Hey there, here is the next chapter. Last time I said that I had not much to add, which was actually not true, I just forgot it. So, I actually enjoyed the character of Rohana in Legacy of the Void. I wanted to add her to my original story, but couldn't think of a good way to implement her, so I left her out and Karax and Selendis got all the good stuff. Well, at least now I managed to put her in a story. Even if she's a glowing ball of psionic energies now.
Oh well...
Chapter 33
Did you just growl at me?
''You see..." Paula mumbled in a pitiful attempt to defend herself. ''...the ability of a Nerazim to foresee the future has something to do with the Void. Zeratul once did it to foresee the future. But...it isn't really a vision. Not in the sense that you look into the future. It's more like living your life, and then, at a certain point, you decide to press the rewind button." Next to her, the Grand Preserver looked down on Artanis, who had sat down on a bench and had his eyes closed.
"So when the Queen of Bla...when Mum defeated Amon, I was there as a witness to everything that happened afterward. But only because Mum would later find someone to teach me how to utilize my powers to do what Zeratul did, only in reverse. It's not really time-traveling, more like, well, re-watching your favorite episode of "My little Zergling" in fast-forward." And then she sighed. "I really have no idea how to explain it more easily. Only that it's one of those paradoxes. I was there after Mum left the Void, she found out, and I would be born much later, and then she would make me learn these abilities, so I could travel back to witness my parents when they were younger. And I suggest not to think about it too hard, it gives me a headache." Paula sighed again. "And, well, no one knows more about ancient Nerazim-stuff than the Grand Preserver. So yeah, that was the...Artanis?" Only then both she and the Grand Preserver noticed that something was wrong.
Artanis...wasn't moving.
At first Paula was not sure what that meant. Had he even listened to a single word she had told him? But then, after a moment of initial annoyance, she realized that something was not right. The way he was sunken in, and the pale-grayish color of his skin...
...and then it dawned onto her.
"Oh no..." Paula whispered. "Nononono! Not now, not here! We're not done yet!" Suddenly she felt how a surge of panic was taking hold of her.
"Paula Kerrigan." the Grand Preserver spoke and lowered its gaze. "We recognize and share your pain. Artanis, while difficult to deal with at times, was perhaps the greatest paragon our species ever had. He saved us from the brink of total annihilation and help us to move on, as a species. And while we do not agree with many things that he did afterward, it was his guidance that gave the Protoss a future." But Paula just dropped her head in defeat. She felt as if she was about to cry. Too late. She had been too late. If she had only come here a month sooner! A week sooner! A day sooner! But no, she had wasted precious time slacking off. Paula pulled the fragment of the Ihan-crystal out of her hand and looked at it. The shard was the only thing left to her now...and she hadn't been able to give Artanis his chance to say goodbye. She walked up to the lifeless figure and placed her hand on his massive paw. It was still warm...
"I'm sorry, Artanis. I just...I wanted you to tell him how you feel. If I had only been fa-"
"I am not dead...yet." Artanis suddenly spoke up and opened his eyes.
"WHOA! HOLY SHI-" Paula yelled, only to regain her composure almost immediately. "I mean...oh, good, I knew it, haha, totally. Right, Grand Preserver?"
"Yes. Totally."
Even though a surprise death was averted, Artanis still didn't look that good. The blue light in his eyes seemed to flicker for a moment, which couldn't be a good sign.
"A-are you...are you okay?" Paula wanted to know.
"I..." Artanis started, but then he fell silent. It almost seemed as if he was in pain. And then...
"I am fine." he muttered. "Tired, that is all. Whatever you came here for, Paula Raynor, please do hurry. I wish to return to your vessel. This place..." Artanis looked straight at the Grand Preserver. "...does not agree with me." Paula wanted to say something, but then she bit her lip. It seemed as if time was no longer on her side. There was definitely some irony involved, hidden somewhere. She just didn't appreciate it right now. She pulled the fragment of the Ihan-crystal out of her pocket and turned around.
"Grand Preserver, I present you this." she said. "All that is left of Zeratul, of his hopes and dreams, is stored within this crystal. Please...allow us to speak to him one last time." She was about to hand over the shard to the Archon, all while Artanis seemed to finally understand what this was all about.
"You came all the way out here...to speak to Zeratul one last time?" he wondered. Paula froze, still holding on to the crystal. For a moment it seemed as if she would ignore him. But then...
"I don't." she explained. "I already got the chance to speak to him, back during my journey. I managed to thank him, for everything he did. But...you didn't get the chance. So, I thought..." her voice trailed off. When Artanis finally understood what this was all about, he sounded both angry and amused at the same time.
"And what makes you think that I asked for this, Paula Raynor?" When Paula heard that question, she blinked a few times before answering that question.
"Because...you did?" she mumbled.
"I did?"
"Yes?"
"When? I would remember if I had asked for something like that, I am certain of that." Artanis declared.
"Uhm..." Paula replied. "...I actually got a witness, you know. Aside from you. Because you were there."
"I am certain that I was not. And that I never said anything like that."
"Yes, you did."
"No, I did not."
"I'm absolutely positive that you said that. Really, I am." she told him and sighed. "Listen, you told me yourself that it was one of the things you truly regretted. Not being able to tell Zeratul how grateful you are."
"Your words do not convince me, Paula Raynor." Artanis grunted and Paula sighed.
"Fine." she mumbled. "If you don't want to believe me..."
Aiur
Several years ago...
"Never, in all my years, in all ages before me and my brethren, even during my darkest times..." Artanis sighed. "...have I ever seen such a shameful display of wasted potential." He shook his old head as he sat on a bench inside his garden.
"I get it..." a weak female voice muttered.
"Not even after the death and sacrifice of Tassadar, when our people were broken and in panic and in a hurry to flee from Aiur, not even when the great betrayer savagely plunged her poisoned claws in Aldaris' back, not even when I watched Zeratul despair at the fate of the honorable Raszhagal, I have seen such deplorable mediocrity."
"...yes, really, I get it..."
"And even when we had to free ourselves from the Khala, when we were suddenly all on our own, weak and confused, even then there was more strength around me than now."
"...is there a point in all of this?"
"What I am trying to say is..." Artanis sighed. "...that I am starting to have doubts about wherever you are truly the offspring of who you said you are." He looked up at the tree that was standing in the middle of the garden, and the small human that was hanging from one of the branches. Her arms and legs were covered with scratches and she looked as if she had been crawled through barbed wire.
"...now that I think about it..." Paula Kerrigan sighed. "...I don't think I have a proper birth certificate. Also, could you please stop calling my mother the "great betrayer"? It's somewhat rude."
"Not as rude as betraying your allies and kill innocents to achieve your deplorable goals." Artanis shot back. "But thankfully you do not seem to come after your mother. Or have any of her skills."
"Still rude."
"You wanted to learn about the ways of the Templar." Artanis replied. "Being nice is not a part of the training to become a Templar." When Paula heard that, a goofy smile appeared on her face.
"W-wait...you're saying that this is actually part of the training to become a Templar?!" she gasped in awe. When Artanis heard that, he looked at her, blinked a few times, and then-
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" the ancient Protoss burst out in laughter and kept on laughing for a long time, far longer than it seemed to be reasonable.
"Somehow I think that something is going on that I'm not aware of." Paula mused.
"Hahahaha...oh, perhaps you do have something in common with your parents. At the very least, you have the same strange sense of humor as your father. As far as I remember."
"This doesn't really sound like a compliment either..."
"This is not part of the training to become a Templar, Paula Raynor. I just wanted you to climb on top of that tree to tell me if the roof needs to be cleaned or repaired." Artanis explained.
…
…
…
"Oh..." Paula mumbled. "...so, well, uhm...roof looks fine, I guess. So yeah. Uhm...gods, this is embarrassing."
"Indeed it is, but it helps me to believe you when you told me that you are useless." Artanis stated.
"Harmless. I said I'm harmless." And with that Paula tried to untangle herself. Which was a lot harder than initially thought. This tree was covered with vines, both thick and surprisingly strong, and they had wrapped themselves around Paula's, well, everything. "Ugh! Ghu! Egas! Get off, you damn...no, that's not going there, I, ugh...ehhhh...I think I'm stuck."
"It would seem so." Artanis agreed. "Since your arms and legs are of no use to you right now, I suggest that you use other means to free yourself."
"Oh...yeah, right." Paula replied. And so she took a deep breath and...
"HEY! CAN SOMEONE HELP ME? I'M STUCK IN THIS DAMN TREE!" she yelled with all of her might. "I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF SOMEONE COULD CUT ME LOOSE OVER HERE!" Artanis' reaction was to squint his eyes and tighten his grip around the cane in his hand.
"What in the name of the Khala are you doing?" he demanded to know.
"Using my other abilities." Paula replied.
"When I said that your arms and legs are useless, that did not mean that you should use your lungs instead." the ancient Protoss growled. "Also, has anyone ever told you that your voice is very loud. And I could swear that it almost sounded as if a Zerg was-"
"Ohohoho, using my psionics, now I get you!" Paula interrupted Artanis.
"Somehow I have my doubts about that..." was his only reply.
"Oh, I got this! Just wait and see, I can-hggggnn..." Paula suddenly grunted. "HGGGGGNNNNN!" She gritted her teeth and tried to concentrate as much as possible. Or so it seemed.
"What are you doing?" Artanis wanted to know.
"I'm-trying-to-GHNNNNNNN-free-myself-by-GHNNNNN-using-my-pioOOOOOOOO-" Paula's face started to change its color. From white to red, and then to almost purple. A color that, historically speaking, wasn't the best for a Kerrigan to wear.
"By the ancients...you do exactly look like the Great Betrayer right now..." Artanis marveled. "Even those bloodshot eyes remind me of her."
"I'M-TRYING-TO-CONCENTRATE-OVER-HERE!"
"Well, you are doing a poor job. How can it be that you, who possess the same powers as the Great Betrayer, cannot free herself from some vines?"
"BEEEeeeeeeeeeeeee...causeI'm...NOTUGH!...notverygoooOOOOOD...at...at...AT...conTROLLING my...pooOOOOwers!" Paula then took a few deep breaths. "Also...please...don't call her...the Great...Great Betrayer...she's...she's my...my mom..."
"Do not remind me of that fact." Artanis replied. "You told me that you had a master who introduced you into the arts of the Nerazim. I find it hard to believe, seeing that you are not even able to free yourself from such a predicament."
"U...Uncle Tesson...is...an...aaaAAAWWWESOME TEACHER!" Paula pressed out. She gritted her teeth even harder as she summoned all of her psionic strength to free herself. Sadly, that was not enough. Her powers were still developing, but even then, there shouldn't be anything more powerful out there except her mother. No, raw power wasn't the problem. It was the complete and utter lack of control that hindered Paula to free herself like an ace.
"Tesson..." Artanis mumbled. "...that name sounds familiar." However, before he could continue to contemplate on the nature of that name, tragedy struck.
Big time.
Paula was trying so hard. Every muscle in her body was tensing up. And while that alone wasn't much of an issue, it led to a certain event that could be considered highly embarrassing. Her body, already under a lot of stress, wasn't just made out of muscles and a brain. There were many internal organs. And since Paula was still human (for the most part), she naturally didn't have control over every bodily function. Sometimes things just go wrong and you can't keep it all together. And all it took for Paula to ruin this moment for good was one final attempt to free herself, with resulted in a short (but highly embarrassing) loss of control over parts of her digestive tract, something Protoss didn't even possess.
The result, a strange rumbling sound, reached Artanis' ears, and he raised his head and squinted his eyes.
"What was that?"
"What...what was what?" Paula stuttered as she froze in an instant.
"That sound. That sound you just made." The moment he said that the color of Paula's face changed again. This time it turned pale, and then beet-red. Artanis was amazed at how many different colors a human face could have. Or was there actually part Zerg in her after all? Well, he had never seen or heard of a Zerg who could change the color of its face.
"I made no sound."
"I am certain you did. It almost sounded like a growl."
"I don't know what you're talking about, only less than 3 percent of my genetic make-up are Zerg, and I do not growl."
"It was not coming from your mouth." Artanis insisted. It came...from your rear." It seemed impossible, but suddenly Paula's face turned from beet-red into bright red. It was almost as if she was glowing...
"I-I don't...I don't know what you're talking about!"
"I demand the truth, Paula Raynor. Did you just growl at me?"
"I did not growl!" Paula whined.
"Are you frustrated? Angry? You came here, asking me to tell you about the Khala. Yet when you grow frustrated, you lash out at me in anger?" Artanis mused. "Perhaps you are more like your mother than I initially thought you were..."
"It was not a growl!" the young woman whimpered. "It was...something." When Artanis heard that, he squinted his eyes even harder.
"Explain." That word alone was enough to cause Paula's face to change its color again, from glowing red to white as a sheet.
"I...uhm...you see, that's a human thing, and it sometimes happens when you really push hard, and then, uhm, well...it's pretty embarrassing, and I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!" Unfortunately for her, Artanis wasn't buying it.
"First you growl at me out of frustration, and then you try to worm your way out of it by talking nonsense? This is beneath you." the ancient Protoss mused. "It is not honorable to keep secrets from your elders."
"Well, my elders taught me to not do it in public!"
"Growl at others?"
"I DID NOT GROWL!" Paula howled in frustration.
"Not with your mouth, I agree. I was not aware that humans could growl with other parts of their bodies and-"
"OH PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL, JUST STOHOHOHOHOP!"
"Not until you tell me what this growl is."
"It's harmless! I swear!"
"If it's harmless, then there is no reason not to tell me."
"I rather don't." Paula whimpered.
"Fine." Artanis scoffed and pulled his shoulders up. "In that case you will not mind staying where you are, right? I am old and tired, and I do not think I can help you anyway." He met the disbelieving look of Paula.
"You're...you're gonna let me hang here?" The look of utter disbelief on Paula's face was actually quite enjoyable for Artanis, even though he would never openly admit it. Her face looked so much like that of her mother. Even the great Artanis can have evil and sinister thoughts from time to time.
"Did I ever tell you about the tasks we had to accomplish during our training to become fully-fledged Templar?" Artanis chirped. "It was grueling. One, in particular, was actually pretty similar. They hang us from the ceiling, with just a rope attached to our feet, head-down, and we had to escape the fire just by using our bodies like a pendulum."
"Escape the fire?!" Paula gasped. "You're making this up!" Artanis then leaned forward and squinted his eyes once more.
"Do I look as if I make things up?"
"N-no..."
"I am glad we have settled this then. Now, if you truly wish to proceed, then I am afraid you have to find a way to free yourself." Artanis explained. "Just pretend it to be an actual training session."
"Pretend?"
"Without fire, it will never be the same." Artanis sighed. Paula looked at him with fear in her eyes.
"You...you're not gonna light up a fire beneath me just to prove a point, do you?" she whined.
"No." Artanis replied.
"Oh, thank god..." Paula whispered. "You do have a heart after all."
"I heard that." the ancient Protoss replied. "Also, my main reason for not doing something like that is because I am rather fond of this tree and I do not want to see it destroyed. So-" That's when rescue finally arrived. You could actually hear the heavy footsteps. Someone was approaching. Someone heavy. Which ruled out any human. It had to be a Protoss. Which made sense, since this was still Aiur. And whoever that newcomer was, he or she was in a hurry.
And when the newcomer finally arrived...
"I have arrived, who requires help!" The newcomer was not just a random Protoss. Oh no. He wore the shiny golden armor of the Templar and he was one huge fellow. Artanis, who didn't really seem to enjoy the interruption, looked up and furrowed his brows.
"Who are you? And what do you do here in my home? And who are you?" When the newcomer recognized Artanis, he immediately knelt down on one knee and lowered his head as a sign of respect.
"Lord Artanis. My name is Evalonis, your new caretaker. I apologize for this intrusion, but I heard someone scream for help and so I decided to take action." the warrior called Evalonis explained. From the corner of his eyes, Artanis could see how Paula Raynor began to grin. It was an insufferable sight.
"Haha! My plan worked! Yes! Go me!" Paula explained triumphantly. Instead of paying any attention to her, Artanis looked at the young Protoss.
"Evalonis, you say?"
"Yes, Lord Artanis.
"Hmmm...say..." the ancient Protoss began. "...do you happen to have a lighter with you, by any chance?"
"I am afraid not." Evalonis replied before standing up again. "Bringing a lighter was not of my concern. Nor was I informed to bring one along. Shall I-"
"Nevermind that. So, Evalonis...you were sent here to be my caretaker? By whom?" Artanis decided it was some time for small-talk. The young warrior hesitated a moment before he admitted the truth.
"I was...sent here by the office of the Consul herself. Since your last caretaker decided to leave, it seemed only prudent to send someone new." Evalonis explained.
"And they would send a Templar?" Artanis asked, both equally amused and annoyed. "Either the Templars are out of duties or looking after living fossils has replaced "dying in battle" as the most honorable thing a Templar might do."
"There is one more option." Evalonis explained, which earned him a stern look from Artanis. "I could be a Templar who thinks that dying in battle might not necessarily be the most honorable thing one might do."
"Ha!" Artanis barked. "That is another possibility. So, you claim to be a Templar-"
"I am a Templar." the young Protoss corrected his elder. "I finished my training fifty years ago and have served with honor." There was no malice in his voice, nor hurt pride. Evalonis was simply stating facts. It was something Artanis could respect.
"Forgive me. It was not my intention to diminish your honor by making fun of you." Artanis declared. "It comes just as a surprise to see a member of my old caste appear here in front of me after they have ignored me for so many years." The hint of sarcasm in Artanis' voice didn't seem to faze Evalonis, which came as a surprise since the Templars were known for many things; being gifted with a sense of irony was not among them.
"Yes, well, I am afraid not much has changed then." the young warrior told. "Since-"
"That is all very interesting and all..." Paula suddenly interrupted them. "...but can someone please get me down from here?!" That's when Evalonis looked at her and squinted his eyes.
"Is that...a human?"
"That is still under investigation." Artanis explained. "This is Paula Ke...Raynor. She is..."
"My parents and Artanis are acquaintances." Paula explained and reached her hand out. "Nice to meet'cha!" Evalonis looked at the hand and frowned. Without any context, it seemed, he had no idea what to do.
"It's a greeting. You're supposed to grab my hand and shake it." Paula explained.
"But of course." Evalonis chuckled and did as he was told. "In that case: Greetings, Paula Ke Raynor." Artanis chuckled when he heard that and Paula grimaced.
"It's actually just Paula Ke...I mean Raynor." she corrected herself.
"That is just what I said: Paula Ke Raynor." Evalonis tilted his head to the side. "My apologies, I have never dealt with humans before. If I have said something wrong, then-" He was interrupted by Artanis, who began to chuckle.
"That's not funny." Paula grunted in Artanis' direction.
"I beg to differ." the old Protoss replied. Evalonis looked at Paula, then at Artanis, then at Paula again.
"It seems that you two know something I do not." Evalonis concluded. "Anyway, I heard someone scream for help."
"That would be me." Paula muttered. "I'm stuck."
"So it would seem." Evalonis concluded. "Is this a human habit?"
"My master would say it's a Paula-habit." A look of embarrassment appeared on Paula's face, but it was clear to Artanis that Evalonis had no experience when dealing with human facial expressions. Unlike the former Hierarch, who had extensive knowledge about human expression and-
"And yet you seem to be amused by it, judging from your grin." Evalonis mused. Artanis coughed a few times when he heard that and leaned forward.
"You know what a human smile looks like?" he asked, trying to hide his amazement behind a wall of old-man skepticism. Evalonis looked over his shoulder and nodded.
"Of course. I was taught in the ancient and almost forgotten art of reading and looking at pictures."
…
…
…
"Pfffffaahahahahaha!" Paula suddenly burst out in laughter. "A Templar with a sense of humor! Oh, I gotta tell my people about that, they'll never believe me! Especially Master Tesson!" Artanis, however, wasn't too amused by any of that.
"Big words for someone who cannot even free herself from a couple of vines." Artanis growled. This probably could have gone on for a little while longer. But thankfully Evalonis seemed to be willing to help Paula out. He grabbed a vine with his huge hand and started to pull. The plant was no match for the raw strength of the warrior.
"Do not damage too much! I am rather fond of that tree!" Artanis explained.
"I will try. Though gardening was not something I learned during my training. Fighting plants seems somewhat...senseless." the tall warrior replied.
"Actually, there are plenty of plants back home that can do that." Paula told him as Evalonis continued to free her from her predicament.
"If that is so, then should you not be experienced in freeing yourself from this plant?" her helper asked. Paula opened her mouth, ready to reply something, but then she just fell silent.
"...okay, you got me there." Paula admitted. "Next time I am back hoOOAAAA!" That's when the final vine suddenly came loose and gravity kicked in. Paula fell down, and she squealed in distress as her face was about to make contact with the ground. But her fall was cut short when Evalonis caught her almost immediately and lifted her up. As he held her in his arms, she looked up at him with big round eyes.
"I have studied human facial expressions, but I do not know what the change of the color of your face means." the huge warrior wondered. "Is this some kind of allergic reaction?" Paula, who was blushing hard, bit on her lip as she lay in the arms of such a strong and imposing warrior.
"N-no." she mumbled. "Everything's peachy. Can you just...put me down?"
"Of course." Evalonis replied and did so very carefully. Paula sighed and stretched herself. A bit too much. As she leaned forward, her all-too-human body once again produced a sound that human bodies sometimes produce. Evalonis looked down at her in surprise.
"Did you just growl at me?"
After Paula had convinced Evalonis that she hadn't "growled" at him, without truly telling him the true nature of that sound, things had calmed down. Somewhat. Evalonis had decided to leave them to make himself familiar with his surroundings. He would be at Artanis' side from now on, so it was only reasonable to get to know this place.
Paula, still out of breath, had sat down right next to Artanis, who stared at some point in his garden that only he could see, deeply lost in thoughts.
Or so it seemed.
"You said that you were trained." he muttered after a while.
"I was."
"I do know that your mother has a cruel sense of humor, but I would have imagined that she would put more effort in training her own offspring." Artanis mused. Paula sighed and started to swing her legs forward and backward.
"Mum didn't train me." That did surprise Artanis, and he looked at the small human.
"I guess that explains why your abilities are so..."
"Unfocused?" Paula offered.
"Pathetic."
"Ouch." the young woman whispered. "Just so you know, I was trained by a Protoss!"
"Lying to your elders? Did I not tell you how I feel about that?"
"I'm not lying!" Paula protested. "My master really is a Protoss. A Nerazim, actually. Well, former Nerazim."
"Former Nerazim?"
"Yeah, well, he got kicked out." Paula admitted. "Long story. Better not talk about it."
"There are many things that you do not want to talk about. It reminds me of a certain member of your family. She too used to keep certain aspects of her plans and her thoughts to herself. The result was usually always the same; death and destruction."
"Auntie Izsha isn't that bad..." Paula mumbled, even though she knew exactly who Artanis was referring to. Thankfully the ancient Protoss wasn't in the mood to keep talking about what might have been one of his greatest foes.
"So..." he then changed the topic. "...a Nerazim trained you."
"Yeah."
"He did a poor job." Artanis snorted. "You lack everything. Focus. Discipline. And the will to see it through. What did this Nerazim teach you?"
"How to not blow myself up by accident." Paula admitted. "And according to him, that was already a handful and he deserved a medal for that." She then looked up at the blue sky. The sky on her homeworld was a spectacular explosion of colors, something that was too beautiful to even describe it. This blue sky, however...it was also beautiful. In its very own way.
"It would seem that the Nerazim are not what they used to be either." The old Protoss sighed once more. "Back in the day, the disciplines of Shakuras would have taught you so much. Disappointing." Paula opened her mouth. She wanted to defend Tesson, her master. And her uncle. He didn't deserve such a harsh judgment. But then there was the fact that Tesson wasn't just any random Nerazim that her parents had picked up recently to train her. No, he was also an ancient Protoss her parents had picked up a really long time ago. In fact, he was almost as old as Artanis. And in much better shape. And with a much shorter fuse.
"Well, he never truly thought it was necessary to teach me about that stuff." Paula mumbled.
"Pathetic." Artanis growled. "If Zeratul could see what his people have become..." But he didn't finish the sentence. Still, it was more than enough to make Paula realize what Artanis was currently thinking of.
"I think he would be happy." Paula suddenly explained. That earned her a surprised and annoyed look from Artanis.
"Yes? Is that so?" he wanted to know. "And what would you know of Zeratul? And how he felt about his people?"
"Actually..." Paula wanted to tell him. But then she fell silent. Sometimes it was better to keep your mouth shut, even Paula knew that. So instead of boring him once more with her weird life story, she continued to stare at the clouds above them. "...I get it, you are old, old people think that in the past everything was better, and the new generation doesn't know the value of good hard work and-"
"Is that how you perceive me?" Artanis interrupted her. And again Paula knew better than to answer that question.
"Uhm...no?" she lied. It was a piss-poor lie, and Artanis could see right through it.
"The past was not better, young one." he declared. "It was different. Simpler, yes. Less confusing, maybe. But definitely not better. Our people were broken, there was war and death around any corner. No, the past was not better." And then he too looked up at the sky. "It is just...perhaps it is unbecoming of a Templar but I do miss those who stood at my side. My comrades. Friends. Family."
"You have family. Sirella is coming here next week." Paula tried to cheer him up, but even mentioning his great-granddaughter didn't seem to cheer him up. That's when they heard heavy footsteps. Evalonis had returned, yet he stopped and kept his distance, staying in earshot should Artanis need anything.
"Sirella is a good child..." Artanis mumbled after a while. "Honest and decent, and humble. I could not have asked for a netter great-grandchild. Do not get me wrong: I am grateful that she never had to live through what my generation had to suffer. She has never experienced war and destruction, the violent death of loved ones. But at the same time..." That's when his voice faded. He looked over to Evalonis and beckoned him to come closer.
"Young warrior! Have you lost someone to the claws of war?" To Paula, this question seemed a bit...blunt. However, Evalonis didn't seem to mind. He turned his head away and looked at a few blooming sparkle flowers. She noticed how his gaze turned soft.
"Yes. I have."
"Do you think of your lost comrades often?"
"Daily." Evalonis admitted.
"And do you wish to see them once more? To speak to them? Tell them how you are doing?"
"Not...really." the young warrior admitted. "I do miss them, yes. But death is part of the life of a Templar."
"I see..." Artanis mumbled. "...well, perhaps this will change once you are as old as I am." Paula looked at Artanis' face, and that's when suddenly an idea formed inside her head. An insane idea.
"So... if you would get the chance to see Zeratul once more...you would like to tell him how you've been doing?" Paula asked.
"Dreaming of the impossible leads nowhere." Artanis replied. Paula jumped to her feet and faced the ancient Protoss.
"Just answer my question, please. If you could talk to Zeratul one more time, would you like to tell him about what happened? Would it...make you happy? Would you like to talk to him once more?"
"I suppose..." was all Artanis muttered. "...but it is just a dream. And I do not...where are you going?!" he gasped as Paula suddenly turned around and hurried out of the garden.
"Gotta check on something, be right back!" she yelled as she left.
The "be right back!" part would last for roughly 3 months...
Back in the present...
"I still do not remember any of that." Artanis grunted as he looked at the fragment of the Ihan-crystal in Paula's hand.
"Oh, come on!" the young woman protested. "Do you want me to get Evalonis and confirm it?" For a moment it seemed as if he would actually demand that. But then he just shook his head in defeat.
"I think that it does not matter what I want. You will do as you please anyway. So you might as well proceed with...whatever it is you have planned." the old Protoss mumbled. Paula hesitated for a moment. He seemed so old all of a sudden. Not just regular old, as he usually was, but old old. As if he was running on empty. Better speed this up then. Paula looked up at the Grand Preserver once more.
"Grand Preserver. As promised, I bring you what remains of the Dark Prelate. This crystal contains some of his memories, and pieces of his mind as well. This belongs to the crystal that I told you about, the one Zeratul handed over to my father all those years ago, the one that contains his memories of how he uncovered the truth behind the Xel'Naga-prophecy." She handed the shard over to the Grand Preserver, who took it into its glowing hands with the utmost care.
"We do remember." the Grand Preserver sighed. "How he came here. How he asked us for help to make sense of his vision. How he freed us of that damnable hybrid. We owe Zeratul a great deal. Returning his memories, even if only a few, is a gift that we accept gladly." And once the Grand Preserver got hold of the shard, it began to infuse its energies into it. "Now, you have kept your word, Paula Kerrigan. And we shall keep ours. The conscious within this crystal, we will allow it to use our body to speak once more with the living."
Kinda creepy if you think about it.
Next to Paula, Artanis straightened himself. It seemed as if the chance to speak to Zeratul once more was more than enough to make him gather what was left of his strength. Blue energies began to form around the Archon as it summoned its strength.
Archons were beings still misunderstood. And in this day and age, no one really dared to perform a union anymore. Without a great war or tragedy waiting on the horizon, there was no need to. Already some members of the Templar warned that the knowledge of joining could be lost, and with it the ability to create Archons. Judging from Artanis' reaction when he had met Rohana again, it would seem that he wouldn't be too sad about that.
Still, to think that she had managed to remain alive all this time...
Archons were powerful, but they easily burned through all of their energies. It was the perfect union, a being of raw psionic power. But it's like with a star; the bigger the star, the faster it burns through its fuel. How Rohana had managed to remain alive?
Paula had actually asked that question at one point. The Grand Preserver's answer had been that they had found equilibrium in meditation. Only entropy itself knew wherever this was actually true or not. As the Grand Preserver focused its powers on the shard, Artanis looked at Paula.
"So, this was your true goal all along?"
Paula couldn't hide a proud grin. Not anymore.
"Pretty much."
"You could have told me."
"The idea of a surprise is that it is surprising. Otherwise, it wouldn't be a surprise." she snickered. "Also, if I had told you about my plan, you would have told me to not do it."
"Of course I would." Artanis grunted. "Digging up the past should not be your concern. Zeratul is dead. That is all there is to."
"I didn't do it for him." Paula replied. "You deserve a chance to properly say goodbye."
"That sounds like something humans would do."
"Well, I am human. Mostly. Deal with it."
"Hmmm..." Artanis then just shook his head. Before he could say anything else, something happened. The energies surrounding the Grand Preserver began to pulse as its color began to shift. From blue...
...to green.
Paula's eyes widened in excitement and she made a step forward.
"Did it work?" she whispered. The Grand Preserver closed its eyes, and when it opened them again, the green energies wielded by the Nerazim poured from them.
"Zeratul...?" Artanis gasped. "Is it...is this truly possible?" The Grand Preserver raised its massive head and looked straight ahead. And as it began to speak...
"Raynor..." ...it did so with the voice of Zeratul.
"It's working." the young woman marveled. "It's actually working!" Artanis too seemed excited. He got back on his feet, slowly, and leaned heavily upon his cane.
"Zeratul..."
"...the hounds of the void are closing in." Zeratul continued. "I impart my memory – my very essence -into this Ihan crystal...so that you will see what I have seen...and that the future...may yet have hope."
"What?" Artanis asked, confused of what that meant. However, Paula realized what this was about.
"No!" she protested. "Those are just his memories. We are looking for a piece of his mind!" The Grand Preserver seemed to understand and closed its eyes once more. It took a couple of moments before it opened them once more. And this time it seemed to stare directly at Paula.
"...your...presence...this place..." the Archon mumbled before it spoke a name. Hate and disgust dripped from it. "Kerrigan."
"Uhhhhhh..." Paula didn't like where this was going. But hey, they were making progress! At least Zeratul was now recognizing her.
Or was he?
The Archon squinted his eyes as he continued to stare at Paula. There was a moment of silence, where Zeratul wasn't speaking. It was as if he was waiting for something...
"Perhaps...but you won't live to see it!" the Archon barked. He sounded as if it wanted to attack. Thankfully it didn't move at all.
"What is this all about?" Artanis wondered.
"Never!" the Archon/Zeratul barked, and that's when Paula started to realize what this was about.
"Another memory?" she whispered. The Archon seemed to be in distress, or at least pain. It put its left hand on its right arm as if it was wounded.
"The prophecy is uncertain." the Grand Preserver/Zeratul explained. "There is always hope."
"It is another memory." Paula explained. "Please, we are not looking for that! There has to be at least a tiny bit of his essence inside this crystal. I know it!" And so, the Grand Preserver tried even harder. It began to glow and pulse as it was infusing more and more of its energies into the shard. Until...
"The Queen of Blades...how could we have known? If only we had acted sooner!" the Grand Preserver/Zeratul wailed. It looked at an unspecific point somewhere in the distance before it closed its eyes once more. "Friend Raynor, you now bear witness...to the truth. There is a malevolent presence within the Void that seeks to destroy everything we hold dear. Could this...Fallen One be a Xel'Naga?"
"No!" Paula interrupted the monologue. "No more memories! His mind! His consciousness! Please, I beg of you!" And the Grand Preserver seemed to answer her calls. Or at least it tried. More energies began to swirl around it and its whole body began to shift and pulse. And then-
Suddenly the Archon exploded in bright light. Both Paula and Artanis had to shield their eyes. When the light faded away, they looked up in horror.
"Grand Preserver!" Paula yelled.
"Rohana!" Artanis added.
"We are...fine." the Archon sighed as it hovered above them. It sank down until it was on the same level as them and picked the shard from the ground. Its color had turned blue once more. "I am sorry. This was all we could do." It floated over to Paula and placed the shard in her open hand.
"What?" the young woman asked in disbelief.
"We cannot help you." the Grand Preserver explained.
"But...but...Zeratul. This is the chance for Artanis to say goodbye! This...you have to! Are you telling me that Zeratul isn't inside that crystal? That's bullshit! I know that there's a piece of him in this thing, I know it! It saved my father! It saved my mother! Please!" she pleaded with a truly desperate tone in her voice. Artanis placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze.
"Paula..." he told her with a surprisingly soft tone in his voice.
"You can do this! You are the Grand Preserver, you told me you could do this!" Paula protested, not even noticing Artanis' attempt to calm her down. The look on the Archon's face was one of sadness.
"Forgive us, Paula Kerrigan. You were right, there is a faint piece of consciousness in this crystal. Weak. Barely there. But we can sense it."
"Then get it out of there!" she demanded. "I'm begging you! We came all the way out here, did all sorts of crazy things, just for this moment!"
"Paula..." Artanis tried to calm her once more, but she was having none of it. Not after everything she had done, not after everything she had tried. Not like this!
"We are afraid that our powers are not strong enough. We are sorry."
Instead of saying anything, instead of begging them to reconsider, Paula just opened and closed her mouth as she tried to gather her thoughts and make sense of this. This was it? She had moved heaven and hell for this, and now this was the end of it?
"Paula, we should leave." Artanis told her but she wasn't even listening. Cold anger began to swell inside her chest. She looked at Rohana and pointed her finger at the Archon.
"You promised me you could do this!" she accused the Grand Preserver. "You promised me! You would get Zeratul's memories, and Artanis would get the chance to speak to Zeratul one last time!" There was so much pain in her voice. The feeling of betrayal was overpowering, and it was pouring from her mind like a waterfall. Tears began to stream down her cheeks. Tears made out of pure gold. Every time they fell on the ground, they did so with a soft Ping!
"We know." Rohana explained. "You kept your promise. You returned Zeratul's memories to us. But we cannot keep our promise. We hope that-" That's when Paula simply threw the shard on the ground, turned around and ran away.
"Paula Kerrigan!" the Archon shouted but Artanis just raised his hand.
"Let her." he simply said and sighed. He walked over to the shard and picked it up. As he stared at the crystal, his features softened. Such a foolish girl. Foolish...and with a heart made of gold. The ancient Protoss looked at Rohana and sighed.
"I suppose this journey is over now." he concluded. "Too bad. I was starting to enjoy myself." And then he turned around and walked away as well.
"Hierarch..." the Grand Preserver spoke as he was about to leave. Artanis stopped and looked over his shoulder one last time.
"I apologize for my words earlier." he grunted. "For what it is worth...it was good to see you again, Rohana." The Archon bowed its head in respect.
"The feeling is mutual. Until we meet again." the Grand Preserver replied. That caused Artanis to chuckle as he left the meditation chamber for good. Both knew that this was the last time they would see each other again.