StarCraft: Tyranid Empire

This is a vast ocean that was solidified when it was just born. It is backed by glaciers thousands of feet high. The ice walls of thousands of feet of glaciers that are tens of thousands of miles long look magnificent under the high cobalt blue sky, as if they are at the end of the world. God's dwelling place.

The extreme cold and freeze prevented the federal exploration department from carrying out secondary development even after detecting rich high-energy gas reserves. They just shelved the plan temporarily because Haiji has other resources that are easier to obtain and lower cost. .

At the entrance to a miles-long glacier crevasse, a scientific research station and camp, just completed today, are brightly lit. Outside these white buildings made of environmentally friendly materials, there are several golden-blue Protoss buildings. The ice surface emits a bright sky-blue light under the Protoss Kedarin crystal.

Two huge dark purple Revolutionary Army Nova Squadron science ships are parked on it. A large number of transport ships and turbine detection drones are surrounding the two science ships and traveling between the sky and the ground.

These buildings are not mass-produced housing made of welded prefabricated panels, but solid observation stations built with thick board walls and furnaces. The outside is connected to pipes filled with refined high-energy gas fuel, shaped like tree stumps with intertwined roots. .

Augustus was standing at the door of a barracks, next to Tychus, Faraday and the Dark Templar Zeratul. At this time, Augustus and others were wearing warm polar overalls, and only Zeratul was still wearing his A thin, dark purple robe.

Since the Dark Priest Zeratul claimed that the extreme cold was also part of the Dark Templar's penance, Augustus no longer worried that he would be frostbitten or frozen.

A quarter of a mile directly in front of Augustus and others is the Xel'Naga portal that Zeratul mentioned.

It was a giant arched door over a thousand feet high, with a trapezoidal pyramid at its base with a hundred steps. The stones used to build the pyramid seem to be some kind of living organic matter, and the surface is shining with fluorescent green light symbolizing life. Shell-like spiral patterns and difficult-to-understand Xel'Naga hieroglyphs are all over the surface of the main body of the building, making it eye-catching. It looks like part of the altar.

The perfect combination of nature and technology, a living building that seems to have a soul.

This Xel'Naga portal was originally buried a mile beneath the glacier. Zeratul's Dark Templar evaporated everything on it through the void energy beam released by their Xel'Naga ship, the Void Quest. The layer of ice allowed it to see the light of day again. The sharp ice cones in the surrounding area are left over from the re-condensation of water vapor.

Surrounding the Xel'Naga portal are towers of elevated buildings that are being built, which are interstellar ports and transportation platforms that are being built. The plan to develop high-energy gas collection industry in the geological layer under the Haiji Arctic Glacier has been implemented. In the future, it will become a gas production and refining base based on gas veins.

Considering the extremely high strategic value hidden in the Xel'Naga portal, Augustus attached great importance to it.

This is the first Xel'Naga portal controlled by the Revolutionary Army. Through it, the Revolutionary Army can not only transport personnel and materials to other galaxies, but also attack planets or resource collection stations at times and locations unexpected by the Federation.

"This is the creation of the Xel'Naga. The protoss has been imitating it but cannot touch one ten thousandth of it." Zeratul and Augustus walked towards the Xel'Naga portal in the distance.

"The steps and the obelisk erected on it record a long poem by a Xel'Naga prophet, recording the story of them coming from the void and spreading the seeds of life in the universe. The beauty and poetry of its language are my life Only visible."

"With all due respect, elder, I can't see it." Augustus actually didn't care much about the artistic value of the alien ruins. He cared more about the actual value of such things to himself. This is what makes Augustus different from other members of the Mengsk family. He really has no interest in appreciating art.

"Of course, that's why I tell you this." This came from Zeratul's dry sense of humor.

At this time, a small protoss shuttle that shimmered with golden-blue light under the cold polar sun landed around Augustus. When the shuttle landed, it was as light as leaves falling on a sponge, instead of setting off a hurricane that brought up ice and debris like a human spacecraft.

Tassadar, a high-ranking templar wearing a golden-blue robe, walked out of the protoss shuttle's unfolded irises, without bringing any templar with him.

"Hello, Augustus Mengsk, although we failed to kill the new agent of the Overlord, at least we saved the planet and the people on it." Tassadar greeted Augustus first, Then he turned slightly stiffly to the Dark Templar Zeratul beside him.

"I have long admired your heroic deeds, Dark Master Zeratul." Although Tassadar said with reverence, he involuntarily took two steps back. Then the respected executive lowered his head, as if blushing.

"The teachings I received still affect me, but that will not hinder my communication with the Dark Templars. In the name of Adon, I swear that I will look at the Templars and the Dark Templars without prejudice. The grudges between the samurai."

"The Dark Templar have always maintained respect for our Templar brothers. We have always believed that it was the Arbiter class of the High Council who expelled Nerazim, and the Adon of the Templar class protected us." Ze Latu said.

"Normally I don't discuss the decisions of the Arbitrators, but they have indeed done many things wrong recently." Tassadar also criticized the Supreme Council, which at least shows that he is now in conflict with the representatives of Zeratul. The Dark Templar have a lot in common.

Despite this, Tassadar preferred to keep Zeratul at arm's length. Many Templars have an almost instinctive dislike of Dark Templars, so much so that some Templars develop goosebump-like spots whenever they approach their fellow Dark Templars.

"Let's see where the Xel'Naga portal can take us." Augustus said, stretching out his hand and asking Tassadar and Zeratul to follow him up the ladder below the Xel'Naga portal. Pyramid base.

At regular intervals on the steps under the Xel'Naga portal stood a revolutionary soldier holding an electromagnetic rifle and wearing a gold-red CMC-300 powered armor, standing with flags fluttering in the wind.

Walking on the steps will give you a unique feeling of stepping on soft lawn. The spiral patterns and words engraved on the steps and the giant obelisks on both sides are emitting a vibrant green light. The light flickers brightly and darkly every moment, and the frequency of flickering is like a heartbeat, as if it is alive.

The steps lead directly to the main body of the magnificent portal - a giant gate that was supposed to be built for giants and could accommodate a fleet of ships.

At the top of the steps there is a facility similar to a console, which is made of green organic stones, with green void energy flowing on the surface.

"How great!" This was not the first time Tassadar had seen the Xel'Naga portal, but he would still exclaim in surprise: "Today, we have rarely used the Xel'Naga portal on Aiur. The door is open."

"Just like the Xel'Naga Temple, it is not common, but the places that the Xel'Naga have visited are by no means what we can imagine, so there may still be a considerable number of Xel'Naga portals in the universe, but they are just separated from each other. Extremely remote and difficult to detect.”

"Yes, after being expelled from Aiur by the Supreme Council of the Protoss Empire thousands of years ago, our ancestors wandered in the universe for a long time before they came to know our current home, the twilight land of Sagulath." Zeratul agreed. Said: "The reason why we stopped in that bleak world was just because we discovered the Xel'Naga Temple and the portal there."

"So we stayed there forever."

Zeratul said as he walked towards the portal console inlaid with a huge green crystal, rubbing its surface as smooth as seaweed. Even after endless years of erosion, the various facilities of this portal are still not affected by the years - although it will still be damaged by external damage or even unable to be used again, Haiji's one is still not damaged.

"Xel'Naga, the 'Distant Wanderer', the 'Sage', and the 'Teacher Ihan' must have been here. These ruins are evidence." Zeratul was obsessed with every detail of the Xel'Naga portal console. Ingeniously constructed, I am deeply fascinated by it.

"Why are these protoss talking about things that I don't understand at all? All they have to do is tell me whether this door can be used." Tychus listened carefully for a while, but he didn't understand. He really couldn't understand the protoss. What exactly is Xel'Naga, the spiritual god.

"Of course, I'll activate it now." Zeratul didn't care about Tychus's impatience. He could understand the special features of this human personality.

"The Xel'Naga portal can connect to all portals that can still operate normally, unless the person on the other side refuses it through the console." As he spoke, he fumbled with the crystal button on the operating console to release the majestic void energy. Infused into the crystal at the core of the console and activating it.

"I am transmitting instructions so that it can be connected to the portal in Sagulath. Although I have been away from my hometown for a long time, the Dark Templar warriors guarding there must still be doing their duty. They Knowing it’s me, I won’t refuse to connect to Haiji’s portal.”

A bright blue light began to light up on the portal, emitting a dazzling light that made Augustus almost unable to open his eyes. It wasn't until a mysterious vortex formed that the light gradually dimmed.

"Elder, can this portal be connected to the Xel'Naga portal in El?" Augustus walked towards Zeratul and said. And Tassadar just said that there is a Xel'Naga portal in Aiur.

"You can give it a try." Tassadar also walked over and said, "If this works, I can return to Aiur through this portal at any time."

This magnificent Xel'Naga portal is over several miles in diameter, large enough to accommodate a protoss carrier.

"Try it." Augustus admitted that the idea was tempting.

".I was able to find Aiur's one on this Xel'Naga console, but I remember that the portal was closed to the outside world." Zeratul said.

"I don't know much about this." Tassadar expressed regretful emotions.

Tassadar is just a templar, his duty is to practice combat skills and understand the mysteries of Kara. The work related to the creation of Xel'Naga is the accusation of the Silak tribe of the Arbitrator tribe, and the Templars are rarely involved in it.

"That is to say, the building in Ayr is only allowed to go out, not to enter?" Augustus speculated.

As soon as he finished speaking, Zeratul sighed and said: "El's Xel'Naga portal has been locked. Not only that, I believe that after the golden age of the Protoss Empire, the conservative Supreme Council of the Empire will no longer The portal has not been activated."

The El Protoss of the Protoss Empire are introverted and conservative. After the end of the Golden Age, they completely lost the spirit of territorial expansion and pioneering innovation because they firmly believed that their civilization and technology had reached perfection.

In the thinking of the entire race, the idea of ​​stability first subtly affects all aspects of the culture and technological development of the Protoss Empire. They will no longer try to explore other unknown worlds through the Xel'Naga portal.

For scholars in the Protoss Empire, the Xel'Naga portal should be a precious cultural relic and heritage that deserves to be properly preserved so that future generations can visit it again.

"I will locate the one with Sagulath." Zeratul looked at Tassadar after seeing Augustus nod.

Tassadar had anticipated the possibility of meeting Zeratul's compatriots. He hesitated, but finally agreed: "I hope they won't hate the Templars because of the clouds of the past."

"No, our matriarch Raszagal taught us what forgiveness is. It was not you who coldly expelled us from Aiur, but the arrogant Supreme Council." Zeratul said, and their current portal vortex suddenly Fluctuated a bit.

An arm covered with dark black gauntlets passed through the swirling iris of the portal, and then, a dark templar wearing dark black armor and black tabards walked out of it.

"Oh - I think we just hit the Dark Templar den," Tychus whispered to Augustus.

"This is a good thing, Tychus," Augustus said. "The more Dark Templars who are willing to help us, the more cerebrates will have to think twice before invading our world."

The distance between the dark templar's green eyes shortened a bit, which was a gesture similar to inspection, but then he let out a joyful mental wave: "Zeratu!"

"Lilac! Brother!" Zeratul recognized the other party in surprise.

"By the gods, is it really you?" Lilac is a shadow master who guards the portal to Sargulath Xel'naga on the orders of the Nerazim matriarch.

"Can I really see you again? Zeratul."