Edmund flashed a roguish grin as Reo took his hand, his fingers curling possessively around his lover’s own. “Well, I reckon the Swarm’s got a way of… encouragein’ growth in more than just our numbers,” he quipped, his deep voice a low, rumbling growl.
He tugged Reo close, letting him feel the sheer size and strength of his new form. The muscles in his arm flexed, the dark ebony skin shimmering with an otherworldly bioluminescence. “Tall enough to reach the stars for you, baby. Tall enough to keep you safe, no matter what.”
As they stepped out of the ruined dwelling, the full extent of the destruction became apparent. The once-thriving city lay in ruins, the sounds of battle giving way to an unsettling silence. Smoke drifted through the air, and the acrid stench of burnt metal and charred flesh stung their nostrils.
But amidst the devastation, life persevered. Tendrils of creeping Zerg flesh snaked along the cracked streets, already beginning to reclaim the broken concrete and steel. Above, the sky churned with the passage of Zerg flyers, their silhouettes dark against the smoke-stained clouds.
“Don’t you worry, sugar. My people are hard at work, makin’ a new world from the ashes of this one. And you and me? We’re gonna be a part of it, for the rest of our days.”
Edmund kept Reo close as they made their way through the ruins, his wings flared protectively around his beloved. “Stay close, darlin’. Keep your eyes on me, and your heart open to the future. With me, you’ll never be alone, not in this life or the next.”
Ahead, a group of Ultralisks and Hydralisks stood at attention, their organic armor glistening in the dim light. Beyond them, the massive form of a Nydus worm pulsed with a strange, hungry energy, its segmented bulk stretching out as far as the eye could see.
“Welcome to our future, baby,” Edmund murmured, squeezing Reo’s hand. “Welcome to your new home.”
