Voice in the Darkness (entity)


 * The title of this article is based on conjecture.

"There is but one god. And I watch over you all."

- The entity's last boast.

The Voice in the Darkness is one of many names for a Void-based entity hostile to the xel'naga and their followers, the protoss. It has also called itself "The Lord of the In-Between Places", the "Living Heart of the Void", and the "One True God" (in contrast to the xel'naga, which it refers to as "false gods").

It is aware of the history of the xel'naga, including their defeat at the hands of the zerg, as well as that of the protoss (such as its knowledge of the Aeon of Strife). It also possesses knowledge of psionic technology.

It proclaimed that its evil behavior is because that's the way the galaxy made it, and despises the xel'naga for changing the natural order, and even for imprisoning rather than killing it.

Biography
The Voice in the Darkness is responsible for the consumption of civilizations and laying waste to entire worlds.

The xel'naga defeated it, but as they cherished life, they didn't kill it, instead using the power of the Void to entomb it within a barren planet orbiting a dead star. It could be accessed by an Argus crystal, which acted as a "lock", and could even be used to re-seal the creature.

Breaking the Prison
"As it was... so it will be. For the Lord of the In-Between Places has returned."

- The Voice speaks upon initial release.

Millenia later, a research team investigate the xel'naga ruins on the planet. Dr. Morrigan, a researcher with minor psychic abilities, learned from it how to make a psionic amplifier for her own abilities. Calling herself the "key" for the crystalline "lock", she unleashed it. The Voice began to unseal itself. It possessed half the research team, and the rest were brutally slaughtered.

A team of Dark Templar led by Azimar and his colleague Xy'tal, having felt the Voice from half a sector away, arrived to investigate. One of their scouts, Jarzul, was slain by a converted scientist named Hassan. Azimar and Xy'tal rushed to take their revenge, but the converted scientist noticed them. As it proclaimed its superiority, it injured Xy'tal. Azimar cut off the scientist's hand, only to find it strangling him, giving Hassan time to spew the conversion material onto Xy'tal. Then Hassan jumped onto Azimar while the Voice tried to control him or devour his soul. Azimar managed to stab Hassan, causing the body to quickly crumble away, but not before the Voice revealed that it wore the bodies of "lesser beings" like a garment, and that it had a "vast" wardrobe.

As the Dark Templar planned a final assault, the Voice told its converted minions that it had read Azimar's mind and knew of the coming assault. The Dark Templar cut their way through the minions, but as they did so the Voice spoke to Xy'tal, offering him power and emotional stability in return for devotion.

Inside the facility's central chamber, only Morrigan remained of the terran minions. The Voice spoke through her, saying it would make the protoss, the firstborn of its hated jailers, its honored harbingers. Azimar refused, but Xy'tal did not. The converted Xy'tal fought Azimar, who tried to convince him to hold onto his own identity. Xy'tal finally came to his senses when he severely injured Azimar. Speaking through Morrigan, the Voice considered this "impossible" and punished Xy'tal by burning him with black flames. Then it declared that if it could not control these protoss, it would devour them. It emerged from below, showing them its true form, and promptly slew one of the warriors.

Xy'tal decided to regain his honor. He would charge the Argus crystal with energy while the rest of the Dark Templar fled to safety. The Voice tried offering Xy'tal power, but Xy'tal refused, and when the Voice said the energy would destroy both of them, Xy'tal said that was a fate they both deserved. The resulting explosion bent space-time.

A protoss force led by an executor arrived at the KL-2 asteroid field but could find no trace of the entity. However, it was still alive, and telepathically taunted Azimar using an image of Xy'tal's face.

Abilities
"Speak in one voice or be forever silent."

- Blood-drawn graffiti.

The Voice is a Void-based entity. It can "convert" other beings, including both terrans and protoss. The mental training of Dark Templar enable them to resist this, but the training is not inerrant, and only by resisting the conversion and holding on to their own identity can a protoss reject or even expel the possession. The Voice stated it would devour the mind of anyone who resisted.

When a being is converted, their eyes and mouth expel a black liquid, often crackling with energy, and they gain physical enhancements (enabling an unarmed human scientist to almost match two Dark Templar in combat), as well as the ability to see cloaked Dark Templar. The Voice describes this ability as "wear[ing] the flesh of lesser beings". The psionic essence of the victim (including the minimal amount found in any terran) is consumed, eventually killing the victim. Protoss, being more powerful psionically, are a better "food source" and will last longer. The energy is transferred to the "main creature". If the victim is killed by an outside source, the body will disintegrate.

The Voice is vulnerable to attacks from warp blades and similar weapons. It roared in pain while wounded. However, it could easily kill (or consume) a dark templar by pulling them into itself with its tentacles.

The Voice considers the victim to be its religious followers, and if they manage to resist after conversion, it can punish them by covering them with dark-colored flames.

The Voice can cloak in a fashion beyond that of the Dark Templar (making it difficult to detect) and also has the ability to telepathically communicate at long range.

The Voice was so powerful it could be detected from half a sector away by the Dark Templar (though it could hide itself if it wished).