Eye of the Storm

"The bugs are swarming in!"

A brief downpour had just passed through the sky, and a few pale rays of sunlight peeked through the piled-up dark clouds. A fierce wind howled across the filthy ground covered with a dark purple Creep of fungus, its whistling sounding like the lament of the dead.

Several fanged monsters with gaping maws ran at incredible speed through the muddy, sewage-filled pit, leaping forward as if wading through splashing mud. They were quickly felled by a barrage of fire and grenades, struggling and collapsing in the craters created by the shells, blood flowing freely, their terrifying roars echoing through the air.

"SCT.2493.1.21.14:23, 22 degrees North latitude. This image will be added to the final archive database." Augustus held a P220 pistol in one hand and detonated it on a Zergling with a dark brown shell. He watched as the bug was torn apart by the exploding bullet, its body losing control and falling to the ground with inertia.

This reliable electromagnetic pistol, derived from the old-fashioned P180, was outdated and obsolete during the First Total War, but it was undoubtedly a reliable weapon praised by soldiers. No matter how harsh the environment, the P220 never jammed or misfired.

The weapon in Augustus's hand belonged to a Revolutionary Army lieutenant who died while attacking the Gorander Brood's main hive. He was an excellent officer in his late twenties who had boarded the ship with Augustus when Korhal fell. This lieutenant, born in Sterling, didn't say a word when he put on his uniform, nor did he utter a sound when he was dragged into the spiked wormhole.

About a platoon of the Revolutionary Army soldiers strode forward, while two enormous Revolutionary Guard Goliath Combat Robot stepped over a Vulture that had been shredded to pieces, each step leaving a deep crater in the muddy ground.

These giant Goliath 30mm autocannons are topped with broad shoulder armor plated with a gold wolf emblem, and each bright red flag on the cockpit guides the direction of advance for the troops behind.

In another direction, perhaps only a few dozen steps away, Augustus heard the rapid, whistling sound of rockets being launched. A Revolutionary Army unit from the 106th Infantry Battalion was advancing from Augustus's left flank. They had been forced to retreat to the opposite side to regroup after suffering heavy losses from the Jormungand Brood during their attack. However, before they could be replenished, this infantry battalion, now only a little over a hundred men, rejoined the battle.

Ahead lay two battalions of the Revolutionary Army Guard Division, a skirmish line several miles wide stretching across the flat ground ravaged by Zerg Creep and organic structures. To the right, a mile away, lay a swift-flowing river, once the largest of the densely packed tributaries of Aiur, now dwindling and drying up, washing away the bones of the dead only during the rainy season.

The road to Overmind was littered with corpses. Everywhere one looked, massive, intelligent war machines of Protoss lay collapsed, while those severely wounded or Protoss had been warped back to the nearest Fleets and Nexus.

Looking again, the massive body of the Swarm Overmind was already close at hand. Augustus felt as if he were walking towards a high mountain, a mountain that already towered above the world from afar, majestic and precipitous, and the closer he got, the more he could feel its grandeur and awe.

The Swarm Overmind resembles a super beetle covered in a brownish-black shell, or a fleshy bud covered in metallic scales. Its spikes, harder and sharper than metal, are taller than skyscrapers and stretch straight towards the sky. Tychus Finley creatively described it as a pore on a bulbous nose, while Harnack Hank called it a pile of dung.

The soaring body of the Overmind was shrouded in boiling clouds of steam and storms, all originating from an ocean dried up by the Protoss Purifying Beam. Visible wounds and burn marks left by Protoss plasma weapons were visible on its body.

Thousands upon thousands of magnificent and agile golden Protoss fighters weaved through the clouds, their blue or white particle energy beams forming a shimmering net. The Dark Templar's pirate ships also joined the battle, their striking gunblade designs standing out from their Aiur counterparts.

The closer one gets to the Overmind's main hive, the fewer human Revolutionary Army members there are. This isn't because the Revolutionary Army suffers too many losses, but because in a massive war covering half a continent, hundreds of thousands of people are nothing more than a pebble dropped into water. Even the Protoss far outnumber the humans, not to mention the overwhelming Zerg Swarm.

But no Protoss can ignore the sacrifices of humanity and every victory they have achieved. Even the most indifferent Templar Knights have to admit that the Revolutionary Army are the bravest and most skilled humans they have ever seen, worthy of the name of warriors.

"They're about to succeed." Augustus took a loaded magazine from the Power Armor's ammunition unit, checked the report on the helmet-mounted HUD display panel once more, and relayed his words to the entire army:

"The final path to the Overmind's location has been opened; victory is within reach. All forces immediately withdraw to outside the main hive building and establish defensive lines... hand the stage over to the Protoss."

"The big one is coming." Tychus, who was standing there, shouted. His burly body, clad in custom-made Power Armor, stopped to the side of Augustus, holding a heavy machine gun with a scorching hot muzzle in his hand.

"Killing bugs -- oh yeah~ I love this feeling!"

"The Protoss who have broken into the main hive are preparing to unleash an unprecedented Psionic Storm, which, according to the Amerigo Science Vessel crew, will be 50,000 times the size of a tactical nuclear bomb and 2,000 times the size of Apocalypse-class Nuclear Missile," said Kerrigan was wearing a blue and white ghost-like bodysuit.

"After all, almost all the surviving Protoss warriors on Aiur have come here. Their numbers are so great that they are said to have gathered several powerful Zealot legions. The Arbitrators of the Conclave and the High Templar of the Heart of Adun (a StarCraft map) have also joined the battle."

The Protoss Empire's arbitrators are mostly powerful Psionics; otherwise, they would find it difficult to maintain their integrity in the depths of the Psionics network, the Khala, or to conceal their profound political motives.

The Heart of Adun is a sacred cemetery where Adun's comrades from the Golden Age are buried. The air is filled with the powerful Psionics energy of these fallen Templar Knights, and the High Templar who guard it are the most outstanding. Even when the Protoss Empire was on the verge of collapse, the guardians of the Heart of Adun withstood countless attacks from the Zerg.

It is said that the souls of the fallen Templar Knights still linger above the graveyard, their power protecting the Protoss warriors and making them stronger than ever before.

"A desperate fight." Augustus looked toward the main hive area. Under the Protoss's relentless, even suicidal, attacks, the Zerg's defenses had been briefly breached. But that didn't mean the Swarm was retreating. At least two billion Zerg were gathering around the Overmind, and many more were still in the underground hatcheries.

Had it not been for Augustus's suggestion that Tassadar activate the sealed Colossus and Mothership, and the Conclave following suit after seeing initial success with this move, the Protoss -human alliance would likely have been wiped out by now without the support of these powerful weapons. That would have inevitably led to Tassadar piloting the Star Shuttle alone into the Overmind, perishing together with it.

Now, they have enough military strength to try other methods.

Then, a gigantic point of light appeared in the sky, shining brightly even in daylight. It was a heavily damaged Carrier, plummeting towards the earth amidst blazing flames, surrounded by hordes of Mutalisk, Brood Guardian, and Devourer.

Finally, as Augustus looked at the aircraft carrier, it had disintegrated in mid-air. With a deafening roar from the core crystal matrix, it transformed into a dazzling blue flash, and the wreckage fell to the ground, causing a massive explosion.

On average, one or more magnificent warships fall from the parallel orbit every few minutes, which means that the brutality of Fleets warfare in orbit is no less than that on the ground.

"Don't stop, keep moving forward. Kulovsky's troops are not far from us," Augustus said as he continued advancing with the troops.

Augustus had originally planned to travel to the front lines in a command vehicle, but due to the targeted attacks on such vehicles by the Sliffin and Belrog Brood, he was forced to choose the Vulture and proceed on foot.

Since most of the Zerg ahead had been cleared out, only a few Zerg emerging from the Nydus Worm were still harassing the human soldiers.

As they drew closer to the Overmind, a golden-red command center came into view. It was a steel building with rust-colored and golden roof beams, and the radar base station coils and orange-yellow lights resembled a luminous halo.

Around the command center were sunshades and supply depots made of withered tree branches, where wounded soldiers with bandages were receiving new clothes, blankets, and clean, filtered water.

The soldiers, no longer required to fight, were still anxiously discussing the battle at the front. Wounded soldiers were constantly being transferred here; some had lost hands or legs, and others had bandages wrapped around their eyes. Young soldiers called out for their mothers, while the older ones inquired about the well-being of their families.

These wounded soldiers will be transferred to hospitals further back and even to the rear bases in the Midrin Peaks. Thanks to the Protoss's advanced medical technology, even the most serious injuries will be properly treated, minimizing the mortality rate. And if soldiers of the Human Revolutionary Army lose limbs in the war, the Protoss will be happy to fit them with mechanical limbs.

These mechanical limbs are far superior to all human prosthetic limbs, and their lifespan is significantly longer than that of humans. However, if they need to replace these mechanical limbs, they may have to seek the help of the Protoss.

"We must ensure that all the wounded receive timely treatment. As long as we can get them to the Protoss as soon as possible, everything will be alright," Augustus told a doctor.

The majority of the Protoss Empire's population consisted of engineers and scientists from the Khalai Caste, as well as doctors, because during the Golden Age and for centuries afterward, the Protoss were constantly in conflict with other unknown civilizations and races, and casualties were inevitable. This only stopped after the Daul Laws were enacted, and the Protoss banned weapons of war.

"The Psionics near the Overmind is surging, the PSI is rising exponentially. Boss, I think our sensor array for detecting Psionics has broken down because it can't handle so much information." As Augustus arrived at the command center, Viktor Kaczynski of the engineering corps was telling him what was happening.

"We haven't yet determined whether it came from the Overmind or the Protoss, but it's clear that the Protoss are taking action."

"Regardless of whether the equipment is still working or not, we must keep a close eye on it at all times." Augustus followed Kaczynski into the command center, with Tychus and Kerrigan following closely behind.

"The Protoss Templar Knights and Dark Templar are working together to unleash a powerful Psionic Storm, something their ancestors did. Even without practice, given the Protoss's mastery of Psionics, this is by no means difficult."

"Research shows that the Psionics used by the Protoss Aiur Shakuras Protoss is essentially the same, but combining it can unleash even greater power. If the Protoss used this in weapons, it would be quite astonishing," Kaczynski said as he walked.

"Just over thirty miles away, the most incredible supernatural phenomenon to date is taking shape. The Protoss are a race that generally possesses telepathic abilities, and their combined power is enough to cause tremors in the Void."

"Oh—I never knew you had any knowledge of Psionics and void magic, Viktor. So what does this mean?" Augustus said as he rode the elevator to the command room.

"I'm not sure, but I think the Dark Templar might be able to sense it," Kaczynski said, shrugging. "After all, there are almost no systematic Psionics in Moria, so I don't know much about it either."

"A storm is brewing." Kerrigan's green eyes had unconsciously turned gold, a result of a keen sensitivity to Psionics: "I can feel the Protoss's anger and resolve. Pre-battle hymns are being sung in the Khala, and the Dark Templar are filled with chilling fury."

"Is it possible to capture footage of the scene?" Augustus asked Kaczynski.

"It was tough." Kaczynski raised his deep-set eyes. "Any ships or equipment that got too close were detonated by the surge of Psionics. Even a wisp of this Psionic Storm was enough to blind our best and strongest Psionics."

"I'm trying to access images transmitted back by an orbiting satellite."

"But that doesn't include me." Kerrigan tossed her fiery red ponytail.

"Yes, Mrs. Mengsk," Kaczynski said.

"You misspoke," Tychus reminded Kaczynski, displeased.

"You're right." Before Augustus anything, Kerrigan immediately patted Kaczynski on the shoulder.

"Can you get in touch with Tassadar, or Artanis and Fenix?" Augustus continued.

"I'll give it a try." Kaczynski led Augustus to a control panel.

A moment later, Artanis, the Protoss Empire executive officer who was commanding the Templar Knights on the bridge of a Mothership, appeared on the screen.

"The situation is extremely unfavorable for our soldiers; my troops have suffered heavy losses," Artanis said.

"I need to regroup the troops."

"This sounds bad, Artanis. How are things on your end?" Augustus asked immediately.

"We are trying to use the Twilight Power to kill the Overmind, but its minions are swarming in relentlessly."

Immediately afterwards, images taken by orbiting satellites appeared on the screen. Incredibly bright green and blue lights occupied both sides of the screen, and the two colors converged in the middle to form a deeper blue and pure white, as if a supernova was exploding.

The images on the screen kept interrupting and flickering, and various instruments emitted clicking and clattering sounds, as if they were on the verge of collapse.