Chapter 375
As night fell, Augustus's command headquarters arrived at the location of the Great Temple in the Antioch Province.
It was a Xel'Naga temple that had existed since time immemorial, its long staircase leading straight to the solemn, pyramid-shaped apex. The walls, adorned with blue moss, were shrouded in mysterious and beautiful swirling energy that seemed almost alive. Rainwater accumulated in the recesses of the trapezoidal platforms between the stone steps, each puddle reflecting the crimson Sunset over Aiur, like fiery jewels.
The temple holds immense significance in the eyes of the Protoss. Its ancient and elegant steps connect to a memorial path stretching for miles. In accordance with an inviolable tradition, every great figure of the Protoss Empire, who lived a life of glory, is carried by reverent mourners along this memorial path, eventually being laid to rest in the Kydarin Crystal field within the Xel'Naga Temple.
Now, this once sacred road has been ravaged by war. The damaged Pylon with its Matrix circuits lies askew on the muddy, scorched road, its broken crystals shimmering with orange-red light in the Sunset.
The scene before him possessed a unique beauty, but Augustus, who had not inherited much artistic talent from his parents, merely saw it as a bunch of crooked telephone poles. Unsurprisingly, the magnificent buildings, now deprived of the power of the Pylon, ceased functioning, becoming dim and lifeless, like gold and stone that had lost their luster.
In a sense, Aiur lost power again.
What lay before him resembled a city ravaged by a storm, but only Hurricane carrying Zerg could topple these crystal towers that had stood for over a decade. The scenes of devastation in the ancient cities Augustus had witnessed along his journey were far more tragic.
Every city in Antioch is steeped in history, and the layout and architectural artistry of these cities are unparalleled by any human metropolis. Each towering domed spires is considered one of the most elegant designs in the world. The magnificent and ancient Protoss Empire architecture glitters in the Aiur daylight, as if gilded. At night, the city is ablaze with lights, the crystalline illumination reaching into the sky resembling a mirage or crystal palace from the heavens.
Now, the Protoss Empire's cities, which had stood for countless centuries, are reduced to charred, ruined wastelands. Floating palaces, once like gardens in the sky, have fallen from the heavens. The golden towers nestled between gardens and azure rivers are now reduced to their magnificent pillars and bases blackened by fire. The precious relics of the Xel'Naga gods, temples, and Protoss Empire architecture—unique and irreplaceable treasures of art history—have also been destroyed.
The Zerg are like a thug whose mind is only focused on destruction; the treasures of civilization are utterly insignificant in their presence.
The war took place on Aiur, the heart of the vast Protoss empire, and the resulting destruction was irreparable.
The Protoss Empire suffered immeasurable losses in this catastrophe. In a short period of time, they lost an unimaginable amount of population, cities, and technology. Their civilization declined drastically, and the golden age of the Empire's survival and development became a glorious past that only exists in records and dreams.
From Augustus's perspective as a human leader, he did not want the Protoss Empire to become too powerful unless their leaders were people he knew well. He also did not want the Protoss to perish in this cataclysm, because without the Protoss, humanity would not be able to face the wrath of the Zerg Swarm and even the corrupt Xel'Naga Amon, who would eventually end the entire universe.
"Your executor Artanis is in this temple." Augustus stood at the end of the Path of Remembrance, before him lay the steps leading to the Xel'Naga Temple, a long, winding path with intricately arranged patterns.
The spires of the Xel'Naga Temple overlook lush forests and idyllic rivers, and every extraordinary sculpture and perfectly harmonious corner represents a glimpse of the pinnacle of that ancient race's art. They are undoubtedly priceless treasures, but that doesn't stop the Revolutionary Army soldiers from building firing positions and anti-aircraft turrets on the main structure.
"Praise be to your mercy, Commander Augustus Mengsk."
Behind Augustus followed several armored transport vehicles filled with the Protoss Empire civilians. At this moment, these ragged refugees were nimbly leaping out of the Armored Vehicle vehicles, without even needing to step on the lowered footboards, moving with the lightness and elegance of a group of cats happily stepping out of their cathouse.
The Protoss leader made no attempt to hide his gratitude. The joy and relief overflowing from this Templar Knights of the Fannatir Tribe overwhelmed Augustus, leaving him feeling dizzy. When the Aiur Protoss truly express gratitude, it is always genuine.
"I'm just doing a good deed according to my conscience," Augustus replied. "Lieutenant Olga, take them to the Protoss camp. Tell Aggra Castle to prepare some blankets and water for these poor Protoss; they must be exhausted."
Following the direction Augustus pointed, the Fenatiel Templar Knights known as Larsnas saw a Protoss camp surrounded by golden photon turrets and shield matrices. All the buildings were constructed of golden metal and crystal-clear blue Kydarin Crystal, with towering domed structures surrounding them. The visually striking, static elegance was as solemn as a majestic symphony.
A deep blue vortex, formed by the distortion of the spacetime force field of the stargate, hovered above the camp, from which Protoss or human fighters occasionally emerged.
Even without Augustus anything, the Templar Knights Larsnas could hear the call of his people from that direction through the mind network Khala, and every Protoss rejoiced from the bottom of their hearts at their return.
"Go," Larsnas said to the Templar Knights and other Khalai civilians who followed him. "May those of our kind who did not escape the Zerg's hunt like us find peace in their souls, and may they be reunited before Adun."
"But what about you?" a scarred Templar Knights asked him. In the Khala, there is only the most genuine expression of emotion, no meaningless lies or suspicions.
"I will go to the temple, face the Executor, and ask him to punish me—for losing the territory of Fennatrier," Larsnas replied.
"But that's not your fault. The Zerg came too fast and in too many numbers. They were a flood that overwhelmed everything, and we were just fragile eggs drifting with the tide," another Templar Knights said poetically.
"Go, my friend, take the people we were supposed to protect to safety, for I am unforgivable," Larsnas said. "I should have died on the battlefield when the territory fell."
"The new Executor will surely forgive you. He has never punished anyone, nor has any Templar Knights ever committed a crime deserving of punishment." After saying this, the Templar Knights left with his exhausted people. He knew he could not convince his brother, who was too deeply mired in hatred and guilt—even though they had fought side by side for hundreds of years.
The fall of Aiur and the unprecedented catastrophe of the Protoss Empire left irreparable damage in the hearts of the Protoss. They were originally a calm, rational, and highly advanced civilization, but now they are almost shattered.
"Come with me, Templar Knights, let's go see Artanis together." Augustus troubled by the Protoss's unique straightforwardness and hoped that Tychus Finley could at least match a fraction of the Protoss warriors' noble character.
At that moment, a deafening roar shook the earth once more. It was the sound of the Yamato, a Revolutionary Army battlecruiser in near-Earth orbit, firing its Yamato Cannon. This modified Behemoth-class Battlecruiser was tasked with destroying a Zerg hive complex located in the Rellas Highlands.
Meanwhile, in another direction north of the Xel'Naga Temple, the combined forces of the Revolutionary Army and Tassadar were launching their final assault on the Executor Fortress. The deafening artillery fire abruptly ceased at a certain moment, clearly indicating that the Conclave's army and the allied forces had engaged in close combat.
Once that fortified city is captured, the allied forces and the Conclave will surely arrive as scheduled, because the arbitrators in the council will never sit idly by and watch the traitor Tassadar advance unimpeded.
It must be said that both Tassadar and his Templar Knights, as well as the Protoss ordered to arrest him, experienced a significant drop in morale when forced to fight against their own kind. Protoss, accustomed to telepathy, may never be able to escape the sorrow of having killed one of their own kind.
"Your integrity and kindness are close to those of the great Adun," said Larsnas, the Templar Knights, who was deeply ashamed upon hearing Augustus's words.
The Aiur Protoss speak the truth, and they are better at praising others than using harsh language to belittle them. Every Protoss receives acceptance and comfort from their people in the Khala, which is partly why they often contemplate suicide once they lose the Khala.
"I am merely a nobleman from Korhal, and have absolutely no connection to greatness." Augustus remained humble before the Protoss. He spoke elegantly in diplomatic settings, but this could not overshadow his prestige and military prowess.
With the aid of his Power Armor Augustus ascended the stone steps of the Xel'Naga Temple, which were constructed from some kind of bluish-gray material. A squad of Marshal Guard's guards, clad in Power Armor, followed him, their heavy boots and armor, coated with a new alloy, making a series of clicking sounds.
The sun had already set, Aiur was plunged into the utter silence of night. Then, the wondrous and tenacious nature revived, and the chirping of insects and croaking of frogs returned, as if everything had returned to a peaceful and prosperous time.
No two Xel'Naga temples are exactly alike; each one seems to have been formed naturally, bearing the unique artistry and perfect harmony of nature. The wide staircases and the abstract stone carvings towering on both sides are astonishing. The Void Crystals, glowing green in the night, bring a refreshing coolness, dispelling the heat of Aiur. Water vapor condenses and refracts light above the crystals, a dreamlike scene that reminds Augustus of the giant Fountain beneath the Silver Spire of Korhal.
"Through your eyes I saw the once beautiful planet Korhal IV. But it has been destroyed by war." Larsnas sensed a fleeting sadness in Augustus's heart.
"Yes, reduced to scorched earth, everything burned to ashes." Augustus's eyelids twitched. "I have fought until now to take control of my own destiny and save other planets from suffering the same fate as Korhal."
"We are all fighting for our homeland," Larsnas sighed.
As Augustus ascended the stone steps, he encountered the Templar Knights guarding the temple, standing silently like statues. Among these Templar Knights, besides the working Khalai phase engineers and unmanned machines, one could often see Revolutionary Army engineers reinforcing the temple's defenses in a human manner.
Although the Protoss engineers were horrified by the brutal way these human engineers handled the spot welding guns and screwdrivers, they had no choice but to accept this blasphemous act that could be tolerated for the time being. At such a critical moment, only the most pedantic Protoss remained steadfast in their past dogmas.
Through the combined efforts of humans and Protoss, the Xel'Naga Temple was equipped with incredibly powerful Drakken Orbital Cannon and Mark Electromagnetic Cannon, terrifying weapons capable of threatening Behemoth and Leviathan in high orbit. The Protoss, in turn, added particle beam cannons and energy shields to ensure the temple could withstand the firepower of their own kind.
If necessary, the Protoss Fleets can also warp the temple directly to the nearest warship.
Below the temple, the human and Protoss military camps are nestled in the primeval rainforest. The Revolutionary Army soldiers in the camps are enjoying their first hot meal twenty hours after landing on Aiur. Afterward, they will check their weapons and prepare for the next battle.
The Revolutionary Army soldiers who came to Aiur were not new recruits. Even the youngest had participated in the Battle of Vardona. They all knew what kind of enemy they would face and were prepared to fight and die.
The soldiers in the Revolutionary Army are all mortals; they also experience fear and anxiety. Some are trapped in this fear and forced to return to Antiga, while others Luria. But as long as they set foot on the land of Aiur, they will be regarded as true heroes.
Having participated in the Battle of Aiur is not only a qualification they can boast about to new recruits, but also proof that they once followed Marshal Augustus Mengsk to the most remote and dangerous regions of the Milky Way Galaxy. The loyalty of these soldiers is immeasurable, and they will be known in future generations as the forefathers who generously sacrificed their lives for humanity.
Augustus eventually found the executor Artanis at a prototype altar of the temple, who had already been informed of their arrival.
"Executor, I want to confess to you. I could have saved more people, but I failed. I..." Larsnas immediately asked Artanis for punishment.
"You have done your best, Templar Knights. You are the Sons of Adun, a warrior among us. You have no need to apologize." As Artanis spoke, Augustus noticed the several Protoss Khalai Phase Technicians busily working around him.
"You've finally decided to restart it," Augustus said with a smile. "My grandfather always said that when the enemy is right in front of you, the best weapons should not be hidden away."
"A Mothership!" Larsnas read the meaning of Augustus' words from Artanis.
"A Mothership that lies dormant beneath the Xel'Naga temples, originally intended as a burial ground for ancient heroes."
"We hope the souls of our ancestors and heroes will forgive our intrusion."