Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction / Starcraft Fan Fiction / Batman Beyond Fan Fiction ❯ Tassadar's Legacy: Rebirth ❯ Errrr... Hi? Sorry To Drop In Through Your Transdimenional Door... ( Chapter 8 )

Have you ever had a stare down with a room full of cats? That's kinda the way I felt like right now. Staring down Protoss is kind of like staring down a cat... not that I'm trying to stare them down or anything. They just keep staring at us, and I can't help but stare at them. I think I'm frozen in shock. I'm staring at Protoss after all. PROTOSS you know, THE Protoss. None of them are blinking. I think there are around a dozen total, all of them staring at us, and not one of them has blinked yet. Creepy. And they keep whispering too.

I finally broke eye contact to glance at Sheik, who looked back at me, then we turned back towards the Protoss and I let out a tentative, "H-hello..." The one nearest us stepped forward, and my eyes caught the movement and watched like a hawk. I really hope these Protoss would be friendly to us. To my utter astonishment, the Protoss stopped in front of us and bowed. The rest followed suit and I almost turned around to see if one of their leaders had popped up behind me. Sheik looked just as astonished. The first one stood back up and said, "En taro Tassadar. It is good to have you back among us." This time I gave into the impulse and looked behind me. No one was there, so I turned back around. Sure enough, the Protoss is looking directly at me.

I pointed to myself and asked, "Do you know me?" The Protoss' eyes crinkled as he laughed and a few Protoss slipped out the front door. Looking around for the first time, I took notice that we'd ended up practically in an exact replica of the temple we had just left, excluding the wide open door and the Protoss and Terran settlements and buildings in view. Seeing that made me relax a bit. Whoever these Protoss are would treat humans as friends. The Protoss took a further step forward and asked, "The question is do you recognize me?" I blinked and I imagine if a question mark could be written above my head, it would be.

I took in the Protoss' features and something tickled at the back of my mind. Casting over my memories of playing Starcraft at home, I noticed the Protoss' eyes furrow in confusion, and I remembered belatedly that although Aunt Beast might only be able to hear surface thoughts, Protoss can hear it all. Finally, a memory hit me and I nearly staggered in shock as I recognized the Protoss standing in front of me. "Artanis? You're Artanis!?" Somehow I got the impression the Protoss smiled at me and said, "It is I, and I realize now things may not be as they seem. What name do you go by Human?" Before I could even answer, a shadowy form nearly ran into the room followed by a mob of Protoss and even a few Terrans. The Protoss slowed and this time I didn't even need to think before I recognized this one.

"Zeratul..." I breathed. Before me stands two living legends. Out of the corner, Sheik took a step closer to me. He must be way out of his league, I realized. Zeratul took a step towards me and stared at me with his eyes narrowed. I felt like I'd been X-rayed when he turned back to Artanis and said, "You were not wrong Artanis." Wrong about what, I wondered. Zeratul turned towards me startled, then relaxed and I wondered belatedly how I noticed all that considering the Protoss had hardly moved or made any body gestures. Artanis gestured to us and said, "I welcome you friends. I am Artanis, Executor and leader of the Protoss. Would you tell us your names?" I looked to Sheik, who looked at me. I looked back to the Protoss and answered, "My name is Matthew. I'm from Earth." Sheik cleared his throat and said, "My name is Sheik of Hyrule."

Zeratul looked at the crowd, then turned back to us and said, "Come. There is much to discuss." Everyone was silent as Zeratul and Artanis walked through as the crowd parted before them and Sheik and I followed. I felt so out of my league. I bet Sheik feels the same. When we got outside, Sheik and I took a look around. My eyes nearly bulged out of my head. The two moons and the bluish purple sand... is this Shakuras? Artanis turned and said over his shoulder, "This is indeed Shakuras, homeworld of the Dark Templar. I'm impressed that you recognize it." Sheik gave me an odd look and I fell silent.

We followed the two Protoss past a few buildings and people who stopped to stare at us. It was a little unnerving and I felt relieved when we finally stepped into one of the Protoss buildings. We walked down a hall and into an elevator of sorts. We rode it up to the top and came into a large circular room with chairs all set into a circle facing a crystal in the center. large open arches in the wall lead out to a wrap around veranda overlooking many Protoss buildings, though I couldn't spot any Terran ones from here. The sight felt very similar to the picture of the briefing room for the Protoss missions in Starcraft.

Zeratul and Artanis sat down and we sat down near them. Now that we'd settled down, I felt kind of at a loss for what to say. I looked down at my hands. Thankfully, Sheik decided to speak and said, "We're sorry for intruding in your home." Zeratul held up a hand and said, "No need to apologize. We're only glad that the Zerg, our sworn enemy, had not found a way to use that gateway." Artanis said, "That gate is a part of an ancient network set up by our creators. We had thought that it had fallen into disrepair as none of us were able to get it to work. Tell us, how were you able to use it to travel here?" I looked up and answered, "We didn't really do anything. The temple back on Hyrule was dark, so I was using the wall to move forward, when my hand brushed up against something, and suddenly the gateway activated."

Artanis looked surprised and said, "What made you decide to step through the gateway? Surely you didn't know what it was?" Sheik answered, "I had come across a picture and description of the gateway among some ancient text on our homeworld. I knew what it was due to that. Regardless, we might have stepped through anyway. We seek answers to a hidden power I discovered inside this boy's mind. It feels very similar to the energy I feel coming from you." Zeratul said, "It is very curious to me that you would be able to feel our psionic powers as we do. You say that a temple resides on your planet? Yet you are human. How did a temple of the Xelnaga come to be on your planet?"

Something clicked as he said that. The Deku Tree Sprout had called that place the Temple of the wanderers From Afar. Wanders From Afar is what the name Xelnaga means! I remember reading about that. No wonder it sounded so familiar at the time! If only I'd picked up on it... I suddenly realized Zeratul to be staring at me as Sheik answered, "The only information I found is the location of the temple and a myth of how Hyrule had received visitors shortly after it's creation." Zeratul nodded and said, "I see. As for your answers..." He turned to Artanis, who got up and knelt in front of me. He said, "Matthew of Earth, will you join me in the Khala?" My eyes widened perceptibly and I asked, "What will happen if I do?" He answered, "You will see and feel my memories and I will experience yours. It will allow me to fully explore the power inside you... and the Protoss soul that I feel intertwined with your own."

That last bit had me in shock. A Protoss soul?... after a few seconds, I nodded, mind reeling with questions. If this will give me the answers, then I'll do it. Artanis picked up my hand and lead me to the crystal in the center of the room. Walking up to it, Artanis said, "Place your hand on the crystal at the same time I do." I nodded and watching his hand, I placed it on the shimmering blue crystal at the same time he did. I felt a rushing sensation as I suddenly felt drowned in sensation and I watched as my entire life flashed before my eyes, as well as the lives of others. Despite the sensory overload that made me feel as if I'm drowning and made my vision go white, it felt good. Suddenly I felt an image flicker in front of my eyes. An image of a face. A Protoss face. It looked very familiar and I felt as if I should know this person. It sounded as if it was trying to speak, but I couldn't hear what it said. The image started to fade, and slowly became aware that I'd fallen to the ground and Sheik had my head in his lap, while Zeratul did crowd control at the door where Protoss were trying to come in and Artanis practically hovered over me.

I tried to speak, but nothing came out. Swallowing, I tried again and whispered, "Need more Khaydarin..." That's not what I'd meant to say. I'd meant to ask what happened. What is going on? Zeratul came over, having finished in getting the other Protoss to leave. Artanis relayed what I'd said to him. I tried to sit up, but I couldn't move. Zeratul looked out the window, and a shuttle suddenly came into view and hovered right next to the veranda. "Come." said Artanis. Sheik helped me sit up, then when it became clear I couldn't walk, Sheik picked me up and we stepped onto the Protoss Shuttle.

As the shuttle pulled away, Sheik asked, "Where are we going?" Zeratul answered, "We are heading for a temple the Xelnaga left behind. At it's base is a large deposit of the Khaydarin crystals like the one Artanis and Matthew just used. The boy currently can't speak right now. His words that he needs more Khaydarin did not come from him, but from the Protoss soul within him that is intertwined with his." Artanis knelt before me and placed a hand on my forehead. Quietly, almost in awe, he said, "I might not have truly believed it if I had not seen it with my own eyes. We seek our own answers now that we know exactly which Protoss has intertwined with this boy. As to how he would have done it... there is much to be learned from this."

I listened in a kind of shock as Artanis spoke. I wanted to ask who the Protoss inside of me is, but like he said, I couldn't speak. I'd been trying to, but I finally gave up. It didn't take long before we touched down, and Sheik followed the two Protoss out of the shuttle. I stared up in awe. I recognize the temple as the one that wiped all of the Zerg off of the planet. It's amazing to look at in person. The very air surrounding the temple seemed to vibrate and hum with energy.

Sheik followed the Protoss into the temple, occasionally looking at me to see if I'm alright. We must've travelled down dozens of halls, each sloping downward. Finally we entered into a large chamber with the largest chunk of blue crystal I'd ever seen. Artanis said, "Give the boy to me." Sheik asked, "What will happen to him?" The two Protoss hesitated, then Artanis answered, "We don't know. This is nothing like I've ever seen before. Normally, when a Protoss dies, the Protoss has a chance to join our ancestors in the Khala, or enter into a cybernetic body called a Dragoon and be reborn. Merging the body and the soul does require a substantial amount of Khaydarin to be present, but only in the amount we just used. That we need more... I do not know what will happen. The boy may be lost as the Protoss may take over completely... or the boy could come out completely unharmed."

Sheik had stiffened as Artanis shared the results and looked down at me. He asked, "Do you want to go through with this?" Thinking for a moment, I realized I didn't have much choice. After all this time, I still couldn't move or speak. Either I do this or stay an invalid for who knows how long... maybe forever. I tried to answer, move, something. Artanis spoke up, “He can't answer you Sheik. But his thoughts are loud and he's shouting yes.” I cast a grateful look Artanis' way. That was enough for Sheik, seeing that look, and he slowly handed me over to Artanis. Artanis took me gently from Sheik and said, "If it is within my power, I will do my best to keep the boy alive and well." Sheik nodded and said, “Thank you.” Artanis carried me over to the hulking mass of crystal. It looked even bigger up close.

Artanis took my hand in his own and placing my palm against the crystal and covering my hand with his own, Artanis closed his eyes and I felt the rush of sensation overtake me again. This time everything turned white and I could hear nor see nothing of the room I was in. I couldn't even feel Artanis. In fact, I felt as though I could walk about on my own, as well as move completely, and speak. "Hello Matthew." I whirled around at the voice and came face to face with another Protoss, only this one appeared to be slightly translucent. He has the same face as the one I saw last time, but this time I recognize him, and I can scarcely believe it. I open my mouth and whisper his name, "Tassadar..."