//------------------------------// // Legacy: Corruption // Story: Starcraft: Warriors of Purity // by Xarmar13 //------------------------------// After witnessing the Hybrid for themselves, Tassadar, Fenix and Artanis were convinced that the End War had begun. Since they had no reason to doubt Lyra’s claims about who Amon had as allies, they knew that they had their work cut out for them if they wished to survive. Tassadar, Fenix, Artanis, Lyra and Zeratul met at a secure part of the battlefield at sunset to discuss what transpired. The five of them witnessed a Carrier falling through the atmosphere. “It seems the End War you warned of has begun,” Artanis said. “Tell me, old friend, what is it you have learned?” “I have witnessed the end of all things…” Zeratul responded. “Horrific legions of Hybrid razing world upon world. In the darkness, lording over them, a shadowy form...Amon.” Fenix spoke next, “You mentioned a way to stand against him. What is it?” “I witnessed a vision from a benevolent source, as if an ancient voice called out from beyond. ‘The Keystone shall usher you unto hope…’” “What is the Keystone? What’s it look like?” Lyra asked. “It is the Xel’naga artifact that you and Sweetie Drops assembled during your adventures with Raynor.” Lyra tilted her head. “I thought all it did was take in a bunch of stuff related to Protoss and Zerg.” “Never underestimate the complexity of Xel’naga technology, Lyra.” Zeratul steered the conversation back to the topic he wanted discussed. “The prophecies speak of Xel’naga standing against Amon in the end times. I believe this Keystone will guide us to them.” “Go to James Raynor on Korhal in my stead and receive this Keystone. I will marshal our forces for the war ahead,” Tassadar said. “When you return, the Templar will be ready. En taro Lyra, old friend.” “En taro Lyra, brother.” Lyra looked at them with a confused expression. “Since when was I part of a Protoss salutation?” The other four looked at Lyra and chuckled. Fenix was the one to clarify, “You are a hero among our people for your actions in service to Aiur and Shakuras. Those who earn that title are remembered among our people.” Lyra hummed. Lyra and Zeratul return to the Void Seeker to find its smoldering remains. Before they could figure out what happened, a few of Amon’s Zerglings surfaced and surrounded them. Lyra and Zeratul quickly dispatched the creatures. Zeratul hummed. “The Zerg in this area should have been eradicated...” Zeratul had Lyra and his Stalker escort flee to the nearest Nexus Point to warn Tassadar of what happened. As they progressed, more Zerglings surfaced to attack them. They were no match for Lyra’s blades. The group teleported over a small chasm that was formed from the destruction of the walkway they were on. More Zerglings and a pair of Mutalisks were all that stood between them and the Nexus Point. Lyra turned one of the Mutalisks against the other with her Mind Control ability while the Stalkers took advantage of the chaos between them and shot both out of the sky. Once they reached the Nexus Point, Lyra received a transmission from Selendis, <“Zeratul, Lyra, the templar stationed here...I can no longer sense them within the Khala.”> <”Is that not impossible?”> Zeratul responded. <”Then the impossible has happened. I can no longer sense Artanis or Fenix. There is only a void in the Khala where he should be.”> “A ‘void’? You don’t think…” Lyra mused. <”Yes, the shadow moves against us, Executor. Artanis and Fenix are in grave peril as could Tassadar.”> Selendis sent Phasesmith Karax to help reactivate the Nexus Point so Lyra could raise an army to find and save the leaders. When he arrived, he deployed a few Probes to bring the Nexus Point back online and deploy Pylons to reactivate the other structures. Once operations were underway, Lyra had several Gateways warped in so they could efficiently warp in Zealots and Stalkers. Zerglings began attacking the Nexus Point and were swiftly killed before they could get close to any structure. When Lyra and her army were ready to move out, she left a few Zealots and Stalkers behind to protect the base should any Zerg sneak past her. A nearby Nerazim Void Pylon activated and warped in more Stalkers for Lyra’s army. After they tore through a group of Zerglings and Mutalisks, most of which were fried by Lyra’s Storm Charge, The army engaged a hive cluster that offered little resistance. Lyra drained some life force from some of the living structures and other enemies around before unleashing the energy created to rip apart the Hatchery while the others focused their blades and disruptors on the other targets. In a small alcove north of the hive cluster lied another Void Pylon that warped in more Stalkers for Lyra to work with. As they exited the area of the fallen hive cluster, the army came across a group of four Zealots that were acting strangely. While they appeared to be dressed in the armor of the Khalai Protoss, Their eyes and psi blades were the crimson colors of the void. “Could the Tal’darim be disguising themselves as Khalai?” Lyra thought. “No, even they wouldn’t act to deceive others normally...unless it was Alarak.” The aggressive Zealots mentioned that Zeratul was a denier of the Khala. Lyra knew that the Tal’darim did not believe in the Khala like the Khalai did. Something very wrong was happening. Zeratul, who had rejoined Lyra, said that the Zealots are corrupted and that the Hybrid were likely behind it. The hive cluster ahead had a decent amount of defenders including Zerglings, Roaches, Mutalisks and an Ultralisk. Lyra was actually glad that the evolution of these Zerg stagnated because she didn’t want to be dealing with the likes of Kerrigan’s Brood. After clearing the hive cluster, Lyra saw another Void Pylon across a chasm and teleported across to be greeted by more Stalkers. Lyra rejoined the army and they pressed onward. While they were glad to find the missing Templar, something was wrong. The defenders were glowing red and began attacking her forces. While her forces easily dealt with the defenders, the Zealots in her own army began changing from their azure glow to crimson. Her own Zealots began attacking her and the Stalkers. Reacting quickly, Lyra and Zeratul slew the Zealots in rapid succession. When Zeratul tried to inform Selendis about what he found, he discovered that he was unable to contact her. Artanis and Fenix contacted Zeratul and mentioned that their minds were being consumed with rage that was coming directly from the Khala. “Artanis, quick, sever your nerve cords before you’re fully consumed by Amon’s corruption,” Lyra shouted. “Just do it before you end up with us fighting you.” Deciding to trust that Lyra knew what she was saying, Artanis quickly grabbed his nerve cord and with all the force of will that he could muster in the face of the corruption creeping into his mind, activated his psi blade and cut off the fibrous strand in the back of his head. Amon’s voice could be heard all around them, “Your lives are meaningless, purposeless. I grant you salvation!” Zeratul looked at Lyra, “How did you know that Amon has wrested control of the Khala?” “It’s the only explanation for all the rage and void energy. I may have never had a connection to the Khala, but for it to corrupt an entire tribe would take a massive amount of such power and Amon is the only one I know that could do something like that.” Zeratul accepted Lyra’s explanation while the uncorrupted Protoss teleported past a destroyed bridge. After fighting through groups of corrupted or in the process of being corrupted Protoss, Lyra and Zeratul saving as many as they could by slicing off nerve cords, the group made it to Artanis who was recovering from his wave of emotional trauma. In that moment, Tassadar teleported to them. “What is going on? Our brethren have started attacking each other. And they are speaking strangely.” Thankfully, Tassadar severed his nerve cords years ago as a show of commitment to the ways of the Nerazim. Suddenly, they were greeted by a corrupted Dragoon. “You shall serve the master in death!” Fenix said. Everyone dodged as Fenix fired his Photon Disruptor in Zeratul’s direction. Fenix used his machine’s large size as well as his weapon to combat the enemies of his master, using his legs to kick or impale while firing his cannon at anyone who tried to get near him. Lyra teleported directly on top of Fenix and slashed his cannon off. The Dragoon bucked hard to try to throw Lyra off but she jumped up instead and sliced a leg off during her descent. Following up, Lyra sliced the other three legs of the Dragoon and rendered Fenix into a helpless shell containing his battered remains. Lyra cut a hole into the shell that was wide enough for her to fit her arm. Feeling around in the fluid, Lyra found what she was looking for. Pulling out Fenix’s nerve cords, she deployed her bane blade and severed it from Fenix’s body. Once everyone recovered, Lyra picked up Fenix’s shell with her telekinesis and the four of them sought a safe place from Amon’s corruption.