Jean didn’t know Amon had almost thrown himself into Jean’s grip. She didn’t know the scout that was just destroyed had held Amon’s conscious. Even if she did she wouldn’t care. She had already gone past the time to be discreet and lay low. Her forces had reached a critical mass, and the element of surprise wouldn’t matter if she could just roll over any opposition.

As for now, she was having a rather heated conversation with the xel’naga that guided her here.

“What do you mean she can’t be turned?” Jean said, slightly unsatisfied as she pointed at Kerrigan.

After ending Narud and the defenders on the platform with the concentrated bombing of the entire combined fleet, Jean immediately went to see the imprisoned Ouros. The xel'naga, just like in the original history, suggested the idea that he would pass his essence down to someone so she could become the new xel’naga and defeat Amon.

Jean didn’t know what the transformation would do to her, so she brought Kerrigan along to be the xel’naga instead. After all, in the original history Kerrigan was able to absorb the essence and become the xel’naga. Kerrigan would be the xel’naga and defeat Amon. After the victory, Jean would just grab her fleet and return to where she was supposed to be. Perfect plan, right?

Except Ouros just informed her there was a flaw in her plan. Kerrigan couldn’t accept the essence.

“Merging needs purity of form and purity of essence. She has the purity of form, but she doesn’t have the essnece.” Ouros explained.

Jean came to a horrifying realization. In the original history Kerrigan would go to Zerus, slay most of the local pack leaders, and absorb their essence. However, in this world, Jean literally slaughtered the entire planet for essence…

She just wanted to ask if it was too late to turn around, go back to the material world, repopulate Zerus, and feed Kerrigan enough essence for years before returning here.

“What do you suggest?” Jean had a guess of what Ouros was going to say, but she knew very well she wouldn’t like the answer.

“You...you and you alone can hold my essence. You must fulfill your destiny. Ascend as a xel’naga and continue the infinite cycle.” Ouros urged. Deep down he was really confused as of why Jean was so resentful of becoming a xel’naga. She could be a god. As weak as Narud seemed, the xel’naga were powerful, and not just in terms of fighting. They literally created the protoss and the zerg.

Jean had her own concerns. She desired power, and she would be more than satisfied to get a free upgrade, but a xel’naga...she had no idea what would happen to her.

Still, Jean wasted no time on regretting her decision. She knew she had to make a choice, and that was exactly what she did.

“I agree.”

“What? Jean this is a bad idea.” Nova said with full disbelief. Jean had told Nova her concern before. By having the power of the xel’naga, there was a possibility that she would need to hold the burden of them as well. Sure, she would leave this world after this war, but…

“We have enough ships to outright kill Jean.” She reminded. “There is no need for this.”

“Only a xel’naga can defeat Amon.” Ouros objected, ignoring the death glares Nova was sending him.

“I have made my decision, Nova.” Jean insisted. The xel’naga essence was out of her control, but she really had no choice.

“We can always leave this place.” Nova suddenly exclaimed. “Amon will not be a concern for lifetimes! Even if he can somehow break out we can just banish him again. We did it this time. What is going to change?” She looked into Jean’s eyes, and she meant what she said. “We can settle down and get married. Live out our lives not having to worry about battles and wars.” There was another, deeper meaning in her words. She wanted Jean to abandon her mission of killing Amon and settle down in the Koprulu sector...with her...forever.

But Jean shook her head. The offer was nice and sweet, but she was meant for a greatest destiny. She didn’t know what it was...yet. But she would find out, and she couldn’t do that as someone stuck in this universe.

Nova signed, but she was as supportive as always. “Fine.” Suddenly she looked at Kerrigan. “What do we do with her?”

Kerrigan’s body tensed up. She had realized she was in a terrible situation as soon as Ouros announced she was useless. She had seen what Jean did to those that couldn’t help her cause, and she had no intention of joining them in death. Now the worst thing she had feared had came true. She was useless, and Jean would be dealing with her.

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Kerrigan knew she couldn’t win a fight, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t fight at all. Seeing her hostile response, Nova’s plasma blades were lit up. She had been really stressed these days, and Jean’s decision had just put her in an even worse mood. She loved Jean with all her heart and supported her every decision, but that didn’t mean she was without worries. Her thoughts inevitably turned to Kerrigan. It was due to her uselessness that had forced Jean into this dangerous position. The ghost knew she was being a senseless bitch, but she didn’t care.

Jean glanced at Kerrigan. “Let her go.”

The queen couldn’t believe her ears.

“Leave. Bring your fleet with you and return to the material world.” Jean’s decision was hardly surprising. Killing Kerrigan wouldn’t accomplish anything, and would probably cost her a few ships. The swarm ships were outnumbered by more than a hundred times, but they were large and fearless. It would be a pointless battle, so why bother?

Kerrigan looked at Jean for a few seconds and nodded before turning and leaving.

Jean turned back to Ouros. “Now, what do I need to do now?”

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Jean stood in the center of the abandoned platform. Warden and purifier forces waited around in vigilance. Static defenses were constructed. In space thousands of ships searched around for any trace of enemy. Mirages and wraiths patrolled over the further areas in groups of twenty to make sure no enemy could ever make it to Jean undetected. Nova herself stood right next to Jean.

“It’s not too late to turn back now.” The ghost suggested, standing incredibly close to her lover. Jean merely smiled in return. She would kiss her if Ouros wasn’t beside.

“Is the area secured?” Jean changed the topic.

“Yes. Any enemy fleet that approaches will be wiped out as soon as they exit warp space.” Nova stated surely. “Our scouts have just located Amon’s fortress. It is on a platform in the void. Apparently he had pulled back all his forces to his orbital defenses. I don’t think he will move out and attack, but even if he does we will be prepared.”

“Good.” Jean paused for a second. Nova was about to turn around, but Jean caught her by her arm. “Nova! I...I just want to tell you...whatever happens next, whatever I become, I will always love you.” Nova nodded. If she was the crying type she would be in tears already. But, the person that she was, Nova merely gripped her rifle tighter. A part of her even hoped that some enemy would arrive so she could have fun slaughtering them.

As the process was about to start, Nova stepped aside, but her eyes were still trained on Jean and Jean alone. Nothing else mattered to her.

“Jean. May the last of my essence give you the power you need.” Ouros’ essence flowed out of his body in a gold stream and entered Jean’s body. The xel’naga knew he was about to die, but he didn’t care. In face, he was almost peaceful and welcoming. For a moment Jean’s entire body turned gold. The power of the xel’naga converged upon her, transforming her body and changing her very being.

“I see…” Jean trailed off as her eyes turned gold. The xel’naga celestial power went through her body and unlocked certain secrets. “I see my purpose in life. I see the mission that I am bred for. A mission far greater than anything else! A mission knit into my very being! A mission worth dying for!” She looked down on her hands. Her individual DNA expended before her eyes. Turning her gaze to the purifiers, she realized their metal bodies were completely naked to her gaze. She peaked into their very cores. Instantly, she had came up with dozens of ideas to make them more efficient. But for now her attention was turned back to herself and the secret she had just discovered. “It is a mission worth losing things for…”

She was saying the words out loud, but subconsciously she was using her newly gained xel’naga power to cover it. Neither the dying Ouros nor Nova heard about what she said.

Good, otherwise Jean would have to kill them.

For the moment every question Jean had faced were answered. Her lack of emotions. Her endless desire for power. Her need to return to the infinite universes instead of staying here in the Starcraft universe to live out the rest of her life in peace.

Everything had became so clear now.

“Jean?” Nova asked. From her perspective Jean had been quiet the entire time.

Jean retreated from her newly gained information and realized the transformation was already over. Ouros’ lifeless body fell into the void.

Jean looked down on her body and realized her suit had perished in the transformation. Nova and her were the only two beings here that could really think, and both of them had seen Jean’s naked body more than once before this. Still, a layer of golden energy quickly covered Jean’s skin. It took a second before turning into an earth tank top and a pair of jeans. She tried to enter zerg mode, and realized it was nowhere to be seen. Appearantly the xel’naga transformation had overriden her zerg transformation.

It felt strange. Still, trading from zerg to xel’naga was a worthy deal. Jean was much much more powerful than she was as a zerg, even after Zerus. She looked at the void, and something inside her told her she could destroy it with a single strike. This time, however, she wasn’t exactly wrong.

“How do you feel?” Nova asked. She saw the transformatio was successful, but that made her slightly afraid. Was the girl bfore her still the Jean she knew? Or was her made into a puppet of this so called infinite cycle?

Jean’s golden celestial energy faded away, and once again she appeared exactly the same as when she first came into this world. Soft. Vulnerable. Defenseless. But in fact she was a god. She was literally a god. She could wipe out an entire fleet with one hit. She could jump into lava and come out without a single mark.

Walking to Nova, Jean answered her question with the most direct way possible.