Hey everyone! New chapter.
I'd like to thank the ONE reviewer for his support. It keeps me going.
I know what type of direction I'll be going in with this story, so I hope you enjoy, and don't stop reading until the end of canon. That's when it gets interesting. Bye!
There was a hell.
Hell wasn't a physical place. It didn't burn, or cut, or break.
It spoke. It held your eyes open, and forced you to watch everything you had ever done, burn to ash, then disappear, forgotten by everyone except for you.
Shepard could feel that place getting closer with every step. Every breath, short and ragged, was propelling him closer. Soldiers around him burnt, the Reapers preparing to send him to join his fallen brothers. He couldn't stop running though.
Nothing ran through his mind. Instead, he focused on that image. That one image that helped him move his legs, swing his arms.
He could feel Tali and Garrus behind him, running just as hard, just as fast. They were a team, a squad, a family. They would win.
Then, that horrid sound. The red light.
-NO!-
Everything flashed, and Shepard was gone.
His eyes shot open, and the first thing he felt was the pain.
It hit him harder than a Krogan punch, and his skin felt as though he had walked through a volcano. Yet, that voice spoke to him.
-Get up. Get the fuck up! C'mon, the beam-
His eyes found the blue shaft of light, and his lungs drew a gasp of desperation. He found his footing, and started the slow limp towards the beam.
-It's right there! Do it. Do it for them. For Garrus, for Hackett, for-
He tripped over something.
Trying to get to his feet again, he saw it, and his blood stopped.
Her arm was burned, as well as her torso, and leg. Her mask was still on, thank god, but…
-No. No no no. no no-
She wasn't moving. Dragging himself over to her, he managed to get an arm around her head.
-Not this. Anything but this. You could have taken me. You could have…Why her-
"Tali…Tali can you hear me?"
He leaned her up, her silver eyes staring out from behind the cloudy mask.
"Tali? C'mon Tali. Don't do this. Don't scare me like this."
His lips hurt, his throat rasped, but he didn't feel anything. Just the quiet, building fear that gripped his spine.
"Please, c'mon. Say something. Don't just leave me here. Tali."
His voice started to get louder, the panic growing.
"Damn it, say something! Tell me about Rannoch! Insult Garrus, just please, do SOMETHING!"
Her eyes gazed upwards, following the beam directly upwards.
-This can't be happening. This can't be real-
"You wanted more time! We'll have it! I promise Tali, Just wake up! For the love of god, just wake up!"
He pulled her against his chest, cradling her burned, broken body.
"Please! Please God just give me time! I'll do whatever you want! Don't…"
The tears burned as they fell, his cheeks cut and bruised. His ragged voice fell to barely a whisper.
"Don't take her. Not her. Anyone but her. Please."
Despite the war, there was silence. Shepard felt it. It wore on him worse than chains. For the first time in his life, Shepard felt ready to die. Ready to give up on life. Until it spoke to him.
-She's gone-
"No…"
-Yes. Stand up. Finish this-
"What's the point? WHAT THE FUCK DO I HAVE LEFT?"
-Humanity-
Shepard felt his mind curse the very thought. He didn't care if the world burned. If Humanity burned. He was ready to set the fire himself.
That's when the voice surprised him.
-Then do it-
He barely spoke. Barely whispered.
"How."
-The beam. Climb-
Shepard stood, only glancing down at her body once more.
-I'll do this. I'll do this for you. We can be together again-
Finally, Shepard walked. Ready to embrace the beam. Ready to activate the Crucible.
Ready for revenge.
