Chapter XXI:Nexus -Markior

Markior takes Lich by the wrist and floats out of the chamber. He wipes the grey tear out of his eye the moment he's on the soil above. Lich looks at him. "Markior..." He says. Markior... what happened in there? What were those images?" Markior stares into the horizon. "I failed... I'm not a guardian spirit... they're.. all dead..." He mutters... Lich looks at him worried. "Markior, whatever you saw in there, it isn't true. It didn't really happen!" He says. Markior just stares. "Couldn't safe them... I wasn't strong enough... I wasn't good enough..." Markior says and collapses. "Those lives... all those lives... I failed... I FAILED!!!" He cries. Meanwhile, Ulrezaj grows stronger in his dark fury. Havering slowly pads over to the room. His face appears on a wall again, only this time, it doesn't disappear whence Ulrezaj attacks it. "Well, Dark Archon..." He speaks. "Go forth, and avenge the excile of your brethren. Destroy the Protoss of Light. Destroy Markior!" The room around Ulrezaj collapses. He roars in anger and warps out, leaving a trail of dark energy after him. Havering smiles and looks as Ulrezaj disappears in the horizon. A glass of red wine appears in his hand. "The beast is loose. The prey is weak. The first bug in my jar is about to die..." He grins to himself as he sips from his glass.
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Markior whimpers while Lich tries to pat him on the back. "The carnage.... I failed..." Markior keeps saying. The terrible images have done the job Havering intended. His spirit is broken. Lich tries to talk to him. Markior!! Listen to me! He yells. "The images you saw never really happened!! Now please, stand up. We got to get moving before something else happens!" Markior gets up. He floats towards a cliff and looks down. "I see people.. down there.. Lich." He slowly speaks. "MARKIOR!!" He suddenly hears, and turns around. Lord Ulrezaj stands infront of Lich, towering high above him. "Light One... this is your final moment." He roars. Markior says: "Ulrezaj! What did he do to you?" Ulrezaj grins. "Sir Pseudo Havering simply showed me the truth again, Light One..." Markior gets into fighting position, but is too weak. Without his spirit, he is not able to fight. Ulrezaj roars:
"DIE BY MY HAND, LIGHT ARCHON!! YOUR LIFE ENDS HERE, MARKIOR ARCHONIUS XEL'NAGA!!!"
Lich yells at Ulrezaj and attacks him. Ulrezaj simply ignores the attack.
Markior's eyes widen in terror as he sees Ulrezaj unleash his attack. Ulrezaj lashes out his hands and unleashes a massive surge of Dark Psionic Energy at his opponent.
Markior gets hit in the chest by the vortex. His whole body trembles, and bright beams of light shoot from his eyes, fingertips and mouth. The energy around his body disappears, then his body seems to dissapate. "Ul..rezaj.... nnnnooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" He yells. A massive explosion of light is seen everywhere, as Markiors voice echoes throughout the land. Ulrezaj roars and warps out of sight. Lich feels a powerful pain in his chest, and he knows that he is not the only Yoshie feeling it. As the light has disappeared, Lich opens his eyes.

Markior... is dead....

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"Where... where am I?"

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"Name?" A voice asks.
"Markior." Markior says. "Where am I?"

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"Occupation?" The voice inquires.
"Guardian spirit. Protoss Archon... but where?"
"Mortal or Immortal?" The voice asks again.
"Immortal." Markior answers, seeing his question isn't about to be responded to.

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Markior's vision returns. He's in a colourfull room, where the walls all seem to change colour all the time. Two doors are infront of him, totally the same. The voice is heard again.

"Markior Archonius Xel'Naga, am I correct?"
Markior nods as a response.
"Immortal." The voice says. "Please take the door on your left."

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Markior floats through the door. Blinding light shines into Markiors eyes. The door immediately shuts down behind him, the disappears. As the light dimms, an incredible view appears infront of Markior. A city, a kingdom mounted on peace. Markior smiles as his mind is filled with peace. Music is around him as he notices the area he stands in. A mountain made out of marmer, with a small temple on top of it. He just stands in the entrance of the temple. A long walkway is along the edge of the mountain. Markior looks closer, and sees two beings come up the mountain. One floats, and one runs.
"Could it be..?" Markior wonders.
The two beings have reached the top of the mountain.

Fenix: "Welcome, my friend."
Tassadar: "Welcome in the Nexus."

Markior cannot believe it, but it's them. Fenix and Tassadar, his two fallen Protoss friends.

"Tassadar..." Markior smiles. "Fenix..." He says again. A tear appears in his eye. "By Adun!!" He says happily, while he puts his arms around his two fallen friends. Tassadar smiles: "Good to see you again too, Markior..." Fenix laughs: "I always told Tassadar you'd outlive us all..."
Markior sighs: "But... Tassadar...Fenix.." He says. "If I'm seeing you... I have died, am I right?" Tassadar looks down and says: "I'm afraid so, Markior. But I have a feeling that you will not be with us for the rest of eternity." Markior widens his eyes at hearing that. Fenix grins and starts walking down the mountain. "Follow us, my friend" He says as Tassadar joins him. Markior floats after them. "There's someone who wants to meet you. Actually, two someones." Fenix tells Markior. Markior tilts his head. "Who?" He asks. Tassadar and Fenix don't speak. Markior shrugs. As they reach the ground, the Markior asks again: "Who want to talk to me, my brethren?" He asks. "Do I know them?" Fenix smiles at hearing his words. "You know them alright. Not by name nor face... but you know them." Markior widens an eye at hearing that. After a while, the reach a temple somewhat familiar. It's a Xel'Naga temple. Fenix and Tassadar stand outside of it and grin at Markior. Tassadar speaks: "After you enter this temple, my friend... I am sure you wont come out as the same person." Markior nods and floats inside. Everything within the temple is just the same as the Temple back on Shakuras. The elevated platform containing a large Khaydarin Crystal is floating above his head. The blueish walls contain the same Xel'Naga words, it's an exact replica of the temple... or maybe it's not a replica, but the original. Markior floats further into the temple. He enters a large round chamber. In the middle, two cloaked figures sit on chairs. According to size and build of the body, one is male and the other is female. Markior looks at them. Silently, the female person stands up. Still cloaked, she walks towards him. She holds out a hand and moves it across Markiors face, even though he could've sworn he was in spirit mode. The female's voice enters Markiors mind.

"You've changed so much, thirdborn... But I can see that you're him..."

The voice sounds. Markior wants to speak, but holds his words as the female removes the cloak from her head. "My name... is Dimatrioch." She says. The other cloaked figure stands up and removes his cloak as well. "And my name is Gezriach." He says. Markior blinks in confusion. He then widens his eyes as the memory emerges from his mind:

Slumbering Darkness... the planets core... the beam of Total Grey... the birth... the Xel'Naga....

"I am your mother." Dimatrioch says.
"I am your father." Gezriach speaks.
"And I..." Markior stutters.
"You are our son, Markior Archonius Xel'Naga." Dimatrioch and Gezriach speak. Dimatroch starts to cry and hugs Markior. Gezriach smiles warmly and places a hand on Markiors shoulder. Markior stares for a moment, then hugs his mother happily.

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"You were the third creation of our species, Markior." Gezriach tells Markior. "It was our destiny to make the perfect lifeform. As you could see, the firstborn and secondborn, the Protoss and the Zerg, were not perfect." He says. Dimatrioch smiles: "Then we made you. The last descendant of the Xel'Naga. We used all of our ships power to create you. It was very unfortunate you, as a newborn, was so enraged, you chased us away... after that, the Zerg destroyed us...." Markior looks down. "I'm sorry my mother... I was enraged indeed. I can still remember the rage. I killed so many people in my destructive journey throughout space..." Dimatrioch smiles. "But then you met our first creation, the Protoss... and after that, your people, the Yoshi. And now you've even become the safekeeper of the lives of an entire species. Do you know how proud a mother can be when her son achieves this?"
Markior smiles, but then frowns. "But I failed..." Gezriach holds Markior infront of him. "No, you did not fail. What you saw where images from another dimension. A dimension in which you were never created. The Zerg invaded Earth, broke through the barrier around your island, and destroyed that planet. But it did not really happen. Because this alternate universe is not the true universe." He speaks. He guides Markior towards a screen and waves his hand. The Island appears, black thunderclouds form above it. "However... what you see here is the reality as it is now." He says. Markior looks at the screen and sees thunder strike many places of the Island. Many Yoshies cough slightly, their skincolour is vague. Markior asks: "Father.. what is happening to my people?" Gezriach looks at the screen. "They are dieing, my son..." He says. "Without their guardian spirit, that island is coming apart." Markior looks down and away from the screen. He sits down infront of the chair where Dimatrioch is sitting in. "Then I have failed..." He says, while a grey tear appears in his eye again. Dimatrioch puts her hand on Markiors head, as she says: "Not yet, my son. There is still something we can do..." Markior looks up to her. She continues: "You are able to return to the living worlds, Markior. After you achieve something." Markior stands up and asks: "What should I do?" Gezriach smiles and looks around him as he says: "The Nexus is a mysterious place, Markior. You may call it Heaven. Mortals die to better themselves in a next life time to time again. Untill they are perfect, then their spirits can rest forever." Markior sits down again and listens to his father. "However, you are immortal. You have died the death of an immortal, which means you must stay here forever, except.... except when you become what we intended you to become." Markior stares infront of him. "The perfect lifeform." He mutters. Dimatricoh nods. "Exactly, my son. If you become the perfect lifeform, you will be truly immortal. You will not have to better yourself anymore." Markior smiles. "Then I shall become the perfect lifeform, mother. To bring the legacy of the Xel'Naga to an end, and to save my people." Markior says. Dimatrioch smiles. Gezriach places a hand on the shoulder of his son. "Then we begin." He says.

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Gezriach walks along with Markior through the temple until they reach a long walkway. "You mother didn't wish to come and see this, Markior." He says. "She thinks it will hurt you too much." Markior looks at the walkway. He floats on it, and a blue platform appears underneath him.
Markior smiles at Gezriach as the platform starts moving. It moves for about 20 seconds along the walkway, then stops. Markior looks around, and a bright beam coming from the wall hits him. He groans in pain as the beam goes through his body. The beam reaches mind. Slowly, that what he has too much on pride gets takes away. Thou shall never look down on other warriors again. Thou shall value the power of each different force. Thou shall not laugh at an inferiour opponent. Thou shall know your limitations. Thou shall not feel better in any way over someone else. Thou shall be the perfect one. The beam stops. Markior notices that something has changed about him. One of his weaknesses, his pride, has somehow vanquished...
Markior looks around, and the platform starts moving again. After 20 seconds, another, different coloured beam hits him. Hurting even more then the one before, this beam searches his body, and reaches his brain. Thou shall accept change and adapt when needed. Thou cannot stop the flow of change that occurs around everybody. Thou shall know when to change and adapt yourself. Thou shall be the perfect One.
Markior shivers and breathes heavily, but then stands up again. While his body's trembling, the platform moves again. After 20 seconds, another beam hits him. Markior roars in pain as the beam searches for his heart. Thou shall thine emotions flow free when needed to do so, yet thou shall not let emotions take control of your actions in a negative way. Thou shall feel what mortals feel, know what mortals know. Thou shall be honest and justice. Thou shall not have your memories blind your reason. Thou shall be the perfect One. Markior collapses on the platform and holds his chest in pain. The plaform floats on and stops. Dimatrioch and Gezriach appear and help their son up. "It is done..." Gezriach says. "The perfect lifeform."Dimatrioch smiles while a tear appears in her eye. Markior stands up and smiles. "I... I feel so different...." He speaks. Dimatrioch smiles and says: "You've done it my son... you're complete."

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Markior, Gezriach and Dimatrioch stand near the entrance of the Xel'Naga temple. "My son..." Gezriach says. "After yo were created, we wanted to give you this. Yet, we never were able to give you these things." He says. Markior is handed two items. A golden item and a darkblue cape. "It's a Xel'Naga shoulder shield and a Xel'Naga cape." Dimatrioch smiles. "If you wear these, I hope you will think about us..."
Markior puts the shoulder shield on and the cape around his neck. The cape becomes transparent and the shield glows very brightly for a moment, indicating they have a new owner. "Thank you mother. Thank you father." He says. He hugs his parents for the final time, then walks off and towards the mountain. In the distance, he already sees 3 beings stand on the summit. He turns around one final time. "Thanks for the experiment, my parents. Thank you for not giving up. En Taro Adun." Dimatrioch smiles happily and Gezriach nods. "En Taro adun to you to, son." Gezriach says. Markior smiles and turns around, and climbs the mountain. After the climb, he sees Tassadar and Fenix waiting for him, Together with...
"Raszagal?" Markior asks. "Matriarch Raszagal, of the Dark templar?" Raszagal smiles at him. "Greetings, Light Archon. I wanted to say goodbye to you and give you a message..." She says. Markior looks at her and listens. "Tell Zeratul I respect him for his descision. He had no choice but to kill me when I was mindcontrolled by Kerrigan, the Zerg queen of Blades... Tell him to never worry again about whether or not his choise was right, because it was the right thing to do. And tell Lord Ulrezaj, whenever his rage calms down... that I... that I liked how he was very much...When he was still a young Dark Templar" Markior blinks and nods. He smiles. Tassadar then speaks to him. "Markior... I too want to say some things. Whenever you visit Aiur again, please place a Khaydarin crystal in the exact spot where the Overmind was before I sacrificed myself to destroy him. If you do this, my powers, thoughts and memory will guide away any dangers from our homeworld..." Markior nods at Tassadar, then turns to Fenix. "I died on the field of battle Markior. I don't want a single Protoss, and also not the Terran Jim Raynor, to grieve for me." Markior grins, as he suspected this from his old friend.

"When my destiny is complete, and the universe is cleared of evil, I may return, my friends. Untill then, En Taro Adun..." Markior says. He then steps onto a golden platform. He gloes for a moment. Tassadar, Fenix and Raszagal wave him goodbye as he disappears.
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A large bolt of grey energy crashes down on the mock world. Sir Havering looks in his crystal ball. "What's this... another visitor? A new bug in my jar?" He mumbles. The dust around the grey bolt disappears. The energy slowly disappears. Markior stands up and looks around. Havering spits out his wine against his crystal ball. "WHAT?!?!" He yells. "IMPOSSIBLE!! HE WAS DESTROYED!!"

Markior dusts himself of and smiles. His cape flutters in the wind. The sunbeams reflect from his golden shoulder shield.

"I've been given a second chance.. a second life." Markior thinks. "Now to prove that I'm worty of the honour. To prove that I am the last descendant of the Xel'Naga. To prove that I have achieved to become... the perfect lifeform."

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