Somewhere Else

The Appearance of the Protoss

The moment the Protoss appeared, the air inside the temple thickened, pressing down on everything and everyone. The towering figure radiated an aura of sheer power, so overwhelming that it seemed to distort reality itself. The grand chamber, once alive with the chaos of battle and the shouts of contenders, fell into a suffocating silence. The weight of the Protoss' gaze was unbearable. It bore into the gathered crowd, freezing them where they stood as though the temple's very atmosphere had turned to stone. 

None dared to move. None dared to even breathe too loudly. For the first time, the contenders—those who had fought fiercely to reach this moment—realized how small and insignificant they truly were. 

The people of the star realms had come here for one purpose. They had heard the ancient legends of the sealed god, whispered stories passed down through generations. The temple was said to contain an ancient Protoss, a being of unimaginable power, slumbering within. Whoever lifted the seal would earn the god's favor: divine gifts, immeasurable strength, or perhaps a promise that could reshape their destiny. 

But now that they were in the presence of the god, every bold ambition melted away. Just standing under the weight of the Protoss' presence was nearly impossible. It was a pressure that went beyond physical sensation—it pressed into their very souls, as if their existence itself was being judged and found wanting. 

Some contenders tried to speak, their mouths trembling as they struggled to form words. They wanted to call out to the god, to plead for its attention, but even this simple act proved impossible. Their bodies refused to obey, as if to speak in the presence of this being would be the ultimate sacrilege. 

Yet, not everyone was affected. 

In the midst of the frozen crowd, one figure stood apart. The Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, moved with ease, his green aura shimmering brightly as it pushed back the oppressive energy radiating from the Protoss. While others were paralyzed by fear, Hal floated upward, his posture relaxed and casual. 

He rose until he was eye-level with the massive figure, his emerald force field effortlessly shielding him from the crushing presence. The stark contrast between Hal's nonchalant demeanor and the awe-stricken terror of the crowd could not have been more striking. 

Hal tilted his head slightly, giving the Protoss an almost playful grin. "Why'd you take so long?" he asked in a lighthearted tone, as though he were addressing an old friend. "I was starting to fall asleep waiting." 

The crowd gasped in unison, their fear palpable. 

Then Hal did something that sent shockwaves through the gathered audience. He raised his fist—casually, without hesitation—and lightly tapped the Protoss on its massive forehead. The motion wasn't aggressive; it was more like the playful jab of an old companion, the kind of thing you'd do to tease someone. 

The silence that followed was deafening. 

This was a god—a true Protoss! Even if it had only just awakened and its powers were not yet fully restored, it was still an ancient being of unimaginable might. To the people of the star realms, the Protoss were entities so far beyond mortal comprehension that to challenge them in any way was considered suicide. 

Hal's actions seemed incomprehensibly reckless. To the crowd, it was as though an ant had dared to leap onto the face of a lion. What if the Protoss became angry? With a single flick of its finger, it could obliterate everyone in the temple, wiping them from existence without a second thought. 

The fear was so intense it was almost tangible. Many of the onlookers silently prayed, begging the god to spare them, hoping that Hal's audacity wouldn't bring its wrath upon them all. 

But then something unexpected happened. 

The Protoss lowered its head. 

The gesture was subtle, almost imperceptible, but to the stunned onlookers, it was unmistakable. The ancient being, this towering symbol of divine might, appeared to bow its head toward Hal—as though in acknowledgment, or perhaps even submission. 

A murmur rippled through the crowd, disbelief spreading like wildfire. Was this truly happening? Many of the contenders rubbed their eyes, convinced they must have been hallucinating. 

Hal laughed, his voice breaking the heavy silence. 

"Relax, big guy," he said, his tone still light and teasing. "I was just joking around. Don't take it so seriously." 

And then, as if to further emphasize his lack of reverence, Hal reached out and placed his hand on the Protoss' head. He patted it lightly, as though comforting a house pet. 

The crowd's terror deepened. Their hearts pounded, and some felt on the verge of fainting from the sheer tension. They could scarcely believe what they were witnessing. 

This behavior—so casual, so utterly disrespectful—should have been met with immediate retribution. Yet, the Protoss remained still, allowing Hal's hand to rest on its massive head without any sign of anger. 

The scene was incomprehensible. Invisible question marks filled the minds of everyone in the temple. 

Who is this guy? 

The Green Lantern had already shocked the crowd by effortlessly defeating the God King, a figure they had all viewed as nearly invincible. Many had speculated that Hal's strength must be connected to the Protoss. Perhaps he was a chosen warrior, sent to awaken the god and restore balance to the star realms. 

But this display shattered those theories. 

If Hal were a chosen servant of the Protoss, the relationship would have been clear: master and subordinate. Hal would have knelt, shown reverence, and treated the god with utmost respect. Instead, the dynamic playing out before them seemed entirely reversed. Hal acted as though he were the one in charge, his casual demeanor making the Protoss seem almost meek by comparison. 

Even the fallen God King, lying battered and bloodied on the temple floor, appeared utterly bewildered. Her face, once hardened with defiance, was now frozen in an expression of pure confusion. 

In truth, Hal's behavior was no accident. Charlie , the gamer controlling Hal, already knew the truth. 

Earlier, through his character Deadpool, Charlie had uncovered the secrets of the temple. The being now bowing before Hal was not the god everyone believed it to be. It was merely a guardian, a servant of the true Protoss. Its purpose was to watch over the temple until its master returned. 

The name of that master was Jaeger, the Supreme God of the previous generation. This guardian, while imposing and powerful, was nothing more than a gatekeeper. Its loyalty to Jaeger was absolute, and its awakening was tied to the long-awaited return of its master. 

Jaeger's rebirth was a closely guarded secret. Long ago, after Jaeger's disappearance, a new incarnation of the god had been born in the Valley of Stardust—a child, hidden and protected by a small group of loyalists. These loyalists had dedicated their lives to safeguarding the child, ensuring that Jaeger's essence would one day be restored. 

But that process had been interrupted. Years ago, divine envoys, fearing the return of the old god, had attacked the Valley of Stardust, nearly destroying it. Though they failed to realize it, the child they spared was, in fact, the very being they sought to prevent from awakening. 

And now, through a series of extraordinary events, that child—Jaeger—had returned to claim his rightful place. 

"Too many people here," Hal said, glancing at the crowd below. His tone was as casual as ever, as though he were discussing the weather. "It's not exactly private. Let's find somewhere quieter to talk." 

The massive figure nodded, its movements slow and deliberate. 

Without warning, the air around them shifted. The walls and floor of the temple blurred, melting into an indistinct haze. A wave of dizziness swept through the crowd as reality itself seemed to twist and bend.