The Tiamat Swarm

While Augustus was lost in thought, Zeratul turned to look at the Xel'Naga Artifact Fragment floating in mid-air, his gaze seemingly piercing through the river of time.

Clearly, he had not peered into Augustus's innermost thoughts and was unaware that the Overmind had most likely already learned the devastating news of the exact coordinates of the Protoss homeworld Aiur.

Although the ancestors of the Dark Templar were expelled from Aiur by the Conclave a thousand years ago and forced into exile in Shakuras, which is forever shrouded in twilight, they still regard it as their eternal homeworld and holy land.

"This Xel'Naga creation is extraordinary." Zeratul observed the artifact fragment slowly rotating in mid-air. "It is the masterpiece of the Xel'Naga, possessing unimaginable power."

"What kind of power? The kind that can wipe out a whole swarm of insects?" Raynor tried to approach the Dark Templar, who simply watched him calmly. The Dark Templar didn't seem to consider the humans here a threat at all.

"You need to see it for yourself, child." Zeratul closed his eyes.

"So even you don't know." Rather than saying Raynor was a very intelligent person, it would be more accurate to say that he was good at dealing with these kinds of puzzle-like statements.

"Yes," Zeratul said frankly, "This Xel'Naga artifact contains unpredictable power. It is connected to the void."

"The Void." Augustus wouldn't tell Zeratul the bad news that the Aiur coordinates might have been exposed for the time being, because he simply couldn't explain how he knew this.

"We know it's a wondrous natural phenomenon, another dimension of the universe." Augustus asked, "Is that why my men hear strange noises when they're near it?"

"I'm afraid so." As a Protoss, Zeratul was far less arrogant and aloof than the Templar Knights of Tassadar, and patiently answered Augustus's question.

"If you are a member of the Nerazim, you will find such sounds all too common when the Dark Templar meditate and connect with the Void," Zeratul said.

"Like the chirping of birds and insects, the rustling of the wind and the growling of wild beasts in the forest, some sounds are fragments of prophecy and shallow philosophical insights, while others are irrational roars," he said.

"Human will cannot withstand such pressure, and the Dark Templar hone themselves in this way, drawing energy from the void."

"That sounds really scary," Raynor interjected.

"That's why we're here." The female Dark Templar who was following Zeratul took a few steps forward.

This immediately alerted Corporal Faraday and the Ghost operative "Recruit" who were working alongside Augustus.

"It's too dangerous," she said.

"So you've come to take it away. For God's sake, we went through a lot of trouble to dig this scrap metal out of the muddy ground of Mar- Sara." Raynor wanted to say that it was a great help that you could handle this troublesome thing, but now the ownership of the Xel'Naga Artifact Fragment did not belong to him but to Augustus.

"No." Zeratul's voice echoed in Augustus and the others' minds simultaneously, "We just want you to turn off that signal amplification device. It's constantly amplifying the interference waves emitted by this Xel'Naga creation, which are also attracting the Zerg."

"Shut it off." Augustus nodded and immediately ordered, "Seal it up."

The engineers, who were terrified by the Dark Templar, were quite brave; at least they handled the task of repacking the Xel'Naga Artifact Fragment back into the transport container and sealing it without any mistakes.

"You are the wisest among men, their leader." Zeratul praised Augustus after achieving his goal, his words like a series of interlocking riddles. "An invisible hand has bound us together, and destiny is weaving its threads."

Then, Zeratul took a few steps back, preparing to leave, as if his purpose in coming here was truly to have the humans here shut down the device to avoid getting burned.

Zeratul was unaware that Augustus's purpose was to lure him in, which was a lucky accident.

But if the person in that command room hadn't been Augustus but a general from the Terran Confederacy, or if Duke had been there, they certainly wouldn't have patiently listened to Zeratul finish speaking; they would have fought to the death long ago.

Of course, three Dark Templar were more than enough to deal with dozens of fully armed human soldiers.

"Wait, Zeratul the Dark Templar," Augustus said, "Now that you have been able to completely destroy the Cerebrate, I think we need the Dark Templar's help."

Augustus went to great lengths to find the Dark Templar, hoping they would help him deal with the Cerebrate. At this point, empty talk about sitting down and continuing the conversation wouldn't hold Zeratul's attention; it was better to be honest.

"We have no reason to help alien races." The male Dark Templar behind Zeratul spoke in a rather unfriendly tone, and his robes, armor, and decorations differed from those of the Dark Templar.

He wore no veil, only a black helmet adorned with the jawbone of Zergling, and his armor was covered with trophies such as the skulls of Hydralisk. He was a Zeratai hunter, from the hunter tribe of the Nerazim.

"I'd be happy to do so." Zeratul to his companion to calm down.

"We are here to exterminate the Zerg; it is both an honor and a duty. The Dark Templar will not refuse a friendly ally."

"Please sit down." With the support of the Power Armor's servo system, Augustus wouldn't feel tired even if he stood for several more hours, but he thought doing so would help create a less tense atmosphere.

"Alright." Zeratul's green eyes flickered. "We just need a place to rest. Thank you for your understanding, human commander."

Zeratul could hardly help but be surprised by Augustus's extraordinary composure and unimaginable tolerance towards other races. It was not that he was completely ignorant of the human race; on the contrary, he was well aware of human greed, cruelty, cunning, and cowardice.

But Augustus different, completely different.

When they suddenly burst into the command center, Augustus acted as calmly as if they were neighbors visiting. But what made him so sure these people weren't there to assassinate him? Or was this absolute calmness and rationality precisely what enabled him to lead so many people?

Like other Protoss, Zeratul's initial feelings toward the human race were only compassion and tolerance.

The command room contained many chairs, all of which were the most comfortable and luxurious command chairs in the Alpha Squadron. Although these chairs were adjustable, they were still enormous Giant to the Protoss.

Zeratul managed to find a hover chair floating on the ground, while the other two Dark Templar didn't stand on ceremony with the human in front of them and each found their own chair.

Augustus settled into Duke's command chair, an expensive chair perfectly capable of withstanding the weight of the Power Armor. Faraday and the Ghost operative responsible for protecting Augustus were unwilling to let their guard down at this moment, especially the latter, who kept a close eye on them even though contact with the Dark Templar's icy void psionic Psionics would sting him.

"Aren't you afraid?" Zeratul really looked at Augustus seriously for a few moments. Just the fact that Augustus was able to calmly invite the invading aliens to sit down in this situation made Zeratul admire his courage and extraordinary magnanimity.

"Actually, a little bit," Augustus a smile.

"I was genuinely startled when you suddenly appeared. Fortunately, we had already met the Protoss and got along quite well."

"It wasn't just a little bit," Raynor added. "I thought I was going to die, and all I could think about was my mother's vegetable cream soup, Number Eight Whiskey, and Little John."

"You're probably referring to the Protoss in high orbit. In fact, they are our kin who parted ways long ago." Zeratul didn't read Augustus's thoughts, but he already understood the meaning behind Augustus's words.

"What? So you're not all in cahoots?" Raynor was clearly taken aback. "Dark Templar, Templar Knights, I thought you were all part of the Protoss Empire's expeditionary force."

"The Protoss Empire." Zeratul's green eyes narrowed slightly, as if in sorrow. "We do not belong to the Protoss Empire. The Dark Templar chose freedom and truth."

"The Nerazim refuse to integrate with the Khala, and every child has their neural bundles severed. This is why we were exiled, because the Conclave cannot tolerate this behavior."

"It seems just like the divisions between the Terran Confederacy, Kel-Morian, and Umojan; the Protoss also have their own factions." Augustus gestured to Raynor not to make a fuss. "Haven't you already met the Tal'darim? They're different from the Templar Knights of Tassadar."

"Alright. No wonder even Tassadar couldn't kill that Cerebrate, but you guys could." Raynor realized.

"The Overmind and its Cerebrate also use Void energy similar to ours, and only Void energy can harm the Cerebrate or even the Overmind," Zeratul said. "Our brethren in the Protoss Empire wield Psionics that circulates within the Khala; they have long since severed their connection with the Void. Only the Dark Templar still draw energy from the cold Void, like the Protoss ancestors."

"Alright, then things will be much simpler from here on out." Raynor nodded. "We'll take out the Zerg guarding the Cerebrate, and then you can decapitate it."

However, before he could finish speaking, Zeratul and the other two Protoss had their eyes crinkle into crescents. Raynor was convinced they were laughing, which infuriated him.

"You are very brave, James Raynor." Zeratul learned Raynor's name while analyzing his thoughts, a rather formal title. "But I'm afraid this matter won't be as simple as you think."

"Cerebrate the Gwen died because of the Zerg Overmind's negligence; it had never encountered an enemy like the Dark Templar," he explained to Raynor. "When your army attacked Gwen's hive, it sent out almost all of its Hive Warriors."

"Gwen's pack is ferocious and tyrannical, but their numbers are fewer than those of the other packs. My warriors and I infiltrated his lair and attacked from the shadows."

"Now, the Overmind and its Cerebrate will certainly not make the same mistake again; this is a race that is constantly evolving and learning."

"The Cerebrate will certainly not be able to show itself so easily again." Augustus completely agreed with Zeratul's statement, "This makes it much more difficult to get close to or even kill a Cerebrate like before."

Augustus had no hope of eliminating all the Cerebrate in a short time, especially since the Swarm Overmind could create new Cerebrate at any time while it was still alive.

As long as the Overmind lives, the Zerg will not perish.

However, the Dark Templar remain crucial. In the past, neither the humans nor the Protoss had an effective way to deal with the Cerebrate, and Zeratul's warriors were the perfect weapon to restrain Cerebrate.

"The Cerebrate themselves have no combat capabilities; they can command their clan members from light-years away through telepathic links," Augustus continued. "After Gwen's death, they have even less reason to put the Cerebrate in danger."

"But there's always a solution," he concluded. "If there's no opportunity, we'll create one. Even Cerebrate can make mistakes. We can work with Tassadar's Templar Knights to deal with most of the Zerg, and then Zeratul can kill the Cerebrate in the hive."

However, Augustus undoubtedly exaggerated the role of humans in this war; even without their help, Tassadar's forces were able to destroy part of the Zerg's main hive.

At this time, the Protoss Empire had not yet completely declined; their many colonies outside Aiur were still thriving, and their massive Fleets were scattered throughout the Milky Way Galaxy.

"Tassadar." At that moment, everyone could feel Zeratul's sigh—though he wasn't actually sighing. A sense of sorrow washed over them like water flowing through a valley, making them feel his pain.

"They will not cooperate with us. A thousand years is enough to change everything, and the divide between the Dark Templar and the Templar Knights is too deep," he said.

"A thousand years ago, Nerazim was considered a heretic who abandoned the Khala; the prejudice between us was already so deep then, and it is even deeper now."

"We will never fight alongside the Templar Knights." The fury of the Zeratai Dark Templar behind Zeratul was palpable.

"Nerazim are the ones who were deceived and persecuted, while the Aiur Protoss portray themselves as victims. How despicable and shameless, this is their style."

"Faced with the threat of the Zerg, we can also set aside our past prejudices." Zeratul only felt sorrow for the history of the split between the Aiur Protoss and the Nerazim.

"Don't let Orega's hatred and resentment towards the Aiur Protoss affect you. Since his return to Tamateros, anger has spread among our brothers and sisters."

"Perhaps Orega is wrong, but the Aiur Protoss are not as wise and merciful as you." The Dark Templar's emotions quickly stabilized thanks to Zeratul's reassurance.

"I believe that rational and wise individuals constitute the majority among the Protoss," Zeratul said. "Orega is still our brother, and his thoughts represent the views of many in this generation of Dark Templar."

"Then you must have never seen the Tal'darim," Raynor retorted.

"Tassadar is different from the other Protoss," Augustus said to Zeratul. "Perhaps there is simply a lack of communication between you."

Augustus was pleased to see the Dark Templar reconcile with the Templar Knights, since only by working together could they kill more Cerebrate.

"I hope so." Zeratul stood up, ready to leave.

But Augustus's words still moved him.

Zeratul approached Augustus and produced a triangular device inlaid with a pointed, dark green crystal. "This is a communicator. On this planet, we will appear whenever you need the Dark Templar's help."

"But I must tell you, because in the past I only traveled the universe with a few brothers and sisters, and now only a very small number of Dark Templar still follow me," he instructed Augustus.

"You must use this communicator with caution, otherwise..."

"Why don't you come with us?" Augustus would much rather Zeratul be with his troops, otherwise, who knows where he would find them in the most critical moment.

As they were talking, Duke's image flashed on the communication screen in the command room. The camera in the command room was automatically searching for Augustus, inevitably capturing Zeratul and the others in the shot as well.

"I am Duke, Marshal! What do you damned aliens think you can do to our Marshal?" Augustus's eyelids twitched when he saw Duke almost jump up.

"I'm going to skin you alive!"

"Don't rush, General Duke, these are some of my Protoss friends." Augustus stood up and walked towards the main screen.

Duke carefully checked to make sure Augustus wasn't being coerced. He noticed that Raynor and Faraday were still carrying guns, and immediately felt relieved. Duke's simple mind couldn't possibly conceive of any conspiracy or trickery against Augustus, or perhaps he selectively ignored that possibility.

"Marshal, while the Baelrog (Fire Demon) Swarm was enraged, we have cleared the two main hives at points B and C." Duke raised his square chin slightly, as if he were proud of his achievement.

Zeratul and the others, who were originally planning to leave, stayed behind to listen to the conversation between Augustus and Duke, either out of courtesy or for other reasons. They also seemed very interested in humanity's battle plan.

"We received a distress signal. It seemed to be from the Nova Squadron," he said.

"The Nova Squadron?" Augustus frowned. "They also sent landing troops to Char. The Nova Squadron must have evaded our Fleets's surveillance. What are they planning to do?"

"Even a fool could figure this out; it's definitely not a good thing," Raynor snorted heavily.

"Do you know what they do?" Augustus asked.

"There are two troop transports and a research vessel there," Duke replied. "In any case, based on what I know of Nova Squadron Commander Haller, they're definitely not here to fight a hard battle with us or the Zerg on the ground."

"Should we save them?" Duke asked Augustus.

"Save them if you can," Augustus.

"Well, I can only say the chances are slim." Duke gave the order to send out a transport ship to an Alpha Squadron officer beside him.

"But let's do our best and leave the rest to fate," Raynor said.

"Alert— Zerg life signal detected." At that moment, the voice of the mechanical Adjutant suddenly rang out. At the same time, Duke's image on the main screen rapidly shrank, and a series of letters and numbers jumped wildly.

"Zerg? They're here?" Raynor rushed to the main screen.

"How is that possible?" Duke also heard the alarm and immediately said in disbelief, "The landing site has also been equipped with a newly designed Psi Disrupter. Its Psionics interference field can cover an area with a diameter of thirty miles, which means that the Zerg cannot get close to our base at all."

Psi Disrupter have become standard equipment for the Revolutionary Army in its war against the Zerg, with each division-level unit being issued at least two Psi Disrupter with a range of twenty miles. This technology is currently unique to the Revolutionary Army.

"If those Zerg weren't originally coming for us, then it must have been the artifact fragments that attracted them." Raynor immediately thought of this possibility.

"It must be that artifact," Zeratul as he approached. "It has attracted hordes of Zerg."

"What's more troublesome is that unless these Zerg are still unaware of the Psi Disrupter's function, they will definitely know that this is a complete waste of time." Augustus believe that the Zerg would do something they knew was bound to fail.

An ominous premonition forced Augustus to make a quick decision; he knew he could not afford to delay.

Augustus immediately activated all communication and broadcast channels across the base. "This is Augustus Mengsk. Everyone, take up arms and prepare for battle. A Swarm is approaching our base."

"Level One Combat Alert, soldiers, this is war!"

"This is bad." Raynor opened the command room and walked out, leading his few Raynor's Raiders to the Alpha Squadron base to command the front-line troops.

"Duke, return to the landing site immediately," Augustus ordered. "Immediately!"

"I understand." Duke had no time to deal with the Nova Squadron soldiers who had sent out distress signals. He roared his orders to his soldiers as if his eyebrows were on fire.

After Duke was sent out to clear the Zerg main hive, fewer than 500 Alpha Squadron Marines remained at the landing site, including a significant number of medics, engineers, and logistics personnel.

"Lieutenant Colonel Roland, immediately dispatch all Scout on the tarmac. Adjutant, connect to the satellites deployed in Char orbit. I need images from all high-orbit satellites within a forty-mile radius of the base." Augustus stared intently at the screen until an image that was being continuously magnified appeared.

Thousands upon thousands of Zerg with crimson carapaces and spikes were running across the ashes of the Burning Lands of Char, carrying with them a cloud of grayish-white smoke, like a gray torrent.

The Matt Horner Swarm (the creator goddess and sea goddess in Mesopotamian mythology), the oldest, most numerous, and most powerful of the Zerg Cerebrate clans, crossed the range of the Psi Disrupter's interference field unaffected.

"Damn it..." Augustus realized that the Psi Disrupter had malfunctioned.

Zeratul looked at the image on the main screen, then turned to look at the two Dark Templar were following him.

"Summon all warriors aboard the Void Seeker," he said.

"Nerazim, draw your sword."