A/N: I do not own any of the concepts, locations, story elements, characters, ect. Though the plot and ideas may be mine I forfeit them to BioWare. It is their universe and I treat this work as an extension of such.

Written for the July Writing Contest on the Aria's Afterlife forum.

The Hunter

He awoke to the ivory walls of the Citadel. Thane Krios was alone.

It was something he had expected; the life of an assassin was a lonely road. No one dared follow, they saw the path he trudged and knew it did not lead to redemption. No one but his love, Irikah, believed in him – she who had whispered that he was a gentle soul while they laid naked together. What a funny way to die then, he thought to himself, for a 'gentle' soul such as me.

Despite all the blood he had split and all the death that followed him, Irikah only saw the positive. It was through her that new life was created from their union and it was by him that she had died alone.

He winced as another cough took its toll. The world seemed so far now, so dark and dreary. The bright, pallid world mocked him and his sinful life. Maybe if I just sleep… maybe that way I will not have to face the demons of my life. His hands started to go limp, his gaze began to fog and dim.

Then, something happened that he did not expect. A hand grasped his own.

He awoke with dismay to find his son, Koylat, beside him. The young drell smiled towards his father. "I did not miss you, Father?" he asked warmly.

"No… you are just in time, my son," spoke Thane, whose breathing was hoarse and taut. He promised himself he would not cry, would not weep over his life, yet seeing his son there holding his hand …. it broke him.

"Father!" called out his son, holding his hand tighter.

"It is alright," he said, tears falling down his cheeks. "It is just good to see you. I… Iri… Irikah would have been proud." Another cough rocked his whole body as he lay back in his bed. "I am dying. I do not have much longer. Please… take this mask off." He weakly gestured towards the oxygen mask that was linked to his face. Kolyat did as his father wished. Free of his restraints, Thane turned to his son once more. "You are the most precious thing in my life and… I neglected you… it shames me so…"

But Koylat shook his head and placed his other hand on his father's cheek. "I know, you do not have to waste words on me. Save your strength, another wishes to see you." His son's hands left him as Koylat started to say a prayer over his body.

This sentiment was strange only until Thane cocked his head towards the door to find his newest guest: Shepard. He was standing in an Alliance uniform looking distinctly out of place. The human made the drell laugh. Even in the end, Shepard could make him smile.

"Commander Shepard, my father mentioned you were no longer incarcerated. I don't know if you remember me, I am Koylat Krios. I came to donate blood and… well…" Koylat looked to his father, lost and in pain. The conversation continued but Thane did not listen as his mind was too set on Shepard's appearance. Why was the Commander here now? Should he not be saving the galaxy? It bothered him that such an important figure would spend his time beside a dying drell. Yet, here he was.

Shepard took a few steps forward and Thane turned to him, his eyes still watering. "Commander Shepard, I'm afraid I won't be joining you again."

"You've done more than enough, Thane."

The drell hoarsely chuckled. "That assassin should be embarrassed – a terminally ill drell managed to stop him from getting to his target."

"I'll pass the word along." The humour was uplifting to Thane, but it would not last. The light filling his vision that had felt so alien was drifting from his sight. Only then did he realized how much he wanted to feel its warmth again.

"There's something I must do before it gets worse. I must…" His body convulsed, his eyes squinting in pain as the coughs sent shock waves of agony through his body. I must use my last breath for him. "Kalahira," he began, "mistress of inscrutable depths, I ask forgiveness. Kalahira, whose waves wear down stone and sand—" Again his body revolted yet his broken prayer was not in vain. Koylat continued on his father's sentiments, fluently and with pride.

Thane felt exultation in his heart. "You speak as the priests do," he said as his black eyes looked to his son in earnest. "You have been spending time with them." All the pain, all the fear that his son might yet follow in his footsteps was gone. The prayer for Shepard had begun and his son was now far from Thane's original sin. All was right.

By then, Thane could no longer hear the words or feel the presence of his friend and son beside him. Everything was becoming so aphotic, so dull. He feared that his existence might have been in vain. His whole life had been committed to taking lives, but when he looked at his son and Shepard, both chanting the verses of his last prayer, he realized that his final act was one of creation.

And that was all he needed.

He could barely breathe, his chest tightening and screaming for it all to stop. Thane knew it would, but he realized in that space that it was not the end. No, it was the start of something beautiful: his new beginning.

The darkness was closing in, the world felt so small. Then, the thick vines of darkness were broken by shards of light that filled his vision. In the epicenter of the light was his love, Irikah, holding out her hands to him. As he entered into her embrace all he could hear was the sound of waves lapping against the sand.

The great hunter had set down his bow.

His hunt was finally over.