Disclaimer: Starcraft characters and setting are owned by Blizzard Entertainment. OCs belong to me
A/N:The story begins on Aiur just like in Legacy of the Void. but will diverge to observe characters from all four Protoss factions. Additional focus will also be placed on the Terrans and occasionally the Zerg Swarm. This effectively creates an alternative plot line separate from the protoss campaign.
Thanks to Howling Din for proofreading. Enjoy your reading experience and please leave a review for improvements, comments, and criticism.
Prologue
"Exiting warp space to designated coordinates now," announced a feminine mechanical voice.
A small vessel tore through the fabric of space-time and abruptly halted in orbit of a large blue planet. The pilot took in the sights of cloud patterns enveloping the celestial body, but shortly realigned his focus and started his check-up.
"Thank you adjutant. Switch on detection and long-range scanners."
"Surveying sensor range now," answered the adjutant.
The sole pilot examined his surroundings in space through the window of his cockpit, then checked his readings. To his disappointment, he was the only presence in the system thus far.
The adjutant chimed, "Incoming transmission."
He didn't have a chance to answer until the call automatically picked up. Only one person was so important to be given that privilege.
"Did you arrive yet?" answered the caller through the ship's speakers.
He responded, "Yes, I successfully arrived in orbit of planet Aiur unscathed. There doesn't seem to be anyone here yet, but trust me, I know they're coming."
The caller replied, "Excellent! You won't miss a single thing since you can watch the invasion from the very beginning. Are you sure the Protoss won't notice you?"
"Well if I'm not stupid, hopefully they won't. This ship has the best detection and stealth capabilities I could acquire; if anything goes downhill, I know how to escape."
"But if you can't, they'll probably capture you for questioning."
"Or they'll just kill me."
"All the more reason you shouldn't get caught. Just be careful and keep your eyes peeled, okay?"
The pilot sighed in exasperation, but humored the request. "Of course, you can trust me on that." He glanced out his cockpit. "Hold on, I see something. Need to cut the signals, call you back later." He ended the call and activated his ship's cloaking device.
A trio of arbiters appeared, each collecting energies and tearing cracks into space-time to formed rifts, pouring forth hundreds of protoss warships.
The pilot turned his cloaked ship around and distanced from the congregation of phoenixes and carriers, escaping the eyes of escorting observers as he watched the armada's movements.
Chapter 1: Reclamation of Aiur
-Year 2056, Planet Aiur. Golden Armada in orbit-
Aiur. A lush jungle world orbiting the Golden Orb of Day, with crystal blue seas untouched by the purple gleam of creep, and the earth itself almost gave a golden glow.
Khalis took in the sight of her homeworld through the mothership's energy with her blue eyes, typical to most of her Khalai brethren. One of the few female High Templar within her caste, she stood adorned in her own standard issue light armor suit powered by Khaydarin crystals. She stood among other High Templar on a floating hexagonal pedestal, which would immediately warp them onto the surface of Aiur with the rest of the invasion force once the Akhundelar had established a beachhead.
Yes, at long last. After 6 years of building the Golden Armada, the Protoss are finally poised and ready to reclaim their homeworld. With the threat of the Zerg Swarm vanished, this was a golden opportunity to seize.
Khalis nearly shuddered just remembering the fall of Aiur. After the great hero Tassadar slew the wretched Overmind, the zerg went on a horrific rampage across the planet surface. Through the Khala, she had felt the fear and pain of the millions slaughtered with such vividness as if she were them. To this very day, all in the Khala would still experience the same terrible memories and unpleasant emotions.
She had previously been an acolyte training to control the many fluxes of the Khala, and was assigned to manage the archives. She never expected to witness combat for centuries to come until the Zerg Swarm came. She remembered running panicked through the streets as the aliens viciously attacked, her only protection being that someone else among thousands was chosen to be pounced and mauled to death. When she finally reached the safety of Shakuras through the warp gate, grief became shame. The old Conclave failed to protect its own people, and everyone paid the price. . .
After the fall came defeat after defeat that turned the great Protoss empire into a nation of refugees, and Khalis couldn't do anything to prevent it. She tired of standing around while her race was slowly dying. So she volunteered to put her training to use in battle as a High Templar. The Daelaam did see the necessity of mobilizing as much of the diminished population as they could, despite traditional views that females shouldn't be thrown wastefully into battle. This deviation in tradition was also influenced by their close alliance with the matriarchal Dark Templar.
While she had never been in battle, Khalis had been training in the past 6 years. Psionic powers are not simple to learn even for Protoss, but her natural innate psionic potential and guidance from other High Templars helped her quickly gain some basic control. She successfully learned to feedback energy, project psionic storms, and focus her energies into anti-personnel psionic blasts. Once training was complete, she was eager to finally be of service to her people.
That is why this invasion must succeed, to restore glory to the Firstborn and bring back their home, a home she lost because she couldn't fight then.
"You are thinking too much about what happened before, sister," an young, but calm and hardened voice echoed in her mind.
"I am merely motivating myself before the battle, Farus. I have to make sure I will do my best in the upcoming battle."
"Yes of course you do. It is the reclamation of our homeworld, an auspicious moment. But do not forget that this is your first battle, dying in this one wouldn't be as glorious."
Khalis would have chuckled if she had the mood to find humor. Farus was her younger brother and possessed much more experience in combat as a zealot. He was assigned to Tassadar's Koprulu Expeditionary Fleet, helped evacuate Aiur, and fought alongside Artanis during the Brood War. The council saw fit to greatly commemorate him for his service. As such he was unofficially her senior and superior in the military campaign; he would help her fit into her role as a soldier and she would watch his back as an elder sister would.
She spoke "Dying to reclaim our home is always glorious no matter how you see it."
"But if you fall, you will never see home again nor the fruits of your efforts. That, and I would miss you greatly. Are you ready to die?"
Khalis gave her affirmative through the psychic link, there was no doubt in her decision. Farus was silent in their psychic link for a moment; deep in thought. He then continued. "Just remember to keep your emotions and thoughts focused. Battle can become chaotic and stressful; your powers may become more of a liability than a weapon."
Khalis sneered jokingly. "I can handle just fine, Farus. You on the other hand should stop overextending and leaving your brothers and sisters to charge head-long into battle. You can hardly lecture me on caution when you're overly zealous in your attacks."
A stealth pun, Farus' emotional link rippled with amusement. An attempt at humor between the siblings before the storm begins.
They both looked up in anticipation along the rest of the invasion forces, all eyes are on the young Heirarch, Artanis.
"Templar. . .at long last, we stand at the threshold of destiny. For today we will restore the glory of our legacy. Today we will retake what we have lost and reclaim our home world!"
Artanis spoke with deliberate slowness, a collected mask for his inherent nervousness as leader of such an costly attack. Most protoss can barely feel his anxiety through the Khala, he was doing his best to hide it for the sake of maintaining morale.
But nothing can stop the protoss from taking back what is rightfully theirs.
"FOR AIUR!" The chorus of psychic voices echoed simultaneously through the artificial air and the psychic link. Fortunately for Artanis. Most like Khalis can forgive him for trying to fit into his role. That is the purpose of the Khala: to promote trust that every Protoss will do their part to achieve glory and victory. She imagined that hearing such united enthusiasm would reassure their young leader.
Suddenly, Khalis felt surprise, suspicion, and anger through the Khala.
It was difficult to see what was going on in Artanis's station, but she could see that Zeratul had made another one of his infamous unannounced visits. While many protoss came to respect the dark prelate for his help in stopping the Zerg Swarm, nearly an equal amount despise him for his colossal failure. Khalis herself could feel the rage pool in her mind, psionic sparks crackling from her armor.
"If this old one wasn't so careless and feeble-minded, Aiur would never have been lost and this entire invasion would not have been necessary." Khalis felt the need to rant her thoughts to Farus. Doing so to anyone else would be considered unprofessional conduct.
"I used to think ill of him before I helped him slay a few cerebrates, you can't blame him for trying. He is a noble one at heart," Farus retorted.
"And after coming in uninvited, he spouts nonsense about an End War that's supposedly far more important than retaking Aiur. Even if this was true, there is nothing more important that reclaiming their homeworld. If we strike fast and true, we can defeat the feral zerg swiftly and then focus on Zeratul's mad prophecies." While Khalis didn't exactly wish for Zeratul to be executed for treason, she certainly wished that someone put him in his place.
"Well it seems like we will not be arresting Zeratul today. Stay focused now, the invasion is starting."
Farus is right, there are much more important matters to attend to. Artanis finally gave the order for the Executor to begin the invasion. The battle can finally commence! Khalis's excitement grew in anticipation of her first battle, but she swiftly held it in.
"Let's go home, Farus."
A hydralisk slithered along a carpet of creep, idly grazing for spare vespene bubbles that may build within the nutrient distributing creep. With the rapid metabolism genetically engineered into most advanced Zerg breeds, they would desperately starve without a substantial but sustainable amount of vespene. And while hydralisks aren't vespene heavy by Zerg standards, it has been many years since this feral hive cluster's had decent extractors. Most of the zerg were simply wandering lazily, occasionally fighting or cannibalizing eachother.
The sky quickly grew dark. Odd. . . The creature glanced up instinctively scanning for a threat. A blue glow shined through the clouds, the Hydralisk snarled in confusion. What is it?!
The form of a titanic triangular object ripped through the clouds, its multiple spotlights were glaring down upon the restless aliens scurrying in confusion. The hydralisk has seen this before. . .
3 beams of transparent light appear around the hive cluster, then converge onto a single point, exactly where the hydralisk is standing.
Its jaws and scythe arms fell slack as it stared up at a brightening point. If a Terran saw it, they'd swear they could see fear flash across the creature's body.
After the mothership incinerated the ground below for a landing point in Kherrisan, Khalis was warped in alongside Farus and a battalion of zealots, stalkers, immortals, and several high templar. She took in the sight of her home after 6 years. Despite the creep covering much of the ruined buildings and landscape, the zerg haven't yet choked the life of the jungle vegetation. That meant the infestation wasn't as destructive and reclamation was more feasible.
Selendis lead the attack on board her carrier, which began launching its interceptors to duel incoming mutalisks.
"Templar! Unleash your fury!"
Farus was always hungry for battle and ignited his psi blades. "Brothers and sisters! Charge forth!"
Farus and the zealots began their devastating charge with a psychic roar of battle, rushing forth in a wave of gold and blue to start immediately cutting up the zerg that began pooling in for a counter attack. Before the zerg could build their own devastating rush, they were already being mowed down by the dozens. The beasts leaped forth only to be impaled by well placed thrusts. Some zealots had taken to tackling and bashing the smaller zerg breeds with their plasma shields as make shift rams.
"Let our enemy know our fury!"
Immortals and stalkers strode forth to provide covering fire against tough roaches, dangerous hydralisks, and the occasional flying strains. With a vague sense of whether any tactic was intended or not, the feral zerg brought a stronger concentration of warrior breeds to bear; it was then that immortals would begin leading the charge. The stalkers themselves were already a dangerous force. Often they would intentionally draw fire to themselves, only to blink away to recharge their shields while their brothers took their turn, all whilst surgically firing on important zerg targets. For the high templar, they were tasked with wiping out masses of zerg to prevent an overwhelming rush or to surgically remove dangerous breeds like infestors and overseers.
Barring the Nerazim stalkers that rely on traditional training and psychic vocal directions, the Khalai can achieve well-coordinated attacks through the Khala. A thousand eyes and minds constantly finding different targets and alerting the needed troops to provide effective counter. This makes even a small protoss force such a dangerous threat. Near instantaneous and spontaneous coordination most commanders can only dream of achieving.
With Farus tackling zerglings alongside fellow zealots. Khalis charged her psionic energies together in both hands as she turnedher eyes to a hydralisk throwing her a sinister death glare. It lowered its head and lobbed large needle spines, cracking her plasma shield, but giving her the opening she needed. Before the creature could arm another salvo to break her barrier, she threw her arms forward, sending forth lighting to strike the center of its crest. The creature convulsed in blue sparks and soon fell dead, twitching in a smoking mess.
Khalis felt glee, and new vigor coursing through her blood. That was her first kill, and it felt great!
"The enemy closes!" Looking over her shoulder, she was notified by some nervous immortals that a pack of zerglings was bearing down on them. Stalkers blinked in front in a feeble attempt to block the zerglings' path, which either barreled them aside or swarmed over the spindly walkers. They quickly ran past zealot escorts and surged against the immortals' shields, quickly breaking through and covering the war-machines in mounds of claws and teeth. As well armored as immortals are, the zerglings were tearing away at the armor, and were quickly trying to reach into the bodies within.
An immortal pilot was quick to call for aid. "Khalis, cast a psi-storm over us. We will weather the damage!"
A risky, but logical move. Khalis concentrated more psychic energy into an orb to help focus her power and projected a storm over the zerglings, the immortals quickly activating the barrier to protect against the storm and any zerglings that managed to escape the attack. Within a span of 3 seconds, all the zerglings perished. The immortals are still intact, but the less armored legs have been mangled. They would be crippled until back-up phasemiths arrive to repair their shells; the pilots will live to fight another day.
"Thank you for your aid young one, carry on the fight for us. En Taro Tassadar!"
She nodded and returned her attention to incinerating more zerg. Without heavy assault striders, they'll be counting on her to thin their numbers so that the zealots and stalkers can focus on taking down armored zerg targets.
The protoss strike force eventually fought their way to the first infested warp conduit and cleansed it of infestation. It was now free to activate and begin supplying power to Aiur's Psi-Matrix.
"Well done, Templar," echoed Selendis through communications. "We will regroup quickly and begin the attack on the next conduit. Strike true and fast!"
Khalis quickly met up with the taller Farus, feeling elated. Despite the initial casualties sustained by the Akhundelar, many strike forces such as theirs managed to overwhelm the Zerg fast enough and lessened the predicted losses. At this rate, the Golden Armada would lose only a quarter of the predicted casualty rate, a wonderful outcome!
Three Dark Templars blinked near the battalion to deliver a scouting report. The middle lead the front armed with a purple double ended warp scythe. He wore light armor denoting his affiliation to the Zer'atai tribe, albeit without a cape most Templar would wear. He examined the resting protoss behind a young face adorned with hydralisk fangs, his eyes cold and hardened from battle.
"I would speak to the leader of this group."
Khalis examined him for a first impression. This one seemed professional and straight to the point with a smooth voice. In her battle group, the High Templar held the highest rank of authority, and since the other templar were busy recollecting their energies, Khalis took it upon herself to greet the Dark Templar whilst Farus joined the other zealots.
"En Taro Tassadar, Dark one," she greeted cordially. "I am Templar Khalis"
"Adun Toridas, Khalis," the Dark Templar placed a hand on his chest in polite greeting, betraying little emotion behind his words. "I am Val'idin of the Nerazim forward scouting party. We've received multiple reports that the invasion is proceeding as planned, and our scouts will continue to observe the Zerg hive clusters ahead of the main battle line."
At least this dark templar gave good news instead of doom sayings. . .
"There is no need for you to tell me this Dark Templar, I can reassure you that the might of the Templar is more than enough to purge the Zerg from our homeworld. You are welcome to join us if you wish." A stealth insult on Khalis's part, she always thought the Dark Templar could put their abilities to better use as field warriors. If Val'idin managed to pick up on this, he didn't show it.
"I will continue to watch as ordered. But there is something I must inform you." He lowered his scythe and pulled out an ihan crystal from his cloak, projecting a detailed holographic map of Kherrisan. Blue icons represented the united Daelaam forces and purple for Zerg clusters. "Within mere ten minutes since the invasion began, the Zerg surrounding the area have begun concentrating around them."
"The Zerg are simply aware of our presence and will move in to attack us en mass."
"That is of no concern. What is concerning is that the Zerg are fortifying the power conduits. It's as if they're waiting for your battle group to attack them first."
That's slightly unusual in Khalis' opinion. Something didn't seem right. "Why would the zerg make an effort to try and protect the conduits?"
Val'idin shrugged. "We do not know their reasoning. Another strike force already reclaimed the second warp conduit required to power Aiur's psi-matrix, but when both forces move to retake the final conduit, expect heavy resistance."
This doesn't add up. The Overmind is dead, the Queen of Blades' Swarm left the Koprulu sector, and as far as past recent observations are aware of there are no rogue broodmothers or cerebrates to give direction. The invasion was prepared knowing that the Zerg were feral and easy to defeat.
"Perhaps you are being too paranoid, or just too cautious. I would expect much from one whose task is to simply scout for the real warriors. You may carry on and continue watch, but we would appreciate you coming back with substantial news next time."
Val'idin narrowed his purple eyes. "Your inexperience already betrays you, Khalis. Not every battle can be won through sheer force and power." He put away his ihan crystal and turned back with the other Dark Templar towards the darkness of the underbrush. "I must go now to do my job."
"If the battle ahead is as difficult as you say, should you not join us in combat?"
Val'idin paused at the prompt, his back still facing Khalis. "Not this time. I believe I know of something we can use, I only need to find it." The three Dark Templar blinked into the shadows without a trace.
Typical Nerazim, skirting around in the dark.
Shortly after the scouts' departure. Khalis's battle group began their second attack towards the final conduit. It was going just as well as the first time: the protoss were utterly annihilating the Zerg as they threw wave after wave, each swiftly crushed under a line of fire and energy. Eventually the zerg stopped sending waves, and the battle group began a steady march through a narrow valley flanked with steep cliffs towards the main hive cluster defending the conduit.
Up in the skies, packs of phoenixes pursued fleeing mutalisks attempting to escape being shot out of the sky. The occasional rain of blood and flesh would land around the marching army, a reassuring sight to behold.
What was not reassuring was the ground suddenly erupting in a spray of acid.
"The enemy was under the ground!"
"MY FLESH BURNS."
The green death blossoms were wiping out dozens of zealots leading the front. Some disappeared in a flash of blue light and whisked away to safety with emergency teleportation, but no doubt severely injured. Others fell limp as their suits failed and literally melted off their burning flesh. Their cries of pain and shocked rippled through the Khala with enough force to halt the group in a split second.
"FARUS!?"
Farus was among the zealots leading the front. Khalis's eyes quickly darted around to check if his body was still intact, dead, or managed to teleport away. To her relief, Farus stood in a defensive stance, having endured much of the baneling acid with his flickering plasma shield. He lowered his arms only after an approaching observer confirmed no further traps ahead.
Did the feral Zerg just plan to eliminate most of the zealot vanguard with a premade trap?
"I am still alive Khalis, praise the gods. . ." he said this to calm her, but their reprieve was short-lived. The earth began to rumble. Both their eyes turned to face mass zerglings and hydralisks swarming towards the broken front rank. With the cliffs blocking the left and right flank, the only options were to meet them head on or retreat. "There is little time to regroup, the Zerg thirst for blood. To arms once more!"
Stalkers and immortals began frantically blasting at the front of the Zerg tide in a feeble attempt to halt the wave. Khalis and the high templar already projected massive storms, but they couldn't cover a large enough area nor last long enough to sufficiently thin out their numbers. The storms died out and the zerg rush hardly lost its momentum. Without the zealots to protect the ranged striders and high templar, they will be overrun.
Or so it would have been until beams of fire sliced through the zerg front, blocking the rest with an intense wall of fire.
She looked up towards the source of the beam and saw 3 Colossi towering on the cliffs, raining steady streams of fire and weaving great destruction. A small army of Dark Templar suddenly leaped off the cliffs into the valley. They broke their fall by blinking onto the ground or on top of hydralisks, swiftly cutting them down before blinking to another target.
Khalis was too busy watching this impressive attack, and only realized her lack of attention when Farus shouted.
"Khalis, look out!"
She turned to her right, a hydralisk managed to pass through the fire and was about to cleave her with its scythe claws. She wouldn't be fast enough to fry it to death, and Farus was too far to reach her in time. Fate must have smiled on her again when Val'idin materialized behind the Hydralisk, sliced off its arm, and then slashed its back. It shrieked and fell to the side dead. Val'idin stood back up to meet her in the eye.
"It would seem I am capable of fighting on the battlefield after all, Templar."
Khalis send a psychic scoff. "You arrived at a most fortunate time, but pray tell me where you have been instead of with us from the beginning?!"
"I remember when Zeratul awoke the mighty Colossi during his last visit to Aiur. I saw fit to we return a few more of them to service. They do their part well."
Indeed, the Zerg tide was easily diminished by the concentrated stream of fire, the rest of the battle group quickly cleaned up what the Colossi missed.
"Come now, Khalis. Your battle awaits you." Val'idin blinked to the front and lead the rest of the Nerazim forward. Khalis simply floated after them with the rest of the battle group.
The baneling ambush is a notorious tactic that cost the lives of many a careless commander, but they are usually employed by intelligent swarm leaders with the guile to utilize cunning. First the Zerglings attempted to destroy the immortals instead of attacking the closest protoss on sight, then this devastating trick.
As much as Khalis didn't want to admit it, Val'idin may be right about a higher being directing the Zerg into a more dangerous enemy.
It wasn't long before said dangerous enemy took out their observer. An overseer flew by and detected it, then directed a pack of mutalisks to shoot it out of the sky. The robot's eye fell at their feet and prompted several cries of frustration. Khalis glanced around fearfully, the loss of detection would make them blind to further traps, someone knew that.
"No. . ."
The ground underneath did not explode with acid this time, instead, the massive form of an ultralisk managed to burrow through the earth and emerge right in the middle of the battle group. The monstrosity cried an earth-shuddering roar and swung its kaiser blades, sending the broken bodies of stalkers and zealots flying through air. Immortals immediately unleashed their armor-piercing rounds into the thick carapace, drawing blood and angering the gigantic beast into swatting them away with another screech before any substantial damage could be inflicted.
Khalis pulled herself back up, having been knocked aside by the initial emergence of the ultralisk. She focused her energy and launched lighting towards the side of its torso, only succeeding to blacken the outer layer. She growled in frustration. Her abilities were meant to take down scores of lighter enemies, not concentrate on one giant, angry ultralisk currently wrecking any unlucky protoss caught in its rampage. It didn't even notice her attempt to slay it.
Farus followed along its flank, looking for an opportunity to dive under and cut away at its underbelly, but couldn't get in without being crushed underneath its legs and bulk.
Val'idin blinked onto its crown and tried to deliver a killing blow to its skull, but was shaken off by powerful thrashing and broke his fall with a roll. He had to blink away to escape a kaiser swing.
Now it charged towards the trio of Colossi, shrugging off the beams of fire. Khalis's eyes widened anxiously. If the powerful robots were destroyed, then they wouldn't be able to support the other battle group moving in to take the third conduit.
She was nearly knocked aside by a zealot rapidly charging towards the ultralisk, his powerful legs pushing him fast enough to catch up to the ultralisk's side.
Is he trying to be brave or suicidal? There's no way one lone zealot can take down a rampaging ultralisk.
The zealot quickly leaped and grabbed onto the side of the ultralisk's shield crest; the owner of which had stopped its charge to try and throw him off, but the unnamed zealot stubbornly held on. He pulled himself up and jumped down onto its skull, holding onto its horn with one arm for support. The giant glared at its assailant with every intent to brutally smash him into the ground. The Zealot merely threw his own impudent death glare in defiance. Igniting a psi-blade in his other arm, he stabbed into that eye, earning a pained shriek. The ultralisk reared on its hind legs in a last ditch effort to toss him off, the zealot released his grip and was tossed up shortly. He fell back down, slashing both blades through the head of the ultralisk with the momentum of his fall, and landed with a powerful thud on his feet. The headless ultralisk fell to the side, shaking the earth for a brief moment.
Khalis was speechless at having witnessed one zealot take down a rampaging ultralisk. Her expression was mirrored across the rest of the survivors, including Farus, who simply stared awestruck.
"That was most impressive. . ." Farus said.
"I find that statement to be an understatement, Farus" Khalis replied.
The zealot approached the group and assessed them with a single; a long purple scar ran across his other eye. He threw a simple glance with a hardened face before leading the front as additional zealots, presumably his companions, came to reinforce the group.
"Khalis, that's Kaldalis!" Farus said. "One of the best and fiercest warriors of the Templar order!"
"Yes, Farus. You always wanted to become as much of a warrior as he is. How silly that makes you behave, you're practically a youngling."
"But did you see how he single-handedly defeated an ultralisk. Think about the skills he has to still be alive at this point."
Val'idin blinked in behind them. "There is no time for hero worship. Kaldalis will lead the final assault. Our task now is to support him alongside the second battle group.
Khalis's battle group quickly fought their way towards the final conduit, an easy task with Kaldalis rapidly cutting up zerg creature without falter or weariness. Soon they met up with the other battle group reinforced with fresh zealots, stalkers, immortals, and colossi. Artanis lead the front, a shining example of Templar glory adorned in his intricate golden battle armor; easily casting aside stray zerglings attempting to pounce him. He quickly rendezvoused with Kaldalis.
"Kaldalis, it is good to see you are still standing, old friend!"
Said zealot had finished dispatching another hydralisk. "The battle was harsh and fierce, Hierarch, and many gave their lives gloriously in battle. But here I stand, still serving the dream of retaking Aiur."
"Indeed. I'm glad to see that despite the odds stacked against them, some of our friends still possess the strength to continue the fight."
Khalis could practically feel the amenity between the two. They must be good friends, she thought.
Her thoughts were distracted as she noticed something shimmering in the air; squinting her eyes in confusion. The zerg can't cloak, and no protoss would hide from another here on Aiur. Before she could make out its form, the shimmering ceased and the UFO completely disappeared from her sight.
She called, "Farus, I think I saw something in the sky."
"What did you see?" he asked.
"I am not certain, it was invisible to my eyes."
"Perhaps you are imagining things. Focus now, battle awaits." He ran to catch up with Kaldalis and Artanis, who have resumed the offensive. An irate Khalis floated after him. She knew she saw something!
The combined forces carved a path of destruction towards the zerg, despite heavy resistance from brood lords and ultralisks.
"The final conduit lies before us. Show the Zerg no mercy!" spoke Artanis.
Khalis increased her efforts and fought harder, they could see the final warp conduit up ahead, their objective was so close!
Three pillars of violent blue light smashed into the earth in front of the battle group, the force of which was enough to throw Farus and Val'idin off their feet and unbalance the floating Khalis. Artanis and Kaldalis simply stared forth in shock at what appeared.
Three hideous creatures materialized onto the physical plane, their appearance and apparent origins so grotesque it defied all logic and creation. Khalis felt a pit of almost-primal fear grow in her heart, but forced it down.
One of the High Templars verbally expressed the collective shock. "What in the name of the gods' are these wretched abominations?!"
The hybrid hissed and gargled through its twisted mandibles, but its psionic voice was much more clear.
"FIRSTBORN, YOUR FATE IS SEALED."
Artanis took the first step forward in defiance. "So this must be the hybrid Zeratul mentioned earlier. They must be the ones leading the Zerg on Aiur." He re-ignited both his psi-blades. "Templar! Slay them now!"
Bravery and comradery quickly steeled them to boldly attack the hybrid. The hybrid answered with their own hellish roars and barreled towards the front line.
They were only around the size of immortals, but were effortlessly cleaving through the front ranks of zealots and shattering shields. They didn't merely slice through or bash aside their victims, the hybrid seemed to mangle the armored zealots until their bodies were broken. Anyone that was caught in a swipe met a gory end. The hybrids' claws glowed with psionic energies and the blue blood of slain protoss.
The Daelaam forces quickly coordinated their attack to more effectively combat the abominations. Artanis and Kaldalis took it upon themselves to challenge the left Hybrid. Khalis, Farus, and Val'idin focused the right Hybrid. The rest of the army singled out the middle-most hybrid.
Artanis and Kaldalis synchronized their attack, each lunging in to surgically cut into the limbs and flesh of the hybrid. One evades whilst the other strikes. The Hybrid was deceptively strong and fast, but the two warriors were above their peers in combat. The fight ended shortly with Artanis stunning the weakened Hybrid with a psionic shockwave and Kaldalis plunging his blade through the creature's skull.
Khalis had no means of burst damage capable of quickly taking down the large hybrid, and so resorted to channeling a steady stream of lighting against the creature as a form of sustained damaged over time. The hybrid's flesh seared into a blacked crust, and it closed on its attacker in annoyed primal fury.
"Farus!" Farus tried to distract it from tackling his sister. He ran to its side and slashed its calves. Crippled in one leg, but barely slowed, the hybrid changed its focus and threw itself towards Farus.
"Now Dark Templar!"
Both bought enough time for Val'idin to blink mid-air and propel himself forward with a shadow charge towards the creature's skull. A well-timed swing with his warp scythe raked vertically across the creature's large head; he leaped onto the ground as the hybrid fell dead. He turned back to the two and gestured towards his handiwork.
"An efficient kill as always."
Khalis rolled her eyes as the Dark Templar deactivated his warp scythe. All he does is flaunt his experience against her own.
Fortunately, as monstrously strong as the hybrid were, they do not possess the same level of durability. The third hybrid simply couldn't withstand the concentrated fire of protoss weaponry, and was quickly perforated into a bloody mess.
Another trio of hybrid dropped onto the field, shattering nearby crumbling structures.
"THIS IS THE END OF YOUR-,"an immortal defiantly slammed cannon-fire into its face.
"Concentrate all batteries on the Hybrid!"
"Bring them down!"
The protoss simply elected to shoot them down one by one instead of engaging in close-quarters, the result was the swift death of the hybrid. With them out of the way, the remain zerg were quickly slaughtered and the rest routed.
Khalis floated down onto her feet, already tired from the strenuous battle. Farus gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"Not bad on your first day?"
"It could have been better. Though I'd say. . .Glorious victory was achieved! We earned our rest now."
Selendis's fleet arrived and flew into the final active warp conduit.
"The warp conduits have been secured. Our starfighters are moving to take this fight across the surface," Selendis's carrier tailed a squad of phoenixes into the conduit, no doubt expecting to meet heavy zerg resistance on the other side. That was the plan: establish air superiority paramount to preventing mutalisks and antique guardians from running rampant.
Artanis left to consult with Zeratul while Kaldalis ran off restless to continue the battle elsewhere. Val'idin approached Khalis and Farus, now accustomed to their presence from fighting together.
"You all fought well this day."
Farus returned with a polite compliment. "You as well Dark Templar. Your skills are most impressive. We would be honored if you will continue to fight alongside us in the battles ahead. Wouldn't you agree, Khalis?" He turned to Khalis for acknowledgement, but nearly frowned when all he could discern from her was silence and annoyance through the Khala, she turned back and began meditating on top a nearby rock.
Val'idin paid little heed to this exchange. "I would gladly join the hunt. But I must continue scouting ahead, especially now that we know the Zerg are being led by these. . .hybrid", Farus could hear the disgust contain in that word. "It is mandatory that we keep an eye out for any further traps and unforeseen complications. The sudden appearance of the hybrid can only mean that there are dark forces at work on Auir. . ."
"That would be most prudent. Carry on with your mission then, and may Adun's shadow hide you friend."
Val'idin nodded in thanks. Then blinked away into the shadows.
Farus glanced back at Khalis, slumped forward in an awkward meditative posture, as if she was brooding rather than realigning her thoughts and emotions. Rather than disturb her thoughts through the Khala, Farus shook his head and went to join the other zealots on break.
A/N: Thank you for choosing to read this story and its first chapter till the end. It begins during the first mission of LOTV, but the next arc will break off from the path of the Spear of Adun, so don't worry about redundancy.
Quick FYI, the full party with the Khalai, Nerazim, Tal'darim, and Purifier actually takes a while to assemble. The Khalai and Nerazim characters are obviously already introduced in this chapter. The Purifier isn't mentioned until Chapter 15. And the Tal'darim... is somewhere, you'll just have to find him. o u o