slightly in amusement at the hunter's frustration.
"A better question is, why are you after me?" says Kadar from the shadows as the message ends.
"How in the name of Khas did you get in here?" furiously yells the hunter as he confronts his prey.
As Kadar steps out of the shadows his six foot seven form is fully revealed, his bright blue eyes shining with almost unnatural brilliance. A long cloak trails off behind him, its black fabric outlined in the universal gold color that all Aiur protoss ware. His lean frame is clad in black armor, all outlined in gold and each one masterfully forged into the perfect fit for Kadar's stature. Two pieces of armor stick out from his shoulders and stay perfectly straight all the way to the point. His gauntlets are unusual in the fact that instead of being in a round shape are pointed in the back and these points extend beyond his elbows. His nerve cords lay unbound on his back as naturally as a terran's hair.
"I came through the front door." responds Kadar, letting waves of calm and ease wash over the hunter.
"Kadar, we have orders to convince you to stay on Aiur and not return to Tassadar, will you comply?" asks the templar who, although stunned, collected himself enough to get in between Kadar and the door.
"So, the hunters have 'cornered' their prey," responds Kadar as he turns and notices the templar's position.
"Come with us to the Conclave, although they said I should just convince you to stay, I think a good old talk with the Judicators will do you some good," states the hunter as he positions himself behind Kadar.
"A talk with the Judicators would be about as productive as telling the sun not to shine," responds Kadar with a hint of amusement at the comparison.
"Enough of this, come with us or suffer the consequences!" mentally screams the hunter.
"Sorry, no can do, I have an appointment with Tassadar," responds Kadar with a darker tone; any hint of amusement on his mouth less face gone.
As Kadar looks back and forth between the two warriors, he notices the trained battle stances of any templar take shape before his eyes, for all the lack in actual weaponry, for the moment.
"Get him!" yells the hunter as both he and the templar lunge, psi blades forming in mid attack.
"I'm sorry brothers," says Kadar with no remorse in his mental apology as he extends his arms out holding balls of psionic energy in his hands, each swirling between the thumbs and fingers as virocious looking as a raging tempest but as contained as a trained hunting dog waiting for the hunt to begin.
"NO!" screams the hunter as both him and the templar are blasted into the wall and door respectively.
"Can't keep Tassadar waiting," states Kadar as he breaks the window with a psionic blast and leaps out of the five hundred foot tall building.
As Kadar falls he uses psionic energy to slow his decent to tolerable levels before impacting with a slight thud, cracking the pavement below. Kadar quickly got up and surveyed his surroundings noticing that despite the almost impossible feat that had just occurred, the protoss people in the streets largely ignored him. The few that gave more than a second long glance quickly hurried along to wherever they needed to go. Kadar felt a small hint of irritation, quickly smothered, form in his mind.
"This is rather sad, I fall from a five hundred foot building, crash into the pavement without so much as a scratch, and they don't give me so much as a gasp of surprise."
For his current circumstances anonymity was very much needed, as he would like to be able to exit the city without having the zealot guard chasing him down.
Kadar gave a mental sigh and started to walk down the paved road hoping no one would suddenly recognize him and try to stop his flight from the city. He only got to the first intersection when a mental voice rang out loud enough to practically shatter his mental barriers that he had put up to avoid the din of the crowd. As he hurries through the streets of Antioch, he passes some of the famous golden structures of Aiur, masterfully crafted in beautiful rounded shapes that soared higher than any terran could ever hope to construct. As he runs through he streets, passing civilians as if he wastn't even there.
"Templar, hail to you! What are you doing back in Antioch?"
Kadar reluctantly turned around and saw the unmistakable partially teal armor of the Zealot guard commander, Fenix! Kadar responded quickly, trying to weave a small bit of lies into the truth he was going to tell.
"I have retuned from my brief mission with Tassadar to check up on an old friend of mine, and now I seek to return to Tassadar because he needs me to help lead the protoss forces." Fenix closed his eyes, tilted his head back in the protoss sign for humor and responded.
"You are not a very good liar Kadar, and the fact that we are in the Khala doesn't help your case any."
Kadar grew aggravated, more at himself, for not realizing that Fenix did not get his position as commander of the Zealot guard for just his strength, but his intelligence as well. Fenix sent him calm and reassurance.
"I know what you are going to do, don't worry. Get to Tassadar and do what you must." A brief pause. "You may find in time, young templar, that Tassadar may need you more than you need him."
With this, Fenix turned around and walked towards one of the residential buildings. Kadar was unsure of what to make of Fenix's last words, but decided it was a mystery that he could try and solve later, right now he needed to get out of the city and to the nearest star-gate so he could "borrow" a Scout. He needed something that was fast but also something that had some weapons just in case the judicators had qualms about letting him get off planet. Kadar mentally sighed again.
"So many things that need to be done and so little time. Well as Tassadar once said: 'Time is an illusion; events happen as you make them. It is truly up to you whether you complete them or not.' I will heed his words and get done what needs to be done".
With that Kadar turned, cleared his mind again of the thoughts of the other protoss on the streets by putting up mental barriers, and starts walking down the street again. As he nears the walls of Antioch he notices some of the zealot guard posted around the gate. As he passes them by and sends them a quick nod to open the gate, he notices the immense size of the walls themselves. Larger than some of the very skyscrapers themselves. The structure is covered in pylons, each powering hundreds of cannons. The walls are also thick enough to allow even Reavers to not only move across them, but to make a successful full turns.
Once the gates devided open to allow Kadar through, he notices a group of Dragoons patrolling the outside of the walls of Antioch. As he walks by them a thought occurs.
I would hate to have to live in one of those cold metallic shells. I respect those who have chosen to continue their service to Aiur by doing so, but to be honest, I'm not sure if I would make the same decision.
He sighs as he realizes that there is not much time left, for anyone.
If the Judicators don't let me get off planet then it may be too late for everyone… the Zerg are coming.