//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: Suspicious merchandise 
// Story: Defending the universe 
// by KRissCHu573 
//------------------------------//

Defending the universe




Chapter 3: Suspicious merchandise




Deep within the catacombs underneath the city of Darnassus, in a chamber locked by giant 3 foot thick wooden gates, under the watchful gazes of two druids of the claw, three priestesses of Elune and several bow armed watchers, lay the eye of Sargeras. The priestesses were honing its power to the earth above them, giving the ill land strength to heal. All of a sudden a purple portal appeared in the middle of the room. 

The druids prepared for battle, one taking the form of a mighty bear, while the watchers readied their bows with arrows. The portal just stood there, when all of a sudden a crossbow bolt flew through and pierced a watcher’s throat, who then fell on the ground, leaking out a small puddle of blood. In a moment of confusion, several shadow like people carrying either swords or daggers entered the room and cut down three more of the archers. 

The shadows became actual people. The remaining two archers were about to fire, when they were struck by crossbow bolts, shot by other attackers, who came through the portal. The bear hit one of them, sending him in the nearby wall, but soon found its head pierced by a sword. The gates opened, and more archers, several huntresses on panther mounts and two druids of the talon entered. The druid of the claw was crushing one of the attackers in his embrace, when he was kicked in the back, and forced on his knees. As he was about to get up, a double blade pierced his head from the back, and through his eyes. Behind him stood the masked gaze of Zed. 

He moved his arm to the side, slicing open the elf’s head, spilling out his brains. In the next moment, large roots burst from the ground and gripped around him. A panther rider lunged at the Shadow Master. A shadow representation of him emerged on the side. In a second, the man and the shadow switched places, and the panther’s gut was cut by the shadow blades. The animal dropped on the ground, throwing off his rider. She picked up her blade and swung at Zed. He caught it in between the blades on his right hand, and hit the elven warrioress with his knee in the jaw, knocking her down. When she got up slightly, he stabbed her from underneath the throat and through the head. 

The rest of the clan were cutting and shooting down the archers and huntresses. The stone floor had become dark crimson in color. 

“Report to Baxtorian Stormrage immediately!” One of the druids said to the other, before a bolt pierced him between the eyes. 

The one still alive took on the form of a storm crow and quickly flew away. In two minutes, all of the guards were dead. The priestesses were huddled together in a corner. Zed approached them, with his blades withdrawn. He kneeled down, and grabben one by the chin, and moved her face from left to right, taking a good look at her, as he said. 

“So beautiful, and a devoted follower of a deity…what a waste.” He harshly pushed her, receiving spiteful glares from all three. 

He stood up, and gestured to the artifact with the words. 

“Carry this thing through there…” He looked at the purple portal. “…and we’ll let you go.” 

“Never!” The priestess he had looked at first stated. 

“Never?” He chuckled. 

Then the Master of Shadows grabbed her by the throat and raised her on her feet. She made an attempt to remove his grip, but with no effect. 

“Do you care about what would happen to your friends?” He enquired. 

After receiving no reaction, he simply stated. 

“Very well then.” 

And stabbed the woman he held in the heart, letting her fall lifeless. 

“The question was directed towards you two.” He cleared, before asking as politely as the situation could allow. 

“Now, would you be kind enough to carry that big magical rock across?” 

With slight hesitation, they got up, and levitated the Eye of Sargeras with their magic, and slowly walked through the portal. On the other side, they saw a dark place, filled with many monstrous creatures. 

“Merciful Elune! We’re in the abyss!” One of them exclaimed. 

“No. The abyss was too bright and sunny for us.” Zed spoke. “Thank you for your work girls, but now I can’t let you leave.” 

With shocked expressions they turned towards him. 

“But…you said you’d let us go…” 

“You really haven’t had experience with men, have you? We lie.” 

As those words left his mouth, two shadow clones of his appeared behind them, and snapped their necks. The Master of Shadows turned towards his clan members. 

“Get someone magic resistant to move the eye…and get those two to Victor. I think he’d like to study their anatomy.” 

And then walked off into the shadows. 



--



Things were going as per usual on the Ergon. System checkups, regulation patrols and ect. Currently on the bridge were several pilots, two engineers, and a zealot. All of a sudden a purple portal appeared, and multiple trolls burst thought. They had clubs, maces, axed and even bulker gauntlets, and started to maul everyone on the room. The zealot activated his psionic blades and engaged in battle. 

A troll swung his axe at him, but the blades cut through the metal, and found itself in the said troll’s chest, and cut him open. He back bended to dodge a mace swing, and then cut off the arm of the troll wielding the mace. Another one charged at him from the back, and rose his hands to smash his target, but while his hands were up in the air, the zealot whirled and sunk his blade in the troll’s forehead. 

Once it dropped on the ground, a giant ice pillar erupted from the floor, knocking the protoss down. Before he could get up, a large club made of ice slammed against him. And again, and again, and again, and again. 

“Come on! Die already!” Trundle yelled in frustration. 

With his last breath, the zealot rose his arm towards the Troll King, but another hit from the club crushed his skull, and his body dematerialized into energy. In moments everyone was killed by the trolls. 

“Control, this is command. What happened up there?” A voice, apparently of a terran, sounded in the room. 

Trundle went to a nearby console, and pressed a button labeled “speaker”, and spoke. 

“Command this is control. Sorry ‘bout the noise. Some of the engineers were about two feet high and rising. They meddled and broke several operating systems, so if my voice sounds a bit off, thank them.” 

“They used opiates?! Not only is it illegal, but on duty?!” The voice exclaimed. 

“Imagine my surprise.” The Troll King began. “We’re rounding them up, and will bring them down to you for lock down.” 

“Roger that control, command out.” Was the reply. 

Trundle turned towards his men as all of them laughed. 

“Seriously, are these guys getting more gullible with every day?” A troll called out, receiving a large portion of approving cheers. 

“Don’t know ‘bout that, but one thing’s for sure. Our king can be very convincing, even if he’s not pointing his club at you!” Another one stated, getting even more cheers and some whistles. 

Trundle stopped laughing, and silenced them down. 

“Alright boys, time to get serious.” 

With his crowd quiet, and now bearing serious faces, he started giving orders. 

“We’ve got a golden piece of art to recover here, probably locked down in the ship’s lab. Once we get it, don’t damage it!” 

A wave of disappointed “Aaawww”s hit him. He put on a smirk as he said. 

“But…smash everything and everyone in our way!” The trolls cheered once again. 

Three marines in red painted armor, along with several engineers and lab coats were waiting in front of the large metal door, closing the corridor to the bridge. 

“Good thing the control guys got them. God knows what could have happened to the ship.” One of the engineers said. 

The doors started to open. 

“Okay boys, at the ready. They could have sniffed in quite a lot.” One of the marines stated. 

All of a sudden, dozens of trolls burst through, taking the armored men by surprise. A bulker wearing troll tackled a marine, then brought him up, and bit his shoulder plate, tearing off his arm, and then threw him away. The second marine had a large axe split him in two, and the third one was beaten to death by two club armed trolls. Without the armors’ protection, the techs and lab coats were easy pickings. 

After crushing a human with his club, a troll licked the gory remains off of it, and said. 

“Mmm…31, perfectly aged.” 

“Not the time Hargle, move along!” Another troll yelled at him. 

Hargle complied, and followed suit. They passed through several more ship chambers. About five of the trolls had died from marine fire, but the others managed to survive long enough for their regeneration abilities to kick in. The systems started to give out from the beating the trolls gave to their surroundings, and the blood soaking through the ship. 

In about twenty minutes they reached the lab. In it, locked in a stasis field, surrounded by an energy wall, was a golden statue of Kha’Zix and Rengar engaged in combat. In front of it was a console with LOTS of buttons. 

“How are we going to get that thing open? We didn’t leave anyone alive to tell us the code.” A troll pondered on the problem. 

“Step back.” Trundle commanded as he stepped to the console. 

“Hacking requires fines, precision and a delicate touch.” He said. 

Then he raised his club, and flattened the console to pancake size. After the pile of ruble gave out several sparks, the defenses around the statue shut off. 

“Grab the thing and get it through to the Void.” The Troll Kind ordered. 

A purple portal opened, and the appointed individuals carried the statue through. 

“Wow Boss, you are really good at smashing stuff.” A troll praised his leader. 

With a weak smile Trundle replied. 

“I know. It’s a gift.” 

Then, without turning around, he smashed a strange device that was behind him. 

[Ship self destruct activated. Crew has ten seconds to evacuate.] An adjutant stated, and began counting down. 

Just as she reached five, all of the trolls and the portal were gone. 

[…three, two, one…] 

*View the battle cruiser in space* 

*It explodes*