Chapter 381: Terazine! The Fall of the Gods, Psionic Awakening! The Slaughterer!
The Taldarim had originally planned to strike before the megacorp and the Raiders could get a foothold—catch them off guard and crush them early.
But to their surprise, they got slapped down hard right out of the gate.
Now, the Taldarim could only bide their time, waiting for more of their forces to assemble before launching another assault on the megacorp's forward base.
"Good thing their psionic warriors haven't all gathered yet. If they had, we'd be dead meat," Jim Raynor said, still shaken as he watched the enemy retreat.
Even this small wave had nearly broken their lines. He didn't dare imagine how brutal the upcoming battles would be.
"Fighting these Protoss… it's way harder than I expected."
Terran Federation soldiers had all undergone some form of genetic modification—stronger physiques were standard.
And most Raiders were former Federation troops. Yet despite that, they were no match for the Taldarim psionic warriors.
If not for the megacorp's overwhelming firepower, those warriors would've carved their way through them like butter, straight into the command center.
"You've got some pretty unique weapons," Raynor said to Paul with a half-smile. "I've never seen gear like that. I'm starting to believe you really are from some super-civilization in another universe."
Paul gave a helpless shrug. Getting people to believe that was always tricky—but it was true.
In reality, most of the megacorp's tech and military gear weren't even self-developed.
They "borrowed" it from countless other universes. Take their hard-light firearms, for example—those were "inherited" from the Forerunner civilization of the Halo universe.
Now, after repelling the psionic warriors, the Raiders and the megacorp forces quickly fortified their position, establishing a forward base on the high ground.
As their defenses took shape, they managed to gain a foothold on Bysel.
But the Taldarim would not let this stand.
More reinforcements would come, and their counterattacks would only get fiercer.
Paul, however, wasn't worried. They had tons of carrier-based aircraft and AI drones patrolling the skies—more than enough to repel any retaliation.
Looking at the expanding frontline fortifications, Paul nodded with satisfaction. With these turrets and aerial units in place, if the Taldarim dared show up—
The megacorp would happily send them packing to the afterlife.
Just then, as Paul stood at the command center's control console, monitoring enemy movements through the AI reconnaissance drones, the Master Sergeant approached with urgency.
"Paul, we've got something new. This has to be reported to HQ—immediately!"
Seeing the unusual tension in his expression, Paul followed him out of the command center.
They soon arrived at a jungle clearing.
A mysterious purple gas was rising from a pit in the ground. At first glance, Paul thought it might be a chemical leak.
Megacorp scientists were already at the site, collecting and analyzing the gas. The data was being transmitted back to the Megabase Headquarters.
Upon receiving the report, Alt Cunningham immediately had the AI hub begin a rapid analysis to determine the gas's properties.
Back at the Megabase HQ, Chisaji Fox, Alt Cunningham, Dr. Halsey, and others had gathered to report to Li Ang on the various minerals and gases found on Bysel.
"Boss, our frontline teams discovered a strange purple gas on Bysel," said Chisaji Fox, bringing up the analysis on a hard-light screen.
At first, they suspected it was a variant of high-energy vespene gas—but the color and composition didn't quite match.
"According to intel from the Raiders, this gas is called terazine—a core resource of the Taldarim. They call it 'the Breath of the Creator.'"
"Its function is said to enhance Protoss psionic power, which is why those terazine vents are always heavily guarded."
Hearing this, Li Ang's expression shifted slightly. He remembered what terazine was capable of.
Terazine was a hallucinogenic gas originally used by the Taldarim to commune with Amon.
It could awaken hidden potential in the body and unlock psionic powers—but the side effect was severe: mental instability, even madness.
In a way, it was akin to the spice from Dune—users could enter trance-like states, perceiving high-dimensional energies or receiving whispers from beings beyond reality.
Li Ang nodded thoughtfully. "This stuff has research potential. Tell Paul to send a sample back."
"Yes, sir!"
In the StarCraft universe, thought and willpower could be wielded as psionic force—and terazine could allow humans to tap into that power.
In short, terazine gave people the ability to awaken psionic energy, akin to "cultivation" in xianxia stories!
Across the multiverse, similar phenomena existed: Dune's spice, the Force in Star Wars—all pointing to a singular truth:
Higher-dimensional planes were channeling energy into the material universe. Only a rare few could withstand and wield that power. Those who couldn't… mutated or went mad.
The StarCraft universe's Void dimension was already leaking psionic energy into the 3D world—this universe was practically made for cultivation!
Not only was cultivation possible here—there were plenty of open slots for ascension.
After all, the evil god Amon had just killed off a bunch of ancient Xel'naga. Energy doesn't disappear—it just changes form.
The death of those Xel'naga had released massive amounts of psionic power into the physical universe, materializing as crystals, vespene gas, and—terazine.
Such miraculous materials were quite literally divine gifts.
In the context of StarCraft, this was a classic "gods have fallen, spiritual energy has returned" scenario!
We have to take Bysel and seize control of all terazine!
Li Ang made up his mind.
If the StarCraft universe had an ascension pathway, then the megacorp had to control that path. No one ascended without their permission.
Right now, the megacorp didn't have enough "cultivator" or "supernatural ability" types in their ranks.
Even though their AI labs had created retroviral agents that allowed their soldiers to tap into the Force, the conversion rates were still too low. It was more efficient to just conscript Jedi or Sith directly from Star Wars.
Spice could enhance physical strength and perception—but it was far from letting people throw out fireballs with their bare hands.
But terazine—terazine allowed humans in 3D space to commune with the psionic Void. It was like having a spiritual root to absorb energy and become a true cultivator!
If the megacorp could install their own divine avatars in the Void and mass-produce psionic warriors, they could control every would-be ascendant in the StarCraft universe.
This would be the most complete domination of a universe in megacorp history—even Void-born gods would bend to them!
With that monumental plan in mind, Li Ang decisively ordered:
"Our objective isn't just the Keystone Fragments. Every last gram of terazine on Bysel must fall under our control!"
To preserve the terazine, they couldn't just glass the planet or bombard it from orbit.
They'd either have to deploy the Scorpioshade virus to cleanly kill all Taldarim—or go with the slower method: a ground war to secure the resource fields.
"Boss, should we deploy the Scorpioshade virus?" asked Morgan Blackhand.
It would be highly efficient, of course. Clean, surgical. A neutron purge was also an option.
But such strategic-level weapons required Li Ang's personal authorization.
"No. Have the ground troops push forward. Fight and negotiate as we go. Secure the Keystone Fragment first—then deal with the rest."
Li Ang knew it wasn't time to show their hand yet. If they annihilated the Taldarim, the Protoss would inevitably see them as enemies.
Not because they cared about the Taldarim—but because such overwhelming power couldn't be ignored.
No one wants to be next. The Protoss would strike preemptively.
So until the megacorp built up a sufficient advantage, they needed to stay low-key.
Once they had all the fragments? Then they could steamroll whoever was left.
"Yes, sir. I'll relay your orders to Paul immediately."
Morgan Blackhand then transmitted the meeting's conclusions and Li Ang's commands to Paul.
Once Paul received HQ's full support and confirmation of their commitment to taking Bysel, he headed to the Raiders' command center.
Jim Raynor was there too, discussing next steps with his team—though something unusual had caught Paul's attention.
A mysterious stranger had appeared at the base.
His eyes were milky white, like a blind man. His skin was pitch black, blending almost seamlessly into the shadows. He wore a tight stealth suit—clearly the gear of a Ghost operative.
But Paul didn't sense the usual deadly aura typical of a covert assassin. Instead, this man's presence was quiet—restrained.
Raynor turned and introduced him.
"Paul, good timing. This is Gabriel Tosh, former Ghost operative of the Terran Federation."
"He's currently handling our intel operations—one of our business partners, you could say."
Gabriel Tosh had displayed remarkable psionic talent from a young age. After joining the Terran Federation military, he was selected for the infamous Ghost Program.
That program was nothing short of inhumane. Those chosen to become Ghosts were subjected to brutal training that often led to mental breakdowns.
Many attempted to escape the program's grasp—and Tosh was one of the rare few who succeeded. After fleeing that hellhole, he eventually reinvented himself as a black-market arms dealer and resource pirate.
He now ran jobs catering to various factions, willing to serve Anyone for the right price.
"Pleasure," Tosh said as he stepped forward and shook Paul's hand. The two men locked eyes, silently sizing each other up, each trying to see through the other.
"My business spans the entire Koprulu Sector. If you need something, maybe I can help," Tosh added, never one to miss a pitch.
"Sure," Paul replied politely.
Paul was certain there had been no such man aboard the Hyperion. If Tosh was already on Bysel, that could only mean one thing: he'd arrived earlier.
And for someone to slip onto Bysel unnoticed—that spoke volumes about his skill set.
Noticing Paul's suspicious look, Tosh offered a calm explanation. "I only came here to swipe some terazine. Ran into your ground forces by accident."
Glancing around the busy command center, he added, "Judging by your setup out there, you're here for more than just a few barrels of terazine. Planning to take the whole planet?"
Paul gave a measured nod. "We are interested in the terazine—but our primary target is the Keystone Fragment. As for occupation, that depends on how things go at the front."
While the two were talking, the Raiders' comms channel suddenly picked up an unknown transmission.
When the signal connected, a Taldarim Protoss face appeared on the holo-screen. It was Naeon, the local executor of the Taldarim forces.
> [You despicable, shameless humans dare trespass upon our sacred lands? Leave now, before our forces are fully deployed—or the wrath of the Taldarim will burn you to ash!]
Naeon's message was an open declaration of sovereignty, a warning for the megacorp coalition to leave Bysel immediately.
Paul, unfazed, chose diplomacy first. "Sorry, but we've taken a liking to this lovely little planet. How about a deal? You hand Bysel over, and we'll let you settle elsewhere."
There was no chance the megacorp would withdraw after coming this far. Paul was simply going through the motions.
> [Never! We've lived here for countless ages—long before your kind even reached the stars! You lowly, filthy species dare lay claim to the Taldarim's holy land?!]
Naeon's fury boiled over. In the eyes of the Protoss, humanity ranked barely above the Zerg. When the Xel'naga chose races for ascension, they picked the Protoss and the Zerg—but not humans.
Humans had no business meddling in the ancient war between the Protoss and Zerg. Their presence only complicated everything.
Naeon cut the transmission.
Paul didn't take the warning seriously. If weak posturing could scare off the megacorp, they wouldn't have become what they are today.
What mattered most now was shoring up defenses before the Taldarim launched their next wave.
AI drone recon showed another assault was already imminent.
Paul turned to Tosh. "If you're serious about getting more terazine, have your men pitch in. I don't believe for a second you came here alone."
Tosh smirked, offering no denial. "Of course. If there's a deal to be made, my Ghosts and I are always available—so long as you can pay."
In truth, that was exactly why Tosh had come to the Raiders' command center. Outside, heavy machinery was mining terazine and vespene gas at industrial scale—far beyond what Tosh's small-time crew could manage.
If his people were "stealing" terazine, then the megacorp's forces were just plain looting it in broad daylight.
Their daily yield far exceeded what Tosh's crew could steal in months.
Soon after, Paul looped Raynor in with a blunt update.
"Raynor, our boss made the call. We're not just after the Keystone Fragment—we want the entire planet. And we're locking down all the terazine."
"If you've got any objections, now's the time."
It wasn't a negotiation—it was a notice. Raynor, ever practical, simply nodded.
"No problem. Our job's just to collect the fragment. The rest's your business. The Raiders won't get involved."
Raynor shrugged. He had zero sympathy for the Taldarim. As long as he could save Kerrigan, nothing else mattered.
"Good."
With their roles clearly defined, it was time to brace for battle—because the Taldarim had begun their probing attacks.
This time, they unleashed a wave of Slayers—mechanized constructs acquired from other Protoss tribes.
These Slayers ran on four slender mechanical legs, armed with dual particle shatter cannons for long-range attacks. Inside their robotic shells, the heads of Protoss warriors could be seen—converted into biomechanical units.
But their deadliest ability? Phase Blink.
As the Slayers approached the human frontlines, the automated turrets locked on. But just as the mortars fired, the targets vanished—leaving only crimson afterimages.
The AI systems scrambled to re-lock—but the Slayers had already blinked out of range, evading damage entirely.
With this ability, they toyed with the turrets and frontline soldiers, skirting the edges of the defenses and burning through ammunition—probing for weaknesses.
The Taldarim weren't just mindless brutes; they knew how to wage psychological warfare.
And once the humans got careless, the real assault would begin.
Sure enough, the constant harassment wore down the Raiders' patience. Unlike the wealthy megacorp, they had limited ammo and had to ration it carefully.
Even with the alliance, they weren't used to megacorp weapons yet and still relied on their old gear.
As the Slayers ramped up their harassment and began firing their particle cannons, the AI turrets struggled to hold the line.
These agile war machines were reminiscent of the megacorp's Prometheus Lurkers—support units meant for mobility and burst fire.
But before the Slayers could celebrate their success, the megacorp deployed their Hardlight Turrets.
When a Slayer crossed into range, a beam of concentrated energy lanced out—instantly reducing the lead unit to scrap.
The rest panicked and blinked away in retreat.
But this time, the megacorp had also deployed Tosh's Ghost squad.
While the Slayers attacked, Paul had carefully observed their rhythm—realizing that after each blink, there was a brief cooldown period.
So he ordered Tosh's Ghosts to strike during that window—ambushing the enemy from behind.
These Ghost operatives were elite psionics, either defectors from the Terran Federation or self-taught savants.
They could cloak using psionic fields and deliver psychic shocks to scramble enemy minds—stunning them before striking.
Without specialized sensors, even the Protoss couldn't detect these hidden assassins.
When the Slayers blinked out of turret range, Tosh's team was already waiting.
They struck hard and fast—starting with a psionic stun, followed by precision headshots.
With the turrets providing suppressive fire, the disoriented Slayers were helpless—unable to blink away.
Lightly armored and designed for hit-and-run tactics, they couldn't withstand such a brutal assault.
Under the combined barrage of AI drones, cloaked Ghosts, and Hardlight Turrets, the entire wave was decimated—reduced to heaps of shattered metal.
Only a few Slayers managed to escape, blinking away just as their cooldowns reset.
The Taldarim's harassment strategy had failed completely.
With drones scouting, turrets blazing, and Tosh's spectral assassins in play, the Protoss couldn't gain the upper hand through hit-and-run tactics.
If they wanted to push the megacorp coalition back, they'd have to try something else—because brute force wasn't going to cut it anymore.
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