StarCraft Chronicle Episode 10: Gantrithor's Last Flight

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

Return to Aiur and the Conclave's Blind Faith

When Tassadar's fleet entered the orbit of Aiur, their homeworld was already groaning, covered in red creep and grayish-brown spores. The once-brilliant golden forests had turned to ashes, and pylons lay collapsed, strangled by hideous tentacles. Returning with Zeratul and the Dark Templar, Tassadar let out a deep sigh at the horrific sight, unable to tear his eyes away from the bridge's observation window.

Yet, it was not just the Zerg Swarm that greeted them. A massive fleet led by Judicator Aldaris of the Conclave blocked the path of the Gantrithor and established a communication link. Aldaris's hologram was distorted with rage, and his voice was filled with cold contempt. The Judicator demanded immediate disarmament, accusing Tassadar of consorting with heretics and defiling the sacred laws of the Khala.

Tassadar met Aldaris's gaze with unwavering eyes, pleading that now was not the time for their own kind to shed blood, but rather a time to unite against their true enemy, the Overmind. He repeatedly explained that only the void energy of the Dark Templar could permanently destroy the Cerebrates, but the Conclave's blind pride refused to accept the truth staring them in the face.

Aldaris referred to Zeratul and his brethren as the fallen ones, declaring that their very existence was an insult to Aiur. He ordered the Executor to arrest Tassadar, threatening to treat any disobedience as treason and execute him. In the silence that filled the bridge, the taut tension among the Khalai Protoss was so precarious it felt as if it might snap at any moment.

Zeratul stepped quietly out of the shadows and stood beside Tassadar. His tattered cloak swayed slightly, and behind his veiled face, deep sorrow and grim resolve intersected. Rather than lamenting his own plight of being unwelcome even in his homeland, Zeratul deeply pitied the foolishness of the Conclave, which could not abandon its stubbornness even in the face of impending doom, and quietly gripped his weapon.

Tassadar was prepared to willingly bear even the stigma of heresy to save his people. Refusing to yield to the Judicator's threats, he raised the Gantrithor's power source to its maximum and deployed the shields. Aldaris's final warning to stand down echoed through the comm network, but Tassadar advanced his fleet with the sole, unyielding resolve to destroy the Overmind.

A blue light flashed from the Conclave's ships as their phase disruptors charged in unison. The weapons created to defend their homeland were now aimed at the hero trying to save it. Tassadar closed his eyes and conveyed his feelings to the warriors who followed him through the link of the Khala. It was a merciful and sorrowful vow never to strike first against their own kind.

While the Zerg Swarm was eating away at the heart of Aiur, the Protoss were opening the prelude to their most painful civil war due to their own division. Beams of light erupting from orbit shattered against the Gantrithor's shields, and Tassadar, silently enduring the hailing fire of his own people with a devastated heart, broke through the defensive line and began his descent toward the surface of Aiur.

The Resistance of Those Who Do Not Abandon Comrades

Before Tassadar's forces, who had secured a beachhead on the surface of Aiur, the Conclave's ground forces stood in a massive formation. Fenix, implanted within the cold metallic hull of a Dragoon, planted his mechanical legs firmly and faced the devastating reality of his former comrades aiming photon cannons at them. In his mind, instead of honorable combat, only the tragedy of fratricide loomed.

Beside Fenix, the Terran Raiders led by Jim Raynor stood in formation, kicking up clouds of dust. Gripping the controls of his Vulture, Raynor watched the standoff between the Protoss forces through his helmet and smiled bitterly. He recalled the horrific betrayal when Arcturus Mengsk had ruthlessly abandoned Sarah Kerrigan to the Zerg swarm on Tarsonis, bitterly muttering to himself that the blind stubbornness and cruelty of those in power were the same for any race in the universe.

Aldaris's messenger approached, urging Fenix and Raynor to lay down their weapons and hand over Tassadar. Fenix let out an angry, mechanical roar through the Dragoon's speaker. He declared that the Conclave was persecuting the loyal Templar while leaving the true enemy unchecked, and firmly proclaimed that he would never commit the dishonor of betraying his comrades, raising his cannons.

Raynor also revved his Vulture's engine roughly and aimed his weapon at the messenger. He had never forgotten Tassadar's steadfast loyalty, which had guided them all the way to this alien planet. Even by human standards, the Conclave's actions were madness, and Raynor resolved that he would rather bury his bones in this strange alien soil than become a coward who runs away and abandons his friends.

As the Conclave's Zealots ignited their psi-blades and assumed charging stances, Fenix's Dragoon squad loaded antimatter rounds, readying for battle. Raynor's Marines took tense breaths and flipped off the safeties of their Gauss rifles, while Siege Tanks roared as they locked their cannons into position. The interspecies coalition formed a defensive line, united solely by their mutual trust.

Though the horrific cries of the Zerg echoed and approached from afar, the Conclave's army was bent only on punishing the heretics before them. Fenix felt a deep skepticism about the Templar's destiny of having to fire upon their own kind, but he steeled his heart, painfully realizing that this foolish barrier had to be torn down to save their homeworld.

Raynor turned on his communicator and issued a short, blunt command to his men. Even if the opponents were the regular Protoss military, if they threatened their lives, they were to pull the trigger without hesitation. Despite being caught up in an alien conflict, the Terran Raiders were willing to risk their lives to fight for the noble cause shown by Raynor and Tassadar.

Finally, the Conclave's vanguard charged with a roar, and Fenix's Dragoons responded by firing blue energy bolts in unison. While Raynor's Vultures quickly flanked and planted Spider Mines, the blood of brothers, rather than their true enemy, began to spill upon the red soil of Aiur. The flames of an unavoidable, tragic civil war were burning.

Tassadar's Surrender to Stop the Bloodshed

As the battle grew fiercer, the land of Aiur became stained with the blue blood of Protoss warriors. The sight of Zealots' psi-blades piercing each other's armor and Dragoon fire shattering the shields of their brothers was like hell itself. Watching this carnage from the Gantrithor, Tassadar was seized by a heart-wrenching pain, closing his eyes tightly and clenching his fists.

His noble intention to save his homeworld from the clutches of the Zerg was instead becoming a tool that drove his own people to ruin. Feeling the death throes and chaotic emotions of the Templar transmitted through the Khala with his entire body, Tassadar sensed that if this senseless slaughter continued, the Protoss would destroy themselves before they could even fight the Overmind, and he hastened his decision.

He had to act. His own honor or life was as light as dust compared to the survival of Aiur. Tassadar opened the communication network and ordered Fenix, Raynor, and all forces on the battlefield to cease fire immediately. His voice was steeped in deep sorrow, yet it echoed across the battlefield with a firm, unwavering dignity greater than ever before.

While both the Conclave's forces and his allies stopped fighting in bewilderment, Tassadar walked out alone into the center of the battlefield. He withdrew his psionic energy and spread his arms to show he was unarmed. Fenix hastily sent a transmission to dissuade him, but Tassadar made it clear that he could no longer allow the blood of his people to be shed, and did not stop his stride.

Aldaris's group of Judicators surrounded Tassadar with cold gazes. Holding his head high, Tassadar pleaded that he would submit to the Conclave's judgment, so they must stop the civil war and stand against the Zerg. He stood firm, reminding himself that his surrender was not blind obedience, but a final sacrifice to unite his divided race.

The Judicators bound Tassadar's body to take him to a stasis cell. Unable to contain his anger, Raynor was ready to deploy a rescue team immediately, but Fenix extended his mechanical arm to block him. It was a silent persuasion that to avoid making Tassadar's sacrifice in vain, they had to suppress their boiling rage and bide their time.

The moment Tassadar boarded the Conclave's transport, a heavy silence fell over the battlefield. The Templar who followed him lowered their weapons in grief, and even the Conclave's soldiers felt an inexplicable shame looking at the back of the hero they had captured. Tassadar cast a final glance toward his companions, leaving a silent message never to lose hope.

As the transport soared into the sky and vanished into the Conclave's fortress, Fenix and Raynor bit their firmly shut lips and ordered their forces to retreat. Though they had lost their commander and faced the threat of scattering, a new flame was rising in their hearts—a resolve never to yield to the Conclave's oppression. Tassadar's surrender was not the end, but the signal flare announcing the start of a true counterattack.

Rescue Operation in the Dark and Unity

Under the Conclave's ironclad surveillance, Tassadar was confined in a cold stasis cell, awaiting execution. But Fenix and Raynor never gave up on him. In the deep darkness of the Aiur night, the Raiders and loyal Templar forces approached the fortress, launching a stealthy and swift surprise attack to break through the Conclave's defensive lines surrounding the stasis cell.

Raynor's Siege Tanks shattered the outer photon cannons in a single blow, opening a breach. Taking advantage of the gap, the Zealots led by Fenix rushed into the fortress, and the Conclave's guards lost their formation, bewildered by the unexpectedly powerful counterattack. The perfect cooperative assault, combining Terran firepower and Protoss mobility, was more than enough to neutralize the Conclave's arrogant defense system.

But Aldaris was no easy opponent. A massive force of High Templar and Archons blocked the rescue team trying to enter the depths of the prison. Overwhelming psionic energy warped the space, pinning down the allied forces, and Fenix and Raynor gradually found themselves pushed onto the defensive amidst the psionic storms pouring from all directions. It was a desperate moment where the operation seemed doomed to fail.

Right then, a chilling energy of the Void rose from the deep shadows of the fortress. With a sound like space tearing open, Zeratul and the Dark Templar revealed themselves. As their cold warp blades sliced through the air, the Conclave's guards fell without even letting out a scream. The brothers of shadow swept through the battlefield like ghosts, opening an escape route for the allies and cutting off the enemy's breath.

Aldaris was utterly shocked. The very heretics he had so despised and exiled had appeared in the heart of Aiur, devastating his forces. The Judicator, filled with rage, ordered an attack, but Zeratul instantly moved behind Aldaris and held a cold blade to the nape of his neck. All movement on the battlefield froze in an instant.

In a low, deep voice, Zeratul rebuked Aldaris's blind pride. He declared that despite being exiled from their homeland, the Dark Templar had never once forgotten Aiur and had returned solely to destroy the Overmind. Aldaris trembled with humiliation, but he had no choice but to remain silent before the overwhelming killing intent radiating from Zeratul's blade.

Meanwhile, Fenix and Raynor destroyed the stasis cell's control mechanism and freed Tassadar. Though stumbling as his shackles were removed, Tassadar expressed his deep gratitude to Zeratul and his companions. It was a moment where disparate entities—the Khalai, the Nerazim, and the Terrans—united firmly for a single purpose. The long-standing division of the Protoss was finally coming to an end.

Aldaris conceded defeat and withdrew his forces, but deep suspicion still lingered in his eyes. Tassadar sent the Judicator back unharmed, emphasizing once again that now was the time to truly fight for their homeland. Emerging from the prison, the allies looked up at the Zerg swarm blanketing the skies of Aiur, hardening their heavy resolve for the final battle.

The March Toward the Heart of Aiur

With Tassadar rescued, the scattered Protoss forces rallied once more under the banner of the Gantrithor. Their goal was singular: the Overmind, the absolute ruler of the Zerg, nesting in the center of Aiur. Though the ground was choked with the stench and spores emitted by millions of Zerg, making it hard even to breathe, the coalition's morale burned higher than ever before.

Led by Raynor's Hyperion, Terran Battlecruisers cleared a path of advance, raining down powerful Yamato blasts from orbit. As the red-hot orbital bombardment reduced Zerg hives to ashes, the ground forces led by Fenix rushed into the gaps with a roar. Zealots' psi-blades cut through swarms of Zerglings, and Dragoon fire tore Hydralisks apart.

The defensive line protecting the Overmind was unimaginably robust. Giant tentacles erupted from the ground, snatching Protoss flyers, and swarms of Mutalisks blanketed the sky like dark clouds, blotting out the sun. However, Zeratul and the Dark Templar slipped into the shadows amidst the chaotic battlefield, assassinating the Cerebrates one by one and slowly dismantling the Zerg chain of command.

Tassadar coordinated the battle from the bridge of the Gantrithor, constantly breathing courage into his warriors through the Khala's link. He felt a swelling emotion as he watched his people cast aside their fears and fight with a single mind. With the fierce fire support of the Terrans and the lethal strikes of the Dark Templar working in harmony, the seemingly impregnable Zerg defense line finally began to crumble.

As the battle reached its climax, the land of Aiur flowed with rivers of blood and creep. Fenix stood at the vanguard, blocking the relentless charges of Ultralisks with his entire body to hold the ground forces' defensive line. Raynor also rode his Vulture tirelessly through the gaps in the battlefield, rescuing Protoss warriors in peril and silently proving a true camaraderie that transcended species.

Finally, the allies reached the edge of the massive crater where the Overmind resided. The hideously pulsating mass of flesh was rooted deep within Aiur's crust, constantly emitting psionic waves and corrupting everything around it. Faced with its overwhelming and ominous presence, some warriors gasped for breath, seized by instinctive terror, their hands trembling as they gripped their weapons.

But Tassadar did not hesitate, advancing the Gantrithor directly above the Overmind. Recalling the method Zeratul used to slay the Cerebrates, he ordered all the fleet's firepower to concentrate on destroying the Overmind's outer shell. Carriers' Interceptors swarmed out like bees to strike the Overmind's shields, and the Terran fleet unleashed a barrage of missiles in an all-out offensive.

Under the fierce bombardment, the Overmind's massive outer shell finally cracked, letting out a horrific shriek. However, the wounds regenerated in an instant, and the dark energy erupting from the Overmind's core repelled the allied ships, continuing its powerful resistance. The despairing truth that conventional weapons could not completely destroy this horrific monster began to weigh heavily on everyone on the battlefield.

The Final Choice Embracing Light and Darkness

The bridge of the Gantrithor was filled with red warning lights and rupturing sounds. Under the Overmind's counterattack, the ship's armor plating was torn away, and the power systems screamed as they reached their limits. Tassadar stood firmly at the helm, staring intently at the hideously regenerating wounds of the Overmind. It was clear that if the battle continued like this, the allies would eventually be annihilated by the sheer numbers of the Zerg.

He recalled the profound truth Zeratul had taught him: that only the void energy of the Dark Templar could extinguish the Zerg's fundamental energy. Yet, Zeratul's power alone was insufficient to destroy a being as massive as the Overmind. Tassadar brought to mind both the light of the Khala, which he had spent his entire life training to master, and the darkness of the Void, which he had newly embraced.

Because the two energies were fundamentally antithetical, attempting to fuse them within a single body entailed a horrific, soul-rending pain. Yet, Tassadar did not hesitate and slowly closed his eyes. Through the warm and brilliant link of the Khala, he communed with all living things on Aiur, while simultaneously pushing his consciousness deep into the cold, infinite abyss of the Void.

Blue psionic energy and black void energy began to swirl around Tassadar's body. The bridge crew held their breath and stepped back from the overwhelming waves emitted by the clashing forces. Tassadar's eyes burned with a fierce light, and his mind transcended the limits of his physical body, touching the fundamental truths of the universe and unleashing a power never seen before.

He opened the communication network to deliver a final message to his comrades fighting desperately on the ground. He ordered Fenix, Raynor, Zeratul, and all the Templar to immediately withdraw from the Overmind's vicinity and evacuate to safety. His voice was calm, but beneath it lay the deep, noble, and sorrowful resolve of one who had made an irreversible decision.

Zeratul was struck with horror, instantly realizing the meaning of Tassadar's actions. Crashing the ship while unleashing both the powers of light and darkness meant a horrific self-destruction that would completely erase Tassadar's very existence from the universe. Zeratul hastily sent a transmission to stop him, but Tassadar, having already cast aside all lingering attachments, merely smiled quietly.

Tassadar took the controls himself and locked the Gantrithor's course directly toward the ruptured core of the Overmind. The ship's main engines overloaded, spewing crimson flames, and the shields were already past their limit, on the verge of shattering. Yet, Tassadar unwaveringly focused both energies into the ship's hull, quietly preparing for the irreversible final strike.

"En Taro Adun!" Tassadar's majestic cry echoed across all of Aiur through the communication network. It was the final farewell of a hero willingly giving his life to save his homeland, and a triumphant anthem declaring that the divided Protoss had finally united as one. The Gantrithor became a massive spear of light, plunging fiercely toward the hideous core of the Overmind.

The Overmind's Demise and the Hero's Sacrifice

The moment the Gantrithor charged toward the Overmind, all time on the battlefield seemed to stand still. Enveloped in the golden light of the Khala and the deep darkness of the Void emitted by Tassadar, the massive Carrier trailed a long tail like a giant comet defying the laws of the cosmos. The Overmind's numerous tentacles thrashed through the air to block the ship, but they turned to ash before even touching the fused energy waves.

Evacuating on the ground, Raynor and Fenix looked up at the majestic sight, holding their breath. Raynor unconsciously clenched his fists as he watched the Gantrithor burning brilliantly through his helmet's visor, and Fenix's mechanical chassis trembled slightly, resonating with the grand vibrations. They etched the final moment of a great hero burning away his entire being deep into their souls.

Finally, the pointed prow of the Gantrithor pierced through the Overmind's hideously ruptured outer shell, driving deep into its core. Though the Carrier's massive hull buckled and broke with a horrific tearing sound, Tassadar did not let go of the controls, squeezing out his very soul to pour both energies into the Overmind's nucleus. Light and darkness clashed head-on with the Overmind's decaying life force, violently surging.

After a split second of silence, a massive explosion shook the very crust of Aiur. The Overmind's colossal body expanded from within, then shattered into pieces with a blinding flash of light. The shockwave of the explosion swept across the land, instantly vaporizing tens of thousands of Zerg, and tore through the dark clouds covering the sky, exposing the empty abyss of space.

At the center of the explosion, the blue light of the Khala and the purple energy of the Void swirled into a massive vortex, soaring into the sky. It was as if Tassadar's soul was leaving a final blessing upon the soil of Aiur. The horrific shriek of the Overmind spread across the universe via psionic waves, leaving only an empty echo that swallowed everything, welcoming a heavy silence.

As the flash faded and the dust settled, only a massive crater remained where the Overmind had once been. The source of evil that had weighed so heavily on Aiur was gone without a trace, and only the debris of the Gantrithor lay scattered across the ash-colored ground. Tassadar's presence could not be felt anywhere. He had completely vanished into eternal silence along with the Overmind.

Zeratul knelt in the darkness and bowed his head. He paid deep respect to the noble sacrifice Tassadar had shown, inwardly honoring his great achievement of uniting the Nerazim and the Khalai. Fenix also lowered his Dragoon's cannons in silent tribute, and Raynor quietly removed his helmet, sincerely wishing for the great warrior's peace in the human way.

Tassadar's death was the most tragic yet brilliant moment in Protoss history. He had defended the truth against the Conclave's pride and saved his homeland by breaking down the barriers between disparate forces. The surviving warriors gathered around the crater, shedding hot tears before the noble legacy left by the hero, swearing never to forget the indomitable courage he had shown.

Scarred Glory and the Start of the Exodus

Though the Overmind was destroyed, the price of victory was far too devastating. Aiur's once-brilliant golden cities had turned to ashes, and its sacred temples lay collapsed in hideous ruins. The surviving Zerg, having lost their commander, had turned into uncontrollable beasts, yet they still swarmed across the land of Aiur, constantly threatening the lives of the survivors.

The surviving Templar, including the young Executor Artanis, established temporary shelters in the ruins and tended to the wounded. The Protoss population, which had once numbered in the billions, was now reduced beyond estimation, and most of the Conclave's Judicators had lost their lives in the Zerg slaughter. Rather than joy at having defended their homeland, a deep sense of loss from having lost everything weighed heavily on the survivors.

Fenix let out a deep sigh as he escorted the procession of refugees, guiding his damaged Dragoon chassis. He painfully realized the reality that this land, which Tassadar had given his life to protect, had become a dead planet where the Protoss could no longer live. The wildly rampaging Zerg swarms constantly battered their defensive lines, and their remaining forces were simply insufficient to hold them all off.

Raynor's Raiders were also growing exhausted, their supplies and ammunition depleted. Leaning against his damaged Vulture, Raynor lit a cigarette and stared blankly up at the ash-colored sky of Aiur. The despair of losing Tarsonis seemed to be repeating itself on this alien planet. Though he resolved to help his surviving Protoss allies to the end, his heart grew heavy at the journey ahead.

In the somber atmosphere, Zeratul approached Artanis and Fenix. Gazing at the survivors with eyes that shone quietly in the darkness, he spoke the cruel truth: they had to abandon Aiur. He firmly argued that their current forces could not withstand the ravenous Zerg swarms, and to prevent the extinction of their race, they had to leave their homeland and find a new refuge.

The destination Zeratul proposed was the planet Shakuras, the sanctuary of the Dark Templar. Though some Templar were unsettled by the prospect of fleeing to the home of those once branded as heretics and exiled, Fenix and Artanis nodded, recalling the spirit of unity Tassadar had shown. Now was not the time to cling to old pride, but to save even a single one of their kind.

Once the massive evacuation operation to Shakuras through the Warp Gate was decided, the survivors quickly packed their belongings and began to move. The wounded, children, and the elderly gathered before the gate first, while the warriors established a final defensive line, desperately holding off the approaching Zerg. Under the red sunset of Aiur, the last embers of the once-brilliant Protoss Empire were slowly fading.

Fenix and Raynor resolved to remain in the rear to secure the escape route for the refugees. They gripped their weapons tightly as they watched the backs of their people vanishing through the Warp Gate. To protect this small seed of hope won by Tassadar's noble sacrifice, they silently turned toward the horrific cries of the approaching Zerg on their ash-covered homeland, preparing for battle.

References

Official Blizzard StarCraft Chronicle

Official StarCraft and Brood War Game Introduction

Official Story Direction and Reference Images from the Remaster

Official StarCraft and Brood War Downloads and Remaster Purchases