StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void

Chapter 6

Avoiding the Civil War… For now

Amon scratched the wall.

His anger was limitless. The Queen of Blades had been freed from his control and had reborn with free will about two months ago, and he didn't get the chance to retake his control over her.

Now, the zerg, his most difficult enemies to beat, were against him instead of on his side. The protoss were aware of the real threat, but still some of them were willing to kill Kerrigan. If they just did it, then he would have things easier. By other side, Valerian, Arcturus's son, had started to earn the people's trust.

He had underestimated Zeratul's will. Most of the plan, for not saying the entire plan, had gone to hell.

And Duran… Duran had died. He had been fool enough to believe he could defeat the Queen of Blades alone. Maybe he could have achieved his goal, but it was because of Alexei Stukov that he couldn't. And now, Terrans and Zerg were working together. If Zeratul managed to convince the Hierarchy to ally with them, then his hybrids were not enough powerful... Yet.

But desperation could be a great ally to him.

He had recovered the data of the job Duran had been doing, what meant he didn't care at all about Duran's death. Since Duran had made it into the Möebius foundation and became its leader, things had been going very good. Now, with Valerian knowing about the trick and Raynor supporting him… That was very bad.

James Raynor… The name made his hate grow more and more. He was more than just a pain in the ass.

Many times, Amon had tried to destroy him, but he never managed to. Back on Char after Kerrigan was born as the Queen of Blades, he wanted the human to suffer, but it was a mistake to let him go. During the Brood War, he killed Raynor's closest friend to make him be overwhelmed by hate and be reckless, but the human could hold himself in time. And then, when Raynor attacked Char the last year, the artifact of his own kind fully charged exactly when he had gathered an army strong enough of to wipe Raynor out of Char's face. And then he lost control of Kerrigan. But by that way, he had been able to come back to do the job himself. A month later, he lost total control of the zerg swarm, and Raynor and Kerrigan allied. Now, they were doing well in allying with the protoss.

Amon screamed in fury. He had planned everything, he had considered every condition, and, even so, he had been caught off guard. The overconfidence in himself had made him an easy target for Zeratul's mind.

He wasn't going to commit the same mistake again.

The new plan was to lead the protoss to a civil war to weaken them enough to be destroyed in a single strike. He intended to make Zeratul kill Nahaan, Mohandar and Urun, or to make the three last named kill Zeratul, Zekrath, Tabrenus and Artanis.

-Master.-Nahaan told him.- I sense Zeratul is here on Shakuras. I have come, as you commanded.-

-You are doing well.-Amon answered.- Make sure he starts a war against you. And kill your brothers. Make no mistakes.-

-Consider the matter handled, Master.-

-Do not dare you let me down, Nahaan.-Amon warned.- I want this meeting of you to be the bloodiest you have ever had.-

-My brothers…-

-Do not worry.-Amon said.- Both Urun and Mohandar, and their tribes, are under my command.-

-Understood, my Master. I will serve you well.-

He didn't answer. He didn't want to.

Amon had taken control over half of the protoss's minds of Shakuras. Nahaan, Mohandar, Urun and their respective tribes were under his will. He had tried control the whole protoss race, but the librarians, the Shelaks, had the Khaydarin Crystals protecting their free will, and the builders… They have too many electric pulses in their mind, enough to confuse him. In the state he was right then, he wasn't able to see clearly in their minds. Artanis, Zekrath and Selendis had some of those crystals, which didn't allow him to take control over them. Tabrenus was the leader of the builders, and his mind was also overwhelmed of electric pulses. And Zeratul… His mind was close and strong enough to resist his strength. Because of which, Zeratul was the first in the list. He will be the first in dying.

Amon smiled while thinking that. He imagined how to kill Zeratul. He would crush him.

Zeratul, Artanis, Zekrath and Tabrenus had left to meet up with the other Hierarchs. The four of them expected the situation to go bad, knowing there was a little chance to avoid a bloodbath, but also knowing the chance was very little.

The protoss in the camp were always trying to avoid Kerrigan.

They had been told not to harm her. They believed Zekrath and Tabrenus when the prophecy was told. Most of the protoss believed it, in fact. But still, they seemed to prefer killing her before allying with her. She was still a killer for them, even for the Furinax and Shelak, but they were up for the test of enduring her.

The two tribes had agreed on something: they wanted to live. And like Tassadar had shown them almost five years ago, some traditions must be broken to ensure survival. They didn't care about justice when it came to survival. When Dark Prelate Zeratul told them to trust the Queen of Blades once again, all they thought was this: "Our ancestors did not trust Adun, and they were wrong. We did not trust Tassadar and Zeratul, and we were wrong. We will not commit the same mistake again."

Besides, for them, things were very simple: they ally with the Queen of the zerg and take their chances in the war, or they kill her and get extinct.

They had chosen to take their chances with the zerg.

Even so, they were still filled of fear. They feared what she would do once Amon is dead. They feared she would tear them all apart. But, like Artanis said when they argued that, "There was no ensuring of that would happen."

Raynor was worth of their trust, given that he helped them many times, even risking himself most of those times. He and Preator Fenix were friends until the last one was killed during the Brood War.

Those dark times were hopeless. All the protoss could do then was resist. When the zerg managed to use the portal connecting Aiur and Shakuras, they thought death had come to take 'em all.

But the light shined again.

With the help of two of the most powerful Khaydarin Crystals, Dark Prelate Zeratul and Executor Artanis, managed to use the Xel'Naga temple's energies to wipe the zerg out of Shakuras in a single strike.

But even knowing they could kill the Queen of Blades by just using the temple again, they were very tense.

Most of the protoss there had lost friends by her hand, but they had to make an effort. If Raynor, Artanis and Zeratul were trusting her again, they weren't going to oppose them. The three were very respectable people, and they deserved to be heard.

Despite the fact every protoss there was trying to get away from her, Sarah and Raynor had chosen to walk a bit around the camp before Zeratul and Artanis came back from the meeting with the other Hierarchs.

They had been walking all over the camp, and they finally got inside the Nexus, where no protoss would attempt to enter. They had to talk about some things.

-And… After the breakout of the Moros… What did you do?-she asked.

-Actually nothing. I just got back to the Hyperion and went to the nursery. I… Was in shock. I never expected you to do such a thing… By your own will.-

Sarah's eyes looked down, at the floor, clearly sad.

-I thought you were dead. All I wanted was revenge on the man who had taken everything away from me. Mengsk.-

-Couldn't you sense me?-

-As a human, I wasn't strong enough. And as this, something was blocking me. Put yourself in my place, Jim. Wouldn't you've done the same?-

-I think so.-he answered after a while.

-And that pleases me. Yet it is my entire fault. I was not strong enough to resist the temptation of taking revenge. I failed you.-she had started speaking aloud, and when she finished, she did it moaning.

Jim looked at her sadly, as if he was willing to say it was true, but he didn't say a thing. The man just kept the silence, and then looked at the sky.

The clouds of Shakuras were the darkest ones he had ever seen. The planet was a very good representation of the people that lived there. The Dark Templars. The agents of the Void. The strongest protoss.

-You didn't. I failed.-he assured; Raynor lowered his eyes to hers.- I should've fought Nova off and made my way to you so we…-

-Jim.-she said putting a hand in his cheek.- It wasn't your fault. You know eventually I'd had to become the zerg leader again… Because without me to oppose him, Amon would rule the zerg, as he did in the Overmind's vision.-

-Amon.-he said harshly.- Always Amon. Is he the center of the universe, perhaps?-

-I hate him too. But the threat is real. I fought one of his minions back on the Skygeirr Station. Guess who.-Raynor shrugged in responde.- Narud. He was actually a shape shifter.-

-Narud.-Raynor said.- Why am I not surprised?-

-This scar right here?-she pointed a white line in her abdomen.- He did this to me. But it meant his death.-

-That… Is a mortal wound. The bleeding should've killed you, how…?-

-Stukov carried me back to the Leviathan in time. Along Zagara and Izsha, he cured me. I owe them my life.-

-Thank God.-

She stopped then, staring at him.

-You know… Now that you named God… It's not thanks to him. All the good things I have… I don't owe him that. I owe you that.-

-Sarah, you don't have to…-

-Yet I want to.-she replied, taking his hands, knowing her claws were sharp enough to cut them off of his arms, so she did it carefully.- I love you. I would show you how much I do, -she said getting closer.- but there is no way while I'm this, we… Discovered it yesterday. Hell, no one in my bloody life ever made me feel like you did. And like you still do. When I thought you were dead, I was really a monster. I… Want you to know I annihilated an entire protoss world…-she said slowly and with bated breath, making sure no one was hearing.- I killed General Warfield. I…-a tear fell from her eye.- I consumed enough zerg for two lives… I… I… I am a monster. You now know why I failed you. And why I'm still failing. And then you came back… It was a light in the darkness… My light in the darkness.-she couldn't control her eyes anymore, and two lines started to furrow her cheeks.- I… Suffered so much… That when I found you and you said what you said… My heart finally broke. And then you saved my life again!-she said shakily.- You stopped Mengsk from killing me… And my love for you did nothing but grow. Now, like I said back on the Moros, you are the only one who ever believed in me. Now that you know everything I have done, I need to ask, do you still do so?-

Jim had been listening carefully, as he always had when Sarah wanted him to hear her. He wasn't surprised, to be honest. He expected all that. Even so, he felt another great burden in his back, which, truth be said, was almost broken.

-Yes, I do.-he assured.- Don't blame you for that, you…-

-Amon didn't control me.-

-I wasn't gonna say that. I was about to say I'd have done the same. Forget all that, Sarah. You are what you are now. The past… Doesn't matter. We're together in this, whatever the situation comes up with. We may not know what we're up against, but I am pretty sure we can face it. Together.-

She smiled. A true smile. One of those she almost never let appears. And Jim was sure he was the only that had ever seen them.

-I love you, James Raynor-she repeated, passing her arms around his chest.

-I love you too, Sarah Kerrigan.-

Zeratul, along with Artanis, entered the Hierarchy Chamber. The Citadel itself was enormous. Taller than five Omegalisks together, and wider than three Thors, the Citadel stood proudly in the middle of Talematros, the Dark Templar Capital City.

The two protoss had let Urun go after Artanis's medics had brainwashed Urun's memories. Both Artanis and Zeratul had agreed on they would do whatever it takes to unite the protoss and ally them all with Kerrigan and Raynor.

And Zeratul knew something else Artanis did not: if their brothers attempted to kill Sarah Kerrigan, Raynor would kill them all.

And he was very capable.

He and Artanis passed through a door, and the two stone guardians at the sides of the inside the chamber stared at them. For some strange reason, they let Zeratul pass. The Nerazim remained quiet a moment, looking at them.

The stone guardians were huge, strong enough to destroy the Xel'Naga Temple there on Shakuras, but they were useless in combat if their opponents weren't of their height.

He reached Artanis, and they finally entered the Hierarchy Chamber.

Nahaan, Mohandar, Urun, Zekrath and Tabrenus were there, sat on their chairs, in silence, waiting for Artanis to arrive, given he had summoned a meeting, and now, for some unknown reason, Zeratul, the protoss that encouraged Sarah Kerrigan to become the Queen of Blades once again, had come too.

-Greetings, brothers.-Artanis said; Zeratul took a step forward, with his eyes raised and his fists clenched.

Amon smiled. Zeratul had bitten the bait.

While Nahaan, Mohandar and Urun were really surprised, Zekrath and Tabrenus did their best to seem to be so.

-This meeting will be shorter than the others.-Zeratul said; he didn't even say hello.

-Prelate Zeratul.-Mohandar said.- You were once respected by all of us, the most respected protoss, but now you are nothing but a murderer, given you brought the Queen of Blades back! How dare you come here!?-

Zeratul didn't have eyebrows, but if he had ones, he'd have raised them.

-The meaning of my arrival is the one you want to give to it.-

-What is your purpose to be here now?-Nahaan asked directly to Zeratul.- I do not believe you are in a tour.-

-That is not wrong.-the Nerazim responded, walking to the center of the Chamber; Artanis made his way to his chair, right in front of the door, in silence.- I have a purpose to be here for, yes. It is my will to unite the protoss tribes with the Tal'Darim and the remaining protoss all across the galaxy. This is why I am here. I need your help, my brethren.-

-And how are you planning to do such a thing?-Tabrenus said; he and Zekrath had to show themselves as surprised as the others were.- Because the Tal'Darim had been hostiles to us all since their very beginning, and the other tribes… Let us just say they are not willing to come with us.-he finished.

-I know of all that.-Zeratul agreed.- Even so, we have to try. Amon's threat is real, and he is now alive once again. I do not know how our fathers killed him millenniums ago, but I intend to find a way to do so once again.-

-Are you?-Zekrath asked.- The information our fathers left is poor. So poor, for example, that all we know about the Khaydarin Crystals is that they are to be used as energy sources and to keep memories.-

-Yet so I will try. Do you prefer to low the head and wait for death to reach us all?-

-It is known for us what you did, Zeratul.-Urun said; Artanis looked at him, but he said nothing.- You went into a voluntary exile after killing Raszagal because of Kerrigan's manipulations, –and I am not saying it was not necessary, because it was- and now you just go there and encourage her to become a monster again?-

Zeratul shook his head.

-The Queen of Blades is not a monster any longer. She now has free will and knows she must pay for her crimes during the Brood War. Matt Horner, a companion of our trustworthy friend James Raynor, told me so.-

-James Raynor has been corrupted by the Queen of Blades.-Nahaan argued.- He is no longer the man that once help us destroy the Overmind. The Great Tassadar would say so and that we have to kill the Queen of Blades as well.-

Zeratul stared at Nahaan for a short moment, so short that no one noticed his looking.

-For you, Tassadar had unusual ways, but also effective ones. I am pretty sure he would consider this: allying with Kerrigan and Raynor means the salvation of our entire race. In fact, if you agree on following me back to Aiur, I will show you six where Tassadar is. Because he is not dead.-

-What are you proposing, Zeratul?-Urun asked in a careful tone.

-I am proposing we ask the Queen of Blades for a vote of confidence.-

-Do you believe she would accept?-Tabrenus wanted to know.

-I think so, yes.-

The following silence was what Zeratul had been looking for. And he had managed to find it. Now, with Tabrenus and Zekrath on his side, Artanis knowing what to do, Urun's desire of retaking Aiur from the zerg, and Mohandar's trust in him, he had the five votes to ignore the sixth one.

Amon thought about it. Tassadar was still alive? Perhaps. He had done the same Adun did, and Adun didn't die. Neither Tassadar nor Adun had gone to the Khala once dead. This was the perfect way for him to know the fate of both warriors.

Amon made Urun and Mohandar agree with Zeratul, and Nahaan deny. He had taken a longer way, but both Tassadar and Adun represented a great threat for his plan. He had to make sure they were dead. And if they were not…

He would kill them if so.

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