Chapter 7
The Council of Blades were onboard a massive zerg capital monster known as the Leviathan. It was the size of the moon itself. The Overmind communicated with them telepathically, but they lead what was not nearby the Overmind. Their advisor was a worm rooted into the roof with a female face, two tentacles coming from the head that were arms. Her name was Izsha. There "engineer" was a single blob with multiple arms named Abathur.
Garnet: We must find the other artifacts before Steven and the remaining Terrans do.
Izsha: My Queens. For what purpose do your require the Xel'Naga artifacts?
Pearl: They hold within them an amazing power that could mean the end to us and the swarm.
Amethyst: So, we must crush those who defend the artifacts and obtain them.
Izsha: There is one currently on the desert world of Xil. Held in an impenetrable temple.
Garnet: Then let us move.
The Leviathan did a long range jump, and ended up hovering over Xil.
Abathur: Detecting artifact within massive Protoss structure.
Garnet: Can we burn through it with roaches and banelings?
Abathur: Negative. Pure focused heat penetrate entrance. Terran tool. Drakken Laser drill capable.
Garnet: Then we hide. Wait for them to burn through the entrance, then kill them. And take the artifact.
Steven, Artanis, Zeratul, Greg in a marine suit, and Connie in a special suit with energy charged wires connecting it, had landed down on Xil.
Steven: So run this situation by me again, Artanis.
Artanis: We lost communication with an advance Terran team sent down here. They had access to a device that could enter the temple holding the next artifact called a Drakken Laser Drill.
Steven: If they had access to that technology, I hate to think what might've wiped them out.
Zeratul: Indeed.
Steven: Hey Connie. What's that suit you're wearing?
Connie: They nicknamed it "Ghost". It uses special mental energy for different abilities.
Steven: Mental energy? What?
Connie: It's called psi. I found out I have it coursing through me from one of the High Templar. They could sense it within me. So, the Hyperion engineer, Swann, built this suit to harness that power into all sorts of abilities. I can charge a bullet with psi and use it to eliminate targets from far distance, fire an EMP shot to disrupt energy and psychic communications, cloak invisible, and, if things get really crazy...I can call down a tactical nuclear strike anywhere.
Steven: That's amazing. And it looks good.
Connie: Thanks.
A group of protoss zealots with a stalker were spotted.
Zealot: It is him! He who dared subvert our land!
Stalker: Send them to the void!
Greg and Connie opened fire on the soldiers, and Steven jumped forward, drawing two energy swords, and slicing through the warriors with speed and precision, before Connie finished off the Stalker with a sniper bullet.
The Tal'Darim executor contacted Steven.
Tal'Darim executor: You have returned. We will protect this land from your corrupting presence!
Greg: Hold on. Who is this?
Tal'Darim executor: I am Nyon, leader of the Tal'Darim.
Steven: Look, Nyon. We don't want any trouble. We're just gonna grab the artifact, and leave.
Nyon: You will not leave here. At least, not with your lives.
Steven: At least we know what happened to the guys we sent ahead of us.
They arrived to the abandoned base, with a massive laser drill that was deactivated.
Horner: Alright. I'm transferring control of this base to you now.
The base activated, and SCVs started harvesting the resources in the area. Rory Swann, the engineer of the Hyperion, contacted the group.
Swann: Hardware inbound. We got some brand new heavy units that'll blow the snot out of them Tal'Darim. We got marauders.
A group of heavy armor wearing units were dropped into the area.
Swann: They have armor piercing grenade launchers that can tear through the protoss. And we got siege tanks.
Multiple tanks dropped into the area.
Swann: Siege tanks use two modes. Tank mode's got rapid fire light armor piercing rounds, and can move. Or you can put 'em in siege mode, where they get increased range and fire power. They can't move in siege mode, so if you need to move 'em...
Steven: Put them in tank mode and move them. Got it.
Swann: Nicely done. Alright. I'll keep working up here.
Horner: The Laser Drill is online.
Steven: I'll pilot it myself.
Steven climbed on the laser drill, aiming it at the temple, pulling the levers forward, firing a beam at the door of the temple.
Artanis: Laser output is steady. This will take time, but there is no other way in other than this drill.
Zeratul: I sense the Tal'Darim are mobilizing. They will attack soon.
Artanis: We must defend our executor. Place those siege tanks at the two entrances to our encampment.
The siege tanks took position around the encampment. Tal'Darim forces began attacking the base, but got blown to pieces by the siege tank defenses.
Horner: Steven. Do you read? I'm picking up enemy Archons coming in.
Steven: Archons?
Zeratul: Gods. They haven't.
Artanis: They have created Archons.
Steven: What are Archons?
Artanis: When two Templar, High or Dark, fuse their minds, they create entities known as Archons. The power they wield is beyond belief.
Steven: We can use this. Connie. Use that nuke marker to designate targets. I can input this thing with the coordinates, and blow those Archons to kingdom come!
Connie: I'm on it.
Connie used her rifle, aiming a laser pointer at a being of pure psi energy. This sent coordinates to Steven, who inputed them into the drill. It turned briefly to the Archon, incinerating it. Over the next few minutes, the group on the ground held out against the wave after wave of Tal'Darim.
Adjutant: The laser drill has fully burned through the temple.
Steven: Alright. Let's nab that artifact and...
Adjutant: Alert. Class 12 psionic waveforms detected. The Council of Blades is arriving.
A zerg drop pod crashed in front of them. The Council of Blades appeared.
Garnet: Hello, Steven.
Steven: Guys. Get the artifact. I'll handle them.
Artanis: You will surely be overwhelmed.
Steven: Artanis! Please.
Artanis: As you wish.
Artanis ran into the temple.
Steven drew his psi blades.
Steven: Guys. Don't do this. I don't want to fight you.
Garnet: Then you will face oblivion at our hands.
The three charged Steven, and he jumped over Garnet, kicking Pearl to the side, and blasted away Amethyst with a psi telekinetic wave.
Pearl: Impressive. You've been training.
Garnet lifted Steven up with her own telekinesis.
Garnet: Your efforts are futile. Your life is forfeit. You will face oblivion at the hands of the swarm.
Greg: NO!
Greg and Connie appeared, firing at the Council. This allowed Steven to teleport out of the hold, jumping on Garnet, slashing and jumping away. Garnet's wing appendage slowly fell off. A mass recall grabbed Steven, Greg, and Connie, bringing them back on the mothership.