Disclaimer: All Characters, lore, and locations of Mass Effect and BioWare belong to BioWare. The story is of my own thought.

Inspired by totallybursar's Stars Fade. Please for the love of all that is beautiful, read this story, Stars Fade is a work of art. The writing is superb!

Chapter Title: Courtesy of Disturbed for their awesome inspiration.

"Stricken"

2184CE: Citadel, Zakera Ward, Sight Eidyia.

Finnegan wasn't truly an evil man, he was simply pragmatic. Cerberus was simply the best way of putting his talents to good use. Finnegan was an actually a licensed therapist, but was also a military interrogator for the Alliance. After the First Contact War and countless patients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, the good doctor found a calling, interrogating prisoners of war, or criminals that the Alliance had captured, specifically during the Skyllian Blitz. Dealing with the troubles of those who fought at Shanxi hardened Finnegan at an early point of his career. Most of the information secured through his techniques would eventually lead to the Raid of Torfan, however, the doctor and his associates at the time did not acquire information leading to the pirates at Torfan's reinforced bunker. While the Batarian funded slavers were surely a threat to humanity, the doctor found himself wondering whether or not it was giving humanity the edge it really needed.

At 57 years old, the man had become not only renowned for his methods of interrogation, but his research into emotional connections to biotic gave him notice to the Illusive Man. So in 2179, a year after the Raid of Torfan, Cerberus offered the doctor a lead position to Project Asclepius. The project was meant to survey and observe rare individuals that could provide benefit humanity's evolution. But it was also another focus into biotic research, as many of the doctor's methods required meant extreme restraints, including biotic suppressing drug cocktails on biotic samples.

However, as the head of Project Asclepius, Finnegan was directly in charge and only reported to the Illusive Man, but this also meant he had a responsibility to impress the Illusive Man. But ever since Sovereign's attempt to bring back the Reapers and the late Commander Shepard's death, his Project was technically postponed, due to the massive flow of funding heading to the Lazarus Project, funding Finnegan was willing to kill for in order to do some real research. Ever since Sovereign, he knew that the Reapers existed for real. But humanity needed proof. His ability to lead the Project had been starting to deteriorate, but now, he was handed his funding, and the strength of humanity. This young troubled person was a prime example of biotics through initial testing, but proved to be exceptionally dangerous. But to Finnegan, the only thing that was important was that he had to use this man as an answer to a question? But which question?

As the tall man entered the bright room, Nihlus could only look up, from his position in the corner. He woke up several hours before, blinded by the light reflecting off the walls of the room. He first thought he was in a glass room, or even dead. But tapping the paneling of the floor and even creating a little flicker of magic assured his mortality. But it was strange that his magic didn't conjure up something more, well vibrant.

Nihlus couldn't discern what was keeping him from just burning the room from the inside out but he could move. He moved towards the corner of the room, couching his back towards the corner, digging his face into his arms.

"Twice I have found myself in a corner, hazed out of my blighted mind….What the hell am I doing? Whatever these….are these Templars? They're the only ones who suppress magic like this…oh those bastards stole my pouch," he thought to himself, struggling with massive migraine, that the light from the room and whatever the "Templars" did to him. After an hour of thinking and talking to himself, a sound caught his own attention. Nihlus immediately looked at one of the walls. The room itself was fairly large, much larger than his previous host's. The wall started to shift and moved outward from the inside of the room, creating a frame for something like a door. The piece then split into and seemed to have moved into sides of the new frame.

A man stepped into the doorway, and to Nihlus, he looked like an elder. But no matter that he was an elder; Nihlus recognized the face from outside the window of his first holding in this blighted hell he stepped into.

The man walked over to Nihlus, an orange light engulfing the man's arm.

"A mage?" the warden thought to himself, "I must be in a circle…bastard if I was them, I would make me tranquil as fast as possible. They don't care. Even if they know I'm a Warden, which they should, I mean, I killed the Archdemon…at least I think I did?" The in front of Nihlus began to speak, but not to Nihlus, but to the light around his arm.

"Subject appears distraught, likely a side effect to the neural cocktail applied for restraint," the man spoke. Nihlus looked at the man directly, glaring at him, sparks of energy, small amounts, but still a presence of magic was in him. He could take on this Templar if he had to…there are other means.

"But would I stoop so low? . . . No…sadly…I wouldn't."

Hitting the record button on his Omni-tool, the doctor began to speak, "Dr. Donnelly Finnegan presiding, 2184CE, Project Asclepius, Interview Zero-One, Subject Icarus. Subject appears distraught, likely a side effect to the neural cocktail applied for restraint. Note: Cocktail 6513 was previously tested before project failure on one Subject Zero, application has resulted in biotic suppression, no incidence as of yet." As the man knelt to look at the man, the man was fitted with clothing besides his own run down rags during his sedation, the man had to be early twenties, blue eyed, but with blackened hair, a strange display of genetics, the doctor thought. From the man's essentials, a pouch was found, with an embroidered name of Nihlus Amell on the flap, and also some warning about spontaneous combustion, but the doctor waived it off as nonsense.

"Subject appears physically able, able to display martial abilities even under restraint," he began to say, "If this, 'Nihlus' is what he seems to be; he may be a recorded Alliance biotic if not military. However, initial searches have turned up negative; a blood test may prove a viable option."

Finnegan got back up, with Nihlus making no movements whatsoever, he didn't need to provoke them, and they needed to provoke him. Finnegan touched his omni-tool again, creating a scan function, the scan's lights going over Nihlus's body. As this was happening, Nihlus cowered at the sudden display of light; to him it was like magic, just more refined to him. Within the last moments of the scan, Nihlus got up from his position, holding a hand in front of his eyes, to block the scanning light. The scan to Finnegan was actually just a simple bio-statistics scan, the scan quickly finishing and a light tab showed on the omni-tool, with Finnegan continuing to say;

"Note: Subject shows disturbed reactions to artificial light, Subject may either be victim to cryogenic freezing or severe distraught caused by injuries sustained during his arrest. Subject Icarus may be in no position to tell of his entry into Sector 15," the doctor sighs turning away, still speaking to his Omni-tool. "Reminder: Operative Selma is to bring me the reports C-Sec filed, inform Mess Hall staff to provide the Subject required sustenance, perhaps some level of bribery is required in order to get answers, and finally establish a comm link to Operative Lawson, I have something to discu-"

"What in the name of Andraste's tits is an Icarus?"

Finnegan turned around, only to see the man gone from his spot in the corner. Finnegan was stunned by the amount of endurance this man had, even under sedation he had incredible control over his primary locomotive functions. Finnegan soon turned his head looking in the room, finding the man relaxing on the bed that was supplied in the cell, about the only thing they could supply without the man possessing the ability to escape.

"Excuse me?" the doctor inquired.

"You must not be very bright," the Warden said, a smile coming to his face, the first since his arrival in this new place, "I said, 'What in the name of Andraste's tits is an Icarus?"

Finnegan smiled, obviously amused, "I'm surprised you don't know he would be the first human, in mythology of course, to ever fly."

"I'm sure if this 'Icarus' was able to fly I would of heard about it, it would be very useful to fly," Nihlus said. He soon got up from his relaxed position, resting against the wall and the bed instead of the bed solely. "Besides, I'm sure the Templars would benefit from them more, your precious Chantry always has its fingers in everyone's business, why not from the air as well."

"Templar?" the doctor asked, "You think I'm a Templar? I'm afraid I'm no knight, sir."

"Then a mage? I presume such magic I have not seen."

The doctor laughed, "I would say not, and if you're talking about my Omni-tool, I'm sad to say you're mistaken."

Nihlus glared at the doctor, continuing to make sense of the man in front of him, "If not a neither mage nor Templar, may I inquire the symbol on that rag you call a robe?"

The doctor stared at his lab-coat, a coat made specifically for Cerberus operatives, and the symbol of Cerberus imprinted on the pocket of the coat itself. The doctor looked back at Nihlus, quickly pushing aside the question;

"You sound like an educated man, if you should know of Cerberus; we represent humanity's interests, its future, and its place in the grand scheme of its advancement."

"Hah, that's a laugh, humanity has done nothing but scheme and steal its way to power for thousands of years, if what you say is true, your…Cerberus, is nothing but another pawn of the Templars."

Finnegan glared right back at the man, clearly angered by his assumptions. With a wave of his hand, two large men in full armor, came into the room, standing at ready by the doctor. The mage rose from the bed, measuring up the armored men mumbling and then chuckling. Finnegan, annoyed with the laugh, asked the Warden;

"What is so funny?"

"Your complete and utter foolish gesture that you have any reason to hold me Templar, I am a Warden," Nihlus said as he walked past the armed men, seeing a transparent orange cube on a table. Nihlus attempted to grab the object, its sides flowing with runes and sigils constantly shifting in cyclic movements. To Nihlus, it was like touching light itself, but not. It was light-weighted, and it easily manipulated the runes easily moving under his fingers. But the problem to Nihlus was not the object itself, but his curiosity was beginning to over-boil.

"Where in Tevinter have I seen these symbols…why do I feel like that was supposed to dissipate? Huh."

Nihlus began to touch several of symbols, starting to shift them along the cube's surface on the circular tracks, moving some to another side and some completely vanishing. It was like a wave of information, he didn't actually know what the symbols exactly but he knew where to put it them and how. Finnegan and the guards, who were probably bored out of their minds before entering the room, looked on as the man just kept turning and touching the cube. Until the movements stopped, and a sound of a bang was heard, and the cube turned green.

"Holy Maker…how…how can light make a sound," the young Warden said.

Finnegan was impressed, amused by the test that was laid out before. For experimental purposes, Cerberus had found an entry console into Sector 15, but was only able to copy the object. This console was like the cube in Nihlus's hands, but only keepers were seen being able to use the console. Any other species that had tried to interact with the console had always resulted in failure, and usually a quick blackout in the surrounding area of the war. But for a human found out of the blue, a human that was in the very same sector of Keeper tunnels, and a blackout as well; this man had to be in the tunnels, he had to know something.

"It was but a test…and you passed," Finnegan spoke up.

"A test?" the Warden asked, "What test involves moving light?"

The doctor looked only confused, and was about to ask what the man meant, but Nihlus continued to rant.

"What kind of test is this!? What magic is this!" he pointed to the now green lit rune on the one side of the cube, Answer me!" the mage shouted, a flicker of energy flowing over his body, a flicker unnoticeable by the guards and the doctor.

"Calm down, everything will be answered in time," the doctor calmly said. Raising a finger, he pointed towards the cube, "You do realize what you just did and what you mean by magic? It's simply an interactive hologram."

"Holo…gram…" the Warden never heard of the word before, it was hard trying to sound it out. "You delay your answers with question and words that have no meaning! Bah! You might as well be a Seeker, Templar. You seek answers to questions which don't exist!" Nihlus shouted, frantically pacing around the room, his glare never leaving the doctor like a predator watching his kill.

"We need answers from what you know. You have the knowledge that can tell us what hides in those tunnels…do you not know what you have uncovered? Centuries of missed opportunities, and humanity has done what the other species have. And Cerberus needs to know how," the doctor said, his Omni-tool still recording the conversation. This question something more of preliminary, to see if the man would give them their undivided chance to show what he knew willingly. But at this moment, the subject was leaning more to resisting then cooperation.

"I know not of what you speak of, Templar, I have little memory of those tunnels." Nihlus was becoming impatient, the man was truly irritating. This man wanted him to remember things that he couldn't remember at will. Nihlus was just lucky he could remember his own name; let alone how to use his own magic. His memory was always rather selective, but when he needed to memorize something, his memory was like a spirit, everlasting and infinite. "I am a Warden, and I will be released. You have no right to hold me." Nihlus said, heading towards the frame in the wall, but the door had again shut in front of him, "What demon's work is this?"

"You speak of demons sir? Tell me. How is it that such an intelligent man can believe and speak of things like magic and demons…and these Wardens? When he is surely worth such more than what he thinks." Finnegan said, tapping several functions on his Omni-tool. "Note: Subject Icarus appears to be suffering from a form of dissociative disorder; possibly hallucinating…we may have to resort to more…coercive."

Nihlus stood staring at the frame of the former doorway. Finnegan motioned a guard to secure and restrain Nihlus, but not to do any damage to the subject; the good doctor needed more answers to Icarus's ranting. As one of the guards took a step towards the man, Nihlus looked at his hand, a ball of energy forming in it. None of the three other men in the room had noticed it. They were more focused on the man himself. In the Circle, an assortment of Templars and a commander and a closed door meant one was suspect of either being a malificar, or an abomination, he would fall victim like those sheep. One of the armored guards put a hand on his shoulder;

"Provocation…you just made a big mistake."

With a motion, the mage turned towards the guard, taking the man by the wrist, easily twisting and breaking the man's wrist. Despite the man's stature and his armor, his confidence led to his own foolishness. The man tried to respond with a blow to Nihlus's head, Nihlus was able to block the attack, the Arcane Warrior's phylactery was truly paying off, and took a knee to the man's suit. The man fell to his knees, Nihlus wasn't able to see if pain-anguished face under his helmet, but his own pain was noticeable; his own knee probably shattered by the armor. But still the mage took his hand, a swirl of energy wrapping around his hand, and the swirl met the man's helmet. With a strike of telekinetic energy, a snap was heard; the sound was large enough to fill the room for everyone to hear. The man's body flew across the room, hitting the wall and then the bed, resting on the floor. The other guard raised a weapon, but the mage took his hands and directed the energy building inside him. To the shock of the doctor and the guard, it wasn't any biotic ability the ever saw before, in fact, it didn't look like it was possible.

Fire. Literal fire shot from the man's hand, engulfing the guard's body. The fire could easily avoid the guard's kinetic barriers, and the man's armor was quickly being eaten away by the ravenous flames. Nihlus stood there looking at his own handy work, while Finnegan was quickly alerting the base, but despite his cold but still surprised look on his face, in his mind he was completely stunned…to him it meant a lot more than just Sector 15. This man had no tech on his person, not even an Omni-tool or an identity program, how could he summon up fire? Let alone resist the effects of the cocktail. However, Finnegan, in the corner of his eye, could see that Nihlus was approaching him…quite rapidly.

Nihlus dropped the light cube, slightly limping from the broken knee. Finnegan had tried to inject another dose of the cocktail through his Omni-tool to Nihlus, but nothing happened.

"Shit, great time for a malfunction," Finnegan thought. But Nihlus continued, and the Omni-tool fizzled out. Nihlus grabbed Finnegan by the throat, clutching hard enough to lift him slightly, pushing him against the wall. Nihlus summoned up another wisp of flames in his hand stretching out behind his back, his hand facing the doctor's face. Finnegan could actually feel the flames' heat but still, there was no tech, and the man's hand wasn't burned at all, this man…was completely unfazed by his own abilities. Nihlus looked at the doctor, trying to lift him up higher than his knees would allow him to, speaking calmly, but with a commanding tone;

"I am Nihlus Amell of the Grey Wardens, and you cannot fathom what I know and what I've seen. And you never will." The mage positioned him again, preparing to strike the doctor with his flame engulfed hand. But then, Nihlus's eyes went wide, the doctor could hear a popping sound…the sound of an injection dart. Behind Nihlus, stood several guards, one holding a dart-gun, its cartridge empty of the dart. Nihlus fell limp, the fire dissipating from his hands. Finnegan grabbed his own throat, gasping for air. One of the guards walked up, moving over the limp body and approaching the good doctor. Nudging him on the soldier, he said;

"Doctor? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Finnegan said, "Secure him, and transfer him to D-Wing. This requires more influential methods." The doctor gasped again, still clinging onto air. His Omni-tool finally re-sparked, and he continued to speak; "Note: Subject Icarus is a fully functional biotic, abnormalities present. Report findings to Illusive Man…Note: Subject Icarus is resistant to Cocktail 6513. Increasing dosage will cause permanent brain damage…not a reliable source of suppression. Interview Zero-One concluded."

2185: Citadel Docking Control, Citadel Space.

A shift in space appeared, the relay's 'gates' slowing down as a ship exited its run through its FTL travel. The ship closed the distance between the relay and the Citadel with great speed, traveling through the nebula's gasses like a bird in the air. At the docks, a lone docking administrator was managing the traffic of this sector. Unlike most nights it was some random celebration going on in the other Wards…which apparently ever other dock worker in Zakera ward was invited to. But then, a signal appeared on the administrator's LADAR, and she activated her comm link.

"Unknown Ship, this is Citadel Docking Control, Zakera Ward. Please state your business."

A voice spoke, quickly getting to the point, "This is Commander Shepard of the Normandy. Requesting permission to dock."

The worker thought to herself real quickly, she heard that the commander was actually alive but she didn't think she would actually find out from the Commander herself. "…Docking request approved. Welcome back to the Citadel, Commander."

"Great to be back."

(A/N: Here's the next chapter guys! Thank you for the follows and the favorites and thanks for the hint Gavoon...I do like the word 'then.' But there's your hint of Shepard, hopefully I'll bring her back more for the next chapter.)

Author's Codex

Sector 15 is a universal identification of special zones of the Citadel Wards. These zones consist of Keeper tunnels completely inaccessible to the Citadel occupants. While the name 'Sector 15' isn't specific to the commons of the Wards, its universal meaning spreads to over eighteen 'Sector 15's' across all five wards, including the Presidium. Every entrance to these zones has been marked by Citadel Security, each entrance is easily identifiable by a Keeper-use only console. Since the discovery of the Citadel, 400 blackouts in the areas surrounding the Sectors have occurred. Everyone has been random and all of the blackouts extend after either decades or even centuries. After Sovereign's attack and the substantial boost in Citadel safety, C-Sec have aggressively been keeping track of all entrances and exits to and from the Sectors. The Council has also ruled all attempts to gain access to these "essential areas of the continuing function of the Citadel," will be charged with an assortment crimes. The ruling was first made shortly after they decided to ban all interaction and researching of the Keepers, long before the Humans even heard of the Turians.