Chapter 6 - It's Raining Men

'Thought'

"Speech"

(Song link used on the bottom of chapter)

(Ivory POV)

I ran a hand across the sand as I lay there, no memory of where I was. The warm sand beneath my fingertips was the first thing I became aware of this place feels different… almost alien. They were soft and grainy like static from a TV or maybe more like a memory fleeting between my fingers. I groan as I roll onto my back and stare at the pale moon that hung above, surrounded by three stars that slightly twinkled from time to time.

'Where are all the stars?'

I could hear the gentle lapping of the waves against the shore, the kind that always felt soothing but soon that sound disappeared as if slowly being forgotten. But I couldn't relax as my memories felt clouded, one thing was clear though this wasn't Earth. The sky was empty, there were no stars. Just a vast expanse, like an artist had forgotten to paint in the stars only the three stars circling the moon hung there.

I shifted pushing myself up on my arms as I took in my surroundings, running my hand through my hair trying to get most of the sand out before stopping suddenly.

'Where is the Water?'

Where the edge of the beach ended instead of water washing up onto the beach there was nothing, the ground just suddenly dropped into what looked like an abyss from this view. I stand up fully, my eyes scanning the horizon. That's when I spotted him.

Jack Frost. His figure is outlined against the pale moonlight, his eyes are pale blue that almost glows, and his hair a messy snow white. He's crouching on the sand peering over the ledge, his usual carefree stance gone, replaced by a sense of confusion. His sharp features look drawn in the moonlight, and there's something in his gaze that tells me he doesn't know where he is either.

I see him slowly shake his head before he stands up fully and turns around in her direction and freezes as he realizes I'm standing here. The moment their gazes met, Ivory gasped, her chest tightening as an overwhelming flood of images, emotions, and sensations poured into her mind.

In an instant, Ivory saw flashes of a boy skating across a frozen lake, his laughter ringing out, only for it to shatter into panic as he fell through the ice, the scene shifting rapidly from waking up afterward, meeting the guardian's and eventually his death by Pitch Black. She felt his cold, suffocating fears, his joys his loneliness over the years to love and then nothing.

But it wasn't one-sided. She could feel in her mind that as a tide of memories not her own flowed into her mind, her memories of her life were flowing out and to him. The connection broke as abruptly as it began, leaving them both breathless.

'Well this will be interesting, wonder what he saw, work for the family was never boring.'

"What the hell was that?" Jack whispered, his voice shaky.

Before I could formulate a response, the sky rippled. Two tears one violet, the other pale blue appeared above them, twisting and coiling like liquid fire. The moon and the three stars seemed to circle faster, casting strange shadows on the sand.

A faint hum echoed across the beach, and then, as if it had been waiting, a message appeared before them in glowing, crystalline letters:

[ System Message: System Intergration Begun. ]

I look at Jack, a sense of dread creeping up my spine. He meets my gaze, eyes wide. We both feel it, the hum beneath the surface, the underlying power that is starting to take shape around us. I feel a sickly smile worm its way across my face as I glance at the twin tears before looking back at Jack.

"I can feel it this isn't going to end well take my word for it."

I can see him shake his head and chuckle. "Aw come on lighten up I saw the discussion with that God about this, I don't think he will fuck us over that much."

The letters shimmered in the air before dissolving, replaced by a progress bar that began to climb: 10%, 20%, 30%...

[System Integration: Progress: 90%]

[Error Detected]

The screen flashed and flickered. The purple tear above us pulsed as if responding to the error. And then I felt the system already within me. A presence I hadn't even been aware of until now. It roared to life, its foundation familiar yet alien. StarCraft. I'd always thought it was just a game, a pastime. But here, now with a wish, it was something more.

The percentage flickers and falters, dropping and rising erratically, as if the system is struggling to stay in control. A deep rumble echoes beneath our feet. I sense something, something ancient, stirring from within me. The system isn't the only one trying to integrate into my soul. Another voice cracks through the air, smoother, more animalistic.

The screen flashed again, but this time the text was different. Its color shifted, growing deeper, more split with each word until the final message blazed in a display of blue and purple.

[Starcraft System: Takeover Initializing]

Sparks of energy lashed out across the beach. Jack flinched in the corner of my vision, summoning his staff instinctively and summoning blocks of ice to protect both of us, while I stood frozen, eyes widening in alarm. The two systems clashed. I could feel it within me, a chaotic battle for dominance. The loading percentage fluctuated wildly, dropping to 40%, then surging to 75%, only to fall again. The StarCraft system consumed the other piece by piece, its digital framework weaving itself into the fragments of the opposing system until, at last, the bar hit 100%.

The screen flashed again, but this time the text was different. Its color shifted, growing deeper, more saturated with each word until the final message blazed in a vivid, almost luminescent purple pulsing to an unknown beat as if it was alive.

[System Integration Progress: 100% Error Resolved.]

[Complementary system CONSUMED, Command Center Descent in Progress.]

[WELCOME TO THE WYLDE.]

[GOALS: EXPLORE. EVOLVE. CONSUME.]

[GOOD LUCK.]

And then, the countdown began.

[Wave 1 Begins: 45:00....44:59]

Its stark presence loomed over us, a silent harbinger of what was to come. The timer ticked down, each second a drumbeat echoing in my chest. Jack stood nearby, his staff gripped tightly in his hands, his blue eyes fixed on the violet glow of the system's message above us.

"Does this happen a lot?" he asked, his voice a mix of sarcasm and unease.

I let out a dry laugh. "Not exactly, but it seems to be my life now."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "You don't sound concerned."

"I'm not." I met his gaze, forcing a grin as confidence sparked in my chest. "This is our mind, Jack. We should have some degree of control here before the timer ends, and besides, if I die today, I'm going to live well and have fun till I do."

Jack tilts his head, curiosity flickering in his icy eyes while sarcasm drips as he speaks. "So what? You're just going to will the monsters away?"

"I wish, but sadly no can't do that let's look around the island to get a lay of the land."

He takes a step to the side and throws out his hand slightly "Well then lead on Milady."

The soft crunch of sand beneath my bare feet was the only sound in the still air. Jack walked beside me, his staff slung lazily over his shoulder, his sharp blue eyes scanning the horizon. The countdown timer still floated faintly above us in the sky at 40 minutes its presence a constant reminder that we weren't just here to enjoy the scenery.

The beach stretched endlessly in both directions, its pale, almost luminous sand giving way to an abyss where water should have been. That black void was unsettling, an emptiness that didn't belong in a world like this.

"This place is... eerie," Jack said, his voice breaking the silence.

"Yeah," I replied, my gaze shifting toward the sky. The moon hung high above, surrounded by the three stars circling it in a slow, hypnotic rhythm. "But it's also beautiful in a strange way. Like a dream you don't fully understand."

He chuckled softly. "Or a nightmare."

We walked a bit farther, the sand gradually shifting to firmer ground. The beach gave way to a meadow, its grass unnaturally green and soft underfoot. The wind here was gentle, carrying the faint scent of something sweet like honeysuckle or freshly bloomed flowers. Jack knelt to run his fingers through the grass. "At least it's solid," he said, smiling faintly. "I half-expected this place to vanish under our feet."

The meadow ahead stretched into the heart of the island from my view, where the land gently sloped upward. Clusters of trees began to dot the landscape, their trunks tall and silver, their leaves shimmering with a faint luminescence.

Jack approached one of the trees, his hand hovering near the bark. "These trees..." he murmured. "They're... warm?"

Curious, I placed my hand on the trunk. He was right; the bark pulsed faintly under my palm, almost like a heartbeat. The sensation was strange, but not unpleasant.

"Everything here feels alive," I said.

Jack tilted his head, studying the trees with a thoughtful expression. "Yeah, but alive how? It's not like Earth, that's for sure."

We continued through the grove, the trees gradually thinning until they opened into a wide plain. At the center was a lake, its surface perfectly still and impossibly clear. The water reflected the sky above, the pale moonlight shimmering on its surface.

Jack whistled low. "Okay, this is definitely something out of a dream."

I crouched at the edge of the lake, dipping my hand into the water. It was cool and refreshing, sending a gentle tingle up my arm. "Feels real enough," I muttered under my breath. As I looked past the lake a small mountain loomed, its rocky surface streaked with veins of glimmering crystal. The sight of it drew me in, a strange pull that I couldn't explain.

"Think there's something up there?" Jack asked, following my gaze.

"Only one way to find out," I said, already making my way toward the base.

The climb wasn't steep, but the path was uneven, the ground littered with smooth stones that jutted out at odd angles and patches of moss. Jack didn't seem to mind, he glided over the ground coasting on a path of frost making the trek look effortless.

"Show-off," I muttered under my breath as I stumbled on a loose rock.

He glanced back with a teasing grin. "Need a hand?"

"I'm fine," I grumbled, waving him off.

When we reached a plateau near the summit, the view took my breath away. The entire island stretched out below us: the beach where we'd woken up, the shimmering lake nestled in the plains, and the endless void surrounding it all.

"It's... smaller than I thought," Jack said, his voice unusually quiet.

"Yeah," I replied, a sense of unease creeping in. "It's like this island is the only thing that exists here. Everything else is just... nothing."

Jack leaned on his staff, his expression thoughtful. "Maybe it's not about what's out there," he said, gesturing to the void. "Maybe it's about what's here."

His words hung in the air, and for a moment, I felt a strange sense of connection to the island, to Jack, and to the 3 small saplings that visibly sprouted out of the ground next to the lake at that moment.

We made our way back down the mountain, the sunless sky above us remaining unchanged. By the time we returned to the lake, the countdown had ticked down to 15 minutes remaining.

"We should head back to the beach," I said. "Whatever's coming, we need to be ready."

Jack nodded, his playful demeanor giving way to a quiet determination. "Let's hope all that system stuff you're controlling can handle it."

We reached the edge of the plains, the dirt slowly transitioning to sand in front of us as the sky above remained starless and pale. I knelt, placing my hands on the ground and closing my eyes. I let my focus center on the image in my mind a massive dam, old and cracked, but solid enough to protect the island's heart.

'Funny I've always imagined it like this to help deal with my emotions ironic it's used now.'

The earth beneath us groaned, trembling with raw energy. Jack stumbled back a step, his eyes widening as the ground split open in front of the lake.

"Uh, what are you doing?" he asked, his tone half awe, half alarm.

"Just watch," I said, my voice strained with effort.

The tremors intensified as the land began to shift and rise. From the very bedrock of the island, a towering dam erupted, its worn surface marred with cracks and streaks of moss. The structure was ancient-looking, its once-pristine stone now weathered, cracked, and chipped.

The dam spanned the valley, curving slightly as it stretched across the terrain. Its massive spillways remained closed, sealing off the plains and lake from whatever lay beyond the tears.

Jack stared at it; his mouth slightly open. "Okay. That's...damn. A giant dam."

"Yeah," I said, standing and brushing the dirt off my hands. "It should keep whatever's coming from reaching the lake...hopefully"

"You just pulled that out of nowhere?" he asked, gesturing toward the colossal structure.

I shrugged. "It's been in mind imagined for years. Might as well make it useful."

As we admired the dam, a low rumble began to grow in the distance. At first, I thought it might be part of the island shifting again, but then the sound became unmistakable—the roar of engines.

Jack craned his neck, searching the sky. "Do you hear that?"

Before I could answer, a shadow passed over us. I looked up to see a massive structure descending from the sky, its engines blasting streams of blue flame as it slowed its descent. The Terran Command Center touched down softly on the grass near the lake, its hulking frame settling into place with a mechanical hiss, the moment it settled into place a holographic screen appeared. Both of us took a step back, eyes wide.

"What... is that?" he asked, pointing at the massive building.

"A Command Center," I replied, a grin spreading across my face.

"And that's supposed to mean something to me?"

"You'll see."

The Command Center whirred to life, its systems humming with energy. The large doors at the front slid open, and three SCVs rolled out. The one in the middle rolled further out then the rest closer to the two of us before all 3 stopped.

"In the rear with the gear!!"

The voice echoed out from the Centermost SCV before The SCVs immediately began gathering resources, their movements efficient and purposeful. One of them started mining from crystalline deposits that had appeared near the base of the mountain, while the third moved toward a cluster of rocks to begin clearing a path.

The hum of activity filled the air, punctuated by the rhythmic clanking of metal and the occasional hiss of hydraulics. The SCVs moved like clockwork, their mechanical arms working with precise efficiency as they carried out the commands, I had issued moments before.

The first SCV began marking the foundation for the barracks, its laser cutter etching perfect lines into the soft grass near the base of the dam. Another SCV joined in, unloading prefabricated panels from compartments built into their chassis. The pieces of the barracks fit together seamlessly, snapping into place with a satisfying clunk leaving the last one to gather resources.

"More SCVs," I muttered, fingers dancing across the holographic panel in front of me. The Command Center hummed, the lowered ramp showing into the bay flashed with sparks before opening to release a fresh SCV and continuing to do so every 12 seconds.

The framework of the barracks rose swiftly, its boxy structure taking shape as the SCVs welded beams and panels together. Sparks flew as their tools cut and fused metal, the glow illuminating their movements in the fading light.

Nearby, the newly built SCV worked on the factory. It was larger and bulkier than the barracks, its reinforced frame designed to handle the production of heavy machinery. The sound of hydraulic lifts and spinning drills filled the air as the factory's core components were slotted into place, the barracks let out a low, mechanical hum as its final assembly finished, steam hissing from vents along its sides.

The hiss of hydraulics filled the air as the barracks' heavy metal doors slid open. A plume of steam escaped, curling into the night like ghostly tendrils before dissipating in the faint moonlight. The air felt charged with anticipation as I waited for the first marine to step out. The ramp extended with a low groan, its surface shimmering with condensation from the humid air inside the barracks. Then, through the lingering mist, the first marine emerged.

The sight of him made me pause.

He was massive, even more so than I'd imagined. Encased in a suit of power that made him look like a walking fortress, easily seven feet tall, with thick, reinforced plating covering every inch of him, his armor a deep slate grey with faint scuffs and scratches that bore witness to countless battles.

The suit hissed faintly as he moved, the joints of his armor hissing with a mechanical precision that spoke of hydraulics helping him move, His left shoulder pad jutted out like a reinforced shield, their edges marked with faint lettering and insignias I didn't recognize but somehow felt oddly familiar. On his chest plate, the faded white emblem of the Terran Dominion was barely visible, worn down like a relic of a forgotten past.

He reached the bottom of the ramp, his boots landing with a weighty thud that echoed across the plain. For a moment, he stood still, his helmeted head turning slowly as his visor scanned the environment. The glowing orange slit of the visor caught the light of the moon above, making it gleam like molten fire.

It was hard to ignore the weapon in his hands—a massive C-14 Gauss Rifle. It looked heavy enough to require a machine to lift, yet he held it with an ease that made it seem like an extension of himself. The rifle's barrel glowed faintly, its intricate design bristling with a quiet lethality. The Marine raised his head, the visor locking onto me. Even though I couldn't see his eyes, I felt his gaze boring into me. It wasn't hostile, just… assessing. A voice sounded out, distorted through the suit's comm system.

"Armed and Ready."

I nodded, forcing myself to breathe steadily. This wasn't just a soldier; this was a weapon brought to life. A tool honed for a war far beyond anything I could comprehend.

"Head to the top of the Dam, once there and a squad of marines join you and stay there, send the rest to the bottom of the dam to start digging trenches," I said, my voice calm and commanding. "We'll need you to be ready when the timer hits zero."

He saluted with crisp precision, the gesture somehow both robotic and oddly human, before turning and jogging toward the growing defensive line. His movements were surprisingly smooth for someone clad in what looked like an armored tank, but there was a weight to every step, each one leaving a faint imprint in the soft grass. As he moved away, another marine appeared at the top of the ramp twenty seconds later, then another. They descended one by one, their identical visors glowing faintly in the dim light.

Jack's voice broke the silence beside me. "You're sure these guys aren't going to turn on us, right?"

I glanced at him, smirking faintly. "They're under our command. They'll do what I tell them...probably, but come on let's head to the top of the dam"

Jack didn't look convinced. His eyes followed the marines as they took up positions in front of the dam and started digging the trenches, their rifles ready.

*Few Minutes Pass*

From our vantage point partway up the dam, the battlefield spread out like a living map. The Command Center sat at the heart of it all, its bays opening periodically to release fresh SCVs. The little machines were relentless, rolling across the ground in search of resources and tasks. Some were already constructing additional bunkers along the trench line, their mechanical arms moving with the precision of a surgeon.

The barracks buzzed with activity as marines marched out in disciplined lines. Their dark blue-grey armor gleamed under the pale light of the moon, their glowing orange visors reflecting the faint light. They moved with purpose, each carrying a C-14 Gauss Rifle, the heavy weapon cradled in their arms as if it weighed nothing.

"Look at them," Jack said, leaning over the railing and pointing. "They're like ants. Angry, heavily armed ants."

I laughed. "They're marines. The best soldiers you'll find anywhere, at least in the Terran Dominion. They don't stop until the job's done."

The barracks paused its action no more marines walking out for a time before the hulking form of a Firebat emerged first, its flamethrowers glowing faintly with the promise of destruction. The Firebat's frame was bulkier than the marines, its armor layered with extra plating that made it look like a walking tank. It stomped forward, its flamethrowers twitching as if eager to unleash their fury. Even from this distance little puddles can be seen trailing behind the Firebat as Prometheum fuel leaked from the bottom of its boots.

Following close behind the factory was alive with motion, a Siege Tank rolled out of the factory on its heavy treads. The tank's massive turret swiveled as it moved, the barrel of its main cannon glowing faintly. Its tracks left deep grooves in the dirt as it rolled through an open gate at the bottom of the dam, into position near the trenches. The tank's hull was covered in scratches and scorch marks, as though it had already seen countless battles, but it moved with the precision of something freshly built.

In the distance, more marines filed into the bunker in perfect formation, their movements synchronized. The Firebats took their positions closer to the frontline, their flamethrowers glowing brighter as they powered up.

The Siege Tanks were the last to move, rolling into position with a heavy, deliberate pace. Their drivers must have been testing the mechanisms, as the tanks occasionally shifted into siege mode, their cannons locking into place with an audible clunk. The sound of their stabilizers digging into the ground sent vibrations through the air, a reminder of the devastating power they could unleash.

Jack leaned on the railing, his eyes scanning the horizon where the void beyond the island seemed to ripple faintly. "Do you think they'll be enough?" he asked, his voice quieter now.

I didn't answer right away, my gaze focused on the soldiers and machines below. The marines, the Firebats, the Siege Tanks, everything we'd built was designed for war, for survival. Then my mind flashed remembering all the cinematics depicting the swarm.

"They won't but hopefully They'll have to be," I said finally, turning to meet his gaze. "Because we're cant lose this island."

Jack nodded, gripping his staff a little tighter. "Alright, Commander," he said with a faint smile and saluting sarcastically. "Just let me know where you need me."

As we stood atop the dam, the countdown above ticked steadily downward.

[Wave 1 Begins: 00:25]

The activity below continued, but the tension in the air was palpable now. The soldiers were ready, the machines were in position, and the defenses were built.

All of a sudden a question entered my mind and it wouldn't disappear a grin stretching across my face as the timer continued to go down.

"Hey Jack how much of my memory do you remember?"

[Wave 1 Begins: 00:10]

"I mean I saw everything but I remember flashes mostly towards the end where you worked for the family's boss to help with problems."

[Wave 1 Begins]

The message disappeared with a soundless pop. For a moment, the air was still. Too still. Then, the sky above us rippled like water, and the two tears—one violet and one pale blue flared to life.

Their edges twisted and shimmered like liquid fire, spilling light into the void around them. The violet tear pulsed ominously, while the blue one flickered as though struggling to maintain its shape. From deep within each tear, a low, guttural sound began to build—a howl that sent shivers racing down my spine.

And then they came.

The first wave was small, relatively speaking: Zerglings. They spilled out like a tide, their scythe-like claws digging into the ground as they sprinted toward the dam with unnatural speed. Behind them came Hydralisks, their long, serpentine bodies slithering forward as their spines bristled, ready to launch.

But it was the hulking forms of the Ultralisks that truly made my stomach drop. A massive shape emerged from the pale blue tear. The creature was enormous, its four massive scythe-like claws slicing through the air with terrifying precision. The first Ultralisk roared as it stepped forward, its heavily armored carapace glinting faintly in the moonlight.

Each one was a walking mountain of muscle and armor, their tusks as long as siege tank barrels and just as deadly. They moved with deliberate, thunderous steps, shaking the ground beneath them as they emerged from the rifts.

"Well, that's not horrifying at all," Jack muttered, spinning his staff and summoning a small flurry of snowflakes around him.

I glanced at him, smirking. "You worried, Frosty?"

"Me? Nah," he replied with a casual shrug. "I just don't want to be the one carrying this team if things go south."

The sky above us darkened further as Mutalisks screeched out of the blue tear, their leathery wings beating against the air as they circled like vultures.

"This is what I was worried about," I said, my voice steady despite the dread gnawing at the edges of my mind.

Jack gave me a sidelong glance, a grin tugging at his lips. "Oh, come on, Ivory. I'm sure your army of angry robots has this handled."

I laughed, the sound more genuine than I expected given the circumstances. "They're not robots. Well, some of them are. But the Marines? Flesh and blood."

"Really?" Jack raised an eyebrow. "Because they don't seem like the chatting type."

The Marines below sprang into action, their rifles snapping up as they aimed at the incoming swarm. The Siege Tanks rolled forward, locking into place as their stabilizers dug into the earth. The Firebats lit their flamethrowers, the orange glow cutting through the darkness.

But up here, atop the dam, it was just me and Jack.

"Focus, Frost," I said, raising my hand, summoning ghostly instruments around me. A piano appeared first, its translucent keys shimmering faintly. Drums followed, then a bass guitar, each one floating weightlessly in the air.

Jack blinked, his mouth half-open. "You're kidding. Instruments?"

"You'll see, I have a bit of a plan stay up here using range till the second song." I said with a grin, stepping up to the ghostly piano. My fingers hovered over the keys, their surfaces cold and smooth under my touch.

Before I could play, a soft rustling sound caught my attention. I turned, just in time to see three small figures emerge from the shadows of the dam's far edge. They were children, or at least they looked like dryad children, their forms delicate and shimmering with an ethereal glow.

They were completely silent, their wide eyes reflecting the light of the ghostly instruments as they approached. Jack jumped slightly, his grip on his staff tightening.

"Uh... friends of yours?" he asked, his voice lowering.

"I have no idea," I admitted, watching as the dryads moved closer.

The tallest of the three reached out with a small, branch-like hand, its fingers brushing the edge of the bass guitar. It plucked a single ghostly string, the sound resonating through the air like a heartbeat. The other two followed, one tapping on the drums while the smallest climbed onto the piano bench beside me, its glowing gaze fixed on the keys.

For a moment, everything stilled. Then, without a word, the dryads began to interact with the instruments in earnest, their movements fluid and instinctive.

Jack blinked rapidly. "Okay, I'm officially weirded out now."

"Same man, Same." The grin stretched further across my face, hurting slightly as skin tore at the edges of my mouth as I stared at the advancing wave of the Swarm. "Prepare for a show that's only going to get weirder."

The moment the first Zerglings crossed into range, the battlefield erupted.

The marines opened fire in unison, their rifles unleashing a torrent of Gauss rounds that lit up the night. The sound was deafening—sharp bursts of rapid-fire cutting through the air, the smell of gunpowder mingling with the tang of ozone. The bullets tore through the Zerglings at the front of the horde, their bodies crumpling to the ground in bursts of purple ichor.

The Siege Tanks roared to life next. Their cannons fired in synchronized blasts, each shot landing with devastating precision. The explosions ripped massive craters into the earth, flinging Zerglings and Hydralisks alike into the air. The ground shook with every impact, a relentless rhythm that seemed to echo the beating of my heart.

I watched as a round from a Siege Tank slammed into the side of an Ultralisk, the beast became enshrouded in smoke. Before I could blink it appeared again galloping through the smoke unharmed.

The Ultralisks were closer now, their massive forms towering over the battlefield. One of them charged straight into a bunker, its tusks ripping through the reinforced metal as if it were paper. The marines inside screamed as a Siege Tank locked onto the beast.

The tank fired.

The shell hit the Ultralisk square in the side, the explosion tearing a gaping wound into its carapace. The creature roared, staggering but refusing to fall. Two more tanks fired in unison, their shots finally bringing the massive beast crashing to the ground.

The Firebats stepped forward in the trenches, their flamethrowers roaring as they unleashed arcs of searing fire. The flames spread in wide sweeps, consuming entire clusters of Zerglings in an instant. The air filled with the acrid stench of burning flesh, a sharp contrast to the cold, mechanical efficiency of the rest of the army.

The battle below was relentless, a brutal clash of firepower against overwhelming numbers. The air was thick with smoke and the acrid stench of burning flesh. My army was holding the line, but barely. For every Zergling, Hydralisk, or Ultralisk that fell, it seemed like two more emerged from the endless tide pouring out of the twin tears in the sky.

And then, it happened.

One of the trenches collapsed under the relentless weight of the Swarm.

It began with an Ultralisk, the massive beast charging toward the line with terrifying speed, its tusks cleaving through marines like a scythe through wheat. The Siege Tanks fired at it in rapid succession, their explosive shells slamming into its side and tearing chunks of carapace away. But the beast didn't falter—it slammed its tusks into the ground, tearing through the earth and destabilizing the trench. The marines stationed there shouted in panic, scrambling to climb out as the walls of the trench caved in, burying some of them alive. A Hydralisk seized the opportunity, slithering into the gap and launching its deadly spines. Several marines fell where they stood, their armor punctured by the razor-sharp projectiles.

"Dammit!" I hissed, slamming my hand against the wall I was leaning against.

From the top of the dam, I could see it all—the chaos, the desperation, the blood. Marines were falling, their bodies crumpling under the relentless assault. The Firebats tried to stem the tide, their flamethrowers igniting clusters of Zerglings, but they were overwhelmed. One of them fell, its pilot dragged down by the claws of a Zergling pack that tore through his armor with savage efficiency.

The Siege Tanks were holding their positions, their cannons roaring as they targeted the Ultralisks and larger groups of enemies. But even they weren't immune to the chaos. A group of Mutalisks swooped down from above, their sharp screeches piercing through the noise of the battle. They unleashed a barrage of glaive wurms, the bouncing projectiles striking one of the tanks and reducing it to a fiery wreck.

Jack let out a low whistle beside me, his knuckles white as he gripped his staff. "This is bad," he said, his voice tense.

"No kidding," I muttered, my heart pounding as I frantically issued new commands. "SCVs, get to the collapsed trench and reinforce it. Marines use stims and focus on the Mutalisks. Tanks spread out don't let them cluster on you."

The holographic interface flickered in response; my orders were relayed instantly to the units below.

Beside me, the dryads were silent, their wide eyes glowing faintly as they watched the battle unfold. The smallest one clung to the edge of the dam, peering over as if fascinated by the chaos.

"Ivory!" Jack's voice snapped me out of my focus.

I turned to see him pointing toward the left flank, where four banglings were barreling towards the defenses. The Siege Tanks fired at it, their shells thundering around it missing, but it kept coming. It smashed into a bunker, acid spraying onto the reinforced walls melting them like they were ice.

The marines concentrated their fire, their bullets riddling the creature's sides that swarmed through, but it wasn't enough. Another bunker fell, and the marines stationed inside spilled out, retreating toward the dam.

I stepped back from the console, my chest heaving as I tried to steady myself. The battle was slipping out of control, the Swarm pressing harder with every passing second.

"Fuck it time to break out the big guns." I stepped on top of the dam and spun in a circle. As I turned in slow, deliberate circles, a faint glow began to ripple outward from where my feet touched the stone. It spread like ripples on water, casting the pillar in an otherworldly light.

With each rotation, the air grew heavier, charged with an energy that made the hair on my arms stand on end. The light around me began to take shape, coalescing into flickering shadows that shimmered like smoke caught in a beam of moonlight. When I stopped spinning, I opened my eyes to see them specters, a circle of figures floating silently around me. They were cloaked in ragged garments that seemed to shift and flutter, even in the stillness. Their faces were obscured by deep hoods, but faint glimmers of light shone where their eyes should have been—cold, calculating, and eerily calm. They hovered effortlessly, their tattered cloaks trailing like ghostly veils as they moved in perfect unison.

I pointed suddenly at the smallest one who was still clinging to the edge of the dam. "Hit it!"

The dryad's eyes visibly widen before she lets go and drops slightly from peering over the edge and scampers back to the piano before music begins to play from the piano.

"Hi, hi, we're your weather girls," I sang, my voice cutting through the chaos below, carrying over the battlefield like a strange, defiant anthem. As I sang, I could feel the scales across my neck begin to move fluttering against each other opening and closing leaving an eldritch echoey to the words leaving my lips "And have we got news for you! You better listen..."

Jack's jaw dropped slightly as the opening chords echoed across the dam. "You're joking. This is your big plan?"

I grinned, as I leaned into the next line as the specters floated behind me ready to be the chorus. "Get ready, all you lonely girls, and leave those umbrellas at home!"

As the words left my lips, something shifted in the sky. Above the dam, where the void once stretched endlessly, pinpricks of light began to appear. At first, they were faint—tiny stars flickering into existence one by one.

"Humidity is rising (Mm rising), barometer's getting low (How low, girl?) According to all sources (What sources now?) The streets the place to go (you better hurry up)

The stars grew brighter, their light cutting through the dim haze of the pale moon. They weren't stationary anymore; they were moving, streaking across the sky in synchronized patterns.

Jack followed my gaze, his expression transforming from amused disbelief to wary curiosity. "Ivory... what are those?"

I closed my eyes and spread my arms wide, my voice rising putting all I could into the song as the specter's chorus rose full of fervor weaving through the air as they joined me.

"Cause tonight for the first time, Just about half-past ten

For the first time in history, its gonna start raining me."

"It's raining men, hallelujah, it's raining men, amen!"

As I belted out the words, the stars began to take shape. The light surrounding them faded, revealing metallic forms streaking through the atmosphere with trails of flame. They weren't stars they were drop pods.

The first one roared over the dam, so close I could feel the heat of its engine. It slammed into the ground just beyond the trenches crushing a Zergling that was unlucky enough to be in its path, kicking up a plume of dirt and debris. The door burst open, and a squad of marines poured out, their rifles firing as they exited.

"I'm gonna go out, I'm gonna let myself get absolutely soaked in rain!"

More drop pods followed, each one landing with a thunderous crash.