Counterattack

In this perilous Shadow Walk ritual in Altera, no Dark Templar Master has been able to defeat Tassadar and bring him to a halt.

The Path of Shadows: Let's stop here.

Tassadar had long been able to unleash the scorching light of his Blade of Light without relying on a Psionics clusterer. After learning to draw energy from the void, his power was now on a completely different level. Every Dark Templar Tassadar faced as he traversed the Great Rift north of Oasis Town was a legend among the Protoss of Shakuras, but today they were all shamed for their swift defeat.

Each time, Tassadar gracefully nimbly seized his opponent's vitals or knocked him down before continuing forward, while in Augustus's eyes it was nothing more than a fleeting flash in the canyon.

The ceremony was to conclude with a duel Dark Prelate Zeratul and Tassadar at the exit of the Great Rift, which Augustus watched from afar. However, the earth-shattering sound and the dazzling light that he had expected due to the intense clash of the masters' Psionics did not occur.

"It is said that all the Nerazim who swiftly pass through the Shadow Walk are considered to be one step closer to the great Anakh's Twilight Apostle, Adun." Augustus's captain of the guard Faraday, was also closely watching the Protoss's Shadow Walk. With careful observation, he could understand what this ritual meant to the Protoss Shakuras.

Young Shadow Apprentices must traverse the Shadow Path, undergo trials and tribulations by their predecessors and mentors, and only after overcoming countless hardships and trials can they walk in the name of the Blade of Nerazim.

"The myths and legends of the Protoss Empire and the ancient prophecies of the Nerazim both mention Adun's salvation: Adun never truly left, and when the Protoss face calamity, the soul of the savior Adun will return." Augustus recalled the Protoss history told to him by Zeratul and Tassadar.

"The prophecy foretold that someone with the same talent as Adun would appear once more. Since then, the Dark Templar have been searching the universe for such a person," he said.

"Adun was the first Protoss to simultaneously master Khala Psionics and Void energy, and Tassadar is the second. If Tassadar truly achieved this, then he is undoubtedly Adun's successor and the Protoss's savior."

"But I remember the heroes of the Protoss mythology sacrificed themselves to save their people. If the Dark Templar's fatalism is true, then, Tassadar..."

Adun, a great Protoss hero, but his story is more about tragedy and sorrow. Sacrifice has always been regarded by the Templar Knights as the highest faith. They are not afraid to sacrifice, because the warriors will surely return to the Khala with glory.

"The Dark Templar believe in fate and prophecy, and we all know that prophecy is nothing but a bunch of lies," Kerrigan said at this point. The Dark Templar always claim to have received some kind of mystical guidance, but most of their guidance is vague and ambiguous. This doesn't stop Kerrigan from categorizing the Dark Templar as superstitious and mystical.

By this time, the sun had long since set in Altera, and the starlight was obscured by thick clouds and high-energy gas, with a green glow floating on the horizon. Apart from this, there was no other light source where Augustus was located; it was almost pitch black.

Only in the great rift valley below, there were faint blue lights, like lamps and stars. These were the glows of a peculiar fungus that thrives in the unique ecological environment of Altera, often growing on cliffs and resembling bottle-shaped wall lamps. In the dead of night, clusters of Altera bottle mushrooms looked like patches of cobalt blue clouds.

At one point, Augustus gazed toward the Great Rift Valley, a bright light suddenly appeared within it. At first, the light was as fragile as a candle flickering in the wind, but within a few breaths it became as dazzling as the sun. Even from a great distance, Augustus could clearly see this light dispelling the darkness and even illuminating the rock walls on either side.

"That's Tassadar," Kerrigan to Augustus. "He's unleashing both Khala and Void Psionics simultaneously, like two substances that undergo a powerful chemical reaction when combined, producing an extremely bright light with only a small dose."

"This light is not harmful at all, and it will give away its presence in the dark."

The Dark Templar do not readily reveal their inherited skills and secrets to anyone outside their own tribe, but Zeratul is willing to allow Augustus to audit his lessons because Augustus is, in his eyes, a figure with Protoss- like soul. This master of shadow values inner qualities more, and he sees Augustus as a brother and one of his own, not as a despicable outsider.

Sarah Kerrigan also gained Zeratul's approval because of her deep affection for Augustus, who was like a shadow to her. Kerrigan's powerful Psionics abilities, far surpassing those of her kind, also earned the attention of Zeratul and Tassadar. If Augustus was considered to have the qualities of Protoss, then Kerrigan's power was close to that of Protoss.

In Tassadar's words, this is extremely rare among humans, a young race that generally lacks Psionics talent. To say that they stand out from the crowd is an understatement; they should be described as unparalleled.

Kerrigan listened attentively to Tassadar's account of the Protoss Empire's history and learned from Zeratul how to control Void energy.

The Dark Templar's ability to draw Psionics from the Void is an innate talent of the Protoss race. Therefore, Tassadar, being High Templar, learned it easily. However, for Kerrigan, a human, communicating with the Void like the Protoss was a very difficult task.

Although Kerrigan did not gain mastery over the Void's power, her understanding of Psionics clearly deepened. This allowed Kerrigan to control the power within her with greater ease, and her sensitivity to Psionics and psychic fluctuations increased daily.

As a Level 10 Psionics, Kerrigan's Psionics power already far surpassed that of her kind, and now she has become a uniquely powerful Psionics individual among humans. Currently, Kerrigan can even crush the armor of an Arclite Siege Tank with her psychic power and lift a soldier wearing CMC-300 Power Armor out of thin air by concentrating her mental power.

As she grew older, Kerrigan's Psionics also became stronger. This pleased Kerrigan, as it allowed her to continue serving as Augustus's undisputed bodyguard, preventing those little bitches who coveted her position from succeeding.

"This light not only exposed Tassadar himself, but also illuminated the shadows throughout the canyon, leaving the skilled Dark Templar nowhere to hide."

Hearing Kerrigan's words, Augustus nodded. "According to the custom of the Nerazim, if Dark Templar about to attack a challenger during Shadow Walk are exposed before the attack, they should immediately withdraw from the trial."

"Tassadar easily dealt with the remaining Dark Templar with his wisdom; he exploited the rules, but this was also seen as a valuable quality among the Dark Templar."

But at that moment, within the light emanating from Tassadar, a shadow appeared in the blink of an eye, and Augustus certain that it was Zeratul. The shadow pierced through the light in an instant, but it was merely an illusion conjured by Tassadar using his Psionics.

That was an ability learned by the High Templar at Fortress of Adun and the Archives; they could conjure multiple illusions identical to their own to confuse the enemy. Tassadar used both the Dark Templar abilities and the abilities he already possessed, which was within the permitted scope.

The real Tassadar had already vanished into the shadows at the edge of the cliff, emerging from the canyon as an imperceptible shadow. Tassadar concealed his intentions, using a feint to draw Zeratul's attention.

Generally speaking, the Aiur Protoss are a race that is not good at lying. Tassadar is not incapable of scheming; he simply doesn't tend to do so.

"Is it over?" As for Augustus in the distance, he had no idea what had happened; he had only seen a fleeting shadow.

"Let's go and see. This is crucial. If Tassadar passes the trial and truly masters the Void energy, it means he will be able to kill the Cerebrate or even the Overmind, just like the Dark Templar," Augustus.

"At that time, we can attempt to completely destroy a major Swarm."

At that moment, a Revolutionary Army APOD in camouflage switched on its searchlight, the bright light dispelling the surrounding darkness. Augustus led the Marshal Guard and the Ghost operative onto the transport ship, heading towards the exit of the Great Rift Valley in Oasis Town.

When the transport ship landed at the exit of the Great Rift, Tassadar, Zeratul, and Augustus were all standing together with Vorazun, the daughter of the Protoss chieftain of the Shakuras Protoss, whom they had all met in Shakuras. Next to them were two neat rows of Templar Knights and Dark Templar, clearly separated from each other.

Vorazun is a well-built Dark Templar, and her exquisite robes embody the Shakuras Protoss's understanding of beauty.

Women are not common among the Templar Knights, and those who hold high positions are even rarer. The Protoss Shakuras are known for their outstanding female clan leaders.

"Your success is incredible, Tassadar. You have used the power of both the Templar Knights and the Dark Templar. Without either of them, you could not have passed this trial." Zeratul, dressed in a deep purple robe, was praising Tassadar.

"A salute to all the brave who have traversed the light and shadow." Even Vorazun, who was considered aloof and indifferent to the Templar Knights, praised Tassadar's bravery.

"Generation after generation of heroes have embarked on the path of the Dark Templar," Zeratul concluded.

Tassadar also changed into a shadow robe meticulously crafted by Dark Templar master; otherwise, his attire would have made him look like an Aiur refugee who had been stranded there.

"Congratulations, Tassadar," Augustus promptly offered his congratulations.

"I am filled with gratitude, Zeratul, Augustus," Tassadar said, unable to contain his excitement.

"The energy of the void lies hidden within the potential of our race, and I had never discovered it before. This power is inconceivable, stronger than ever before. What have we been sacrificing all this time?" Tassadar said.

"Without the Dark Templar, we would surely lose the war against the Zerg."

"I believe it is time for us to return to Aiur," he declared to his followers. "The Conclave's foolish decisions are squandering our advantage. If they attempt to kill the Cerebrate by their own strength rather than the Templar Knights at any cost, it will inevitably lead to disastrous consequences."

"After Artanis and Aldaris left, I felt anxious and worried every day."

"It's hard to feel at ease with a bunch of incompetent teammates like this," Kerrigan said, one hand on her hip, glancing sideways at Tassadar with her usual cold and sarcastic tone.

"I can relate to that. When the Revolutionary Army tries to rescue a colony that has been overrun by the Zerg, the local Confederacy forces either cause trouble or flee in panic under the Zerg's onslaught."

"Aiur is our shared, sacred home, and I have a responsibility to protect it from the ravages of those abominable Zerg," Zeratul said.

"Agreed. Although I don't think the Dark Templar need to sacrifice their blood for the Templar Knights homeland, the Zerg are our common enemy," Vorazun agreed.

"I've said it many times, so saying it a few more times won't hurt," Augustus said firmly to Tassadar, assuring him that he stood with him at all times. "The Revolutionary Army will continue to fight alongside you as always."

Since the Swarm invaded Aiur through wormholes, their offensive in the Koprulu Sector has begun to slow, with only a few hive forces from the Jormungand Brood, Garm Brood, and Surtur Brood still invading the Confederacy.

With the Psi Disrupter protecting them, Warfield could easily hold onto the few Revolutionary Army planets they already possessed. However, they had to be wary of their fellow human enemy— the Terran Confederacy.

"My gratitude is beyond words," Tassadar said to Augustus and the others.

"Tassadar, aren't you worried that the coordinates of Aiur will be discovered by humans, thus leaking the secret?" Augustus countered by asking Tassadar.

The coordinates of Aiur have remained unknown to others. If the Revolutionary Army returns to Aiur with Tassadar, then the coordinates of the Protoss homeworld will become known to humanity.

"You are trustworthy humans," Tassadar Augustus. "The coordinates of Aiur cannot remain a secret forever. In the face of annihilation, any assistance is crucial."

"You don't consider it shameful to seek help from humans," Augustus said with a smile. "That's what sets you apart from the other Protoss."

"Aiur ...it will probably take us quite a while to get there," Faraday said. "But what about the other worlds invaded by the Zerg then?"

"I've already discussed this with Tassadar and Zeratul." Augustus looked around. "We've decided to launch a counter-offensive against the Zerg in the Koprulu Sector before returning to Aiur, forcing them to retreat to the Mar- Sara and Char lines. If that's not possible, we should at least inflict heavy damage on one or two major Zerg hives."

"The Swarm Overmind is clearly deploying its main hives to Aiur, and the Protoss Empire is facing the Swarm's wrath head-on. While the Swarm we are confronting is still powerful, it is not invincible."

"We won't be able to stay in Altera for much longer," he concluded. "I've received intelligence that the vanguard of the Zerg hive forces is approaching Vardona, the core world of the Confederacy. The counterattack will begin from there."

I took two days off for the Chinese New Year holiday, emmm