While Samateus and Leon went to speak with the Terrans to offer their aid for the casualties that had been sustained due to the battle to bring their people and allies to this realm, Xerxes Nerthiel remained aboard the Obsidian Flare with Kul, Artanis, Vorazun and Alarak, and his Hybrids of course. Arska and Taluth, seeing that Xerxes remained quite spent after their battle, and from expending energy to contain and then later to assist Alarak, suggested their little band go to the Solarite core, where Larethon -the Ultralisk Hybrid- and Lia'Ashra -the Brood Queen appearing Hybrid- remained during much of the fighting. Karax and Rohana joined them, the Spear of Adun remaining nearby as the Obsidian Flare continued to monitor Ulnar for any fluctuations of Void energy, more as a precaution as the sheer size of the force that had attempted to thwart their efforts had, until now, remained hidden.
Karax's eyes went wide when they reached the Solarite core for the Flare, the massive engine room nearly four times the size of the one aboard the Spear. With good reason, as the containment petals and control consoles were much larger and more intricate, the core slowly revealed its containment petals to be fashioned in a simulacrum of Ashtareen's head, the maw opening to reveal a much larger Solarite core than on the Spear. Xerxes lay down within the room, at Larethon's feet, facing the core and spreading out his wings to expose their upper surface to the light.
Artanis and the others watched as pulsing violet light danced across his carapace, shimmering lightly as he absorbed the ultraviolet light from the, effectively, tiny self-contained star. Karax went about looking over the consoles, so very much like the ones he had become familiar with, almost on an intimate level, looking to Xerxes briefly to ask wordlessly if he could have a peek inside the console. Xerxes opened an eye, the glow appearing much brighter, and shook his head.
**I would prefer if you refrained from doing so. At least for the moment.** Xerxes closed his open eye once more, taking in a deep breath and exhaling slowly, embracing the warmth of the Solarite core. Karax appeared to droop, then perked up as a holo-screen popped up before him above the console, it showed their position within the Flare, a wireframe diagram with coloured lines and measurement guides based on those colours, which Karax manipulated to look inside at the schematics for the console.
**Enjoy!** Kul chimed, Xerxes rumbling a chuckle.
Artanis watched Karax for a little while, realising that none had spoken on Xerxes' apparent withdrawal from them, turning to his Brother and, hesitantly, asked him again why he had been imprisoned where they had found him. Xerxes, remaining still, sighed lightly, unmoving.
**When I became as I am now, a Primal Hybrid, Amon knew I posed a major threat to him. To keep me from attacking him outright, he used several of our kin, who had been experimented upon and nearly converted completely to Hybrids themselves, as leverage. They are still in the Void, in stasis, within a compound I hope still remains…** He trailed off, instead opting to show them all the compound, a massive chamber where the remains of a Zerg Hive sat, and beneath it a hidden pair of platforms with stasis cells retracted into them. Xerxes' emotions remained carefully contained, yet sorrow and rage could be felt beneath his otherwise calm exterior, Artanis frowning.
**And you do not know if it even remains?** Vorazun hazarded, skeptical.
**If Amon still has sway here, Vicar must still live.** Xerxes then shook himself, raising his head up and stretching his wings out, Larethon moving his bladed limbs out of the way. Xerxes held the stretch for a long moment, the others able to see the underside of his wings almost appeared to glow as the light instead reflected off them, instead of being absorbed, swirling patterns almost hypnotic.
**Vicar? I do remember hearing about some benefactor the previous Highlord had answered to, with that name. Why is she significant?** Alarak asked, the others looking to him as Xerxes settled his wings down and relaxed, the protective petals of the Solarite core closing around it to resume its usual function as Xerxes had absorbed enough energy from it for now. Xerxes frowned slightly, sighing again.
**I am, reluctant, to explain further at this moment...** Artanis frowned, that despite everything thus far shared, Xerxes would reverse his openness appeared very out of character. Larethon and Lia'Ashra appeared to share a glance, the Queen stepping forward cautiously with a bow.
**Vicar was the leading force behind much of our... Fathers' torture and abuse, before his imprisonment by Amon. She is one of his lieutenants, akin to the one you knew as Narud.** She spoke gently, cautiously, Xerxes nodding acknowledgement to her quick action, lightly purring in pride. Alarak shuddered, disgusted by the admission of blood-relation to the former Firstborn turned Primal Hybrid, the others glancing at him briefly.
**So she is a Voidling? Do you know where she is, perhaps we should deal with such immediately.** Vorazun suggested, eyes narrowing lightly as she briefly scrutinized the Queen-Hybrid. Xerxes shook his head, sighing.
**I, admittedly, know of only one way in which to reach where she dwells, and I am not about to attempt to re-engage Ulnar on my own...** Xerxes glared at Alarak, who had been about to make a snide comment, when Kul appeared in the doorway to the Solarite Core or Engine Room as it slid open.
**We could potentially just open a rift using a Warp Gate?** He offered, stepping into the room, nodding to the Hybrids amongst those gathered in the room.
**I could, however doing so may cause a ripple effect and calibrate other Warp Gates on its network to allow for a Void Rift. I do not wish to risk such.** Xerxes' response appeared to quell any concerns, as Vicar could be surmised as being within the Void and unable to access their realm. Kul shrugged, moving to lean against the wall near his father, Artanis then narrowed his eyes, realising that Kul definitely used a shortened name, to protect himself, Xerxes chuckling as he tilted his head to regard his son out of the corner of his eye.
**Kuldaris, did you remove your implant?** He asked, the younger male blushing and stiffening, giving Xerxes a confused and concerned look. Artanis and the others understood then, Kuldaris had indeed used the shorten moniker to hide in plain sight.
**Almost immediately after Aurei had woken me. Had a rather vicious migraine for a bit afterward... You mean if I looked for him, didn't you?** Kuldaris wrinkled his nose almost indignantly, knowing exactly what his father was hinting at. Xerxes bobbed his head in a nod. **No. If he lives, he was not within the Khala when I woke, I didn't wish to possibly cause any harm.** Xerxes rumbled almost sadly at that, looking to Vorazun.
**Amongst the Nerazim, is there a young male named Moloch?** Xerxes sounded hopeful, yet definitely saddened. Vorazun thought a moment, the name sounded familiar, yet not immediately certain who that could be.
**I will inquire, though should I direct him to you if I come across him?** She asked, watching almost sadly herself as Xerxes and Kuldaris appeared to droop. Xerxes shook his head, Kuldaris expressing concern and what appeared to be defiance of Xerxes' choice. Xerxes huffed once, glaring at Kuldaris a moment.
**No. The implant he has may not be causing him any issue, he may not even realise he has it. If you do come across him, please only tell him Judicator Xerxes sends his condolences. He should understand.** Kuldaris stormed out then, Xerxes sighing. **He doesn't even know you're alive Son, nevermind that he has a twin.** Xerxes sent after his retreating form, receiving no response and making the Primal Hybrid shake his head solemnly. Artanis raised a brow, quizzically looking at Xerxes. Hesitantly, Xerxes wordlessly informed the rest that Kuldaris and Moloch, as twins, had a connection so uncanny he had almost attributed it to his mother's bloodline, the similarity of the link between the two and the Khala almost impossible to ignore. The implants had been something Xerxes worked on almost exclusively for over a decade, in order to make them smaller and smaller, near invisible and not needing their own masking shields, as Artanis' had.
**So his implant is gone, yet he still cannot connect to Moloch?** Rohana asked, concerned.
**No, Moloch's must still be intact, or he may have died during all of the warring, I have a way of finding out, once Samateus is available. He is simply angry with me for not wishing to go and search myself, as I worry he may not recover should we find he did pass.** Xerxes sighed again, shaking his head as he eyed Alarak, who could visibly be seen growing agitated. Xerxes almost appeared to grin mischeviously, before he addressed the Highlord directly. **Are you, by chance, of the same lineage as Highlord Khrillian?** Alarak glared dangerously at the Primal Hybrid, yet nodded curtly. Xerxes' laugh caught everyone off-guard, the audible and deep honest amusement a welcome change, Alarak tensed, flexing the talons of one hand yet did not respond. Artanis and Vorazun were the most curious, wordlessly asking why Xerxes would laugh so genuinely.
**Khrillian was my twin.** Xerxes chuckled, amusement wafting over the others almost as a blanket of fog, Alarak visibly having to force himself to remain contained and enraged as he was. Artanis blinked almost comically, nodding lightly that indeed, there had been something uncanny about the Highlord he could not place, something obscurely familiar he had remained unable to figure out until now. Rohana and Karax held their own amusement, sharing a glance with Vorazun, who also appeared highly amused by this familial relation being brought up. Kuldaris' laughter reached them from his place in the bridge, able to sense Alarak's displeasure and rage even at that distance. Xerxes then shared his last memory of his Twin, just before he had taken a large number of their loyalists into the far reaches of the sector to continue their legacy, so the others could understand.
Khrillian appeared as a strange cross between how Alarak and Artanis appeared, brilliant blue gemfire eyes, white-silver hide with slight scale definitition on his face, similar to Artanis', two well defined crests along his head with smaller crests disappearing into the elaborate and decorative scales there. Khrillians' overall appearance could have easily have him mistaken for Artanis, save for two very specific marks on his left upper arm, which Xerxes explained had been a result of a mistake when Xerxes had been removed from their mother prematurely. The two marks, scars from infancy, appeared almost as though the skin had been flayed and then pinched together and burned, the ugly marks more visually a problem than a physical one as it had never hindered him when training.
Alarak growled low in displeasure, glaring venomously at Xerxes who slowly calmed from his amusement.
**As displeasing as it may be for you to admit, Alarak, we already confirmed it through the teleport scanners.** Kuldaris chimed, Xerxes nodding lightly, Artanis raising a brow. Karax, still standing at the control console with the schematics wireframes, briefly moved over to another console, bringing up the teleport systems logs, and the detailed physical breakdowns recorded automatically when any Protoss or even machinery would be teleported to or from the Flare, or its vicinity. Vorazun blinked, wordlessly asking Xerxes privately if she had possibly been scanned as well. He nodded, privately sharing that yes, she had been scanned, and that yes, he was her sire as confirmed by the comparison of their genetic scans.
Vorazun blushed lightly, though thankfully none could tell at a glance with the veil she wore, Xerxes lightly rumbling that she need not acknowledge anything, if she did not wish to. Artanis, Alarak and Rohana watched Karax as he worked bringing up the genetic scans within the teleport logs and easily noted Alaraks and Artanis', both coming up with already highlighted markers denoting familial relation. It took a few minutes for him to access the oldest logs, which had Xerxes' scans from before his Hybridization, familial markers also highlighted in nearly identical spots to Artanis, and a few matched Alarak as well, more closely than Artanis. Vorazun apprehensively looked to Xerxes, who returned the glance with curiosity, purring lightly.
**Vorazun, your apprehension is warranted, I understand how such would possibly cause distrust or dissent, are you certain you wish to make that known?** He asked, including the others who had been present when he had been released, even Arska turning to watch the Matriarch with concern. Karax paused, having located her scans and nearly brought them up to compare with the other three, Xerxes' comment intended for him to refrain for a moment. Vorazun sighed, grip on her staff tightening a moment before she relaxed, nodding to Karax.
**I've come to terms with this, and I am certain I will not be viewed differently. Those who choose to be disgusted can leave, if they wish to act as the ones who exiled them from Aiur had, they have no reason to remain.** Vorazun responded, Alarak raising a brow and all nodding solidarity as they saw her genetic scan show alongside Xerxes', showing familial relation to his first, and less matching to the others. Xerxes purred happily, Arska also perking up, Taluth grumbling lightly at her, to which she responded with a chirp and lightly, playfully, pushed him over against Larethon's foreleg. Xerxes huffed, the two snapping to attention and moving over to settle near his forepaws, Arska more easily assuming a more seated position befitting a young Protoss, forepaws drawn up to cross over her front. Taluth appeared reluctant to sit in the same manner, his slightly bulkier frame weighing on his hindquarters if he sat straight, Xerxes encouraging him to sit more as a feline would, as he had earlier, the Male Hybrid Zergling more easily able to sit with his paws together and just between his hindpaws with his rump on the floor and tail curled to the side. He managed to settle comfortably, appearing to almost puff up with pride at being able to do so, still somewhat jealous at Arska for being able to sit more like their father, who chuckled at both.
Xerxes remained quiet though, cautiously observing the others as Vorazun and Alarak began exchanging jabs regarding their apparent relation. Artanis shook his head solemnly, Rohana and Karax listening yet not commenting and doing their best to refrain from making comments.
**And so, the Nerazim Matriarch is the daughter of a Hybrid, perhaps I should extend my condolences.** Alarak snidely commented. Vorazun rolled her eyes.
**And the Highlord's ancestor is twin to the same, instead, he should step down, lest he have a civil war on his hands.** Vorazun shot back, amused. Alarak growled, talons flexing once.
**I welcome the challenge.**
**You would, though I will actively aid any against you.** Vorazun's rebuke actually earned her a bit of shock from Alarak, who had not expected one of the Daelaam to willingly offer opposition to him. Xerxes laughed.
**I think many would oppose you, if they knew more of what the Daelaam's freedoms offer.** Xerxes finally rose, gently using his wing-wrists to lightly stroke the backs of Arska and Taluth, who curiously watched him. **In truth, I have half a mind to challenge you to a duel.** Alarak laughed.
**You? As you are I would never accept your challenge, nor would any of my ascendants.** The Highlord scoffed, arrogantly waving a dismissive gesture. Xerxes then appeared to move faster than the eye could track, instantly behind Alarak on the platform, arching over him with one massive taloned forepaw resting on the Highlord's black shoulder armour, curling around pointedly so one of his thumb-claws sat alongside his throat.
**Perhaps then, I could extend said challenge were I to change forms, as Leonlocke does. Though, I should rephrase. Duel, not Rak'Shir.** Xerxes overshadowed Alarak making him appear far smaller than most would expect, as the elaborate armour obscured so much, and adding deeper shadow made him almost disappear beneath Xerxes. Alarak attempted to discharge Psionic lightning to harm Xerxes, aiming at the offending paw on him, realising too late that it would harmlessly be absorbed, which did occur, Xerxes promptly returning it, which caused Alarak to visibly wince. **Oh do try that again, I dare you.**
**If you've had enough fun belittling me...** Alarak glowered, shuddering lightly in his barely contained rage, able to feel the blossoming bruise and light burn along the side of his throat from Xerxes retaliating. Xerxes then easily moved back and stepped away from Alarak, moving to crouch behind and curl his tail around Arska and Taluth, who had not moved from their earlier spot. He held his forearms up more, lightly crossed before him, as he briefly asked Kuldaris if he had continued to track the location of the Death Fleet.
**Yes, though you aren't going to like where it is...**