StarCraft Chronicles Episode 9: The Gates of Antioch and the Hand of the Exile

This is a newly written fan narrative based on the events of the original game. The characters' emotions, dialogues, and scene atmospheres have been reconstructed, and it includes major endings.

The Living Fenix and the Executor Defending Antioch on Aiur

The skies of Aiur were no longer golden. Soot and ash-gray clouds hung heavily over the temples of Antioch. The Executor looked down at the endlessly surging Zerg Swarm through the observation window, his expression grim. The land was rotting away, covered in hideous creep, and only the flashes of explosions flickered along the outer edges of the defensive line.

At the very front of the battle line stood Fenix, the Guardian of Antioch. The blue psionic blades erupting from his hands were like the only beacon of hope shining in the darkness. As the Hydralisks approached, Fenix leaped into the enemy ranks without hesitation. Every time his blades cleaved through the air, the Zerg beasts were sliced in two and tumbled to the ground.

Yet, the enemy's numbers were overwhelming. Over the corpses of the fallen Zerg, new packs poured down incessantly, crushing the Protoss defensive line. The Zealots fought shoulder-to-shoulder in a desperate struggle to the death, but they fell one by one to claws and fangs. The Executor clenched his teeth, feeling the raw agony of his brethren transmitted through the Khala.

At that moment, Fenix's unyielding will echoed through the network of the Khala. His mind burned fiercely with the determination to protect his homeland, devoid of even a shred of fear. Fenix was the first to rush to wherever the defensive line crumbled, holding back the enemy's onslaught. His very presence served as a rallying point that steadied the hearts of the wavering soldiers.

In response to Fenix's struggle, the Executor immediately issued tactical commands. High Templar leaped onto the ramparts and summoned powerful Psionic Storms, sending lightning clouds sweeping through the Zerg swarms and inflicting massive casualties. The antimatter rounds of the Dragoons shot down the Mutalisks blanketing the sky, easing the burden on the ground forces and maintaining their formation.

Fenix swung his blades fiercely, as if oblivious to fatigue. When a massive Ultralisk charged forward behind its thick armor, he deftly twisted his body to evade the lethal strike. In the next instant, Fenix's psionic blade pierced the beast's thick neck with precision, and it collapsed with a heavy thud. His martial prowess inspired a deep sense of awe.

But the joy of victory was fleeting. Beyond the horizon, a new Zerg swarm glowing with a red light was observed surging forward like a tidal wave. Looking at the red dots filling the tactical display, the Executor felt a cold dread run down his spine. The Zerg were an organized army, and their resources seemed endless.

Though panting heavily, Fenix conveyed his steadfast resolve to the Executor through the Khala. He knew all too well that Antioch was the gateway to the heart of Aiur, and if it fell, there would be no future for their kind. Fenix swore to defend the walls to his last drop of blood, and the Executor deployed all reserve forces to the front lines.

A Cruel Choice Between Purification and Rescue

The most vulnerable right flank of the defensive line was eventually torn open by the Zerg's fierce offensive. Hundreds of Zerglings poured through the gaps in the collapsed wall, instantly decimating the formation. The Zealots were surrounded and isolated by enemies attacking from all sides, and their screams echoed through the Khala. Realizing that the tide of battle was deteriorating, the Executor had to make a decision.

At the center of that chaos lay a massive, hideous Cerebrate controlling the Zerg swarm. It pulsed with a terrible beat, infusing the surrounding beasts with endless rage and murderous intent. The Protoss warriors instinctively knew that this abominable mass was the source of the offensive. Fenix led a suicide squad in a desperate charge toward the Cerebrate.

After a fierce and bloody battle, Fenix's psionic blades finally succeeded in slicing through the Cerebrate's thick outer hide and destroying its hideous core. As the massive monstrosity collapsed with a painful shriek, the surrounding Zerg swarm instantly lost control and began to scatter in confusion. The Protoss soldiers cheered, believing they had seized the opportunity for victory.

However, a shocking sight unfolded before their eyes. The shattered fragments of the Cerebrate fused with the bizarre creep and began to regenerate into its original form in an instant. The resurrected Cerebrate unleashed an even more powerful fury, rallying the scattered swarm once again. Despair washed over them in the face of an immortal enemy that revived no matter how many times it was slain.

The Executor faced a terrible dilemma. Deploying forces to rescue the isolated soldiers risked collapsing the entire defensive line, while purifying the area with orbital bombardment meant sacrificing countless brethren. Tactical logic dictated purification, but the guilt of abandoning his people's lives weighed heavily on his heart.

Reading the Executor's hesitation through the Khala, Fenix conveyed his resolute determination. Declaring that he could not leave a single brother behind under the claws of the Zerg, he volunteered to personally lead a rearguard to rescue the isolated soldiers. It was practically a suicidal mission, but Fenix's mind shone clearer and firmer than ever before.

The reality of having to fight an endlessly reviving enemy took an extreme toll on the Zealots' minds. The emotions of fear and despair transmitted through the Khala spread rapidly like a plague, and some soldiers began to tremble as they held their weapons. Fenix took the lead, cleaving through the enemy ranks in an effort to rekindle the wavering fighting spirit of his soldiers.

Trusting Fenix, the Executor continued his desperate command to prevent the collapse of the defensive line. Mobilizing the full firepower of the reserve fleet, he blocked the Zerg's reinforcement routes and secured a narrow corridor for Fenix's rescue force to retreat. The cruel choice between purification and rescue tore at the soldiers' hearts, and the soil of Antioch was stained red with blood.

The Blind Suspicion of the Conclave and Aldaris

Even before the smoke of battle had cleared, a cold and solemn meeting was held in the halls of the Conclave. The hologram of Judicator Aldaris materialized above the dais, casting a chilling gaze toward the Executor. There was not a single word of consolation for the tragedy of Antioch. Aldaris emphasized only the laws of the Khala, accusing that the disaster stemmed from someone's arrogance.

Aldaris fiercely condemned the actions of the former Executor, Tassadar, who had departed for the planet Char. He vehemently denounced Tassadar for not only acting arbitrarily in defiance of the Conclave's orders but also contacting the heretical Dark Templar. The Judicator's voice was thick with anger and disgust as he asserted that this act of treason had brought about their ruin.

The Conclave harbored extreme fear and hatred toward the Nerazim, who had rejected the light of the Khala and severed their own nerve cords. They firmly believed that the power of the Void would defile the purity of the Protoss and destroy the harmony of the Khala. Aldaris incited support from the elders, claiming that Tassadar had abandoned the teachings of the Khala by consorting with those fallen outcasts.

Furthermore, Aldaris absurdly argued that Tassadar was the root cause of the Zerg Swarm's invasion of Aiur. His logic was that because Tassadar had provoked the Zerg and engaged in unnecessary battles on Char, the monsters' gaze had turned toward Aiur. He sought to shift all blame, claiming that Tassadar's arrogance had turned their homeworld into a sea of fire.

Aldaris handed down an assignment to the Executor that he deemed more urgent and important than the defense against the Zerg. It was an order to lead the fleet to Char, arrest the traitor Tassadar, and bring him back to Aiur. At a moment when their homeworld was burning and their people were being slaughtered, an order to divert forces to punish a hero of their own kind, rather than the enemy, was incomprehensible.

A severe conflict swirled within the Executor. The Templar's duty to absolutely obey the Conclave's commands clashed violently with the logic of the battlefield, which demanded he protect his dying brethren right before his eyes. He protested to Aldaris that the Zerg threat was beyond imagination and that they must concentrate their strength on defense, but the Judicator's expression remained unmoved.

Aldaris dismissed the Executor's protest out of hand. He even blamed the resurrection of the Cerebrate in Antioch on the Templar's tactical incompetence and lack of faith, asserting that the Conclave's judgment was never wrong. The claim that arresting Tassadar to restore discipline was the only way to overcome the crisis brought despair to the Executor's heart.

Even after the meeting ended and the hologram vanished, the Executor could not leave his spot for a long time. In the face of a massive war upon which the survival of their species hung, he realized with bitter clarity how lethal political friction and ideological differences among the leadership could be. What constricted his heart even more was the terrible seed of division growing within his own people.

The Fallen Hero and the Shell of Steel

While the Executor agonized over the Conclave's absurd command, the situation in Antioch deteriorated to its worst phase. Under the Zerg's endless onslaught of sheer numbers, the second defensive line finally collapsed, and thousands of Zerglings rushed in. Fenix rallied his remaining forces to make a final stand, but his movements had grown sluggish, and his armor was severely damaged.

Just as Fenix was about to raise his blades against the surging pack of Hydralisks, the blue psionic blades emanating from his hands suddenly lost their light and vanished. The power cells for his personal shields and warp blades had reached their limit and were completely depleted. Even in this desperate situation without weapons, Fenix did not back down, striking the enemies' hides with his bare hands as he continued a brutal melee.

Yet, the enemy's numbers were far too great to overcome the absence of weapons with indomitable fighting spirit alone. The sharp bone claws of the Hydralisks closing in through the darkness ruthlessly tore open Fenix's defenseless breastplate. Fenix let out a painful groan and fell to his knees, and the Zerg beasts, seizing the opening, rushed in frantically to trample and hack away at his body.

Watching the battle from the flagship, the Executor felt the horrific pain of Fenix's body being torn to shreds and the sensation of his spark of life fading away, transmitted vividly through the Khala. A heart-wrenching sorrow and rage struck his mind, and the High Templar beside him were also overcome with shock. It was the moment the greatest shield defending Antioch shattered into pieces.

After the fierce battle subsided, a Protoss search party recovered Fenix's horribly mutilated body from among the gruesome piles of corpses. His body was damaged beyond recognition, but his brainwaves were still sending faint signals of survival. Suppressing his grief, the Executor placed him in a stasis cell and had him transported to a secret facility.

The interior of the Dragoon manufacturing facility, filled only with cold mechanical noises, stood in stark contrast to the burning heat of the battlefield. The medical team carefully transplanted Fenix's damaged body into a central tank filled with cold preservative fluid. Massive mechanical limbs were attached to replace his lost limbs, and a painful surgery to connect his neural network commenced.

When all the connections were finally complete, Fenix's consciousness slowly awakened within the stasis fluid. Though confused by the unfamiliar sensations, he soon recognized his new shell of steel through artificial visual sensors. Even amidst the cold touch of metal, his steadfast spirit remained fully intact, assimilating perfectly with the Dragoon's systems.

Fenix's voice echoed through the facility via a synthesized mechanical tone. He calmly declared that he was not a new life resurrected from death, but was merely wearing a different form of armor to continue his duties to the Templar. Though his physical body was destroyed, the Executor paid deep respect to his noble resolve to defend their homeworld.

An Alliance Forged Under the Ash-Gray Skies of Char

Far removed from the tragedy of Aiur, the surface of the planet Char was covered in boiling lava and acrid volcanic ash. Tassadar stood beneath the glowing red sky, lost in deep contemplation as he watched the constantly erupting sulfur gases. Beside him, a small number of Protoss survivors, silently holding their ground despite the harsh environment, maintained their formation.

On the opposite side, the Terran raiders led by Jim Raynor had set up temporary barricades and stood guard. Their worn combat suits were covered in scorch marks, and a deep fatigue was etched into the soldiers' eyes. Though their species and beliefs differed, in the face of a common enemy like the Zerg, the two groups had forged a strange alliance, firmly trusting each other to watch their backs.

Breaking the heavy silence, Raynor approached Tassadar and offered a bitter smile along with a joke. His rough humor—remarking that thanks to the heat of this hellish planet, they didn't even need to build a fire to warm up their combat rations—loosened the taut tension, if only for a brief moment. Tassadar found himself intrigued by this man who did not lose his sense of humor even in despair.

Tassadar expressed sincere respect for the remarkable courage and fighting spirit shown by Raynor and his men. His once-arrogant view, which had regarded Terrans as an inferior and primitive species, had completely changed after surviving this living hell together. Though they lacked advanced technology, they were bound by an indomitable will and camaraderie, and Tassadar glimpsed in them the pride of the Templar.

But the warm conversation was short-lived as an ominous vibration rising from beneath the ground set their nerves on edge. The Zerg of Char never gave up on their prey, and hundreds of Zerglings were observed kicking up dust as they rushed over the lava fields. The Terran soldiers immediately ran to the defensive line, bracing themselves for battle.

Tassadar closed his eyes and focused his mind on the flow of the Void. He sought to gauge the size of the approaching Zerg swarm while simultaneously trying to detect any familiar psionic waves drawing near from the far reaches of space. Even in the depths of despair, he held a firm belief that his people would never abandon him, and at last, he faintly sensed the energy of the fleet.

Reading the change in Tassadar's expression, Raynor sensed that there was some hopeful sign. Shouting to his men to conserve ammunition and hold the line, he pulled his trigger without hesitation. The muzzle flashes of the Gauss rifles tore through the leading Zerglings, and the two leaders stood shoulder-to-shoulder, boldly facing the tide of death.

In the midst of the fierce engagement, the ash-gray clouds in the sky parted, and a massive shadow fell over the volcanic region. The Protoss fleet led by the Executor had finally appeared in the skies of Char. The carpet bombing unleashed by the golden-glowing Carriers reduced the Zerg swarms to ashes, and Tassadar looked up at the sky with a faint smile.

The Exiles Emerging from the Darkness

As Shuttles launched from the Executor's fleet landed through the volcanic ash, heavily armed Zealots quickly deployed to secure the perimeter. The Executor personally descended to the ground, sharing an emotional reunion with Tassadar. Even in the disastrous situation where their homeworld was burning, meeting his respected predecessor brought a small measure of comfort. However, that peace was soon shattered.

Emerging as if seeping out from the deep darkness were Zeratul and the Dark Templar. Their faces were shrouded in cloth, and their severed nerve cords matched the exact description of the heretics depicted in the Conclave's laws. As Zeratul quietly stepped forward, sheathing his modified warp blade, the air in the area instantly froze cold.

The Zealots reflexively ignited their psionic blades, displaying fierce hostility toward the Dark Templar. The blind hatred and fear of the Nerazim that had persisted for thousands of years dominated the soldiers' minds through the Khala. In a crisis where a bloody fratricide seemed ready to erupt at any moment, the Executor also remained on high alert.

Those who rejected the light of the Khala and isolated themselves. Fallen heretics who wielded the dark power of the Void and threatened the purity of the Protoss. This was the perception of the Dark Templar that the Executor and the Khalai Protoss had been brainwashed with their entire lives. The mere presence of Zeratul standing before them severely shook their once-firm beliefs.

Zeratul showed not even a hint of agitation in the face of the hostile glares directed at him. Speaking in a low, raspy voice that did not resonate through the Khala, he began to explain the true origin of the Overmind and the nature of the Zerg. His words held neither deceit nor malice, filled only with the desperation to prevent the destruction of their species.

Tassadar stepped between the Executor and Zeratul, defusing the confrontation between the two sides. He testified to the courage and devotion Zeratul had shown in assassinating Zasz, emphasizing that the Dark Templar were the only key to saving Aiur. Tassadar declared that he would pledge all his honor and his very life to vouch for Zeratul's loyalty, and his resolute gaze began to break down their doubts.

The Conclave and Aldaris's order to arrest Tassadar constantly echoed in the Executor's mind. If he carried out the order, he would have to antagonize a hero and the Dark Templar; if he refused, he would surely be branded a traitor himself. However, recalling the nightmare of the regenerating Cerebrate he had witnessed in Antioch, he realized that the power of the Void was the only true solution.

At last, the Executor lowered his weapon and ordered his guards to stand down. He judged that the truth before his eyes and the survival of his people were far more important than the blind dogmas of the Conclave. Bowing respectfully to Zeratul, he proposed putting aside past hostilities to fight the Zerg as a unified Protoss, planting the seeds of a new alliance.

A Rescue Operation Beyond Past Grudges

Though the crisis of civil war was averted by the Executor's decision, the Zerg Swarm did not allow them any leisure. Sensing the landing of a large force, the Zerg of Char erupted from the ground in all directions, surrounding the rescue party. Massive Nydus Worms let out horrific screeches as they spewed forth troops, and the Executor immediately ordered a retreat.

At that moment, an astonishing sight unfolded. The Khalai Zealots and the Dark Templar, transcending thousands of years of animosity, stood back-to-back and charged toward the Zerg swarm. Blue psionic blades and green warp blades crossed and danced, their contrasting energies achieving a strange harmony as they slaughtered the enemy. It demonstrated that true strength lies in unity, not division.

In particular, the combat style of Zeratul and the Dark Templar left a deep impression on the Khalai warriors. Shrouded in shadows, they slipped silently into the enemies' blind spots to deliver fatal blows. Even a massive Ultralisk collapsed, its vital point pierced by a single strike of their sharp blades. The elegant movements of the Dark Templar covered the rear of the retreating allies.

Raynor's Raiders also contributed greatly to the rescue operation. Siege Tanks deployed their cannons on the ridges, pouring down devastating firepower to shatter the dense Zerg formations, while Marines continuously fired their Gauss rifles to secure a safe zone around the Shuttles. Thanks to their perfect coordination transcending species and ideologies, the survivors were able to board without suffering critical casualties.

The hatch of the last Shuttle closed, and its engines roared, spewing fire. As the massive starships surged toward orbit through the volcanic ash clouds, thousands of Mutalisks pursued them from the ground, but they were forced to abandon the chase, blocked by the fierce interception of escorting Scouts. The Executor breathed a sigh of relief on the bridge, but his expression soon turned grim.

Tassadar stared blankly out the window at the receding red surface of Char. Though the battle here was over, he knew better than anyone that the true war was only just beginning. Their homeworld, Aiur, was still suffering under the terrible dominion of the Overmind, and what awaited them was the blind wrath of the Conclave and the tragedy of fratricide.

Zeratul also approached Tassadar, gazing into space in silence. With just a look, the two heroes deeply understood each other's heavy burdens. Burying all past grudges and misunderstandings into the Void, they strengthened their resolve to reclaim their homeworld under the single name of the Protoss. Watching their steadfast backs, the Executor vowed never to lose hope.

Every ship in the fleet cleared Char's gravity well and completed preparations for a warp jump. With a brief, decisive command from the Executor, the vast expanse of space warped, opening a blue dimensional rift. Carrying the Protoss, Terrans, and Dark Templar, the fleet left the horrific hell behind and began to hurtle at the speed of light toward their wounded homeworld, Aiur.

The Wounds of Aiur and the Deepening Division

When the blue flash of the warp jump cleared and the form of Aiur was revealed beyond the flagship's observation window, a heavy silence descended upon the bridge. The emerald planet, once the most beautiful in the universe, was now covered in hideous creep, resembling a rotting corpse. Black smoke billowed from various parts of the atmosphere, and sacred temples had crumbled to the ground.

Tassadar and Zeratul let out deep sighs as they looked at the devastation of Aiur projected onto the holographic table. The Overmind had already extended its tentacles deep into the planet's crust, taking root, and around it, an incalculable, massive number of Zerg forces had established layers of defensive lines. Destroying that colossal mass of evil right away seemed impossible.

Yet, what weighed even more heavily on the Executor's heart was not the overwhelming might of the Zerg. He faced the terrible reality that the greatest obstacle in the coming battle would not be the enemy, but their own leadership, the Conclave. There was no way the Conclave would readily welcome Tassadar returning with the Dark Templar in tow, and this meant the beginning of a civil war.

The Executor's fears immediately became reality. Piercing through the fleet's communication network, the cold voice of Judicator Aldaris echoed. Aldaris demanded immediate disarmament and surrender, claiming that Tassadar was conspiring with heretics to defile the sacred soil of Aiur. His voice carried a hatred for those who broke the dogmas that was far thicker than his anger toward the Zerg.

In a calm voice, Tassadar established a channel to Aldaris, attempting to appeal to the truth. He earnestly pleaded that only Zeratul's Void energy could permanently destroy the Overmind and the Cerebrates, and that now was the time to put aside ideological differences and unite their strength. However, Aldaris dismissed Tassadar's words as the sophistry of a fallen being and unilaterally cut off the transmission.

The tragic reality of the Protoss, forced to cross blades due to internal ideological conflicts even with their greatest enemy right before them, plunged everyone on the bridge into deep sorrow. Even Jim Raynor clicked his tongue at this absurd situation, criticizing the stubborn obstinacy of the Protoss leadership. The Conclave's blindness, attempting to break the only hope of saving their species even while holding it in their hands, was fatal.

Watching the situation in silence, Fenix's Dragoon stepped forward with a dull metallic clank. His cold body, encased within the machinery, represented the indelible wounds this horrific war had left on the Protoss. Through the Khala, Fenix sent unwavering support to the Executor and Tassadar, conveying his belief that the survival of their people took precedence over the Conclave's outdated laws.

With a resolute gaze, the Executor ordered the entire fleet to battle stations. They were now in a desperate situation where they had to fight not only the horrific alien monsters but also the fleet of their own kind who had branded them traitors. The Overmind had still not stopped its terrible pulsing in the heart of Aiur, and as the flagship broke through the atmosphere, they entered the inevitable vortex of civil war.

Verified Sources

Blizzard Official StarCraft Chronicles

StarCraft and Brood War Official Game Introduction

Official Story Direction and Reference Images of Remastered

StarCraft and Brood War Official Download and Remaster Purchase