At the time the Freedom Fighters were traveling, a Protoss vessel not of any regular kind approached the Zeus. The alien ship's occupant boarded the Zeus in some other way and reached the bridge. "Matthew Turkins, I am Zeratul, Praetor of the Dark Templar. I bring tidings of thy doom," the Protoss different from Tassadar's forces appeared. He wore a mask and a cape.
"How did you know mine? What are you talking about?" Matthew questioned. Zeratul began his long story.
In the Dark Templar colony of Shakuras, Zeratul had a dream. When Protoss and Zerg were fighting, a meteor shower occurred and meteors took form of burning humanoids that kill both Protoss and the Zerg. Zeratul woke up and followed the white owl that gave him the dream. In a secret location, the owl magically shape shifted to an old man beyond his hundreds wearing a white gown. "Greetings, Prelate Zeratul, I knew you would find your way. What I gave you is not a nightmare but a vision," the man began.
"Who are you? How did you know about me? Why are you giving me this vision?" Zeratul questioned.
"I know many things about you and your people, as well as your history. My friend and I had watched the war between the Protoss and Zerg. My identity at this time is unimportant. Know that I have seen the future and behold the great burning shadow that is coming to consume this sector. You sense it as well, don't you?"
"What exactly is the burning shadow?"
"The Burning Legion is an army of demons that seek conquest and consumption in many worlds. They planned to conquer this sector and the worlds too."
"Why this sector?"
"I was betrayed by my friend who joined the Legion and told them about this sector. You must gather your allies and seek the man by the name of Matthew Turkins. Both of you are destined to bring hope and take the stand against the Legion," the old man muttered incantations teleporting away.
Zeratul questioned whether he should trust the magician or not. He took a war band left Shakuras for the planet Ulaan via the Void Seeker and began searching for clues. When arrived to the empty planet with no inhabitants, he began looking at a temple-like area with images. "The Zerg swarm came as was foretold and the Protoss, first born of the gods, rose to fight them. Now, the Xel'Naga that forged us all are returning. But do they come to save? Or to destroy?" he wondered. "The prophecy was divided into fragments, each kept at separate shrines. I must gather them and depart this world quickly." It was quite an easy task for the Dark Templar Prelate. He teleported to cross every chasm he came across. For each Xel'naga shrine, he stretched his arm and had his palm facing extracting the fragment in a psionic way. With all three fragments gathered, Zeratul returned to the Void Seeker and set course for Zhakul, a Protoss library world, where the Preservers could decipher the fragments.
When Zeratul arrived to the planet, there was an unpowered base he could use. He unloaded robotic Probes from the Void Seeker and they began warping in a Nexus served as a fortress. They also warped in Pylons that appeared like giant crystals in a ring used to power buildings and provide energy to Protoss units. Once power restored to the base, four fortified-armored range striders made by the Dark Templar were warped in. The pilots were fused with the machines and their heads were sticking out. They were armed with siege-capable Particle Disruptors and had the ability to teleport like Zeratul. "The mighty spirits of the preservers are imprisoned close by, we must find them," he managed to get their locations. A Dragoon came to their base and muttered, "the Preservers you seek serve a higher power now, dark one." It attacked immediately and the Stalkers brought it down. "Higher power? What could have corrupted these Protoss so? Truly, something foul has taken hold of this sacred place," Zeratul was baffled. The Stalkers discovered an abandoned structure not far from his encampment appeared general to the Protoss, "a Robotics Facility! This structure may prove useful to us." After a Pylon was place, a Colossus battle strider was warped in. Another nearby abandoned building was recognizable to his people, "A Dark Shrine! Once power is restored it could be of great value to us." After power was restored, a pair of light-armored Dark Templar on foot equipped with warp blades either straight or in the form of a twin-bladed scythe arrived, "Zeratul, truly fate has sent you here."
"Join me, brothers, and we shall cleanse this place of evil," the Prelate requested.
"Command us," the Dark Templar took the role of cloaked melee assassins.
In the main base of the Zhakul guardians, an unnatural monster with the appearance of a Protoss and Zerg traces appeared, "INTRUDERS."
"A Protoss and Zerg hybrid. Gods, an abomination, who created such atrocity?" Zeratul was horrified.
"Come my SLAVES, the time has come to give me your STRENGTH," the hybrid began absorbing energy from the Preservers then attacked Zeratul's encampment, "This knowledge is FORBIDDEN." The monster could see through the Dark Templar's cloaking and its psionic shockwave dealt additional damage against building. It could even cast psionic energy lifting Dark Templar and Stalker into the air, such ability was not taking effect on Colossi. Despite his troop inflicted a lot of damage to the monster, it disappeared back to its base, "your doom is only delayed."
"The hybrid is draining the Preservers to survive! I must free them before it is too late," Zeratul observed and decided to act quickly. The Protoss guardians sent a force of Zealots, Dragoons, and Scout fighters to attack. The Colossi could handle the Zealots, the Stalkers shot down the fighters, and the Dark Templar was a match to almost anything on ground. He formed a bigger force out of what he had available and cleared the guardians' sub-base having the Colossi to take out the defensive cannons from a nice safe distance. Zeratul's attack force discovered another building, "this Stargate lies abandoned." After the building was powered, a Void Ray, fortified-armored dreadnaught made by the Dark Templar equipped with siege-capable beam, was warped in. "Prismatic core online," the pilot muttered. "Ready yourself, my brethren. We confront a terrible evil this day," Zeratul reminded him. He sent everything he had to free the Preservers, such action was the only solution to killing this hybrid. The Stalkers, Void Rays, and Colossi kept the defenders busy while the Dark Templar cut the Preservers free. The death of the hybrid caused the fight to stop and the Zhakul guardians stood down. Zeratul brought the fragments to the mystics and they had their palms facing the prelate's palm to interpret the fragments telepathically, "We have seen the prophetic fragments in your mind, Zeratul. We will make of them what we can. The Cycle shall draw to its end. The Xel'Naga who forged the stars will transcend their creation. Yet, the Fallen One shall remain destined to cover the Void in shadow. It begins with the Great Hungerer. It ends in utter darkness." Zeratul guessed the "Great Hungerer" as the Zerg Overmind, then set out to the Zerg home world of Char.
Like Redstone, Char was also a volcanic planet with oceans of fire, tectonic storms, and an atmosphere that could burn a man alive without proper equipment. There were no lava surges making the planet stable. Zeratul managed to infiltrate the Overmind's nesting area avoiding the Zerg and began discovering what role it played in the prophecy. The two minds began touching each other as the Overmind revealed that the Zerg indeed were made by the Xel'Naga. The brain-like entity was in fact an unwilling pawn who received an overriding directive to destroy the Protoss. Despite the Overmind screamed and raged in the prison of its own mind, it gave Zeratul a vision of the future.
In the dystopian and apocalyptic vision, the Prelate led a unified Protoss against the Zerg which were slaves to the hybrid. "Protoss brethren, heed me! The last twilight has fallen. The galaxy burns around us! The Terrans have been consumed. We are all that stands against the shadow. But if we are to meet our end this day, then we will do so AS ONE! En Taro Tassadar!" Zeratul boosted the morale of the unified Protoss. "Great one, the vault is prepared. Guard us while we preserve our knowledge for those that may follow. They must not make the mistakes we did," a High Templar requested.
A fleet of Phoenixes arrived, "I have rallied the last of our great fleet!" the pilot of the special Phoenix informed.
"Your timing is impeccable, Admiral Urun! When the enemy takes to the air, we will need your support," Zeratul recognized the pilot.
"The Zerg performed their function as I planned. My Hybrid are proof of this. Now, the last of the protoss will fulfill their function in death!" the Fallen One was watching from the Void and gave order to his Zerg slaves to attack. The Phoenix engaged the Mutalisks allowing the Stalkers to help Zeratul with the Roaches while the Colossi and Zealots could handle the Zerglings. However, the weakness of the Phoenix was ground attackers. High Templars were warped in and merged to create Archons while the Dark Templars helped out with the other Zerg ground breeds including Hydralisks and Ultralisks.
Despite the first wave was repelled, the admiral commented on the Zerg's relentlessness, "The Zerg are swarming at our flanks. We have to react quickly or our perimeter defenses will fall!"
After the second and third wave was repelled, Urun decided to attack the Zerg hive clusters, "I'm detecting a large amount of Zerg activity in their hive clusters! Prepare for an assault!"
Before the Protoss attack party could carry out the assault, "All shall be remade in my name! Behold my greatest creation!" the Fallen One sent out hybrids to intercept the attackers. Those monsters could not be defeated by any small measures and could hit hard with their chaotic attacks. The Phoenixes had to use Graviton Beam to lift the hybrids keeping them from attacking and Zeratul casted a psionic energy he called Void Prison disabling a hybrid. This enabled him, his brethren, Zealots, and Colossi to take it out with ease. The Stalkers and Archons could still hit the hybrids being lifted up by the Phoenixes.
A fleet of Void Rays arrived, "Our Void Rays are ready to do their part! Disengage prism inhibitors and concentrate all batteries on the hybrid!" said the pilot of the special Void Ray.
"Well met, great Mohandar! For Aiur!" Zeratul recognized the pilot.
For every hybrid deployed, Zeratul or the Phoenixes first disabled the monster allowing the Void Rays finish it as the longer the dreadnaught stick to the target the damage output increases. Apart from the hybrids, the Void Rays could take down Ultralisks and Brood Lords easily. They also made good counters against Corruptors with Stalkers and Archons providing ground-to-air support. However, numbers could be a concern for the Void Rays. After several waves were repelled, "Every hand is turned against you. Even the ground beneath your feet carries the seeds of your destruction!" the Fallen One ordered Nydus worms to tunnel to the Protoss encampment letting out Broodlings.
At that time, a fleet of Carriers arrived and the commander of a special Carrier spoke in a morale-boosting tone, "This is the hour of truth, noble templar! Let the enemy know the wrath of Aiur's champions!"
"Executor Selendis! Unleash the full power of your forces! There may be no tomorrow!" Zeratul recognized the commander.
"En Taro Tassadar, Zeratul!" muttered Selendis.
The Carriers could swarm many enemies especially hybrids with robotic Interceptors; however the Corruptors could be the weakness of the Carriers.
"You have no place to hide and nowhere to run!" the Fallen One was in delight as the Protoss would be overwhelmed by the Zerg and hybrids.
A massive fortified-armored Mothership arrived and its commander reminded his people, "This is Hierarch Artanis commanding the Shield of Aiur! Our matrix-fields are within range! Engaging mass recall! My brethren, hear me! For there is little time left. All that remains of our race, our civilization, are those that stand beside you now. Trust in each other. Strike as one will! Let our last stand burn a memory so bright, we will be remembered forever! En Taro Tassadar!" The Mothership was equipped with rift beams and had abilities of cloaking nearby friends, recalling troops, and opening a vortex sucking friend and foe disabling them. However the Zerg sent fortified-armored Overseers to detect cloaked units. "As I was your beginning, so shall I be your end," the Fallen One foresaw the fall of the Protoss soon. Zeratul and his brethren were the first to fall followed by the other ground forces. At the same time, the Protoss air force was brought down as well. After the Protoss was eradicated, the hybrids disposed of the Zerg. The Fallen One muttered in a malicious tone, "I love it when a plan comes together."
The Overmind extracted the location of Aiur, the Protoss home world, from Zeratul's mind. The Zerg quickly mobilized an invasion forces and departed for Aiur. During the invasion, the Overmind later embedded itself into the planet's crust. In Aiur, Zerg had to deal with another unforeseen threat besides the Protoss. The two races began fighting for the domination of Aiur. Zeratul boarded the Void Seeker and left the planet. By uncovering the Xel'Naga prophecy, he learned that there was a malevolent presence in the Void that sought to destroy everything. The question remained unanswered to Zeratul was whether that Fallen One was a Xel'Naga or not. The Prelate wondered if there was any connection between the Fallen One and Burning Legion. Remembering what the old man told him, Zeratul decided to seek the human by the name of Matthew Turkins.
"That was quite a tale. If those hybrids are real, we'll be in hell of a trouble" Matthew commented and he was also shocked learning about the Fallen One. "Adam, what the hell have you gotten yourself into?"
Matthew and Zeratul befriended each other as the Freedom Fighters and the Protoss Dark Templar combined forces to face the coming threat of the Burning Legion and the Fallen One. The two friends learned from each other via conversations in the cantina. Matthew learned about the Aeon of Strife and the exile of the Dark Templar from Aiur, while Zeratul learned about Matthew's past and the Space Time Matter. The engineer remembered little about the history of Earth and humanity. He gave what he knew to the Protoss Prelate. Matthew also showed Zeratul the data of the Space Time Matter and was concerned of where to get the materials.
"Mom! Adam!" Matthew began running toward his brother and mother in excitement. The reunion was spoiled when meteors rained from the sky that turned to be demonic creatures. The family also saw an evil alien that was neither Zerg or Protoss. "What are they, boys?" the boys' mother asked. "It's the Burning Legion!" Adam answered. "It can't be," Matthew guessing the alien to be the Fallen One Zeratul spoke of. "It's all the fault of you two," their mother spoke angrily on the troubles her sons got into.
Actually it was a nightmare Matthew had and the engineer woke up. He breathed heavily and admitted to Zeratul about it. "I sense that the Fallen One had troubled you too," as the Protoss read his mind.
"The Fallen One is not the only problem; we also have the Burning Legion to deal with. We have to find my brother and help him. But before that, we must make the gate for us to get to his world. No spaceship can reach it."
Matthew went back to the armory to continue upgrading his forces. He gave Banshees Shockwave Missile Battery enabling them to blow lines of enemies and Cross-Spectrum Dampeners to double the amount of time for them to stay cloaked. The Wraith fighters received Tomahawk Power Cells for increased starting energy and Displacement Fields for them to dodge 20% of attacks when cloaked but detected. The Advanced Healing A.I. was installed into the Medivacs enabling them to provide medical treatment to two units.