Holy Land

What a turn of fortune—his luck had finally changed!

Malain, the Calamity Star, Fourth Ascendant beneath the current Tal'darim Highlord Alarak, had become convinced that this planet called Bhekar was a true treasure trove for him.

So long as Malain plundered Bhekar's vast reserves of Terrazine—no, even obtaining just a fraction of it would be enough to push him further up the Chain of Ascension.

He might even ascend Slayn, crush Jinarra, the First Ascendant, beneath his feet, and rule all beneath his command.

Heh heh.

Malain showed none of his smugness on his face. He was walking slowly along a narrow path cleared by human colonists, with waist-high Bhekar bittergrass rising on either side. A sea of emerald grass rolled and surged beneath powerful hurricanes.

The vegetation here had long, straight stalks, hard as iron, and the edges of their tiny leaves were sharp enough to easily slice through heavy robes. The morning sun was cold and forbidding, while the wind roared like thunder. For a time, it sounded like war drums and horns blaring in unison, blades and spears clashing all around.

The Steppes of War were fertile lands covered in lush greenery. Countless lost Protoss ruins still stood upon these vibrant grasslands. Some had fallen into utter disrepair over the years, their collapsed walls and toppled stone pillars lying abandoned amid the flourishing vegetation. Only the Kydarin Crystals engraved with graceful verses and prayers still shone brilliantly, as though the years had never passed and time had stood still.

Just then, the rising sun seemed to leap above the clouds in an instant. The entire world was set ablaze, and the wisps of cloud above and below reflected golden light.

Yet such beautiful scenery stirred nothing in Ascendant Malain. The Tal'darim had always been an exceedingly pragmatic