Usually, when I start to work on a story, I wait until I know how to end it. So I was working for the last 38 chapters towards this exact moment. I did the same with my other story, though back then it was a lot more demanding due to the length of it. So yes, in a sense this is the end of this story. There will be one or maybe two more chapters, an epilogue of sorts.
That being said...I think it is time to see wherever I can squeeze some sort of emotional response out of you when you read this.
Chapter 38
Heroes No More
As Zeratul looked around, he seemed confused. That was highly understandable. The last thing that he remembered was how he had meditated on board of his vessel and filled an Ihan-crystal with his memories, to show it to James Raynor and warn him of the darkness that was all awaiting them should they not take drastic means. Once that was done, he would travel to seek out James Raynor and warn him of the impending doom.
Zeratul was no longer inside his ship, though.
He was...
...he had no idea where he was.
He looked up at a sky that didn't seem to make any sense. Was he looking at a stellar nebula? Where was this place?
Or was this...the afterlife?
"Ain't dead yet, dimwit." he heard an all-too-familiar voice. Zeratul turned around and squinted his eyes before raising his psi-blade.
"Kerrigan!" he snarled. Yet as he tried to activate his weapon, he realized that his weapon was, in fact, gone. So was his cloak. And every other part of his equipment. He was completely nude. Not that there was much to hide for a Protoss. As he lay eyes upon the small figure standing right in front of him, he hesitated.
"Eh', I think I got his face alright. If anything, then I made him prettier than he used to be." Sarah Kerrigan muttered. It was her voice, no doubt about it. But she looked...different. Unlike the Queen of Blades. She looked like a human. A trap?
"By the ancients..." another figure whispered. It was a Protoss. He had an impressive built, and he wore the colors of the Templar. Though something was strange. His armor was of exquisite quality, yet seemed a lot sleeker than that Templar usually wore. And there were no symbols showing his allegiance to the Conclave.
Strange.
They weren't the only ones staring at him, though. There were three more humans standing around. Zeratul didn't recognize any of them. But one, a man with a beard, seemed oddly familiar. The Dark Prelate felt as if he had met him before, at least seen him. The other man...Zeratul had no idea who he was. Then again, telling humans apart was tricky for a Protoss. The last human, however...
...her hair was brown, and her eyes looked different. But aside from that, she was the spitting image of Sarah Kerrigan.
That wasn't the only thing that confused Zeratul.
What he perceived with his eyes didn't really make any sense. But they weren't the only senses that told him that he had no idea where he was. He could feel...Xel'Naga. Their psionic scent, at least. What he had felt inside their temples before. Like an afterimage. Only so much stronger, so much more powerful. It felt alive. And what made this whole situation even more perplexing was that he could exactly pinpoint the source of those psionics.
It was Kerrigan.
And the young woman that looked almost exactly like her.
"What is this?" he whispered. "Kerrigan? What...is this one of your schemes?" Both Kerrigan and the young woman next to her said "No." at the exact same time, and Kerrigan then looked at the woman Zeratul didn't recognize.
"I think he was talking to me." Sarah Kerrigan explained. "Also, you might stand back a bit, little one. Just in case. Evalonis, yes? I trust you can keep my daughter safe? Just in case?"
"As you wish." the huge Templar replied and positioned himself right next to the young woman. The sight of a Protoss listening to Kerrigan...
"Who are you?" Zeratul demanded to know. "And why are you listening to what she tells you?" The huge warrior looked at the woman right next to her, who shrugged her shoulders, and then he shrugged as well.
"My name is Evalonis. I am-"
"Zeratul?"
The voice that spoke that name was so weak, so tired, so old that you could barely hear it. Yet everyone fell silent immediately and they all turned around. Only then Zeratul realized that there was another Protoss with them. He sat on a bench in front of what looked like a human house. At first, Zeratul didn't even understand what he was looking at. The other Protoss tried to get up and it took him quite the effort. Something was wrong, and the Dark Prelate couldn't really tell what it was. Not until the other Protoss began to hobble towards them with a cane in his hand. Zeratul was baffled. This Protoss looked ancient, older even than Razshagal. Yet there was something oddly familiar about him.
"It is you..." the wrinkled Protoss gasped. He looked so old.
Not just old. But ancient. Older than any Protoss should be. Decrepit. This one looked familiar, and his voice, strained by age, was familiar as well. His psionics too told him something. They told him that he knew this ancient Protoss. His presence felt familiar. And when the ancient one finally reached him and placed his shaking hand on Zeratul's arm, it finally clicked.
"Zeratul, my old friend."
"Ar...Artanis?" Zeratul gasped in disbelief.
"Yes, my old friend. Yes." The voice of Artanis was shaking with strain. And emotion. None of it made sense and he faced Kerrigan again.
"What is this trickery? Kerrigan! Are you trying to mock me? Turn me against my people, as you did with Razshagal?" the Dark Prelate growled.
"Oh boy, that brings back some bad memories." Sarah growled and rubbed her eyes. "Listen, I'm not gonna stick around and play some blame game. Here's the deal..." And then she looked Artanis straight into the eyes. "You got one day. Make it count." And with that Sarah turned around and simply walked away, leaving behind the others. Zeratul still was confused by all of this. It had to be a dream. A vision. A nightmare! None of this could be real.
But it was.
"One day." Artanis sighed. "More than enough."
What can you do in one day? A lot. And not enough. Zeratul had been hesitant at first. But Artanis had at least won him over to sit down next to him on that bench. Dan and Alexei had decided to keep their distance and were nowhere to be seen. It was just Artanis, Zeratul, Paula and Evalonis now.
And so Artanis began to talk. At first Zeratul was only listening, and it seemed that he was not believing a single word. The story he heard seemed just far too unbelievable to be true. It was a story of tragedy and triumph. Of sacrifice and redemption. And a present that was a far better future than anything Zeratul could have hoped for. And eventually, as he continued to listen, he started to believe that this was, in fact, not a dream.
"So...my warning came through." the Dark Prelate mused and shook his head. "Thank the ancients..."
"It was almost for naught though." Artanis sighed. "So many died. Brothers fought sisters, and in the end it all turned out in our favor because of a gamble."
"But the Dark One was defeated..." Zeratul sighed. "...you slew the great corruptor. A feat worthy of legends. I am certain that Tassadar would be proud of you."
"Hgn..." the young woman that looked so much like Sarah Kerrigan produced a sound that Zeratul couldn't really explain. He looked at her and frowned.
"I sense your displeasure." the Dark Prelate growled. "Did I say something wrong?" There was still some hostility in his voice.
"Hahaha..." Artanis laughed and shook his head. "It was not I who slew Amon, old friend."
"It was not? Then..." That's when Zeratul's eyes widened in shock. "...the Queen of Blades!" He looked at his own hands and seemed to be baffled by that realization. "So that was the point and meaning of this vision."
"There is a lot more to it, Zeratul." Artanis sighed. "We won the war. Our losses were catastrophic, but we emerged victoriously. The truth, however, is that we are still reeling from it. I am certain that you would not recognize our people anymore. Sometimes I wonder if we have lost our way. But I suppose it is just the bitterness of an old man who is all alone now." He chuckled. "Or could you have imagined that I would have a great-granddaughter one day that chose the path of an artist?"
"Chose?"
"Yes, chose." Artanis confirmed.
"So, you have family? Someone that can carry on your legacy..." Those words spoken by Zeratul made Artanis laugh out loud again, only to cause a violent caugh. The Dark Prelate placed his hand on the ancient Protoss' back and gave him a worried look while the young woman hurried over to him and knelt down in front of Artanis.
"Artanis, are you okay?" she asked with real concern in her voice. It was a strange sight. A being that looked so much like the great defiler, that felt like her too...yet that seemed to radiate nothing but goodwill and positivity. It took Artanis a while to calm down and then he nodded.
"Ye-Yes. Do not worry, it is nothing. The age is wearing heavily upon my shoulders, that is all."
"You have been blessed with a long life, Artanis." Zeratul mused. "The ancients must have smiled down upon you."
"The ancients..." Artanis chuckled. "...the Xel'Naga. Perhaps it is better that you were not there to see their true selves."
"What do you mean?" Instead of answering that question directly, Artanis stood up. Or at least he tried to. It took him several attempts, and the help of Evalonis to get up on his feet.
"I feel like I want to go for a short walk. Care to join me, Zeratul?" The baffled Nerazim nodded and got up.
"Of course." And with that they started to walk...
Their pace was slow. Pitiful even. But Zeratul didn't mind. He was moving at Artanis' pace, which was not that great. The warrior called Evalonis remained close, probably to be there should Artanis stumble and fall. And the woman that looked like Kerrigan...she remained close as well. Her nervousness was surrounding her like a cloud of energy.
"...the war revealed some truths that none of us were prepared for, Zeratul." Artanis spoke, his voice weak and strained. "Both after its end. And during it."
"I can imagine."
"No, my old friend. You cannot." Artanis replied. "It was...hard. The humans have a tendency to romanticize the past. I have learned to envy them for that. All of our beliefs, our culture, our cultures, no matter if Khala or Nerazim, were turned upside down. And we had to live with that. We had to accept it. It was hard. And painful." This time Zeratul didn't reply anything, and so Artanis went on. He told him about the vision of Tassadar the Dark Prelate had received on Aiur. And he told him about the truth: That it hadn't been Tassadar at all, but a Xel'Naga. That their gods, in their hubris, had laid the foundation for a war that could have swept away everyone.
Zeratul listened. He listened to it all. The words were pouring from Artanis like water from a waterfall. He told him about their failed campaign to retake Aiur, about the corruption of the Khala, about the fall of the Templar...and how Artanis himself had succumbed to the Dark One's rage. How Zeratul had freed his friend from that control. And how he had paid the ultimate price.
"Without you..." Artanis gasped as they walked up a nearby cliff. He had help from Evalonis, who guided the ancient Protoss up the hill. "...our future would have come to an end that day. You sacrificed yourself. For us. For me."
"A good death then." Zeratul muttered. "Which leads me to the question...if I am dead, then how can I be here if this is not the afterlife?"
"I think I leave that explanation to Paula." Artanis said and pointed at the young woman.
"Paula?" Zeratul asked and looked at the young woman in disdain.
"Y-yeah." the young woman mumbled. "Uhm...the full name is actually Paula Izsha...Paula Izsha Kerrigan."
"Kerrigan?" Zeratul growled. "You...you are her offspring?"
"Yeah." Paula confirmed. "She's my mum...I mean mother."
"That cannot be." Zeratul shook his head. "Humans do not live that long! How can you be this old and she be this young?" he asked Artanis, who only chuckled.
"This is perhaps the hardest part of the story." the former Hierarch admitted. "It was not I who slew the Dark One. Your warnings of the things to come set us on a different path. One that led to many interesting alliances."
"Kerrigan." Zeratul said.
"Yes..." Artanis gasped when they reached the top of the cliff. Evalonis helped him to sit down on a log and the ancient Protoss sighed in relief. "...she saved us all. We ventured into the Void itself, where we stood, united, against Amon, the Dark One. The Xel'Naga who had betrayed his own kind."
"But even if Kerrigan is...was a formidable foe, she could not have defeated a Xel'Naga!" Zeratul protested.
"She had help." Artanis admitted. "There was another Xel'Naga. The last one except for Amon. His name was Ouros, and you met him as well."
"What are you saying?"
Artanis looked up with weary eyes.
"Tassadar, the vision of Tassadar you received on Aiur when you searched for answers, was not who you thought it was. It was, in fact, a being called Ouros. He used deception to guide us...and remain hidden from Amon." That revelation rocked Zeratul to the core.
"A Xel'Naga?" he gasped and Artanis nodded.
"Yes." Artanis then coughed some more. "It...ack...it is not without irony, I admit it. Ouros was looking for someone to carry on the Xel'Naga's will. Someone powerful enough to claim their secrets and their powers. We always thought, foolishly, that we would be their chosen ones. Ah, how foolish indeed."
"But...Kerrigan?" Zeratul whispered.
"I felt the same way." Artanis admitted. "I thought it was a cruel joke. A mistake even. But, and do not tell your mother I said that..." He looked at Paula, who nodded like crazy. "...I think Ouros chose wisely. Or at least he could have done a lot worse." Yet Zeratul didn't seem to be all too happy to hear that.
"I...I cannot believe it! Kerrigan! Of all beings...I knew that she had a role to play, but this? This is...it is just wrong!" The loss of Razshagal, the Queen of Blades' betrayal, all of that was still fresh on his mind. To Zeratul, this Zeratul, it all happened not so long ago.
"And yet it is the truth." Artanis replied. "And from what I heard of, you set her on the path of redemption."
"What?" Zeratul muttered. "What is that supposed to mean?" The ancient Protoss chuckled again and pointed with a shaking finger at Paula.
"She can answer that." Zeratul then followed Artanis' gesture with his eyes and frowned. This human...was not a human. She was that, and more.
"Speak." was all Zeratul said, more hostile than he probably had wanted. Paula swallowed hard and chuckled nervously.
"Oh boy, where to start?" she sighed. "Well, I guess you are to blame that I'm standing right here in front of you right now."
"I beg your pardon?" the Dark Prelate growled and Paula offered him a smile.
"You see, it all started when you handed over that Ihan crystal to my father-" she began.
"Father?" Zeratul wondered. "But I wanted to hand it over to..." And then it dawned on him. "Your father...is James Raynor." To which Paula nodded.
"Yeah. What no one knew back then was that him using that crystal had certain...side effects." And then she started to tell him her part of the story. And it was even more fantastic and unbelievable than everything Artanis had told him. But it was the truth.
Well, most of it.
"Quite the place." Alexei said as he sat down next to Dan right on the beach. "Could need a proper bar though. Or at least a restaurant. Something Italian maybe. I'd kill for some pasta right now." Dan didn't answer. Instead, he stared at the horizon.
"A credit for your thoughts." Alexei said.
"That'd be a waste of money."
"Ha! Don't sweat it, I'm broke anyway. I guess the government I worked for is no longer around, so I should come up with a new retirement plan, huh?" Again, Dan didn't answer.
"I mean...I suppose this would be a good moment to come up with a new plan, huh?"
"Knock yourself out." Dan growled. "But leave me out of it."
"Oh, that hurts." Alexei chuckled. "And here I thought we were such a good team! I'd even call you my best friend!"
"Friend? Team?" Dan snarled and looked at the other man. "What the hell? You're a goddamn menace! And whatever happens next, I do hope we will never see each other again!" When Alexei heard that, he pulled his brows up and gasped in shock. Or at least he attempted to play the wounded party.
"You wound me, Sir. Have I ever told you that? You wound me!"
"Go fu-" Dan started.
"Fumble a stone." someone suddenly finished the sentence for Dan and they looked up. Sarah Kerrigan stood next to them, looked down and smiled. It was not a warm smile though. "That's what you wanted to say, right?" For some odd reason Dan was under the impression that the only acceptable answer was "Yes."
"Yes." he muttered. That's when Sarah Kerrigan just sat down right next to them and stared at the ocean in front of them.
"Pardon me, but I do not like it when people curse. The damage's been done already but that doesn't mean that I just allow using every colorful word in the dictionary." she explained. "I'm a bit picky when it comes to that."
"So we noticed." Alexei grunted. "The censors back home would have loved you."
"That's not censorship, dear Alexei. You can say whatever you want, just don't use four-letter-words." she corrected him.
"Noted." he replied dryly. And then they were quiet for a while. Sarah seemed to be in no real mood to talk, Alexei didn't have anything to talk about, and Dan was unsure what to say next. So it came as a surprise to Dan when Alexei actually spoke up next.
"So, what's next in it for us?"
"Us?" Sarah quipped and threw him a wicked grin. "I'm in a happy relationship, dear Alexei. There is no us."
"Ha!" Alexei snorted. "Wouldn't dream about it." And then he took a deep breath. "No, that's not what I meant. I mean...what's next in line for us? For me? Have I been re-recruited to your effort...in whatever you do these days?"
"Is that what you want?" Sarah asked straight away. Alexei took some time with an answer.
"No..." he then sighed. "...no, that's not what I want."
"Hm hmm..." was all Sarah retorted to that. "...then what is it you want?" It took Alexei some time until you began to speak again.
"I want my life back." he just said.
"Tsk, and now you come up with the tallest order of them all." Sarah sneered. "How quaint." And then both of them were silent for a while. Until...
"Even though we're going way back, I don't really feel the urge to let you hang around in this place. I'm afraid that you'd teach my kids all sorts of colorful words. And worse." Sarah then declared.
"That is a possibility, yes." he confirmed her worst suspicions. "And mind you: I can also teach them how to curse in Russian!" Now that was a scary threat. "But if it helps you to put your mind at ease: I don't want to work for you either."
"You make it sound as if I was a terrible boss."
"You were a terrible boss." Alexei confirmed. "But back then everyone was terrible, so it didn't really make a difference."
"See, Mister Bowski?" Sarah snickered when she heard that. "Whenever someone tells you that everything was better back in the day, they're just talking...nonsense."
"I think you wanted to use another word." Dan muttered.
"Maybe. I leave that to your imagination." Sarah replied before returning her attention towards Alexei once more. "So how about we make this short, yes? It's nothing personal, but the longer you're here, the higher the chances that Paula might end up taking a liking to you."
"That sounds as if I'm some kind of bad influence."
"You are bad influence."
"Ouch."
"You're welcome." And then Sarah sighed. "You once told me that you wanted to see Earth again. Her green hills and all that. Remember?"
"No." Alexei admitted. "But it does sound like something I'd like to do, yeah. Earth...sounds like a good place to start over again, eh'?"
"Be warned though: It's not the same dump it was. I put a lot of time and effort into it. I wouldn't say it's as good as new, but pretty close."
"Did the Swarm conquer Earth or what is that supposed to mean?" Alexei wanted to know. His question brought a grin to her face.
"Oh, you'll see. And don't worry, you will like it. And since I hate long goodbyes..." She then looked him straight into the eyes. "...any specific place you'd like to go?" Alexei thought about it for a while before he nodded.
"I had a home once...I know it's gone now, but I think I'd like to see the landscape of my childhood once more. Near Saint Petersburg. That'd be a good place to start all over again." And then Alexei smiled. "Yes...I'd like that." Sarah nodded and looked at the horizon once more.
"Then that's how it shall be. Fair warning, though: This is our final goodbye, Alexei. I hope you find what makes you happy, like I did. But it's in your hand." she told him.
"That's all anyone can really ask for." Alexei replied. And then he looked at Dan. "Wanna tag along?"
"No." Dan growled. "Get lost."
"Charming like always." Alexei hummed. "I will make sure to remember you f-" That's when Sarah suddenly snapped her fingers and Alexei vanished with a flash of light into thin air. There was a moment of silence and then Sarah shrugged her shoulders.
"He either wanted to say "forever" or something else that starts with the letter f. I didn't want to take any chances." she explained herself.
"Noted." Dan mused.
"...orever." Alexei finished his sentence. He blinked a few times before he noticed that his surroundings had changed. He was no longer sitting on a beach. No, he was sitting on the hard concrete of a street. "Huh?" Alexei looked up and what he saw was a blue sky. No, not just any blue sky. He'd recognize this sky everywhere, even though he hadn't seen it in ages.
She had done it. She had kept her word. And now Alexei was back where it all had started. The air smelled fresh, fresher than he remembered. If he was brutally honest, then he had left behind quite the dump when he and the rest of the UED-strike force had left.
Still, something seemed odd. The air was nice and all, but it was just so warm. Hot even. And the humidity was a lot higher than he expected. Sure, summers in Saint Petersburg could be hot, but this humid? It felt more like he was in a jungle than in Mother Russia. Perhaps-
That's when suddenly he heard a horn right behind him, followed by an angry "Yo! Get off the street, man! What gives?" Alexei looked over his shoulder and realized that he was indeed blocking the road for a huge truck. He got up and smiled. His first local! Great, then he would not have to walk! As he approached the truck, he noticed a road sign not too far away. It said "Saint Petersburg – 20 Miles". For a moment he wondered why that shield was in English and not in Russian.
"Greetings, my fellow citizen!" Alexei said when he stopped next to the driver's window. The guy behind the wheel looked like a living cliche, like a trucker from North America in one of those old movies. He wore a muscle shirt that didn't do a good job at hiding his pot-belly, a worn-out baseball cap, and had a cigarette between his lips.
"Whad'da'you doin' here, in the middle of the road?" the trucker asked.
"Taking a walk, of course!" Alexei laughed. "I got dumped here by a lovely lady, and now I hope to make my way back to human civilization!" He was really proud of that statement because technically it wasn't even a lie.
"Dumped by the missus, eh?" the trucker sneered. "Yeah, I feel your pain, bro. Need a ride back to the city? I'm heading there."
"That sounds like a wonderful idea." Alexei sighed. Walking 20 miles wasn't his idea of fun. Not anymore at least.
"Well, then hop in. Not gonna leave a bro out there who got dumped by his chick." And so Alexei walked around the truck and got in next to the driver.
"Thanks a lot. You certainly spared me a long walk back home." Alexei chuckled.
"You're from around here?" the trucker asked as he accelerated his vehicle again.
"You could say that. But I haven't been home for a veeeeeery long time. I wonder how much has changed." They came past another sign. And it too was in English rather than Russian. "A lot it would seem." The landscape seemed different as well from what he remembered. Hundreds of years had passed, so some changes were to be expected. Still, something felt wrong...
"What's your name, pal." the driver asked.
"Stukov. Alexei Stukov."
"That's an unusual name. You're really a local?"
"Yes. But it has been ages since the last time I've been home, so I don't expect many folks to remember me. And what about you? Are you from around here?'' The question was more of a joke but then the man nodded.
"A-yup! Born and bred here, worked all my adult life traveling these roads, Sir!" The man then flashed him an honest smile.
"Oh, so you are a lorry driver." Alexei mused. "Could have told from your vehicle. It's a fine lorry for sure." That earned him a confused look from the other man.
"Lorry? What are you, from Europe?" That question seemed odd.
"Uhm...yes. You aren't?"
"Pffff, what? No! We don't do fancy speech like you folks do over there!" Over...there? That's when Alexei started to suspect that something might have gone wrong. The man seemed to notice Alexei's confusion but thought it was because of him.
"Ain't no fancy lorry driver, my friend!" he declared with nothing but pride in his voice. "I'm a proud trucker! And the name's Joe, by the way."
…
…
…
"Eh..." Alexei replied and looked at another sign they passed. It showed that they were on the right path to Saint Petersburg. And Orlando. And Tampa. And... Miami.
"I guess I should have been more accurate when telling her where to send me." Alexei whispered.
"What's that, pal?"
"Nothing." Alexei leaned back and thought about it for a while. And then he began to smile.
"What's with that smug grin on your face, pal?"
"Oh, I was just thinking...I've never been to Miami. I heard there are a lot of pretty ladies there. Is that true?"
"Pretty, rich, and mostly made out of plastic." Joe confirmed.
"Well, can't wait to see it for myself." Alexei sighed. "I guess it's time to finally have some fun. So long, fellows. So long." It was the moment when Alexei realized that Sarah had actually given him the greatest gift she could have: A brand new start. A new life was waiting for him. And this time he wouldn't screw things up. This time he would be a better man.
But first it was time for some fun...
"That's all anyone can really ask for." Alexei replied. And then he looked at Dan. "Wanna tag along?"
"No." Dan growled. "Get lost."
"Charming like always." Alexei hummed. "I will make sure to remember you f-" That's when Sarah suddenly snapped her fingers and Alexei vanished with a flash of light into thin air. There was a moment of silence and then Sarah shrugged her shoulders.
"He either wanted to say "forever" or something else that starts with the letter f. I didn't want to take any chances." she explained herself.
"Noted." Dan mused.
Sarah then smiled and hummed a cheerful tune before she took a deep breath.
"I gotta admit: I'm impressed by your determination, Mister Bowski. It reminds me of someone I knew a long time ago." she told him.
"Is that meant to be an insult or a compliment?"
"A fair question..." Sarah replied before she looked at the sky above them. "...let's just say that you have some qualities that he had. You came out here in search of my daughter, just to tell her that she's an irresponsible menace to everyone around her. Takes some determination and a hint of madness to do something like that."
"You don't seem to be very fazed or angry that I don't have a very high opinion of your daughter. Or your parenting style." Dan mused, which earned him only a shrug from Sarah.
"You don't know enough to truly judge her. Or me. You've just seen a glimpse. I can understand why it makes you say those things. And yet it still helped you to turn your life around. Seems like Paula did it again." And then a proud smile appeared on Sarah's face. Dan couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that.
"You're proud of her? Even though you know what she does to people?"
"What did she do to people, Mister Bowski?"
"She leaves nothing but chaos in her wake! She drags people across the galaxy, uses them for her own plans, and then just leaves them behind. Some of them were traumatized! It's wrong!"
"Is that so?" Sarah chirped way too friendly.
"You know it is! Sirella, her "supposedly" best friend: That girl will never forget what she endured in that wreckage!" Dan snarled.
"Did you just call a hundred-year-old Protoss a girl?" Sarah wondered. "Also; did you forget that she got something out of it?"
"Nightmares for the rest of her life?"
"Maybe. But she also wanted to find some inspiration to create something of real artistic value and vision." Sarah told him.
"Yeah, but it's a horrible vision." Dan retorted.
"It's a vision nonetheless. She searched for inspiration. And she found it." Paula's mother told him. Dan was about to reply to that until-
"Wait...how do you know of Sirella?"
"I know a lot of things, Mister Bowski. That's my job as Paula's mother." And then she offered him a wink. "Trust me, I've been in this business for a very long time." And then she sighed. "My daughter has a gift, Mister Bowski. One that many people do not understand. But I do, and I always encouraged her to use that gift. Do you want me to tell you what it is?"
"Please..." Dan griped. "...I'm dying to know."
"You can spare me your sarcasm." she shot back, but the smile on her face told Dan that she was toying with him. "Paula...she instinctively knows what people need. Not what they want, but what they need. Sometimes even I am amazed at how deep her gift goes. She even taught me a thing or two during those last few weeks." When Dan heard that, he had only one thing to say.
"Bullsh...shnnn...shheeennn..." He really tried to finish that word, yet for some odd reason, his tongue always seemed to fail him in the most crucial moment.
"No cursing." Sarah told him and he sighed before using another, less explicit word.
"Nonsense."
"See, was that so hard?" the older Kerrigan cooed. "I'm not telling you nonsense. It's the truth. Take Sirella: More than anything she wanted to create art that moves the people, that mesmerizes them. Well, everyone thought of something brilliant, of something beautiful. But what she came up now, thanks to that little joyride, is much more powerful. I took a look at it myself a couple of days ago. It's haunting, in a frightening way. You just can't stop staring at it."
"I don't think that that's what she wanted." Dan muttered.
"No, but it is what she needed." Sarah told him.
"And what about the others?"
"What about them?" Sarah wondered. "The Professor? I think he wants to uncover the truth more than anything. Well, he will get that here. Don't worry, no harm will come to him. He's safe and sound and he will get to work alongside Karax. I think those two will get along nicely."
"And Sarah? And her sisters? And your friend Izsha? That doesn't look like a healthy relationship..."
"As I said before: You've only seen a glimpse." Sarah sighed. "Izsha had it coming for a long time. She has to learn to accept her daughters the way they are. Besides, it will be good for her to do her own thing for a while. I'm sure that they will work things out. Eventually."
"And all these others? What? Are you telling me that your daughter did this all on purpose? What about-" Dan protested.
"Captain Okoi? She now has the chance to master her abilities by training under a being that knows more about psionics than even I do. Alexei? Got a new chance to live the life that he thought lost. Even Jim got what he deserved. He spent way too much time with his art and forgot that there are more important things out there. The same can be said about me too, by the way." Sarah admitted. Dan stared at her for a long time, unsure what to make out of it. It made sense...in a way. But every cell inside his body resisted the idea that all of this had been Paula's machination.
"And what about me?" Dan grunted. "What did Paula give me that I needed but did not want?"
"Well, the way I see it, Mister Bowski, your life was a boring mess before all of this happened. Stuck in a job that you didn't really like or care about, on a world that mattered nothing to you, with people surrounding you that were indifferent towards you." Sarah explained. "Paula's action just ignited the fire inside of you. The little push you needed to set out and just do what you would never have considered in the first place; head out and do stuff because it's the right thing to do."
"That sounds as if I subconsciously longed for this madness." Dan growled.
"You came here all on your own. No one forced you. Every decision you made was your own. So tell me: How exactly has my daughter forced you to come here?" Sarah cooed. Dan opened his mouth and was about to reply something. And then he realized...
...that he had no decent reply to that.
"Yeah, thought so." Sarah mused. You could actually see the inner turmoil going on inside Dan's mind right now. You didn't have to be a psionic to notice that. And then, after a while...
"I still think your daughter is a menace."
"Many people do." Paula's mother sighed.
"And you're cool with that?"
"Mister Bowski, you do not know what a "menace" is. Trust me, if you had met me back in the day, you would have learned what "menace" truly means." And this time there was no joy or fun in her voice, so Dan just decided to take her word for it. Besides...
"So, what's next?" he then asked. "You're gonna drop me off on some world and be done with it?"
"If that's what you like." Sarah told him. "I mean, I could offer you to stick around for a while, like with that Jerome-guy, but I'm pretty sure that's not your style."
"Not really..." Dan whispered. All this madness had led him here. And as much as he hated to admit it; Sarah Kerrigan had a point. What could he do? Return to Flemmington and pretend nothing had happened? Would that even work? And even if...was that what he wanted? He didn't want to admit it but the last couple of weeks had been...interesting. Not fun, hell no! But exhilarating. And... meaningful.
"I know that look, Mister Bowski." Sarah then quipped.
"Oh really? And what does this look tell you?" he growled.
"It's a look of a man who's starting to question his own life's choices. Who asks himself if there might be more to life than...whatever you did before all of this." Sarah said and gestured around. "Well, I can't help you with finding the meaning of life. But I might have a task for you, one that might be up your alley."
"What kind of task are we talking about?" Dan asked.
"Eh, by some unfortunate events, that you were witness to, my closest friend and advisor is now, how shall we say it?"
"Dealing with family issues?" Dan offered, which earned him a grin from Sarah.
"Very diplomatic. Yes. And honestly, I think it will be good for Izsha to head out there and do something different than the usual. And with Joe..." Sarah suddenly fell silent and looked around, as if she was waiting for someone to correct her. "...huh. Gotta admit: I got used to him correcting me. Anyway, with him gone too, I think it's time to find something new in my life too."
"I don't think I can follow."
"I'm certain that you noticed that Paula's way of dealing with other people is, shall we say..."
"Catastrophic? Horrible? Without any sense or reason?" Dan offered.
"I wanted to say: Unhinged." Sarah told him. "We raised far away, on this world. Oh, of course she met other people. We visited many places with her, but at the end of the day, this was our home. I think...we overdid it. It certainly wasn't healthy for Jim. So yeah, I suppose it's time to head out there and be part of that galaxy once more."
"As what?" Dan asked. "As people? Or as gods?" That question surprised Sarah, but she only smiled once more.
"You really don't have a problem with speaking your mind. I like that. And no matter what people might think...I am not a god." And then her smile turned downright cocky. "I'm just very good at what I do!"
"So, what is it what you want me to do?" Dan wanted to know. He tried to hide his curiosity as much as possible, but Sarah still could sense it.
"Do what you want to do. Go out there. Find things that seem to bother you. Voice your concern. Annoy the people about it. And if you stumble upon something that seems...a bit out of your league, point me in the right direction and let me handle it." Sarah told him.
"Like...seriously?"
"Like seriously." she confirmed and then she looked up at the sky once again. "Maybe I'm older than most, but Paula's limitless drive to do something and her youthful vigor has shown me that I can still do something else with my life. That I want to do something else." She looked at Dan and smiled. "Children, Mister Bowski. Once you got them, you see the world differently."
"I take your word for it." he muttered. "So... you want me to...well..."
"Don't rush it." she then told him before her gaze wandered away from him and into the distance, towards a nearby cliff. The smile vanished from her face and suddenly there was so much sadness. Almost as if something bad had happened. "We are in no rush. Besides...I got something else that I have to take care of." And with that Sarah stood up and walked way.
"Hey...what now? Am I just gonna sit here and wait for something to happen?" Dan protested.
"We will talk later, Mister Bowski. I am needed elsewhere." was all Sarah said. The seriousness in her voice told him that he should just keep his mouth shut this one time.
And so he did.
"...unbelievable..." That was all Zeratul could whisper after Paula had finished her story.
"I know it sounds like a wild ride, but it really happened the way I told you. Well...most of it." she admitted. "No one knew that an Ihan crystal not only contains the memories of a being, but also a tiny fragment of their consciousness. And no one could have anticipated what it did to a human brain. So yeah, you kept my Dad alive. You saved him, even when though you were already dead. And you saved my Mum. Without you...I wouldn't be born." Zeratul stared at the young woman. He was still unsure what to make of it, of any of it. But it was Artanis who spoke next.
"I can sense your hesitation, Zeratul." the ancient Protoss whispered. He looked so old, so tired. They had spent most of the day talking. Well, Artanis had talked. And Zeratul had listened most of the time. It had exhausted the old Protoss. "Times have changed. Paula Raynor is a good person. And I am glad that I have met her. Thanks to your sacrifice, our people have a future. It might not be the huge triumph that I had hoped for...we might not be the superior species anymore...but we are free. Free and masters of our own fate. And none of this would have happened if you had not done what you did."
Zeratul then turned his attention towards Paula, who swallowed hard when the Dark Prelate looked down on her. His gaze had been hard and unrelenting at first. But now it had softened. He placed his huge hand on Paula's shoulder.
"Thank you." he then told her. "I do not know you, but I trust Artanis' judgment. And you gave me the greatest gift that anyone could get...you put my fears to rest, you allowed me to see that all those sacrifices were justified."
"I..." Paula started and then she looked down at her own feet. "...I didn't do it for you." she admitted. "I did it for Artanis. He always wanted to...to tell you one last time how he felt. And how grateful he was."
"Hahahaha..." Zeratul began to laugh. It was a true laugh, one that came from a place of joy and happiness. "...speaking the truth and apologizing for it. This world truly must be a better place if you are indeed the child of Kerrigan." And then something happened. Zeratul looked at his hand that was resting on Paula's shoulder, and she followed his gaze.
"Oh..." she whispered.
The time was up.
Zeratul raised his hand and watched how it began to crumble as if it was made out of sand and dust.
"Does it...hurt?" the huge Protoss called Evalonis asked, and Zeratul shook his head.
"No." the Dark Prelate whispered. He faced Artanis one more time. The former Hierarch was still sitting on the log while Zeratul was towering over him. "Artanis. My student. My comrade. The one who believed in me when even I did not." And then he offered his hand to Artanis, who looked up and took it with his own. "My friend."
"You were my mentor. My brother-in-arms. My consciousness." Artanis replied. "My friend. Thank you. For everything you have done for us. For me." And then he added one last thing. "Now...go and rest in peace. For our people are alive and free." Zeratul let go of Artanis' hand and made a step back. Parts of his body already began to unravel. He looked at Evalonis, at Artanis, and then at Paula.
"Thank you. All of you." he told them. "I... am... grateful..." Suddenly a faint breeze hit them, and Zeratul's body was blown away as it turned into dust. His voice echoed through their minds one final time, and then he was gone. For good.
Peace had finally found him.
No one said anything for a long time. Until...
"Thank you...Paula Raynor." Artanis whispered. "...thank you." His voice was so weak. Paula sighed and looked at Evalonis, who placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a soft and gentle squeeze. She smiled and nodded.
"Thank you. For allowing me to do this." she replied.
"Hmmm..." the ancient Protoss replied. "...it was...fun." he then said. "This place...it is nice. Quiet. And peaceful. I like it. I think...I would like to stay here...for a while." That's when Paula noticed something shimmering in the grass near the edge of the cliff. She walked over to it, knelt down and picked up the last shard of the Ihan crystal. As she looked at it, she could see how the light inside flickered.
"I am so grateful that I was able to meet you. Both of you." Paula whispered.
"And I... was honored...to have met you as well...Paula Kerrigan." Artanis replied. Paula looked at the horizon and enjoyed the magnificent sight in front of her.
"You used my name properly! Thanks! I'm sure to tell Mum!" That's when suddenly the crystal shard inside her hand shattered. Paula watched how the fragments flickered one last time...
...and then went dark.
She watched how the shard turned into dust as well, until another gust of air blew it away. And with that...
...the last remnant of the Dark Prelate Zeratul was finally gone.
"May the Ancestors smile upon you, and welcome you among them." Evalonis suddenly said, reciting an old Protoss proverb. Paula offered him a warm smile and grabbed his hand.
"Thank you." she told him. "For helping me."
"It was my pleasure." he told her and both of them looked at the horizon again. They enjoyed the sight for some time, until...
"We should go back..." Paula said, her voice quivering. "...back home. Gonna have to tell Mum that you finally called me a Kerrigan. Right, Artanis?"
…
…
…
Paula's lips began to quiver and Evalonis put his arm around her shoulder.
"It's late..." Paula whimpered. "...everyone's probably worried. And we don't want them to be worried, right Artanis?"
But Artanis wouldn't answer that question.
Tears began to stream down Paula's cheeks. Evalonis looked over his shoulder, and even he had a hard time keeping his own tears from falling. Artanis sat there, as if deep in thought. He looked so small, so frail. His eyes were closed. And even though Protoss didn't have mouths and noses, his expression looked so peaceful...
"Artanis..." Paula sobbed as she continued to look at the beautiful horizon in front of her. She wanted to say something, anything. But in the end, all she could do was to cry and throw herself at Evalonis. She slung her arms around his body and he held her in his arms. They had finally reached the end of this adventure.
And Artanis, former Hierarch and most likely the greatest hero of all Protoss, who had earned his place among the likes of Adun and Tassadar, the great unifier...
...had finally found his peace.