Nassin's Memory

"Executor, the Conclave's Fleets is retreating; this is the power of the Templar Knights!"

As soon as Artanis finished speaking, a high-ranking Templar Radnaknis, who was guarding the Star Array Platform, let out an excited mental tremor.

The holographic screen of the Spear of Adun was tracking a Protoss Fleets that was entering a warp field. Even though it had been heavily damaged, the Protoss fighters surrounding the Protoss Mothership and carriers were still massive.

A dazzling vortex of spacetime and blue flashes swirled around the Arbiter, making the massive Protoss Empire Fleets appear as if it were floating on a layer of oily film.

"A glorious victory, Commander." Artanis's praise made Ladenaknis truly radiant.

"Our victory at Kor-shakal has spread throughout Aiur through the Khala, and finally, the Council's supporters have given up resistance. The Conclave's strategic failure is obvious; they sent too many troops into enemy-controlled territory, leaving their rear defenses vulnerable."

"The arbitrators never imagined we would win through any means of warfare other than direct confrontation, and they were overly confident in the parliamentary guards."

"Where is the Conclave retreating to?" Augustus placed his hand on the Spear of Adun star array platform, the light emanating from the golden metal and blue crystal illuminating his heroic face. "If the Arbitrators' battle in Aiur is going to fail, where will they flee to?"

"Analyzing the path for opening the spacetime passage." The phase technician beside him opened the control panel and was calculating something.

"This is a journey that will take a very long time to complete, and its destination is not on the territory of the Protoss Empire." His voice was filled with amazement, and grew increasingly urgent.

"Where are they going?" Raynor studied the Protoss equipment carefully, but he couldn't understand the Protoss language and numbers. Otherwise, with his self-proclaimed genius for piloting starships, he could have easily mastered it.

"Only they and Khas know whether their destination is a land of blooming flowers or the end of an abyss," the phase technician replied.

"We can't let them leave like that," Augustus said, regretting that he had no better way to stop a Protoss Fleets determined to leave the battlefield, especially given that the Fleets still had a large number of Arbiter warships.

"There's no better way," the Phase Technician said. "Spear of Adun's spacetime technology is enough to imprison the dimensions of time and space, but she has only just been awakened, and the Military Matrix, Destruction Cluster, and Assault Cluster have not yet been restored to operation."

"I originally thought you meant you couldn't do it, not that you couldn't do it for the time being. The difference between those two is truly enormous." Raynor had already witnessed the power of the Protoss Mothership; its terrifying purifying beams could incinerate the surface of a planet and even tear apart stellar vortexes. There was no reason why the Spear of Adun couldn't do the same.

"That's already irreversible." Artanis's tone was both as if he couldn't stop the departure of the Conclave's Fleets and as if he was relieved that he didn't have to fight his own people to the point of mutual destruction and bloodshed.

"The Conclave's Fleets is warping through the matrix network spanning Aiur, its most loyal supporters, and then sailing away from home without looking back. I don't know why they're doing this? Even in times of crisis, the Arbitrators refuse to abandon their homeland."

"Hmm," Augustus said after a moment of silence.

"You just mentioned that the Conclave is preparing to launch another Ark ship?"

"Yes," Artanis said. "I suspect the Conclave had long planned to activate all the remaining Arks, including the Spear of Adun. Had we not stormed into the Heart of the Conclave of Kor-shakal, they might have used the Arkships against us."

"Maybe? Dude, we don't believe they went through all that trouble to send the Ark into the sky just to set off fireworks and make a noise." Raynor shook his head.

"I can sense that my little sister's thoughts have awakened, and her will is reconnecting to the Khala. The Solar Core of the Pride of Otaris is rumbling like thunder; she has been reborn," said Rohana, the High Preservers of the Spear of Adun.

"Supreme Preservers Shantira?" The Phase Technician attempted to establish a connection with another ark Pride of Otaris: "This ark has already taken off! Supreme Preservers Shantira is a master of physics and engineering; it's no exaggeration to say that the entire glory of the Protoss Empire's Khalai engineering community is built upon Shantira's vision and foresight."

"Is that so? Then it's still too late," Artanis said regretfully. "The Pride of Otaris must be carrying the last arbiters; this ark is their last hope in their desperate battle."

"I am Tassadar, the Executor. I am aboard Yurlan's flagship. Spear of Adun, assemble before me immediately." Tassadar's avatar appeared, and he took a moment to confirm that it was Augustus standing on the bridge of the Spear of Adun. At the same time, the coordinates of Tassadar's Fleets appeared above the star array platform.

"Augustus, it's you," Tassadar said.

"The situation is not optimistic. Although the Conclave's Fleets is retreating, they have launched another ark ship, the Pride of Otaris. I don't know what they intend to do."

"Do as the executor says." High Templar Radnakenis is a loyal supporter of Tassadar and Artanis.

After a brief flash, the Spear of Adun appeared at the edge of Tassadar's Fleets. The ark was so enormous that Tassadar's flagship carrier Star Shuttle, was nothing more than a tiny speck in comparison.

A few minutes later, Tassadar teleported to the bridge of the Spear of Adun via the warp matrix, followed by Admiral Yurlan, the leader of his Fleets. Compared to Tassadar and Artanis, Yurlan, filled with rage after the fall of his homeland, had become even more volatile. He was a pro-war Protoss who advocated ending everything with absolute force and fire, thus ending his rule.

"I felt immediately relieved when I saw that you were commanding the Spear of Adun," Tassadar said as soon as he saw Augustus.

"It's just a forced assignment," Augustus shrugged. "I'm not the commander here."

"Rohana, the Supreme Preservers, High Executor Tassadar pays his respects to you. I have read many stories about the Ark in the Templar Archives. It was you who foresaw the end of the world and oversaw its construction." Tassadar then looked at Rohana was floating in the air, and said.

"It seems the Templar Knights haven't forgotten the past," Rohana replied nonchalantly. "You're the current leader of the Templar Knights? Forgive my bluntness, but I still only have a superficial understanding of the war that took place in Aiur."

"Perhaps you and I share the same view on this matter: it's both a catastrophe and a farce."

"Supreme Preservers, since you only have a superficial understanding of all this, then refrain from making unwarranted comments." Having experienced so much, Tassadar was not going to give much face to the conservative former ruling class.

"The Pride of Otaris has taken off. Phase Technician, immediately attempt to establish communication with this ark." Tassadar turned to the Star Array Platform.

"I'm trying," the phase engineer suddenly said. "The detection system has detected the Pride of Otaris; it's orbiting Aiur in a synchronous orbit."

"I am Arbitrator Kotanul, the current leader of the Conclave." An incredibly aged arbitrator, whose face had even collapsed, was bound to a static force field. He was a true venerable elder, much older than Raszagal, the matriarch of the Dark Templar.

"I have traversed countless ages, and I have witnessed firsthand the fall of the Dark Templar and the twilight's demise in Adun. I was once a staunch defender of the Khala doctrine, but now my heart is solely concerned with the survival of the Protoss Empire."

"Kotanul?" Rohana repeated the name. "Before I fell asleep, he was one of the elders of the Conclave."

"In the name of Khas, I live. Salute to you, Preservers Rohana. The Conclave has failed in its duty to us, as Khas commanded. The loss of our homeland and our glory is a great disgrace."

"Remember the mistakes we made because of arrogance and ignorance, and let them serve as a warning to those who come after us." The arbitrator nodded to Rohana, but quickly turned to Tassadar:

"Our Executor, Tassadar. The Council has failed, and the elders have fallen into the hands of the Templar Knights. Are you determined to execute them? Or are you determined to utterly destroy the Arbitration Order?"

Just as Tassadar was about to say something, he was interrupted by the other party.

"I am not blaming you for being heartless towards your own kind, Tassadar. I simply want to tell you that the Conclave has acknowledged defeat. As the price of defeat, and to atone for our mistakes, we have decided to follow in the footsteps of our Xel'Naga, leaving Aiur and embarking on a new pilgrimage."

"--That is the path our Protoss Empire ancestors followed in their search for the Xel'Naga, venturing into the universe. This will be an expedition. To prevent war from breaking out again, to avoid fratricide, we will depart."

"Until the day of Aiur's recapture arrives, Tassadar, when you summon us, the Fleets will return."

"Elder, as long as you swear to never wage war again and accept the leadership of the new Protoss Empire Council, you will not have to leave Aiur," Tassadar said.

"If that means changing the system established by Khas and coexisting with the Dark Templar, then I will not agree," said Arbitrator Kotanul.

"There's no need to say anything more."

"Release the arbitrators you are holding, and then we will leave."

The atmosphere immediately became even more tense as soon as Kotanul finished speaking.

"I don't know if this is a lie." Tassadar's eyes turned cold. The Conclave, possessing an Ark and Fleets, still had the strength to fight them, even if the two sides were no longer in a civil war.

"How dare you question the Conclave! We are already groveling before you!" Kotanul felt immensely humiliated.

"Oh, you're acting like we're begging you, old man," Raynor remarked, observing the scene with a detached air.

"By the name of Khas, we will leave, lest we fight each other with our own kind. If we break our oath, may the Khala forsake us, and may our homeless souls scatter in the winds of the plains." After a moment of silence, Kotanul spoke.

"Then the oath-breakers will meet again before Adun and beg for his mercy and forgiveness," Tassadar added.

"Executor Mojya, release all the arbitrators."

"What? You're just going to let it go like that?" Raynor asked incredulously. "How do you know they won't go back on their word?"

"This is the most vicious oath for the Protoss," Augustus. "After all, they truly believe in gods and souls, and there are things more important than life itself."

"Oaths are meant to be broken, that's their purpose." Kerrigan, however, disagreed.

"Tassadar, there is no deep-seated hatred between us," Kotanul said after a few seconds of silence. "If you hadn't sent Dark Templar to attack the Heart of the Conclave while you were convening the Peace Council, we wouldn't have needed to retaliate at all."

"But in war, we are ultimately no match for the soldiers."

"I did not send Dark Templar to attack the Council." Tassadar was taken aback.

"We captured the attackers and brought them to the inquisition for questioning, and without exception, all the Dark Templar claimed they were acting on your orders." Kotanul quickly realized, "You mean, the Dark Templar attacked us were someone else entirely."

Tassadar was clearly shocked; he could hardly believe that the Conclave would listen to the enemy, and he was completely speechless.

"Is he an idiot?" Kerrigan covered her face with one hand. "Rather than an idiot, he's just very easy to fool."

"They've become accustomed to communicating through telepathy, and their ability to detect lies is very poor," Raynor added. "In fact, the Conclave hasn't lied at all; verifying their identities isn't an easy task."

"We've been provoked?" Ironically, Kotanul didn't actually believe Tassadar's words at all. They preferred to believe what they already believed rather than their own people or the truth.

"How could I have ordered the assassination of my own people?" Tassadar lamented, for it was all too late to undo the damage. The fallen Protoss would never rise again.

"This is perhaps an unimaginable mistake." Kotanul sighed. "Set sail, Pride of Otaris, along the path trodden by our ancestors."

"The more debt you have, the less you worry," Raynor said.

"Arbitrator, I have a question that I must get answered by you," Augustus suddenly said.

"A leader of mankind? You are worth my waiting." Kotanul clearly recognized Augustus.

"Is there an arbitrator Duran on your ship?" Augustus asked.

Unexpectedly, after verifying the information, Kotanul gave an answer that Augustus unbelievable, "There is no such person in the council."

After some time, the Pride of Otaris vanished in a burst of brilliant light, leaving behind a spacetime jump field that stretched for tens of miles and whose traces would not dissipate for many years to come.

"Wait, what about the ark?" Augustus suddenly remembered something.

"The Nassin's Memory have not been activated," said the Supreme Preservers Rohana.

"Orlana, the highest Preservers on the Ark, my sister is alive—but she's not doing well."

"Artanis, Executor, proceed immediately to the area where the Nassin's Memory are located," Tassadar declared decisively, providing the coordinates of a city.

"Something's not right," Augustus frowned.

Who is closest to there?

"It's Swann's men," Kerrigan replied. "The Eldritch and the engineering corps are nearby."