This is another Insanity Round Prompt from a while ago. It's different but I enjoyed writing this from a creative writing stand point. Thanks for the reviews, follows and alerts. I have a few more Insanity Prompt writing I would like to edit and post and then I'm not certain where to go from there. I haven't played Omega yet...that probably won't happen until February. : ( I'm too busy with work, editing my novel, and writing my another fanfiction story for Dragon Age. So we'll see if inspiration strikes between of all that for longer chapters on this story. : ) Thanks again for reading and enjoy!

PE

Invader

They fell from the sky, much like bits and babbles of dark glass shatter upon a tile blue floor. They gleamed and burned pouring for by the hundreds...laser red eyes cleaving destruction and casting about despair as one would toss a handful of autumn colored leaves above one's head as child...no laughter did they bring only pain, misery and...loss. It was their place in the universe. Their sole purpose to destroy and recreate. Again and again trapped in an endless cycle of war and death. They were the invaders of a galaxy hanging upon the edge of a knife's blade of peace. One wrong misstep in any direction could tip the scales of the precious balance that the races held in sway. It wasn't until they invaded that races wanted to rally...wanted to fight something other than themselves. They were the connecting point for the galaxy, the reason for the fighting and bickering amongst themselves to stop...for a new bigger threat these invaders were and together if the races wished to survive they would have to together in order to do so.

They were the invaders...

They were the Reapers...

Their purpose was not destruction, but continuation of the cycle they were born to relive again and again...

Defender

The glowing blue eyed monster came around the corner faster than Private Munchin could react. He raised his pistol ready to fire at the hulking ripping through his other comrades. He didn't see the husk until the creature screeched splitting black strains of what he hoped was saliva in his face. Munchin wheeled toward the husk. The creature didn't flinch just jumped forward sinking its black teeth into his arm. Crying out in alarm and terror, Munchin dropped his pistol and beat at the husk head with a bare fist. The monster didn't move just latched onto his arm even tighter and clawed at him with renewed vigor. Munchin thought it was all a bad dream...just a dream. He would wake up groggy from a heavy night of drinking and all would be well...but the pain in his arm didn't stop and the creature didn't disappear...and Munchin didn't wake up in his bed with a hangover. The cries of his comrades were a dim background noise to the rumble of cannon fire and Munchin's own frantic heartbeat. He slammed his fist into the husk head again and again. Pounding the creature with all his might...his breathing was ragged and his knuckles bloody but he didn't care. A shot rang out. Piercing and deafening even over the battle waging all around him. The ground shook as he looked around and saw one the giant invaders moving into the center of the street. It walked through a building collapsing the structure as if it were merely cupboard. The creature on his arm jerked and released its hold slipping to the ground. The eerie blue lights pulsed lightly, but remained lit. Lie crumpled on the ground as it was it looked like a discarded children's toy. He kicked the husk in the head for good measure. Picking up his gun he reloaded his thermal clip and glanced around. The Reaper was focusing on the clock tower. The Reaper paid no attention to the seemingly insufficient insects scurrying below its feet.

Another shot rang out...Munchin spun around just in time to see a husk scrambling toward pitch face first onto the debris scattered road. Munchin's eyes looked upwards in the direction theorized the shot had come from...the huge clock tower. His eyes widen as he thought he saw move up in the tower's arched section. Movement on the ground caused him to jerk his eyes back to the business at hand. A woman and two children were running toward panic etched into their dirt and sweat covered faces. Behind five blue glowing husks screeched and trailed after them. The children were crying hard and the woman bellowed, "Help us!"

Munchin ducked behind a piece of cement from the parking garage behind him and took careful aim. He drew in a steady breath and sighted with the heavy pistol. Exhaling slowly he squeezed the trigger. Two shots rang out.

Two husk fell.

Avenger

Shepard wiped the sweat out of her eyes and sighted once again down her through her scope. Taking a deep breath she squeezed the trigger. One shot clear and precise echoed down the alley. The marauder fell. Blood and bits of brain matter spattered the cannibal and three husks in front of him. The remaining Reaper troops looked around in what she could only define as bewilderment. The smoking ruins of a once beautiful city stretched out before her like the skeletal wings of a dead butterfly one could still see the tattered remains of what had once been great and alive. She swore and nodded toward Kaidan and James.

Vega's gun exploded in deadly accuracy catching the husks and cannibal in the chest and shoulders. The creatures screeched and started their way. The husks lead the way followed by the cannibal. Vega's gun fire continued to pepper them, but they kept coming.

"Pressure them!" Shepard shouted setting aside her sniper rifle and pulling out her assault rifle. With the click of a button the gun unfolded and came alive in her hands. Dancing and proud, deadly and humming. A blue flame lit up out of the corner of her eye. The cannibal flew backwards ignited by dark energy. Shepard continued firing though a dark smile played upon her full lips.

Three marauders ran around the corner from the building's interior. Swearing, Shepard ducked back down behind her cover and reloaded her thermal clip. Pressing a button on the side of her rifle she waited a breath for the weapon to calibrate her newest command. A light blinked and it beeped. She swept up from cover and opened fire again. Delivering quick, short burst into the newly arrived enemies. Orange flashed mixed with blue flashed out the corner of her eye as the hair on the back of her neck prickle at the discharge of electrical current mixed with biotic powers. James swore and hunkered into cover to reload and Shepard covered him.

Thus they worked...a team of preciseness and cohesiveness that amazed the watchers and made the Reapers hesitate. Shepard was the key they knew. She was their doom or their salvation. Mostly she was the avenger. Killing mercilessly every Reaper troop for every human lost in their war...their struggle for freedom from the inevitable cycle.