Walking home is usually an uneventful, ordinary experience right? Or at least it should be, for me it wasn't. For me the walk home that night completely changed everything, my friends, my family, my home. Everything was torn away in mere moments. It wasn't just me that had his life changed; my best friend Nick had his life torn apart as well. This is the story of that night and on, of what happens when two guys are torn from their life and thrown into Mass Effect.
Thomas' POV
"It's not okay, it's not tolerable, and even if it was a tolerable ending isn't something we played countless hours for." I yell this at my best friend as we walk up the road towards my house. I'm currently ranting about the ending of the amazing Mass Effect series. Well over a year after its release and we can still work ourselves into an argument over it.
"Honestly it's worse than watching a strip show for hours and hours and finding out at the end that you'd been watching your mom the whole time."
"We deserved an ending that took our choices into account, and ending as extensive and emotional as the games themselves, we didn't receive an ending of that extent. Instead we received a thrown together, plot hole ridden, game destroying, excuse for an ending." My expression of anger slowly shifts into a sly smile.
"But hope is not yet lost, for through the tears of frustration and bitter disappointment, we received the indoctrination theory." I say this, my voice slowly rising as if giving a grand speech.
"More than the usual conspiracy the I.T fills in all plot holes and creates an extensive and emotional ending that gives us a deeper insight into our protagonist's mind." My volume reaches a peak as I preach this holy word. "Not only does it give us all these things it also leaves the story open for continuation and leaves us craving more."
"That is the ending we deserve, that is the ending that Mass Effect deserves, and that is the only ending I accept." I finish my emotional sermon and take a deep breath.
Nick looks over at me silently his face void of emotion. Just when I'm about to open my mouth to say something he breaks out into a massive grin and starts to laugh. I stare at him unimpressed as he gasps for air before looking up at me, wiping a tear from his eye.
"You're right you know, the indoctrination theory fixes the ending, I just wanted to see how far you would go." He ducks my half-hearted punch before speeding ahead around the corner. I take off after him; turn around the corner on to the gravel side of the road. Upon reaching him I punch in the shoulder. "Ahaha funny guy" I say before we continue to walk in silence…
Elsewhere
The engine roared as the eighteen wheeler sped along the barren road. The engine was unnecessarily loud as it barrelled along yet most who saw this truck would not hear a thing. This was due to the minor Mass Effect field that had been put up around it. While the field didn't prevent anyone from seeing the vehicle it did prevent sound from escaping its confines. The truck continued along the road seemingly silent to any who saw it.
Lyondes could see the truck going by, he knew he had to move quickly, wrapping his cloak tighter he began to run. As he ran he let out a shrill whistle and let out a smirk as he was swept into the air. He sped along the road seeming as if he was riding atop the back of some great beast yet nothing could be seen beneath him.
Thomas' POV
"Maybe we should have just called for a ride." I say to Nick, now beginning to regret the choice to walk as the sun sets and the temperature drops.
"Well it's too late now so just keep walking." Nick said this as he pulled his jacket tighter around him.
I opened my mouth to reply but the words died in my mouth as I felt something pass through me. A small tingle passes through me and before I could react I was deafened by the roar of an engine. Whipping around I'm blinded by the headlights of an eighteen wheeled truck headed straight for me.
There's enough time for a small whimper to escape my throat before the truck slams into me. I can feel ribs splinter and something burst as I'm thrown backwards. I land in a heap on the ground and moan in pain before I'm swept under the many wheels of the truck. I feel myself getting crushed under the weight of the massive vehicle and my flesh getting torn apart against the rough gravel.
Just as the horrible thought that I might live and have to experience more pain floats across my mind my neck snaps and my vision fades and I feel nothing but relief as the pain fades…
With a low creak the door of the truck swings open and a tall figure steps out. Work boots crunch against gravel as a man walks from the truck towards the unmoving bodies of the two teenagers. The man's name tag glistened softly as he passed through the glare of the headlights; the name John Meyers was easily visible.
Normally John was not recognizable; he was not the type of person that sticks out in your mind. He was about as common as could be. That was until he heard the whispering, it started one night after he said goodnight to his wife and daughter and left for work. He heard a faint whispering in his head, he had turned around to find out who was doing it, yet he found nothing. For weeks the whispering continued, constantly growing in strength, until finally he could take it no longer.
He went crazy, lost his job, yelled at his family and secluded himself. He spent his days drinking and scratching at his head, trying desperately to quiet the whispering. Finally when it seemed his only option was death the whispering stopped. In its place was a soft calming voice, we are you're salvation,The voice spoke to John calming him, urging him to mend the rifts he had made, to regain his job, and the trust of those around him. Of course John listened, obeying the voice's instructions he put his life back together.
John had nothing but praise for the voice that had saved him, so he did not hesitate when the voice began to ask things of him, he did not object to picking up strange metallic objects and attaching them to his truck. He only obeyed when was asked to enter an abandoned warehouse, and didn't object when he couldn't remember what happened in there. He did not question the fact blue wiring seemed to have spread underneath his skin. He obeyed the voice without question, until a time came when the voice asked too much.
John awoke ready to go to work; he walked into the bathroom and immediately noticed his eyes. They had changed from his pale, unremarkable blue to a shimmering technological Grey with three glowing circles in place of his pupils. The voice had him ignore this and cross to the bed. Reaching down he drew a sleek metallic rectangle, as he grasped the base it unfolded into a cool metallic pistol. Eliminate them, it will be okay, they are not needed for salvation,the voice urged him to murder his own family.
He could not do such a thing, not even for the voice that had saved him. Shaking his head and speaking allowed "I can't, you can't be serious." He knew the voice would not really demand such a thing. Submit, it must happen, with those words the blue wiring flashed and John could no longer control his own body. John was a prisoner within his own head. He could feel his body grasp the weapon before turning and walking into the living room.
He was forced to watch as the voice called out to his family using his mouth, forced to see them turn towards him faces trusting. He saw the fear in their eyes as he pulled the trigger twice in rapid succession. He was unable to cry as his body walked away, climbed into his truck and sped off. He sat there in his own head and watch as he murdered two teenage boys, watched as his body walked up to them, he could see through his eyes as they scanned for signs of life and found none…
From the shadows Lyondes watched as a man stepped from inside the truck, walked to the bodies of the boys and searched for any signs of life. He stood silently watching as the figure spoke aloud in a low robotic growl. "Targets terminated, threat eliminated." He stayed quiet as John pulled out a sleek firearm and put it to his temple…
John could feel the cold metal against his skin, he knew this was the end, yet he couldn't allow this. He could not allow the voice to win after all it had done. John fought to regain control of his body. With every ounce of will he could muster he tore gun away from his head. Do not resist, we are your salvation, the voice began to regain control of the body. The Reapers, for that was the source of the voice, were not used to a human regaining control.
You still fight after what you have done? There was no malice in the voice, no emotion at all. In order to regain control of the host they flashed an image before his mind. John gasped in fear as the bodies at his feet seemed to morph into the bodies of his family. With tears streaking his face He felt his will wash away and control return to the voice. The pistol returned to his head and as a single tear leaked from his lifeless eyes the trigger was pulled and John slumped lifelessly beside the two boys…
Lyondes stepped from the shadows; he studied the scene before him with a slight smirk. He walked toward the bodies, his movements so graceful he seemed to glide across the ground, the only noise coming from cloak swishing against the ground. Stopping he knelt between the two boys, placing a solid black stone triangle between them. He stepped back and with a face void of emotion he began to chant.
"Asaron no nir de hime giri no prophecia" as the final words left his mouth a symbol began to glow on the stone. The symbol was that of a sword broken into four parts. The Point, the Blade, the Hilt, and the Pommel, each flashed a different color, a deep blood red, A dark haunting purple, A light shimmering blue, and A Vibrant life filled green. The flashing increased in speed, just when it became impossible to follow with the human eye it stopped. The Point and the Blade were now missing, and on the back of the boy's hands they appeared flashing their respective colors before fading into a solid black tattoo.
Lyondes let loose a grin before furrowing his brow in concentration "Nis ar dorni at mon heron Prophecia" once again as soon as the words left his lips the stone reacted. The triangle began to spin, rotating in place it slowly began to pick of speed. It was soon moving fast enough for a faint whistle to be heard. The stone let out a glow that steadily grew brighter, the light became too much and Lyondes was forced to look away. When he turned his gaze back the glowing and spinning had stopped and the stone was not still with no trace of the symbols that had adorned it previously. Along with the symbols the bodies of the two boys were missing.
Smiling in relief Lyondes stood and walked away. He cloak swished against the gravel as he moved. Hearing a low growl he paused and cocked his head to side as if listening. "Fine, but hurry we have much to do before the night is over." We smiles at the satisfied growl that comes from behind him and continues to walk, smiling at the burst if flames that coats the truck and sound of a body being torn apart and devoured…..
Nick's POV
With a groan I slowly lift my head off the ground. My head aches and everything seems blurry, I shake my head trying to clear my vision and slowly struggle to my feet. Ignoring the pain in my head I cast my gaze about to see where I am. All around me is grass; I'm in the middle of a field, lush green grass surrounds me on all ends. Feeling panic well up inside me I began to hyperventilate. 'Calm down Nick' I think to myself trying to control my breathing. After getting myself under control I try to remember what happened. All I can remember was walking home with Thomas when we were blindsided by a truck… Thomas!
I begin to frantically search for my best friend. Looking down at my feet I see someone sprawled on the ground unconscious. Reaching down I shake him awake before helping him to his feet. The looks to be about five years older than me, he has rough stubble covering his face, shaggy brown hair covers green eyes. He is shorter than me yet a lot more solid, broad shoulders and a solid build, in contrast to me tall slender build.
He looks at me in confusion and we ask at the same time "Who are you?"
"Thomas"
"Nick" We both gasp in unison, and look at each other bewildered.
"But how, you're old!" Thomas shouts grabbing me by the shoulders and staring at my face.
"So are you" I say trying to wrap my head around this. As I stand there Thomas begins frantically searching his pockets
"Ah ha" He shouts in triumph pulling out his phone and staring at his reflection. His jaw drops as he stares at it. He wordlessly passes me the phone and I stare down at my reflection. My jaw is covered rough black stubble; my hair has grown out and has reached my collar. My thin frame has filled out and most surprisingly is the fact that I can see perfectly without my glasses.
I look over at Thomas and see him running his tongue over his now perfectly straight teeth that are missing braces. Digging around in his back pocket he pulls out his wallet, grabs his I.D and proceeds to drop it in shock.
Bending down I pick it up and stare in shock at the age posted there, according to this Thomas and I have aged five years. We are both twenty two.
"Well that does explain the beards, and you know, the height." I say trying to make a joke to cover up the panic welling inside. Unfortunately it wasn't only me who was freaked out.
"What the hell do you mean it explains the beards, nothing is explained, this whole fucking thing is completely insane." Thomas starts to scream and pace back and forth, his hands flying about as if conducting an imaginary band. "We got hit by a truck and now we are in a fucking field, this has to be a damn dream, or we're fucking dead, this can't be real!"
Stepping up to Thomas I bring arm back and smack as hard as I can in the back of the head.
"What the hell was that for?" Thomas spins around as he asks me.
"Did you feel that?" I ask calmly staring at him. "Yeah I did" he replies rubbing the back of his head.
"Then its not a fucking dream!" I shout clubbing him in the head once more.
"Then what the hell is this, what the hell is going on?"
"How the hell am I supposed to know, why the fuck would you ask me." I shout finally losing my temper. "Come one come all, come ask the almighty Nick whatever you want, I have all the answers."
I start throwing my arms in the air and pacing around as I shout. "How is Morgan Freeman's voice so godlike, where does the missing dryer sock go, I know it all." I fall to the ground next to Thomas.
"You done?" he asks wearily. "Yeah I'm done." I say with a sigh.
Thomas' POV
Pushing myself to my feet I start to walk off, heading farther off into the field.
"Where are you going?" I hear Nick call out to me, I don't turn around as I reply "I'm going to look around and see if I can find anything other than grass."
"Don't bother, you could just be headed farther away from civilization." I can hear the skepticism in Nick's voice.
"We might as well look around." I say still walking, determined to find something. "I don't think you'll need to do that." I turn around at his words and feel my jaw drop in astonishment once more. Flying through the air towards is what can only be described as a SUV sized rectangular space ship. It lands a little ways ahead of us flattening the grass around it. I glance at Nick as the door of the ship opens up with a faint hiss.
"What is it?" I hear Nick ask from beside me. "It's a shuttle." I reply, not really sure I know how I know that.
Four figures step out from the shuttle, I was tensed ready to run from some creepy alien, instead what I see is four humans. Three are dressed in some sort of strange armor all holding what seem to be assault rifles. The fourth is wearing simple overalls and a pair of dirt covered gloves. Obviously a farmer.
"Who are you, why are you here, and most importantly how did you get here, no ships have landed recently." The farmer says this as he approaches us. Taking control I decided to answer "I'm Thomas, this is Nick, we have no idea how we got here."
The farmer studies me closely then nods smiling. "You know when people introduce themselves its kinda polite to introduce yourself in return, you know so you don't seem like an asshole." Nick astonishes me through pure sarcasm while faced with armed men.
To my relief the farmer laughs. "The names Anthony, but please call me Tony." He then motions us towards the shuttle. "Well if you guys don't remember anything then we should take you guys to the hospital, its the best place we got for that kinda thing around here."
I'm about to ask him where here is when he turns around and as if reading my mind he says "Oh and if you were wondering, this is Eden Prime."