The unrelenting sound of a doorbell ringing reverberated throughout the apartment, waking Liara from her slumber. The asari scientist grumbled in irritation before looking at the time. It was 1 AM. Who was ringing her doorbell at this ungodly hour?

Honestly, she didn't have the energy to go see, so she covered her ears with her extra pillow. The thick cushion muffled the ringing sound to the point that it could not be heard. Much better. Liara drifted off into slumber once more…

But then it got worse. The doorbell was now being run in quick intervals, like a child does to annoy their parents. And there was now a fist pounding on the door. Her eyes snapped wide open; the right eye twitching. Liara jumped out of her bed and stomped out of her room with the rage of a million exploding suns fueling her sleep deprived body:

"BY THE GODDESS! WHO THE HELL IS THAT?!"

The door beside her burst open also.

"What in the name of the Prothean Empire is going on out here?!"

Someone else walked out into the hallway. It was Liara's roommate/colleague, Javik.

Javik was a prothean. An ancient race thought to be wiped out by the Reapers fifty thousand years ago. However, Javik managed to survive by locking himself in a stasis pod and was preserved for millennia. He would still be in there had it not been for Commander Shepard finding him back on Edin Prime.

As a prothean, Javik had two pairs of eyes with each eye possessing dual pupils, and three pairs of nostrils. His head was covered in a thick, layered carapace that gave him a distinctive shape. The skin surrounding his carapace was a pale blue-gray or brown color mottled with muted yellow spots. Much like turians, Javik had three fingers and two toes. He also spoke in a dual tone voice like Garrus, but had an accent that sounded similar to that of an African accent on Earth.

During the war with the Reapers, Javik fought alongside Shepard on the Normandy against the mechanical menaces, proving his worth to both her and his own people. Liara, being a prothean researcher, was overjoyed to finally meet one of them in person.

Unfortunately however, Javik himself did not turn out to be what she had expected, as he was, to put it simply, a dick.

He suffered from a massive superiority complex, often looking down on all other species, calling them 'primitive'. There were a few times on the ship when Liara and Javik got into actual fights.

However, the prothean had eventually warmed up to the crew and acknowledged them as his brothers and sisters in arms. He even agreed to work with Liara in writing a book. 'Journeys with the Prothean' they titled it. Now Javik finally lives in peace, free of the Reapers.

But not from a very cranky Liara.

"OPEN UP! LIARA, OPEN THE DOOR!"

A screaming voice could be heard from outside the apartment's walls. It belonged to Garrus. Liara, once recognizing who it was, growled like varren and marched down to the door, ready to flay Garrus alive with her biotics.

"Wow, I have not seen you this angry since the Reapers attacked Thessia." Javik nervously chuckled, remembering how fierce Liara can get when she is tested.

"Hey, back off!" Liara snapped at Javik. The prothean flinched.

Outside the apartment, Garrus was still pounding, ringing, and screaming at the top of his lungs. He looked as if he had gone mad.

"OPEN UP! OPEN UP! OPEN UP!"

Finally, the door slid open, revealing the murderous look of an asari woken from her slumber, and a very worried prothean.

"Are you insane?!" Liara shouted.

Javik took notice of Garrus' demeanor. The turian had the look of somebody who had just seen the face of evil itself and barely survived. His breathing was extremely erratic and a vein on his neck could be seen beating so fast that it appeared like it would burst open at any given time.

Saying Javik was shocked would be putting it lightly. He was genuinely terrified. In all the years he had known, Garrus. He had never seen the turian so frightened before. Not even when facing Reapers.

"Liara, I'm sorry I woke you, but this can't wait! Something happened in my apartment that I don't know how to explain! You're the only one I know who might be able to help me!"

Garrus' speech was fast and panicked. He was panting hard after every word.

Liara however, couldn't care less about how scared Garrus seemed. Instead, she simply stared at him with a face that pretty much said; "Are you kidding me..?"

"You ran across the Presidium and woke me up in the middle of the night because you had a nightmare..?" T'Soni's eye was now twitching even more.

"I wouldn't have come if it wasn't absolutely necessary! You know that!"

He took a step closer, co to using his crazed ranting. Liara ended up getting a very good whiff of Garrus' breath. It reeked like vomit, causing her to gag slightly.

"Garrus, your breath sticks!" She exclaimed. "Have you… Have you been drinking?!"

Hearing that caused the Commander to finally stop his yammering. He instead glared at Liara as if she had insulted him.

"Wha- Excuse me?!"

If Liara wasn't mad already, she was now. Her blue skin might have turned purple from the red hot rage building inside her.

"By the… Garrus, how could you fall off the wagon?! You've been clean for four years!" She screamed. "How can you be so stupid?!"

"YOU BITCH!" Garrus grabbed Liara by her robe's collar angrily. His mandibles flaring. "I am NOT drunk! I come to you to ask for your help and you think I've just been drinking?! This is important!"

"Turian, control yourself!"

Javik stepped in to break up the fight. He firmly planted his hand on Garrus' shoulder. That was when he felt it.

Protheans like Javik possess the ability of information sensory. By touching something or someone, Javik can recall its experiences, transferring complex information and ideas, with a Prothean being capable of learning a new skill or foreign language with a single touch. It was similar to psychometry.

However, what Javik was receiving from Garrus at that moment. Even he, with all the knowledge that he and his people possessed, could not begin to comprehend what was being fed to him.

Whispers. Hushed cries. Silent screams. A world of darkness. Of perfect stillness. And at the center of it all, a being. One he could not understand. Behind him, a colossal armada of black pyramid looking ships. An army of ghoulish entities.

As for the figure, he looked right at Javik. Its eyes black as the night with a dark substance running down them. The top of its head, incomprehensibly distorted. It was draped in a black robe.

It was unlike any creature in the galaxy. It was something else completely.

Something chaotic.

Destructive.

Unnatural.

Omnipotent.

Evil.

Dark-

"We cast you out."

Javik returned to reality. He screamed in fright, backing away into the wall behind him. Liara turned to her colleague worry-stricken.

"Javik!" She cried and ran to him. "Are you alright? What did you see?"

All four of his eyes were as wide as they could possibly be. Javik struggled to calm himself. It was like he had seen Hell itself.

"S-so many voices, crying out into nothing..! Never have I felt such a malevolent… I cannot even describe it…"

And considering Javik is among one of the most advanced and oldest races in the known galaxy, that is saying something.

Liara turned her focus back to Garrus, who was still hyperventilating himself.

"Garrus." She started. "What is going on..?"

That was when the three of them traveled to Vakarian's dwelling and stood in witness to something that would send chills down even a geth's metallic spine.

In the middle of Garrus' bedroom stood a massive stone statue of a figure completely cloaked in some sort of sheet. Garrus swore that he had no idea how this had gotten into his apartment, let alone his bedroom. It had left even Liara and Javik shuddering in anxiety.

That was when C-Sec got involved.

Within minutes, officers filled Garrus' home. They were busy examining the strange statue using special scanning technology.

Garrus was downstairs in his living room, sitting on the couch with a blanket draped around his shoulders. He was shivering like he was locked in a freezer for an entire day. That wasn't because he was cold, but because he was genuinely terrified.

"Garrus?"

He looked up. Liara stood in front of him with something in her hands. A mug, emitting steam from the inside. She looked at Garrus with eyes filled with concern.

"I made you some tea. I thought you could use some."

Garrus was reluctant, but he eventually accepted. He inhaled the beverage's scent. Dextro Baxtrine Lilac. A favored tea among turians, known for its soothing aroma. Garrus luckily had a stockpile of it in his kitchen for situations like this.

"Thank you, Liara."

She smiled. The asari then took a seat next to Garrus, gently placing her hand on his shaking prosthetic leg.

"I'm sorry I thought you had started drinking again. I should have calmed down and heard you out."

Garrus took a sip of his tea, sighing quietly at the taste.

"Don't worry about it. I know how you get when you don't sleep." A slight chuckle reverberated from the turian's vocals.

Liara smiled, but only for a moment. She was worried sick about Garrus, now more than ever. Never in all the time that they'd known each other had she ever seen him so frightened. He was always so level headed and calm, even in the face of danger. Now he was terrified as a child who was afraid of the dark. It was troubling.

"Garrus, I've never seen you like this." Liara pointed out. "Have you seen something like this before?

Vakarian took a deep breath before giving his response. "It's… complicated."

"Commander Vakarian."

Someone approached from the staircase. It was another turian, one with black plates and a yellow face paint. Garrus knew this turian.

"Pherrys… You got fat."

Pherrys Pajinka was one of Garrus' old friends from his days in C-Sec. He was a forensics specialist who primarily dealt with examining evidence and bodies. While most turians have extremely thin waists for maneuverability, Pherrys was, well… It was now more that of a human's, and his stomach protruded forward, slightly jiggling with every step.

"Nice to see you too." Pherrys sarcastically replied, patting his plated belly. "I have you to thank for this. After you quit C-Sec, your father took out his frustrations on me. I started stress eating to deal with it."

"Sorry about that. My dad can be like that. Probably didn't help that I punched him in the face and threw my badge in his eye." Garrus chuckled. "In my defense, though. He badmouthed Shepard after the SR1 went down."

Pherrys did manage to crack a laugh, but barely. The larger turian activated his Omni Tool. The holographic display generated a smaller version of the statue before them.

"Moving on… We've finished examining the statue. We… have yet to identify the aloy it's made from."

That revelation surprised Liara. "Really? An unidentified material?"

"It is more than just that, Dr. T'Soni."

Walking down the stairs was Javik, who looked rather puzzled himself. The C-Sec agents requested that he assist in the examination using his sensory ability. Reluctantly, Javik obliged.

"Whatever that veiled statue is, I could hardly acquire any useful information from it." The prothean looked away in disgrace. "All I could tell was that it is old. Very old."

"Reaper or Leviathan old?" Liara assumed.

Javik was hesitant to look his colleague in the eye before responding.

"Neither. Older than both."

This left the asari utterly shocked. Older than both Leviathan AND the Reapers?! How could that even be possible? And to just appear on the Citadel?

"I'm not even sure how that huge thing got through the front door… Garrus, you're absolutely sure that you didn't buy it?" Asked Pherrys.

"Do I look like the kind of guy who would buy something that creepy?" Garrus replied.

"What even is that statue?" Jarvik wondered.

The front door slid open. Walking in was another turban, but a much older looking one. The officers guarding the door seemed to have just let him pass by unopposed. This turban had black plating with white marking all across his face, and wore an outfit dyed in blue, red, and white.

"Councilman Sparatus?" Pherrys said in surprise.

"At ease, Officer. I'm not a councilman anymore. I'm here to see Commander Vakarian."

The C-Sec officer nudged his head towards the living room. Sparatus proceeded.

"Commander. Good to see you again." Sparatus greeted, offering the younger turban a handshake.

Garrus accepted the offer and extended his hand "Laiel. What are you doing here?" He questioned.

"I think you know, Garrus." He turned his head to the upper floor. Sparatus didn't show it, but he was overcome by a sense of dread. "I was at C-Sec at the time of the call… I need to see it to believe it."

…

There it stood. The statue gave off a sinister aura that was thick enough to suffocate a person. The rock it was composed of was chiseled to a near impossible perfection. Even the most skilled asari artists could not achieve this level of precision, even with biotics. It was almost like it wasnt real.

Sparatus merely stared at the statue. A single bead of sweat trailing down the side of his head. Garrus was standing beside him with the exact same expression of dread in his eyes.

"This can't be real…" Garrus said fearfully.

"I wish it weren't either, son." Sparatus replied.

Liara and Jarvik entered the room. "You two know what this statue is?"

The turians looked at each other. It was clear that they knew something about this. Liara could tell. She wondered as to why it involved both Garrus and a former councilman.

Sparatus walked towards the statue. He touched the carved stone. It was… cold. Unnaturally cold, even for stone.

"It is the blight of the turian people." He spoke in a deadpan tone.

"So it is turian in origin?" Jarvik assumed.

The old councilman removed his hand from the statue. He sighed tiredly and turned back to the group.

"No, it's not. To this day, we have been unsure as to where they originated from."

"They? There are others?" Liara questioned.

With a few clicks of his Omni-Tool, Sparatus loaded up an image on the holographic display. It was of another one of those mysterious statues. From the lush green in the background, this was on Palaven.

"We called them 'The Veiled Statues'. They are the root of all evil to our people. The turian equivalent to the human mythological figure, Satan."

Sparatus swiped the page. Images of ancient turian scriptures accompanied by disturbing pictures loaded up onto the display.

"For hundreds of years, they had existed solely on Palaven. Their origins had been shrouded in mystery, but there have been reports of turians who lose their minds from prolonged exposure to these statues."

"That sounds similar to Reaper Indoctrination." Javik pointed out.

"Unfortunately, it's nothing like that." Sparatus' finger was hesitant to swipe the page. He finally moved to the next page. There were pictures one would describe as… unholy.

There were images of turians, covered in blood. Chewed limbs, exposed brain matter, gore one could not even comprehend. They looked as though they had gone insane and resorted to mutilating themselves. One had written a word on the wall in their blood. 'Salvation'.

"I won't go into the details of what had happened to the victims. These statues are… I can't even begin to describe the kind of evil they are."

Sparatus had to sit down. The mere thought of having to deal with this event was zapping him of his strength. Garrus walked over to the former councilman and placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

"I nearly became another victim myself, back when I was a child."

Liara gasped. Garrus nearly died because of one of these statues? Garrus shuttered at the mere memory of the event.

"It was when I was ten… I saw this… Pyramid. It was pitch black, massive. Back then, I was a stupid little kid who didn't know any better so I went in there to play."

Vakarian's eyes moved to the statue. He could feel his heart rate increase. Sparatus decided to do the talking now.

"That was back when I was still in the turian military. Garrus' father, Castis Vakarian, was a close friend of mine. So when he came to me saying that his son had gone missing inside that pyramid, we led a search party to find Garrus. A handful of soldiers, led by Castis, myself, and Alec Ryder, a human N7 soldier and another friend of Castis who was visiting at the time on Alliance business.

After some time, we had eventually found little Garrus. He was curled up in a corner, crying. That was when… when we saw them…"

The turians felt as though their hearts would stop from how fast they were beating. Garrus muttered a prayer to the Spirits under his breath in fear.

"Them?" Jarvik questioned.

Sparatus flipped the page. That was when they saw them. Creatures. They were black as the night, looking like some kind of race of living monoliths. Garrus gagged at the sight of the pictures.

"Palaven high command decided to classify them as the Dread. They are entities of pure malevolence, each one possessing powers from your darkest nightmares."

"They're basically turian demons." Garrus stated with a deadpan voice.

Javik took a closer look at the images. These creatures had fought his interest. They consisted of tall and skinny lancers, hulking grim reapers, bladed berserkers, and flying, screaming gargoyles.

"These creatures are foreign to me. In all the centuries that we have studied the ancient turians, not once have we encountered these beasts." The prothean expressed.

Sparatus deactivated his Omni-Tool. "Lucky you."

"Garrus…" Liara walked over to her friend with a look of concern. "You survived that ordeal?"

The fear in Garrus' eyes was genuine. It was like a dagger to her heart. Liara bent down and gave her friend a hug. Garrus returned the favor and wrapped his arms around her tightly. His heart was beating so fast.

"How could this massive statue have possibly gotten into the turian's apartment?" Javik wondered.

Pherrys walked into the room with a data pad in his hand. "That's what we need to find out." He said.

The heavier turian opened up his Omni-Tool and turned on the camera function. He then began to walk around the statue, taking pictures of it from different angles. This would become photo evidence.

"Unfortunately Commander, we're going to have to commandeer your apartment as it is now an active crime scene. Do you have anywhere else you can stay for the night?"

"He can stay with me." Liara spoke. "I have an extra room in my apartment."

Garrus was surprised. Liara would go out of her way to give him a roof over his head? Wait. Of course she would. That's what friends do after all. He smiled at his asari companion.

"Oh wonderful, another primitive I must share a dwelling with." Javon groaned.

Garrus chuckled. "Aww, I love you too, Javik."

Within minutes, Vakarian had gotten his necessities packed away into a suitcase. Bathing products for turians, dextro toothpaste, a change of clothes… A certain picture.

That should be everything. Garrus proceeded down to the main floor and headed for the door where Liara and Javik were waiting. He took one more look at his home. Memories finding their way into his mind.

…

"Oof, what a night… But look who's here."

Garrus woke slowly. He turned to his left, being greeted by a sight so beautiful, the turian was sure that he was still dreaming. The blurry vision and light beaming through the windows just made Shepard look that much more unreal. He couldn't get enough.

That party last night was crazy. Drinking. Dancing. Wrex and Grunt almost getting into a fight over who was stronger. Neither of them could recall having that much fun before.

Now there they laid in bed, bare as the days they were born, barely covered by a messy bed sheet, surrounded by empty bottles. If turians could get humans pregnant, Garrus would be sure he would have knocked Shepard up after a night like that.

"Yeah, I hung out in a lot of places last night." Garrus lazily said as he slowly leaned over his lover. His face was inches from hers.

"Your upper body, your lower body… Pretty much all the parts in between~"

He gently planted a kiss on Shepard's lips. "Turians certainly don't lack for a sense of direction." She stated.

"And you don't lack for places to get lost."

They probably would have made love there and then… Had it not been for Tali being in the next room crying; "I'm going to die…" due to a severe hangover. That little quarian could seriously drink.

…

His home…

Her home…

Garrus sighed as he walked out the door, feeling as though he was leaving behind the last piece of Shepard in existence.

…

"Whoa… This place is unbelievable."

Three cloaked figures stepped forward into the Presidium, admiring the awe inspiring views before them. All around them were species of all kinds. Ranging from levo species like asari and krogan, to dextros like turians and quarians. Several holo-boards that were advertising a different product or franchise. One being a movie. 'Blasto 10: Blasto Vanquishes The Reapers'. In the air above, vehicles racing at top speeds.

This was the Citadel. A sight to behold.

"The Last City could learn a few things from this place." Said one of the hooded figures; his glowing orange eyes visible in the dark that masked his face.

"Pick your jaw up off the floor, Crow. We're not here to sightsee." Said another figure, female from the sound of it.

"You must admit though! This place truly is marvelous! An example of what all different kinds of species can do when they work together! Haha!" Stated the third figure stoically. Their voice male, and very confident.

"If only the Hive and Vex could be reasonable." Crow said with a joking smirk.

"You really want magic zombies and time-traveling robots working together?" Asked the woman.

Crow fell silent.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Shinazu, any luck on picking up Whiskey?"

The hooded figure, Shinazu, had opened up a holographic screen in his hand. It showed a display of a radar with a sonar wave being generated.

"I've set my radar to track Light signatures in the surrounding area. We should have an exact location as to where our comrade is in a matter of minutes!"

"Sounds good." Said the woman. "A lot of Lightless here. Finding Whiskey in this place will be easy as-"

"Pie! All I'm asking for is a piece of pie!"

A thunderous shout echoed throughout the entire Presidium. The three hooded figures turned toward the direction where it originated. A small dessert stand. Salarian from its appearance. Two people were seen having what appeared to be an argument. A salarian employee, who had their arms crossed and an angry scowl on their face, and a krogan customer who looked as though he was about to burst a blood vessel.

"I've already told you. This establishment does not serve krogan." The salarian stated in a rather hateful demeanor.

"Why the hell not?! I'm willing to pay good money for just one slice of azulian berry pie!"

This krogan was freakishly big. A thick plating covering his already tough hide. Though his hump was slightly smaller than most of his kind. He was clad in silver combat armor with blue LED, perfectly matching the color of his angry eyes.

"You're refusing to serve me just because I have four balls and a hump?! You have any idea who the fuck I am, Skinny?!" The krogan furiously shouted.

"Ahh yes, the mighty Urdnot Grunt, leader of Aralakh Company. The top krogan task force on Tuchanka. I've heard of your exploits during the Reaper War. I'm sure that you will be on the front lines when you and your repulsive species finally invade Sur'Kesh." The salarian spat hatefully.

Grunt could feel his temper rising. His hand curled into a fist.

"You keep talking shit about my people and that invasion just might happen, you racist little punk!"

The clerk laughed in satisfaction. "Ha! Exactly as I thought. Brutes, the lot of you!"

"Hey!"

The two turned their heads. The cloaked woman was approaching them. She removed her hood, showing off her helmet-covered head. It didn't seem to have a visor, making it impossible to see her face.

"What's going on here?" She asked.

"This stupid little jerk is refusing to serve me because I'm krogan! I'm just trying to buy a piece of pie! I didn't do anything to him!" Grunt explained impatiently.

The woman turned to the salarian clerk. Underneath her helmet, she bore a face of disgust.

"You won't serve this guy because of what species he is?"

"For good reason! He is a krogan! The most savage beast in the galaxy!" The clerk angrily argued. "All his kind know how to do is destroy things. That's all they were good for in the Reaper War. Not only that, they are planning an invasion of my home world out of retaliation for the genophage."

"That is not true! That's just a rumor salarians have been throwing around the Citadel to make my people look bad! We're not planning anything!" Grunt defended.

"You may have fooled the other races, krogan, but not the salarians! Now get away from my stand before I call C-Se- GAH!"

The armored woman reached over the counter faster than the eye could see and grabbed the clerk by the collar of his shirt. She had pulled his face right up into hers, staring him right in his large black eyes.

"Not too long ago, I had to deal with a situation similar to this with some new additions to my city. There was also a woman who was a lot like you. Let fear and old grudges get the better of her and she nearly destroyed us all in the process because of it.

One thing I can't stand are racist little pieces of crap like you. Now then, I would suggest that you give this nice man what he's politely asking for, or else things are gonna get hectic for you."

The salarian gulped in terror. The sheer malice behind her words were enough to give even Grunt goosebumps.

"Okay! Okay! One large slice of azulian berry pie! Just seven cred-"

"No no." The woman disagreed. "For free."

"A-are you joking?!"

That was when the salarian felt something cold press against his cheek. He gasped upon seeing a massive Hand Cannon. Red and black, labeled 'Kindled Orchid'.

"I don't know. You tell me."

"Alright, you maniac! Fine!"

Finally, the woman released the clerk. He quickly got to work, slicing the pie on display and placing it on a paper plate before handing it to Grunt. The clerk then yanked off his smock and frantically tossed it onto the floor.

"If you see my boss, tell her I quit!" He yelled before running off in terror.

The woman then turned to Grunt, who was… honestly impressed.

"Damn. Not bad, lady. And thanks. Haven't eaten anything since breakfast." He said appreciatively.

"No problem. I don't like racist people. You clearly didn't do anything wrong." The woman replied. "You guys always get that kind of treatment?"

"Ever since the genophage was cured, but only from the salarians." Grunt explained.

"Well, as long as I was able to lend a hand. It's part of my job to help people in need."

The woman extended her hand to Grunt, offering a handshake.

"The name's Jane Doe."

Grunt smirked and accepted the shake.

"Urdnot Grunt. He he he."

"Jane! I've got the signal!" Shouted Shinazu from afar.

The two released their hands from one another. Jane turned back to her comrades and began walking away.

"I should go. Nice meeting you, Grunt."

"Likewise."

That being said, Jane Doe moved on. Grunt, eager to dig into his delectable goodie, grabbed a disposable fork from the stand.

However, something in his mind stopped him from gorging himself. Grunt froze up and went deep into thought. What that woman had said to him just now. "I should go." He had heard it before.

Grunt knew it was a common human expression. What got him was the way it was said to him. It sounded… familiar. Almost homey. It sounded like…

That was when Grunt sprung into action. He put his pie down on the counter and pursued the mysterious woman. The group had turned the corner on the right. Grunt followed suit, but found nothing. It was as if they had just vanished into thin air. How could that have happened?

"Hey!" He called out.

No response.

Grunt was left in complete disarray. Who was that woman. It couldn't have been… Could it? But after this long..?

The krogan wanted to follow. Too bad his two stomachs had other plans. He decided to shove the thought into the back of his mind and headed back to where his pie awaited.

Unbeknownst to him, a small glowing blue light was glaring at him from afar.

"Finally." A southern voice spoke. "Hold on now, partner. We're comin'."

…

Let me just say thank you guys for all the great comments! This is my first posted story and your feedback means so much to me! If you like my story, check out my other project, Pieces! It focuses on Saint-14 after his defeat by the mysterious Conductor!