The Missing Protoss
Late February.
Crossing the southern border of the Antioch Province, passing through the Elder Lands, dotted with ruins and Khaydarin Ruins, and the rolling Shreka Hills, you will find a beautiful beach scattered with countless white seashells and colorful crystals.
The Auriga Tribe's Ark Harbor in Antarctica was built on the only deep-water harbor in the region. Legend has it that many Arks were built there, carrying the Protoss to challenge the vast ocean of Aiur, and it was also the starting point for the Protoss Empire's Great Fleet.
The Protoss Empire 'Fleets unparalleled Ark-class behemoths also originated from these breathtaking superships. They once cleaved through the terrifying storms of Aiur's oceans, remaining unmoved by super Hurricane and tsunamis, and the interstellar age sailed into space in a new light, conquering the galaxy.
In ancient times, before the Protoss had received the Xel'Naga's enlightenment, one could travel from here along the coastline to reach the sacred Temple of the Preservers.
It was a vast and mysterious virgin land, a dreamlike paradise. The primeval rainforest and lush ferns stretched as far as the eye could see, and ancient ruins and creations from the age of gods were hidden among the abundant vegetation.
The wind blew through the ferns covered in spores and the forest clearings carpeted with reddish-brown leaves, carrying with it the distinctive scent of banana plants. The leaves fluttering in the wind brought with them the hissing of Zerg, and the uneasy atmosphere kept the soldiers on edge, their attention focused on the weapons in their hands.
"Cheer up, you dashing gentlemen, get your asses out of the grass. There are at least three dozen hungry worms ready to devour some fresh human flesh." Tychus Finley's massive gold-red Power Armor didn't stand out much among the branches laden with vibrant red leaves, and his heavy alloy spiked boots sank deep into the fallen leaves on the ground.
"This is nothing new; these bastards always get hungry quickly away from the Creep."
As soon as Tychus finished speaking, a Hydralisk with a giant bone scythe suddenly leaped up from under the fallen leaves and slithered among the trees like a snake. Its dark brown skin with red patterns was excellent camouflage, and without heat source detection devices, the Revolutionary Army soldiers would have no chance to spot this terrifying monster lying in wait.
A terrifying monster, over ten feet long, arched its back and fired a series of sharp spines at the advancing Revolutionary Army soldiers, its piercing shriek sending chills down their spines. The dagger-like spines sliced through the falling leaves, embedding themselves firmly in the Revolutionary Army soldiers' riot shields and reinforced Power Armor, creating a series of clanging sounds.
This Aiur Rangers unit is a highly experienced veteran force, frequently tasked with the most dangerous missions on the Aiur battlefield. Each member is a seasoned veteran, having experienced far more battles than any Guild Wars between humans.
Compared to ordinary Power Armor, their helmets also adopt a more advanced double-layer structure. The outermost electroplated alloy steel visor, when closed, is sufficient to withstand the spines of the Hydralisk and the deadly venomous mist of Defiler.
They were all highly trained and outstanding warriors, brave and powerful, capable of surviving in harsh environments and advancing through rugged and varied terrain.
Immediately afterwards, with a thunderous gunshot, the Hydralisk was killed by a Mark II Railgun; the bullet, comparable in caliber to a machine gun, almost sliced through its entire skull.
"Well done, Piel." A cheer erupted from the squad's communication channel, while the Revolutionary Army soldier holding the heavy railgun simply pointed two fingers at his mask in acknowledgment.
This soldier is a Level 4 Psionics with an extraordinary talent for shooting. Before joining the Revolutionary Army from a nomadic tribe in Haj, the son of the local chief had no idea that he possessed Psionics, as he simply used his keen senses to herd and hunt.
"They've got some skills. I have to admit there are some tough guys among Ward's men." Tychus was an unpleasant troublemaker, but he knew the importance of not easily offending his soldiers, especially when they were standing behind him with dangerous weapons in their hands.
One of the crimes Tychus committed while in the Confederate Marine Corps was that he once attacked his superior officer in a fit of rage.
Before he could even celebrate, more Zerg appeared while Tychus was speaking. There were hundreds of Zergling and Hydralisk with the same skin color as the Hydralisk from before, and Tychus was quite certain that he had just seen a cunning Defiler dart by.
"Alright, you bad boys. Fire!" Tychus was the first to pull the trigger of the code- Persuader Heavy Machine Gun, and the thirty-odd Revolutionary Army soldiers behind him immediately opened fire as well.
In a face-to-face battle with the Swarm, only one thing trumps all strategy: fire as many bullets as you can and kill the screaming monsters before they kill you.
A barrage of A-12 grenades, P-30 pistol bullets, C-14 spiked gun bullets, and rockets quickly leveled the surrounding trees, and the Hydralisk retaliated with their own spikes.
The Zerg that had survived the first volley of shots leaped and ran through the rainforest, lunging at their prey. Their eyes, glowing with a dangerous red light, were devoid of any reason. This was yet another batch of Zerg that had lost the control of the Cerebrate. Their masters had all disappeared or left Aiur, and even the Overlord and Brood Queen were not intelligent enough to control their large swarm of members.
Tychus swept down seven or eight Zergling, watching as more of their kind were blown to pieces by grenades and Electromagnetic Grenade. A roaring Hydralisk was wounded by an anti-tank rocket and, in its rage, went on a killing spree among its kin.
Even so, some Zergling still managed to break through the hail of bullets and reach the soldiers.
These screaming little monsters may not have the tough chitinous armor of Hydralisk and Ultralisk, but they have the advantage of sheer numbers and speed. Their velociraptor-like sharp claws are also maliciously referred to by human soldiers as can openers.
The soldiers of the Aiur Rangers were long accustomed to the sight of snarling monsters charging at them; even when the Zergling were about to pounce on their faces, their gazes remained firm and resolute as they continued to fire. When facing the Zerg, there was no point in running away.
With a few streaks of blue, the Zergling had barely crossed the human warriors' barrage when they collided with the Protoss Templar Knights ' scorching and unstoppable Psionic Blade. Each Templar Knights was an elite warrior with hundreds of years of combat experience; their agile and elegant sword-wielding movements were as if the Zerg themselves had run into the sharp Psionics blades.
The Templar Knights stood before the Revolutionary Army fighters, forming an insurmountable wall. For these elite warriors, this was not the first time they had cooperated so seamlessly; the time when humans and Protoss fought side by side could be traced back to the most brutal moments of the Battle of Aiur.
A few minutes later, the Zerg, now without the command of the Cerebrate, hastily retreated after leaving behind several corpses. Compared to the Zerg still under the control of the main hive's will, they were more like wild beasts following their instincts to seek advantage and avoid harm.
"Not bad, buddy. I'm starting to think you guys are more loyal than the Tal'darim." After killing the last Zerg, Tychus reached out a hand to a Templar Knights next to him for a high-five, but the other's blue eyes, hidden behind a golden mask, just stared at him coldly.
Tychus, who was left behind, did not feel embarrassed at all. He casually ordered his men to continue advancing.
As Tychus strode forward, he was certain that the cold-blooded Protoss wouldn't be able to tear their eyes away from the scantily clad Protoss woman on his shoulder armor, despite the rage in those eyes. For this reason alone, Tychus gained a "renowned reputation" among the Protoss, and even the Protoss executive Tassadar, who had met Tychus, could only call him a remarkable man.
If Tychus was fighting the Protoss, then his armor would certainly attract enough hatred.
"These Protoss always have their uses," Tychus said over the communication channel, completely unconcerned about the Protoss who could easily read human thoughts.
"Our destination is just ahead." He pointed into the depths of the dense forest, where the Protoss's Asari Hunting Grounds (StarCraft I map) lay at the end of a vast, shimmering stream that flowed gently.
During the protracted war, this was one of the few regions that remained unconquered without any support.
"Be careful, there might be starving Protoss refugees here, or Protoss troops from the Conclave," Tychus warned his subordinates over the communication channel.
"I remember, Marshal Augustus instructed us to avoid conflict with members of the Conclave as much as possible." He muttered the order from above absentmindedly, inwardly resenting Augustus's lack of loyalty. As Augustus's capable lieutenant, Tychus had done a lot of thankless work.
In the past, Tychus would likely have held a grudge, but he was also a person who remembered kindness. Augustus taken care of Tychus no less Kerrigan. Just the fact that Augustus pulled Tychus out of the slums in Tarsonis and saved his organs was something Tychus would never forget.
Of course, Tychus was sent here entirely of his own volition, because as a commander, he was an impatient man who would often slack off on the battlefield. This infuriated Augustus so much that he almost dismissed Tychus entirely. In the end, he had to admit that Tychus was not suitable to be a high-ranking general commanding thousands of troops. He was proficient in drinking, gambling, whoring, and petty theft, but he was unwilling to take responsibility.
Augustus had no choice but to hand over the Wolf Hunters unit, originally commanded by Tychus, to Pulaier, and let Tychus lead the special operations team.
"If anything happens, don't wait for me to call for action. Just open fire. This is the Marshal's order. Be smart; we don't have any connections with those guys in the Conclave."
The Temple of the Preservers, where the Asari Hunting Grounds are located, is the size of a vast Protoss Empire. Geographically, it is situated east of the provinces of Velari Province and Kor-shakal Province, and southwest of Antioch, but strictly speaking, it is not an administrative region.
The ascetics who followed the teachings of the Khala and the Xel'Naga scholars of the Shilak Tribe regarded this place as sacred, and it was for this reason that the Protoss in this region fought to the death to Temple of the Preservers. For this, several small tribes were wiped out forever in the battle against the Swarm.
Due to the location of the Temple of the Preservers adjacent to the provinces of Kor-shakal and Antioch Province, Augustus and the Tassadar alliance, as well as the Conclave, are likely to extend a helping hand to the Protoss survivors in the region.
Nearly a month had passed since the final battle to kill the Overmind, and the Swarm's retaliatory attacks had long since subsided, with large numbers of Zerg retreating to the vicinity of the Psionic Storm formed on the Overmind's corpse.
Despite the relentless thunderstorms and Hurricane that had made the area as dangerous as Char, the Zerg remained there, following their instincts.
Meanwhile, several unnamed Cerebrate, including the Jormungand Brood Cerebrate Yack, remain in Aiur, occupying Aiur vast lands. Relying on Aiur's resources and biomass provided by countless native creatures, the Zerg continue to multiply, making it difficult for the Protoss to launch a counterattack against the Swarm and reclaim lost territory, even while holding onto their own lands.
Even with the continuous return of Protoss colony Fleets to Aiur, the stalemate has not improved much.
"Keep moving forward," Tychus then gave the order over the channel.
Led by Tychus, the squad continued along a northward-flowing stream. After passing a collapsed Protoss outpost, a magnificent Xel'Naga Temple standing against the blue sky and white clouds came into view.
The beautiful buildings of Aiur Protoss with their round roofs and domed towers were particularly striking, but most of them had been burned to charred ruins. The Pylon that had been floating in mid-air lay fallen in a huge, filthy puddle.
"Tychus Finley's squad calling command: We've arrived at our destination. Wait, don't rush to call that Xel'Naga transport ship." Tychus looked at the Revolutionary Army soldiers around him. "We need to greet the locals first."
Suddenly, several Protoss came into Tychus's view. They were clearly not Templar Knights, as they wore scholar's robes instead of gleaming armor.
"En Taro Tassadar!" Tychus greeted the locals in the Protoss manner, mimicking their greeting. However, Tychus had mistaken Tassadar and Adun's status; to him, remembering a few Protoss names was already a small favor to these damned aliens.
Without Tychus needing to say anything more, the Protoss Templar Knights in the group greeted their kin. These Protoss immediately celebrated their reunion with body language that Tychus couldn't understand. This way of embracing, which avoided physical contact as much as possible, seemed to him like a frog carrying its eggs.
Because the Protoss were communicating directly on a mental level using the Khala, Tychus had no way of understanding what they were saying, but one of the Templar Knights quickly brought bad news. "Tychus Findlay, the Conclave's guards have arrived here before us."
"I know what happened without you telling me." Tychus pointed to several Protoss warriors in crimson robes who had suddenly emerged from the ruins, a bad memory flooding his mind. "Looks like they're here to drive people away."
"Tassadar's followers are not welcome here. I can sense the stain on your minds, all because you've been too close to the Dark Templar," their leader said.
"More and more Dark Templar are roaming the ruins, and the Council suspects they are connected to the recent disappearances of our people. You have been declared undesirable, and before we, the Spear of the Conclave, resort to force—leave."