Arriving to the devastated Protoss home world of Aiur and the sky was now red due to the invasion from the Burning Legion. Tassadar and Artanis received a transmission, "Greetings Executor! And greetings to you, Tassadar. I am overjoyed to see you both return home in this dark hour. The Zerg have redoubled their efforts, and it seems…"
They recognized their old friend, "Fenix? It can't be! Artanis told me how you fell before the Zerg. How is it that you live and breathe?"
"Ha hah... Well, after my unfortunate defeat, my ruined body was recovered by our brethren. Our scientists were testing the Immortal, improved version of the Dragoon, and I was the first to try it." Fenix was a former Zealot and led counterattacks against the Zerg under orders from Artanis as well as holding the line in Antioch against the Burning Legion. The Praetor was presumed dead when a Hydralisk ambushed him and his suit malfunctioned. Currently, he resided in the cold robotic shell of the Immortal, fortified-armored assault strider, with hardened shields to reduce damage from most attacks and siege-capable phase disruptor cannons used to fire at ground forces only.
"Old friend, would that this never came to pass...," said Tassadar.
"Nonsense! There is no shame in defeat so long as the spirit is unconquered, and I am still able to serve Aiur to a degree. But enough of this. There is much you both need to know. You have been branded as traitors by Aldaris and the Conclave. Even now they seek to arrest you and execute the Dark Templar, Zeratul," Fenix informed them.
"I never believed that they would go so far. In the face of total annihilation they still cling to their failing traditions!" Tassadar was shocked of how fanatical the Conclave was.
"Yes, and that makes them all the more dangerous. They hunt you even now, Tassadar. And though I damn myself by doing so, I shall stand by you till the end," Fenix spoke in a supporting tone.
"En Taro Adun, noble Fenix. Artanis, it seems that if our world is to live, we must protect the Dark Templar from our own brethren. Although it pains me greatly, not even the Conclave shall stand in our way," Tassadar turned to Artanis.
"Artanis, you and the traitor Tassadar are to cease your resistance and surrender yourselves to the judgment of the Conclave. We will take the outlaw, Zeratul, into custody and deal with him as is written by the Khala's law," Judicator Aldaris, Artanis' former advisor spoke in a serious tone.
"Flee back to your masters Aldaris, and huddle with them in darkness! For your actions shall set us all unto the Zerg and the Legion!" Tassadar spoke in resistance and the Protoss civil war erupted.
Artanis and Fenix never thought of living a day to fight their own people and the same thought came to Tassadar but the Templar fought the Tal'darim in Skygeirr. As for Zeratul, the Prelate had fought Protoss twice and anticipated the hell of a welcome the Conclave would give him and his people. During the civil war, Matthew and his men remained in orbit, as Tassadar considered it to be a Protoss matter and best not to drag his allies into it. Tassadar's forces and the Conclave's forces were break-even initially especially having fortified-armored Warp Prisms used as transport and as power source, but having the Dark Templar, Stalkers, and Void Rays enabled Tassadar's army to overwhelm and outnumber the loyalists to the Protoss government.
After Artanis and his troops to destroyed Protoss fortress known as Heart of the Conclave, Tassadar went out alone, "Artanis! Aldaris! This madness must stop! The sight of my brethren slaughtering one another is more than I can stand. Though I fear you would doom us all, Aldaris, I surrender myself to the Conclave. En Taro Adun, Artanis. Don't give up the fight!"
"Tassadar of the Templar, by your actions you have severed yourself from the mercy of your brethren. You refused to destroy the Terran worlds as was commanded. You have questioned time and time again, the sacred will of the Conclave. And you have abandoned your home world in its darkest hour. Most grievous of all is that you have allied yourself with the blasphemous dark ones, and learned to utilize their profane powers in tandem with our own! What say you, oh fallen Templar?" Aldaris condemned the High Templar.
"Aldaris, I submit myself to the Conclave's judgment. But know this, given the same choices again, I would surely have made them. I have sacrificed all that our world might live. I have sullied my honor, I have discarded my rank and standing, and I have even broken our own most ancient traditions. But never think that I would, for one moment, regret my actions. For I am Templar, and above all else, I have sworn to protect our home world 'till the end," Tassadar spoke in a decisive tone and was captured.
Back at Artanis' encampment, Fenix spoke in a tone of despair, "All seems lost now, but still we must fight on. We must find Tassadar and secure his release from the Judicator before they can execute him for treason. Without him, I fear there is no way to defeat the Zerg, their Overmind, Archimonde, and the Burning Legion. Zeratul and his Dark Templar have vanished, leaving us to fend for ourselves. I wonder if Tassadar was mistaken to have put his trust in them."
"I don't think so, Fenix. We'll back up, soon," Artanis spoke in a reassuring tone.
"Who will help us?" Fenix asked.
Artanis contacted the Zeus, "Matthew, Tassadar is now captured by the Judicator and is sentenced to stand trial for his crimes against the Conclave. Please help us rescue him and save our people from the Zerg and the Legion."
"We'll do what we can," said Matthew.
"Then you shall, bold human. You shall." Fenix spoke in an encouraging tone to a human for the first time.
The engineer had Zeus entering Aiur accompanied by three Battlecruisers and fired the Yamato Cannon at the Pylon belonging to the loyalists of the Conclave, and then cleared the buildings to land. After the smooth landing, the Freedom Fighters established their own encampment. Matthew decided to send Battlecruisers, Vikings, Banshees, Wraith fighters, marines, medics, Marauders, Diamondbacks, Goliaths, siege tanks, and Thors to support Artanis' forces. In combat, the Battlecruisers were capable to obliterating anything in its path; however fighters were threat to those powerful warships. When it comes to enemy Carriers, "all right boys, hit them with your Yamato Cannon. Couple of shots will flatten anything," Matthew ordered the fleet. The ships charged up their powerful long-range plasma cannons and released the plasma that could deal a great deal of damage to the enemy carriers. With the Yamato cannon, the Battlecruisers could also outrange defensive towers. The missile pods installed in the ships could soften up a group of Phoenixes. Artanis' fleet of Carriers made a formidable force when combined with the man-made Battlecruisers. The Scout and Phoenix fighters formed a more powerful air cavalry when combined with Banshees, Wraith fighters, and Vikings. Though without the Dark Templar, Artanis could still hit the Conclave's forces hard with the human allies backing him up. The Shield of Aiur Artanis command could even cloak the human allies besides his forces. The combined forces fought their way to the area where Tassadar was held in a stasis cell, Fenix spoke in an impatient tone, "Artanis, we have found Tassadar's Stasis Cell. We will attempt to free him now." The combined forces hit the cell with everything they had without hurting Templar.
"Tassadar is free, saddle up people, we're out of here," Matthew ordered as a Medivac was arriving to pick up heroes while the battle continued. Fenix covered his friend while marines and Marauders found themselves being slashed into pieces by enemy Zealots. The Zealots of the two different Protoss factions slashed each other and the enemy Archons shocked the Banshees that blew an Archon and the Zealots. The ally Scout fighters, Carriers, Vikings, and Battlecruisers covered the Medivac in the air so that she could pick up the heroes smoothly and unharmed.
"I expected you to attempt to retrieve your hero. You will learn that the will of the Conclave is absolute. Make peace with Adun," Aldaris said to the combined force.
Zeratul and his brethren appeared, "Stay thy hand, Judicator. The stewards of Tassadar shall not fall while the Dark Templar live. Call off your guards and stand aside, and you may yet live to see another moonrise."
"I will not be addressed so by one so devoid of the Khala's light. You and your vile brethren shall die with these traitors," Aldaris turned to the Dark Templar.
"Are you truly so blinded by your vaunted religion, that you can't see the fall ahead of you? Your Conclave believes that they are winning this war, but all they've succeeded in doing is helping the Overmind and Archimonde to win," Zeratul spoke based on reality.
"What could you possibly know about our designs, blasphemer?" Aldaris questioned in a tone of distrust.
"You speak of knowledge, Judicator? You speak of experience? I have journeyed through the darkness between the most distant stars. I have beheld the births of negative suns and borne witness to the entropy of entire realities... Unto my experience, Aldaris, all that you've built here on Aiur is but a fleeting dream. A dream from which your precious Conclave shall awaken, finding themselves drowned in a greater nightmare," said Zeratul.
"We shall see," Aldaris spoke and went away afterwards.
At the foothold of the combined forces, the Freedom Fighters took a break from the fight. The Protoss heroes held a meeting and Tassadar began, "My gratitude to you, for having secured my release, knows no bounds. By all the gods, we may win yet! The time has come to let loose the fury of the Dark Templar. Zeratul, perhaps the time has come to tell our friends of the foe we face."
"Indeed. When I was seeking answers for the prophecy, I touched briefly with the essence of the Overmind. In that instant, my mind was filled with its thoughts, and I tell you now our worst fears have come true. The Zerg were indeed created by the ancient Xel'Naga, the same beings that empowered us in our infancy. But the Overmind grew beyond their constraints, and has at last come to finish the experiments they began so long ago," Zeratul explained.
"So you see my friends, we fight not only to save Aiur, but all creation! If we fall to the Zerg then the Overmind will run rampant throughout the stars, consuming all sentience-all life. It is up to us to put an end to this madness, then deal with the Burning Legion," Tassadar spoke according to plan.
"Our forces shall engage the primary Zerg Hive clusters in an attempt to weaken their defenses. Once their numbers have thinned out, Zeratul and his companions can infiltrate the clusters and assassinate the Cerebrates. Adun willing, the Cerebrates' deaths will distract the Overmind long enough for us to assault it directly," Fenix finished.
Zeratul led a strike force combining his brethren and Artanis' forces to attack the primary Zerg Hive clusters while Fenix and Tassadar held the line. "Fenix! The skies are burning!" Tassadar saw the meteors which turned out to be demonic Infernals crashing down into the surface. Fenix had witnessed that before when the Burning Legion were summoned to Aiur by the black wizard, "This is not a natural storm! Brace yourselves everyone!" The Infernals attacked both the Protoss encampment and the Zerg Hive clusters complicating the mission. Zeratul and the attack force would not hesitate to take down any of those demons. The Prelate struck a Cerebrate down and the slug-like creature did not reincarnate. By doing so, he had pause the Overmind preventing that Cerebrate from being resurrected. Zeratul did the same to the other Cerebrate killing it once and for all.
Back at the forward base, the heroes of the combined forces gathered for a meeting. Fenix praised the attack on the Cerebrates, "Artanis, our plan worked perfectly. The Zerg defenses are broken, and the way to the Overmind is laid bare! The time for our stand has come."
"Indeed. My friends, this is our final hour. Not all of us may survive the coming conflict. Yet, death may be a blessing should we fail here. We seek now to destroy a foe that has ravaged its way across the universe consuming all in its path. And now it has reached the end of its long journey. The Overmind has come to destroy all that we hold dear and assimilate us into itself. And I say to thee, this shall not come to pass! Aiur shall not fall! Artanis, I stand ready!" Tassadar spoke about the next move while boosting the morale.
"As do I," Zeratul spoke in determination.
"We're all in this together," said Matthew as he and his men decided to help the Protoss in killing the Overmind.
"Then let our actions speak for us! For Adun! For Aiur!" Tassadar spoke in a rallying tone and piloted the Gantrithor himself. Artanis commanded the Shield of Aiur and Matthew had the Zeus ready for battle.
"Artanis, Tassadar, this comes too late to you. But the Conclave has witnessed your defeat of the Cerebrate. They know now that they cannot deny the necessity or the valiancy of your actions. We sought to punish you, while it was we who were in error. You represent what is greatest in us all, and all our hopes go with you. EN TARO ADUN, brave Sons of Aiur!" Aldaris apologized on behalf of the Protoss and encouraged Artanis' forces to commence the attack.
For the last fight against the Zerg, Matthew decided to throw everything he had except for Diamondbacks, Marauders, and Wraith fighters. The humans and Protoss separately flanked the main Hive cluster pushing their way into the Overmind's nesting area. The combined force also had to hold off the Infernals that arrived in form of meteors if they attacked their base or the Hive cluster. After the Overmind took sufficient damage, Tassadar gave his last words to his forces and allies, "Artanis, the Overmind has been weakened, but I fear we have sustained severe damage ourselves. I will steer the Gantrithor into a collision course with the Overmind. If I can channel enough of the Dark Templars' energy through the hull of the Gantrithor, I should be able to bring swift death to the accursed abomination. Remember us, Artanis. Remember what was done here today. May Adun watch over you." The High Templar remembered the Dark Templar energies he learned from Zeratul and fused them with his High Templar energies. He channeled both energies from the ship and unleashed it into the Overmind killing it at the expense of his own life.
The Zerg Swarm became leaderless and became easy prey to the Burning Legion. 70% of Aiur's population was slaughtered at the hands of the Zerg and the demons. Aldaris, Artanis, Zeratul, Fenix, and Matthew had a meeting after paying respect to Tassadar for such noble sacrifice. "Though we all grieve for the loss of mighty Tassadar, we must find the resolve to carry on. He sacrificed himself to destroy the Overmind, but the Legion is now the issue in our ruined home world. Without the Conclave to lead us, or the protection of our great fleets, it seems we must fend for ourselves," Aldaris spoke in a tone as he was changed.
The old man arrived magically interrupting the meeting and said, "As we have all seen, the Legion will not halt their onslaught until every last one of us is dead. I suggest that we retreat to my world through a portal."
"With all due respect, old Terran, the Protoss do not run from their enemies. Aiur is our home world. It is here that we shall make our stand!" Aldaris spoke in a proud tone.
"Just as your Conclave did? They are dead now, Aldaris, dead because they allowed their pride to blind their reason. Only if we learn from their mistakes can we live to avenge them," Zeratul reminded the Judicator the reason for the death of the Conclave.
"Where can we find the portal?" the Prelate asked the old man.
"You won't be able to find it. I will open it with magic. Before I can do so, Zeratul, the Warp Gate must be destroyed to prevent the Burning Legion from entering Shakuras, this is for your people," the wizard told the Prelate.
"Where exactly are we going?" Aldaris questioned the wizard.
"To the world where I come from, Fantasia," the old man told the combined force about his world.
"If you have friends there, do you? Why would they shelter us? They have no idea of who we are," Aldaris spoke in concern about the inhabitants of the unknown world.
"The Protoss are destined to help and bring hope to them according to the prophecy known to them. Not all beings are as unforgiving as your lamented Conclave, Aldaris," the wizard predicted.
"Very well, then. Zeratul shall find us a passage to the Warp Gate. After the gate iss destroyed, Fenix and Artanis will defend the portal until our surviving brethren is through," Aldaris spoke as in planning.
"Hey boys, mind if we tag along? I figure heading anywhere is got to be better than staying here with the Legion," Matthew agreed with the suggestion.
"Commander Matthew. As ever, your assistance is appreciated. We would be honored if you joined us," Zeratul spoke in a welcoming.
"Matthew, will you come with me?" the wizard turned to the human.
"Is there something you want to say to me in private?" Matthew asked cautiously.
"Yes, I'll take you to your foothold," the wizard then muttered incantations teleporting Matthew and himself to the established foothold close to the Warp Gate.
"Sir, do you know anything about my brother Adam?" the engineer asked the wizard.
"Yes, he is knighted. The combined force of you, your men, and the Protoss will come to my world where we and my friends will stand against the Legion," the old man surprised him.
"They're going to follow us?" Matthew asked frantically.
"They're returning to Fantasia. It wasn't their first invasion to my world," the wizard informed.
"How come?"
"I'll explain it later. Do what you must now," the wizard instructed.
The Freedom Fighters planted explosive charges to the Warp Gate and detonated it preventing the Burning Legion from invading Shakuras. At the same time, Zeratul rallied the surviving Aiur Protoss while fighting the Burning Legion. The wizard opened a magical portal, "Matthew, Fenix, Artanis, you have to defend the portal until every Khalai survivor is through."
"We will hold off the Legion long enough for everyone to get through," Fenix spoke in determination.
The Legion's commander, Archimonde, saw it and ordered his troops, "Blasted mortals! Merlin has come to this sector to help them. Kill everything in your path, I want that portal destroyed, you hear me! Nothing can reach Fantasia alive!"
The combined forces built bunkers and warp in photon cannons while positioning siege tanks, High Templar, and Colossi to defend the portal. The Vulture bikes placed mines around the foothold and the portal. Zeratul and the survivors arrived to the foothold, "I have located the portal. We must hurry and evacuate the Khalai survivors before the Legion comes!"
"Just worry about getting your people through the portal, Artanis. Fenix and I will hold Archimonde at bay," Matthew ordered as the survivors rushed into the portal that took them to Fantasia.
The demons began attacking the foothold relentlessly wave after wave. Merlin could take on the demons using the art of magic and assisted the combined force to hold the line. He casted the Blizzard that call down waves of freezing ice shards to take out groups of enemies and summoned water elemental, a humanoid made of water, to help them out with piercing water attacks. His Brilliance Aura increased the Mana regeneration of the wizard and his allies. Despite the Infernals were immune to magic, the Spectres could still hit them with Psionic Lash as psionic powers were not magic.
"Matthew, Fenix, everyone is through! Fall back and I'll close the portal behind us!" the wizard ordered as no Khalai survivor was left behind.
"Alright men, Pull back! Back to the portal!" Matthew ordered as the defenders, human and Protoss hurried to the portal.
"Now, Matthew and Fenix, we take one step towards destiny," Merlin ordered as the Praetor and the engineer entered. The wizard was the last one to enter the portal and he closed it preventing the Burning Legion from following.