Jane Doe cracked open her launcher. An empty cartridge flying out of the barrel. She reached into her sachet on her hip and pulled out another grenade which she loaded into her weapon.

The armored woman proceeded into the precinct. She turned to her left. A room filled with officers had noticed and started to draw their weapons. Too bad Doe was quicker.

"Meeting's over, fellas!"

She quickly adjusted the settings of her launcher. From 'concussive' to 'flashbang'. Jane fired into the room. The cartridge exploded in a bright flash of light. The officers were all knocked out instantly as a result.

Jane smirked. Right on the money. She reloaded and moved on.

Upon turning the corner, Jane was met by a rather large and rather angry krogan. Likely one of Wrex's guards. He could already tell that she was a threat and readied himself for a fight. Jane stowed her weapon, then raised both her fists, taking a stance like that of a boxer's.

"Wanna play, huh big guy?" She said excitedly. "Well, just so you know. I'm a very strong puncher."

The krogan grinned. "Yeah? So am I, lady!"

He charged head first at the armored woman. Jane cocked her arm back and smashed her fist right into the left side of the krogan's face. The force was so unbelievably powerful that the massive alien was actually sent flying down the hallway. The krogan ended up crashing into a vending machine, destroying it utterly.

"I warned ya!"

The krogan was left completely dazed. He had no idea what had just happened. What he was sure of was all the snacks that were falling into the floor.

"It's raining candy…"

Jane couldn't help but chuckle. From behind, a salarian officer was quietly sneaking up behind her, armed with a stun rod. He believed Jane had no idea that he was there. That was when she drew her weapon and aimed in behind her without even turning around and fired. The flashbang exploding in the officer's face, rendering him unconscious like that.

"Nice try."

…

The sounds of explosions echoed throughout the entire building. Bailey and Miranda could hear them all the way from the tenth floor.

"What in God's name is that?!" Bailey exclaimed.

"That sounds like my ride." Whiskey answered.

…

With Kaiden and Wrex. The fight g had already reached their side on the fifth floor. The assailant was practically mowing through C-Sec officers like grass on a lawn. The two of them took cover in the back of the room, weapons drawn.

"What in the heck is going on?!" Kaiden wondered.

"Don't know. But it sounds like a blast! Haha!" Wrex laughed in excitement.

They had a clear view of the door. A whole group of officers were seen getting blown away like nothing before them. The armored attacker passed by the Krogan Embassy without even paying a single shred of attention to it. This attacker was clearly on a mission.

"What are we waiting for, Alenko?! Let's kick some ass!"

Wrex's eagerness for a fight was as strong as ever, even though he had spent most of his time on a throne.

"Are you not seeing what's happening out there, Wrex?!" Kaiden questioned. "Whoever that is, they're one person taking out the entire precinct like the Terminator! We can't take them on, just the two of us! We need some serious backup!"

"Tch! Killjoy."

Wrex looked over the balcony. He could see a small silver dot in the distance.

"Grunt's down there. That oughta be enough backup."

The Spectre thought for a minute. An experienced biotic soldier, krogan battle master who was a biotic also, and a genetically engineered super krogan all teaming up together… That might be enough. Just.

"HEEEEEY! GRUNT, UP HERE! WE NEED YOUR HELP!"

Urdnot shouted as loud as his four lungs could possibly muster, hoping Grunt could hear him from how high up they were.

"Wrex, are you stupid?! They'll hear us!" Kaiden snapped.

"Bah! That lab rat can't hear me. I'm gonna have to jump."

"Say what?!"

Without even the slightest bit of fear or hesitation, Wrex leapt over the balcony railing and plummeted to the ground below.

"GERONIMOOOO!"

Kaiden rushed over to the railing and watched his only support plummet. He facepalmed himself at Wrex's absolutely insane decision.

"Freakin' krogan… How did you put up with these guys, Shepard..?"

…

*Normandy SR2, Port Cargo: 2185*

…

Darkness. Silence. Weightlessness.

That is all that he could experience. It was his world for as long as he could remember. There was no sound, no taste, touch, or even smell. Was this what it meant to be 'alive'? If it was, then he was disappointed.

"What c.n you…e about t…gu.? Anything unu….?"

What was that? There was something here. What was it? Could it be… sound?

The voices kept coming. They were making him feel uneasy. He wanted to make them shut up. However, he could not move. He could not even open his eyes.

That was when he could feel movement all around him. His dark world was beginning to feel cold and dry. His fluidy blanket, the source of his warmth, was vanishing.

This felt off. This felt wrong. Why was this happening? Was he dying? Or perhaps being born.

A loud hiss filled his ears and he dropped to his knees. For the first time in his existence, he took a breath. Clear fluids erupting from his lungs as air finally filled his lungs.

Slowly, his vision was getting clearer. Before his vibrant blue eyes stood a red haired woman, dressed in white and grey. She looked down at him in concern.

He wasn't sure as to what was going on. What he was sure of was the feeling that was bubbling up within his gut. A feeling that, no matter how hard he tried with every fiber of his being, it would consume him entirely.

He could not resist this… this rage. This Blood Rage!

So many questions which only angered him more. What was happening?! Who was he?! What was he?!

No. He knew what he was. Not sure how, but just knew.

He was something mighty. Something powerful! Unstoppable!

HE.

WAS.

KROGAN!!!

Rage engulfed him. The blue eyed krogan charged. He tackled the woman, pinning her against the wall by a single arm. The sheer force was enough to shake the entire ship. His strength was unrivaled.

"Human. Female." His voice raspy, as these were the first words he had ever uttered. "Before you die, I need a name."

"You'll get more than that." The woman promised; her tone menacing. "I'm Commander Shepard, and I don't take threats lightly. I suggest you relax."

"Not your name. Mine. I am trained, I know things, but the tank... Okeer couldn't implant connection. His words are hollow."

The krogan seemed to have difficulty, coming up with complete sentences. He was not used to speaking. His mind could not immediately find the words he needed. If he could just have a second to think… What was it that Okeer said to him before…

"Warlord, legacy, grunt... grunt. "Grunt" was among the last. It has no meaning. It'll do.

I am Grunt. If you are worthy of your command, then prove your strength and try to destroy me."

Shepard struggled to break free, but Grunt's hold on her was too strong.

"Why "Grunt"? You wouldn't prefer "Okeer"? Or "Legacy"?" Jane questioned.

"It's short. Matches the training in my blood. The other words are big things that I don't feel. Maybe they fit your mouth better." Grunt responded in a deadpan tone. "I feel nothing for Okeer's clan or his enemies. I will do what l am bred to do- fight and determine the strongest- but his imprint has failed. Without a reason that's mine, one fight is as good as any other."

The newborn krogan leaned in closer to the commander's face. He exhaled through his nose right on her.

"Might as well start with you."

Not good. Shepard couldn't take on Grunt alone. If he truly was as strong as Okeer designed him to be, then she couldn't fight him by herself. Even if she could, Grunt had the power to rip the ship apart. Shepard REALLY didn't feel like getting spaced a second time in her life.

"I'm offering the chance to join my crew. Stand down. I won't ask again." She warned.

Grunt… well, grunted. "Asking marks you as unworthy. That's why you'll die first." His free hand tightened into a fist. "I'm stronger in every way. The tank showed many imprints of human weakness - where to break your spine, the shortest path to organs. Your words are worth- GAH!"

*BLAM*

Grunt was somehow knocked away into the wall. Within Shepard's hand was a machine pistol.

"Talking was the generous Plan A. This is Plan B. You WILL stand down."

Her aim was to wound, not kill, as the pistol's bullet caliber was not NEARLY enough to punch through his flesh. But the force was enough to cause some internal damage.

Blood dripped down Grunt's mouth, but he wasn't at all bothered. A mere scratch for a warrior. Even so, Grunt smirked.

"You offer one hand, but arm the other- and don't hesitate. Maybe you are worthy."

…

The day that he was born, was also the day he met her. The woman he respected more than anyone else besides Wrex. The woman… he would consider his mother.

It wasn't exactly a heartfelt birthing story, but it was his. Shepard helped Grunt grow and adapt to this strange new world. Fighting the Collectors, joining Clan Urdnot, by killing a giant Thresher Maw no less. And finally repaying his debt to her by saving Shepard from a Ravager attack during the Reaper War back in Utukku. It nearly cost him his life, but he powered through.

For he was Urdnot Grunt. The Perfect Krogan!

"Heh heh heh."

And he was going to EAT SOME PIE!

Grunt looked down at his delectable treat with the excitement of the five year old he technically was. A buttery crust filled with sweet, savory asari azulian berries, oozing with their natural juices, all topped off with whipped cream and cane sugar. The krogan couldn't help but giggle and lick his lips in anticipation.

It's not that Grunt had a sweet tooth per say, but he was hungry. VERY hungry.

All day, he had not had one scrap of food besides what he ate for breakfast back on Tuchanka. Wrex had to go to the Citadel and Grunt was assigned to personal guard duty during.

His stomach was growling like a mad vorcha. Grunt would not deny it sustenance any longer. The super krogan picked up the plastic fork with his three fingered hand and pulled out a hunk of the pie. He opened his mouth, ready to eat it, until…

"LOOK OUT BELOW!"

From above, Wrex crashed down onto the floor of the Presidium. The impact was great enough to leave a crater in the metal floor and shake the entire area. Grunt stared in total shock. The pie hunk falling off his fork and into the floor.

"Wrex..?"

The red krogan ran to the silver one in a frantic hurry. "Grunt, we've got an emergency! C-Sec HQ is under attack. Mercenaries from the sound of it, not sure who. Kaiden's in there investigating but I don't think he'll be able to handle this alone. We gotta get back in there and cover his ass yesterday!"

"…Wrex, I was just about to have my pie-"

"Pie can wait! We have to move!"

With a swing of his muscular arm, Wrex swatted the plate out of Grunt's hand. The pastry splattering onto the floor at their feet. Grunt's eyes went wide and unleashed a scream of absolute horror and disbelief. Never had a krogan's voice gotten so high.

Wrex drew two weapons from behind his back. His signature M-300 Claymore shotgun and, for Grunt, a Blood Pack Executioner Pistol.

"Only have what I've got on me. I'm sure you'll make do. Now let's go, kid! Krogan to the rescue! AHAHAHA!"

Laughing proudly, Wrex dashed off into action. Grunt however was still traumatized over his ruined desert, swearing vengeance in his mind. To him, taking food away at the last minute may as well have been a hate crime against the young krogan.

…

"Breakin' rocks in the hot sun! I fought the law and the law won! I fought the law and the law one! Bah nah nah nah!"

Jane sang her heart out as she was hard at work on her one woman invasion of C-Sec. Each officer that got in her way, she greeted them with the gift of unconsciousness via her concussive and stun grenades. In her mind, they were overworked, like all cops. So a forced nap was her way of giving them a break.

"Incoming!"

A grenade fired into the officers in front of her. The blast took out every single one of them like bowling pins.

"Strike, baby!"

One asari officer charged at her from the side. Jane greeted the officer with her good friend, her left fist. They became very well acquainted. Well, in a manner of speaking anyway.

A turian fired off rounds from his pistol at Jane. The bullets bounced off her armor's shield systems like flies. Doe grabbed hold of the turian by his shirt and lifted him up into the air.

"You guys really look like birds. Let's see if you fly like them."

The turian was tossed backwards by Jane's superhuman physical strength.

"Guess not. Turkey…"

"Freeze!"

Jane Doe stopped dead in her tracks. She turned around. Kaiden was there, pointing an M-8 Avenger right at her.

"Drop your weapon and put your hands where I can see them!" Alenko ordered.

Jane however did not comply with that order. Instead, she examined the weapon Kaiden had fixed on her.

"That's a nice gun you've got there, pal. What's it called?" She asked, curious.

"What does it matter?" Kaiden questioned.

Doe merely crossed her arms and tapped her foot at him. This woman was getting on his nerves. Kaiden decided to humor her.

"M-8 Avenger. Alliance standard issue assault rifle."

"Really? It's cool. I like the design. Not sure why, but I just do. Only fair I show you mine."

Jane selected an option on her HUD. A weapon was summoned into her hands which she directed at Kaiden. It looked like some old and battered assault rifle; Russian from the design of it.

"This here is my baby. The Khvostov 7G-0X auto rifle. It's been with me for as long as I can remember. Don't leave home without it."

"Really? You're gonna fight me with THAT hunk of junk?! Looks like it's gonna fall apart." Kaiden snorted.

"You should know not to judge a book by its cover, handsome."

The two were locked in a standoff. The slightest movement would cause them to fire their weapons. As they stared each other down, Kaiden noticed something about Jane's armor. The design. The stripes on the arm. It was N7.

That couldn't be right. An N7 agent attacking C-Sec HQ like this? Could this woman be a traitor? Or could she have just stolen the armor to sneak in?

"Where'd you get that armor, lady?" Kaiden questioned.

Jane was confused. "My armor?"

"That's N7 armor. Heavily modified, from the looks of it. Where did you get it?"

The question caused Jane to drop her guard. She lowered her weapon. That was when Kaiden took the shot. The bullet penetrated her helmet and tore into her skull, killing her instantly. Jane's body went limp and she collapsed to her knees in a slump.

Kaiden could finally breathe. The target was down. He put away his rifle. "I'll find out one way or another."

She clearly wouldn't have gone quietly, considering all the destruction she left in her wake. This was the best and only option. If this person was N7, then there will be data on her in the records.

Taking action. That's what Shepard taught him.

Alenko approached the body. Looks like that bullet did its job. He should contact Bailey and let him know the coast was clear.

"Commander Bailey, this is Major Alenko. Target is neutralized. It's all clear-"

Kaiden stopped talking. Something caught the corner of his eye. That was when he saw it. A small robot orbiting around him. Staring down at him. Its shape. It's color. It… It looked like… EDI..?

"OW! Son of a bitch!"

That voice! It can't be!

Kaiden looked down. Jane's body started moving again all of a sudden. She stood right back up like nothing happened. Kaiden instantly backed away and drew his pistol. His face showed a look of shock and fear.

"What the fuck?!" He exclaimed.

"Oh man… I wasn't expecting Anti-Shield ammo. I'm gonna have a throbbing headache tomorrow, that's for sure."

"Well, it's your own fault!"

The small robot flew beside Jane, clonking its metal frame against her helmet scoldingly.

"Why'd you let your guard down like that? You practically gave this guy the green light to blow your brains out!" The robot's voice sounded feminine through her little fit.

"Sorry about that, Edith. Won't happen again." Jane apologized.

"Better not. I know I take care of you, but you gotta learn to be more independent."

Kaiden was absolutely freaked out. What did he just witness? The woman he just shot dead not ten seconds ago had just risen from the dead like Jesus or something. How could that be possible at all?!

"Wha- What the hell's going on?!" He exclaimed in a panic. "I just shot you in the head! You died!"

Jane readied her rifle. "That I did."

…

Wrex and Grunt made their ways through the damaged halls of C-Sec. there were unconscious officers all around them, as far as the eye can see. The funny thing was that there was not a single fatality among them. In face, none of them were even fatally wounded. This attacker had some serious restraint.

"Shit. Look at all these guys, and not one of 'em dead. Why?" Wrex wondered.

"Where the hell is this idiot?" Grunt snarled.

"Not sure, kid. Don't worry, Kaiden's one tough bastard. He can more than hold his own." Wrex assured.

"No, not him! The guy delivering my order!"

Grunt had loaded up an app on his Omni-Tool. Citadel Eats Food Delivery. Since Wrex had ruined his piece of pie, Grunt was forced to order more food to quell his growling gut. Wrex looked back at Grunt in irritation.

"Are you kidding me?!" He shouted.

"It's your fault for wasting my pie! Damnit! How long does it take to stuff 11 beef dorito gordita tacos, 6 five-layer chili cheese burritos, 8 chicken quesadillas, 4 nacho supremes, and 3 2L bottles of Dr. Pepper into a bag?!"

Grunt may have looked like an adult, but he was released from that tank only six years ago. Mentally, he was a literal man child.

"Grunt, can you focus? Look, if it'll get your head in the game, I'll buy ya another slice after this." Wrex offered in annoyance.

"Don't worry about that. I ordered all this stuff on your tab anyway." Grunt replied.

"WHAT?!"

The krogan turned the corner. That was when they saw someone in the distance. A hooded figure who was crouched down, seemingly talking with an operative who was still conscious.

Wrex and Grunt had the element of surprise on their side. They drew their weapons and moved quietly towards the figure.

"Hold it, little guy." Ordered Wrex. "Lose the cloak and turn around slowly."

The figure complied. They turned slowly towards the two krogan. Grunt couldn't help but chuckle a bit.

"You know, I kinda thought of a fun game, Wrex. What would you think if we said that, if they can knock us out, they walk?"

Wrex glared at his childish subordinate. That was when the figure grabbed hold of their cloak and yanked it off.

The figure looked short, male, but was completely obscured by his blue, gold, and red, regal looking armor that covered him head to toe. He looked like some kind of space-age wizard. There was an engraving on the front of his robes. "The Great Hunt".

The HUD on his inner helmet display selected an option. "Wish-Ender". At that moment. A weapon was summoned. It was an absolutely giant white longbow of regal design. The figure summoned a large arrow in his hand and cocked it back into the bowstring. The little statue on the inside of the bow started glowing. Grunt and Wrex both gulped.

"You had to open your big yap?" Wrex said nervously.

"I accept your challenge! Good luck!"

…

*Off elsewhere*

…

"Damn… This place is huge."

"Maybe it wasn't a good idea to get separated from Jane and Shinazu. We don't wanna end up lost."

"I think we've already crossed that threshold, Glint."

Crow had been wandering the halls of the building for some time now. He had decided to split off from the other two in order to cover more ground. Too bad he ended up getting lost in the process. In his hand was a large Hand Cannon. Silver, with feather engravings on it, and a talon on the butt of the gun.

Floating alongside him, a small red and black robot with a vertical white stripe and a glowing aqua blue eye. Its voice sounded male.

"I'm just worried, Crow. We don't know what kind of bad guys we're gonna be dealing with here. I still have bad dreams about the High Celebrant of Xivu Arath." Glint admitted nervously.

"Come on, pal. We handled that without a hitch. We'll be fine." Crow reassured his little friend.

"What are you talking about? In case you don't remember, the Celebrant snapped both your legs like twigs and threw you into a bottomless abyss!"

"…We survived, didn't we?"

"You're impossible."

The man and his small robot friend both laughed wholesomely as they continued.

Crow walked through a door and eventually found himself in a strange room. He flipped the lightswitch on and the room was illuminated. There were several cabinets across the walls in the back and what looked like some kind of medical table in the middle of the room. It appeared to be the morgue.

"No signs of life." Crow stated.

"It's a morgue, Crow. That's obvious." Glint replied.

That was when they heard a sound and saw a beaker fall over on the counter in the back. Crow drew his weapon, ready for whatever may pop out. He cautiously moved closer to the counter. His finger firmly pressed against the trigger of the gun.

But what finally emerged was not an enemy. It was a small robot, like Glint. But this one was different. This one was painted black and gold, with wood lining along its sides, and two golden bull skull engravings on each side. (Shell of Gilgamesh: Default Colors)

"Howdy, Feathers!" Greeted the little robot.

"Turnbull!" Crow and Glint both exclaimed.

The tiny synthetic flew over to the hooded figure happily. "Am I glad to see y'all again! I thought I'd wind up just a hunk of junk like fool's gold tossed away after a back-breakin' day at the ol' mines!"

"Good to know those few days you and Whiskey were missing g didn't affect the way you yap, little guy." Crow commented.

"Where is your Guardian anyway?" Asked Glint.

Turnbull looked up. "Them varmints got Whiskey locked up on the upper levels. I reckon they're interrogatin' him up there." The small robot explained. "He got into some trouble with the local sheriff and now they got him doin' time in the big house."

Crow rolled his eyes in response to Turnbull's news. Of course Whiskey got in trouble again. That robo-redneck was always a total loose cannon.

"So we have to bust him out of trouble AGAIN?!" Groaned Glint. His blue eye turning yellow in annoyance.

"He always loves to put on a show, that's for sure. Even if he gets in trouble for it." Crow pointed out. "And Hunters are supposed to be the stealthy ones."

"I don't think a lack of stealth is really your biggest issue right now."

An attack from behind. Crow spun and acrobatically jumped away. He drew his gun, but realized that his hands were empty. His cannon was missing!

"Looking for this?"

Before him was a human woman, slender, and dressed head to toe in black; a good covering most of her face. There was a black streak running down the middle of her bottom lip, which was curved into a smug grin. Within the woman's hand was Crow's hand cannon.

"Those are some sticky fingers you've got." Crow commented.

"Thanks. I wouldn't have been able to swipe this big monster from you if I didn't."

The woman twirled the gun in her hands before pointing it right at Crow.

"Hi there, handsome. Kasumi Goto, thieving extraordinaire. I was breaking into C-Sec to recover some schematics for a heist I'm planning. Wasn't expecting a terror attack, if I'm being honest."

Crow could immediately tell that he was in for a fight. He threw off his robes. His outfit was cascaded in both black and white. A bullet belt wrapped around his waist, and draping his shoulders, a hooded poncho with a bird marking on it, and a long cape along the back.

He appeared human, but his skin was a shining light blue and looked as though he was glowing. Atop his head, black, medium length side swept hair, and his eyes shined a luminous orange.

Kasumi was intrigued by Crow's unique appearance. He looked like an ethereal creature of legend.

"Wow. Aren't you something different. Never seen a human like you before." She stated. "As is this pistol.

The thief examined the gun. She was utterly entranced by its features.

"I've never seen anything like it. The design is beautiful. A little on the heavy side for me though."

Within his contact lense HUD, crow selected another weapon. "Allied Demand" and "The Fool's Remedy". Two sidearms appeared in both hands. One green and black, and looked like a machine pistol. The other green and white with a silencer attached. Each pistol had an engraving of two wolves by a tree in the center.

"It's called Hawkmoon." He said. "And I would like it back, thank you very much."

"Hawkmoon, eh? That has a good ring to it. And "give it back"? Where's the fun in that?"

Kasumi drew a gun from her hip. An M-11 Suppressor, and pointed at her opponent along with Hawkmoon.

"I don't think I got your name, handsome."

Crow pointed his pistols as well. He had his fingers right on the triggers.

"Uldren Sov, but my friends call me 'The Crow'."

"And I'm Glint! Hi there!" Glint chirped.

"Get back into stealth mode!" Crow urged.

…

*London, England: Earth: 2186*

…

This was it. The final battle. The entire galaxy, united together to face the Reapers. Earth had become a battleground for this last confrontation. So much death. So much suffering. We could only pray that it would be worth it.

Garrus had just finished conversing with Primarch Victus on ground strategy. Now he was talking the plan over with the troops. Garrus noticed someone approaching in the corner of his eye.

"Shepard." Garrus started. "So, I guess this is…" He couldn't find the words.

"Just like old times?" Shepard finished for him.

That was usually what Garrus would say in situations like this. A way of keeping their spirits high by reminding himself and Jane of the old days.

"Might be the last chance we get to say that." Garrus said with a heavy sigh.

"You think we're going to lose?" Asked Shepard.

"No. I think we're about to kick the Reapers back into whatever black hole they crawled out of. Then we're going to retire somewhere warm and tropical and live off the royalties from the vids… Maybe even find out what a turian-human baby looks like."

Really? Them, as parents? The human Spectre and turian rebel who would constantly get into trouble? Shepard couldn't help but chuckle wholesomely. "I'm game. Though I think adoption's a better idea. Biology might not cooperate."

That was true. Levos and Dextros don't exactly mix. And if they did… God only knew what would end up growing inside Shepard.

"I suppose there will be a lot of little krogan running around soon." Garrus agreed.

"We just have to beat the Reapers first." Shepard pointed out.

Garrus could hear the anxiety in her voice. He knew she was scared. She just didn't show it. It made sense to him. She was a leader. And leaders cannot show their fear in front of their troops. Especially not now.

"James told me there's an old saying here on Earth. "May you be in Heaven a half hour before The Devil knows you're dead." Not sure if Turian Heaven is the same as yours, but if this thing goes sideways and we both end up there… Meet me at the bar. I'm buying."

His words carried great weight. It helped Shepard steel herself.

"Were a team, Garrus." Jane pointed out. "There's no Shepard without Vakarian. So you better be ready to duck."

Garrus chuckled. "Sorry. Turians don't know how, but I'll improvise. And Shepard…"

He stepped closer to the Commander, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling his lover into him.

"Forgive the insubordination, but your boyfriend has an order for you…"

Shepard wrapped her arms around Garrus' waist as well. The two stared into each other's eyes.

"Come back alive. It'd be an awfully empty galaxy without you."

Jane bit her lip, trying to the best of her ability not to show any tears, but it was impossible not to. She needed a distraction. Jane leaned in, planting a tender kiss on Garrus' mouth plates. They quickly broke; Shepard could feel her eyes welling with tears.

"Goodbye Garrus… And if I'm up there in that bar and you're not…" a single tear ran down Shepard's cheek. Her voice trembled. "I'll be lookin' down."

Their embrace was broken. Her body slipped out of Garrus' reach. The human soldier finally letter her tears flow now. She couldn't bear to let her lover see her weakness. Not now. Shepard shut her eyes and turned away. It took every ounce of her willpower not to run back into the turian's arms.

"You'll never be alone."

Slowly, Shepard started to walk away. Garrus watched as the woman he gave his heart to move on to the front lines. To the battle that would decide the fate of everything as we know it. To her… Her…

No… No! He could stop that! He could save her!

"Jane, wait! Don't go!"

Garrus reached out for Shepard, but before he could touch her, the world around him went black.

She was gone… Gone forever…

"Your heart chose death rather than evolution."

Garrus froze up. It was that voice again! The Voice in the Darkness.

"In Light, there is only death."

The turian looked around to find the source of the voice. It was too dark to see. He couldn't find anything.

"Salvation only lies in Darkness."

"Show yourself, you damn coward!" Garrus angrily demanded.

"You are fearful. Your fright is understandable. Fear of change. Fear of the unknown."

Garrus reached for his Black Widow. He readied his weapon for whatever may come. The turian would die before that freaky cloth would attack him again.

"It is this fear that keeps us from achieving our goals. To attain perfection, fear must be overcome. So that we may accept… Destiny."

"If you're done running your mouth, why don't you start giving me a proper explanation as to what you want with me!" Garrus shouted. "Who are you?! Are you the one responsible for putting a Veiled Statue in my apartment?!"

"We are the First Knife."

"We are The Witness to the night."

Vakarian raised a brow plate. "First Knife?" "The Witness?" What kind of names were those? He felt as though he was in some sort of Blasto parody.

"Alright then, "Witness". What do you want with me-"

It was at that instant, something grabbed Garrus by his neck and lifted him up. It was too dark for him to even notice. Whatever grabbed him was strong. Too strong. All Garrus could make out about it was its macabre green glow.

"We wish to bestow you a gift. The power to bind. The power to subjugate. The power to snuff out the Light."

The glow grew more intense. It was becoming blinding. Garrus struggled against this beast's hold. He needed to get out.

"You seek to end your pain. We wish to see you take that pain and shape it into strength."

The creature's face was now ever clearer. It was…

It was his face!

"We see potential in you, Garrus Vakarian of Palaven. You can become more than you have ever previously imagined.

What you see before you is your perfection. The power to move worlds with the touch of your hand. The Strands of the Darkness will be yours to weave.

This power can be yours. Seek us out, Garrus Vakarian, my Archangel."

…

Garrus' eyes bursted open. He woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for air. Garrus felt his throat. There was no longer any hand.

Upon awakening, he scanned the room around him. He was in Liara's guest room. The sheets he slept in were drenched in his own sweat. His breathing is heavy and fast.

That was two nightmares in one night. The same nightmare. The same voice. Why?

"Garrus!"

Suddenly, his door flew open, causing the turian to jump up. As if his heart wasn't already beating at lightning speed. Liara came running in frantically.

"L-Liara?!

"We need to get to C-Sec HQ! I just received a call from Miranda!"