The Overmind's Demise

"The Psionics index is still surging, Moria's ancestors, we are witnessing a miracle."

Viktor Kaczynski's hands flew across the control panel, making the image on the Holographic Projection screen grow larger and clearer. Psionics energy, composed of blue and green light, continuously mingled, and storms of pure energy waves tore through the ravine-filled, muddy land.

Beneath the dazzling orb of light lay the phantoms of countless Protoss warriors, their eyes radiating a blinding light as if their burning, luminous souls were bursting forth. The scattered light eventually coalesced into a raging storm, like the scorching solar winds emanating from a star.

Centered on the vast land Overmind the Swarm, supernatural energy vents tore through the earth and sky, and dazzling energy vortexes churned. The resulting strong air currents brought terrifying thunderstorms, with azure lightning bolts stretching across the vast sky like snakes, resembling a densely woven net.

The ground shook violently, and even in Augustus's command center, the earth trembled violently.

The Swarm, driven to madness by the threat to its Overmind, relentlessly sought to tear apart Protoss or humans that approached it. Beyond the light lay a vast, dark army of Swarm, along with countless Mutalisk and Overlord that blotted out the sky.

The Protoss and humans formed an impenetrable humanoid barrier around the High Templar and Dark Templar were unleashing Psionic Storm, holding off the Zerg swarming in from all directions.

In the sky, Protoss warships emerged from the clouds, countless Protoss fighters piercing through the gloomy clouds, followed closely by what seemed like dazzling sunlight from the heavens. Dense Swarm chased after the high-speed Protoss fleet, much like the gathering and dispersing of dark clouds, or like insects swarming under a lamp and flocks of birds drinking at a lake.

In this breathtaking scene, the Swarm is the embodiment of catastrophe and darkness, while the Protoss's gleaming golden army seems to be the only force fighting against evil. And if you look closely, you should not overlook the Human Revolutionary Army in battle and their fluttering crimson banners.

"The Templar Knights and Dark Templar must concentrate on the ongoing Psionic Storm, which greatly reduces the number of warriors available to us. Marshal Augustus Mengsk, if you have other troops available, please provide some assistance to the warriors during this time."

The signal from Artanis's side seemed completely unaffected by the super Psionic Storm, while the equipment in the command center and even the welded steel plates outside groaned under the pressure of the strong winds.

"We will do our utmost." Augustus nodded, and at the same time ordered the nearby Revolutionary Army to immediately report their location and the number of men available for deployment.

"The Khala will respond to the call and guide the energy within you to converge into a single point, which will then become a wind." Tassadar appeared in another location on the holographic screen, guiding the Protoss to create a dazzling storm.

"A thousand years ago, the Protoss Empire lived in its golden age of survival and development. Legendary heroes and sages honed their virtues, and the people of the empire built magnificent cities. The achievements of the Protoss were already glorious. Now, however, is a dark age. The enemies of the Protoss Empire will not rest until they have destroyed everything we have."

"Templar Knights, Dark Templar who are willing to heed my words, this is the darkest age, and it is also our age," he said.

"We will forge our swords with blood and glory, and display the glory of the Protoss. The stars of Aiur shine brightest only when they burn themselves."

"En Taro Adun, fight for Aiur!"

"For Aiur!"

Augustus wouldn't have been able to hear that final cry through the communication system, but it still traveled clearly across dozens of miles and was deeply imprinted in his mind. It must have been the mental battle cry of thousands upon thousands of powerful Protoss warriors.

"These Protoss have incredibly loud voices, damn it. I thought they were either aloof mute or arrogant blind men," Tychus said from the side.

"That's the Protoss's war cry before they launch an attack, Tychus. If you know anything about the Protoss, you'll know that it can even affect the spirits of human warriors, causing them to break down before the attack even begins," Augustus corrected him.

"It's not just that." The golden light in Kerrigan's eyes shone even brighter, as if they were cast from gold.

"If you could hear the voices echoing through the hearts of Aiur, you would know that all the Aiur Protoss are singing." She quoted an elder of the Khalai Caste who had been rescued by the Revolutionary Army soldiers. "When the songs are sung, the legend will return. The ascended Twilight Apostle Adun will return to save the world. It is a prophetic destiny; God will not abandon Aiur."

"Adun was the original Twilight Apostle, but we only now know that there wasn't just one Twilight Apostle, the prophesied savior," Tassadar said.

For the next ten minutes or so, the screen remained completely white. Even through the bulletproof glass of the command center, Augustus could see pebbles and gloves belonging to the Revolutionary Army's engineers floating in the air. The gray-black sky turned green, the blue-green hues resembling paint floating on water, or perhaps the aurora borealis.

While ordering the main force of Londerstein to provide support to the Protoss, Augustus ordered the medics to move the wounded to underground bunkers. The storm, under the control of the Protoss, would not spread too far, otherwise it would harm them. However, the wounded were already very weak, Augustus would not allow these warriors who had followed him here to suffer any further harm.

At some point, all communications suddenly went down, signifying that the energy of this Psionic Storm had reached its peak.

When the song begins.

The light on the screen dimmed briefly, and then, with a surge of energy, signs of spatial stacking appeared. Multiple clusters of light, composed of pure azure blue light, emerged on the horizon.

These orbs of light, perhaps even larger than the command center, gradually revealed the outline of a Protoss warrior. Their size expanded several times in a short period of time, as if these already terrifying Giant, who were sitting just moments before, had now stood up.

They were refracting a dazzling light, the brightness of which was increasing rapidly over several seconds. The intense light released like a nuclear explosion or a supernova would fill the entire world in an instant, until everything turned white.

Amidst the blinding flashes and deafening explosions, all the screens and lights in the command center shattered instantly, the Holographic Projection screen dimmed, and the earth trembled even more violently. Even Augustus, clad in Power Armor, was momentarily unable to stand steadily.

Kerrigan was the first to react; she lunged at Augustus and tried to create an invisible barrier with her Psionics power. Of course, it looked more like a petite Ghost operative throwing herself into the arms of the burly Augustus.

If Augustus wearing Power Armor, Kerrigan might have already been holding him in her arms.

Amid the violent tremors, Tychus remained unmoved, even having time to steady Augustus while muttering warnings to be careful. Tychus had always spoken softly and gently to young girls, but his superior received the same treatment.

"I'm not so weak that I can't even stand properly like a toddler learning to walk." Augustus realized he was becoming weak from overwork, a strong wind swept across the camp outside the command center, even snapping telephone poles in its attack.

A wave of dizziness, originating directly from the mind, made Augustus feel lightheaded; it was caused by the resonance of the will, thoughts, and emotions of countless Protoss.

Just a dozen seconds later, the storm subsided, some of the equipment in the command center resumed operation, and the lights once again illuminated the dim world.

"Try to figure out what happened, Kaczynski," Augustus said to the engineers in the command center.

"This will take a little time, boss." Kaczynski straightened his oil-stained flat cap and quickly lit up several LED screens.

"The impact of this storm on our electronic equipment is likely to be catastrophic; even several cameras outside this command center have been damaged. I am contacting the Alpha Squadron's science ship Amerigo and the Nova Squadron's Santiago, hoping they are safe."

"Faster, faster!" Augustus eager to know the outcome. Whether or not this Psionic Storm could kill the Overmind, it would determine the plans he would then unfold.

Augustus couldn't possibly stand at the very center of the Psionic Storm and witness it all; all he could do was wait for his subordinates to send back the footage they had taken.

"You're too slow." Tychus pulled out a wire that was emitting black smoke.

"Have some patience with engineers, you bastard. Swann probably told you that it's best not to mess with the Kel-Morian people, no matter what." Kaczynski glanced at him.

"Then Rory Swann must not have explained what happened after that to you," Tychus said.

Half a minute later, the holographic screen reappeared as Viktor Kaczynski up to wipe the sweat from his brow. This time, the image was clearer, and everyone present could see a blue-white pillar of light that filled the entire screen, surging from a giant abyss and soaring into the sky, as if connecting the earth and the heavens.

Above the beam of light, dark clouds gathered like a vortex, and lightning flashed in the air.

"My goodness!" Tychus leaned closer. "What are all these things? Where are the Overmind and Protoss?"

"It's obvious that the Protoss attack created something supernatural—a super tornado created from endless Psionics." Kaczynski added, "I don't know how to put it, but that thing probably opened up something bad while destroying the Overmind."

"That might be related to the Void that the Dark Templar spoke of—that ethereal other universe, the other side of our world." Kerrigan took quite some time to recover from the shock of the Psionic Storm; being too sensitive to Psionics might not necessarily be a good thing.

"How did you know?" Augustus, surprised.

"Just a guess." Kerrigan shrugged. "Human Psionics is significantly different from Protoss, but I can still sense a large amount of void energy concentrated within it."

"I believe the Protoss also detonated the Void energy within the Overmind before roasting it. Such powerful Psionics is enough to cause unnatural weather and other far more terrifying things."

"I'm afraid we'll have to ask the Protoss to find out what happened." Augustus had a bad feeling. He had changed too many things, and some of them might not be for the better.

"Tassadar. Did it succeed?"

When Tassadar's image finally appeared on the screen, Augustus immediately asked him a question. Protoss expressions are not as obvious as those of humans, and Augustus it difficult to glean any information from Tassadar's expression, as he couldn't determine whether a Protoss was inherently expressionless.

"This battle will surely be etched in history; nothing is more thrilling than a battle for glory." Before Tassadar could answer, Fenix's face, immersed in the blue nutrient solution, appeared with his impassioned and powerful voice.

"A glorious victory! The light of the Khala shines upon us!" Artanis's voice followed immediately, the young executive almost dancing with excitement. But Artanis paused and regained his composure; after all, he wasn't a two-hundred-year-old child.

"I can confirm that, at the cost of many High Templar and Dark Templar Masters, we finally killed the Overmind and burned its entire hideous body, but what followed was this terrible storm of uncontrollable Psionics." Tassadar's voice was much calmer.

"Hmm--so what does it matter? We've already messed with the Overmind's ass anyway." Tychus couldn't stop talking about ass.

"The Preservers Zamara told me that this event may last for several Aiur revolution years until it finally dissipates, and it may also completely affect the surrounding landscape during this time, making this area closer to the chaotic environment of the void," Tassadar explained to the humans.

"The Void?" Augustus asked, looking at Tassadar.

"This relentless storm is composed of the pure void energy Overmind by the Swarm, the Psionics of the Templar Knights and the Dark Templar. Such a vast amount of energy is enough to tear a rift between reality and the void. If this rift can also draw energy from the void, then it will not even dissipate naturally," Tassadar said with concern.

"Fortunately, it's still quite stable right now."

"Augustus, you must order your warriors to retreat immediately. After the Overmind's death, the remaining Zerg have lost their last shred of reason and are now frantically seeking revenge for their former master," Tassadar continued.

"That's at least good news," Augustus nodded. "Lieutenant, tell all the troops that we have successfully killed the Overmind, and everyone should begin the retreat towards the Midrin Peaks and the ruins of Eldritch."

"No need. Our Mothership and the Arbiter will recall the Revolutionary Army's forces together." Tassadar declared that the Protoss would never abandon its allies.

"Now, we must return to the safe Antioch Province before making a decision."