StarCraft Chronicles Episode 32: Light of the Void, Those Left Behind

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 contains major spoilers for the ending.

The Call of the Void

Even after Amon was banished from the Khala, an ominous presence still lurked in the abyssal depths of the cosmos. Kerrigan felt a massive calling binding her mind. It was a desperate voice, older than the stars, echoing from the deepest reaches of the Void. She instinctively knew that this call was the signal for the final battle that would decide the fate of the universe.

Raynor stood with a grim expression, staring at the shimmering rift of darkness beyond the bridge's massive viewport. Kerrigan approached his side and explained the voice calling to her from that unknown space. In Raynor's eyes lay a deep anxiety and heavy fatigue at the thought of having to send his beloved into a deadly, perilous place once again.

Just then, Artanis stepped onto the bridge. The nerve cords severed short behind his head bore witness to both the terrible sacrifices made on Aiur and the great victory achieved. The young Hierarch of the protoss deeply agreed that the ripples detected by Kerrigan were not a mere trap, but perhaps the sole opportunity to end Amon once and for all.

Kerrigan was certain that the entity calling her possessed an ancient power capable of opposing Amon. She insisted that they must enter the Void immediately, warning that the voice spoke of very little time remaining. The leaders of the three races had to unite once more to break the cycle of this horrific war.

Raynor hesitated for a moment. The Void was an unknown realm beyond the endurance of mortals, and no one could guarantee a safe return. Yet, he nodded toward Kerrigan. His firm resolve to accompany her even to the very ends of hell shone brighter than any fear.

Artanis, too, steeled his resolve. He knew better than anyone that merely banishing Amon from the material universe would not bring true peace. Unless they invaded the heart of the Void to utterly destroy the source of that malevolent entity, the protoss and all living things in the cosmos would be forced to live in eternal terror.

Terran battlecruisers, massive zerg Brood Lords, and the golden armada of the protoss formed a grand coalition. Three races that had once pointed their weapons at one another now assumed a massive formation for a single objective. The fleet's engines ignited in unison, beginning a slow advance toward the pitch-black abyss of the cosmos.

The coalition fleet slipped into the rift of the Void. Swirling chaotic energies battered the hulls of the ships, producing bizarre, grating sounds. In the dense darkness that swallowed even light, the three leaders prepared themselves to face the unknown horrors awaiting them. The final, irreversible journey had at last begun.

The Apparition of Tassadar and Oros

The interior of the Void was a bizarre space where the laws of physics had catastrophically collapsed. Debris of shattered planets drifted through the air as if swept by invisible ocean currents. The coalition established a precarious foothold upon a massive floating island of rock. The crushing pressure of the Void from all sides choked the soldiers, instilling a deep dread.

Before Artanis and the commanders establishing the defensive line, a figure radiating brilliant light appeared. The form was incredibly familiar and revered: Tassadar, the great hero who had sacrificed himself to save Aiur. At his appearance, the protoss warriors were seized with such awe that they were shocked to the point of nearly lowering their weapons and kneeling.

Artanis stepped forward, suppressing his overwhelming emotions. His chest burned hot at the thought that the spirit of his revered mentor and hero was guiding them within the Void. In a trembling voice, he called out Tassadar's name, wishing to ask how he had managed to maintain such pure light amidst this darkness.

Yet, just before Artanis's hand could touch him, Tassadar's form began to distort. The noble appearance of the protoss melted away, and in its place, an ancient entity draped in mysterious energy and massive tentacles revealed itself. It looked down upon the coalition commanders with abyssal eyes that seemed to have swallowed thousands of stars.

The colossal entity revealed his name to be Oros, the last of the Xel'naga, who had been imprisoned in the Void for ages by Amon. His voice created a strange resonance, sounding like countless souls whispering in unison. Oros explained that he was the very one who had squeezed out his remaining strength to send the desperate telepathic call to Kerrigan.

Oros confessed that he had borrowed the form of Tassadar—the one they trusted most—to guide Zeratul and the protoss onto the correct path. He had no intention of deceiving them with a false illusion, but it was an unavoidable choice to deliver the messages while evading Amon's gaze. This truth brought deep confusion to Artanis.

Artanis felt a momentary flash of anger that the memory of the great hero had been exploited, but he soon understood the eons of suffering and weight that Oros must have borne. He could not condemn the desperate struggle that the last remaining Xel'naga had to choose to save the universe. Swallowing his bitterness, he listened to Oros's true intentions.

Oros declared that to destroy Amon forever, the endless Infinite Cycle must be broken. He stated that a mortal body could not slay the master of the Void, and only the birth of a new Xel'naga to take his place would restore balance to the universe. That heavy gaze of destiny was directed solely at Kerrigan.

Stukov's Long-Awaited Revenge

To break the massive chains of the Void binding Oros, they first had to defeat Amon's minion guarding the prison, Narud. Narud was a servant of the Xel'naga and a shapeshifting deceiver, a horrific entity that had toyed with countless lives. The coalition began preparing an all-out offensive to break through Narud's defensive lines.

It was Alexei Stukov who volunteered to spearhead this battle. Once a Terran admiral, now possessing a unique infested Terran body after being infected by the zerg virus, he did not hide his burning thirst for vengeance against Narud. Unstable energy seethed in his infested arm, and his gaze pursued nothing but Narud's destruction.

Narud mocked the coalition, constantly conjuring illusions of the loved ones they had lost. Before Jim Raynor, he projected illusions of dead comrades, and before Artanis, he replayed the screams of fallen warriors, attempting to gnaw away at their sanity. The deception wrought by the Void's energy was horrifyingly vivid and cruel.

Yet Stukov was unshaken by Narud's shallow illusions. Etched clearly in his mind was only the memory of the day he drew his last breath on the cold floor of planet Braxis, betrayed by Narud under the alias of Duran. The agony of endless biological experimentation he had to endure after that death had tempered his reason into cold steel.

The infested Terran horde led by Stukov surged madly toward Narud's Void structures. His troops, a tangled mess of rotting flesh and creaking metal, did not stop even under a hail of gunfire, tearing into the enemy's defenses. Under their ferocious assault, Narud's once-solid shields slowly began to crack and crumble.

At last, Stukov stood face-to-face with Narud. Narud struggled to hide his panic, unleashing powerful Void lightning at Stukov. However, using his infested body as a shield, Stukov silently endured the attack, closing the distance step by step. His massive claw glinted, imbued with dark energy.

Stukov looked down at the fallen Narud and delivered his final words in a cold voice. 'Good night, sweet prince.' With his low whisper, powerful energy erupting from his infested right arm completely enveloped Narud. It was the moment when his vengeance for a betrayal suppressed for decades and his personal judgment were finally realized.

With a grotesque shriek, Narud's body began to shatter into Void dust. The end of the wicked minion who had deceived the universe by changing shapes was hollow yet absolute. Stukov watched the enemy's remains scatter into the air, putting a period to his long journey of revenge. A fleeting sense of relief brushed across his hideous face.

The Essence of the Xel'naga and Sacrifice

Upon Narud's demise, the dark chains binding Oros shattered into pieces. The colossal form of the Xel'naga revealed itself fully, radiating a brilliant light that purified the surrounding Void energy. Feeling that pure and overwhelming wave of power, Kerrigan approached Oros with slow but resolute steps.

Oros's massive thoughts flowed directly into Kerrigan's mind. Confessing that very little of his life remained, he offered to transfer the last remaining essence of the Xel'naga to her. It was the only weapon capable of destroying Amon, but at the same time, it meant the complete dissolution of the entity known as Kerrigan and a new birth.

At that moment, Raynor stepped forward roughly, grabbing Kerrigan's arm with force. His calloused knuckles trembled slightly. He could not bear to watch her, who had already lost her humanity once to become the Queen of Blades, sacrifice herself again to shed the shackles of humanity forever. His desperate gaze pleaded with her to turn back from her decision.

Kerrigan looked down at Jim's hand holding her. An infinitely gentle and sad smile spread across her sharp zerg features. She knew all too well that this was the only way to wash away her countless sins and save the universe. Gently caressing Raynor's cheek, she whispered.

'It's my destiny, Jim.' Kerrigan's voice was firm, without a tremor. She gently pried Raynor's hand away and took a step back. In her resolute eyes, Raynor read the despairing truth that he could no longer stop her. With a pained expression, he could only watch her choice, his fists clenched tight.

Kerrigan opened her arms, receiving the brilliant light radiating from Oros with her entire body. The creative energy of the ancient Xel'naga poured into her physical form like a waterfall. That overwhelming energy began to burn away every single one of her zerg cells, reconstructing them into a new form of life. It was accompanied by an excruciating, bone-searing pain.

A piercing shriek erupted from Kerrigan's mouth. Her hard, purple carapace cracked open, and dazzling golden energy burst forth from the fissures. Oros's body gradually grew translucent, pouring all of his essence into her. In the darkness of the Void, a massive cocoon of light formed, heralding the birth of a new god.

Oros's form finally vanished completely, leaving only the golden cocoon enveloping Kerrigan pulsating in the air, emitting immense energy. The process of ascension was by no means smooth and required a vast amount of time. The coalition was left with the heavy burden on their shoulders to protect her until this sacred yet precarious moment of mutation was complete.

The Final Defense for Ascension

Amon sensed the massive ripples of a new Xel'naga about to be born in the heart of the Void and flew into a rage. To annihilate the coalition attempting to ruin his plans, he unleashed endless waves of Void Thrashers and shadow forces. In the pitch-black darkness, monsters with flashing red eyes began to swarm madly toward Kerrigan's cocoon.

Artanis raised his psi-blades high, rallying the Daelaam warriors. Protoss forces clad in golden armor established a solid defensive perimeter around the cocoon. Their warp blades cut through the darkness, cleaving the Void monsters, while psionic storms unleashed by High Templar ruthlessly tore through the enemy ranks, holding the line.

Zagara drove the zerg Swarm into a frenzy to protect her queen. Massive Ultralisks shook the ground, blocking the enemy's charge with their bodies, while millions of Zerglings launched near-suicidal onslaughts against the Void rifts. Under Zagara's sharp commands, the zerg bled for the sole purpose of defense.

From the bridge of the Hyperion, Raynor ordered all forces to concentrate their firepower. Siege Tanks deployed their cannons, raining down shells relentlessly, while the Yamato Cannons of the battlecruisers struck the massive Void Thrashers, triggering explosions. The smell of Terran gunpowder and flames pushed back the cold chill of the Void, firmly supporting one flank of the desperate defense.

Three races that had once been bent on killing one another were now fighting in perfect harmony. When Terran artillery stripped away the enemy's shields, the zerg slipped through the gaps to ravage them, and the protoss delivered the finishing blows with powerful psionic energy. Their alliance was the most wondrous and desperate dance of survival in the history of the cosmos.

Yet Amon's forces showed no signs of dwindling. Under the relentless onslaught, the coalition's casualties mounted exponentially. Portions of the defensive line collapsed, allowing the Void monsters to draw perilously close to the cocoon. The heavy breathing and screams of soldiers filled the comm channels, and the shadow of despair slowly deepened.

With a sweat-drenched face, Raynor stared at the golden cocoon on the monitor. His hands gripped the controls so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His desperate prayer for her to hold on scattered amidst the static of the radio. Just before the defensive line collapsed entirely, at the very instant the enemy's claws were about to reach the cocoon, a massive resonance like a heartbeat echoed from within.

With a thunderous roar, the cocoon shattered as if exploding, sending an blindingly intense wave of golden light in all directions. Wherever this sacred tidal wave of light swept, the Void monsters vanished without a trace. Lowering their weapons, the coalition soldiers stared in awe at the wondrous entity slowly rising from where the darkness had cleared.

The Demise of Amon

From the center of the light, Kerrigan emerged. She was no longer human, nor was she zerg. Her burning golden body, composed of pure celestial energy, was divinity itself. Massive wings of light shimmered behind her back, and the gentle yet overwhelming aura she radiated instantly banished the cold darkness of the Void.

The mere presence of Kerrigan, ascended as a Xel'naga, seemed to heal the weary bodies and minds of the coalition. As she lightly reached out her hand, Amon's remaining forces blanketing the battlefield crumbled into gray ash. Controlling her new power completely, Kerrigan slowly turned her gaze toward the source of the great evil that sought to plunge the universe into ruin.

Amon finally revealed his true form. A colossal, horrific entity that seemed to be the Void itself condensed rose, weighing heavily upon the cosmos. In his red eyes seethed an endless hatred for the creators and contempt for mortals. Amon's chilling laughter echoed harshly, as if to tear the eardrums of the coalition.

Kerrigan soared toward Amon, tracing a path of light. The golden energy of creation and the pitch-black energy of the Void collided head-on, generating a massive shockwave that shook the very foundations of the universe. The clash of the two godlike entities distorted space-time, and the surrounding rocky islands shattered into pieces from the mere aftermath, oxidizing into cosmic dust.

Raynor, Artanis, and Zagara did not leave Kerrigan alone. Squeezing out all their remaining firepower, they fiercely battered the shield surrounding Amon's form. While the coalition's desperate bombardment distracted Amon, Kerrigan concentrated lethal energy toward the enemy's most vulnerable core, conjuring a massive storm of light.

Kerrigan's resolute cry that the Infinite Cycle was over echoed loudly throughout the Void. She thrust the dazzling celestial flames condensed in her hands directly into Amon's heart. Amon's darkness struggled to swallow the light, but Kerrigan's power, inheriting the pure essence of the Xel'naga, pierced even that wicked abyss, driving deep inside.

Kerrigan's strike shattered Amon's core. Amon's colossal form began to collapse from within with a scream of agony. The energy of the fallen Xel'naga, which had threatened the universe for eons, went wildly out of control, scattering in all directions. Kerrigan watched that moment of ruin to the very end with an unwavering gaze, putting a final stop to it.

A massive explosion of light painted the Void white before slowly fading away. Not a single trace of Amon's presence remained, completely annihilated. The endless despair and threat of death had at last been lifted entirely from the universe. Cheers erupted among the coalition ships upon confirming victory, and Kerrigan offered them one final smile.

Reunion at Joeyray's Bar

After the grand battle in the Void ended, a long-awaited peace settled over the Koprulu sector. Even amidst the devastation of war that left countless scars, life was beginning to sprout anew. Emperor Valerian Mengsk led the Terran Dominion with stability, firmly laying the foundation for a new era of reconstruction and prosperity instead of tyranny and oppression.

Artanis led the Daelaam protoss to forge a new home. Having severed their nerve cords to the Khala and gained true freedom, they overcame past divisions to build a single, unified society. Never forgetting the noble sacrifices while moving toward the future, the protoss civilization flourished, radiating a light more brilliant and diverse than ever before.

Zagara succeeded Kerrigan as the new ruler of the zerg Swarm. She settled her broods on planet Char and its surrounding systems, and surprisingly, strictly observed the tacit ceasefire agreement made with the Terrans and protoss. Even the zerg, once the symbol of endless hunger and destruction, maintained their own domain within this new cosmic order.

On the outskirts of Mar Sara, nestled in the middle of a wasteland where red dust swirled, Joeyray's Bar stood worn and quiet. The lazy afternoon sunlight filtered through the window, illuminating the broken tables. Untouched by the noise of war or political intrigue, this remote place held a strange tranquility and loneliness, as if time itself had stopped.

Jim Raynor sat alone at the bar of the empty tavern. In his rough hand, he held a half-empty glass of whiskey, and on the table lay the marshal's badge he had spent his entire life fighting for. He casually rubbed the dust off the badge with his thumb, quietly recalling the turbulent years he had lived through and the faces of those he had lost.

The creaky door of the old tavern swung open, letting in a long shaft of dazzling outdoor sunlight. A silhouette standing in the backlight cast a shadow on the floor. Raynor squinted, staring at the figure. A strange tension, indistinguishable between illusion and reality, cut through the stale air of the bar, making his heart beat faster.

The silhouette slowly walked into the bar, revealing her appearance. Red hair, clear eyes, and a face wearing a faint smile. It was Sarah Kerrigan in her fully human form—neither the zerg Queen of Blades nor the divine entity of the Xel'naga. She looked at him with complete naturalness, like someone returning from a long outing.

'Ready to step out, cowboy?' That familiar, playful voice slipping from Kerrigan's lips broke the silence of the bar. In that brief phrase lay all the countless pains and sorrows they had endured together, and the peace that had finally arrived. She reached her hand out toward him as he leaned against the bar, her eyes filled with the same unchanging affection.

A Legend Left in the Margins

Raynor raised his head to look at her. His eyes, once steeped in fatigue, shook violently in disbelief, but soon a warm, comfortable smile began to spread from deep within. The heavy shadow cast upon the face of the hero who saved the universe and led the rebellion vanished in an instant, like mist melting in the morning sun.

He set down the glass of whiskey in his hand and gave the marshal's badge on the table one last caress. It was a quiet farewell to his life as a soldier who had spent his days bleeding on the battlefield. He knew that the universe no longer needed him, and that it was time for him, too, to lay down this heavy burden.

Without saying a word, Raynor stood up. He pushed back the old chair and silently walked toward Kerrigan. The moment he firmly grasped her outstretched hand, the eons of weight pressing down on his shoulders seemed to vanish entirely. Their clasped hands conveyed a comfort and an eternal promise more powerful than any words.

Side by side, the two walked out of the bar toward the dazzling sunlight. Their figures gradually faded as if melting into the light. The creaky old door closed with a soft thud, completely separating their traces from the world. Inside the empty bar, only the quiet, dust-laden air gently hovered over the place where they had stood.

A few days later, when someone visited the bar, there was no one there. There was no trace of the owner anywhere; only the old, ownerless marshal's badge and a half-empty glass of whiskey sat quietly on the dusty bar. No clues or messages were found as to where Jim Raynor had gone, or with whom he had departed.

The news of Raynor's disappearance spread rapidly throughout the Koprulu sector. People offered their own speculations. Some believed he had finally laid down all his burdens to choose a peaceful retirement, while others whispered that his lover, who had become a celestial being, had taken him to an unknown dimension. The truth remained a secret known only to the stars.

Around that time, miraculous events began to occur on the darkest and most barren fringe worlds of the universe. Upon desolate lands where no life could survive, lush green forests suddenly grew and life began to bloom. It was a quiet yet wondrous blessing left in the cosmos by the vanished new creator, and proof that the cycle of life had begun anew.

The final fate of Jim Raynor and Sarah Kerrigan was never definitively established. Their story remained a legend, spoken in the corners of taverns and by those looking up at the night sky. The whereabouts of the two vanished into the vast margins of the universe, and their open ending became an eternal myth in the hearts of those left behind.

Sources Consulted

Official Blizzard StarCraft Chronicle

Official StarCraft II Campaign Introduction

Developer Lore Q&A: Connecting Characters and War

StarCraft: Evolution — Official Epilogue Introduction

Official StarCraft II Downloads and Campaign/Nova Purchase List