Two years had passed since the battle to reclaim Aiur from Amon ‘s forces. Kerrigan had helped clean up the remaining feral Zerg by creating a Broodmother that was given the purpose of taking control of as many feral Zerg as she could. She would then take that brood and wipe out the remaining feral Zerg on Aiur. The Protoss were thankful for Kerrigan’s efforts while their civilization was being rebuilt.
Alarak had continued to say that the alliance between the Daelaam and the Tal’darim was tenuous. The only reason the alliance persisted as it did was because he knew Sweetie was looking for a way to enter Amon’s realm and finish the False God.
Meanwhile, Lyra had slowly reshaped the beliefs and structure of some of the Tal’darim. Her popularity on the battlefield and in her Rak’Shir duels had earned her a number of fans who were receptive to her combat philosophy. Normally a belief that deviates from the Tal’darim norm would have been seen as a sign of weakness and had the Blood Hunters after them, but they were free to say what they wanted under the reign of Highlord Lyra.
The Protoss were sad to know that their friend that they spent eight exciting years getting to know would be returning home to Equus within the year, according to her. Lyra informed Tassadar that she would see if she could get Princess Celestia to agree to allow the Protoss to establish a colony on Equus. She would make sure to run it by Bon Bon first because it’s her plan to spur technological development by introducing advanced education to Equestria.
Tassadar found Lyra honing her skills by sparring with warriors of different factions. Each warrior came at her with their own styles and Lyra adapted herself to deal with each one. The Hierarch approached the Highlord, “Glad to see you not letting your skills go to rust, Lyra.” He received a smile for his comment. He suddenly took on a serious tone, “We just received a transmission from Kerrigan. She appears to be sending the same message to James Raynor. She wants us to meet her at Ulnar. She claims that she heard a mysterious voice calling out to her.”
Zeratul appeared from the shadows. “It could be the same voice I heard on Atrias that told me that the Keystone would guide us unto hope. If this truly is the same being that aided us in our most dire hour, this warrants investigation.”
Tassadar had Zeratul gather his advisors to hear their views on the matter. Vorazun and Rohana were unsure whether the voice was trustworthy but decided that they should investigate while maintaining the utmost caution. Talandar and Fenix decided on going to Ulnar hoping to find glorious battle there. Alarak wanted to go because if Kerrigan had found a way into the Void, this would be his chance to watch Amon draw his last breath.
A fleet of Dominion Battlecruisers along with the Spear of Adun escorted by the Golden Armada held position near the Alterian Rift where Ulnar was. They didn’t have to wait long before a number of Kerrigan’s Leviathans appeared.
Selendis was impatiently waiting for Kerrigan and Sweetie to make their appearance in the Spear of Adun’s war council chamber. Artanis, Raynor and Lyra were in attendance.
While Selendis was complaining about the wait, Lyra tried to reassure her, “If this is about what I think it’s about, we are about to engage in a battle that will go down in history as one that will determine the fate of our universe.”
“I hope that you’re not exaggerating,” Selendis said.
Kerrigan and Sweetie entered the war council a few seconds later. Kerrigan commented about Selendis’ lack of faith.
Raynor spoke first, “So what’s going on, Sarah? Lyra’s suspecting something big is about to go down. Is she right?”
“Yes, Jim. We’re going after Amon. It’s time to bring an end to this war,” Sweetie said.
“Even now, I hear a voice calling out to me. I can tell it’s not Amon’s. It’s tormented and desperate, but it’s benevolent. Amon may not return for millennia...but he will return. That’s why Sweetie and I have agreed to use the gateway within Ulnar and destroy the Fallen One within his own realm,” Kerrigan said.
“We will need everyone’s assistance for this. Despite how powerful Lyra and I have become, we are still going against an ancient being of immeasurable power. If we fail here, some generations further down the line will suffer for our failure.”
After a brief pause, Raynor spoke up, “They’re right...We can’t kick this can down the road. This burden is ours, like it or not.
Lyra and Sweetie were suddenly grabbed and pulled through a rift. When they landed in their new location, they were greeted by a familiar, yet obnoxious presence.
Sweetie sighed and stared at the Draconequus, “What do you want now, Discord?”
“I believe your time in the Koprulu sector is coming to an end. Have you said your goodbyes yet?”
Sweetie shook her head. “Not yet...There’s still one last thing I need to do before we go back home.”
For the first time ever, Sweetie and Lyra were surprised to see Discord’s jaw drop to the floor, literally, and his eyes go so wide they popped out of his head, literally. When he regained his composure, he nearly shouted, “You can’t be serious! This test has ended. You passed with flying colors! Yet you decide to go for extra credit?!”
Discord regained control of his voice before he continued. “You have no idea what you two are getting into. Sure, my test did have you facing off against Amon, but you only needed to make sure he was sent back to the Void. It’s another matter to face him directly. He is more powerful than myself, Celestia and Luna combined. Even if you ascended to become a Xel’naga, your chances against him would be slim.”
“I don’t care, Discord. We will find a way to make sure he never terrorizes this Universe again. If we don’t deal with him at some point, our descendants will have to take the burden,” Sweetie countered.
Discord growled and clenched his fists and ground his teeth. “Fine! Do what you want.” With a snap, Sweetie and Lyra were returned to the war council.
The three fleets observed Ulnar separating into numerous pieces. A rift began to open between them. When the rift stabilized, everyone stared into a dark and twisted space with shades of red, blue and black before them.
Braving the perils ahead of them, the fleets set their course into the rift.
Things were already turning chaotic. The fleets came under attack from the Void Shadows that were slowly tearing the ships apart. Kerrigan reported that the voice was nearby while Tassadar offered to let his forces investigate.
Tassadar deployed a pair of Warp Prisms to a lifeless landmass floating in the Void. Once the transport ships arrived, they deployed a force of Sentinels, Stalkers and Annihilators. The Void Shadows tore at the ships and soon destroyed them, leaving the troops behind to endure the searing energies. The Protoss moved inland, dispersing any shadowy forms that they came across.
A structure ahead of them appeared to be generating a rift from which Amon’s minions were entering. The Protoss quickly destroyed the structure. They noticed a pair of structures that were similar to the one they just destroyed.
Suddenly, everyone heard the benevolent voice call to them to purge the corruption. Acting on that command, the Protoss engaged the rift generator and a shard that appeared to be generating the corrupting shadows that were consuming them.
When the structure around the shard was destroyed, the corrupted gem within began emitting a bright light that drove away the Void Shadows.
While the three factions built their bases, the voice called out once again, “I called to you in dire need. Now you have come to this realm. Here, I am prisoner. You must free me from his grasp.”
“Whose grasp?” Sweetie asked.
“Ah, if it isn’t the wretched beast that cast me here,” said a voice that neither Lyra nor Sweetie were surprised to hear from since they expected to find him in the Void.
Those who could see in the distance could tell where Narud was and what he looked like. He was in his true form. His enormous body was colored in a combination of crimson and black. He personally guarded the prison that held the source of the benevolent voice.
“Ah, Narud...Just the guy we were looking for. I had hoped to end you first before we found Amon. Looks like everything is going according to schedule,” Sweetie said with a condescending tone.
“You dare belittle one of my power?! I will show you what I’m truly capable of.”
Narud summoned a Void Thrasher and sent it against Raynor’s base. Sweetie and Lyra teamed up to tear the void beast apart: Sweetie burning it with a Corrosive Breath and Lyra by slicing the creature apart piece by piece.
The three factions took the time between Void Thrasher attacks to push against Narud’s forces. As they went, they destroyed a few Rift Generators and corrupted shards which drove more of the shadows away.
Narud sent another Void Thrasher toward the three factions again. This time it headed for Kerrigan’s hive cluster. Artanis was ready for it this time since he had a Pylon installed in Raynor’s and Kerrigans bases. He warped in a number of Annihilators to protect the hive cluster. The weapons on the Nerazim robotic assault caused major damage to the Void Thrasher and the Zerg were able to quickly finish it.
Lyra and the Protoss moved north to clear out more rifts and corruption. One area that held a shard that was purified allowed Horner to move a staging base in to fortify their attack on Narud.
While Narud kept sending Void Thrashers against Raynor and Kerrigan, ignoring the Protoss for some reason, Artanis fortified the allied defenses with Annihilators who made sure the void creatures were hardly a threat, allowing Sweetie and Lyra to focus on offense.
Sweetie gradually spread the Creep all over the landmass as she went while using her multiplying Zerglings to quickly tear into the grounded Shadows. Flying Banelings handled the flying shadows.
After securing two designated staging areas on the western side of the landmass, Lyra used a series of teleports to reach the Zerg hive cluster.
After Artanis warped in more reinforcements for Lyra, she cooperated with the Zerg and pushed north to secure more locations for the Swarm to set up.
With the allied forces holding the momentum, they quickly dispersed the Void Corruption and cut Narud off from his shadowy forces.
Narud was soon alone against three armies that wanted him dead. He fought with everything he was capable of, using the Void to his will. However, it was not enough and he found himself surrounded by his enemies. He was soon brought to a critical state by the allied forces.
DuGalle and Stukov were the ones who approached the doomed Xel’naga. “Hello, Duran. Do you remember what you did to us?” Stukov said with a hint of giddiness in his tone.
“Stukov...You have come to gloat, haven’t you.” Narud replied.
“No, I’ve come to say goodnight, you son of a bitch.”
“If there is one thing that I will never tolerate, it is a traitor, especially one who betrays my trust.” DuGalle added. “You’re about to find out what I do to traitors and those who come in between the friendship of Alexei and I.”
“I would say that I take no pleasure in this, but I would be lying,” Stukov finished.
The two simultaneously fired a Corrosive Bolt that tore the Xel’naga apart from the inside out. Duran screamed and writhed as his existence faded away into nothingness.
Suddenly, a colossal being manifested itself before everyone. It possessed numerous eyes and tendrils and resembled the thing Lyra saw during her first exposure to Terrazine but in a positive light, which made the Pony Templar think that the horrifying figure she saw while in that state was Amon. The being spoke with the same benevolent voice that they had been hearing. “Sweetie Drops, Lyra Heartstrings, it fills me with joy to know that the chosen of Celestia and Luna could be here to guide the one chosen to continue the Infinite Cycle to me. I am Ouros, the last shepherd and Enemy of Amon.”
“Actually, if you want to thank anyone for me being here, thank Discord. He was the one who gave me the chance to become what I am now,” Sweetie said.
Ouros paused for a moment then said, “I am glad that young Discord has finally come to understand the importance of the Cycle. Part of me was concerned that he would fall like Amon did. But now, on to more important things.
“The Cycle must not be broken. The merging of Purity of Essence and Purity of Form must continue. While both of you, Kerrigan and Sweetie Drops, meet the requirements to ascend, I cannot merge my essence with both of you. Your ascension, Sweetie Drops, must come from either Discord, Celestia or Luna. I am also overjoyed that they have learned to ascend others without sacrificing themselves. You Ponies shall be the future of the Infinite Cycle.”
Sweetie sighed and for the first time in years, she felt hesitant in her course for power. “I know I need this power to face Amon. I don’t know if they will come to help me with this, but even if I do ascend, what about Lyra. I already know what the role of the Xel’naga is, but eternity would be so lonely if I have to spend it without her.”
Ouros studied Sweetie for a moment, then Lyra. He imagined multiple scenarios in an instant and saw countless unfortunate outcomes. He soon saw one outcome where the future looked bright for the young Xel’naga candidate.
“It is possible for you to bind her life to yours. I shall show you before I begin the transfer. This process will put your life at risk for the rest of your existence for the two of you will grow, thrive and die together if you choose this course.
“For now, we must defeat the Fallen One.” Ouros looked at Kerrigan. “You, the one called Kerrigan can merge with my essence. Now, fulfill your destiny. Ascend as Xel’naga. Continue the Infinite Cycle. Only a Xel’naga can defeat the Fallen One.”
Raynor didn’t like the thought of losing the woman he loved to some great cosmic destiny, but he also didn’t like the thought of entrusting Amon’s defeat to future generations. As much as he was against it, he had to make a hard choice. For the sake of the future, he would have to watch his beloved become a goddess and shed her mortality.