Prologue
Aiur
The last of the stars faded away as the sun rose above the horizon. Sunshine crept its way through the thick foliage that draped off of branches, shining down in streaks to the jungle floor. Avian like critters chirped and screeched as the day arrived to take the place of the night.
The wildlife of Aiur, like the zerg invaders that had once fought ruthlessly with the former protoss inhabitants, had adapted to survive. That is, to survive as long as they could. They shifted their times of sleep and activity, staying attentive to heed any signs of zerg intrusion upon their habitat. They listened, working in an unintended relationship with predators and prey.
But when the psionic backlashes across the surface had subsided to a minimum, and the zerg attacks grew fewer, they had became incognizant again, oblivious. So when a large very heavy thing tore a path through the jungle, they did what any surprised animal would, they panicked. Wings were strained as their owners fled to higher and reasonably safer perches to cower upon. And the pitter patter of feet on soft decaying foliage signaled the retreat of their four legged neighbors. Then they waited.
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It had charged through the jungle, either swerving around tree trunks or going through them entirely. The fauna fled, but it didn't care. There were better things to sustain itself upon and to that matter, why would it need to resort to such a desperate measure? It gained sustenance from the light. A few short moments in the sun would satisfy it for a good while.
Yet, it had seen times of darkness with no end. Where even the most meager rays of light would be absent. Could that even be possible?
It shuddered instinctually at the thought.
Even at the darkest times conceivable, there had always been the moon. It was weak, yes, but it was there. This was.. something else.
It came to an abrupt halt, arms digging at the soft jungle soil. A presence, almost like the chill of a cold night, engulfed its mind. It felt uneasiness at first, but held itself firm. The feeling would always subside, and it did. The cold subsided, replacing itself with a mildly cool balm like sensation. It relaxed.
The time for waiting, for hiding, is coming to an end my children.
Somehow, it knew that this was being broadcasted, that there were more. The knowledge came to it as easily as it had trotted through the trees.
They come, foolish and headstrong.
Images of alien but similarly familiar blue skinned beings in gleaming golden armor. They wielded what looked to be searingly bright blades of.. light? Some possessed blue while the others had green. Ships, great in number and with unmistakable destruction lurking inside of their hulls. Everything shifted in a blurring speed to one being. This one wore armor like the others, but with more… more armor? It was confused. Was it the headpiece or the large crystal in its chest plate that made it different? Or was it-
Their leader, the voice said, will be left for the end. A thread of glee worked its way out. He will be a witness to the culmination of his efforts. For so long, he has toiled. Searching and reaching vainly in hope of saving his race.
It still had questions. A he? What could a h-
The voice ignored it and went on.
But just as victory seems to lie in reach, it will be pulled away. He will lose everything in one fell sweep.
The images began to darken and distort, and the jungle began to reappear through the fading illusion.
Artanis will fail, and we will prevail. Not only will the mislead Protoss finally become what they were meant to be, but the cycle of endless suffering will be broken as well.
The voice laughed.
Go my children, the voice called, there is much to be done, but the rewards are beyond measure.
There was then silence, silence in its mind. It jerked suddenly at the unannounced separation, the sensation falling away to the abyss of the mind. The day had passed by and the stars had come to take its place. It tentatively reached out with its mind, feeling and recognizing familiar things. Except.. there was something else.
A thunderous roar, something both of auditory and psionic wavelengths, echoed in the distance. It communicated more than rage or base carnal emotions, it conveyed purpose, direction. Another one followed it, this one of a higher pitch. And another.
Soon the night was filled with these calls and an uncontrollable urge forced it to join with the others. The calls then ended as quickly as they begun, and the serenity of the night returned.
But the effects were immediate. Animals, both legged and avian, had dropped dead to the ground. Blood of many different colors oozed out of them as whatever they had for brains, had been unable withstand the storm of psionic calls.
Glowing blue orbs examined the dead with disinterest and focused on something beyond the jungle. Through wood and foliage, lied the place where it was to be. The hybrid clicked its mandibles, emotion and thought squashed out, and began to move. It took no notice when a squelching noise could be heard as a careless limb crushed something underneath.
There was, like the voice had said, much to be done.
A/N: There is much to be done, although there may not be quite enough time.