Well here you are, I'm sorry I'm a bit late and as you will see later we had a lot of fun writing this, just wanted to get it right.
As always another big thank you to Oblivion for helping me write this, without him it wouldn't be as good as it is.
I don't own the Overlord(オーバーロードŌbārōdo?) novel or anime series created by Kugane Maruyama.
I don't own the Mass Effect trilogy developed by Bioware game studios.
Please support the official release.
Chapter 4: Is it wrong to roast the council on a spire?
Unknown location
Shepard was confused once again, she had been left here by Esdeath, stating before she left that "I'll be back later" then disappearing, just like that vanishing before her eyes. She couldn't even object as she had been left like a gaping fish!
Looking around a little bit better, she had found herself in what seemed to be a typical Captain's quarters. It had a nice large double bed in the centre of the room with a night stand either side and a wooden desk with some kind of terminal in the far left corner of the room.
Until now everything was completely normal - well, as normal as in Shepard' case people consider things "normal" - what confused her was the thick metal door above her? That didn't seem right…
Yet, after everything she had been through during the past week this didn't even seem that odd… and considering the weird situations she had found herself before, this almost seemed oddly normal.
Summing things up, she had quite enjoyed the past week. It had been years since she had such a relaxing vacation - not since this whole Reaper ordeal started and the woman finished her N7 training at least.
Besides the odd scare when Esdeath was working on the Normandy... like when she literally tore the core out of the ship through the armor - using some invisible telekinetic powers - causing it to explode there and then, it was quite quiet.
Back then when the core exploded Shepard thought she was going to die - figures it did not happen, she couldn't even imagine why she was worried one little bit. It was weird and confusing, when the explosive reaction started, it simply stopped, and like a recording rewound itself, restoring the core to an intact state. In the end, the pale girl was completely fine, with not so much as a hair out of place, smiling and waving at them.
Once she got to their home planet where her crew was staying she was stunned by what she saw. It was right out of a fantasy novel, a giant tree with small stars floating around it off in the distance.
Said tree was so huge that it made modern skyscrapers seem like ant hills in comparison, apparently it was a fully functional city inhabited by mostly elves and humans. Under it, whole cities spanned with infrastructure that could beat Earth to hell and back. Filled with balanced green and modern architecture. Mixing them into a perfect balance.
The palace her crew were staying in was also one of Esdeath's smaller homes, when her people had asked if it was really okay to use it the ashen haired girl replied with "sure... haven't used this place in a hundred years should be fine just don't go into the basement can't remember what I left down there… good luck." Some people, including her looked around and the place was spotless, there wasn't a spec of dust anywhere…. Must be the staff keeping the place clean, as during her passing she saw a few maids, and butlers passing around.
"..."
Just as she rested on the bed for what felt like hours, recalling what happened in the past week. The commander was brought back to reality when a knock came from the door… above her.
"Ah… come in, I guess." She said after getting up from the comfortable bed, angling her head upward.
'Shiis'
As if on cue the door slid open, revealing a lizard man slightly smaller than the one she met on Zoran station, but instead of the station usual dark uniform, her visitor donned a deep navy blue military esk uniform.
He was followed by those Angel looking things in dark armour either side of him. He bowed his head slightly and started speaking. It looked like he was going to fall in through the door and join her on the floor. Still, the man stood still, like it was completely normal to hang from the wall just like that. Though, Shepard had a guess already as to how it was possible.
"This room has different gravity?" before she could ponder more, the lizardman with many insignia's opened his mouth.
"Greetings Commander Shepard, I am Admiral Zaryusu and I bid you welcome to the USK Prophet." He said with what looked like a smile. Though, she really can't tell with this race, which was the case, like most of the other non humanoids she had seen on Gown Prime. No… in truth with the exception of Asari, it was hard to tell what kind of expression other races showed.
"May I ask that you stand against the wall below this door for a moment, we don't want to injure you during the transition."
"What transition?" The redhead asked with a suspicious face, slightly squinting her eyes.
"You will find out shortly, unless you wish to risk injury please stand against the wall."
With some reluctance she did as she was told and not a moment later she was glad she did, instead of being pulled towards what she thought was the floor, it was now the wall.
"You may get up now Commander it is safe to do so." She heard from behind her now. It didn't take long to get to her feet but she still had a confused expression on her face as she walked towards the Admiral. "What…? They changed the gravitational pull of the room? Makes sense, some of our space stations are capable of this… with EEZO it is not that hard..." She thought
"May I ask why was I brought here? Of course, if you have the information…"
"I fear you were the victim of one of Esdeath-sama's pranks… she deposited you into a VIP prisoner cell. You are lucky we do routine checks before every disinfection procedure."
"WHAT?!" At this Shepard eyes widened for a moment. Just a moment after she rolled her eyes with an expression 'Figures…'.
"Ah, yeah… that's Esdeath-sama for you…" the lizardmen only mumbled, not even apologising.
'Typical' she should of expected this from that crazy girl, in some way, she wasn't even surprised. "Anyway thanks for the rescue."
"No problem at all. It happens from time to time, again it's a pleasure to meet you " He said raising his hand, she took it and shook firmly, he 'smiled' again, letting go he gestured his hand to the left as if to say "Please follow."
After following him for a bit down a long hallway passing crewman and soldiers alike - each saluting as they passed, Shepard hummed in satisfaction, at least these people know how to follow protocol and military hierarchy.
It was not surprising, but under the way, Shepard and the Admiral were mostly silent. Shepard was too busy inspecting the insides of the ship to say anything - at first. But after that... Maybe the Admiral was just a silent guy, maybe he had nothing to say… but the silence between them grew odd. But before Shepard could break the cease of words, Zaryusu opened his mouth to speak.
"I've read up on some of your exploits Commander, they are... interesting tales to say the least, does that kind of stuff happen to you often?"
"More than I like to admit…" She chuckled uncomfortably. "If you don't mind me asking Id like to know where we are?"
"I don't, in fact we are on our way to the bridge, so you can see for yourself. Please be patient until then." Shepard nodded, it was evident the Admiral was not in a chatty mood. So they continued down the long hallway for another minute in silence until they reached a large elevator door.
Once they reached the bridge the guards stepped out and went to either side of the door allowing the Admiral and Shepard to step out of the elevator. In front of them they were met with a large dual layered bridge with people of numerous races working at their stations and at the center was a large viewing screen with an image that made Shepard eyes widen in shock and terror.
"What the…"
To see them right there, right in front of her was a surreal experience, looking at "Them" displayed on the central screen.
Namely… Hundreds... thousands of Reapers just floating there without moving, some with their legs still open preparing to fire their devastating weapons, some stuck there disabled, unable to move at all and projectiles stuck mid flight, fired from the small Oculus fighters and large capital class alike all in a single direction, they were all stuck at the same angle, all concentrating fire on a single point that was just now empty space.
That begged another question why weren't they moving and why was the space around them… grey? Shepard turned to look back at the Admiral with a scared but questioning face.
"WHAT THE HELL!? What's wrong with them? Why aren't they attacking us and what are they firing at?!" She hadn't stopped to think about what Esdeath had told her when she was first shown the images of the fleet. It was a dreadful picture even considering it.
"Well…" In return the Admiral just sighed slightly expecting this to happen. He wanted to wait but there should be no harm in explaining now, she was a guest of a Supreme one after all.
"They are stuck like that to put it simply... all movement of time with in the system is frozen that is why they aren't moving. As to who they were firing at I do not know I was not privy to that information, it's above my pay grade… my ship and my orders were to simply arrive in the system and observe them, that was all."
Shepard listened intently to it all and was growing more sceptical with every word. "Okay if that's the case why aren't you attacking if they're "stuck" like that. I'm sure it would be easy to do so if this ship is what I think it is. And why are we able to move if this field does what it's supposed to do?"
"I will repeat myself Commander our orders were to observe and that's what we intend to do until we are given orders otherwise telling us to so, besides I know for a fact we can't attack anything in this field they have essentially become a part of the background, as to how we are able to move that is simple, there is a Guardian on board allowing us to do so."
"What the hell is a Guardian?"
The bridge froze, everyone watched Shepard with disbelief. A bad premonition started to surface in the back of her head. A feeling, she should not have said that.
"Is something wrong?" everyone still glared at her, trying to figure out how could there be a person who doesn't know what a "guardian"is. Though, it was not her fault, it still earned the Ire and rage of the people around them. Trying to figure out if the redhead just joking - in that case, it was a very bad joke - mocking them and their culture… or was actually serious, and had no idea what a "Guardian" was. The latter, they found absurd...
"Continue your work, or do you want me to notify the Guardian about your insubordination?!" Zaryusu said sensing the tension, he gave the command with a stern voice, and right away, like they were threatened by a whip they continued their work, ever diligent. Almost like a small child who had been scolded by their mother.
Many from his crew, and his people still couldn't accept the cluelessness of these people. Trying to wrestle with the thought these aliens lived without the light of the Supreme Beings, and their guardian "angels".
After more than a thousand years, for the denizens of the Sorcerer Kingdom it was almost unheard... a profane thought they could exist without their lords and saviours. The beings who raised them from the ground. Gave them purpose. Saved them from themselves and their barbaric ways.
Before them… they fought with each other constantly. Hate and spite ruled over their minds. Almost going that far to fight until inevitable extinction. But now… they are allies, more than that! Brothers and sisters in arms.
Humanoids, demi-humans, and heteromorphic beings. Everywhere else it was an absurd idea that these three distinct types of people can work together, yet, because of the authority and staggering strength of the Supreme Beings and their servants, it worked just fine.
'The strong lead… the weak follow. The ones with power, protect the weak, in exchange the weak serves. '
That was the mentality of the Sorcerers Kingdom...
Anyone who tried to rise unjustly against their rule was crushed mercilessly. Anyone who challenged the rule of the ruler of death sooner or later found themselves face to face with the overwhelming loyalty and power of the Guardians, and countless servants of the Lord… or in the worst case, Death incarnate and his sword took care the ones disturbing their cherished peace.
Many tried it during history, all fell, either by the hands of the servants, or by the hands of Supreme Beings themselves.
"Commander…"
In the next moment, the Admiral sighed, somewhat expecting this reaction.
"Please forgive them, we made first contact less than a year ago. Most of our people are not yet accustomed to the thought of someone not knowing the grace of the Supreme Beings, and their servants. We have been taught about them since childhood. It is hard to think of someone not knowing them. It is almost like mockery of us if someone pretends not to know about them."
"I see…" Shepard nodded, looking around. It seemed, these people were religiously taught about the adoration of these beings. Almost like a sect… "But I really don't know about them."
Even more glares aimed at her direction, just with a look, Zaryusu forced his staff to continue their work. "I am aware of that. And I apologise for my crew's behaviour once more."
"No problem. Different cultures, different religion."
"This is not a religion…"
"No?" Shepard was surprised, she only saw such worship from religious fanatics from the movies, and the few terrorist she had to deal with under her career.
"No…" Zaryusu answered calmly. "Though, the church of forty one and different religions exist in the domain of the Supreme Beings. It is said by the law, one can think, voice their opinion, and practice their religion freely, until it either destabilises, or endangers the freedom of others. In any case that that happens, the community will mercilessly crush the chaotic elements. We do not negotiate with terrorists…"
The Admiral sounded deadly serious. And just now thinking of it, Shepard remembered a case she read about a few months ago. Not long after the Sorcerers Kingdom was introduced into the galactic playing field...
A batarian pirate crew kidnapped a civilian ship belonging of the Sorcerers Kingdom, trying to demand ransom. The Kingdom' answer was fast, sending a ship and agents right away… freeing the captives in under record time.
What awaited the Turian military when they arrived was horrific. The base of the pirates was devastated, all pirates were tortured and flayed alive. Given some substance that kept them alive even in that half dead state. Their eyes gouged out. It was an R rated scene several Turian still had nightmares about. Only one recognisable identification mark remained on the scene… the symbol of the Sorcerers Kingdom. Later reporters asked the spokesperson of the Kingdom… he/she only said this: "We will not and never will negotiate with terrorists… anyone who dares to threaten our civilians will be dealt with in the same way."
Naturally, this caused a big ruckus in the galactic scene, but also brought results... aside from a few more tries, no pirate crew tried to hijack, or kidnap assets belonging to the Sorcerer Kingdom. Even when passing in a pirate infested area they were mostly left alone.
"I see… then, why do your people react like this. If it's not a religion, then what makes you think of them like this?"
Zaryusu just smiled warmly, glancing at the commander before returning his gaze to the scene. "Gratitude, commander… Gratitude… before the Supreme Beings arrived we were primitive. Fighting against each other endlessly. Our differences almost made us go extinct. Only their arrival, their show of force made us work together, join hands to forge a new future…"
"You still have not said what a guardian is…"
"It is hard to determine precisely…" Zaryusu sighed, trying to come up with the best description, a description even an outsider could understand..
"Many say they are a simple concept, a simple idea, the picture of perfection. As most of our people never meet them personally, only seeing them in videos, or read about them. Our children grow up hearing and reading stories about these beings, beings serving the great ones. But if we want to say it simply. The most accepted description is... " The Admiral gulped, his tail hitting the hard floor in excitement.
"They are the guardian "angels" of the Supreme Beings. Their shield, their blade, their right hand. They are the harbingers of the great ones, doing their bidding in the mortal realm. They are the children of them, designed and created just for this task… they are the closest thing to a god, you can ever encounter… you can even compare them to the angels of that book your people adore so much… what was its name?"
Zaryusu pondered, and Shepard answered, suspecting which book he was talking about. "The Bible?"
"Yes… that's the one." the Admiral hummed. "Though, as I heard, the creator in that book is more of a short sighted child in a tantrum. Punishing his own creations because they want to learn? Blaming the fault of his own design on them? Tch! It sounds like a bad engineer to me… No offence commander."
"None taken…" she was not that religious of a person. Though, she wondered what Ashley would say hearing such a thing.
"So, your master's are different? Those… Supreme Beings…?"
"Indeed they are…" before Zaryusu could open his mouth, a third party voiced his opinion.
Immediately seeing the tall figure in orange tuxedo, the staff, even the Admiral froze, just to right away bow before the new appeared dark skinned demon with a metallic tail.
"Demiurge-sama!"
Only Shepard remained standing, earning an amused look from behind the spectacles of the man, and several hateful, fearful glares from the staff. "More precisely, our masters have always supported learning, advancement, knowledge and hard work. Supporting their people in their effort to find their own path, and be more independent."
"And you are…?" Shepard daring a question, and her raised brow almost made Zaryusu yank her down in his level. "Demiurge-sama, please, forgive her… she is…"
"It is no problem, Admiral…" the devious smile of the man unnerved Shepard. So calm, so calculating, like the devil himself was standing in front of her . Behind those spectacles were no normal eyes, just two perfectly cut diamonds measuring her. "She is an outsider, not yet experienced in the love of the Supreme ones… hopefully, that will change in the future."
Shepard's instincts screamed at her to get away from this man. That he is apocalypse incarnate! She couldn't help it feeling this way. Even so, she forced herself to endure, forced to stay on the ground.
"Yeah…" Shepard answered somewhat sarcastic. "Jane Shepard…" she offered her hand, this one act made Zaryusu and those around them sweat rivers.
"Demiurge… the guardian of the seventh floor, the monarch of the skies…" they shook hands. Shepard felt, the man went easy on her. With just one yank, he would of been able to tear her in half, and that scanning gaze... her spine shivered without stop.
"I heard a great many things about you, commander, care to share some tea? We can discuss things in more comfortable circumstances."
"Y-yes..."
On the Citadel, the same time
"What do you mean you are 'leaving' this is a serious situation!" Sparatus shouted at Esdeath' back as she swung the sword that had just appeared in her right hand, swinging it downward tearing a hole in space time. "There are thirteen million people on this station and your just going to leave without doing anything about that thing, people's lives are at risk?!" He continued.
"What 'thing' counsellor can you be more specific." she asked turning around with a curious face.
"""THE REAPER!""" They all shouted at once, only then to realise what they had just said after they noticed the ear to ear grin on the ashen haired girl in front of them.
'Gotem' She thought to herself, closing the [Gate] and stepping towards them once more, behind her followed Albedo cacaleing to herself internally, keeping her calm beautiful exterior thinking about how amusing it was to watch these Insects squirm under pressure.
"Well councillors how may I help you? You seem to be under a lot of stress recently." she said with a small grin, then she stopped and turned to the holo screen and put her left hand horizontal above her eyes and squinted. "Uwu, would ya look at that! There is a battle going on outside. Didn't even notice… how ignorant of me." She stated with caustic amounts of sarcasm.
"Oh speaking of, let's talk about your ignorance and arrogance for a second, shall we? You spoke before of the people of this station being in danger, yet your actions or the lack thereof will cause billions, possibly trillions to die."
"You can not know this!" Tevos shouted.
"I can and I do! But of course…" for a moment, she remained silent, sighing disappointedly. "How should a being of a lower dimension perceive this? Yes... After all, you can barely perceive your own "three" dimensions, not even speaking about the understanding of the fourth, or the fifth… or even the countless other dimensions and realities above that. Ah, sometimes, I forget people of this plane are like that… not even able to see through the walls Infront of them. Not even mentioning the infinite web of space-time and other things they don't even have words to describe yet. Still, they should perceive basic things, their limited perception allows them to sense at least three, from the four dimensions of this plane. Measure the level of danger, using the collected information and at least act to elude the danger…"
"Above… fourth…?" Valern was flabbergasted, slumping his seat in disbelief. "Impossible…"
Until now, dimensions above the fourth, were only mathematical conjunctions, nothing more. Even their scientist stated fifth, and dimensions above that only exist in theory. If what this girl said is true… then she is the first being that has appeared before them who stands above their four dimensional perception. Their senses only allowing them to see this "young girl" persona, as they are unable to sense more, see her real form or nature.
If what she said is true… considering that even a higher dimensional being was warning them of the threat… it was a depressing thought. Sending a message that they couldn't pretend anymore.
After a momentary pause… she continued.
"Even the most primitive animal, an amoeba is capable of this instinctual behaviour. Danger sense… others might call it. So sad, illogical beings with so-called "evolved consciousness" would rather pretend to be blind, than accept that their superiority was undermined or questioned… refusing to use even this limited sensory capabilities of theirs…"
'Boom!' the station had been shook by the explosion, most likely a ship collided with the outside shell. The councillors looked around, filled with confusion and fright.
"Indeed sad. Tch! Tch! Tch! Still, I can't ever understand why someone chooses to live with closed eyes, pretending to be blind, refusing to face the monsters, instead opening their senses and using the very thing they possessed since birth to elude the obvious danger, or at least lessen the impact of the fall. Completely giving up on the chance to act. It is like a predator willingly lowering itself to become cattle, instead hunting its prey. It is… I can't understand you. It is so unnatural. Sorry… you politicians always act against the common sense that warranted the survival of your species in the natural environment."
She replied calmly, her empty gaze wandering into the void while sighing… Not angry, but like a mother who deeply disappointed by her own child who failed her many times. Disillusioned… too tired to care. Gazing with an empty expression, watching nothing for a moment, and Tevos just gaped, like a suffocating fish, trying to understand, understand what she just heard.
"Wha-What?"
" What I'm trying to say is that there are thousands of those "insects" out there floating in the void some exactly like this one, as we speak, pouring into this galaxy, and your precious citadel fleet can barely scratch one. How amusing…" she offered a solemn grin as she shook her head, looking at the council before turning her gaze back to the battle.
"You are indescribably ill Prepared to deal with them, and what is coming…" she chuckled, almost like finding the whole thing funny. "Oh! Now I see what the Leviathans fought, and failed to stop… people make themselves extinct… how amusing, how foolish, how sad… in the end, creating the very thing that ended them. But I suppose, everyone creates the thing they dread… like… Men of peace create engines of war, people create…" for a moment, she pondered, like she lost what she meant to say, patting her cheek with her index. "Smaller people? Uhh... children!" she gave away a small crackle, finding the adequate word. "Lost the word there. Sorry... Children, designed to supplant them. To help them... end." for a moment, her expression offered a sad, but somewhat happy smile, like a person who accepted what will come. Her inevitable fate…
"Leviathans?" Anderson questioned murmuring, squinting his eyes.
"But we…" Sparatus started his objection only to have his maw forcefully shut by some invisible force. The force was such that it made him tumble backwards up and over the back of his chair.
"Sush… sush… you had the chance to speak until now. Stating your excuses like the brats you are. Refusing to do your homework and even lying about it… tch! Tch! Tch! Not nice… if you want to act like children, then you will be treated like the nasty children that you are." somehow, Esdeath acquired a reed stick, hitting her palm with it hard. Even Anderson shivered hearing the snap as the stick plastered against her palm. Making him remember one of his teachers from elementary school.
"Now, adults are speaking. Behave, and you may get a candy." They couldn't believe their ears, this insane child, woman, whatever was lecturing them like they were children.
Anderson was enjoying every second of it as he continued to listen to the rant and watch Sparatus get up off the floor, massaging his aching mandibles. He had wanted to say all of this from the start. Every time he brought up the Reapers he was shut down immediately, called an idiot or something along those lines. Now, it was the other three who had been lectured. And their teacher was merciless.
"She can be really scary sometimes… and she hasn't even started yet…"
Meanwhile, standing behind the Supreme Being, Albedo both enjoyed the moment, and shivered at it. This exact behaviour of the Supreme Being made her remember the time when she really pissed her off, and she was pummelled to the ground. Even Ainz could hardly do something to save her. Admittedly, now remembering it, it was her own fault. She should be more considerate doing such a thing. Yet, it was out of jealousy and a misunderstanding, she can't help it...
"Oh! It is so ironic, isn't it? Back then… You deemed Shepard a traitor, a senile woman so easily… an element, pursuing her own delusions. Her own illusions... Yet, she notified you of the looming incursion years ago and you didn't believe her. Yet, she offered you countless bits of evidence, evidence, you refused to accept, to even move your pinky to investigate. Yet, the news spoke about it, and you simply changed it, forging the information, offering a false narrative for the people. Building your little wall of ignorance. A safe place? Yes, that's what it's called in the social media... Tch! Tch! Tch! How sad… now then, I ask you this… children." she walked to their table, leaning over it, squeezing her "stick" in her palms..
"Who is the blind? Who is the stupid? Who is the idiot sandwich now?"
Now, watching her, the girl whose appearance cannot be older than a teenage human, looked like a giant. It was almost like they shrunk under her gaze. "I ask you this? Why would she have made those things up. Hmm? Moronic creatures… what could have possibly been her reason? She was your employee… No? No answer? You even forgot how to breath? I wonder how this galactic community functioned until now. It seems, not so efficiently…"
"It didn't make a difference there was nothing and no one of note to correlate her evidence!" Valern dejected.
Anderson coughed lightly into his fist at that statement from the Salarian. Who looked at him is spite.
"She was a spectre… according to your OWN policies it should of been thoroughly investigated and yet… it was not, why was that?"
With the Exception of Anderson they all turned their heads slightly to avoid the incredulous gaze of the girl In front of them as they had nothing to refute those claims.
"Nothing hah. Well then…"
"EXCUSE ME!"
...
Outside the battle waged on, ships were being destroyed left and right falling like flies in bug spray, this statement wasn't too far off the mark as the Reapers main weapon cut through there ships armour like a hot knife through butter.
Even after all the concentrated fire they were still unable to leave even a scratch on the enemy. someone had made the offhand comment that 'its like pebbles trying to fight a mountain'. Its shields were to strong, there didn't seem like a way to damage it even a little, anything they hit it with simply bounced off or disintegrated on contact.
The situation was becoming more drastic by the second, even after they had reinforced the fleet with an extra hundred ships after the first attack they meant nothing against this foe, of the two hundred and fifty ship strong fleet that protected the citadel only nine remain, not counting the Destiny Ascension the others were essentially cannon fodder at this point but even then the massive ship did not make a difference in the fight.
The Destiny Ascension had taken heavy damage during the 'battle', its right side was completely missing, shredded by a single stray beam that had hit it by accident as the Reaper did another of those sweeping attacks it seemed to be so fond of.
T'kavus, the commander of the Destiny Ascension had not fared any better than her ship, when the stray beam hit the ship it had compromised the secondary core, causing it to leak high amounts or gamma radiation killing everyone on lower decks and poisoning everyone else everywhere else, her crew was dying, her ship was dying, and worst of all she was dying, and if she didn't stop this thing a lot more people are going to die.
"EXCUSE ME!" she shouted through coms link trying to get everyone's attention.
"Oh commander still alive out there are we? Lasted longer than I thought you would." Esdeath stated but was ignored in favour of Tevos who was staring at the screen with hopeful look in her eyes as if hoping for something to get her out of this mess.
"Tevos… we are at code red. The secondary core was breached and all friendly forces are either dead or barely functioning and those few ships are being destroyed as we speak, trying to hold out just a little longer." With that sentence, all the hope in the counsellors eyes flooded out and was replaced by gloom and despair.
"I, I understand…" she said in a low tone. Then looked back to Esdeath who was looking on with interest. "Do you know of a way we can destroy it?" Tevos asked hesitantly.
"Ah, yes…there are a few ways of dealing with such things..." she replied succinctly.
"Then…"
"Nope! Sorry! Not my backyard! Don't have the mood to tell you. Your mess, solve it yourself…" with that, she waved the possibility away, leaning back in the comfortable couch she conjured for herself just a moment ago. Either way… she wasn't going to ruin the new toy she received as a present from her beloved niece. Those puppy eyes of hers would surely make her life miserable if that happens.
Seeing there are no other way, Tevos had no other fail safes left… raising her head with determined yet sad look in her eyes, she nodded to her fellow counsellors who replied with their own "We are here by ordering that 'Fates Decent' be activated, set core to self destruct on impact, kill that ship at all cost am I understood commander!"
"Yes councilwoman." The commander grumbled. This is clearly not what she wanted to happen but there was no other choice now. Her crew -what was left of it - felt the same way as she but they understood why it had to be done.
"The activation phrase please Tevos…" Tevos brought up her only omnitool and went to the one program she had locked away in the deepest darkest section of her files and activated it with little to no hesitation.
"Speak clearly councilwoman, loud and clear…"
"I can control my destiny, but not my fate. Destiny means there are opportunities to turn left or right, but fate is a one-way street. I believe we all have a choice as to whether we fulfil our destiny, but our fate is sealed."
"Phrase accepted and acknowledged! Core detonation has been engaged, it will be completed on impact with the enemy."
Please commence arm closure procedure." Sparatus spoke to his omni tool. With that the whole station shook as the arms slowly started moving into position.
"We thank you and your crew for your service, we hope you all bathe in the light of the goddess, you shall not be forgotten."
"Yes ma'am it has been an honour!" She said giving a solemn salute, crossing her arm over her chest and bowing slightly. After that the vid link was cut.
…
On the bridge on the Destiny Ascension a sombre mood was forming as the entire bridge crew had turned their heads to look at the commander with sad and shocked expression alike.
T'kavus was not one for speeches but one was needed in this situation.
"You all know… I am not a person of speeches…"
Her crew watched their captain in a solemn silence, every one of them knowing, there will be no tomorrow for them. Only nodding towards the commander, accepting, whatever she will say, it will be enough.
"This ship... it was built to be the last line of defence for the council and the citadel, it was designed to overwhelm and eliminate the enemy at all costs. Honestly speaking… since the battle two years ago. I somehow knew this day would come… eventually. Back then, we almost died. Only through sacrifice we were able to postpone… the inevitable." T'kavus smiled sombrely, looking through her crew.
"You were all, good people. Each of you are like family to me. Unfortunately…" she sighed heavily, these were indeed heavy words leaving her mouth.
"I don't want to lie to you, we will not survive this. And we have nowhere else to go. This ship is our last chance, if we don't stop that thing…" she pointed to the screen, and the crew saw how the Reaper sliced through the last remaining frigate with great ease.
"Then, all is lost. Our pleas, without answer. Our reasons, without actions. Our weapons, our efforts, all failed. And the only person who could possibly help us… just as you heard through the video feed - is not willing to act. The council, has no other fail safes left, but to entrust their, and the fate of the galactic community to us. They may not be the best leaders, but without them, we have no unity… and without unity…"
The commander pointed at the holo-screen, pointing at the closing Reaper.
"We have no chance to defeat them. Even with unity, we may fail… that's the hard truth." she offered one last smile, looking at her gathered crew with a bittersweet expression.
"But we have to try, because if not we, then who? Remember two years ago. The humans sacrificed themselves to save us. To win some time, to defeat one of those. Who so ever wants to leave, there are a few still functioning escape pods left, I will not hold you… but who wants to prove to those monkeys, who wants to prove to that damned girl and that scandalous Sorcerer whatever we can still fight, we can still hold our line! Remain... for destiny is a thing we choose, only our fate is written. So, who is with me?" she stepped forward, shouting.
"One last charge and a death even a Justicar would be proud of? Who is with me!? Who wants to show that bastard, the galactic community, that the Asari will not to be taken so easily!?"
The crew cheered, and T'kavus turned back to the main screen with a determined look on her face.
"Now charge engines as high as they can go! Fire everything we have left! Damage that thing as much as we can, I want as much of a chance to destroy it as possible!" Like a wave everyone in the bridge was overcome by anger and determination. Anger at the council for making them do something so stupid and determination to destroy the foe In front of them.
As they drew nearer to each other someone yelled at the top of their lungs "MA'AM! Enemy energy signature increased by one thousand percent! Something big is about to happen!"
"Dont worry about it, it will be dead soon!"
There was no time to figure out what it was doing, it wouldn't matter as in only seconds it would be dead and so would they.
They were coming up on it fast only fifty klicks from contact, within seconds an explosion the likes of which no one has seen will take place, and for reasons unknown, the bridge crew cheered as the main screen filled up with the dark armour of the enemy, then impact! and a bright blue light filled the screen…
"What happened!" She yelled as the core erupted.
"I-it telepor…
'BOOM!'
...
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY"RE STUCK?!" Sparatus shouted into his omnitool, if not for the serious situation it would of been quite comical.
"I don't know sir! The computer is just spitting out error codes and we have checked all the arms and can't find anything wrong. They just stopped at the halfway point" said a nameless Turian engineer.
"Hehehe… the winds of causality are strange sometimes. One overworked engineer, accidentally leaving a few metal beams in an unintended place, without fixing them down, then the constant explosions and tremors pushing those beams into the wrong place, damaging the sensors and the arm closing mechanism, this caused a glitch in the control interface, bringing out an until now unknown software bug, and the damage spread, making all arms unresponsive, forcing the whole system into a never ending cycle of error reports, such a thing can cause problems. A grain of sand in the machine. In the right place it can even stop the biggest machination. Thought, it wouldn't be even noticed if not this emergency…"
She snickered, biting her thumb like an evil mastermind who realised the puzzle called a plan had slowly pieced itself together. Like a domino effect, without even raising a finger only needed to place the first domino, then wait for the tremor called casualty to make every other piece fall into afterwards.
"Yet, it happened, bringing tragedy. Ain't it funny? Fate, or more like causality has its strange ways of fucking you straight away. But it all comes from a little things you wouldn't even notice. Place an item in the wrong place. Say a wrong word… give an order that wouldn't even affect you normally, a seemingly meaningless thing, but it heavily affects those people that service your machines… and the tragedy is here…" she muttered, biting her thumb like an excited child, seeing the beautiful synchronicity of things from a higher angle, and Valern just watched her in disbelief and horror.
"I don't care what it is, get those arms shut! It will blow anytime n-" Meanwhile Sparatus was still barking, ignoring the madness of the girl, ordering the engineers to do something.
"By the goddess…" Tevos muttered...
The whole room went silent suddenly, as in the next moment, the brightest light they had collectively ever seen was displayed on the screen, showcasing the end of the biggest most powerful ship in the fleet.
'Boom!' the whole station shook, groaned as the gravitational shock wave reached it. The councillors even fell out from their seats. A lot of other people where not so lucky.
Like an all encompassing firestorm, the explosion from the Destiny Ascension expanded outwards like that of a Nova hitting a star system and in front of it was the thing they dreaded, the one thing they had hoped be destroyed in all of this anarchy... The Reaper… escaped the explosion, teleporting away from the closing ship in the last moment.
"Damage reports!" Anderson demanded immediately as he got up groaning, and right away countless damage reports arrived on their omnitools.
...
Thousands of casualties all across the station, C-Sec was doing their best to control the population. Without much success of course... their numbers just couldn't suffice to control this many people at once.
All across the station people watched the losing battle, the destruction of their last hope, seeing all the efforts of those who protected them were in vain… A strange feeling of hopelessness started to fill the people. All angry, desperate, fear engulfing their hearts! Chaos...
The horror of realisation and desperation started to get better of them. They wanted revenge, mourning the ones they lost, knowing they can't do anything with the monster heading towards the Citadel... suspecting, or at least couldn't find others to blame, many headed towards the council chambers, demanding answers.
C-Sec until now somehow kept them in check. But the explosion was like a trigger, starting a chain reaction, reigniting the fear of vanity in the more than 13 million souls that inhabited the station. Like a plague, unstoppable, one by one the C-Sec lost their stations, angry citizens taking them over.
The rioting started… those who couldn't, or can't leave until now, desperately headed towards the port. Trying to grab a few of the remaining intact ships to escape. Others started to riot, trying to fight their way towards the council chambers to demand answers.
...
"Councilor Sparatus! We can't stop them! The citizens are rioting all over the station!" Came the C-Sec commander's voice from his omnitool. "Requesting permission for the use of live ammunition for crowd control!"
Tevos and Valern looked at Sparatus with horror, the man really considering giving the order.
"No! Use riot gear, rubber bullets, tear gas and biotic suppressants, only use live ammo if you have no other choice, enough people have died today!"
Anderson just sighed, he should have expected this. The other three councillors were trying to regain their control… just now, as they glanced at the screen. They wished they wouldn't have done so, as a nauseous feeling hit them right away realising what was heading towards them.
"The Reaper is still alive, but how? The core detonation should of killed it, what in the name of the goddess happened?" Tevos asked depressively to herself.
"This is insane! What happened? That explosion was the equivalent of an Eight gigaton nutrition bomb! Nothing should've survived not even that blasted thing." Anderson thought to himself as he watched the Live feed with a slack jaw.
"Must have teleported... haven't seen them do that before." Esdeath stated boorishly as if reading their minds, in exchange, all four councilors looked at her horrified, gaping in disbelief.
"WHA-WHAT!?"
"Well, must be the wonders of the stolen technology. Hah... These little fellows really know how to recycle and use that tech in the most surprising ways. They are really eco! Hehe… hmm, I should make a proposal to Ainz-san for their usage as garbage collectors. Turning them into garbage recycler units should solve a few problems. What do you think, Albedo? It worked quite well with that frost dragon tribe, making them the parcel delivery system in the first few years."
"It is a splendid idea, Esdeath-sama. Though, we need to consider what will happen to those with jobs in the garbage disposal business. This is a decision one needs to consider thoroughly." Albedo proposed gently, and the Supreme Being hummed considering her opinion.
"Ah, yes… you are right. We don't want to take their jobs…"
"You need to go and kill that thing, now!" The Turian shouted across the table interrupting her train of thought. She just stared blankly at him in return and then grinned.
"Hehehehehe No! I'm not going to lift a finger to help you if you aren't willing to help yourselves! This situation is your doing its your fault, you were meant to prepare... the Protheans warned you, Shepard warned you and now I'm warning you... those thousand ships you have build in secret ..."
"How?!" They all shouted at once.
"...Won't mean a thing in the long run if ya can't back it up with firepower... I swear you guys are your own worst enemy. Also you may want to hold onto something."
…
Outside the Reaper wasn't too far off, with each second it grew closer and closer, followed by giant ball of death and radiation that would kill everything once it reached the station.
Some of the people who weren't rioting were looking up at their impending doom with awe and desperation, some were praying to whatever god or spirit they believed in, to save them from whatever may come next. And other more sensible people were looking for some shelter - also unreasonable - as they as well know, if that radiation reaches the station, with the exception of the well insulated council chambers, it is most likely no organic matter would survive.
The arm that would be hit first would survive the longest as it would act like a shield, anyone standing in the middle of the arm would get to watch as everything turned into molten goo and ash, but eventually everything would die.
Then it hit, the people on the ground watched as the massive ship flew passed them literally scraping by the arms as it headed for the spire, it was a horrifying sight to behold , it didn't last long as they were turned to ash and dust in the next second by super-heated plasma that followed.
Some of the last alive watched as it latched onto the spire and started blasting away at the council chambers, they saw in their last moments as their bodies began to shut down and die from radiation or from being cooked alive, that the beam was reflected and deffracted, it was being refracted off something with the stray beams hitting the melting arms below.
...
Meanwhile, a little bit earlier, the councilors watched in horror, and with some reluctance how the Reaper approached the spire. Filled with dread, they had no other options left seeing the ever accelerating creature, and behind it the deadly wave closing moment by moment.
"This is all on you, in seconds, sending thirteen million to their death…" Esdeath muttered, leaning on her sword like an old Sage, watching the show of destruction from the first seat...
Anderson had had enough, until now, the man remained silent, somewhat enjoying as the girl roasted the council. But even he had his limits.
"Stop this madness already! They've learned their lesson!"
"Why so?"
"In seconds, thirteen million innocents will die. Thirteen million for what? To prove to them what you've already proved? Stop this! Enough has died today already!"
"Yes… indeed. Their deaths are on them, not on me. After all, they ordered the destruction of that ship. Not me, not Albedo… them…" she stated cold, making Anderson looked at her like he had seen some kind of monster.
"Councilors! It is already too late! We can't close the arms in time! By the spirits…nooo!" came the voice of the engineer through the com before going silent.
"What happened, repeat!"
In the next moment, the Reaper, like surfing the radiation and plasma wave behind it scraped by the almost closed arms, reaching the inner part of the wings, behind it like a destructive wave plasma and deadly radiation poured. The station may survive such a storm, like it always endured, it always has done in its existence… but the organics beings… them not so much. All of them will turn to goo, or die a painful death in the next few moments.
"On the ground!" the four councilors crouched, jumping on their stomach as the destructive wave washed through the station. Causing innumerable amounts of internal damage, and killing everyone in the station. Everyone, except them… it was strange though, even with the insulated, reinforced council chambers, some damage should have been caused to this room.
"Ugh…" the wave passed, and somehow, the people in the room was still alive.
"This is councilor Anderson, status report! Status report!" no answer… only static shizzles. Every councilor was trying to do the same, all receiving the same answer.
"By the goddess… all those people…" Tevos collapsed, could not bear it anymore as she wept. Valern was still hoping someone survived and was trying to reach the Spectres, trying to recover some information from the system. Anderson was shocked, by the innumerable deaths, sitting, breathing deeply… as for Sparatus…the Turian had enough! Even if this will be the last act of his life, he will do it! Pulling his gun he aimed it against the head of the Supreme Being.
"You insufferable child, look what you have caused! Millions dead in mere moments just because of your senseless games!"
"Oh, more will die, but not because of me…" she glanced lazily at Sparatus, then back to the screen, like the specially made Spectre grade gun wasn't even a threat. "But because you. You spent your time playing your game, not caring about the consequences, squandering your time on useless things like politics and personal self interest… the death of the galaxy will be on you, all of you, not me, not anyone else, but you! Here is your reward… enjoy."
"You little shit! Die!" Sparatus pulled the trigger, again and again and again... emptying the heat sink into her head, but it was useless, all the grain sized ammunition was worth notch, stopped mid flight before colliding with her head.
"Impossible!" the Turian backed in horror, seeing how powerless he was, how the best tech their species could offer was powerless before a mere girl.
"An interesting fact… did you know, this station and the relay system was built by them, and not the Protheans? The protheans like you just found it, and where they are now?"
"What!?"
'Crash!' in the next moment, the Reaper landed on the spire, still living and intact, its shields protecting it from the radiation and plasma wave. All suspected what it was trying to do. Yet, unlike Sovereign who tried to control the station, this exact creature did the opposite, charging its weapons, leveling directly at the council chambers..
"No!" Anderson shouted, raising his arm, to at least not witness the terrible consequences.
'Fuw!' the laser started burning through the outer plating like it wasn't even there, and in the moment it reached the inner spire. 'Pang!'
For long moments, all four councilors closed their eyes, unable to witness their own deaths, only to moments later open them, shocked that they were still alive.
"Wha-What…" all of them gaped, expecting death, yet, before them, before the plasma and the deathly ray could turn them to ash, a bubble like shield appeared, completely blocking the Reaper's best attempts to break it through and kill them.
"Such a loyal construct, following orders until the end. Such a dignified logic, pursuing the hated enemy even there. No, it is not hate, but pure, cold logic dictates to fight against the thing that defies its own nature."
"Albedo-nee would you get that for me while I lecture these children. I think it's time I showed them something they will never forget…"
"What are you… your insane she's just a po..li..ti..cian..." with each word Anderson angrily spoke Albedo took a step and with each step armor like the darkest night appeared on her curvaceous body, with the last step she turned and glowing yellow eyes stared back at them through the narrow slit in her helm. now with an intricately decorated dark sword and shield in hand.
"Yes Esdeath-sama! How much should I damage it!? Do you still wish to keep it!?"
"Na doesn't matter go have some fun! How long has it been since you got to let loose last? Gotta be coming up on four hundred years now."
"Thank you for the opportunity!" She yelled happy as she turned back around, passing the thin membrane that was the shield surrounding the chamber, running into and through the superheated beam of light like it was nothing.
When she finally came to her objective, the lenses of the ships main weapon she simply swatted it away with a [Shield Bash] breaking through the energy shield that the entire citadel fleet and an explosion that equates to a small star couldn't break through, tearing away bits and pieces of the Spire it was latched onto as it lost its balance and started to fall..
If their eyes could fly out of the skulls they would be on the other side of the galaxy.
"You people are fucked up!" Anderson shouted from his position, trying to consider the whole situation as a bad dream, a sick joke… this cannot be true. It was just too absurd that a simple humanoid could knock a Reaper out just like that. A Reaper, which the whole citadel fleet and an enormous explosion amplified by the volatile nature of the Nebula around couldn't even scratch.
"Why thank you! Now… why don't we get this party started!" she raised her pocket watch, watching it attentively, silently singing a little. 'The grieving, the fury, enveloped inside...'
Well I hope you like it, if you did please leave a review as it helps us writers refine our work. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to PM me.