The Final Alliance

Two hours after the general offensive began, Medlin Peak.

The solitary and majestic Medlin Peak is shrouded in clouds and mist, its steep and towering ridge resembling the spine of a black dragon. The sky is as clear as ever, with a few fluffy white clouds supporting the golden sun.

Hurricane carrying sand and gravel raged against the tempered glass windows of the command center. A red ribbon used to tie the battle flag flashed past Augustus, and he could only hope it was a good omen.

This is the summit of Medlin Peak. To the east and north lie barren plains covered with Creep. The vast land is shrouded in the shadow of death, and oppression and darkness are overwhelming.

The soil exposed to the howling wind was an extremely unnatural reddish-brown, as red as blood. The swirling wind continued to peel away the little soil remaining, leaving the steep mountains and jagged rocks exposed to the scorching sun, like the bones of a skeleton.

Augustus imagined what the mountain used to look like, and he could almost see the Aiur firs standing like lances, the wildflowers growing at high altitudes, the various kinds of birds and lizards, and hear the chirping of insects and the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves.

The Midrin Peaks are long gone. Those peaks that once stretched westward and reached for the sky, now only bare ridges remain.

An armored personnel carrier was parked beside the road outside the window, and a supply depot under construction was rising from the ground. Huge fans spun incessantly, their hum drowned out by the howling wind. The supply depot's smooth roof was covered with solar panels that shimmered white in the sunlight, connected to internal storage batteries via pipes.

The gate to the supply depot facing the command center was wide open. Under the bright orange lights, engineers driving T-280 SCV carried boxes in and out of a ramp. Several engineers in yellow protective suits and hard hats were still welding circuits and assembling components, while a squad of the Revolutionary Army Marshal's Guards in gold and red Power Armor ran past the road between the command center and the supply depot.

In the distance, a heavy bulldozer was moving or breaking rocks on the mountain, attempting to clear a level area from the rugged, uneven terrain. Behind more rumbling cranes were clusters of crystal veins gleaming with blue light. Working SCV were using drills and plasma torches to cut the crystal clusters, and each roughly sized Ardien Crystal was loaded onto trucks and transported to the command center's warehouse.

Due to the Protoss Empire's Dae'uhl Doctrine and lenient policies, Aiur's natural resources have been preserved remarkably well. These precious crystals are indispensable resources for the Protoss, Zerg, and humans alike. Take Augustus's Revolutionary Army, for example; the crystals are extremely valuable, and once melted down, they can be quickly transformed into armor for vehicles, ships, and Power Armor.

The Zerg also used these resources to nourish the chitinous carapaces and sharp claws that grew from them. As a result, the crystal mines that were once occupied by the Zerg bear many traces of Drone ' huge and sharp pincers cutting through the crystals.

"Zeratul's Dark Templar have killed the new Cerebrate of the Baelrog Brood. This is the second Cerebrate." Kerrigan stepped out from behind Augustus. Her ray-like combat suit, woven into her skin, was as smooth as shark skin, and the circuitry on her back shimmered with a blue light.

"The Protoss are saying that the Overmind's power is waning."

"That's how it should be," Augustus said softly. "That's how it should be, but it's not enough."

"There are more than just one or two Cerebrate protecting the Overmind. Every time we kill one, the pressure on the warriors will be reduced."

"Pulaier Player reports from the front that they have advanced another forty miles and are approaching the outermost edge of the Overmind's lair, but the Sara Infantry Brigade has also suffered heavy losses, with some battalions and companies even losing more than half their men." Kerrigan stood to Augustus's right, holding a portable control panel in her hand.

"Pulaier's unit is the closest to the Zerg hive," she said. "The colonel reported that his men are in high spirits and, as long as command can send reinforcements, they will be able to capture the hive soon."

"The governor is far too confident. Even at night, his troops are advancing at a speed far exceeding that of the other troops behind them, to the point that no other army can keep up with them."

"Our doctors suspect that Pulaier's troops have been injected with far too many Stimpack and enhancers, keeping their physical and mental abilities at their peak. But once the effects wear off, even the strongest soldiers will become weak and exhausted."

"That's the only thing that can keep us at bay against the tireless Zerg," Augustus said. "Tell Pulaier that Rick Kydd's 1st Airborne Division and Raynor's Raiders Paratroopers have been deployed to support him."

"This war is a matter of human destiny, and I will not allow any defeat. I am watching him, and I will watch as the flag of the Revolutionary Army is planted on the corpse of the Overmind."

"Sarah, how are the rest of the troops?" he then asked.

"The situation is not optimistic. All the main forces are deployed on the front lines, and the new recruits have been relegated to the reserves," Kerrigan replied.

"That's what I know," Augustus interrupted Kerrigan.

"Casualties and losses are inevitable. Many units have suffered heavy losses, and some units can only be rebuilt after we return to Antiga Prime." Kerrigan frowned, looking at Augustus with his back to her, and couldn't help but feel heartache.

"This is even with a large number of Psi Disrupter deployed, but the large number of Overlord and Mega Overlord floating above the main hive area significantly reduces the effectiveness of these jammers. The closer Overmind get to the location of the Swarm, the weaker the jammers become, until they have no effect at all."

Even when touching upon Augustus's superficial thoughts, Kerrigan could feel his heartache, a pain akin to having her own flesh torn out. Yet, at the same time, Augustus never regretted teaching Kerrigan in both politics and military affairs, one must always have a long-term vision.

"..." Augustus simply said, "I understand. Everyone has done their best; they are all excellent, my best warriors."

"We will rebuild those units; their numbers will never be forgotten."

"Withdraw the heavily damaged units, including the 2nd Division, the 132nd Brigade, and the 34th Armored Brigade. Don't worry about heavy weapons like the Gauss cannons; even if you leave them to the Zerg, they can't do anything with them for now. Bring back all the wounded and the dead; cremate the remains that can't be taken."

"Yes, sir." Kerrigan relayed Augustus's orders directly through the command center's channel, which were then rapidly transmitted to various units and commanders via the Revolutionary Army science ships hovering over the major battlefields. It was a highly encrypted channel, making it difficult for the enemy to locate the command center through the signal.

"Hmm," Augustus nodded, and a Holographic Projection screen displaying a battle map unfolded in front of Augustus. Multiple green and blue arrows representing humans and Protoss were pointing directly at the Zerg's red lairs filling the screen.

"Progress is going more smoothly than I expected—much smoother. I originally thought that even if the Protoss Empire and the Zerg were both severely weakened, the Swarm would still be unable to defeat them. When facing Overmind, any wisdom or strategy is useless."

"The Zerg are stronger than us, and most importantly, they are smarter."

"You believe the Protoss's suspicions are correct—that the Overmind is not directly commanding its numerous races because it may have fallen into a deep slumber. The Cerebrate ' command is no less than that of any Protoss or human commander, but ultimately it cannot match the Overmind's strategic planning."

"I believe that the Overmind's mission was completed the moment he descended upon Aiur and became one with the Xel'Naga Temple," Augustus said in a language Kerrigan couldn't understand.

"The Overmind, it is the most terrifying creature in history, embodying the wisdom of the entire Swarm," he said. "In the past, in places unseen, the Overmind has been playing a game against us. The Overmind's goal is not to completely annihilate the Protoss or humanity, but every strike has been overwhelming for the Terrans."

"Augustus, you speak so highly of the Overmind? It is merely a hybrid body, a creature with a bizarre mind. Whatever the Overmind's purpose in attacking Aiur, it must be something extremely dark."

Kerrigan attempted to delve deeper into Augustus's thoughts, only to find that his mind was already shrouded in mystery. Augustus's thoughts grew increasingly profound, to the point that even his closest confidants could no longer see through him.

Normally, Kerrigan strictly adhered to Augustus's prohibition against reading his thoughts, but she couldn't resist. Nothing was more alluring than understanding the mind of someone you loved, not to mention Kerrigan's womanly curiosity.

"Never underestimate the enemy," Augustus replied. "It is precisely because I know clearly what a formidable adversary the Overmind is that I have resolutely brought them here."

"Unidentified Protoss warships detected. They are converging here through the Protoss stargate in Aiur Circular Orbit," the mechanical Adjutant in the command center suddenly warned.

"Confirm their ownership." Augustus's eyes lit up.

"Is it a colony Fleets returning from other star systems of the Protoss Empire? During our time in Aiur, we've seen many Fleets returning from near -Aiur colonies, and they outnumber the Protoss Empire's Koprulu Expeditionary Force in Tassadar, with older and more powerful warships and weapons."

"But I don't know if the Protoss are exaggerating, saying that it's just a small Fleets left over from the Golden Age. It's hard to imagine how large the Protoss Empire's Great Fleet was in the era of the legendary hero, Executor Adun."

"So vast that they believed there was no force in the universe capable of threatening them," Augustus. "But those were clearly not the case."

"Identify yourself, Protoss. We have the right to fire on enemies invading Allied airspace."

"I have mercy and pity on you, weak yet brave humans, you are still young." A Protoss arbitrator in a red robe appeared on the screen. He was Aldaris, an arbitrator older than Zeratul.

Aldaris may not be the one in power in the Conclave, but at this moment he represents the opinion of the entire Conclave.

For once, the Protoss Empire Arbiter, who never responded to humanity, accepted the communication request. They had witnessed Tassadar's bloody battles and humanity's sacrifices for Aiur.

"Conclave, your blood is stained with blood; how many good people have died because of you!" Augustus looked at him, his expression unusually angry. "For the soldiers killed by the Council's guards, I will never forgive you."

Augustus rarely let his emotions control his thoughts, but that didn't mean he wasn't angry. Ever since the last conflict with the Conclave, Augustus had never forgotten the soldiers who died at the hands of the Conclave's Ara Tribe guards.

"What? The Conclave has never harmed any humans." Aldaris's surprise seemed genuine. "The Council guards only venture outside of Kor-shakal when necessary."

"But it's true." A shadow crossed Augustus's cold gray eyes. If, as Aldaris said, the Conclave was unaware of the truth, then their internal divisions would have already begun.

If some arbitrators used parliamentary guards to create conflict between humanity and the Conclave, what exactly were their motives?

"Who is it?" Aldaris seemed to be asking the other arbitrators in the Khala, but clearly received no answer.

"The Conclave would never do that; we don't need to play dirty tricks on humanity."

"Fine, I'll pretend you don't know. But where was the Conclave when we were fighting a bloody battle against Tassadar?" Augustus.

"Witness—" Aldaris was uneasy Augustus's words, but he had more important things to do at the moment. "In the great name of Khas, we have witnessed a Cerebrate die forever under the blade of the Dark Templar."

"Damn it, a witness." Augustus thought to himself, "Are you Sun Yifeng? All you know is how to look?"

"Augustus, they are not the enemy." Artanis's image appeared first on the other side of the screen; he was standing on the bridge of the Protoss Mothership Purifier.

"The arbitrators are here to help us." Tassadar was on his flagship aircraft carrier, the Star Shuttle.

"We made a mistake—we shouldn't have tried Tassadar, because he was right," the Arbitrator said. "We were blinded by arrogance. Even if humans have the courage to fight for Aiur, how can the Arbitrators hide behind them?"

"So you know it too." Kerrigan transformed into a sharp complainer.

"That's how it should be, Aldaris. I've said it before, the power of the Dark Templar is crucial," Tassadar said.

"In the name of Adun, the Conclave's Fleets will join you; you are the Protoss Empire and Aiur's last hope." With Aldaris's order, more Carrier warped into the skies above the Midrin Peaks.

"Fight, Sons of Aiur, fight on, inheritors of the will of Adun, in the name of the gods and the light of the Khala, reclaim our glory."

"En Taro Adun!"

"Very well, let us set aside our disputes and hatred for now," Augustus said. "I hope you live to see the day I question you, arbitrators."

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