Zeratul rested fitfully, not that such a thing was new to him or his few remaining Dark Templar crew of the Void Seeker, the memories imparted to him by the Overmind still shifted in the back of his mind. Memories of a future that he had imparted to both Jim Raynor and Sarah Kerrigan, both of whom had been key in preparing their respective races for the war to come, a war that would almost certainly end in destruction and darkness.

The death of his race was the reason why he had hunted in near solitude for these past two years, trying to find any hint of the Xel'naga or the last fragments of the prophecy that would spell the galaxy's doom, the beast that plagued his nightmares still as dangerous even now...

*Flashback*

The last stand of the Protoss, more than a hundred thousand of his kind, lay scattered and desolate amongst the piles of corpses that remained. Zeratul despaired at the loss of so many, but he had braced himself for it long before now, the death of Kerrigan on Char the final step the great enemy needed to begin his final march of devastation. He had been struck low by a Hybrid in the final climax of the battle, the great Artanis himself falling under the weight of Hybrids and Zerg that the enemy can and did throw at them, but whether by luck or cruel design the wound was crippling but not fatal.

"So you realise this is not the end of your torment little nuisance, it is good that you anticipate your final oblivion insect... That will make denying you it all the sweeter..." The voice filled his head with a dread that far eclipsed anything Zeratul had felt before, the vibrations through the floor heralding the approach of his foe.

As cowardly as the action may seem, Zeratul struggled with all his might to activate his psy blade one last time, the blade spluttering and hissing for a moment before igniting. If he wasn't likely the last remaining Protoss Zeratul may have tried to fell the abomination, but such an act would merely amuse the beast and allow it a final victory.

"Amon..." Speaking the things name calmed his mind, Zeratul never more determined to deny the beast with his strike, he would not give Amon the satisfaction of capturing him. The blade stabbed inwards, but Zeratul didn't feel the burning release that would free his soul unto the void.

"Foolish pest, after your numerous attempts to irritate me by trying to save this retched galaxy, did you think that I would let you escape so easily?" Power, far greater than he had ever felt before, froze his body in place as his psi-blade flickered out inches from his chest.

"You think that the pain you feel for your fallen race is enough? The truth, that you have failed in your task, is soul destroying enough to please me?" Amon towered over him, and Zeratul felt the dark grip of terror upon him as Amon looked down upon him, a dark grin on his face as he raised one of his arms.

"Your torment will be centuries in the making insect, no matter how much you plead for death it will not come... Only when I bore of my vengeance, your cries more irritating that your pain amusing, will you have my permission to die..."

*Flashback End*

It was always at this moment that Zeratul awoke, the terror in his heart still present even after the return of Kerrigan to the head of the swarm, which given the promise of pain that awaited him if the dream continued was most definitely a good thing. He hadn't shown either Jim Raynor or Kerrigan this particular vision, primarily because he wasn't entirely sure that it was a vision, it had only appeared in his dreams when Kerrigan was purified on Char.

Had he somehow inherited some of the Overmind's ability to glean the future when he interacted with it upon Aiur? Did it mean that all of his attempts to change the future had meant nothing? Or had Amon finally noticed his interference, and this was the Fallen Xel'Naga's first step into trying to break him psychologically?

It didn't matter which it was, either it meant he needed to work harder to thwart the dark being or Amon was actually getting irritated with his actions, both possibilities only pushed him further upon the path he had placed himself upon so many years before.

"Prince Zeratul, we have a message from a Praetor Talis, she seems to be attacking the Moebius facility that we intended to find." Quite fortuitous for him then, given what he and his crew had encountered at other Moebius facilities, the extra manpower would be helpful if nothing else.

"Thank you brother, I am on my way." Due to the Void Seekers small size, it did not take more than a minute for Zeratul to traverse the path to the bridge, greeting the half a dozen dark templar who were the last of his true allies along the way.

"I have the helm, put the Praetor on screen." A few seconds later a young Protoss female appeared on the screen in front of him, her face lighting up in admiration and awe as she bowed slightly to him.

"Zeratul, it is a great honour. I am Praetor Talis, and I humbly request your aid..."

A/N: A little teaser chapter, to set me up in case the storyline in LOV disappoints as much as the HOTS did. I've made a couple of minor changes, primarily not having Zeratul travel around on his own, which makes sense given he would need some allies given the number of fights he gets himself into.

Secondly, and this will only be a change if they don't do this in LOV, the visions that Zeratul receives from the Overmind are not finished. Either that or Amon is torturing for his efforts, take your pick, I sure as hell haven't decided yet.

Suitably dark opening? I wanted to make it clear that annihilation isn't the worst fate that awaits Amon's enemies if he fails, the dark god will have a lot of time on his hands if he succeeds...

Let me know what you think guys, this might change depending on the LOV storyline but unless you guys tell me it is terrible I doubt it...