Chapter
CLXXXI: Markior Through Time
– Rebirth ~Markior
Inside the Nexus, the core, the nexus of grey, the eye, grey eye, hovered silently yet loud. For the promise it had made, many aeons ago, in the future, to the Xel'Naga, it couldn’t break. It knew, the eye, grey eye, that Markior would be a threat, dangerous, to it, eventually.
The Red Archon, Dark Archon, its student, fumed. You cannot revive Markior, it may not, should not! His destiny ended, it was sure, it was clear!
The eye, grey eye, did not respond. A promise was made, it was, and a promise, he shall keep, he must.
Red Archon, Dark
Archon, return to the mortal plane. Revive Markior, I
will, I must.
Markior collapsed in the middle of the plaza, the psychic link with Lich breaking when the final challenge had been finished. Holding himself up on his arms, the spiritual skin underneith his energy seemed like it started to boil.
Wh...what is h-h...happening? he rumbled, the voice of his tone buckling over into a high-pitched hiss.
Tassadar, Fenix and Raszagal took a cautious step backwards, while Gezriach and Dimatrioch rushed forwards. The Archonic form of Markior started to burn with heat, the air around him distorting. His hands started to grow longer; bony, long fingernails growing into the colourful stone pavement of the Nexus' plaza. Lifting his hand shakily, Markior looked at it with a twitching eye as the rocks and dirt burned away in the palm of his hand.
Gezriach and Dimatrioch
stopped in their tracks, looking at their creation with fear in their hearts.
Y…you're being sent back, Markior, Gezriach stammered. But…it seems like you're reverting to...your...original shape.
Markiors' eyes turned into a shade of
yellow, the burning figure rising up and turning around.
My ORIGINAL shape?? he roared, fuming as raw dark power started to stream from him, arcs of black energy dancing over the ground. The stones beneath him started to crumble as the area began shaking. I…IMPOSSIBLE...I...CANNOT...REVERT... THE CURSE OF THE SH…SHADOWS...
Long red horns burst from his translucent skull, curling up against his head as his face distorted, a sharp-fanged mouth appearing as his body changed. Roaring out, his mind was blanked over with rage.
Dimatrioch took another step backwards... You're looking exactly like... how you were created by us...and...when you destroyed us, blasting us into the Overminds' grasp... she whispered.
Markior's claws started to grow into bony jagged spikes. The energy surrounding his body had turned pitch-black. His yellow eyes looked around the plaza until he spotted his parents. With ear-piercing laughter, he pointed his claw at them.
I…AM...A CREATION. NOT BORN…NEITHER DEAD NOR LIVING…YOU WILL PAY THE PRICE FOR AWAKING ME FROM MY ETERNAL SLUMBER…YOU SHOULD'VE KEPT ME DORMANT IN THE PLANETS' CO-"
He was cut off
as his body started to fade. Dimatrioch looked at Markior with tears in her eyes.
Markior, you're being sent back! Remember who
you are! Remember what you stand for! Remember!!
The ground
beneath Lich, Naaro, Kyanosa,
Artanis, and eventually
--RE!! The demonic shape of Markior finished yelling as he appeared upon the surface of Xel'neh-Mi, bursting into view from the hovering orb.
Lich's ring faded from his finger and turned to stone upon the broken altar.
"WHAT the..." Naaro shouted, gripping Might and Light.
"Oh great, he revived the wrong one!" Kyanosa yelled.
Markior turned around, looking at the
four, in comparison to him, tiny creatures. Artanis
looked up at him and stumbled backwards.
Ancient... like described in the scrolls... This is Markior, he hummed, his eyes wide. Lich looked up at the burning yellow eyes of the demonic entity, gripping the Cyan Arc. The peak upon the mana field was ridiculously large... but what stood in front of him was definitely not the Markior he knew.
Rumbling, demonic Markior looked at them... PITIFUL CREATURES…I SHALL CONSUME EVERYTHING. YOU YET KNOW NO TRUE PAIN OR SUFFERING. LET ME INTRODUCE THESE TO YOU.
His dark,
sneering voice boomed through the area, the sound alone enough to crumble the
remaining walls of the charred structure. Circling Markior,
numerous Xel'Naga ghosts appeared, attacking him. The
demon ignored them, holding out his hand. As he started charging energy into
the palm of his hand, his form flickered.
---
The planet shook violently upon impact of the beam. At an instant, the demonic Markior twisted around and dug his claw into the ground, feeding off the energy coarsing through the planet. Creating a feedback into the beam, the overload of negative strength surged back into the Genesis' Cannon. Near the Twilighter Council, chaos continued on unceasingly until the cannon coughed out a cloud of black smoke. The smell of charred electronics wafted into everyone's nostrils. The blast slowly faded.
Malachai pounded the side of the cannon angrily. "NECRONIMUS, WHAT HAPPENED?!"
The robot wiped
a bit of soot off his face and shook his head. "I don't know. The new
parts seem not able to take the power of the Genesis weapon. They melted down."
---
Twisting his flickering form around, Markior roared towards the group standing in front of him. Suddenly, his energy turned into a dark shade of white, close to grey. His mouth and horns disappeared as he turned into something resembling a primal form of an Archon.
Opening his
eyes, he looked around...the Xel'Naga ghosts
disappeared. The Archon looked arrogantly at Lich, Kyanosa
and Naaro, then turned
towards Artanis.
My brother, where are Khas and Adun? Have they returned with the Khaydarin Crystal yet?
Artanis looked surprisedly at Markior, turning off his psiblades.
En…En Taro Adun, Markior... he responded.
The Archon
floated backwards, aghast. Adun has...
died?!
Holding his
head, the energies surrounding him flared up again, becoming a bright red.
Growing in size again, Markior looked up around the area
once more.
Many centuries have passed…The Stasis…I remember, he rumbled. Is this Shakuras? What happened…where is my mentor? Zeratul, teach me!
Now resembling a Dark Archon more than ever, Markior turned towards the exit...
Zeratul?
Kyanosa looked at Markior, a brow arched. He turned towards Lich. "What's happening here? First he threatens to kill us, then he changes, and now looks like he's suffering from dementia."
Lich looked at Markior while listening to Kyanosa.
"I think I understand. He's going through all the stages of his life in
rapid succession…it really is a rebirth - from the very beginning. Did you see
how Artanis reacted? The demonic thing he appeared in
must've been described in ancient Protoss
writings."
Markior held his head again, roaring
in pain. NO!! It cannot be! The… HATRED! I…I cannot destroy this world! This species is
divided…Curse of the Shadows, SAVE ME…
His body's energies seemed to fade as his appearance grew more Yoshian.
Looking at his hands, the spirit Yoshi rumbled, "And thus, I have commenced, as the first. Half my power drained away for the revival…but for a good cause, for I sense a great future for this species..."
He turned, looking at Lich.
"What! How
did you get here? This is my Lair, it is off limits to
mortal Yoshians!" He looked up. "Look at
what you did…there's a hole in my roof!"
Collapsing on the ground again, his hands dug into the black sand. “Ulrezaj…I must regain an Archon shape…I…I can't defeat him like this…”
The black energies of his Yoshian body turned white, his form rose and his face once again looked Protoss, but now distinguishably different.
Now, Ulrezaj! Let us fight once more…only this time, Light versus Darkness!
He turned, closing his eyes.
Kerrigan! YOU are responsible for the Matriarch's
death! DIE by my hand, vile wench! Roaring out into
the skies, anger built up in his mind. NO!!
WE SHALL RECLAIM OUR HOMEWORLD!
Twisting around, the light energies of his Archonic shape turned into a light shade of grey. This power…Total Grey. It is unlike anything I imagined… he rumbled. "My mentor…your teachings have made me a true legacy of Tassadar's words..."
He turned again, looking with wide eyes at the wall. ULREZAJ! NOOO!!
He roared, then arched backwards, as if something just hit him in the
chest, killing him.
Finally, his hands unclenched, and he rose from the ground again, a shouldershield and cape appearing on his body. He stood up, looking forwards.
I follow in your footsteps, my friend… He turned, looking at Lich. This is how it is meant to be…En Taro Adun, Lich. When we meet again…
He roared, and looked forward. He held up a fist, his eyes ablaze with light. Die by my hand…DEMON!
Finally, breathing calmly yet exhausted, Markior collapsed into a kneeling position. He looked at the four.
...Lich...Naaro...Kyanosa, he whispered. I have returned...thank...you.
He fell
backwards, his energies fading to a light glow as he fainted.
---------
Some time later, Markior opened his eyes again... Slowly rising from the ground, he held his head in pain. Looking around, he nodded at his friends and allies.
Argh…I hope…I haven't harmed
anyone. This was…quite a ride.
Lich shook his head. "You haven't hurt anyone, Markior. It's great to have you back!"
Markior nodded at Lich. Thank you, my friend. It is, indeed, great to be back. I could tell you stories about the wonders of the Nexus, but I'm not sure if I'm allowed. I thank you, all of you, from the bottom of my heart, for enabling me to continue my destiny. He slowly arose, fully standing tall again. I felt what you had to go through... I tried to be with either of you for every test you had to complete.
He turned to Naaro. You, you showed your power to the Keeper's spawn... And now, you have risked the creation of that powers' adversary... I thank you for that great risk.
He turned to Kyanosa. And you... he began, his eyes lighting up. Or I should say, both of you. I thank you, for your mental cooperation must not have been easy.
Finally, he turned to Lich. Lich…old friend. You've faced your greatest fears for my revival.
Lich nodded. "Well, you're back, that's all that matters now. Let's get out of here."
Naaro and Kyanosa nodded in agreement.
Artanis walked up to them. It is good to see you returned, Markior. I've just informed the Neo Conclave. Everyone, especially Zeratul, is very
relieved. They want to know where the Twin
Markior turned towards Artanis. They must still be on Zolott. Err... How much time has passed since... I delivered Havering his fatal blow?
The four in front of the Archon looked at him with mixed gazes. Lich looked down, unsure how to tell Markior that Havering had returned in spirit form. Naaro and Kyanosa looked at him questioningly, since they had no recollection of Markior destroying Havering. Artanis pondered where exactly Zolott was located, since the twin crystals were, to him, of the highest priority.
Markior, looking at each of them, blinked. He scanned their minds cautiously. After bouncing off of the memory barrier of inside their heads, he clenched a fist as he read Lich's thoughts.
HE...IS...BACK?! ...And on MY plane, too! he roared, his energies lighting up around his form.
"Markior, wait!" Lich called out, but it was too late.
Enraged, Markior burst out through the hole in the roof, jetting
over the barren surface of the ancient Xel'Naga homeworld.
Inside the Spectrum, Havering paced around impatiently. The sooner they got off of this dead floating rock, the better. Not only did his annoyance with the planet grew with each passing moment, but he had a hunch that they were in actual danger. After all, the feeling he had with that last earthquake felt... very familiar.
HAVERING!!
A roaring voice called out. The Time Bender turned around, widening an eye. In the doorway stood Markior, his Xel'Naga cape fluttering from the upwards current created by the heat of his spiritual body. Numerous people aboard the Spectrum stood up, and especially the Yoshians on board, paced over to greet the guardian. Markior ignored them, eyes ablaze, as he made his way over towards the other spirit. Havering grinned, crossing his arms.
"Well, if it isn't mister kamikaze pilo-EURGH," Havering gasped as he felt the burning hands of Markior grip at his throat.
I destroyed you before, and now, after all this time, I will squash you like a fly, returned weakling... the Archon rumbled, his grip tightening.
Havering's eyes
bulged as he gripped at Markiors hands, his unholy
strength seeping into Markior, who in turn winced,
only gripping tighter. Indeed, since Havering was a spirit now, he was playing
on Markiors turf, as it were. Markior
lifted the spirit of the Time Bender in his hand, Pseudo's
feet leaving the ground.
PERISH, he rumbled.
"Markior, stop it!" Havering wheezed. "I'm on your side. I'M…ON...YOUR SIDE, WHYR DAMN YOU!!"
The Time Bender started kicking against the Archon's lower body. Markior's eye twitched, only now noticing the few other people of the Spectrum trying to stop him. His rage cooling, he loosened his grip on the time bender's neck and placed his feet down on the ground.
...Explain.
Meanwhile, Artanis piloted the scout with Lich, Naaro,
Kyanosa and the tied
As Artanis lowered the Scout inside the Spectrum's docking bay, Markior was still holding Havering by the throat.
"Release me and I'll explain," Havering mumbled.
Markior shook his head slowly. Oh no, we don't play it that way. Explain, and
after that, if I find your explanation good enough, THEN I'll release you.
If it wasn't for
a mass destruction weapon aimed at the planet, it would've been a long evening
of explanations still...
To be continued.