Battlecruisers shot down any Dragoons that got in their way. They shot their Yamato Guns at the small Photon cannons. The new Centaurs unleashed their army of Wraiths and Valkyries
.
Zealots were shot down by marines on the ground. EMP shockwaves were stopping the Protoss from having the protection of their shields. Firebats burned down defenseless pylons that supplied the power to buildings.
In the Tribunal's Chamber sat Ardarriss, tied in ropes so that he could not move. He saw a movement to his right.
"Who goes there?" he asked aloud.
"I do." a voice replied.
A figure formed before Ardarriss' eyes. A Protoss' form... Ulz'raja's form.
"You!" Ardarriss shouted.
"Miss me, oh dear master?" Ulz'raja asked.
"This... this can't be. Not you!" Ardarriss shouted.
"Yes, remember me? You trained me for years, you taught me how to be a Zealot, and then killed me... or should I say gave me life." the Dark Templar replied.
Ardarriss tried to break free of his bonds.
"Ardarriss... dear master, do you know how it feels to die? The coldness that surrounds you? The darkness that engulfs you? How I hated that feeling... until master Duran came and gave me life. Now Ardarriss you will feel the same pain and loneliness I did!" Ulz'raja shouted.
"You know why I killed you! You were going to kill me! Your own master! Did you expect me to just die?" Ardarriss asked.
"You should have died... not me." Ulz'raja screamed.
Ulz'raja raised his warp blade. "Now you will die!" he screamed.
A shot rang out before the blade could slice Ardarriss. A few seconds passed then Ulz'raja fell on his knees in pain, blood dripping down his thigh.
"Sorry buddy. But that's my job." Jasen said aloud.
Ulz'raja turned his head and stared at the Terran.
"You fool! You will die for this!" Ulz'raja screamed.
"I'm counting on it buddy." Jasen replied with a smile, under his helmet.
Ardarriss was still trying to break his bonds.
"Don't think so. You're gonna die by my gun or his warp blade. Which do you prefer?" Jasen asked.
Before Ardarris could answer, a new figure emerged.
"Well, well, the gang's all here." the figure said.
"Now what? Is everyone trying to kill me?!" Ardarriss shouted.
"Practically, I'm only here to see the Trial... and destroy whoever I can." the figure replied. Jasen stared at the figure. His helmet allowing him to see through the shadows that were covering the figure. His mind raced back into his past and something hit him.
"Nathan?" Jasen asked.
"How did you know?" the figure asked.
"Nathan Essex? What the hell happened to you?" Jasen asked.
"I will not answer until you answer my question. How did you know?" he repeated, his voice becoming more agitated.
"It's me... from the orphanage, it's me... Jasen." Jasen replied.
"Jasen... orphanage... you?" Sinister asked.
"Yes, Nath-"
"Look boys. I must depart now so you to can reunite all you want, fools." Ulz'raja said as he began to cloak.
Before Jasen could react, a blue "portal" engulfed Ulz'raja and Ardarriss.
"S**t! S**t! S**t! This is so f**ked up!" Jasen cursed.
Jasen took out his gun. He looked around to see his childhood friend, Nathaniel Essex, gone. He sighed then stared outside. Blue blood was all over the ground. Terran ships filled the air and marines were all over the ground. He heard thunder and saw a group of Protoss explode.
"S**t! Not siege tanks!" Jasen shouted.
"Computer. Set a new course for the Black Shadow. Wait for me in the Province of Scion." Jasen ordered.
A series of beeps sounded. "Course set. The Black Shadow will await new orders in Scion." A voice said afterward.
Jasen hated battles like this...
* * *
In a Cavern of an unknown place...
"Good job Ulz'raja. It seems your former master has finally awakened." Duran said.
"Thank you, my Lord." Ulz'raja replied.
Ardarriss looked up and shook his head.
"Wh-where am I?" he asked.
"In a world of pain, my friend, in a world of pain..." Duran informed him.
Ardarriss looked around to see abominations, creatures so deformed that he couldn't find a word for it.
"Ah, you see them? The Hybrids? These are the failures, but soon we will perfect the art of making them. And you are a new test subject." Duran continued.
"What? Wait, I can give you more men if you spare me!" Ardarriss begged.
Duran just smiled and took out a needle. "Spare me your whining." he said.
"Ah, Judicator Ardarriss, son of Judicator Aldaris, I your former student, find you guilty of your crimes! The punishment is Death!" Ulz'raja shouted.
The Caverns were soon filled with the screams of the now half-dead Judicator Ardarriss.
* * *
UED Encampment on Joks 3...
General Stryker stared off at the horizon. "How is our base doing?" he asked a marine.
"We've got 21 SCV's working on the minerals sir. We are still unsuccessful in finding Gas sir." the Marine replied.
"Hmm... no gas? D**n. We can't get any tanks or air support then... how are our scouts doing? Did they report back often?" Stryker asked.
"Yes sir. No sign of Zerg or Protoss sir." the Marine replied.
"Good."
General Stryker turned and left towards the base with the marine.
* * *
A few hours later, the scouting group...
"Heh dude, would you bone the first lady?" a Beavis, a marine, asked Buttehead, another marine.
"Man, you are sick." the Buttehead replied.
"No really, would ya?"
"No!"
"Heh, I wou-"
"Will you two shut up." the Medic behind them ordered.
"Sorry ma'am." answered Buttehead.
"Hey, she wants you."
"Man what the f**k is wrong with you?"
"I thought I-"
The scouting group stopped for a second. "What the hell is that smell?" Butthead asked.
"Jeez, I thought I told you to close your le-"
"Shut up!"
"Hey doesn't that purple goo that the Zerg use smell bad like this?"
"Heh, purple goo..."
Buttehead punched Beavis.
"Thought I told ya to shut the f**k up!"
"Will you two stop?" the medic ordered again.
They kept punching and kicking each other until they heard noises... Zergling growls.
"Aw s**t!"
The marines got up and took out their Railguns.
"Let's show these Zerg how we men from Earth fight!" the Beavis shouted.
The Zerg Creepers began to run at them in pure stealth. Slowly creeping along the ground. These Zerg were Zerglings that had been evolutionized. They had the ability to blend in with their surroundings, like a chameleon. They also crept in silence like a cat.
"Uh I heard them growl but uh, where the-"
Before Beavis could finish something hit him... hard.
"Hey what th-"
Buttehead also fell to the ground as a Creeper landed on him.
"This is Scout 673-9, we are und-"
The medic never got to finish her sentence as a Creeper ripped her apart.
* * *
UED Encampment on Joks 3...
"Uh sir, one of our scouts aren't reporting in sir."
General Stryker stared at the technician. "Oh really? Who was in it?"
"Hmm.. Private Micheal Beavis, Jon Buttehead, and first lieutenant Jenny Walker, sir."
"D**n, not them again. Those idiots never get along. Probably not listening to Jenny. Be sure to remind me to demote Beavis when he gets back. Now order all scouts to their last known position, we may have a threat." General Stryker ordered.
"Yes sir!" the Technician replied.
"Why me?" General Stryker grumbled.
The scout groups that that had to check up on Beavis' group never returned that day... or any other day for that matter...
"What?! What do you mean they didn't report back? D**n, I guess we got Zerg around here then..." General Styker grummbled loudly.
"Zerg sir? Um... maybe we should get out of here sir." the Technician replied.
"No. Have we found any gas yet?"
"No sir. Sensors are just not detecting any sign of gas sir... except…"
"Except what soldier?"
"Except past the river sir... where all our scouts have been disappearing in."
"D**n. Start pumping out our marines. We're gonna have to go out for an all out assault with just marines." General Styker ordered
.
"Y-yes s-sir." the technician answered.
"We attack in twenty three hours." General Styker continued.
* * *
Shakurus...
Zeratul stared at Edwarg.
"So you have seen them too..." Zeratul said.
"Yes master Zeratul." Edwarg replied.
Artanis and Mojo sat silently.
"These Hybrids... where did the Protoss they use come from?" Zeratul asked.
The others stared at Zeratul.
"Yes... where have they come from? Are they capturing our own innocent brethren to become these abominations?" Artanis added.
Before any more questions could be asked, a Dark Templar ran into the small hut.
"The, the Terrans... they've attacked Auir!" the Dark Templar shouted.
"Yes. Your, I mean, our beautiful Auir has been attacked again." the Dark Templar repeated.
"Then we leave immediately." Zeratul ordered.
"What will we use, Master Zeratul? Corsairs can't defeat an entire fleet of Battlecruisers, let alone Wraiths!" Edwarg informed.
"Did you possibly think that all our air power was left to the Corsairs? We have another, more powerful ship, or should I say ships. The Syran and the Banshee." Zeratul replied.
"Syran? Banshee? What in the name of Adun?" Artanis asked.
"The Syran, a powerful ship that we use to travel long distances. When enough of the ship's energy is charged, it can shoot a dark beam, more blacker than a negative sun that can destroy anything in it's path. And the Banshee, like it's name it uses sound as an ally. The sound waves are used as a shockwave... enough to rip the flesh off anything." Zeratul informed.
"Oh..."
"Wow..."
"Amazing..."
Artanis, Mojo and Edwarg were all startled. They had never heard of such ships until now, but for the moment they had to leave immediately and save Auir.
Dark ships came down from the sky. They were the same size as a Battlecruiser. They landed with a large thud and smaller circular ship followed by, these were more of a dark bluish color.
"Which one's which?" Mojo asked.
"The huge ones are the Syrans and the smaller ones are the Banshees." A Dark Templar replied with pride.
"Now we still have a problem... their marines." Mojo added.
"No problem. Did you think our cloaked brethren, our Zealots, were all we had? Ha, they are only a small group of our huge variety in ground defense. Meet our assassins. The equivalent of your Dragoons... or should I say better. Dark Templar trained specifically to throw small versions of our warp blades with perfect accuracy. Not to mention the ability to blend in with their environment rather than cloaking... so even Overlords can't detect them." the Dark Templar continued with pride.
"Amazing... assassins? But aren't all your men just called Dark Templar?" Mojo asked.
"Dark Templar... just a name you gave us. We... like you, are Protoss. We took up the name, Dark Templar, only because we were continuously called so. We would love to be called Protoss rather than Dark Templar. However, we will never see such a day..." the Dark Templar said aloud, the pride in his voice fading slightly.
"Oh... but what of your fallen brethren? Do you have technology to make Dragoons?" Mojo asked.
"Dragoons? Ah your four-legged compatriots. Yes, the assassin is basically the equivalent but we do also have machines that carry on the life of our fallen brethren. They are known as the Centurions. You will see them later, for now we must leave for Auir." the Dark Templar replied.
Mojo and the Dark Templar boarded a huge ship, the Dark Templar Syran.
Mojo would gladly have taken his scout but the Dark Templar had already loaded it into one of their Syrans. On board the ship he met Artanis and Edwarg. Zeratul was once again gone.
"Mojo, you are riding this one as well." Artanis greeted.
"Why of course, Praetor." Mojo replied.
"I hope we're not late. Auir was just undergoing repairs for Adun's sake!" Edwarg shouted.
The three Protoss sat down and waited, waited to arrived in Auir...
* * *
Back on Auir...
"Ready... aim... FIRE!!" a commander shouted.
Siege tanks shout out their huge cannons, and a few minutes later the sound busted through the air. They aimed again and fired. The photon cannons they were blasting down had no chance of hitting the siege tanks. The siege tanks' long range gave them the upper hand.
Jasen ran through the battle, shooting wildly. He looked in front of him to see a group of siege tanks shooting photon cannons. He cloaked and quickly ran up to one of them.
He took out a small blaster and shot a small hole into the tough outer hull of the tank. He took out a small explosive and shoved it into the hole and ran. The small explosive beeped twice then exploded. The siege tanks blew up and the huge cannon flew into the air and hit a wraith.
The wraith spun out of control and ran straight into a Battlecruiser.
"Jeezus Cripes! Never expected that kinda s**t!" Jasen said aloud to himself. He ran across the field and looked up to see a massive ship above him.
"What the hell? Computer, take a picture of this." Jasen ordered.
The computer in his helmet acknowledged and took a picture of the massive ship in the air. The massive ship had three large cannons in the front, melded together. The hull itself wasn't really a hull. It was more like flesh, and it pulsated with energy.
The ship disappeared and reappeared into the midst of the battle. It's cannons began to spin and large lasers fired through them. Battlecruisers fell in a second. Marines fell to the ground, grasping their throats. Firebats exploded as their gas leaked out. Ghosts uncloaked and grabbed their heads, some of their heads exploding.
"What the-- argh!" Jasen grabbed his head as he felt energy surge through his brain.
The computer did as told and Jasen's head relaxed and the pain lessened.
"A psychic weapon? D**n." Jasen said to himself, which he had a habit of doing lately without Sue.
He decided to run. He turned and looked into a Vulture to see the man's body and no head. He opened the door and shoved the driver out. The filter's in his helmet let him breathe through the stench that filled the area.
He turned the Vulture on and started driving forward.
"Computer, plot me a course to Scion and quick!" Jasen ordered.
The computer complied and a map appeared in his helmet.
He began driving through the misty fields and broken battlefields then stopped. He noticed that the area had become incredibly silent. As if the battle were over. He got out of the Vulture and looked around... a bloody site filled his eyes....
* * *
1 Day later...
The Dark Templar arrived to see nothing. Artanis, Edwarg, and Mojo had arrived safely, only to see that Auir was... safe.
They looked around the see Terrans lying all over the ground. Many of them headless, as if their heads had exploded. Terran ships lay all over the ground in ruins. A Centaur, still filled with it's fleet was on the ground, half of it on fire.
"What in the name of Adun..." Mojo muttered.
"I know we Protoss couldn't have done this." Edwarg added.
They turned around when they heard a a crackling laughter.
"Amazing isn't it? I saw it all... these creatures..." Sinister said.
"You!" Mojo shouted as he ran toward Sinister.
Sinister laughed, sidestepped Mojo then hit him in the back of the head with one of his sharp tentacles.
"Anyone else up for a try?" Sinister asked, still laughing slightly.
"Who did this?" Artanis asked.
Sinister smiled. "You know as well as I do... those Hybrids you spoke of back on the space station did this. They killed everyone. Amazing isn't it?" Sinister asked.
"The Hybrids? Why would they help us?" Edwarg muttered.
"Because my friend..." Sinister stopped his sentence when he felt a presence. He quickly burrowed and disappeared.
"Because of what?" Edwarg asked.
A portal appeared before Edwarg and a Dark Templar stepped out.
"Ulz'raja! How long has it been, my friend?" Edwarg greeted.
"Friend? You are a fool Edwarg." Ulz'raja replied angrily.
He squinted his eyes and Artanis, and Mojo froze in place.
"You will come with me now." Ulz'raja ordered.
"What?" Edwarg asked.
Edwarg jumped back and ignited his psionic blades. Ulz'raja took out his warp blade.
"You would have been a great Hybrid but it seems you won't." Ulz'raja stated angrily.
"What are you talking about?" Edwarg asked.
"Oh spare me your stupidity. Did you think you went to Shakuras for no reason. I was sent there to meet you, to learn about you. To see how well you would hold out as a Hybrid." Ulz'raja answered.
"A Hybrid? You were taking innocent lives to make these abominations of nature? You will die for that!" Edwarg growled as he slashed.
Their blades clashed and they stood face to face. Edwarg pushed Ulz'raja forward then charged.
Ulz'raja sidestepped to the left then kicked Edwarg. Edwarg kneeled down in pain, Ulz'raja put his warp blade up to Edwarg's neck.
"You are a fool indeed. A pity I have to kill you." Ulz'raja said.
"You don't have to kill me. Why don't you fight me like you should, a real fight." Edwarg replied.
"Hmm... let's see... no." Ulz'raja answered.
"May Adun curse you!" Edwarg shouted.
A cool, calm silence filled the area. And finally the blade came down.
"The time has come... the time of Varaness has arrived..." were the last words Edwarg heard before his dead body fell to the ground.
Ulz'raja placed Edwarg's head atop his warp blade then disappeared. The barriers that had frozen Artanis and Mojo wore off soon there after.
"Edwarg? No... No!" Mojo screamed as he saw his dead compatriot on the ground.
"What happened? How could this have happened?" Artanis asked aloud, knowing no answers were going to come.
Everything grew silent and a small whisper ran across the wind...
"The time has come... the time of Varaness has arrived..."
