Starcraft

The Final Hours.

Azreal stood atop the precipice, a thousand warriors in front of him. His eyes glowed orange. His strong, pronounced eyebrow ridges, large nose, and his mouth-less chin tightened. His yellow armour was dirty with the red blood of the Zerg abominations and the mud of holy Aiur as was the tail-like nerve appendage that hung from the back of his skull, giving him a mutual psychic link with others of his brethren. He remembered the beasts. Hydralisks, tall with bulky serpentine bodies, huge sickle claws, domed skulls with staring red eyes and those spines. Mercilessly ejected in a spray of green venom. Needle Spines, the Terrans called them. Azreal had seen many noble warriors struck by these. They could even eject the spines to rip apart Scouts in the air. The Zerglings, small but fast and always hunting in enormous packs. They were like the wolves some Terrans spoke of. Except wolves didn’t have the spine backs and sickle claws attached to arms that unnaturally protruded from their backs. All the creatures had thick, leathery skin that could endure all but the most precise strikes from the Psi-blade or most powerful projectiles, coloured differently to distinguish broods. He had seen the Ultralisks; the plasma bolts and phase disrupters merely dissipating over the thick chitin of the large beasts. They were larger than the Terran tanks and huge blades swept from behind their skulls. These blades could hack through energy shields and the plasti-metal shells of soldiers and vehicles. He could hear the Mutalisks flying overhead, wailing primal yet unnatural screams. These thousand Zealots ahead of him had only their weapons, shields and sheer warrior instinct to hold of the millions of Zerg defiling their home. Azreal, leader of the Last Vanguard looked concerned. His men were stronger individually. The Zerg, though, were an unstoppable tide. His blue-grey skin was wrinkled with age. He remembered his vow.

“Azreal,” Aldaris, the honourable Conclave Judicator, asked. “What is your vow?”
“I, Azreal, member of the Last Vanguard, shall never let my feet leave the blessed soil of my Motherworld. No matter what should plague us, Pestilence, Famine or War I shall remember that all ends with Death. Death to the foes of Aiur! Life to The Vanguard!”

K’tan steeled himself. His skin was smoother. It still had the characteristic wrinkles of a Protoss warrior, but was only flawed by a deep scar that ran across his left eye. He was the Conclave’s greatest warrior. However, he gained the scar from other warriors of the Conclave. He and his master had disguised themselves for their mission to help the Dark Templar escape. The High Templar ruthlessly hunted down those believed to have strayed from the path of Adun. He survived but his master was captured and shamefully executed in public. K’tan remembered seeing the scars on his master’s chest as the Executioner plunged the blade into the old warrior’s heart. On that day, K’tan vowed to be on Aiur the day the Conclave fell to the Zerg. Thus he joined the Last Vanguard. He was deeply amused to find the Conclave promote him to Master-Templar, second only to Azreal, a great friend and teacher.

K’tan tightened a grip on his Psi-sword. It was a great Protoss weapon and artefact, a remainder from the great days of Adun. Some whispered it was linked to the Dark Templar, a combination of the Dark and the Light that would thus be one of the strongest weapons since Creation. The few who believed this, K’tan included, would never openly speak of such a possibility. It would be branded heresy. Only one ever suggested such an idea before the Conclave. Before his mission to burn the Zerg-infested Terran colonies, the noble Tassadar suggested such a theory. It was bold but he was careful not to directly speak of the sword itself. He instead hinted that the Dark Templar could be useful in the fight against the Zerg. Fortunately, for Tassadar, the Conclave thought this meant manipulating these outcasts and then executing them once and for all. Only Tassadar knew that the Dark Templar were the only ones who could save their estranged brethren. In its hour of need Aiur would be at the knees of those it had banished. Fortunately the Dark Templar, though not able to remember their home with clarity, would die before seeing it fall to the real enemy.

K’tan had heard of Tassadar’s return. It was revealed he had made a pact with Zeratul, leader of the Dark Templar. This was seen as treason and Tassadar was arrested upon his arrival after a bitter struggle with the strongest warriors of the Conclave. K’tan, poised to destroy the ‘heretics,’ would have been able to do so. But he knew of Tassadar’s plan. He knew it would be able to destroy the Overmind that was commanding the Zerg from one of Aiur’s most hallowed temples. Therefore K’tan took his men to attack a nearby Zerg base, claiming it was ‘in the way’ of the objective. So the greatest battle of Aiur may still not be in vain because of K’tan’s insubordination. He remembered the theory about the Psi-sword. All he was told was that because of his unnatural strength and uncanny psychic abilities he was awarded it. There was a second sword, if the theory was true, that was its brother. It was believed that both the swords were crafted and used by Adun. All K’tan knew was that it was stronger than ever. He felt the storm.

Azreal saw the sky turn darker and darker. The Conclave was sheltered in their temple just five hundred metres behind. Azreal saw the swarm approach. He saw K’tan raise and power up his sword. Fifty guarded the temple stairs, K’tan stood at the top. Azreal pulled out a flare gun. He fired into the blackening sky. He hefted his plasma pistol and fired into the sky. A kilometre away, one of the Queens screamed, falling into the tide of creatures below. Azreal fired up his Psi-blade, the blue shard of energy extending from his wrist armour. He turned and faced his brothers; arms open wide.
“We are all that defends our masters. We serve the Conclave and will hold fast. Defend the Conclave! Many of you may have heard the Dark Templar again walk on our soil. I assure you, these may be our saviours. Put aside your prejudices. Right now they are posed to slay the great beast. Do not let your faith be shaken. The greatest of our caste have now seen the light. Fight for Aiur, Dark Templar!”
A gasp went up as five hundred Protoss appeared over the ridge behind them. Five hundred cloaks billowed in the dark winds and five hundred warp blades were raised into the air.
“I understand you fear us. Remember, we fear you too. Amusing, we should fear our brothers, not our enemy.”
Azreal then raised his blade. A thousand Psi-blades powered up and pierced the blackening sky. The brothers let out a fierce battle cry.
“En Taro Adun! En Taro Tassadar! En Taro Zeratul! En Taro Azreal!”
Then they turned to face their destiny.

K’tan saw the Dark Templar appear on the ridge. Now was the moment of truth. Five hundred Dark Templar had been hidden as servants amongst the Vanguard since Tassadar’s return. Azreal and K’tan both sympathised with these noble warriors and had been planning such a blasphemous act for a century. They both knew the Path of Adun was no longer a noble one. It led to a life of vainly fighting the wrong enemy. Azreal and K’tan nodded to each other when the Conclave was forced to pardon the Dark Templar. Currently the Conclave accepted them. K’tan knew they were devious creatures though. He hoped the Conclave would fall in this battle. Otherwise they would once again betray their estranged brethren. Therefore the Last Vanguard would storm the Conclave and execute the true heretics. A hand was placed on K’tan’s shoulders.
“K’tan, you are a noble young warrior,” Aldaris sighed. K’tan turned to look at the old Judicator. The wrinkles in his skin were deep and his face looked tired. His yellow eyes had dulled.
“I now see that for too long the Dark Templar have been shunned. Instead we should have tried to help them seek the light.”
“Perhaps,” K’tan glanced at the Last Vanguard, firing into the swarm, “We needed to see the light.”
“Indeed. Master-Templar, promise me something on behalf of you and your master.”
“What is it you request?” K’tan asked. His eyebrow ridge raised, surprised such an arrogant creature would plead to him.
“I fear that the other members of the Conclave are prepared to double cross the Dark Ones after the Overmind’s destruction. Protect them. Please, Templar, they are our brothers,” Aldaris pleaded.
“I will do what I must,” K’tan nodded. Aldaris’ face tightened in a way that the Protoss interpreted as smiling.

Azreal fired into the swarm.
“CHARGE!” he cried. The warriors threw themselves at the enemy. The first wave was composed entirely of Zerglings. Plasma bolts hit the monsters. The Dark Templar cut a path through the throngs of beasts and then started to circle the aliens. Azreal pushed towards the middle. A gash ran across his armour and he turned to slice an alien in two. Hydralisks followed with more Zerglings. Now the fight began in earnest.

Zeratul saw the fighting from around the Conclave building. He looked to the robotic shell of Fenix. Along them flew Tassadar in the Gantrithor. Tassadar’s ship lurched for a second. Zeratul opened a psychic link with Tassadar.
“Tassadar, what is the matter?” Zeratul asked.
“I had a terrible vision. I saw the Conclave building burning and the Conclave lying dead on the floor.”
“Nevertheless, the battle must go on,” Fenix’s robotic voice echoed through the cold steel interior of the ship. He always felt trapped in his Dragoon walker. He longed for the days where he could run into battle on his own legs, Psi-blades drawn. Now his half dead body was sealed in this ‘spider walker’ as the Terrans called it. They thought it was a gift to have one’s life extended after the body effectively died. Fenix did have a release for his anger though. As his scarred torso floated in the amniotic fluid, held by cables and other such unnatural apparatus he burned to slay every last Zerg. Then his revenge would be fulfilled. Zeratul saw the battle ahead of him. Many Protoss were barrelling towards the Overmind. He saw the Psi-storms conjured by the High Templar. Mutalisks flew towards his Shuttle and he saw some of the Scouts break off to intercept them. The Gantrithor launched its robot Interceptors into the clouds of winged beasts. Antimatter missiles struck the crowds, exploding in a dazzling array of photons. They also strafed the enemy on the ground with their Particle cannons. Mutalisks swarmed around the Gantrithor.
“Protect Zeratul!” Tassadar cried. He placed the immense ship into a barrel roll. A lone Scout swooped in and blasted them to pieces.
“Thank you, young Templar,” Tassadar gasped
“It was nothing, sir,” the young pilot replied, “sir, I wish to investigate the Conclave’s situation. I may be able to help them.”
“You have my leave pilot,” Tassadar coughed.
“Thank you, Executor.”
“What is your name, young Templar?”
“Artanis, sir. My name is Artanis.”

Azreal felt the blade tear into his stomach. He fired his pistol wildly. Then he saw the Ultralisks come over the horizon. His soldiers were falling around him. The Dark Templar were fighting back towards Azreal. The leader spoke to him.
“Sir, more Zerg are coming but they are unlike the other broods. They have black bodies as opposed to the usual colours of Zerg.”
The enemies so far had red decorations. The Zerglings had been entirely red, while other, larger, creatures had important features decorated in red stripes. Then he realised:
The Chimera Brood!

Artanis raced towards the Conclave building.
“K’tan, do you report,” he asked.
“Who is this,” K’tan replied.
“I am Artanis. I have been fighting near the Terran forces. The Chimera brood is set to split. Half will attack the Conclave yet half will attack the Terrans. If the Terrans are killed…”
“I have my duty. I will spare who I can,” K’tan replied. Aldaris placed a hand on K’tan’s shoulder.
“The Terrans have been strong allies in this war. Send your men to help Raynor. We will evacuate and Artanis will give us support. The others seem to be holding on,” Aldaris gestured to the soldiers. K’tan nodded.
“You will be caught and killed,” K’tan placed a hand on Aldaris. He was glad to see the old Judicator had seen the light but saddened that he would be torn apart by the mindless Zerg.
“Perhaps then the Conclave will be unable to betray the Dark Templar again.”
“Indeed,” nodded K’tan as he ordered his men.
“For Aiur!” he cried, running down the steps of the temple.
Artanis landed.
“What chance do we have?” Aldaris sighed.
“If K’tan can protect the Terrans, the weight of the Terran attack will distract the Overmind long enough,”
“You speak of these humans as if they are disposable…”
“Sir, all life is precious. I just believe that the humans technology is their only strength,” Artanis replied.
“We shall see, pilot, we shall see.”

Tassadar saw the Terran Siege Tanks unleash their Arclite Shock Cannons on the Zerg. The explosions of the shells tore the ground and organic layers of ‘creep’ to pieces. Zerg structures exploded, spraying all manner of organic debris across the battlefield. He could not believe that the Conclave ordered him to disregard these strong-willed alien beings. He had been ordered to incinerate any Zerg infested worlds, even if it meant Terran deaths. Tassadar rescued Raynor and others before torching the planets. The Conclave thought this was dangerous, since it potentially allowed the Zerg to spread. However, Tassadar ignored the ignorant old creatures that made up the Conclave.

Azreal plunged his blade into more enemies. None of the Dark Templar had yet fallen though there were few of the Last Vanguard left. Two of them poured plasma bolts into the approaching Ultralisks. Then Azreal saw it above the ridge, a single black alien, snarling. Its teeth were blood red, like its eyes. Its spikes and claws were longer than those of most Zerglings. Suddenly, a hundred more formed on the ridge. They charged down the hill. Azreal ran at an Ultralisk. He shoved his blade into its chest and somersaulted onto its head. He stuck his blade into its carapace for balance and fired into the oncoming Zerg. He unclipped five plasma grenades and held them in between the three long fingers and long thumb of his left hand. He unhooked the pins using the power of his mind and hurled them into the swarm. They exploded, shaking the ground. Blood and chitin exploded. One soldier at the base of the Ultralisk charged his bolt thrower. The barrel exploded with energy, the recoil knocking the soldier back. The bolt tore through the lines, ripping apart enemies. The soldier cooled his gun. He then grunted as he switched to automatic and sprayed the field with rapid-firing darts of energy. Lesser creature fell but the Chimera Brood ran on, shrugging off the weaker bolts. The lead Zergling dived on the warrior, lunging its claws in before ripping a chunk out of his thick battle armour with its teeth. It savoured the taste of the enemy and then ran on. Azreal dived from the top of the Ultralisk, shooting it. The beast crashed to the ground and Azreal cast bolts of psychic energy at the aliens. The Dark Templar were stood in a small cluster fending off the attacks. The leader grunted as a Needle Spine struck him in the arm. It lodged in his shoulder and his vision blurred. Above a Queen with black wings produced more of her foul parasites. She spotted the leader and summoned all her energy. She launched a spore from her mouth, which struck the warrior in the chest. It implanted itself before exploding, unleashing two Broodlings. The small animals were quickly cut in half by the Templar, but he collapsed, the gaping hole in his stomach leaking blood into the soil.

K’tan saw Azreal summon more of his psychic energy as he disappeared over the horizon. Then he saw the Ultralisk run at him. Its entire chest plate was black.
Chimera. You will die.
K’tan crouched and jumped high into the air. As he came towards the ground he pointed the sword at the top of the beast’s skull. There was a huge crack as the sword plunged deep, forcing the animal to crash to the ground dead. K’tan pulled out his sword and ran at the Chimera brood. In the distance he saw the Terran war machines blast Zerg hives to pieces. Overhead he saw the Hyperion, Raynor’s flagship. It charged its Yamoto Cannon and fired it into the Zerg. The explosion ripped the ground apart while other ships’ laser batteries sprayed the ground. K’tan hurtled towards the ridge below the Terran Base. There he would make his stand. As they ran in their heavy armour, the other warriors fired into the crowds of Zerg. K’tan ran on, unencumbered by such heavy armour.

Azreal felt the weight of his armour crushing him. He was exhausted and his powers were dwindling. A claw scythed him round the back of the skull, slicing his tail from the back of his head. He now looked like the Dark Templar who had long ago cut their nerve appendages. This severed their link to the other Protoss and the psychic. It became believed that these warriors then had to draw their power from the dark voids of space, thus the name Dark Templar. Azreal clutched the back of his skull. He felt an unusual sensation sear through his body. His eyes glowed turned black and he uttered some unintelligible language. In a flash of energy he exploded and a psychic blast cut a swathe through the Zerg. The Dark Templar gasped with relief. Then yet another diamond black Zergling appeared on the ridge…

Artanis saw the explosion. He felt a pain in his heart as Azreal died. He saw his fellow Judicators and Templar flee the Conclave temple like panicked animals. He saw the Zerg overrun the Dark Templar. With a silent gesture he summoned a bolt of energy that he fired at the base of the temple, turning the floor into a network of razor sharp rocks. Aldaris then turned and hovered away. He maintained his High Templar roots, refusing to run like and animal. He gracefully flew away.
“Judicator, I will return later,” Artanis said before flying towards the nearest Protoss base.

The Conclave ran on. Some had grabbed makeshift weapons. Some were High Templar and had the power of their minds while others grabbed plasma pistols. Two of the Last Vanguard stayed with Aldaris and ran down the rear steps with him. They scattered Phase Mines behind them. Then they saw Zerg navigate the razor rocks with little difficulty. The soldiers vainly fired into the crowd. Two queens appeared and fired Broodling spores that cut through the thick armour of the soldiers. They collapsed, their guns firing blindly as the warriors held onto the guns triggers. Aldaris panicked as he saw the Zerglings pile into the Conclave. He heard the terrified screams of his fellows in his mind. Small bolts of plasma lit up the sky before the final men were torn to shreds. Artanis then fired into the Zerg, followed by a Shuttle. Mutalisks chased him, firing shards of bone and venom at the pilot. Artanis felt a searing pain as he saw the dead Protoss below. Then he saw Aldaris shoot down the aliens with lightning bolts. He raced towards the old Judicator.
“The Shuttle, sir!” Artanis cried. Aldaris slowly climbed into the shell of the ship.

Zeratul took one last slash at the thick outer shell of the great Overmind. The huge towers of arched bone collapsed as its shell collapsed, exposing the brain-like structure of the malignant alien master.
“Executor,” Tassadar resigned. He wished there was another way. “The creature is weakened, but it is not dead. I will channel all the Dark Templars’ energy through the Gantrithor and head on a collision course with the Overmind. Pull your forces to a safe distance. En Taro Adun!”

Slowly the great carrier headed for the Overmind. Energy surrounded the ship. Inside a deep look of concentration was set on the Templar’s face. He ignored the battle outside. Mutalisks vainly tried to fly inside the ship, vainly trying to rip it apart from the inside. Tassadar could feel the energy course around him, beating in rhythm with his weakening heart. In the final moment he released all his energy. The Gantrithor exploded in a flash of blue light and the Overmind was struck by the combination of light and dark. The beast started to disintegrate, disappearing into a vortex that formed above it.

As the swirling energies subsided, silence blanketed the once lush field of Aiur.

The Protoss looked on as they reaped the results of the storm and the survivors of a once great race was left to pick up the pieces of events set into motion aeons ago…






PS I understand Aldaris is supposed to be a complete seperatist, but I wanted to show a more sympatheic side to him. During the battle, he would have been under immense stress too, and maybe seen past his bigoted views.

The final section is supposed to be the quote.

Coming Soon...
Omega(fan fiction)
Terran units training map
Protoss expeditionary force (fan art)
I also hope to submit the history of the SC races i wrote. It is basically a re-writing of the manual one, so is very onoriginal, but includes some more info about K'tan and the other aspects of SC I have made up.

With Duty and Service.
K'tan.