Eons ago, after the Alpha event that imbued their world with the gifts of anti-dark-e-matter had occurred - when Arius' people had been young and plentiful, and their homeworld thrived and was wholly their own, they had sought to weaponize their gifts. Their powers were dissimilar from those of the biotics they would eventually meet - unlike those suffused with dark-e-matter, they could not spike their output on demand, nor could they use it to manipulate their world. They were limited to gradual increases in the cost of energy expenditure, and the increased power output only served to accelerate the unusual healing effects their gift bestowed. It was entirely a defensive power, which, on paper, paled in comparison to the utility of biotics, but it did serve to make proficient users of the gift very hard to kill.

To maximize its utility, his people sought instead to push the physical body past its self-prescribed limits. For most, the central nervous system limited muscle strength to around 60% of its total capacity. This served to curb potentially fatal exhaustion caused by overexertion and prevented the body from damaging its tissues, ligaments, tendons, and bones in its usage. This limit could be involuntarily removed through exceptional circumstances and stressors, such as during the release of adrenaline in fight-or-die situations. Thus, the strategy was to allow conscious control over the limit of muscle power up to its theoretical maximum through intense conditioning and body modifications. The bodily harm it invariably caused could be mitigated by ramping up their power output to heal tissues when the damage occurred. Conventional strength conditioning also increased the resting and theoretical limits, so a high degree of physical fitness was essential to achieving a maximum when the time arose. When the strategy was appropriately employed, users sometimes found nearly double their baseline fitness in speed and strength. Altogether, this unique combat art of his kind had made them especially dangerous in close-quarters combat and nigh-invulnerable against the biotic users they would meet.

For every advantage it afforded, however, there was a downside. Employed improperly, usage could cause lasting physical damage and death by overexertion. For those fortunate enough to possess an abundance of anti–eezo nodules in their bodies, overusing their gift taxed them with exceptional caloric and nutritional requirements. Healing did not come for free - raw materials were needed to repair tissue, and energy was required to sustain heightened bodily processes. Much like krogan, if none were found from digestion, the body would consume its healthy tissue to find what it needed to repair its damaged ones. If unchecked or if not supplemented by proper nourishment in time, death by starvation and medical auto-cannibalism naturally followed. At their peak of power, it had not been uncommon for his people to burn so bright and hot that they flashed themselves out like hypergiant stars, which, after being bigger and shining brighter than all others, burned themselves out in a fraction of the time.

Until recently, Arius had been living in the lowest strata of conditioning. At a minimum level, he could hold back the forces of accumulative damage that caused aging, heal major wounds in hours, and ate at intervals one would expect from a biotic user. Now, he knew the time for bidding had ended. Since his re-inclusion on the Normandy, he had been slowly preparing himself, attending to consistent tasks to boost his metabolic rate. He ate almost continuously, even when not hungry. When he wasn't on a mission with Shepard or involved with business, he involved himself in high-intensity workouts and heavy lifting. It was a positive feedback cycle: his gift aided rapid bulking, and extra muscle or body fat doubled as a last-resort resource store in case damaged tissues needed repair. At the same time, the overall increased metabolic rate increased the potency of the gift, causing faster bulking and further metabolic heights. But those were not the only changes from the cycle: he ran hot. As Tali had discovered, there was an authentic sensation of heat and vigour when standing near him, even through the quarians' temperature-controlled enviro-suits. Any nicks, scrapes, bruises and cuts one had would vanish after having a short face-to-face conversation with him. Vega made it a point to schedule his strength training at the same time Arius did, and he saw significant decreases in recovery time between sessions. For non-life-threatening ailments, Chakwas had prescribed simply sitting or standing in Arius' presence for a little while as healing times would be shortened, followed by a hearty meal to quell the appetite one would inevitably develop.

At the apex of his people's power, when off-world expansion had not yet diluted the concentration of the rare element they had been bestowed with… When the food had been plentiful, their environments challenging, and their powers burned hot… when they had gathered themselves tribewise under their star-lit, moonless sky and ran as swift as the wind and struck as surely as rock… they were indeed a sight to see. They had been nearly gods - before the search for knowledge had fractured them, the dream of glory had burned them out, and their destiny at the hands of the Reapers had obliterated any traces.

To those on the Normandy who knew him as such, Arius had not been a golden-age child of the sun. He had been born long after, near the end of his people's bright but brief time on the galactic stage. By the time of his deliverance, the stories of the past giants had long been reduced to myth, and the strength of his people, once marvelled, had dwindled like a dying flame. In the grand scene, he had not been remarkable among his kind by any stretch - but he had, by chance and perhaps fate's way, become the inheritor of a unique combination of disposition, accumulated knowledge, extraordinary experiences, and a singular tool that paved his ascent through history so that those aboard the Normandy glimpsed again that bright flame once marvelled.

.

The lights of the hangar shimmered over the form of the shuttle as Arius and Steve waited for the rest of the members chosen to go planetside.

Steve looked over at Arius, curiosity evident in his eyes. "Arius, you look... good. Like really good. You're practically glowing."

Arius tilted his head, smiling softly. "Thank you, Steve."

Steve hesitated for a moment, the glint of wonder in his eyes. "I can't even imagine a planet full of your people. Must've been something to see."

"It was, or so the stories say."

"You ever miss them?" Steve's voice was filled with genuine concern.

Arius seemed to ponder the question for a moment. "It's been so long, it's like looking at a picture from someone else's album," he said. "In many ways, the Protheans seem more real to me now than my own flesh and blood."

In a stroke of timely coincidence, Javik exited the elevator, joining them for the descent down to Thessia.

Steve looked hopeful as he ventured, "Ever think there might be more of your people out there? I mean, if you survived, maybe others did too, hiding behind a relay or something?"

"Often. And yes, I've looked, trust me." Arius's voice dropped lower as he continued, "The Reaper war was a different kind of hell for us. Those of us with certain abilities pushed ourselves to the limit. But this war, it was nothing like we'd faced before. We were used to finding food, but the Reapers... they destroyed entire ecosystems. We starved faster than the rest. I survived mainly by luck and, well, my own miscalculations. I thought the war would be over quickly and didn't prepare like the others. My metabolism was slower. I love food, but the constant hunger that I have right now... it's agony sometimes."

The elevator doors slid open with a soft, mechanical hiss. Liara and Shepard stepped out, each clad in their armour. The subtle glow of biotic energy danced around Liara's fingers, a testament to the anticipation building within her.

With practiced efficiency, they boarded the shuttle, securing themselves in their respective seats. Cortez, hands deftly moving over the console, initiated the shuttle's launch sequence. As the deep hum of the engines began to resonate throughout the craft, the massive hangar doors started their gradual retreat, revealing the expanse of Parnitha beyond.

And so they sat in the shuttle, eyes on the viewing screen, witnessing again the Reapers descend and sack the planet from under them. Liara looked on at the birthplace of her people with an empty gaze, as helpless as they had been before. The grim scene of destruction played out once again, and the universe felt vast yet chillingly indifferent.

"Liara, do you have anything more on this artifact?"

Shaking herself from the sorrowful reverie, the asari turned, breaking her focus on the carnage. "These coordinates the councillor gave you are for the Temple of Athame. My mother took me there once. It's several thousand years old. And for some reason, it has classified government funding."

"Sounds like we're on the right trail then," Shepard mused.

"But what if we're too late? My people are dying down there."

Javik, a being who'd lost an entire cycle to the Reapers, responded with a cold edge, "Your empathy is a weakness. You must numb yourself to loss."

While technically applicable, Shepard thought the Prothean could have shown a little more empathy himself and turned back to the conversation. "Benezia took you to this temple?"

"I was just a child. I thought it was a history lesson, but now? Maybe there was more to it?" Liara activated her omni-tool, pulling up a wad of information with a holo of her mother among them. "I went digging through her old files. She had heavily encrypted records on this place, some dating back centuries. I still can't crack most of them. Whatever's going on, it's well hidden." She lowered her arm.

"I studied your old mission reports," Javik observed with a detached tone, "Your mother was indoctrinated."

Liara's voice was soft, "Yes. We had to kill her."

"Yet it did not stop you from fighting. As I said, steel yourself. Many more lives will be lost."

Shepard realized, in Javik's blunt words, that it was an attempt at solace—the only way the Prothean knew how.

"Touching down," Cortez notified them, and they turned to look out the door as the shuttle opened, a flash of light and the smell of smoke welcoming them. The planet was smoking and being reduced to ruin. Fires were burning outside the drop zone, and the ground was littered with debris from massive towers that had been felled like giants.

Liara's eyes welled with tears as she took in the devastation."This can't be happening. My home…"

Javik swiftly snapped her out of her daze. "There's no time to mourn." Distant gunfire echoed, punctuating his point. "We're exposed up here."

Shepard, ever the leader, spurred the group into action. "Let's get down!"

They sprinted down the ruined rooftop, boots pounding against broken tiles, until they reached what was left of a once-grand bridge. On the other side, a beleaguered group of asari warriors fought desperately to repel Reaper forces.

One of the asari, skin of a deep blue adorned by vibrant pink facial tattoos, beckoned them over. Her voice held a hint of recognition. "You're Commander Shepard, aren't you?" Shepard's HUD identified her as Lieutenant Kurin. "I'm Lieutenant Kurin. We received word of your arrival. Our orders were to safeguard this sector at all—"

Before she could finish, a barrage of missiles cut through the air, decimating the asari's makeshift defenses. Another asari acted fast, erecting a shimmering barrier that struggled against the relentless assault.

"Reinforce the barrier!" Kurin shouted, her voice carrying authority even in chaos.

She turned to Shepard, her eyes cold. "Our defenses are breaking. I won't sacrifice more lives for a heap of debris."

Shepard met her gaze. "What did they tell you about me?"

"Only your name. And that the mission was top secret. So if we die here, we won't even know the reason."

Shepard sighed, "Look, I know it's hard to understand. But sometimes, we have to trust the chain."

Kurin's gaze drifted to the rows of bodybags, her voice bitter. "What chain? It feels like it's already broken."

Javik, watching the exchange, intervened. He abruptly gripped the Lieutenant's arm, peering deep into her mind and genetic traces of her makeup. In the flash of perception, he absorbed everything she was feeling. "I sense you have the lineage of a leader. A warrior's skill and cunning–they are strong in your genes. But you've grown tired of war, you're exhausted by defeat, and now you worry you don't have the courage left to go on."

The asari pushed Javik away forcefully, stunned by the accuracy of his reciting and the visage of a being she had only seen in a museum. "By the goddess…are you?"

"Find your resolve," he answered her, "This war can end if you do."

Shepard, sensing an opening, added, "We're building a Prothean superweapon. It will win this war."

The weight of the revelation seemed to push Lieutenant Kurin, and her eyes darted between them, not believing what she was seeing, but it was the glimmer of hope she needed. "I… believe it." She touched her comm. "This is Lieutenant Kurin! Hold your positions! I want a path carved to the temple! Outpost Tykis, we've got people coming your way!"

The asari stormed her way past them, her vigour renewed. "Let's make sure the galaxy knows the war was won on Thessia!" She led them past the barrier to the destroyed bridge. "Make it count!"

.

The way forward was a nightmare. All their battlegrounds up until now had been, but Thessia's was a new circle of hell. After all, it was the last of the major homeworlds to have fallen to the Reapers, and each previous horror they had encountered hobbled and swooped upon them amidst the rubble of what had been one of the most beautiful planets the galaxy had to offer. The Reaper forces had to contend with an entire planet of experienced biotic users, so the fighting was especially savage. No quarters were given.

They advanced building to building, crawling over the dead of friend and foe alike, assailed by Husks, Harvesters, Maruanders, Cannibals, Brutes, and airdropped rachni spore pods.

"Watch the perimeter!" Javik shouted, the Prothean's particle beam sweeping the battlefield to fry another Marauder who had popped out of cover to target them.

They suddenly heard a screeching in the air, the type that sounded like nails on a chalkboard, sending an involuntary shiver up Shepard's spine. A large door ahead of them blew off its hinges from biotic pressure, revealing a new and horrifying presence. Emerging from the darkness behind the door were Banshees. Once asari, their forms had been warped and corrupted by the Reapers into monstrosities of biotic terror. Their tall, grotesque forms hovered slightly off the ground, their limbs elongated, and their blue skin marred with painful-looking lumps and twisted growths. Their once serene faces now contorted in eternal pain, eyes void of all life and empathy, replaced with a bright, haunting glow. Their hands culminated in wickedly sharp talons that seemed eager to rend and tear. But perhaps the most haunting of all was the muffled screams and sobs that seemed to echo from them, a grim reminder of the proud asari they once were.

All around them, the banshees let out a chilling scream – a sonic weapon of both terror and force, a display of their twisted biotic powers. The ground seemed to vibrate from the energy and power they emitted, an aura of despair and dread.

"Corrupted asari!" Arius shouted.

Shepard, gripping her weapon tightly, ordered, "Steady, everyone. Keep your distance; don't let them corner you. "

Javik, scanning the scene, added grimly, "These are no mere foot soldiers. They are the Reaper's instruments of horror, crafted to break our spirit."

The Banshees, unleashing their dreadful wail, disappeared in a blink and flashed toward them, punctuating the steps of their travel with showers of dark energy. They moved using consecutive biotic charges, and each phase through the air brought them closer.

Combined fire from her team didn't seem to slow them down, their barriers eating every shot. Arius, realizing the ineffectiveness of his kinetic weapon, reached up to grab the artifact from his back and charged the space between them, hoping to tear it asunder to quickly end the fight. Before he could swing it, however, the Banshee held a twisted hand toward his advancing form, now steps away and unleashed a massive biotic pulse that seemed to push them all back, even from far distance.

Arius flew backwards through the air, tumbling to the ground but unhurt. "This biotic force is immense! I can feel it on my skin!" he shouted, sounding more excited than shaken.

The massive pulse and their continued barrage had depleted the biotic stamina of the thing, and Shepard could tell her shots were finally meeting their mark. "Keep the pressure on!"

Unable to charge, the Bashee hobbled slowly towards them, dragging its elongated arms behind it. The shots of her team slowly tore its tough tissues apart, and it collapsed into a shower of sparks.

"All right, let's get moving before more of them come back."

.

From the heavens, a shadow descended, drawing everyone's attention. "Above us!" Liara's voice rang out, laced with urgency and dread.

All eyes followed Liara's gaze, witnessing the monolithic form of a Reaper as it began its ominous descent onto Thessia. The ground beneath them trembled, reacting to the massive presence of the cosmic intruder. Towering skyscrapers, once symbols of asari architectural prowess and civilization, now seemed trivial and minuscule in comparison to the Reaper's vastness. Its tendrils, appearing as grotesque limbs, moved methodically, each step underscoring its overwhelming power and dominance.

Javik, with a hardened gaze, stared at the monstrosity. A mix of disdain and painful memories clouded his eyes. "The first time my people laid eyes on one of these, we had long since dismissed tales of devils. The Reapers made us believe once more."

Liara's voice was a soft, desolate whisper. "This nightmare never ends."

Shepard, fiery determination evident in her stance, shot back, "The hell it won't. We secure that artifact, and this nightmare ends."

"Fifty-thousand years later," Javik added.

Arius, gazing at the Reaper, itched to unleash the might of Gungnir upon it. Yet he knew the repercussions – the atmospheric backlash could devastate half the planet.

As they approached the bend that would reveal the temple's majestic entrance, a terrified asari burst into view. Every fibre of her being screamed desperation as she dashed forward, narrowly dodging the hailstorm of bullets and explosions that trailed her. An explosion's aftershock reached out hungrily, clipping her side, and the asari's weapon flew from her grip. She crashed to the ground, rolling, and moments later, the team had to take evasive action as a new strafe of fire left its mark on the stone stairs she had descended.

Through the dust and chaos, Shepard called out, "We're trying to get to outpost Tykis! Do you know the way?"

The asari's voice, tinged with desperation and pain, responded, "You're standing on its doorstep. This is Tykis."

"And your squad?"

Another explosion, louder and closer, made the ground shake, knocking them off balance. "Gone," she gasped out, her voice heavy with grief. "We tried getting through to the scientists, but they're all gone. It's just me now."

"Reinforcements? Air support?"

"We had gunships flying support, but things got too hot with that Reaper. They can't chance it."

Shepard clenched her fist. "We need that air support. That temple is our objective. We can't back down, even if it means casualties."

"In that case, casualties are about the only thing I can guarantee you." She touched her comm, if begrudgingly. "Talon Swarm, this is Outpost Tykis! Is anybody left on this frequency? We are in need of immediate air support! Commander Shepard is here."

Silence, then the reassuring buzz of a reply. "Copy, this is Talon One. I'm on my way."

Another voice chimed in, "Talon Five inbound. Ground targets confirmed. Weapons are hot."

"Light em' up!"

The two gunships, descending rapidly from above, painted the scene with their targeting lasers. Powerful beams of energy unleashed from the gunship, cutting through the horde like a scythe through wheat. The numbers of their enemy were instantly thinned, but they were not defenceless. Ravagers launched their explosive projectiles at the hovering gunships, striking the tail of one.

The voice over the comm from Talon One crackled with panic. "The stabilizer blew out!" The gunship spiralled out of control, crashing with a thunderous explosion among the ancient ruins, illuminating the battlefield with an eerie glow.

Talon Five maneuvered swiftly, dodging incoming fire while retaliating with a barrage of missiles. "This it Talon Five! Whatever you're going to do, you better do it now!"

"Go, Commander!" the asari shouted to them, "I'll cover you from here!"

"Commander Shepard, I've got your back!" radioed Talon Five. "Let's get you into that temple!"

The team stormed the stairs, running up to meet a new wave of the descending monstrosities.

Liara, panting with exertion, said, "Shepard, the Banshee!"

The monstrous creature had taken advantage of the chaos, closing the distance with alarming speed and flashing in and out of space with sonic booms. Its wailing had become deafening as it prepared to unleash its deadly biotic assault, throwing a concentrated sphere of unstable dark energy toward Shepard.

Arius threw himself in front of her with the ancient artifact raised to block, and the luminescent sphere flared against him weakly. The warped space it sustained fizzled out with a great clap of sound, releasing its stored energy.

"Missiles away!" announced the gunship, firing a barrage at their corrupted counterpart.

With its shields lowered, Arius dashed forward and swung that relic in a great slash that connected. The halves of the Banshee collapsed, the lights in its eyes fading as its deathly scream echoed and then died. Smoke billowed from the point of impact, mixing with the dust kicked up by the temple's aged stone.

"Keep it up, Talon Five!" Shepard encouraged.

"That's it for missiles. Switching to the gun."

The unexpected bravery and continued assistance of the lone asari pilot in Talon Five had inspired them all. "Next time we go to war, maybe the Alliance can spring for air support?" Liara commented.

Even Javik seemed impressed. "This asari pilot has skill and courage to match," he remarked, joining them as they regrouped.

"Move! Now's our chance!" Shepard ordered, legs pumping as she raced up the incline to reach the top of the steps. The entrance to the temple was now tantalizingly close.

"Watch out–more hostiles ahead!" A group of Harvesters swooped in, targeting the gunship. "Bogey incoming! Hang tight while I shake them."

On their own level, an entire wave of the enemy was targeting them with superior firepower, and they were pinned down, unable to raise their heads above the barriers.

"We need that pilot back!" Javik exclaimed.

"Keep your head down, and give them everything you've got!"

The fire was deafening, heat from the explosions searing them all. Like an answered prayer from heaven, the gunship arrived back into view.

"There she is!" motioned Liara.

"Talon Five back in position. Let's punch a hole!" The gunship raked its main gun through the front they pushed against, disrupting their enemy's shots. "You're almost there, Commander! Keep it up!"

Though the team advanced as rapidly as possible, there were many to contend with. Their enemies advanced on them, and Harvesters aimed their weapons skyward before they could act. As the squad gunned down the last few in their path, they watched in sinking realization that the remaining few had focused their fire on the gunship and not them.

A burst of electrical arcs and fire appeared on the hovering gunship. "I'm in trouble! My shields just took damage! Talon Five going down!" It started its descent, spiralling out of control, while the Harvesters took flight and moved on. "Repeat, Talon Five, going–"

Talon Five burst into flames and plummeted to the ground in a fiery explosion.

Shepard closed the remaining distance to the Ravager on their level and unleashed a powerful biotic punch onto the grotesque face of the mutated rachni. Once, twice, three times, she struck, turning the creature into pulp. Breathing heavily, she delivered one final stomp to ensure it was finished.

The smoke and dust from the fallen gunship choked the air, casting an eerie haze over the battlefield. The temple's entrance, once so distant, was now mere meters away. But with Talon Five down, the odds felt more stacked against them than ever. Though brief, they were crestfallen.

"So much sacrifice. We have to make it worth something."

"We've lost our air cover," Javik growled, reloading his rifle and scanning for threats. "We need to get inside that temple, now."

A series of concentric steps carved from reflective stone and metal led up to the temple's grand entrance. Each step was meticulously crafted and, despite the passage of millennia, showed little sign of wear. At the summit, a grand archway stood tall. The arch was adorned with intricately carved reliefs depicting scenes of asari history, their interactions with Athame, and the wisdom she bestowed upon them.

The temple was barricaded, and control needed to be bypassed to enter. Through the semi-translucent blockade, they glimpsed an interior that seemed to breathe life and history. Rows of gleaming pews formed concentric arcs around a central, elevated altar. Dominating the space was a statue of colossal proportions, depicting the revered asari goddess. This majestic effigy was exquisitely sculpted from stone, with every curve and fold of its form captured in detail. The goddess stood with a grace that defied her size, her hands elegantly folded behind her back in a gesture of contemplation or perhaps an offering of peace. Her head was gently tilted upwards, her gaze forever locked towards the vast expanse of the heavens.

Liara's fingers danced deftly over her omni-tool, its holographic interface illuminating her face with a soft orange glow. "This isn't just any encryption," she remarked, her voice tense, "It's military-grade. But I think I've got it."

Javik tilted his head, his eyes narrowing slightly as the historical wheels turned in his mind. "In my time, religion and military often intermingled. But is it common for the asari?"

Liara looked up from her omni-tool, a puzzled frown on her face. "No, not at all. Mixing the two is very rare. And even fewer asari follow the Athame doctrine these days."

With a final tap, the barrier before them dissolved, revealing the path forward. The team prepared to advance, but their momentum was halted by a haunting, familiar sound that began to reverberate through the air. The distant shrieks grew more desperate, closing in on them like a tightening noose. Liara's voice dropped to a hushed tone, filled with foreboding. "More Banshees," she whispered, her eyes reflecting her deep-set dread.

Through the optics of her helmet, Shepard surveyed the approaching threat. Her voice was tight as she observed, "We're not just up against Banshees." Her gaze locked onto hulking figures in the distance. "Brutes are with them. This isn't going to be easy."

Arius stepped forward, his silhouette defined by the paleing daylight. "I'll hold them back and buy you as much time as I can," he declared. "Go, now. The mission is what matters."

Shepard hesitated. "Are you sure, Arius?"

"I've done it before," he replied, his voice unwavering, "I'll do it again."

"Alright," she said. "We'll try to be as quick as we can." She motioned to Liara and Javik to get a move on. "Let's go."