"Clang... clang... clang..." The bells atop the Spire, which had been silent for some time, suddenly rang out nine times. Each toll felt like a death knell announcing the end for everyone in the Lower Hive.
Deep within the main elevator shaft, blood-curdling screeches echoed. Suddenly, the carcass of a demon slammed onto the massive elevator platform, followed by a second, then a third...
Countless Horrors and Nurglings tumbled from the pitch-black abyss above, accompanied by swarms of Screamers spiraling down. These lower-tier demons almost choked the entire shaft; the first wave of the invasion had begun.
A sea of blue surged toward the human defensive lines. Volleys of psionic projectiles rained down on their positions, inflicting heavy casualties. The Marines huddled within steel bunkers and trenches, weathering the barrage before launching counterattacks during the brief lulls.
Dense "scythes of death" composed of Gauss rifle fire began harvesting the low-level demons. The blue wave crashed against the solid stone of human resolve, as countless demons fell and dissolved into nothingness. Beside them, Medics worked tirelessly to save critically wounded Marines, their presence preventing the line from collapsing prematurely.
Behind the lines, auto-turrets and machine-gun nests on the alloy walls fired relentlessly to support the faltering front. The Lower Hive was transformed into a hellscape of psionic energy and flame.
At the smaller maintenance tunnels—wide enough for only a few demons at a time—masses of Lurkers and Impalers lay in wait. When the demons excitedly reached the end of the passages, countless bone spikes erupted from the earth. The demons were torn to shreds amidst roars of frustration, their skulls pierced by the bone spikes of Hydralisks firing from the shadows.
Unlike the humans' passive defense, the Zerg Swarm feared no charge. Massive numbers of Zerglings and Roaches launched counter-charges. The demons of Tzeentch, ill-suited for close-quarters combat, were momentarily stunned by the ferocity. Even when their carapaces were riddled with psionic holes, the Zerg would drag a demon to the grave with them.
Numbers? The Swarm never feared a numbers game. The previous skirmish with the PDF had been a poor representation of their true power; now, the biomass accumulated over months was being converted into an endless stream of reinforcements. Zerg surged from every corner of the Underhive, heading toward the frontline. Residents watched in shock and terror as these terrifying xenos emerged from the shadows only to vanish into the maintenance shafts.
The humans struggling on the line suddenly felt the pressure ease. Peering over their cover, they saw the demon hordes splitting their forces to turn back. Behind the demonic flank, an army of Zerg—appearing from nowhere—had begun a suicidal charge into the Warp entities. Acid, bone spikes, and dangerous subterranean beasts consumed by Infestors tore into the demons without regard for losses. Flesh was shredded by psionic energy, and demons were gnawed into fragments; the scales of war leveled once again.
In a distant maintenance tunnel, the roars of dying demons occasionally echoed. Alexei moved with a speed nearly invisible to the naked eye, his power sword carving through every Warp entity that dared cross his path. His pace was unwavering; ordinary demons were no match for him. Though his swordsmanship wasn't refined, his sheer strength and speed compensated for any lack of technique.
Dodge, slash, parry, kill. Alexei watched the count of Soul Shards on his interface skyrocket at an unprecedented rate. He knew the war outside was reaching a fever pitch; he had to hurry. Clambering upward through the dissolving remains of his enemies, he finally saw light ahead.
With a heavy thud, he kicked open the steel door at the end of the tunnel. Alexei emerged into a narrow alley. The noise attracted nearby demons, and as a variety of Tzeentchian horrors rushed toward him, he let out a cold sneer.
As he fought his way into the wide streets, he didn't forget his objective. Looking at the infinite tide of demons in the distance, pillars of white light began to coalesce around him.
The warriors of the Protoss had arrived in this universe once more. Facing enemies hundreds of times their number, the Children of Aiur showed no fear and charged. Alexei breathed a sigh of relief as the Zealots took over the engagement. The prolonged fighting had pushed his stamina to its limit.
White light continued to flash around him. With an abundance of Soul Shards, he could now consider a balanced army composition. He chose to unlock three new units: High Templar, Stalkers, and Archons. Combined with the previously unlocked Immortals and Zealots, he felt this force was enough to storm the palace in the distance.
As the light faded, the new units materialized. Stalkers filled the gap in long-range firepower, their Particle Disruptors flashing with Void energy capable of shattering even an Ultralisk's carapace. The psionic shields of the Tzeentchian demons struggled to hold against the Protoss assault, dissolving under the onslaught of energy beams.
Then came six High Templar. As true masters of psionic energy, their Psionic Storms achieved molecular-level disintegration, capable of turning everything in the target area to ash in an instant.
"Think you're the only ones who can play with psionic power? Try this," Alexei commanded.
The six levitating High Templar channeled their energy. Suddenly, multiple Psionic Storms, each covering dozens of meters, erupted within the demon formations. The charge of the Warp entities was forced to a halt as the roiling storms tore apart anyone who dared draw near.
Finally, Alexei had a moment to observe his surroundings. Everywhere he looked was the ruin of shattered buildings, and most prominent among the debris were the pillars of Warp light shooting into the sky—the rifts.
"It seems I just need to close those to stop the reinforcements..." Just as Alexei was thinking, several powerful psionic attacks caught his attention.
Black-robed Sorcerers of Tzeentch had entered the fray. Their potent psionic shields began to withstand the Protoss advance. As the number of sorcerers increased, even the attacks from the High Templar were being deflected.
Alexei snorted. More white light erupted as dozens of Immortals marched forward with heavy strides. Their Phase Disruptors began pounding the sorcerers. Countless plasma shells made life miserable for the demons, who could only raise their shields and roar in impotence. Meanwhile, the Hardened Shields on the Immortals' golden armor flickered, nullifying every psionic bolt thrown at them.
It took a massive concentration of fire to bring down a single Immortal, and the Protoss forces were tactical enough to provide cover and draw fire away from them.
Watching his Soul Shards deplete rapidly, Alexei knew he couldn't delay. He ordered all Protoss forces to concentrate their power and push toward the first Warp rift.