Location: Remnant
Island of Patch
Patch Hive
Time: 03:38
Are we understood, Kreig thought, looking at his newest zerg, Thal'aresh?
Of course Master, the zerg broodmother bowed, before straightening again, I have just begun construction of a spawning pool immediately. Though I must ask, why did you offer this Ruby Rose a place among our swarm?
She shows much promis Thal'aresh. In addition to her valuable knowledge of this world, her skills can give us an idea of what we may be uo abainst, so long as she offers this information willingly Kreig responded, knowing full well he was severely lacking in the psionics department. In truth, he only possessed the ability to communicate and read basic surface thoughts, an unfortunate reality that was very often balanced out by the rest of him.
He was an incredibly potent combat expert among the zerg, and was more than capable of matching even the most powerful Protoss warriors in his current body, which Kerrigan had dubbed his, 'Commander Form'. This, after a lengthy process that took several hours, could be converted into his combat body, which was more than capable of defeating multiple brood war Ultralisks at once, and even matching the Terran Thor Waker in single combat.
Kreig affectionately named it his 'War Form'. To the humans and protoss, he became a horror story. The noise that went bump in the night, except the bump was a massive zerg force headed by a highly intelligent monster with a deep seated resentment for all that stood against it. He became known to the sector as the 'Beast of Blades', second to the Queen of the Swarm.
Together, the two were nigh unstoppable.
Kerrigan, a manipulative, somewhat cocky yet calculating strategist, was a powerful psionic and very adept as tactical zerg use, often used clever placement and positioning to secure her victory early, preparing for a complex and targeted attack.
Kreig was calm, collected, loyal to a fault and while he didn't posses any real psionic skill, was still a capable strategist. However, both his physical form and approach to fighting led him to specialize in massive, open warfare, often involving hundreds of thousands of zerg at once, tearing through enemies with brute force and numbers, with Kreig right in the thick of it, sometimes serving as a distraction while Kerrigan put her planing into place and positioned her troops.
All in all, a very formidable duo.
Master, Thal'aresh's voice snapped Kreig out of his thoughts, While our current material intake is sufficient for our current size, if we are to expand at all within a few months, we need more. Unfortunately, while our scouts have not found any mineral patches on the island, that doesn't change the fact that our current biomass consumption is unsutainable
have been thinking on this for a while, Kreig responded, walking over to the spawning pool currently being constructed, if we are unable to harvest minerals or vespene gas, then we may need to turn to more biological means
What do you mean Master? What do you mean Master?
Would it be possible to add a few extra features to the creep?
That is very possible. What would you have me do?
I would like to see if we can alter the creep to coexist more, Kreig began explaining, if, instead of killing olant life it's placed over, if we coould modify it to work witht he plants, having it extract nutrients and grow itself
That...is actually a very good idea Master, Thal'aresh responded, agreeing with the zerg commander, but wouldn't that still not provide enough energy?
Exactaly, which is why I think it would be very beneficial if we could modify the creep further while we search for a mineral replacement
Genius, and while Thal'aresh would later make this very clear, she was pleasantly surprised that Kreig had thought of something so clever, yet so simple. She was very proud of him, part of a hardcoded personality trait that made all broodmothers act, well, motherly, specifically toward Kreig, something of a practical joke from Kerrigan, and it infuriated him to no end.
That is a wonderful idea Master, Thal'aresh said, voicing an idea of her own, Although I do have some ideas that would make the process more efficient
In that case, Kreig said, beginning to end the conversation, I give you full power and authority to do so
Thank you Master
'And now we wait', the zerg commander thought to himself, 'I wonder Miss Rose, will you accept my offer?"
Location: Remnant
Island of Patch
Patch Hive
Time: 08:10
"So you've decided to accept my offer?" Kreig sat down in a custom Zerg structure, designed to resemble a single room in a human house. Ruby was more hesitant to sit, seeing as how the 'chair' was literally made of flesh and bone, but she soon found it incredibly comfortable.
"Why?" A simple question, but one he wanted to know.
"Well, I'm a huntress, 'cause I want to help people, and if you can make me better, then I can help more people, and if I'm a better huntress then I'll be cool and people will like me and then finally Weiss won't be so smug and-" Kreig raised a hand, cutting her off before she could go farther.
"I understand." Ruby looked at him, as he continued, "but be careful, think this through. This is a process that cannot be reversed, so tread cautiously." A statement that worried and brought concern to the young huntress.
"Wait," she stopped, causing Kreig to swear internally, "what do I lose?"
"Your humanity." The two words chilling Ruby's blood, and suddenly the room seemed to be a little less warm.
"W-what?" She stood up, unconsciously inching toward the door.
"You will lose your humanity. You will become a zerg, like me, you will give up what makes you human. You will change Ruby Rose, you will never be the same." Kreig held out his hand to her as she stepped backwards.
"Will you join me?"
Location: Remnant
Island of Patch
Time: 08:15
Ruby was running through the forest, which might not have been the best thing to do. She was scared, and rightfully so, seeing as some alien had planned to take away her humanity. She knew that it was the soul that made people human, which was why they had aura, why she had aura.
Take that away, and the grimm are born.
She didn't know what Kreig truly wanted, if his altruism was merely a front to get her to give up herself. Maybe he was really some kind of soul eating grimm, that just wanted her dead, albeit a very elaborate one. In truth, Kreig was an unknown, and in all honesty, Ruby should have told her father as soon as she found him the night before.
Unfortunately, she was snapped out of her mind by the roar of a grimm. She skidded to a halt, eyes slowly turning upwards, into the eyes of a full grown Alpha Ursa Major. Deciding to take her mind off of Kreig for a second, she cocked the bolt of her rifle and cracked a smile.
Location: Remnant
Island of Patch
Patch Hive
Time: 8:20
With all due respect Master, Thal'aresh spoke, err, thought, to Kreig, she was going to accept your offer, had you not gone and scared her by being as dramatic as you were
I know Thal'aresh, Kreig gave an annoyed huff, a lapse in judgement on my part
At that moment, the two Zerg heard a loud roar echo through the forest, coming from the direction of Ruby's house.
But perhaps you can convince her to join us, Master
Maybe Kreig allowed himself a small smile as he extended his arm blades and walked out the door.
Perhaps a live demonstration is in order
Loaction: Remnant
Island of Patch
Time: 8:30
Ruby could and did handle the Alpha Ursa Major. Just barely though, seeing as how she was still a huntress in training. She did take it down, even with her aura now at half, and herself exhausted. It was the six other Ursa Majors that charged out of the forest that were an issue.
Currently, she wasn't doing well, her aura gone, only two Ursa Major down, Crescent Rose was both empty and somewhat damaged, refusing to shift back into a rifle. Sensing her desperation, one of the bear grimm charged. She stood her ground, and swung her scythe, clipping the grimms head, putting a gash in its face plate as it swung its claws, opening up three long, deep gashes in her midsection, and sending her into a tree. The grimm approached as the others make roars of their own, getting closer and closer, rearing up on its hind legs, when a brown and purplish blur shot past the tree Ruby was slumped against, and a two foot spike was buried in the Ursa's skull. She watched as Kreig pulled his blade free from the Ursa, revealing it to emanate from the armored carapace on his forearm. The others approached, and Kreig dashed forward, leaping and burying both blades in the chest of the first grimm, punching through both lungs. Using that as a starting point, Kreig flung himself up and over the grimm, retracting both blades as he landed on the shoulders of the one behind it.
He reached down, and gripped the monsters skull plate, armored fingers digging into the bone. He used this a fulcrum and jumped down, extending his blade on the other hand, and slitting the grimms throat as he went past, the momentum and weight of his body also snapping its neck.
With two grimm left, he charged the next one, slamming his shoulder into it, then tensing his legs and leaping, coming up and bringing his elbow into the grimms jaw, smashing the bone. Landing again, he slashed three times at the grimm screaming in pain as he cleaved its stomach open.
He turned his attention to the last grimm, punching his blade forward and lancing through its knee. Quickly retracting his blade, Kreig jumped up and over the grimm, landing on its back. He ran up its spine and putting his hands under the grimms jaws, and pulled, letting the anguished roars of the Ursa Major to echo throughout the forest, until it was silenced by a sickening tearing noise, and the dull thump of a head dropping to the floor.
With the grimm dispatched, Kreig turned to Ruby, currently slumped against a tree, bleeding profusely from three deep gashes in her stomach. He looked down at her, and voiced his concerns.
Ruby, you're hurt...
"Y-yeah..." Ruby coughed weakly, blood pooling on the ground around her, "it got me, a-and my auras gone..."
You're bleeding very heavily, Kreig crouched down, tentatively pressing his hand against her wound, eliciting a sharp cry of pain, you're lucky to still be alive, let alone concious
"I've got a scroll, I can call someone!" Ruby said, raising her scroll, only for her heart to drop as she looked into its smashed screen, a huge crack running through it as it weakly sparked and then quietly died.
Ruby, I can't help you here, as a human, He looked into her eyes, If I do nothing, you WILL die here
But
I can save you, seeing the hope blossom in her eyes, Kreig continued, join us, and you will become more powerful than possible for a human
What say you, Ruby Rose?
Ruby nodded.
Kreig smiled.
As her vision started to fade, she saw him reach down, and felt him pick her up. Right before unconsciousness took her, she heard him whisper a single line.
"Do you believe in destiny?"
Location: Korhal
Night had set, the sun giving way to the moon, the burning heat receding to the chilling cold. Eventually, the young boy in the sand wakes up, shaking the dust from his hair as he shakily rises to his feet. He is deep in the desert, lost, alone, scared and easily over two dozen miles from the flaming husk of what used to be his home.
He takes a step, shakily, uncertain of himself, then another and another. He makes it twenty feet before he collapses again. More time passes, maybe an hour, maybe three, maybe 10 minutes. It was only the sound of engines that drew his attention, and a pair of blinding spotlights that scanned over his form, before stopping there.
The noise paused, and the child tilted his head to see a group of four hellions, fast, four wheeled flamethrower equipped skirmish vehicles. Each car held three people, two marines and a medic each, with one driver.
He heard someone dismount, and the footsteps of military boots grinding into the sand. His eyes, unfocused and blank, watched idly as a medic, garbed in blue tinged uniform looked down at him. He could have recognized the markings of the rebels anywhere, and he made no attempt to move when he felt something hard and metal slide under his body, just as a horrific screeching noise erupted from the ground.
"You three, hold them off, get this kid to a medic ASAP!" The gruff voice of a space marine jarred the boy as the massive armored human lifted him off the ground and placed him into the back seat of a hellion amid the crack of automatic gunfire and whoosh of mounted flamethrowers
The medic in the seat next to him start to heal his body, while another one performed some basic examination, eventually wiping off enough blood and sand from his face to identify him.
"Holy shit..." the medic whispered, her voice shaky, "it's General Tiber's kid..."
"Isn't he friends with Raynor?" The other asked, still healing the boy.
"Yeah, they go way back, Tiber had been working undercover for us against the dominion, but I don't know why his kid is out in the desert like this..." Prompting the kid to groan.
"Ghost's..." his voice was strained and raspy, like someone who had been facefirst in hot sand for the last 12 hours, "broke in...killed both...house...on fire...ran..." he finished, slowly.
"What about-"
The only shook his head in sadness, to which the medics bowed their heads as a sign of respect.
"Alright kid," the female medic placed a hand on his forehead, "just rest."
His consciousness dimmed again, and he faded once more.
Location: Remnant
Island of Patch
Patch Hive
Spawning Pool
Time: 20:40
Is she stable? Kreig asked his broodmother.
Yes Master, Thal'aresh shuffled her limbs and looked over at the young woman suspended in the spawning fluid, in the process of being converted into zerg, she healed exceptionally well, I might add
Her genetic code is very responsible to the Zerg DNA, and her basic form should be completed within the hour
Is it possible to keep her aura intact? Kreig asked, concerned about a possibility of suspicion being directed toward her, It seemes to be very essential to her combat style
It is indeed possible, however I cannot seem to integrate the gene for it into the Zerg
Hmm, Kreig scratched his chin, I suppose that is a problem for another time. I have a very good idea of what to do to her
Thal'aresh looked at him, prompting him to continue.
Her greatest asset is her speed, it seems to be the centerpiece of her style, and an upgrade to that would probably be most beneficial to her.
In that case, Master, I believe digitigrade legs in addition to a light carapace would be the best option.
Correct Thal'aresh, Kreig spoke up, However I feel that she would not be happy with any physical deformities. I think we should instead simply upgrade her muscular system, focusing on the legs more than usual.
Understood, Thal'aresh said, bowing her head slightly, It will be done, Master
Kreig watched through the fluid of the spawning pool as her body mutated, as muscle grew and then compressed, maintaining her form while increasing strength and mass, while the wound on her stomach, once a series of deep, long gashes, was nothing more than three faint, white scars, and even those were fading before his eyes. He then turned and left, exiting the structure he had built around the special underground spawning pool.
The hive had expanded almost explosively since the morning, the nutrient extracting and photosynthetic creep modifications almost playfully easy to make. With the new form or creep, blades of 'creep grass', as Kreig had referred to it, began to peek through the floor. It was just creep covering the grass, extracting nutrients from the grass, which extracted them from the soil, while providing the grass energy thanks to its photosynthetic qualities.
But the most impressive new structures were the giant organic towers than now dotted the hive landscape. Nicknamed, 'Zerg Trees' by Kreig, they were each around 40-50 feet tall, with a central column formed from thick muscles and chitin, with a central bone running through the center. The great, 'leaves' of the 'tree' were actually closer to sails, very wide and broad, forming a structure that, from a distance, resembled an oak tree. Each of the 'leaves' were coated in another form of new creep, which worked more like a second skin, and could not be simply lifted and moved around like other creep.
These structures generated massive amounts of solar energy, which was transferred through an underground nervous system, which connected to each structure, and increased zerg effectiveness, giving them a bit of a charge when in contact with creep, in addition to providing more energy to expand.
But now, Kreig was standing just outside of the Hive, facing the treeline. In a few seconds, a small recon zerg force appeared, looking rather injured and battered, but alive and kicking nonetheless. However, the most important aspect was the unconscious human the lead zergling was carrying.
While the zerg dumped the human to the floor and scurried off, Kreig grinned, delivering a swift kick to his midsection, jolting him awake with a cry of pain. The man, dressed in black and grey, was a bandit, having been part of a small squadron that ambushed his forces during their recon mission, searching for useful minerals.
"W-what, where am I?" He looked around, before focusing on Kreig, his face contorting into an expression of anger. His hand reached down, grabbing for a gun that wasn't there. Seeing desperation flash on his face, he stepped forward, throwing a wild punch at Kreig, who countered a powerful hook to his ribs, producing a cracking noise, and sending him to the ground.
"Welcome to the hive!" Kreig said, arms out wide in a welcome gesture, "We've got a few questions for you, bandit." He spoke to the man, who was still on the ground, moaning. Then the Zerg Commander stepped forward.
"And you'll be answering them." He finished, as he heard the tell tale noise of a broodmother approaching from behind him. He turned to see Thal'aresh with a small squadron of zerglings standing in formation behind him.
What would you have me do, Master? She asked, clearly referring to the downed bandit.
I want to know everything he knows Kreig hefted the groaning man by the hair and tossed him to the broodmother, who caught the bandit by the throat and dropped him onto the back of a zergling.
It will be done Thal'aresh nodded her head and left, moving off to interrogate the criminal, while Kreig focused on something the man had dropped.
It was a small crystal, with a reddish hue, that seemed to exude an as of yet unknown energy that was unfamiliar to Kreig. It was a bit of a mystery to him, and as he looked up at the overlord floating toward him, he decided he would find out.
Master, As Kreig boarded the Overlord to take a little trip up into the sky, to get his bearings of the world and see where he was, he was contacted by Thal'aresh, I have news
Continue
Ruby Rose has awakened The broodmother 'spoke' to him.
Good