Chapter 5
Steven: Take us to Monlyth.
Artanis: As you command.
The Protoss fleet began making its way to Monlyth.
Zeratul: It will take some time to reach Monlyth. Artanis and I will begin your training.
Artanis and Zeratul brought Steven to a training room. The three were sitting in a meditating position.
Zeratul: This is the first step. Connecting your mind to the psionic energies that flow through us.
Artanis: Do you feel anything?
Steven: Kind of. It feels kind of weird.
Zeratul: Concentrate on that energy. Channel it through your gem.
A few seconds later, his shield was suddenly summoned.
Steven: Woah. What?
Artanis: The Shield of Rose Quartz.
Zeratul: Excellent work.
The shield quickly dissipated.
Steven: Aw. I had it.
Artanis: Your weapon always reacts to your state of mind. Only absolute focus will keep it together.
Steven: Right.
Steven took a deep breath. He closed his eyes, concentrating on what he needed to do. His shield reformed.
Zeratul: Good. Now, keep your mind centered.
Zeratul and Artanis snuck out of the room out of Steven's vision, activating a simulation. Multiple simulated zerglings and hydralisks were faked into the simulation. When Steven opened his eyes, he almost immediately shot up, slamming his shield into one hydralisk, crushing its skull. He threw the shield, slamming into a zergling, ricocheting off the others, then returning to his arm. He put away the shield, grabbing a hydralisk by the head, squeezing its neck frill, firing spines into the other hydralisks, killing most of them, then snapping the neck of the one he was holding.
Steven: What just happened?!
Artanis: Your power has been unlocked.
Protoss pilot: We are nearing Monlyth.
Steven: Ok. Get ready.
The fleet flew over the earth-like world of Monlyth.
Steven: Open communication with the protoss down there.
A screen was pulled up, and a protoss warrior was pulled up.
Protoss: We are the Daelaam protoss.
Steven: This is Steven Universe commanding the Shield of Aiur. We are gathering forces to take back the universe from the Zerg threat. And we came to your world for your help.
Protoss: Very well. We will...
Protoss pilot: Detecting multiple zerg creatures entering the atmosphere.
Protoss pilot: Three of them carry psionic signatures.
On the ground, multiple zerg drop pods began landing outside the protoss encampment.
Protoss: The zerg are invading us!
Steven: Artanis! Warp everyone down there onto the ship now!
Protoss: Wait! We are guarding an artifact here of incredible power. We can't let the Zerg obtain it. Give us time to extract it and get it off world.
Steven: Ok. Artanis, you and Zeratul are with me. Let's get down there.
Artanis, Zeratul and Steven were warped down to the planet surface alongside a handful of protoss warriors. There were the foot soldiers with dual energy wrist blades, known as Zealots, dark four legged walkers called Stalkers, others were robotic drones called Sentries, others were higher mental psychic warriors, called high templar, and the warriors like Zeratul called Dark Templar. Upon arriving on the planet, a Daelaam protoss warrior greeted them.
Protoss: I also have new technology to share with you.
Large walkers with dual cannons walked forward.
Protoss: Immortals. They deal five times the damage that they can absorb.
Steven: I like it.
Protoss: It should only take a few minutes to extract the artifact.
Steven: Get on that.
Zerg creatures began attacking. Steven used his shield to slice and smash through them alongside Zeratul and Artanis. Ultralisks began emerging, but were quickly blown to pieces by the Immortals. A single drop pod hit the ground, and the Council of Blades stepped out.
Steven: Gems. My God. What did they do to you?
Garnet: I see you've taken control of the Protoss.
Pearl: By all means. Bring them all to our doorstep.
Amethyst: It will be like lambs to the slaughter.
Steven: Woah. You guys are acting really different.
The Zerg creatures continued their onslaught as the Protoss warriors held the line.
Protoss: Steven! The artifact has been extracted!
Steven: Shield of Aiur! Get everyone out of here!
Almost instantly, the Shield of Aiur engaged its Mass Recall ability, warping all Protoss soldiers inside of it. A transport ship carrying the artifact landed in shortly after. It was an oblong black object with glowing blue edges.
Daelaam Protoss: Thank you for helping us get this artifact off world.
Steven: Your welcome. Not a second too soon.
Zeratul: I'm sorry for what happened to the Gems.
Steven: Is that some sort of Zerg virus?
Artanis: A highly dangerous infection, with the only cure being fire.
Steven: No. There has to be another way. We'll figure that out later. On to Kaldir!
The now expanded fleet made its way to the ice world of Kaldir.
Protoss pilot: Steven. We are picking up an unidentified capital ship warping towards us.
Steven: Is it Zerg? Protoss?
Protoss: Neither.
A metallic super ship warped next to the Shield of Aiur.
Steven: What is that?
Protoss: We are picking up a transmission from the vessel.
Steven: Put it on the main screen.
The transmission screen opened up. The transmissions screen was garbled at first, but eventually restabilized. It was a human male.
Man: This is Matt Horner of the Hyperion. We've followed a human signal, and located it onboard your alien vessel.
Steven: This is Steven Universe, Hierarch of the Protoss.
Horner: Is that him?
A middle aged man walked on screen.
Man: That's him!
Steven: Dad?
Horner: Glad to help you reunite with your son, Greg.
Greg: Steven! You're alive!
Steven: I thought you were wiped out.
Greg: I'm not the only one. Everyone from beach city is here!
The screen turned, and showed all the residents of Beach City. Connie Maheyshwaren, her parents, Lars, Sadie, Jamie, the Frymans, the Pizzas, Smiley, Yellowbeard, Onion, Sour cream, Mayor Bill Dewey, Buck Dewey, and Barbara.
Steven: Guys! I can't believe your alive!
Connie: Steven? You're ok!
Artanis: Zeratul. You said the humans were wiped out on Earth from the zerg swarm.
Zeratul: I assumed they were.
Greg: Actually, Matt had been preparing this ship for years, in the event the Earth becomes inhabitable.
Horner: As you can see, that time was just a few hours ago.
Steven: And you came looking for me. How'd you know I was here?
Greg: Lion showed us.
Lion walked on screen, playing a memory of Zeratul carrying Steven to the Void Seeker through his mane.
Steven: You can replay memories? Why don't you tell me that you can do these things you do? Artanis, dock the Shield of Aiur with the Hyperion.
Artanis: Understood.
The mighty mothership flew over the Hyperion, locking a docking port into the top of the ship. Steven rode down the docking port alongside Zeratul and Artanis. As soon as they appeared on board, everyone was quick to embrace Steven in a giant hug.
Artanis: Ok, everyone give the commander some space.
Greg: Commander? Fancy.
Connie: How'd that happen?
Steven: Apparently, my mom was an unspoken legend among the protoss, and since I'm her son, I am the leader of the Protoss.
Connie: That's cool.
Greg: What'd the Gems say? Speaking of which...where are the Gems?
Steven: Well...see when the Zerg invaded Earth, they captured the Gems and turned them into monsters. They are leading the Zerg army now.
Greg: OOOOOooooooohh...
Mr. Maheyshwaren: So what do we do now?
Steven: What I was doing before. We're gathering all the Protoss in the universe together, then wiping out the Zerg, one planet at a time.
Horner: Lead the way. Where are we headed?
Artanis: To the ice world of Kaldir.
Steven: Let's go. And while were at it, I need to change my outfit.
Artanis: I have just the thing.
A few minutes later, Steven was wearing a shining golden suit, with multiple plates extending into spires on his shoulders, and around his neck, with a black cape coming from his back, and golden armor along his legs and golden boots on his feet, along with a golden helmet, leaving only his face.
Steven: Now, to Kaldir!
The now expanded fleet, along with the Hyperion, warped through space towards Kaldir.