It was night, but there was no moon lighting the ground. It was cold, and perspiration trickled down her scales as she shivered. She lay on her side, and tried to move her arms and legs, but they were restrained by metal cuffs. Her tail wagged, hitting the ground loudly. She then realised she was still in her dragon form, but Ulrezaj was not there.
"Ulrezaj...?" She tested, getting no response. Leaning over to sit upright, she tugged at the cuffs, and the chains they were attached to easily snapped. She stood up on all fours, and tested her wings. They created a freezing cold wind on her wet skin, and made a satisfying 'whoosh' sound. "Executor! The dragon is awake!" A voice called. She turned her head, and winced when her throat filled with the pain from before. A tired and grumpy Grey Archon approached, eyes bright and half closed. They widened when he saw the dragon, standing there with her head looking towards him. Testing out her elongated draconic jaw, she attempted to say, "Ulrezaj is gone."

Markior nodded slightly. "I know, Dragon.. seems like you morphed in your sleep, after I cured your mindcontrol... It was a difficult task, I tell you. I say, you have some interesting memories. I hope I didn't cause you any nightmares?" Dragon looked herself over while Multex walked in after Markior. "Hey shmokey. There wash thish shcreen dishplaying that red vershion of you." Dragon changed back to her regular shape while Lich walked in after Multex. Upon seeing his love, he ran towards her and hugged. Markior stepped outside and motioned Multex over. "Let's let them have some privacy." Multex shrugged and walked past Markior towards the screen. It was an Observer screen. "There. Shee?" He grinned. Markior looked at Multex and narrowed his eyes. "If you don't get sober soon, we're all gonna be in trouble. You're almost like an Infect-magnet. Keep a low profile, I'll be back shortly." Multex grinned. "A low profile? Never heard of it." Markior was gonna say something, but when looking at the screen, he casted Recall and disappeared. Multex murmurred something, while placing his hands in his pockets and starting to walk through the hallways of the Nexus.

"Hah, hah.. What's this, now? Aurora, dispose of these two while I get the crystals." Ulrezaj rumbled. "Mm.. I think not, 'Lord Ulrezaj'. You're an ever growing, perpetual pain in my posterior. Not to mention in the mind." The Yoshian princess smirked. "What?!" Ulrezaj spat the word out, aroused by anger. "Mm-hmm.. Looks like you're screwed now, Buddy." Kerrigan grinned at Ulrezaj, outstretching her claw-like wings. Ark stepped forward with narrowed eyes, his fingers curled around his Spear of Darkness, charged up, and ready to release some dark laser. Tob looked around and smiled, letting a sigh of relief escape. He knew that the three were on his side, he knew that Ulrezaj wouldn't get the crystals, and he knew that a battle was about to begin. Ulrezaj looked at Ark, who was gripping around the spear of darkness tightly. He turned towards Kerrigan, who arrogantly had placed her claws on her hips, her shoulderblade-mounted wings held high. His eye caught sight of Aurora, who had switched sides without him taking note of it... and finally, the Koopa he had been following had stood up, holding the Twin Crystals. Even though he didn't have his weapons anymore, at least his heart had stopped pounding. "I'll take you all on, you freaks... I'll..." His words stopped when a portal opened up behind the group, from which Markior appeared. Ark, Aurora, Kerrigan and Tob turned to look at the Grey Archon, who was carrieng his Xel'Naga shoulder shield. Ulrezaj narrowed his eyes. "Light One.." Markior grinned slightly and nodded. "Dark One.." The two Archons stood vis-a-vis. With a flick of the wrist, Markior recalled the party away, to appear in the Nexus next to Multex.

With Markior's disappearance, an image remained which came from Markior's shouldershield. It was the face of a female Dark Templar. Ulrezaj blinked slowly. "Raszagal.." The image nodded and moved up to a clifftop. Ulrezaj followed. "Let's talk, Ulrezaj..." Raszagal mentally spoke. Ulrezaj kept quiet, his eyes fixed on the image before him.

Aurora, Ark, Kerrigan, Tob and Markior appeared near Multex, who was standing at the edge of one of the many big circular rooms of the Nexus, looking outside the window. The agent turned towards them and raised an eyebrow. Lich and Dragon walked in, and Ark moved towards them. Multex chuckled. "Right.. big group here.. let'sh party!" Markior grinned and said nothing. He just slowly took the crystals from Tob. "Many a thanks, Tob. You have exceeded beyond my anticipations by far." Tob nodded and coughed slightly. "Of course I did." Markior placed the twin crystals under his shouldershield, for safe keepings untill they'd reach the crystal-holding area.


With the image of the deceased Dark Templar Matriarch Raszagal keeping Lord Ulrezaj occupied, the threat of the Dark Archon seems to have vanished for now. A big group has gathered inside the Nexus. Is this the start of the final plan? To be continued.