Place and time - Aiur after the final battle and Tassadar's sacrifice.

We're falling like leaves from the trees,
Streaming like blood into mud,
Children forgot their needs,
They're never coming back home,
Sing for me to feel sad,
But only not that much hurt,
Sing for me, to feel fear,
To feel tickles from every word,
Tomorrow we're leaving home,
I don't want to go… there's cold!
(c) Gleb Samoilov

Leaves were falling from the trees, although it wasn't yet autumn. The sky was blindingly pale and the rays of Lu were warm no more. Something terrible happened, she could feel it in the ground under her feet and in the cold psi-waves, that covered all the space around – millions of voices were desperately sobbing for the dying planet. She was trying to find her teacher Karali, but useless – no sign of her conscious could she find in the broken vortex of Khala.

Few days before Judicator Takotos of Venatir ordered them all to hide in well protected central temple, where she and other children had to wait for the end of the battle. She didn't know, what was he talking about – his mind was tightly closed. Too tight, even for a Judicator… She could only guess, what was happening outside. One of the boys mentioned, that he saw the Fallen outside the citadel and they attacked him. The other one said, that the Fallen are on their side. Karali, before she left, said a very strange word – "zerg" – and Mia saw an image of some huge disgusting insect in her mind. But when she asked her to explain, where was she going, the only answer she heard in her mind was "I'm going to give my life for Aiur."

Mia guessed, that there was some grand battle, where protoss threw in all their forces – young and old, male and female, warriors and citizens – everyone just stood up to fight. She herself would fight, if she knew the enemy – but she was only thirty circles old – too young to hold a psi-blade. Even too young to stay in Khala permanently, like all protoss do. And that's why she didn't leave her hope to find Karali alive.

Her hope was dying fast, while she walked among the ruins of the citadel. Broken buildings threw weak flashes of psi-light, sounding like a sad slow melody, and under gloomy sky cooper seemed to turn iron. And everywhere she could see other protoss, standing like statues, staring in the void with empty eyes. There was no dispair, no fear, no anger in their auras – as if they were already dead. Mia herself felt some irrational sorrow, when her feet touched dry yellow leaves.

"Karali… where are you?" – her question melted in universal moan.

- You! Go back to the temple! Now! Who allowed the children to go out? – Mia recognized the voice of Conclave emissary Siomid and catched an angry glow of his violet eyes. He was approaching her, his feelings were distorted and she got nervous – she never liked that arrogant Judicator, so she ran away – anywhere away, but not in the temple. Other protoss, that she passed by, turned their faces to her – noone expected to see a playing child. Tired Judicator stopped his pursuit, but she didn't stop – she wanted to see something, that was still alive in here, so she turned to the eastern gate to see the forest. But in the forest everything was the same – dying trees were crying yellow leaves into the drying ponds with dirty water, that smelled rotten, and everything – the ground, the grass, the stones, the trees - was covered with red spots of blood and strange grey mould. And in the air hang wet tough mist.

"Karali…" - Mia wept. She was scared of this cold dead silence.

"What in the world can little girl like you do in this world of sorrow?" – asked somebody's sad voice, sounding like from the heart of darkness.

"I don't want to go back home. I want to know, why is everyone so... strange today. And – I want to find my tutor, Karali of Ara." – she said more to herself, then to mysterious voice.

"You don't have home anymore, child. Your home is ruined. That's why everyone is so lost. No more Conclave, no more Khala, and – if your tutor didn't come back for you – she's dead. Is that the answer you were looking here for?"

"Things you say are… too terrible to believe you!" – she yelled and turned around to see who was talking. – "Come out, Fallen!"

"Our homeworld is bleeding with drying streams and dead leaves…" - the voice continued softly and slowly, and his words echoed in empty ether, - "it's rotten from inside, killed with invincible cancer. That's why the elder Judicators locked you up in the temple. They didn't want you to see the truth – as always. They don't know, how to tell you, that there is no more Aiur. No more to die or to live for. So – we're dead, child." – last words he almost whispered.

"Aiur shall never fall! You're lying! Show yourself, heretic!" – Mia yelled again, but this time she wasn't so sure in her words, cause somewhere deep inside she felt he was right. In front of her the mist moved and a big shadow appeared and bended over her. She started back, stumbled and fell on the ground, staring into his amber shining eyes.

"We're no more enemies, has noone told you?" – he spread his hand and stroked her shoulder gently. - "But… looks like it would be better for you if I killed you, for you not to see, what is really happening."

"No, stop!" – she tried to get rid of his crude palm.

"But what is the point of living, child, tell me?" – cried he suddenly and desperately.

"Aiur will always live in our hearts! And we will live for it, fight for it and die for it!"

"How naïve…" - the shadow sighed - "but, if a child like you still wants to live, that means we all should stay strong and… leave this dead planet for the sake of Aiur, that each of us has inside. Thank you, child, you've brought back the hope to my cold heart." – Mia felt, that the dark templar was smiling kindly and sadly. She couldn't understand, what was he talking about, but all her anger disappeared, and she caught herself inconsciously playing with one of his short braids. And in this moment she realized that he was the only one in this ruined world, that she could trust. He was right – Karali was dead, otherwise she'd call her… She was alone among deadly depressed nation, and that smiling Fallen seemed much more alive than anyone else. She wept and held him tight, as he lifted her from the infested ground.

"Tomorrow we're leaving home, child. And now we have to tell everyone."