The Legacy of Wrath

Chapter: 2

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"I'm surprised that you managed to talk dad into letting me show you my secret base," stated the child cheerfully as she led the two xenoarchaeologists through the green and pleasant landscape. "He normally isn't happy about me talking about it with strangers."

"And normally that is a good thing," commented Professor Folon approvingly. "But in this instance I think it will be alright."

"Are we nearly there yet Deborah?" the young girl rolled her eyes in tired frustration.

"Please don't call me that, only Miss Nora my home teacher calls me by my Christian name," groaned the tiny human as she clambered over a fallen tree. "Even my dad calls me Debbie nowadays."

"My apologies, I don't have much experience in dealing with your species," spluttered Liara as she nervously played with her hands.

"She means that she is not good with people," added the elderly Salarian as he cast a slightly sympathetic gaze at his colleague.

"My friend Tammy is like that," said Debbie as she glanced up at the young maiden. "Don't worry I'm not angry or anything," she added reassuringly.

"I...Thank you."

"If you two ladies don't mind I wanted to ask a few questions about this door that you told your father about Debbie," interjected Folon adroitly turning the flow of the conversation in a fresh direction.

"Ow yer the door, it's so cool, you guys are going to be so excited!" grinned the tomboy as she threw her hands behind her head. "It's all like golden and stuff and it has these weird lines that glow all the time." The two scientists exchanged the briefest of glances behind the child's back.

"Are any of the other buildings that you found like that or is it just the door?" asked Liara with barely contained excitement.

"Just the door, though it wasn't doing that when I first found it," replied their young guide in obvious confusion.

"What do you mean by that, the door wasn't glowing when you first found it?" questioned the Professor with interest.

"It wasn't doing anything until I touched it," countered Debbie "But as soon as I did the whole thing just lit up."

"Some kind of motion scanner perhaps, that could explain the door's sudden activation?" suggested the Asari maiden thoughtfully.

"I don't think so" muttered Folon quietly as he mulled the question over in his mind. "If that was the case then the ruins would have been found years ago, no there is something else at work here, I can just feel it." His younger colleague raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"It can't be anything else, I mean it's not like the portal reacted to the child herself Professor."

"That's it!" yelled the Salarian breathlessly as realisation came to him in a surging wave. "She touched it!"

"I don't understand, did I do something wrong?" questioned the girl nervously as she became noticeably less cheerful.

"No, no, no, exactly the opposite" the academic hastily assured her, placing a hand on the youngster's shoulder. "I believe that the only reason that the door activated at all was because you touched it." The two listeners looked at him with mild uncertainty.

"Are you saying it reacted to her because she's human?" questioned the Asari "That doesn't sound completely believable Professor," the man rolled his eyes at the comment.

"Putting aside the fact that humans are the direct genetic descendents of the Shinkoku Trastrium," he countered irritably. "What I was actually suggesting was a theory put forward by my late friend and colleague Malcom Shore."

"The historian?"

"The very same, but we're getting off topic," added the Salarian distractedly as he made his way over a narrow stream. "In his last years he became fascinated with the seemingly close interaction between the Shinkoku themselves and their fuel source, this so called "Mantra" as they called it."

"Which we still don't know that much about," pointed out the xenoarchaeologist as she remained sceptical at the suggested hypothesis. "All we can tell is that it's some form of energy stored in a gas like state."

"Correct, but what Malcom speculated was that it was linked in some way to the energy that all living things produce, he argued that was why we find fuel cells in what we think are temple sites"

"So you're suggesting that the door reacted to Debbi's innate energy and for lack of a better phrase, "woke up"?

"It's not that farfetched, element zero for example acts in a similar fashion when acted upon by dark energy."

"True, it's something to consider," muttered Liara as she lost herself in thought.

"How far are we from this valley, child?" questioned Folon once more as he quickly tore his gaze away from his omni-tool.

"We're almost there just got to go through here first, " cheeped the girl cheerfully, as she darted up a steep slope before dropping out of sight behind a large outcrop of rocks.

"Debbie, Debbie?" She peeped back at them a few moments later.

"It's this way, come on!" the two adults struggled up the incline after their young guide, just in time to see her vanish into a narrow looking cave that had been partially buried by the passage of time.

"Must we go through there?" whispered Liara quietly.

"Don't tell me you're scared of the dark?" chuckled her colleague as he turned on his wrist torch.

"No, but I've never liked enclosed spaces," admitted the maiden, as she eyed the dark hole apprehensively.

"Well judging from the fact that our young friend went ahead without a light it can't be that far to the other side."

"If you say so," whispered the Asari as she reluctantly followed her fellow academic into the gloom.


"Something about this cave doesn't feel right," muttered the Salarian as the pair made their way through the darkness towards a small point of light off in the distance.

"What do you mean?" questioned his companion as she hastily glanced around at the enclosed landscape fearfully.

"Well the floor for a start, it feels too flat, should it be this flat?" enquired Folon as he lowered his flashlight for the briefest of moments. "Or am I just imagining things?"

"You're not imagining things" whispered Liara as she added her own light to his. "The floor is extremely smooth, almost as if it's manmade," the statement seemed to inspire her coworker.

"Of course!" spluttered the academic excitedly, as he began examining the space in more detail. "This isn't a cave at all."

"It's not?" replied his colleague as she cast a quick glance around at their general surroundings in confusion. "Because it's doing a good job of imitating one right now," Folon grinned.

"Exactly," he chuckled "We're not standing in the middle of a cave, we're standing in the middle of a collapsed archway!" the professor cast his arms around him gleefully. "One that has been overtaken by mother nature!"

"Astonishing," whispered the maiden as she looked at the rocks in a new light. "It must have been spectacular when it was intact."

"Indeed," stated her co-worker as they continued on their way "But at this precise moment I think we need to focus on finding this door that Debbie keeps talking about."

"I must admit, I'm rather excited about seeing the portal in question."

"As am I," concurred the Salarian as they manhandled themselves through the narrow exit. What awaited them on the other side was absolutely breathtaking, a luscious green landscape, pockmarked here and there with crumbling ruins stretched out in front of them as the pair stepped back out into the light of day.

"Some kind of semi enclosed valley," muttered Professor Folon thoughtfully, as he quickly took in the sight of steep cliff sides that dominated the confined space. "With the archway being the sole entrance."

"And when it collapsed the site was hidden away from prying eyes until our young friend discovered it" added Liara as she turned around to stare up at the now visible pillars that would at one time have supported the lofty expanse.

"We should really start recording this," commented her colleague distractedly, as he began fiddling with his omni-tool. "Would you find Debbie and make sure that she heads home straightaway, we did promise her father after all."

"Right away professor" answered the Asari, in a professional tone, as she quickly set off at a brisk pace through the ruins, following what was left of a stone roadway that rose occasionally up out of the tall grass.

"Liara!" the girls cheerful voice snapped the good doctor's head around in time to see their young charge skip up the last few steps of an imposing stairway that reared up above them.

"Debbie, Debbie can you come down please!"

"Not yet, not until you've seen the door!" insisted the child from where she stood at the top. "It's so cool!"

"Fine, but once I've seen it you have to go home," instructed the academic as she inwardly let out a silent squeal of glee in anticipation.

"Awesome, its right up here, come on!" laughed Debbie excitedly as she vanished from view.

"Debbie hang on!" shouted Liara as she hastily jogged up the stone steps after the lone human. "There's no need to..." but the words died in her mouth as she caught sight of the focus of the child's attention. "By the goddess," the door was big, big for a ten year old, big for a hundred and six year old, a solid mass of metal easily twenty foot high and more than half as wide, set proudly into the hillside.

"Told you it was awesome," grinned the young human from her spot in front of the giant entranceway.

"It's certainly impressive," muttered the maiden softly as she took a cautious step towards the imposing structure. "Are these the glowing lines you were talking about?" enquired the archaeologist as she took note of the streams of shimmering energy that that ran like liquid gold across the portals burnished surface.

"Yep, it wasn't doing anything until I touched the bump."

"Bump?" the girl pointed towards a melon sized sphere that was set into the centre of the door, just above head height. "You managed to reach that?" the child took on an unhappy air.

"I'm not that short!"

"I'm not saying you are, it just seems rather hard to reach that's all" asserted Liara as she hastily attempted to correct her poor choice of words.

"I...I found something to stand on," spluttered Debbie, as she glanced down at her feet in embarrassment "A box I think."

"Was that where you found the artefacts?"

"Yer," added the child quietly as she refused to meet the adult's gaze.

"Is there something the matter?"

"I fell off the box ok!" snapped the young human irritably as she crossed her arms in frustration. "I was using it to reach that button and it broke underneath me when I tried standing on my tiptoes, that's how I found those wired things that uncle collects, are you happy now?" the maiden smiled knowingly.

"Do you want to know a secret?" whispered the academic as she leant down until she was level with the girls face. "I'll tell you as long as you don't tell anyone."

"I won't tell, I promise," hastily replied Debbie, her earlier embarrassment quickly forgotten.

"Well if you promise," muttered Liarra playfully "Then I think it should be ok," she paused for dramatic effect before continuing. "When I was around your age I managed to get myself stuck in a hole of my creating while digging for ruins in my back garden"

"Seriously?" Spluttered the child as she broke down into a fit of laughter. "That's so stupid!"

"I'm quite aware of that," replied the maiden tiredly as she ran a hand over her face. "Now I remember someone saying that they would be heading home after they showed me this door," she gestured towards the object in question. "Or did I imagine that?"

"Ah but I want to see what's on the other side" whined the young human in vocal protest.

"Not going to happen, we promised your father that we would send you home after you guided us here and Professor Folon likes to keep his word."

"Fine," muttered Debbie unhappily as she stomped off in a huff, leaving the xenoarchaeologist alone with the imposing portal.

"But I have to wonder what you have inside," whispered Liara as she turned her attention back towards the burnished door, her eyes lingering a moment too long on the spherical protuberance. "Latent energy," and almost as if by instinct she reached out and touched it.

Nothing seemed to happen at first but as the seconds ticked by a weird static sensation began washing over the maiden's skin as she felt something being physically drawn out of her with every passing moment.

"What are you doing!" the professor's disbelieving tone echoed in the young Asari's ears as he came sprinting up the staircase in a blind panic.

"I was interested in seeing if your theory was true," countered his colleague nervously as she hastily attempted to detach herself from the protrusion with a visible lack of success.

"Stop messing around and let go of it!" ordered the elderly Salarian frantically as he took note of the mass of golden lines that were rapidly spreading across the doors surface.

"I'm trying!" shouted Liara as she yanked on her arm fruitlessly with no effect. "It won't move!" but soon it didn't matter as there came a low rumble from the doorway as long dormant mechanisms staggered back into service, with a bellowing roar, as they pulled the two great panels apart revealing what lay beyond.

"Some kind of antechamber," mused the academic eagerly as he slowly shuffled over the threshold. "Fascinating," he glanced over his shoulder at the archway. "Some kind of magnetic locking mechanism perhaps."

"I think I need to sit down for a moment," stated Liara weakly as she found herself sinking down onto the stone floor.

"Are you alright my dear?" enquired Folon earnestly, as he quickly relocated to the Asari's side.

"I'm just a bit tired," she replied as she took a couple of deep breaths before continuing. "The process of opening the door was particularly draining," her co-worker nodded in understanding.

"Take your time," chuckled the professor as he patted her reassuringly on the shoulder. "I'm not going anywhere."

"At least we know that your friend's theory holds water," commented the young academic, as she allowed a weary grin to spread across her face. "I definitely felt something being pulled out of me."

"Really? That is interesting," mused the Salarian interestedly, as he rubbed his chin in consideration. "I'll get you to read Maxwell's paper when we get a free moment, see if any of the over elements he theorised hold true."

"It would probably be for the best," added Liara as she politely accepted a helping hand as she staggered back to her feet. "If this place is still functional then it would almost certainly be wise to have a rough understanding of how these things might work."

"That does sound like a good idea," replied Folon as he quickly sent her the PDF "Why don't you glance through it now while I have a look at this chamber."

"Won't you need more assistance?"

"Don't worry I won't touch anything," joked the Salarian, as he patted her gently on the shoulder. "You have my word."

"If you say so," grumbled the younger academic as she turned her attention back towards her omni-tool.

"We can't always do exciting things Doctor" her older colleague countered gently as he walked back into the antechamber. "Remember, the difference between someone who is good at their job and someone great at their job is how much hard work they're willing to put in."

"Yes professor," the amphibian let out a quiet sigh as he put some distance between himself and the unhappy Asari, he had enough things to worry about without adding someone else's problems to the list.

"The lack of any other objects in the room very much suggests that this is some kind of foyer," stated Folon, as he activated his personal record. "And this is supported by the fact that there is a second set of doors set into the far wall. This pair are noticeably smaller in dimensions then the previous ones, which suggests that they play a more practical role."

The salarian paused briefly as he glanced at the portal, which besides its obvious lack of size was nigh on identical to its larger brother, even right down to the elaborate engravings carved into the metalwork. "It doesn't seem to have any obvious opening mechanism."

"Maybe its motion triggered" suggested Liara as she glanced up from her reading. "It would save energy in the long run."

"And being secured safely behind what we can assume are blast doors there wouldn't be any risk of accidental activation," finished the professor as he caught onto the maiden's train of thought.

"It seems that everything in this place has been specifically designed to save power for some reason."

"Indeed, its rather odd" muttered the elderly academic as he slowly took in his general surroundings. "I wonder why that is?"

"Maybe they were trying to preserve something, a kind of ark perhaps," replied his young colleague excitedly. "It is possible, there have been other examples of other cultures doing the same during periods of crisis."

"Once again it is possible, but we shouldn't jump to conclusions, not without evidence" cautioned Folon evenly as the pair began moving towards the smaller door.

"Should we really be going deeper into the facility?" questioned Liara. "We haven't even started recording the surrounding ruins yet," the Salarian grimaced.

"Normally I would, but these are unusual circumstances and we can't risk losing whatever's inside to looters without making a video record first," explained the professor as he took a determined step towards the waiting entrance. "Don't worry I'll take full responsibility when the time comes," reassured the figure as the portal split itself in two, revealing a wide winding staircase that seemed to stretch down into the centre of the earth.

"Well that was unexpected" quietly stated the maiden as she took in the new location.

"I've never seen anything like this" whispered Professor Folon has he began taking images as quickly as possible. "The complex architecture and level of security, I'd thought after seeing those artefacts that we were looking at a late phase temple site, but this," he looked over at the Asari in visible confusion.

"Perhaps we should contact the University" suggested Liara adopting a concerned tone. "This is well beyond anything that we could have imagined."

"I think you might be right Liara" replied the academic as he let out a defeated sigh. "I'd hoped that we could have kept this place secret until we were finished, but I fear as you do that this place must be reported to the proper authorities as soon as possible"

"Unfortunately that would mean one of us going back to civilisation, I doubt that our omni-tools would be able to connect to a com-link all the way out here," stated the maiden.

"I'll go," replied the professor resignedly "It's my responsibility, as the most senior xenoarchaeologist, to inform the University board about what has been discovered here." He smiled sadly "Why don't you go ahead and investigate the rest of the structure, it will come in handy during the official study." The older individual sounded weary and disappointed as he made his intentions known to his friend. "I look forward to seeing how your career develops doctor," finished Folon as he shook hands with the young Asari.

"I'll send you the post ex report to critique," replied Liara sincerely, the remark was met with an appreciative nod from the Salarian before he quietly turned around and headed back the way they'd come.


The stairs stretched out ever downwards into the ground and the lone figure moved with them into the unknown, a ghostly world of polished stone and fluorescent lights that seemed to go on forever.

"I wonder how long I've been walking for?" mused Liara as she checked her omni-tool for the umpteenth time.

"It feels as if I've been down here for hours, but that can't be possible." She glanced away from the holographic screen in mild frustration, something was interfering with her equipment and for the life of her she couldn't figure out what. It shouldn't be the mantra, from what she'd read in the PDF it painted the picture of an energy source that emanated from all living things, it shouldn't affect her tech, not when it had been working fine up until now.

"Not unless something else is affecting it," whispered the maiden as the thought made its way through her head "And it seems to be getting stronger." This was true, with every passing meter the interference got worse until individual items started failing until her wrist mounted flashlight was the only thing on her person that was still functioning.

"What I wouldn't give for an insulated omni-tool right about now," she grumbled stepping carefully around the next corner only to find herself exiting out into a large, circular room. Unfortunately its intended impact was completely lost on the lone individual as she stared dumbfounded at the howling vortex of emerald green energy that swirled menacingly at the centre of the lofty space.

"The textbooks never mentioned anything like this," stuttered the maiden as she inched closer and closer towards the glowing pillar of light. "At least this would explain the interference," now that she had gotten closer the Asari could have sworn that every so often she caught sight of something contained, trapped within the slowly twirling cacophony of colour, a person perhaps, but that couldn't be possible could it?

"Cētāvanī!" a hollow voice shattered the silent tranquillity. "Cētāvanī!"

"It's speaking Vedic Sanskrit" whispered Liara as she covered her ears to block out the voice.

"Some kind of Shinkoku V.I perhaps, but what is it saying?" she paused as she desperately attempted to translate the message. "Warning, Its saying warning," a look of dawning horror washed over her as the maiden's mind finally caught up with her mouth.

"Ghusapaiṭhiyā!" it uttered a new word.

"Intruder" the asari glanced around nervously half expecting some form of retaliation, what she got was single small terminal rising from the floor directly in front of her, a single sentence flashing across its matter black screen.

"Emergency shutdown," she whispered as her eyes darted over the glowing characters. "But why is showing me this if I'm a..." a cold feeling ran down her spine as her brain finally put two and two together "Unless it's not talking about me," someone else was here and judging from this place's reaction it must have been in a rather noticeable way, which could only mean one thing, looters "I have to warn the professor!" stammered the figure frantically as she hastily turned away from the console, only to find herself faltering in her determination as her colleagues words washed over her, it was their responsibility to record everything they found here and whatever this place was guarding it must have been very important or very dangerous, the possibility of such an item falling into the wrong hands was too awful to contemplate. "Goddess I hope I'm doing the right thing," she breathed as her fingers pressed the command.

"Banda karanā!" the voice became a low whine as it repeated the words several times, it meaning already painfully clear as shuddering vibrations shook the entire chamber.

"I really don't think this was a good idea" stated the young maidan quietly as her gaze fixed itself on the pillar of light which was already bulging at the seams as the centripetal force keeping it in place gave out, in a single, bone shaking backlash that sent the Asari tumbling head over heels as the shockwave passed her by; leaving no evidence that it had ever been.

"Definitely not a good idea" moaned Liara as she dragged her bruised and battered body upright only to find herself frozen in place as her sea blue eyes fell upon what had been hidden behind the twirling veil. "A statue?" it stood there, chained and bound but unbending, nearly seven foot of sculpted stone that seemed to exude power from every pore or was it stone for as the archaeologist drew closer and closer to the imposing sculpture a creeping feeling began working its way into the back of the individual's mind with every passing moment. "It can't be anything else right?" she murmured as she reached out a hand to touch the hardened surface only to shrink back in shock as she felt it twitch underneath her finger as its dark auburn eyes slowly pulled open moments later to stare down at her with steely interest.

"Tuma kauna hō?" a voice, hard and unforgiving rumbled out of its chest as fifty millennia worth of dust groaned under the onslaught as muscles that hadn't moved for uncounted Asari lifetimes creaked back into movement, life thundering like electricity through its veins. "Tuma kauna hō!" this time it wasn't a question but a declaration as the imposing individual turned its impressive form to bear on the lone figure before him and it definitely was a he, the muscularity alone was proof enough of that, though on closer inspection they looked strange, almost artificial.

"Liara T'soni," whispered the maiden, as she felt the full weight of the man's gaze bearing down upon her. "My name is Liara T'soni." The Shinkoku for that was what she guessed he was frowned in silent contemplation as he heard her response.

"Liara T'soni be?" stated the figure in what could just be understood as ancient Thessien much to the surprise of the young academic as she hastily wracked her brain for what little information remained on this now dead version of her language.

"Me be" she stuttered uncertainly as the archaic phrases flowed jaggedly from her lips. "You be?" she enquired fearfully as she noticed the confused expression that was painted across the man's face as he noted her hesitant tones.

"Why you speck thus?" he questioned pointedly, as he leant down to get a better look at her.

"Not my native tongue be," replied the maiden carefully, as she checked every sentence in her mind before saying. "Changed it be" a sudden idea flashed into existence as her omni-tool roared back into life as the unrelenting interference faded away as if it never existed.

"What that be?" Sharply demanded the man as he watch the smaller person fiddling with something on her wrist before carefully and respectfully holding it out to him.

"Gift be," stated Liara politely as she watched the imposing figure silently weighing up his options before begrudgingly holding out a his chained wrists to allow her to wrap the slender device around what she assumed to be some kind of metal prosthetic judging by how it gleamed back at her in the artificial light. "Is that better?" added the maiden as she finished attaching a device to the metallic limb.

"Yes" the towering individual paused briefly as he took in the sudden clarity of the language that he was hearing. "Some kind of translator I take it?" more a statement then a question.

"Yes, it has other functions but at the moment I think this one is the most useful for now"

"Indeed," rumbled the figure before tilting his head ever so slightly in a polite acknowledgement. "It is much appreciated" the young Asari blushed darkly as she found herself the focus of the impressive man's attentions.

"It's not a problem at all Mr, Mr?" she paused in sudden realisation. "I never asked your name," she spluttered as she hastily glanced down at her feet in clear embarrassment, there was a long pause before the man replied, as if he were gauging her reaction.

"Asura" he replied "My name is Asura."

"Pleased to meet you," answered Liara politely as she bowed her head in as formal a greeting as she could manage, given the current situation, the Shinkoku simply nodded in acknowledgement as he turned his eyes towards the chains that bound themselves tightly around his being.

"Step back" instructed Asura forcefully as he braced himself for what was about to happen next and his new associate hastily obliged as she caught on quickly to what he was planning; which as it turned out was rather a smart decision as the herculean figure let out a bellowing roar as he shattered his bonds in a single, astonishing feat of strength that sent jagged shrapnel hurtling throughout the surrounding space at breathtaking speed.

"By the Goddess" whispered the maiden quietly as she stared disbelievingly at the now unencumbered individual that flexed his arms in a manner which, for him at least, was the first time in millennia.

"How long has it been?" Questioned the man as he glanced over his shoulder at the young maiden who had remained rooted to the spot as her brain desperately tried to understand what had just come to pass before her very eyes. "How long has it been since I was locked away?" he added.

"How long?" she countered.

"Yes" Liara shacked herself out of her self-imposed stupor as a life time of professionalism came crashing to the fore.

"Judging from what I've seen here it's been an awfully long time," she answered, treading carefully on what she imagined to be extremely sensitive ground.

"How long Asari"

"About fifty thousand years" It was strange, she'd half expected him to go into a blind rage or break down in tears, what she got was a look of tired resignation that came to dominate the man's face. "I'm sorry."

"Its fine" commented the individual as he started to make his way towards the staircase. "I'd already guessed as much, I mean the last time I saw your kind they had only just learnt to navigate by the stars at sea." Liara ignored the unintended insult as she quickly fell in behind the towering figure as he began his ascent back to the surface.

"You seem awfully calm if you don't mind me saying so," countered the maiden carefully.

"What else would you have me be?" snapped Asura sharply as he glared over his shoulder and for the briefest of moments she could have sworn that his eyes glowed white, but as soon as his temper had flared it was gone leaving only cold acceptance in its place. "My daughter will have grown and had have a family of her own long ago" he added as his voice took on a wistful tone. "But I took an oath to protect the Empire and all those who shelter under its wings," stated the man as he turned deadly serious. "And I would rather die than break my word."

"But there is no more empire to protect, the Shinkoku Trastrium has been gone for thousands of years and even your enemy the Goham Vlitra have faded into legend," argued the archaeologist as she desperately attempted to make the individual in front of her see reason. "There's no need to fight any more!" Asura halted in his stride as he turned to face her.

"Is that what you truly believe?" he questioned a look of disbelief clearly visible. "Then I pity you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" demanded the Asari uncertainly, as she jogged to keep up with the Shinkoku as he returned to his determined pace.

"Exactly what it sounds like," snorted the figure distractedly as his attention remained fixed on a point directly in front of him. "The Goham Vlitra are not dead only defeated and my people are very much alive," he paused as he allowed her to catch up. " Those are two things I know to be true."

"Then the Shinkoku do still exist!" stated Liara excitedly as she took in this unbelievable revelation. "The professor will not believe this," but her sense of glee quickly evaporated as reality came rushing back all around as she quickly remembered the precise series of events that had led to this moment. "By the goddess the professor, I have to warn him!"

"What's wrong?" questioned her companion as he caught the look of utter desperation that now covered his new associates face as she sped past him, making a frantic dash towards the exit.

"Your security system was going on about intruders, I need to warn the professor, he could be in serious danger" she didn't even have time to finish the sentence before she found herself be swung under one of Asura's massive arms as took off at breath taking speed, leaving small craters in the floor with every thunderous step.

"We'll cover more ground this way hang on" instructed the imposing figure as the twirling staircase flashed by in a blink of an eye as in a scant few minutes the pair found themselves standing before the now open portal that led into the light of day, the effect unfortunately was rather ruined by the bellowing shouts that echoed back inside from the outside world.

"We're too late" whispered the young maiden as she hurried forward to find out what exactly was going on, and what she found drained all the colour from the maiden's face.

"That's not your ship I take it" stated the Shinkoku coldly as he knelt down next to her at the top of the raised platform.

"It is not," muttered Liara nervously as she glanced over at the heavy duty transport shuttle squatting like an ugly boil in the middle of the ruins, before turning her attention back towards the developing crisis below them.

...

"I won't ask again, where is the young maiden that accompanied you!" demanded the blue skinned mercenary as she slammed her fist into the prisoners unguarded stomach, ripping the air from his lungs and driving the poor Salarian to his knees. "Answer me!"

"I don't know" spluttered Folon from in between mouthfuls of gore as he weakly attempted to stagger upright once more. "We went our separate ways once we got to Horizon"

"Is that so?" snarled the scarred matron coldly as she leant down towards the bleeding academic. "Then why does she say something different!" as if on command there came a terrified screaming from the shuttle as a muscular looking Turian came stomping down the ramp dragging a tiny, struggling figure behind him uncaringly.

"You brute!" stated the professor angrily as the child was thrown roughly onto the ground next to him. "She's a child!"

"Shut your mouth amphibian!" spat the mercenary sharply as he planted a savage kick into the man's exposed face, splitting his lip and sending olive green blood splattering across the flattened grass.

"That's enough!" barked the matron as she took control of the situation. "He's of no use to us dead" Her subordinate let out an unhappy snort as he stomped away towards the rest of her team who were standing lazily around waiting for orders. "Sorry about that my friend has a bit of an anger management issue" she explained as she knelt down in front of the cowering young girl.

"Leave her alone!" groaned the elderly Salarian painfully as through an impressive demonstration of determination he managed to pull himself upright until he was standing on his own two legs, though they shuddered under the effort placed upon them. "She doesn't know anything!"

"Ow but I think she does" countered the Asari darkly as she glanced over her shoulder at the prisoner. "You see the two of us have already had a nice little chat and she told me some very interesting things" she looked back at Debbie who was trembling in front of her. "Didn't you my dear"

"Yes" whispered the child weakly as she noticeably flinched as the cutthroat ran a hand over the top of her head.

"So imagine my surprise when she told me that she'd taken "Two" people to her secret base" the matron let out a short chuckle which quickly turned into a hard scowl as she turned on her heels to glare viciously at the bleeding figure standing before her. "So why don't you tell me where this "Doctor T'soni" is before I do something that you'll deeply regret!"

"Your despicable!" spat Folon as he swayed weakly on his feet.

"I like to think of myself as practical" commented the mercenary as she calmly pulled the Carnifex pistol from her belt and placed it lazily against the child's head. "Now one final time where is the good doctor?" the threat was painfully clear and he couldn't ignore it.

"Ancestors forgive me," whispered the Salarian as he felt tears, hot and heavy run down his face. "She is here, the doctor is here."

"Now was that so hard?" replied the matron happily as a split-second later she emptied the weapon at point blank range into the academics chest.

"Nooooo!" the scream echoed off the surrounding walls as the gathered onlookers spun around franticly as they tried to locate the source of the noise.

"Spread out she can't be far!" roared the mercenary leader as she turned the weapon on the cowering child, who was crying over the body of departed professor. "This isn't personal kid" she stated "Just good business"

"YOU DARE!" the sudden roar shattered the tense atmosphere and as one the assembled cutthroats turned to look up at the imposing giant that glared down from the platform at the scene playing out before him. "YOU DARE TO HARM THE INNOCENT IN FRONT OF ME!"

"Take him down!" yelled the mercenary captain as she felt something she'd hadn't experienced in a long time trickling down her spine, fear and she had a right to be afraid. She watched with growing horror as the lone human (if she could call him that) threw himself from the top of the stairs towards the stunned defenders below.

"NONE OF YOU ARE LEAVING THIS PLACE ALIVE!" bellowed the giant as he slammed into the earth with a thundering crescendo, shattering the ground and sending clumps of dirt flying in all directions.

"Spirits protect us" muttered a Turian quietly as everyone looked on with growing horror as an imposing silhouette could be seen rising slowly from in amongst a dust cloud mere moments later.

"What are you idiots waiting for, fire!" roared the matron frantically as she began blazing away with her sidearm at the terrifying apparition before her, the rest soon joined in, but much to their dismay they only seemed to make the giant even more angry, if that was at all possible. He stormed out of the artificial crater in a blind rage, fists held at the ready as he tore towards the scattered defenders at blinding speed.

"Focus fire, focus it damn it!" screeched the Asari frantically as she watched the titan bulldoze his way through her subordinates at a terrifying pace.

"Your head is mine human!" snarled a scarred krogen as he launched himself into the melee.

"YOU CAN TRY!" bellowed the giant as he met the challenge head on, the fight was sharp and short. The krogen unleashed a brutal headbutt that was met head on by the human who didn't even seem to flinch as the attack slammed into his face, in fact it only seemed to make him stronger as the giant unleashed a brutal right hook that shattered the aliens head and sent the lifeless body slamming into a nearby cliff face with bone shattering force.

"I didn't sign up for this, I didn't sign up for this!" shouted another mercenary but a split-second later he felt his neck snap as he was slammed into the ground with a single backhander from the titan who at the same time delivered a savage kick that decapitated a nearby Turian who had strayed too close, propelling the bloody mess backwards until it slammed with excessive force into the matrons face, sending her tumbling weakly onto the waiting ground below.

"You are all weak!" snarled the giant as he dispatched the remaining mercenaries with brutal efficiency before turning his full attention towards the older asari who was struggling upright, weapon clenched firmly in her hand.

"Why won't you die!" she demanded as she fired round after round in the towering human who came stomping towards her.

"Because I decide not to!" he countered as he punched the cutthroat into the nearby shuttle, turning the normally gray paint job a dark shade of lilac as the unfortunate soul pretty much liquefied on impact with the outer hull.


"By the goddess" whispered Liara as she slowly made her way through the carnage, it hadn't been a fair fight, more of a one sided slaughter, though as she drew close she took note of the obvious wounds that were dotted around Asuras body, which was strange because they didn't seem to be bleeding in the slightest and she was struck once again by just how artificial much of his body looked, even when he took damage only the outer layers of his skin seemed to peel away, like lacquer, revealing the muscles beneath, but her professional curiosity was quickly pushed to one side as she hastily arrived by the child's trembling side.

"Debbie, Debbie it's ok, it's alright," she whispered reassuringly as she cradled the young girl in her arms. "Everything will be alright now"

"But, but your friend, he die because of me!" wailed the figure as she buried herself in the maiden's embrace.

"He died protecting you, I think he would be happy to know that his actions made a difference," stated Asura quietly as knelt by the pair. "Mourn for him young one, but do not blame yourself, he wouldn't want that."

"He's right, the professor promised your father that he'd protect you and he always was a man of his word even to the very end," added Liara as she staggered back to her feet still holding the child tightly in her arms.

"We should take the young one home" suggested the Shinkoku steadily as he walked towards the waiting shuttle. "Though you will need to pilot the vessel since the controls will be alien to me."

"I can try," replied the maiden as she slowly followed in him treading carefully, all too aware of her delicate cargo.

"Hey Liara?"

"Yes Debbie?" the young girl was looking over her tiny shoulder at the imposing figure walking in front of her.

"Who's that man, is he a friend of yours?" questioned the child as she took on an inquisitive air.

"It's rather complicated Debbie," replied Liara hastily as she noted the silent stare that was being sent her way by Asura, who was waiting for them by the access ramp.

"But is he your friend?" repeated the tiny human insistently, much to the internal disquiet of the lone Asari as she quickly exchanged looks with the male shinkoku, who had remained strangely quiet during the whole ordeal, though she could have sworn that she saw the faintest hint of a smile pulling at the sides of his face.

"Yes I suppose in a way he is," answered the adult as she walked past him to the ship's interior. "Now if I only knew what it meant" she muttered nervously.


Hope you like this new chapter, it was a real struggle to write this episode, which was mostly down to the fact that Asura is such an important character that I was really nevus introducing him into the story, I hope you liked what I did.

Please review, it would be really nice to see what you, the readers think so far of the story or the chapter so let me know.

Please note: Vedic Sanskrit is an actual old language, the ancestor of Sanskrit the primary sacred language of Hinduism, as such so not to insult anyone I have used hindi instead for the actual Vedic Sanskrit words and so please do not hold any spelling problems against me as it's not a language that I have any experience in.

See you next time.

Gods-own.