AN:

Hello everyone, I'm back with a new chapter! Sorry for the long wait.

Guess what? This story is now officially the most favourite and followed story in the LOL X StarCraft Crossover section!

*Sarcastic clapping ensues*

But seriously, thank you for all your support so far for this story, without you I can never do stories like these.

Now without further ado, here's another chapter of The Guardian of the Swarm.

Disclaimer: I don't own League of Legends or the StarCraft franchise, both are owned by their own respective owners, Riot Games and Blizzard.

"Normal talk"

'Thoughts'

"SHOUTING"

"Telepathic communication/Other"

Chapter 2: A Second Home

Location: Eldham Village, Hearthstone Inn

Morning came when the sun rose from the horizon, the beaming light slowly making its way into the room Ceres is currently staying in. The Cerebrate is currently coatless, sitting cross-legged on his bed with his eyes closed, seemingly meditating.

However, in reality Ceres has been overseeing the progress of his Hive ever since he returned to the Inn just six hours ago. So far his Hatchery was progressing well, it's still in it's the first stage of metamorphosis, but the Hatchery is growing steady larger with each passing hour.

The Drones on the other hand completed their task of digging into the mountains just an hour ago, Ceres then instructed his Drones to collect and stockpile the crystals just beside the growing Hatchery. His Drones went about their given task for an hour and collected a sizable amount of crystals for assimilation.

A small smile grew on Ceres's face. Once the Hatchery is complete, Ceres would have more than enough essence to create his new Brood and to start his plans to return to the Koprulu Sector.

Ceres is already one step closer to home.

Tock! Tock! Tock! "Ceres! Are you awake?" Called a familiar voice just outside his room.

Ceres opened his eyes, bringing his attention away from his Brood to his sudden visitor. "One moment." Ceres replied as he got off his bed and collected his lab coat from a nearby hanger.

Ceres then made his way to the door and opened it to reveal the healer herself. However, unlike yesterday, Angela wasn't wearing her usual white robe but instead a blue sundress with a white blouse and her blonde hair freely flowing down to her shoulders and back.

Ceres raised a curious eyebrow. "Is there something you need Miss Angela?" Ceres asked in a calm tone.

Angela smiled. "Please, just Angela. And yes, if you're not so busy I was thinking of giving you the proper tour of the entire village." Angela explained.

Ceres frowned. "Why are you going through the trouble of giving me a tour so early in the day? Aren't you usually busy as the village's healer?" Ceres asked while scanning her thoughts. Even though Angela helped Ceres yesterday with gathering important information and setting friendly relations with the Village Elder, that still doesn't mean he completely trust the young woman. He had learned long ago to be cautious of any possible danger to either his Queen or to the Swarm itself.

However, as expected, all he sensed is genuine and honest friendliness from the young woman.

Angela shook her head with a smile. "Fortunately, no one in the village gets any injuries that needs my immediate attention. Well… expect for a certain boy, but that's different. Anyway, I just thought… since you are going to be staying here for a while, I might as well help you settle in and introduce you to some of the nice folk here in Eldham. What do you say?" Angela explained with a hopeful smile.

Ceres pondered. His Hatchery isn't completed for another few hours so he had some time to spend. Also this is the perfect opportunity to gather more information.

However, this will also make his presence much more known within the village, and by extension Valoran. Making his presence and identity that much harder to hide from any curious individuals.

After weighing his options, Ceres finally made his decision. "Alright. Lead the way."

Angela's smile immediately brightened. "Wonderful! We have so much to see and so many people for you to meet!" Angela said excitedly as she made her way out of the Inn with Ceres in tow.

The reason for Ceres accepting the healer's tour is the simple fact that the positives outweigh the negatives. He can potentially gather more information about village and at the same time find any facilities that can yield him more information about the world of Runeterra.

As both Ceres and Angela stepped outside the Inn, Angela turned to Ceres with a smile.

"So Ceres. What do you want to see first?" Angela asked kindly.

Ceres pondered for a moment before answering. "Is there anywhere in this village where I can find more information about Valoran?" Ceres asked in a calm tone.

Angela nodded. "Yes there is. Other than Elder Polendina's house, this village does have a library, although small compared to the libraries found in the larger kingdoms but a library nonetheless. Do you… want to go there now?" Angela asked.

Ceres nodded. "Yes. I would like to see it for myself, if I can." Ceres replied. Angela nodded. "Alright then! I will lead the way!" The healer said as she soon walked down the street with Ceres walking right beside her.

On the way to their destination, Angela decided to start a conversation. "So… do you have libraries where you're from?" Angela asked in a curious tone, giving Ceres an expecting gaze.

Ceres's expression stayed stoically calm. "No, we don't. Where I come from, my people don't use libraries, everything is taught to us by those who holds the most experience and knowledge. These same individuals are our teachers as well as our leaders, through them we learn about the world around us. In return, each and every individual gathers any information they learned and freely shares it among our people. But at the same time, we guard our knowledge closely as we have many enemies." Ceres explained.

He did not lie; the Zerg Swarm has no need for any place to store information, all intelligent/sentient Zerg organisms within the higher echelons of the Hive mind are psionic centers for information storage while the basic Zerg units can be used to collect said information.

The Zerg may be powerful, however, power is wasted on those who don't have the prior knowledge about themselves, their resources, their surroundings and their opposition. That is why the greatest weapon in the Koprulu sector doesn't take form of a flagship, a missile or a genetically perfect beast of war, but information.

With sufficient information, one can direct their resources and weapons to a critical target. With information, a powerful enemy can be brought low and eliminated. With Information, one can topple an entire race to near extinction. Such as the case with the Protoss, driven out of their home world when his previous master, the Overmind, discovered the location of Auir. Just like Mengsk's Terran Dominion, his Queen destroyed and crippled many of the Dominion's production worlds and the secret Hybrid facility before invading Korhal.

Though the Protoss and Terran's may boast about their own advancements in technology, both pale in comparison against the full network of the Zerg Hive Mind.

Each and every individual within the Zerg Swarm are connect, information and experiences are shared and processed throughout the entirety of the Swarm in a matter of seconds.

And at the center point of this network is the one leading the Swarm. The Overmind, the Queen of Blades, and finally, Ceres himself.

That is what made Ceres one of the most dangerous beings back in the Koprulu Sector. His ability to analyze, gather information and apply it to the battlefield is match only by the most experienced of leaders from the other two factions.

Angela eyes widened in shock. "Really!? I can't imagine an entire kingdom without books. How can your people possibly advance as a society without writing any information down? Don't your people forget any knowledge past down by your ancestors?" Angela asked in a shocked tone.

Ceres shook his head. "No we don't. That is what makes my people very special. We never forget anything, no matter how small it may seem." Ceres replied stoically.

Angela gave Ceres a smile. "Wow… then you must know a lot of things that no scholar or mage here in Valoran has ever learned of yet." Angela said an astonished tone.

Ceres replied with a nod. She has no idea how close to the truth she was.

Eventually the duo stopped in front of a small wooden building with a sign hanging just above the wooden door. Ceres immediately recognized the type of establishment it was.

Angela was the first to speak. "We're here! Welcome to the Golden Oaks Library! It may seem small, but there is no better place to relax and read a good book." Angela explained with a content smile.

Ceres gave a curt nod. "I assume that you frequent this establishment?" Ceres asked in a calm tone, gesturing to the library.

Angela nodded her head with a happy smile. "Yup! I come here in my free time to simply check out whatever book catches my interest and read it until the sun goes down. I love to read, it's like opening a fascinating new world for you to explore and imagine! I always make sure to check for any new books the caravan brings back from the Demacian cities." Angela explained in a happy tone.

"A caravan?" Ceres questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Angela nodded. "Yes. That's how this village receives its supplies. Once per month, Elder Polendina sends our caravan courier, Dusty, to the nearest Damcian city of Edessa to buy any supplies the village will need for the next month or so, and to trade this village's main export. Sometimes, if there is any money left over, Dusty will be kind enough to buy things for any of the villagers if they request anything personally. I myself always ask for new books from him every time he goes into Edessa. I heard their library is second only to the capital city itself." Angela explained.

"Have you been to any of these cities?" Ceres questioned. Angela shook her head with a sigh. "Unfortunately no. I have been living in this quiet little village for my entire life. Don't mistake me, I love it here, but I would be lying to myself if I haven't thought of visiting any of the bigger cities. But I'm content here. Plus, you might never know who might need my aid here in Eldham while I'm away." Angela explained with a smile.

Ceres nodded. "I see. Your duties tie you to this village. Are there any other healers in the village besides you?" Ceres asked, genuinely curious.

Angela shook her head. "No, just me. My mother was the previous and the very first healer of this village and taught me all that she knew before passing on. She always taught me to put the needs of others before myself, to always help those in need no matter who they are. I still remember the day she told me those very words as if it were yesterday." Angela said, though smiling Ceres can tell the conversation has slightly dampened her mood.

It was moments like these where Ceres questions the emotions of humans. Within the vast Swarm, emotions such as fear and sadness are considered weak and thus almost non-existent. However, Ceres knew for a fact that only sentient beings within the Swarm's high echelons can still feel these same emotions but to a more "controlled" degree, he himself included.

Ceres still remembers how he felt when his Queen suddenly disappeared after defeating Amon. How a heavy weight was placed within his chest and mind as he desperately searched for her among the void.

Is this the same emotion that Angela is feeling right now? The heavy feeling from the loss of someone important to her?

Ceres frowned, now realizing the severity of his previous question. "I apologize Angela. I did not mean to-"

"It's alright Ceres. Just reminiscing the past, is all." Angela's smile immediately brightened. "Now why don't we continue our tour?" Angela suggested, her mood noticeably improved.

Ceres nodded, not wanting to push the previous subject any further. "Let us resume."

For the next three hours Angela lead Ceres all around the village, showing him the different facilities the village has to offer. During their tour, Angela introduced Ceres to many of the village's residences and even few important figures within the village.

During all of this, Ceres has been analyzing the layout of the entire village and noting the people of importance.

So far Ceres learned the village's main export was lumber taken from the vast forest nearby, this also made for the most common job among the residence of Eldham. The one in charge of acquiring the wood for the village is a woman that goes by the name of Lisa Hardy, an experienced lumberjack who oversees the other lumberers of the village.

Ceres also noted that the Golden Oak Library seems to be the only establishment other than the Elder's home that contains any further information about the world of Runeterra and its denizens. The only other way to gather more information is to discuss with the village's caravan driver about requiring more books.

Lastly, Ceres learned that due to how peaceful the village is, there is surprisingly only one guard enforcing the law within the village, the head guard named Hedrick Karox.

During their tour, Angela showed Ceres where Hedrick lives, however, the head guard himself was absent at the time, patrolling the village's parameters. From what Angela has told Ceres, Hedrick is a retired Demacian Captain who settled in the village of Eldham ever since its founding many years before Angela was even born.

Eventually, both Angela and Ceres returned back to the inn, ending their long tour.

"So Ceres, now that you have a general layout of the town and its people. It's time we discuss about your current predicament." Angela said in a slightly serious tone.

Ceres knew all too well what the healer is insinuating. "My current predicament?" Ceres asked, feigning ignorance.

Angela nodded. "Yes. Since you're going to be here for a while, you will need to find a job in order to support yourself for the time being. That is why I gave you this tour in the first place to familiarize you with the different kinds of work you could do around here in the village." The healer explained.

Ceres nodded in understanding. Since coming to the realization that he will be on this world for an untold amount of time, he needs to somehow integrate himself into this world's society without rousing suspicion to him and his growing Brood.

The first and more direct method he came up with was to simply hypnotize the entirety of the village under his control but immediately discard the idea. It is not to say it was impossible, Ceres has more than enough psionic power to complete such a task. However, Ceres immediately saw numerous dangers with this method as it will no doubt eventually arouse suspicion from the other cities and towns that this village no doubt has relations to.

The situation will then escalate to the point where Ceres will eventually be discovered, drawing in unwanted attention and souring any possible relations due to what he had done. This is something he couldn't afford to happen until he established his Brood firmly on this world.

The second method was to simply leave the village. But other than the kingdoms, Ceres is unaware of the possible dangers of this world's terrain and species of fauna, especially if magic saturated the land of Valoran. He needed to establish his Brood somewhere secure and away from the other kingdoms and organizations of this world all the while collecting much needed information without rousing the suspicion.

The Iron Spike Mountains near the village was possibly the most perfect location for his Brood, the unnatural terrain providing a barrier from any curious eyes and the newly found crystals providing much needed essence for his new Brood. The village itself provided him with sufficient amount of information about this world and its denizens.

It was a stroke of luck that Ceres wasn't going to simply waste by leaving.

The third and the most plausible method is to integrate himself into the village's society. He has already made friendly relations with two significant figures of the village, however, as for the rest of the denizens of Eldham, he's nothing then a mysterious stranger.

If Ceres can build a normal reputation within the village then any suspicion directed at him will soon dissipate with time. However, this will also familiarize the entirety of the village to his presence, making it much harder for Ceres to conduct his plans without arousing suspicion from the villagers.

However, this last method grants him access to the village's resources without rising any suspicions to his activities. Besides, he has already made an identity of a lost ruler with both the healer and the village Elder, this could work in his favor with the other villagers, an excuse to gather more information. Plus, other than the village's trade agreement with the nearest Demacian city of Edessa, the village seems relatively isolated as Ceres didn't see nor sense any changes with the village's population.

So now all Ceres has to do is find the most efficient way to integrate himself with the society of Eldham, and Angela has just given him the answer.

"I see what you mean Angela and I also agree. I may be here for a while, so finding work should be my first priority. Any suggestions?" Ceres asked, already thinking of the numerous jobs he could do within the village.

Angela rubbed her chin. "Well that depends. All you told me so far about yourself was that you lead your people back from wherever you came from. But… we have Elder Polendina looking after this village and he already does a good job by himself. So I don't see a need for another village head. No offence to you of course! I'm sure you were a great leader to your people!" Angela quickly added at the end, realizing her unintentional insult.

Ceres chuckled. "That is fine Angela. I also agree with you. This village doesn't need another leader when it already has one who the villagers already put their faith in. Besides, I wish to keep my presence within this village as discreet as possible, there is no need for the villagers to know who I was before coming here." Ceres said in a calm tone.

Angela nodded. "Alright, if that's what you wish. So other than being a potential village head, what else can you do? Anything from our tour that interested you?" Angela asked in a curious tone.

Ceres frowned. Most of his current skills revolve around maintaining/leading the entirety of the Zerg Swarm and fighting off whatever threatens the Swarm. Other than these skills, he can easily adapt to whatever job he enlists himself in, but the main question is which job will be casual enough to do and at the same time gain him a normal reputation among the denizens of the village.

Then it clicked.

"I have combat experience. Back in my kingdom, I often defended my people against our enemies, leading my warriors into battle or defending my people." Ceres explained.

Angela on her part soon realized what Ceres was suggesting. "You want to be the head guard for this village? But I told you during our tour that this village already has a head guard." Angela reminded.

Ceres shook his head. "You mistake me. I do not wish to be the head guard, but a regular guard for this village. I believe it will be the best line of work for me." Ceres casually explained.

Angela looked unconvinced. "Are you sure you want to be a guard? For as long as I have known, all this village ever had was Hedrick and he does his job very well, making sure our quiet little village is safe. Besides, this is a peaceful village, everyone here is one big family, no one is going to commit any crimes. Besides, I don't think Hedrick is hiring any new guards anytime soon." Angela explained.

Ceres was undeterred. "I believe this is the best job for my skill set. A simple job and a way to return the debt I owe to you by defending the very village you care for." Ceres explained in a stoic tone.

Angela blushed. "I-I see you're still serious about returning that debt. Very well, I will help you get this job. I'm confident I could convince Hedrick to give you a chance." The healer said with a smirk.

Ceres smiled. "Thank you for your assistance." Ceres said.

Angela chuckled. "Don't thank me just yet. We still have to convince Hedrick. Now come along, he should be back from his patrol by now." Angela said as she turned and started walking down the dirt road.

Ceres followed closely behind, already coming up with numerous methods of obtaining his desired job that did not include either his psionics nor the aid of the healer before him.

However, for now he shall put his faith in Angela, she hasn't failed him yet.

Location: Guard Headquarters, Eldham Village

After a few minutes of walking, both Ceres and Angela finally arrived at the guard headquarters, or in this case the home of the village's sole guard, Hedrick Karox.

Like many of the other buildings in the village, the head guard's home was made out of cut stone and wood. However, the building is also noticeably larger with a horse stable attached to the side of the house, a single horse can be seen within the stable drinking from a trough of water.

Angela pointed to the horse. "That's Hedrick's horse. He must be home. Are you ready to meet him Ceres?" Angela asked, turning her attention towards Ceres.

Ceres nodded. "What can you tell me more about this man? From what I understand you seem close to him." Ceres asked.

Angela smiled. "You're right. I have known Hedrick ever since I was a child. He's one of the kindest people I know and was a close friend to my mother, but… he can be quite stubborn and boastful at times especially when it comes to his duties and his honor as the only guard of this village. Just don't ask him about his past career, he just loves to tell his heroic tales every moment he gets the chance. Though the children always love hearing his stories." Angela said with a small giggle.

Ceres nodded. "He must take his duties seriously then." Ceres deduced.

Angela nodded. "For as long as I've known him, he has never taken a single break from his duty as the guard of this village, saying how it's his sworn duty to protect the people of this village and how his honor as a warrior of Demacia won't allow him to be lazy. That stubborn old fool." Angela said with a shake of her head, however, she held a smile. "But there is no one I trust more to keep our little village safe then him." Angela explained in a warm tone.

Ceres nodded. "Thank you for sharing. Shall we?" Ceres said as he gestured with his left hand towards the door. Angela nodded as she went up to the wooden door and knocked three times before stepping back.

Immediately Ceres could hear the sounds of heavy footsteps from within the house, each step growing louder as it neared the door. Finally, the wooden door opened to reveal the occupant of the house.

The person that opened the door is a large man, surpassing Ceres in terms of height and sheer body mass. The man has short, grey hair and beard, blue eyes, and a muscled physique that is comparable to most Terran Marauders. This man is currently wearing a grey short-sleeved tunic that hugged his muscled torso, baggy brown pants held with a black belt and a pair of black boots.

What also caught Ceres's attention about the man was the numerous scars decorated across what bare skin is exposed. The most noticeable is the three large claw marks slashed diagonally across the man's face.

Ceres didn't need his psionics to tell that the man before him is the very person he and Angela are looking for. The large man exudes an aura of intimidation and experience only found amongst those who has fought and survived in many conflicts, a veteran of many battles Terrans would say. His face, weathered with age, seemingly holds a constant expression of hardened will.

However, all that disappeared in an instant as the giant of a man adopted a wide, happy smile.

"ANGELA LACROSS! It's so good to see you my little dove! How are you today!?" The man exclaimed, his deep and powerful voice filled with unbridled excitement and glee.

Angela returned the large man's smile with her own. "I am doing very well, thank you for asking Hedrick." Angela replied.

The now named Hedrick opened his arms in an inviting manner. "Well don't be a stranger, give this old dog a hug!" Hedrick said as he soon brought his massive arms around Angela, engulfing the healer in a heartfelt hug.

Angela returned the hug as best she could, her arms barely reaching the large man's back. "It's always good to see you too Hedrick." Angela said in a warm tone.

Hedrick broke the hug before giving the healer a small laugh. "Ha! You make it sound like I came back from another bloody battle! My door is always open to you Angela if you ever feel lonely." The man said in a friendly demeanor.

Seemingly forgotten by the two, Ceres stood patiently off to the side all the while observing the interactions between the large man and the healer.

He noted how friendly the man Hedrick was interacting with his charge. Treating Angela similarly like how a loving father would greet their own child.

Ceres's deduction wasn't far off. From what Angela explained earlier, this man knew her for the vast majority of her life, thus explains the over friendly greeting on the man's part. However, there is another side to this man that Ceres is more than curious about.

Using his psionics, Ceres subtly analyzed the large man's mind, searching through his memories. What he found was that Hedrick is 60 Terran years old and was born in the capital city of Demacia. Hedrick has served with the Demacian Military for 30 years, reaching the rank of Captain before he retired to this village.

Even though the man is considered well past his prime, from the elderly man's memories Hedrick continued to fight and serve as the village's guard for another ten years, refusing to completely retire from combat. Many of his scars were relatively recent, a testament to his many years of service as the village's sole guardian.

Overall the man Hedrick is a veteran of many battles and a proud warrior of Demacia, someone that Ceres should be wary about.

"And who is this young lad? I haven't seen his face around here before."

Ceres was brought out of his pondering as the man he was analyzing just seconds ago finally noticed his presence.

"Oh! This is the reason why I came here. Hedrick, I want you to meet Ceres. The newest addition to Eldham. He arrived here in our little village about a day ago." Angela introduced as she gestured her hands towards Ceres.

Hedrick's eyes widened in recognition. "Ah... You must be the one everyone was talking about yesterday. The handsome young stranger that was seen yesterday walking around town with our resident beauty of a healer. Are you perhaps here to claim Angela here as your wife?" Hedrick asked as he gestured to the healer in question.

Ceres remained stoically calm, however, before he could give his answer a blushing Angela loudly interrupted.

"HEDRICK! Ceres was only here for a day! Who told you this ridiculous rumor, and WHEN!?" Angela asked in an aghast tone.

"Yesterday from the little troublemaker Jenji. He said how a suspicious man is clinging onto you and is here to take you away. He also used a lot of colorful words to describe him, but I will spare you from hearing them."

Angela shook her head. "Why am I not surprised."

Hedrick nodded in agreement. "At first I didn't believe him. That is… until Mrs. Yale told me how she seen you with a handsome young man. She also said some other things about you two, but I will spare you the embarrassment. I was actually going to find you today and ask you about it, but lo and behold you came to me with the lad in question!" Hedrick explained, gesturing to Ceres to reinforce his point.

Angela rubbed the bridge of her nose. "*sigh* First off, Jenji is a young boy. He can be very imaginative if he wants to. And secondly, Mrs. Yale is a woman in her late forties, she insinuates too much about other people. Even Mr. Yale fell victim to the gossip she spouts." Angela explains in an exasperated tone.

Both Ceres and Hedrick shared a look before turning their attention back to the healer. "I see… so there is nothing going on between you and this young lad here?" Hedrick asked, nodding his head towards Ceres.

This time Ceres spoke. "I assure you, I have no interests to make Angela my lover if that's what you're asking. She and I are merely acquaintances; in fact, I am indebted to her for saving my life." Ceres explained in a calm tone.

Hedrick gave Ceres a long hard look, no doubt trying to discern Ceres's claim.

After a brief moment of silence Hedrick reeled his head back and roared with laughter. "HAHAHAHAHA! As expected of Angela! You're everything like your mother, may the gods bless that woman." Hedrick said, a hint of sadness near the end. However, Hedrick's smile soon brightened as he met Ceres's gaze. "Now! With all that drama out of the way, I officially welcome you to our glorious village of Eldham! If there is anything you may need, don't be afraid to ask!" Hedrick said in a friendly tone.

Ceres nodded before Angela spoke. "Actually Hedrick, Ceres here needs your help in something." Angela explained as the large man tilted his head in curiousity.

"Well whatever it is, I will gladly help if it's within my abilities to do so! So what do you need of me lad?" Hedrick asked without an ounce of hesitation.

Ceres answered. "On Angela's recommendation, I'm currently seeking work and was wondering if you would accept me as part of this village's security force?"

Hedrick raised an eyebrow. "You want to be a guard?"

Ceres nodded. "Yes. I believe with my set of skills I can contribute greatly to this village's safety." Ceres explained.

There was a moment of silence as Hedrick's face resumed a hardened expression as he leveled a stern frown towards Ceres.

After a brief moment of silence, Hedrick spoke. "Lad. Anyone can be a guard. But what separates a good one from a bad one is their personal commitment to their duty to defend those they swore to protect." Hedrick then made his way towards the building, opening the door. "Come! We'll discuss further inside."

Ceres looked towards Angela for confirmation. The healer simply replied with a nod as Ceres soon entered the large man's home, Angela following close behind.

Once inside Ceres noticed how much more room there was, no doubt to accommodate the large man's size. From looking around, Ceres noticed the bottom floor was split in half as one side nearest to the door is a large living room area, complete with a round wooden table, four wooden chairs, a stone fireplace and a large animal pelt draped above the fireplace.

The other half of the room and the furthest from the entrance is what appears to be a kitchen. Complete with a stone oven, a stone/wooden table installed directly into the ground with numerous metal pot, plates and cutlery, and wooden shelves filled with numerous bottles and packages. A wooden door is located at the back of the kitchen, no doubt leading to the back yard of the house.

To Ceres's right is a case of stairs leading to the upper floor of the building, but what caught Ceres's attention the most is the large suit of armor located on the far left wall between the living room and the kitchen.

The suit of armor is truly massive, taking up most of the wall and nearly reaching the ceiling. There was no doubt in Ceres's mind that this armor belonged to Hedrick, as it seems to be customized to fit the large man's physique.

The most noticeable aspect of the armor are the pauldrons. The pauldrons were large compared to the rest of the armor, similar in design to those of the CMC power armor the Terrans use for their Marines. The pauldrons of the armor looked as if it was made from white stone covered and lined with shining grey steel and fashioned to look like eagles. The rest of the armor followed this same suit, white stone covered in thick plates of equally shining steel stylized in a fashion of an eagle, yet with all these heavy plating the armor was made in such a way that it doesn't seem to restrict the wearer's mobility.

Finishing the armor is the helm, an angular steel helm fashioned for full protection while giving the wearer enough visibility for combat. The helm is somewhat disproportionally small compared to the rest of the armor, though this may work more in the wearer's favor in terms of overall protection.

Mounted vertically right beside the massive armor is an equally large warhammer. The hammer is nearly as tall as the armor itself with the head of the hammer being as large as a man's torso. The shaft is made from a dark grey steel while the hammer head seemed to be made from the same white stone covered in steel for more durability. One side of the hammer is fashioned like a spiked mace as large, thick stone spikes jutted out, making for an intimidating weapon.

However, from what Ceres can see, with the large amounts of metal and stone that made the armor and the size of the hammer will no doubt weigh the wearer down considerably. However, Ceres knew many years ago to never underestimate the capabilities of humans, he has yet to see the capabilities of Hedrick as a warrior that Angela claims him to be.

"Come. Sit down. I'll fix us all a drink." Hedrick said as he made his way into the kitchen.

Both Ceres and Angela sat at the round table, soon Hedrick joined them with three metal mugs filled to the brim with what appeared to be white foam.

As Hedrick placed the drinks down and sat across from Ceres, Angela frowned at her mug before directing her frown towards the large man.

"Hedrick…"

"What!? It's Freljordian Ale! The finest there is!" Hedrick said in a placate tone, however, this did little to ease the healer's scornful gaze.

"You know I don't drink. And how many times do I have to tell you that you shouldn't be drinking either!" Angela said with a point of her finger, her tone filled with equal parts frustration and annoyance. To Ceres, it is like watching a daughter lecturing her father about his health.

Hedrick simply waved her off. "Bah! You sound just like your mother! Fine then, more for me!" Hedrick said as he took Angela's mug and started gulping down it's contents.

After a brief moment, Hedrick slammed the mug down onto the table and let out a refreshed sigh. "Ah…! Now that hits the spot!" Hedrick said as he wiped his mouth with his forearm.

Angela rubbed her eyes, Ceres sensed frustration clouding her mind. "What am I going to do with you Hedrick…?" Angela said in a frustrated tone. Said man simply roared with laughter. "HA! HAHAHA! Tell you what, you can write 'I told you so' on my grave. Until then! I will drink all the delicious ale I want!" Hedrick said as he started drowning down his second mug of ale.

Angela shook her head, however, Ceres noticed her smiling, no doubt amused by the elderly man's laid back demeanor.

Once Hedrick slammed his second mug onto the table, he turned his attention towards Ceres, eyeing his still filled mug. "What are you waiting for lad? Drink up!" Hedrick said in a friendly manner.

Ceres simply stared at his mug, the white foam of the beverage barely dying down. "I don't necessarily drink. Bad when I'm doing business." Ceres simply explained, however, Hedrick snorted. "Bad for business? Lad, we're not in Demacia, we're in my home. And in my home this is how I do business with others, especially with those who are interested in working underneath me. Now drink up! I promise you that it's the best ale money can buy!" Hedrick assured with a friendly tone.

Ceres took one look at his mug before grasping the handle. He then brought the mug to his lips and took a sip.

"K-KOFF! KOFF!" Ceres coughed as the ale burned down his throat, taking him by surprise. Ceres has never drunk any form of alcoholic beverage back in the Koprulu Sector, he never seen the need to do so as it was more of a Terran tradition. Though the alcohol will never affect him due to his superior immune system, he was still caught off guard by the immense burning sensation of the alcohol burning down his throat.

Why do Terran's enjoy this? Ceres may never know.

And it didn't help that the man across from him is currently laughing his head off.

"AH! HAHAHAHAHA! Freljordian Ale kicks everyone's ass!" Hedrick exclaimed with a toothy grin

"Hedrick. That was not funny." Angela said in a lecturing tone.

The large man laughed once again. "HAHAHA! Cheer up Angela! It was all in good intentions. I just wanted to see if this lad can hold his drink. If he's going to be working with me, then I have to know his alcohol tolerance." Hedrick explained.

Angela's eyes widened. "Wait. You mean you're giving Ceres a chance? I thought you'd be more stubborn then that?" The healer said.

Hedrick shook his head. "Oh I am Angela; I'm not hiring this young lad to be a guard. That is my job and it only need one man to do it." Hedrick said, his tone slightly serious.

Angela is shocked. "But Hedrick. Why not give him a-"

Hedrick cut her off. "However… since you seem to like him so much. I will hear lad out. But I will be the one asking all the questions and I will come to a final decision. Is that clear to the both of you?" Hedrick said in a serious tone.

Ceres solemnly nodded while Angela gave a hesitant nod.

Hedrick gave a curt nod. "Good! Now, who are you, where are you from and how you came across our little village lad?" Hedrick asked in a strict professional fashion.

Ceres laced his fingers together on the table in front of him. "From where I'm from, I lead my people and safe guard them from any danger that seek to destroy them. I come from a faraway land and found myself here due to an assassination attempt by my enemies. My kingdoms nor my country is mapped in your village's archives as far as I know. All I can say to you now is that I seek a way back to my home and back to my people." Ceres said, once again reciting his story.

Hedrick nodded. "I see… that explains the strange attire you have on right now. I only see clothing like that amongst ambassadors from Piltover." Hedrick explained. "Your motives seem to be in the right place but anyone can claim that they are nobles, generals or leaders that protect their own people. Also you seem no older then Angela here, too young to experience the harsh reality of leading other, much less an entire kingdom. How do I know for sure that you say who you are?" Hedrick questioned in a serious tone.

"You don't. But you also claim that you are a noble warrior that safeguard the people of this village. I have no doubts that you are, but unlike me, you have the people of this village to back your claim, Angela here included." Ceres gestured to the healer. "But I don't. I am untold miles from my home and having nothing but my very words to tell of my deeds. If that is not enough, then the only way I could prove my claims is to show you and prove myself to you and to these villagers." Ceres explained, his tone calm but filled with conviction.

There was a brief moment of silence between Ceres and Hedrick as the large man frowned in thought, pondering deeply on Ceres's words.

"… I understand. You make a good point; how can I judge you when I haven't seen you in action myself!" Hedrick said as he stood from his seat. "I will give you this chance to prove yourself to me and I will also prove myself to you in return!" Hedrick said as he pushed in his chair. "However… there is still one thing I need to test in order to make sure you're cut out for this line of work."

Ceres frowned. "You want to test my combat skills." Ceres calmly deduced.

Hedrick grinned. "Correct. Come! We'll test your skills out back!" Hedrick said, however, before either Hedrick or Ceres could move Angela spoke. "Hedrick, are you sure this is the best way to test Ceres? Isn't there some other way?" Angela asked with a concerned expression.

Hedrick chuckled. "Don't worry Angela; I'm not going to kill the lad! The worst he'll get is a concussion! Ah HAHAHAHA!" Hedrick laughed out.

However, this did little to ease the healer's worries. "But still-"

Ceres interrupted. "Don't worry about me Angela. I can hold my own against him." Ceres explained as he stood from his seat.

"You say that now lad. But when I'm through with you, we'll see if you the guts to be a noble guard of this here fine village!" Hedrick said.

Angela took one look at the large man before turning her gaze towards Ceres's own, her expression remained worried. "Fine. But if you seriously injure him Hedrick, you and I will have a long chat about hurting others." Angela warned in a stern tone.

Hedrick nodded with a grin. "Alright Angela, alright. Hey lad! Angela must really like you for her to be this worried about you." Hedrick explained, much to said healer's embarrassment.

Angela blushed. "I-I'm just worried for Ceres's health! He's just recently recovered and new to these lands, I'm worried that you might-"

"Yeah yeah Angela, whatever you say. Now! Before we go out back, I have to ask. Are you going to finish that?" Hedrick asked pointing to Ceres's still filled mug.

Ceres glanced at the mug before returning his gaze back towards Hedrick. He then grabbed his mug and started drinking. Ceres is aware of the sudden silence as he gulped down the alcoholic beverage without pause. Though the alcohol still burned his throat greatly, Ceres was prepared this time, ignoring the burning sensation as he soon finished his mug.

Placing the empty mug back on the table, Ceres looked directly at Hedrick with a stoic expression. The large man is looking at him with wide eyes. "Thank you for the drink."

After a brief moment of silence, a large toothy smile broke out of Hedrick's face. "That's the spirit! We'll make a man out of you just yet!" Hedrick exclaimed as he made his way to the back door located in the kitchen.

The large man opened the door and stood at the door frame. "Well what are you standing around for lad!? Didn't you say you wanted to prove yourself to me in GLORIOUS combat!" Hedrick said with an excited grin.

Ceres made his way towards the opened door. 'Not exactly what I said.' Ceres thought as Angela stood to follow him.

"Well if you two are going to fight, then I might as well oversee the match. Someone has to make sure you both don't end up killing each other. Hedrick…" Angela said, sending a warning glare to the large man.

Hedrick laughed. "Don't worry Angela! You have my word." Hedrick promised.

Soon both Ceres and Angela made their way out the open door, with Hedrick following soon after.

"Since Angela won't allow us to use any REAL weapons, we'll just have to make due with these for now." Hedrick said as he tossed a wooden sword at Ceres.

Ceres caught and inspected the wooden weapon in his hand. A simple wooden sword covered in small scratches and dents yet looked and felt durable enough for what they were about to do.

"Do you use a sword wherever you hailed from lad?" Hedrick asked.

Instead of answering, Ceres gave a few practice swings with the wooden sword. Though he would usually prefer to use his own fists for this duel, he felt that using the sword is more appropriate and raises less questions. Besides, the wooden sword felt comfortable in his hand.

"Not necessarily, but this will do perfectly for now. Did you also make this sword?" Ceres asked, his tone laced with curiosity.

When he first exited the house just minutes ago, he was met with a burning furnace, a large anvil, blocks of various metals piled into one spot, and multiple tools of various sizes and functions. Some sort of primitive forge.

Hedrick soon explained how his father used to be a known blacksmith within the capital city of Demacia and learned all his skills in smithing from his father in hopes to carry the family tradition. However, Hedrick wanted to join the Demacian military in order to chase his dreams of becoming a glorious hero, so after arguing with his father he went off and joined the military without his consent. Though he didn't explain what happens after, Ceres could tell the subject of his father is not something the man is so readily to converse about.

Now he is also the village's blacksmith, often repairing/making any works of metal or replacing broken lumber axes as a secondary job.

Hedrick gave a curt nod. "Yup! I make everything myself. And I only use the finest materials that I can get my hands on, such as that sword you got there. Made entirely out of ironwood, the toughest wood our lumberers can offer." Hedrick explained, gesturing to the sword in Ceres's hands.

Ceres nodded. "Thank you."

However, Hedrick shook his head with a smile. "Don't thank me lad. That piece of wood is the only thing between you and me. And I will be carrying something MUCH bigger than that twig." Hedrick said as he made his way towards his forge.

Angela, who is currently sitting on a stump safely on the sidelines, gave Ceres a seemingly calm look but Ceres could still sense a hint of worry behind her eyes.

Before Ceres could question her about her mood, Angela's eyes widened and silently gasped at something behind him.

Ceres immediately turned around and saw exactly what shocked Angela.

Hedrick stepped out of his forge carrying a large two-handed, wooden mallet.

"HEDRICK!" Angela shouted in disbelief as said man looked towards the healer with a raised eyebrow.

"What!? It's just a mallet?" Hedrick said in a carefree tone.

"Hedrick…" Angela said once more but with more force in her tone.

"Come on Angela! You know I mainly use hammers! Besides, it's the only non-lethal weapon for my size!" Hedrick explained, resting the large mallet against his right shoulder.

Angela held her glare for a brief moment before standing from her stump. She then briskly made her way past Ceres and soon past a confused Hedrick before entering the house.

Both Ceres and Hedrick shared a look. One curious while the other seemingly confused of the situation.

Soon enough, Angela return with two white pillows, a blanket and a bundle of rope.

The healer didn't say anything as she simply gestured for Hedrick's large mallet. The large man obliged, albeit with some hesitation.

Angela soon got to work on placing the pillows on both ends of the mallet before covering the entire head in the blanket then finally tying it all together with the rope. After she was finished, she gave one look over her work before nodding in acceptance.

"There. Now you can use it." Angela said as she looked towards an unamused Hedrick. "You baby proofed my mallet." Hedrick said in an unamused tone.

"That's right Hedrick. It's either this or you find a safer weapon to use." Angela said in a strict tone, not backing down.

The elderly man sighed as he picked up his now 'upgraded' weapon. "What did I do to deserve you in my life?" Hedrick asked in a tried tone.

Angela chuckled. "I love you too, Hedrick." Angela said as she returned to her stump.

Soon enough, Hedrick stood a good distance away from Ceres, holding the pillow mallet in both hands.

"Alright! Before we fight let me lay down some ground rules!" Hedrick then rested the head of his hammer against the ground, both hands resting on the pommel. "We will fight until either one of us surrenders or is rendered unconscious!"

"AHEM!"

"Fine! For Angela sake, we'll fight until either one of us surrenders! Attacks to the head, neck and groin are forbidden, but other than that everything else is fair game! You ready lad!?" Hedrick asked as he got into a combat stance, grasping his hammer with both hand at the ready.

Ceres gave a curt nod as he shifted his left foot forward while tightening his grip on his wooden blade.

Hedrick nodded. "Good! Angela count us in!" Hedrick exclaimed to the healer.

Angela nodded. "Alright! Fight in Three!"

Ceres's expression hardened as did Hedrick's.

"Two!"

Ceres's tensed his legs as Hedrick shifted his right foot behind him, no doubt prepared to charge.

"One! Begin!"

Immediately, the large man charged towards Ceres at surprising speeds for a man of his size. With a battle cry, Hedrick then leaped high into the air, mallet raised over his head.

However, Ceres had more than enough time to quickly dash to the left, dodging Hedrick's attack.

Even with a thick layer of cloth covering the head of the mallet, Hedrick's attack still made a resounding noise that could be heard audibly around the vicinity, showcasing just how much power the elderly man put into the attack.

With the missed attack, Ceres immediately press forward his advantage and charged the large man, quickly bringing his sword up for a quick slash across his opponent's exposed back.

However, Hedrick spun around and quickly parried Ceres's attack with the shaft of his mallet. He then swung his mallet towards Ceres's left side.

Ceres immediately leaped back and landed a few feet away from Hedrick, barely dodging the mallet.

There was a brief moment of silence as both Ceres and Hedrick reaffirmed their stances all the while staring at each other with stern eyes.

Ceres's expression remained ever stoic. Since the start of the duel, Ceres analyzed the large man's stance, state of mind and overall demeanor. Overall, the man Hedrick has a perfect fighting stance for someone his size and weapon of choice, his mind is also sharply focused for combat.

As for actual martial skills and combat reaction, the elderly veteran didn't disappoint. in that small confrontation, Hedrick gave Ceres an insight to the skilled warrior that Angela has claimed him to be.

And from the hardened expression on Hedrick's face and the way his eyes kept constantly on Ceres's own, no doubt the large man is also reevaluating his opinions on Ceres's combat abilities.

However, this duel is far from over and Ceres will use this opportunity to analyze and test the combat abilities of one of this world's warriors.

A minute passed as the tense atmosphere seemed to grow by the seconds. Finally, Hedrick grinned, breaking the tense atmosphere.

"I have to give it to ya lad! You're quick on your feet!" Hedrick once again readied himself to charge, positioning his weapon behind him. "Let's see how long that will last ya?"

Hedrick charged, quickly closing the distance to Ceres. Ceres on the other hand remained stoically calm, seemingly waiting for Hedrick.

Once he was close enough, Hedrick slammed his right foot on the ground before swinging his mallet full force towards Ceres's left side. The sheer force of the swing caused the air to roar around the mallet as it quickly approaches. However, Ceres simply leaned backwards as he felt the mallet rushing just mere inches from his face.

But Hedrick didn't halt his advance as he skillfully swung the mallet once more towards Ceres's right without losing any force. Ceres was forced to back pedal away from the large man as he continued to swing his mallet, seemingly to zone Ceres and to keep him on his toes.

However, that all soon came to a stop when Ceres suddenly ducked underneath Hedrick's last swing and thrust his sword towards Hedrick's exposed stomach.

The attack landed as Hedrick visibly recoiled from the attack, only taking a single step back. Ceres frowned as he spun to the left, dodging the pommel slam from Hedrick's mallet. Using the momentum of his spin, Ceres swung his sword and hit the large man's back before immediately landing a second hit.

Hedrick grunted from the attacks as he swung his mallet around to hit Ceres. Ceres himself foresaw this, but instead of ducking the attack, he chose to leap over both the mallet and its wielder. While in the air Ceres landed another hit on Hedrick's back, causing the elderly veteran to grunt loudly in pain.

However, before he could land, Ceres's battle instincts, honed by years of battling the enemies of the Zerg Swarm, flared as he soon felt something violently impact his right side, launching him sideways through the air.

Ceres soon crashed onto the ground as he quickly jumped onto his feet, his eyes met Hedrick's once more. Hedrick didn't seem fazed by any of Ceres's previous attacks, in fact the large man is grinning in excitement.

Ceres frowned. 'This human is tenacious. Not surprising given his career and size. Plus, the power he puts behind his attacks will no doubt incapacitate any regular human.' Ceres thought to himself as he readied his wooden sword for another attack.

'However, I'm not human.' Ceres finally thought as he prepared for his opponent's next attack.

"Lad I've got to give it to ya! When you first told me that you can fight I actually believed you could! You know why?" Hedrick asked.

Ceres frowned. "Why?"

"Those stoic eyes of yours, lad. You have the eyes of someone who has seen his fair share of battles. The eyes of someone who's seen and danced with death on a daily basis!" Hedrick explained with a grin.

Ceres quirked a curious eyebrow. "And this duel is to confirm your claim about me." Ceres deduced.

Hedrick chuckled. "Exactly! Now I know for a fact that you're no amateur with an intimidating gaze. Now! FIGHT ME IN GLORIOUS COMBAT!" Hedrick exclaimed as he brandished his mallet.

Ceres couldn't help but smile. Hedrick reminded him about a certain Protoss, a Praetor who faced insurmountable odds but always seemed to come out on top, a Protoss warrior that held honor, loyalty and glory of combat above all else.

The same honorable warrior that his Queen betrayed and ultimately killed.

That is not to say he would do the same to Hedrick. Ceres needs the human alive in order for his plans to work. But if that same Preator is anything to go by, Hedrick will continue to fight until he can no longer wield his own weapon or until he comes out as the victor of their little duel.

With that in mind, Ceres did the unthinkable.

He relaxed his posture and threw his wooden sword on the ground in front of him.

There was a brief moment of silence.

"Lad, what are you doing?" Hedrick asked in a genuinely confused tone.

"Ceres, is everything alright?" Angela also asked, concern filled her voice.

Ceres gave Hedrick a calm gaze. "I concede."

"What?"

"Huh?"

"I concede." Ceres said once more.

There was a brief moment of silence. "… really now. Why lad?" Hedrick questioned, confusion still evident in his tone.

"Like you said before, the point of this duel is to prove myself to you. I have already achieved that when you admitted my combat skills and experience are above average." Ceres explained.

Hedrick's eyes widened. "B-But our glorious-"

Angela interrupted before Hedrick could finish. "Ceres does have a point Hedrick. You did admit that he has seen his fair share of battles." Angela explained.

Hedrick went to argue, but stopped, no doubt realizing the truth of their words.

With a frustrated growl Hedrick placed the head of the mallet on the ground. "Fine, fine. You both make a good point! Duel's over." Hedrick relented, clearly frustrated of the outcome.

"Annnndddd…" Angela said.

Hedrick sighed. "Fine. Ceres."

Hedrick approached Ceres. "Do you swear on your name to safe guard the lives of these villagers." Hedrick questioned in a serious tone.

Ceres nodded. "I do."

"Do you swear to be their shield against all those who would bring them harm?"

"I do."

"Then do you swear to give your life to the protection of this village?"

"I do."

"Then by my authority as the head guard of Eldham Village, I hereby indoctrinate you, Ceres, as the newest addition to Eldham's security." Hedrick said as he raised his right hand towards Ceres.

"Welcome, and let us protect this village together." Hedrick said with a serious expression.

Ceres grasped the large man's forearm as did he, a common handshake between warriors.

Once Hedrick released Ceres's hand, Hedrick looked up towards where the sun is setting. "Well it's getting dark. Your first order is to escort Angela here back to her home safely before turning in for the night. Tomorrow, you will meet me in front of my house at the crack of dawn so I can show you the ropes. Is that understood?" Hedrick asked.

Ceres curtly nodded. "Yes sir."

Hedrick nodded. "Good. Now get to it. You are dismissed!" Hedrick said as he walked back towards his house.

As Hedrick is walking away, Ceres turned to Angela. "It appears I'm in your debt once more Angela." Ceres said.

Angela shook her head with a small smile. "No Ceres, I merely convinced Hedrick to give you a chance. You proved to him in the end that you are cut out for the job of being a guard. By the way, those were some amazing moves you did! I've never seen anything like it." Angela explained in an excited tone.

Ceres smiled. "Thank you for the compliment. Also, you sell yourself short, without you I would have never be even considered for this job in the first place. So once again I'm in your debt." Ceres explained in a calm tone.

Angela smiled. "Well you can start by making sure everyone here is Eldham is safe and sound. With you now working alongside with Hedrick, this village already feels that much safer." Angela said in a happy tone.

Ceres nodded. "If that's what you wish, then I will protect this village and all its inhabitants, this I promise." Ceres said with a hint of seriousness.

Angela's smile grew, but before she could speak Hedrick interrupted.

"Ceres! Already fraternizing with the V.I.P! I thought you were better than that!" Hedrick quipped in a teasing tone.

Angela shook her head in embarrassment as Ceres simply smiled. "After you Angela."

Angela quickly nodded as she made her way towards the building, Ceres following close behind.

Ceres expression turned stoic as he eyed the back of Angela's head. She may never know, but Ceres was completely serious when he promised the protection of her village and to repay his debt to her.

Because of her, Ceres not only gained much needed information that was crucial to his survival, but also indoctrinated himself to this world's society without raising any suspicions and eventually found the perfect place to start his Brood in secret.

In short, Angela Lacross saved his life in a way and ensured the survival of him and his growing Brood on this unknown world.

Not many could say that they have gained the favor of him and by extension the entirety of the Zerg Swarm. In fact, throughout Ceres's entire existence, he can only count one other who he is forever indebted to. James Raynor.

James Raynor saved his Queen in two separate occasions when Ceres himself was unable to. But with his sudden disappearance three years ago, Ceres may never repay his debt to him.

But unlike his debt to James Raynor, his debt to Angela is but a simple task, one that he's all too familiar with.

The protection of her home and all those who live in it. To be their guardian.

Though she didn't say those words exactly, Ceres will uphold his promise and protect the village from any threat that this world has to offer.

And if any of this world's denizens seek to conquer this village for their own gain and harm those Angela cares for dearly. Then he will unleash the full wrath of the Swarm upon them.

AN:

And that's a wrap. Now to answer some questions you readers may have.

1) Will there be romance between Ceres and Angela? Maybe or maybe not we'll just have to see.

2) When will Ceres have a Zerg Army? Soon.

3) Is Hedrick based off of Reinhardt from Overwatch? Yes, can you see the occurring theme I'm doing?

4) What do you mean Ceres is indebted to Raynor? Raynor saved Kerrigan's life in two occasion, the 1st was when Raynor kill Tychus to protect her and the 2nd is when Raynor stopped Mengsk from torturing her with the artifact in HOTS. Ceres knew about this and felt indebted to Raynor since then.

Leave any comments, reviews, questions or suggestions.

I got three more chapters to go before going back to the original routine. See you all in the next chapter.