Update: As of 08/28/2013, the story is in the process of being revised and resubmitted as most of the kinks have been worked out. Alistair Creed doesn't appear in my story save for the ending so I am trudging on through without my partner. Wish me luck J

Update: As of 07/25/2013, this story is stalled and in the process of becoming a crossover with a story currently in conception with CrimsonSkiesVII and his work: Mass Effect: White Wolf. Expect random updates.

Forward:

"Where Sovereign saw Inability, Sentinel saw Hope. Where Sovereign chose Commander Mark Shepard for his courageous efforts, Sentinel chose Alistair Creed for his powerful abilities. And the Leviathans chose Olivia Marcellus to be their Oracle and guide be their voice of wisdom. This has been the will of the universe for numerous cycles. However this time, they might have a chance. This is Mass Effect: Rise of The Oracle." – Partially taken from the forward of Mass Effect: White Wolf.

Greetings and salutations (or 'hi' for short). My name is Karrin Akisha and this is Mass Effect: Rise of The Oracle.

First off, this work exists solely as a challenge to myself because I have hundreds of unfinished story fragments I have written over the years; none of which have been completed for one reason or another. Also, this story has evolved throughout the course of a year and about five different ideas. However the last six months, I have been suffering writer's block and actually ditched the story.

Nevertheless, I stumbled onto the Mass Effect community on Twitter and became quite close to this extraordinary man who lit the proverbial fire under my ass, thrusting me forward and back into motion. He is my partner, a good friend, and someone just as twisted and fucked up as I am in so many words.

If I am the encyclopedia, then he is the writer. We are two parts of the same whole and for that, I thank him.

Now back to the nitty-gritty.

Mass Effect: Rise of The Oracle will take on a route similar to what J.J. Abrams did with the recent reboot of the Star Trek movies. This will be Mass Effect in its most elementary sense as the movies are, is set in an alternate universe with its basic story, atmospheric elements, and notable characters intact. However I will say this: This isn't EA's version of Mass Effect, that's for damn sure. There's no over promise and under delivery. This work is just two humble fans' retelling of the same familiar events that have already taken place from the trilogy and beyond, mixed in with a host of brilliantly conceptualized original characters, mostly taken from characters created from Twitter role plays.

The two OCs that my story will focus and feature heavily are Olivia Marcellus and Alistair Creed: both provocative and interesting characters in their own rights. Alistair's part of the story in our Mass Effect Universe is named Mass Effect: White Wolf. Olivia's part of the story in our Mass Effect Universe is Mass Effect: Rise of The Oracle.

Most importantly, the title of this work has been changed a few times. I know my previous followers and readers are like "what did you do and WHY?"

I COMPLETELY understand your frustration. However, there was a reason and here is the short version:

As my partner and I were having our normal chat over Skype as we live 2100 miles away, he mentioned to me that he'd come across my FanFic. He said he'd only read the Author's Forward (the old one) and I yelled at him and told him not to read the rest. After an hour of convincing I sent him the new version, the one you will read past this point. We connected on Skype the next day and I cringed, waiting for the barrage of criticisms he'd hurl in my direction. However, I was surprised when he actually praised it, saying that I should do more.

Because of that interaction, my excitement of his praising, and my renewed infatuation with my story and Mass Effect as a whole, I began to evolve it. In the meantime, he was inspired to write Mass Effect: White Wolf. And because he was inspired to write about Alistair Creed, I had to tweak my story to intertwine with his. And because I had to do this, the actual theme of the story has changed. It still has the same characters with the same personalities; however, it's geared towards the epic ending we have devised that transcends BioWare's established Red, Green, and Blue Endings.

It will be epic so hang tight for the last story.

Also, the idea of the triforce from The Legend of Zelda series plays a significant role in this story. I am an avid fan of The Legend of Zelda series, probably more so than Mass Effect, and have been ever since the NES days.

Further explanation can be found later in the series so just hang tight.

One of my favorite authors said in the author's forward of her novel, EndShard, "It is so very important to remember that Mass Effect will signify and mean something completely different to each and every person who has played all three games in the trilogy."

For all intents and purposes, Karen Politte ( VakarianGirl) is right. The 'Mass Effect' experience for me might be something entirely different for you, rather your Commander Shepard is male or female. Your choices might be in complete contrast to mine. Whereas you might have maxed out your Paragon in making him/her an honorable commander as most people tend to do; saving the Council, the geth, and the quarians; I might have done the opposite and maxed out the Renegade bar, making him/her the loveable asshole with an arrogant attitude who killed the Council, and let the Quarians and Geth die.

However, the male Shepard portrayed in my work (Commander Mark Shepard, aptly named for his awesome voice actor, Mark Meer) has a personality that is a blend of characters from Captain Kirk (who Robert Jewett and John Shelton Lawrence called "a hard-driving leader who pushes himself and his crew beyond their limits"), has commendable leadership skills as most captains of the genre tend to have, and a fierce love, respect, and loyalty to his crew like a certain loveable Captain Malcolm Reynolds with the same moral values. This is the Shepard I have created and I sincerely hope that you will enjoy reading about him as much as I am writing him.

His stats are as follows: Spacer/Earthborn (dual background explained in the story), Ruthless (also explained), and Vanguard class. His personal profile only resembles the one given in the game, and took a slight left turn at Albuquerque somewhere.

DISCLAIMERS:

- The story is rated M for adult language, situations, themes, and violence (the same reasons the game is rated as such). WARNING: If you are queasy with certain sexual situations that aren't necessarily moral, taboo, or consensual, then don't continue past this forward. Those situations will be mentioned and hinted at, but not written in-depth for their sensitive nature.
- If anything in this work seems familiar to you in any way or sounds like something that has been used already in movies, music…etc, then it has. I have been influenced by so much that it's hard to keep track. But those familiar references are copyrighted by their respective owners.
-The 'Forgotten Legion' and subsequent references contained within are because of a great writer named Mothbanquet and his fanfic called: Mass Effect: Interceptor. Mucho thanks for his permission to use aspects of his story as a foundation for Garrus and Olivia, since there is none established for Garrus canonically and overall, it was a super fun read.
- Olivia Marcellus, her family (save for her father and a few others), her crew, and other misc characters not specifically mentioned by BioWare are my creation and mine alone.
- The Diamond Rose emblem and name belongs to Diamond Rose Animation, an indie studio ran by my best friend and the man behind Olivia's inspiration, Kevin D. Bell.
- If you read a lot of FanFic, then you might have come across Myetel's FanFic, the Spirit of Redemption line of stories. If not, then I highly recommend it. The turian language and biology (and in later chapters, all other species) is taken from the Spirit of Redemption Wikidot, Story: Section, under Species.
- Lastly, Mass Effect: Rise of The Oracle takes place in an alternate universe to the established canon. If you are a 'purist' and don't appreciate when the author deviates from that canon, then don't go on. Simply said. Also, Olivia's background and side journeys interweave through some of the Dark Horse Comics and Drew Karpyshyn books (which aren't classified as canon by BioWare anyway). There will be major SPOILERS from that area.

FINAL NOTE: Please, don't take this work too seriously because I am having fun delving deep into the proverbial black hole that is my imagination. Just sit back, read, enjoy, and please provide feedback at your convenience. Feedback is greatly appreciated rather it's negative or positive. Just don't flame. That's just rude.

Thank you again for sitting through this entire forward and I hope you enjoy Mass Effect: Rise of The Oracle.

Keelah se'lai (and my favorite one, tequila se'lai) my friends,

Karrin Akisha