Author's note: Yesterday while walking to work, I had a small thought about Mass Effect. Coupled with the hopes I have for the 20th anniversary of Mage, I was inspired to bang out a few words, and posted them. Here we are, one day later, and somehow this little idea of mine received follows, alerts, and even a review! Oh my. Well, in thanks to you all, I have banged out a few more words. Enjoy.

Mass Effect 1, Virmire

The Normandy's hold was deathly quiet.

Shepard sat, lips pressed tightly, hands clenched on her thighs. Her body quivered with suppressed fury. Wrex and Garrus glanced at each other, but didn't say anything. Tali was helping Liara patch up Ashley.

Kaidan's voice came over the com, gunfire in the background. "It's been an honor serving with you, Shepard."

Ashley cleared her throat. "Three minutes to nuclear detonation." She looked miserable; physically she was wounded and exhausted, but guilt rolled off her in waves. "Kaidan, we'll never forget you."

The Normandy rumbled beneath them as they climbed into space, escaping destruction. Tali and Liara finished their first aid. Everyone looked out the window at the planet, and the team member they were leaving behind.

Shepard suddenly stood. "Today, we stem the tide of destiny, even if it calls down our doom." she murmured as she strode to the middle of the landing bay. She pulled off her gloves, and tossed them to the side. "Everyone, hold tight and let me focus. This is important. Don't interrupt me." She glared at her team, until they nodded and agreed.

She pulled out her combat knife.

Shepard looked over to Ashley. "Ash, you're a Christian, correct?"

Ashley flinched and glanced around at the rest of the crew, then straightened. "Yes chief, I am. Is there a problem?"

Shepard stared intently at her. "You really believe? You have faith?"

Ashley nodded.

Shepard stared at her for a few more moments, and then nodded. "Isaiah, chapter 57. First two verses. Please."

Ashley blinked. Then she pulled up the verses on her onmitool. "The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away…"

Shepard drove her knife into the palm of her hand, and ripped it down. Blood sprayed across the deck. Flesh dangled where the knife tore it away, and the bones of her knuckles were visible. Ignoring the exclamations from the rest of the crew, she started walking in a circle. She motioned at Ashley to continue with the blood covered knife.

Ashley took a deep breath, "… and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death."

Shepard knelt in the middle of the bloody circle, tucking her legs beneath her. She placed the knife precisely by her side, put her right hand on her thigh, and put her bleeding left hand on the ground in front of her. She closed her eyes.

"1 Corinthians now. Chapter 15. Start at verse 42." There was a strange smell in the air, electric and alive. Shepard's words echoed strangely.

Ashley nodded, and continued, "It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength..."

Shepard closed her eyes. "More. Skip to verse 51, and go to 55. Don't stop talking. Everyone else, shut up."

There was a building vibration now; as Ashley spoke, each word seemed to pile on top of the one before. It drowned out all other noise. Even the Normandy's engines were made quiet.

"But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!"

In front of Shepard, the pool of blood from her hand formed into a perfect circle.

"It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown."

Shepard reached up with her good hand, and drew a shape in blood on her brow.

"For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed."

The blood started to change color, until Shepard's hand was pressed against a black void, drinking in the words being pulled from Ashley. The mark on her forehead had also become black. It was in the shape of an eye.

"For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies."

Shepard opened her eyes, and they were also black; a solid pitch.

"Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:"

Shepard flexed her bloody hand, and raised it into the air. She reached up with her right hand, and clenched her left elbow.

"Death is swallowed up in victory."

Blood pouring from her eyes and ears, Shepard thrust her hand, her arm, down into the black circle, and through, into the deck beneath.

"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"

Shepard heaved her body up with a scream, throwing herself out of the circle, and as she pulled her bleeding hand back, Kaidan was clutched in her broken grip.

Behind them, a nuclear sunrise dawned on the planet's surface.