Khalis Crystal
the Dark Templar khaydarin shard
The Khalis is a khaydarin crystal shard cut by the xel'naga and entrusted to the Sargas Tribe, infused over time with Nerazim energies and carried into exile by the Dark Templar. With its Khalai counterpart, the Uraj, it activated the xel'naga temple on Shakuras during the Brood War.
The Khalis is a light blue khaydarin crystal shard that over time became infused with Nerazim energies. Cut by the xel'naga from the same monolithic khaydarin crystal as its counterpart, it was entrusted to the Sargas Tribe of the protoss. As the Sargas turned away from the Khala and formed the Rogue Tribes that became the Dark Templar, the Khalis took on their energies and was carried into exile with them. Its Khalai counterpart is the Uraj crystal, and together the two shards served as the keys that activated the xel'naga temple on Shakuras during the Brood War. (StarCraft: Brood War)
Origin and divergence#
The xel'naga cut the Khalis and the Uraj from a single monolithic khaydarin crystal and gave them to the protoss. The Sargas Tribe was entrusted with the Khalis, and over time its properties diverged from those of the Uraj. Most of the protoss who rejected the Khala and formed the Rogue Tribes came from the Sargas, and so the Khalis took on the energies associated with the Rogues. When the Rogues were banished from Aiur and became the Dark Templar, they took the Khalis with them, an appropriation the Khalai discovered only belatedly. (StarCraft: Brood War)
The Great War#
By the time of the Great War the Khalis had been lost to the zerg on Char, and it was left behind there when the Swarm went to invade Aiur. While on Char during the Great War, Dark Prelate Zeratul sensed the power of the Khalis. (StarCraft: Brood War)
The Brood War#
When the cerebrates merged to form a new Overmind, they locked onto the Khalis' energies and nested near it. A protoss army led by Praetor Artanis, Zeratul, and the Executor returned to Char to retrieve the crystal with the help of Sarah Kerrigan, who suggested driving straight for the crystal and escaping before the zerg could muster in strength. Artanis preferred the bolder alternative of attacking and weakening the Overmind to pacify the local zerg long enough to extract the crystal, and either course was feasible. The protoss struck into the nesting area and retrieved the Khalis. (StarCraft: Brood War)
The protoss returned with both crystals to Shakuras. Zeratul carried the Khalis into the xel'naga temple and inserted it into the structure's mechanisms. The temple's activation created a giant energy burst that scoured the zerg from the planet. (StarCraft: Brood War)
The End War#
During the End War, as Artanis made preparations to overload the xel'naga temple of Shakuras, he lamented that the protoss no longer had access to the Uraj or Khalis crystals, the absence of which lengthened the temple's configuration procedures. (StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void)
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Khalis crystal?
- The Khalis is a light blue khaydarin crystal shard cut by the xel'naga from a monolithic khaydarin crystal. It became infused with Nerazim energies over time and was entrusted to the Sargas Tribe of the protoss.
- How did the Dark Templar come to possess the Khalis?
- Most of the protoss who rejected the Khala and formed the Rogue Tribes came from the Sargas, so the Khalis absorbed the energies of the Rogues. When the Rogues were banished from Aiur and became the Dark Templar, they took the Khalis with them, an appropriation the Khalai discovered only belatedly.
- How was the Khalis lost to the zerg?
- By the time of the Great War the Dark Templar had lost the Khalis to the zerg on Char, where it was left behind when the Swarm invaded Aiur.
- How was the Khalis recovered during the Brood War?
- A protoss army led by Artanis, Zeratul, and the Executor returned to Char with the help of Sarah Kerrigan to retrieve the crystal. They struck into the zerg nesting area and recovered the Khalis.
- What did the Khalis do at the xel'naga temple on Shakuras?
- Zeratul carried the Khalis into the xel'naga temple on Shakuras and inserted it into the structure's mechanisms, together with its counterpart the Uraj. The temple's activation created a giant energy burst that scoured the zerg from the planet.
Sources
- GameStarCraft: Brood War, Blizzard Entertainment and Saffire, 1998
- GameStarCraft II: Legacy of the Void, Blizzard Entertainment, 2015
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
Followed from this entry

Uraj Crystal
The Uraj is a sacred protoss khaydarin crystal left behind on the world once called Khyrador. With its counterpart, the Khalis, it was used to activate the xel'naga temple on Shakuras during the Brood War.

End War: Amon's crusade on the galaxy
The resurrected xel'naga Amon corrupted the Khala and cost the protoss both Aiur and Shakuras. Kerrigan, remade as a xel'naga, killed him in the Void.

Khala
The Khala was the communal psionic link and guiding philosophy of the Khalai protoss, founded by the mystic Khas to end the Aeon of Strife. It bound its adherents in shared emotion for over a thousand years until Amon corrupted it, forcing the protoss to sever it forever.

Aiur
Aiur was the homeworld of the protoss, a verdant world on the galactic fringe engineered by the Xel'Naga and seat of the Protoss Empire. It was overrun by the zerg in 2500 and reclaimed by the Daelaam after the defeat of Amon.

Artanis
Artanis was the Hierarch of the Daelaam, a renowned warrior who rose from executor during the zerg invasion of Aiur to lead the reunited protoss. He forged the Khalai and Nerazim into one people, reclaimed Aiur, and led the alliance that banished Amon from the Khala.

Brood War: Kerrigan's war for the Swarm
The Brood War was a zerg civil war between Kerrigan and the cerebrate Daggoth over who would succeed the Overmind. The UED invaded from Earth at the same time.
Mentioned in2 entries
StarCraft Story Explained: StarCraft and Brood War
The whole story of the original StarCraft and its expansion, campaign by campaign. Mengsk betrays Kerrigan, the Overmind remakes her as the Queen of Blades, Tassadar dies killing it, and in Brood War Kerrigan beats everyone.
Uraj Crystal
The Uraj is a sacred protoss khaydarin crystal left behind on the world once called Khyrador. With its counterpart, the Khalis, it was used to activate the xel'naga temple on Shakuras during the Brood War.
Get new articles in your inbox
No spam. New lore drops, canon conflicts, and deep dives only when they’re worth reading.
Some links on Lore Fortress are affiliate links. If you buy through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.