866A/N: Over 20 Reviews already, man that's one hell of a start. After tinkering with a few things I decided to really tamper with canon a bit. This chapter won't have hardly any changes but it will lead up to some in the next. This is also one of a two-part flashback sequence that will lay the ground work for the rest of the story and give you all insight in what is going to happen soon.
As an added warning, this chapter is mostly all dialogue with some sappy love stuff and a shocking twist at the end. So I apologise in advance if it makes a few of you question what the hells going to happen after this, but that's what I want. Because after this things are not going to be the same.
I own nothing.
Alexander 'Maverick' Drake
Alex's Apartment - Citadel
September 19, 2183 - 07:30 hours
(One Year Ago)
The artificial sun of the station's day cycle shone brightly through the bedroom window, casting a bright glow on the two occupants curled up together in the bed.
Alex's eyes snapped open almost instantly. His body hardwired to wake up at a certain time everyday thanks to his training and the amount of combat he had been in.
He looked down and smiled at the head of red hair that was still sleeping peacefully on his chest. It had taken a bit of work to convince Jane to stay at his place instead of a hotel. As usual, her stubbornness had kicked in and she said she didn't want to be any trouble.
But in the end she broke down and agreed when he explained to her that they were in a relationship and that he would be happy to have her there. They'd spent the last few weeks at his place and things were going very well.
The two Spectres had much deserved time off after saving the galaxy from Sovereign and the Geth. And they spent that time getting to know one another on a much deeper level. She talked about her family and all the good times she had with them while living on Mindoir, she also talked about her military training and her time as an N7.
Alex talked about his family, and his own training and the time he spent as a Marine before he 'wound up in New York' fighting the Ceph.
He had never told Jane or any of their friends about where he was really from, but he didn't want to reveal his true past and the meeting with the Librarian. More often then not, he felt that he should tell them of what is coming.
But the issue with that was not only the repercussions that would come about, but also the fact that he didn't have any evidence to prove it like he did from his time in the Crysis universe.
Running his hand through the Commander's hair, the nano soldier felt her stir a moment before her jade green eyes opened slowly. "Mornin darlin." Alex said letting his southern drawl creep out.
Jane smiled up at him. "What time is it?" she asked stretching a bit before curling back into him again.
"Just after 7:30." replied Alex causing her to groan.
"We've got a meeting with the Council later. I'm really not looking forward to that." she said rubbing her eyes.
The Council had supposedly kept their word about looking into the Reaper threat. But the couple knew that it was only a front to make it seem like they were doing something. So far it was only Anderson that truly held the faith when it came to the race of ancient machines.
It was pissing Alex off to no end, but he and Prophet had already started building a contingency plan for when they attempted to brush everything about the Reapers aside.
"Neither am I. But we still have to go and listen to them bitch, the down side to our so called 'awesome jobs'." said Alex as he rolled out of bed and started getting dressed.
"Do we have to get up? It's still early." Jane said sitting up and wrapping the sheets around her bare form.
The Post-Human shrugged as he slipped on jeans and a black t-shirt, "Fine, but you'll miss breakfast." he said over his shoulder heading out the door. He smirked when he heard her get up and dress quickly. One of the many things Jane had learned about him in the time she was staying there was that he could cook pretty damn well.
He was in the kitchen for a total of 30 seconds when she came in behind him wearing a black tank top and a pair of his boxers with her hair up in a pony tail. "So what's for breakfast?" she asked hopping up on to the counter.
"Texas toast with a side of scrambled eggs and bacon." said Alex taking out everything he needed to make it.
Jane smiled, "Sounds really good. Need a hand?"
The nano soldier s chuckled and shook his head, "I've got it darlin. You sure you even wanna risk it after the waffle incident last week here?" he asked raising an eyebrow at her.
"So I'm a little out of practice with cooking. Don't go holding it against me just because I've had to live off of military rations for so long." she replied with a pointed look.
Alex raised his hands in surrender before he started cooking. Jane watching him go about it while making a little small talk about the on-goings of the Citadel.
The clean up had begun not long after Sovereign's destruction. All of the Council species sent out search and rescue teams to locate the missing and dead while everyone began to rebuild. But it would be a long time until everything would be back to normal again.
Even though they had time off, the two Spectres were hounded every time they left the apartment. The press, military officials, political heads, everyone wanted a piece of both Jane and Alex.
It was sheer luck and skill that Alex was able to keep his identity from getting out as Maverick. But they both managed to get by with as little trouble as possible.
Sitting down at the table together to eat, Jane perked up when she remembered something. "I got a message from Wrex the other day. He's already coming up with plans to get all the Krogan together, and several members in his clan have already begun rallying behind him." she said before taking a bite of eggs.
"If there was ever anyone to get the Krogan to become a united species again it would be him." replied Alex. "Let's just hope that some of your diplomacy rubbed off on him."
"Or it could have been you setting him straight on Virmire. Your pretty diplomatic yourself a lot of the time you know." said Jane.
Alex shrugged, "Maybe, but you're the one with the silver tongue between the two of us." he said chuckling at the blush that appeared on her face. "What about Kaidan, anything new with him?"
"His rehab sessions have gone well. He basically had to learn how to control his biotics all over again with the new implant. But he said that since he won't have to worry about exploding or the migraines ever again he's happy with it." said the Commander.
Almost everyone in their team had been separated. Wrex heading back to the Krogan home world and Kaidan recovering from what happened on Virmire was only the start.
Garrus had returned to C-Sec. He was welcomed back with open arms and was honored for helping the first two Human Spectres save the galaxy. But he had told them more than once that he missed going out and doing the right thing without having to deal with all the red tape.
Tali was still on her pilgrimage, even though the Geth data Alex had given her would have made a more than worthy gift to find her place among the flotilla she wanted to stick around the Normandy just a little longer before returning to her people.
Though everyone could see that she just wanted to be a little closer to Joker before she had to go back.
Liara had also stayed on the ship. She had found good friends among the crew and had vowed to stay with them for a little longer before going back to researching what she could on the Protheans. Now that she had seen the truth behind their extinction, she was going to find as much valuable data as she could to help prevent the cycle of genocide from continuing.
As for her mother, after Benezia had been freed from Sovereign's indoctrination thanks to Alex and Prophet she had vowed to do what she could to ensure that nothing like this ever happened again. She'd taken a shuttle to Feros to make peace with Shiala for what she had done to her before heading to Thessia to report what she had seen and endured to the Asari higher ups.
She had promised Liara that she would stay in touch better than she had before. The mother and daughter had truly never been closer.
Ashley was also staying with the Normandy. Even though she and Garrus had started a relationship, she still said that she had a duty to serve aboard the ship with the two Spectres. The inter-species couple had gone on a several dates since the battle ended, one of them was a double date with Alex and Jane that all of them had a blast during.
Quite a few people were surprised at the relationship that the two had formed, especially with Ash's past xenophobic beliefs. But thanks to her talks with Alex on the Normandy she had come out of that shell and Garrus was helping even more the longer they were together.
Everything seemed to be going their way. But it didn't feel that way.
Alex knew what was coming next, and that it was only a matter of time before the Council sent them out to 'deal with the rest of the Geth'. And where the Collectors would be waiting for them.
He'd been trying to find a way to get around it but nothing would have made sense. Thinking about just flat out telling Jane crossed his mind for the umpteenth time in a few days but he shoved it back down into his mind. There just had to be another way to get her out of there alive.
Jane could feel it too. She may not have known what he did, but the Commander could tell that something bad was going to happen soon. The fact that the Council had been very brief when they talked to them about the Reaper threat also didn't do them any favors.
The couple had spent two separate nights talking about it. Both were frustrated that the three original Councilors were going to pull the same shit they had before when they wanted to go after Saren on Ilos. Of course, with Anderson now on the Council there was hope that, that wouldn't happen.
"When do we have to meet with the Council today?" asked Alex as he cleared the table when they were finished.
"At two o'clock in the Council chambers. They just finished clearing it all out all the debris and got most of the repairs done." replied Jane heading back down the hall to the bedroom. "I'm grabbing a shower...want to join me?" she asked slipping the tank top over her head and tossing it aside as she gave him a sinful look over her shoulder.
Alex grinned before following after the beautiful red-head.
X
Alexander 'Maverick' Drake
Council Chambers - Citadel Tower
September 19, 2183 - 14:02 hours
Being back in this place after the battle seemed too surreal. It was only a little over three weeks ago that they fought Saren's corpse as it was being controlled by Sovereign, the super powered Husk being taken down with all of them going at it with everything they had.
Even though the atrium was still a wreck, the place was almost completely back to normal thanks to the rebuilding efforts. Many people just wanting things to go back to the way they were before.
But to those involved in the battle, there was no going back after this.
After spending most of the morning in the shower doing everything but actually getting clean. Jane and Alex spent a little time relaxing together before getting into their armor and heading to the Citadel tower. Alex taking them in his skycar and parking in a section reserved for Spectres when they're called in.
The couple walked up the small flight of stairs and into the Council chambers where the four representatives were waiting for them. "Councilors." said Jane slipping into her business persona as they both stood shoulder to shoulder together.
"Commander, Maverick. I trust that your time off has proven to be beneficial?" asked Tevos.
"Once you get past the press hounding us and every political dignitary wanting us on their side, it was rather nice to have a little time off." said Alex with his voice filtered.
"It comes with the territory of being in the Spectres I'm afraid." said Valern. "And given your achievements during your fight against Saren and the Geth."
And there it was. The first subtle hint that the Council was starting to disprove the existence of the Reapers. Alex kept his mouth shut as Jane spoke. "You forget that it was Sovereign that was in control Councilor."
"Yes, we are still very much aware of the Reaper's attempt. And thanks to your efforts it failed in opening the Citadel relay." said Sparatus stiffly. "And since the rest of its kind have no access to the galaxy, everyone can breathe a bit easier."
"A bit easier?" Alex asked skeptical. "Sovereign was the gatekeeper left behind by the rest of the Reapers to let them through when the time came. Just because the front door is locked doesn't mean they won't find another way in."
"Maverick is right." said Anderson. "If the Reapers reside in dark space, there is no telling when or where they will come."
"Listen to what your saying." said Sparatus with a shake of his head. "You talking something returning from 'dark space'. Nothing could survive out there, it's not possible."
"They're machines Councilor. And you saw what Sovereign are capable of." said Jane. "It blew right through your fleet and destroyed several Alliance ships as it tried to gain control of the Citadel. That kind of power is beyond anything anyone has ever faced before."
"You failed to heed our warnings once, and it almost cost us everything." said Alex crossing his arms. "Don't make the same mistakes because your fear is clouding your judgement."
The Turian Councilor bristled and was about to say something back when Tevos interrupted. "We are well aware of the situation involving the Reapers. However, this is not why we have called you to this meeting."
Everything slowly settled down before she spoke again, "We have received reports of suspicious activity along our boarders close to the Terminus Systems." said the Asari Councilor. "Three ships have gone missing in the last two weeks. We believe that the last remnants of the Geth that followed Saren and Sovereign may have had something to do with it."
"Are we sure that it's the Geth? The Terminus Systems are filled with mercs and slavers, chances are they could have been responsible." said Jane.
"We believed the same at first." said Valern. "But from what we could gather, the three missing ships were attacked and taken out with such speed and precision that nothing was left behind. No transmissions, no escape pods, not even wreckage. But there is a factor that did make it seem just a little more odd."
"And that being?" asked Alex.
"The crew of all three vessels were Human." said Anderson. "It's no surprise that anyone in the Terminus could hold a grudge against Council Space. But targeting three vessels and leaving nothing behind is troubling. And that's why we called you here."
"The Normandy is the only ship equiped with the proper stealth systems to get close enough to the Terminus border and not risk an intergalactic incident." said Tevos. "That is why we wish to send you and your crew out to investigate the missing ships, and eliminate any Geth that you find in the region."
"And if the Geth are not the true cause?" asked Jane.
"The very same applies if you discover Geth." said Sparatus.
The two Spectres looked at one another, and could tell that the other had a sense of foreboding that didn't sit well with them. "We'll contact our crew and head out immediately, Councilors." said Alex after a moment.
The meeting came to a close not long after that. Jane and Alex walked down the steps into the atrium as they discussed what they had been told. "You know they're just trying to shut us up about the Reapers right?" asked the nano soldier as they stepped around a Keeper that was helping in the repairs.
"I know. It seems more like they're trying to forget everything that Sovereign was in the hopes everything will go back to normal." said Jane with a sigh. "Ash was right, this is why people hate politics."
"Surely not all politics are bad." the two turned and saw Anderson approaching them.
"Councilor." said Alex grinning under his visor.
Anderson waved him off, "I just wanted to speak with the two of you before you set out." he said in a hushed tone. "After reading the reports on the missing ships I got a bad feeling. There haven't been any Geth attacks since Sovereign's defeat. To simply assume that it's the Geth would make sense, but why wait so long after the failed attack on the Citadel? Geth are machines, but they wouldn't just attack like that unless there's a reason to."
"So you think that it's something else too huh?" asked Jane
The Human Councilor nodded, "I do. But I can't prove it. There is a possibility that it is the Geth, but something in my gut tells me that it's something else. I just want the both of you to be careful out there."
"We will Anderson. You just handle the home front, and we'll get back to you when we figure out what's going on out there." said Alex.
Anderson nodded, "I have to get back. Being a Councilor's a rough job, kinda makes me miss being in the Alliance." he said cast a glance at Jane who grinned.
"There was no one else perfect enough for the job, Anderson. At least now I know there's someone on the Council that we can actually count on." replied the Commander.
The Councilor chuckled, "True enough. Good luck out there you two." he said before heading back to the chambers.
"He's on our side, but I think the rest of the Council will keep looking down on us like we don't really matter." said Alex crossing his arms. "Personally...I'll never stop hating politics."
"Do you regret becoming a Spectre?" asked Jane as they headed back to the skycar.
The nano soldier looked down at her before reaching out and grasping her hand. "Yes and No. Yes because I'm stuck being under the Council's thumb and have to follow their rules when they don't think I'm doing anything right." He gripped her hand gently. "And no, because it got me closer to you."
The Commander smiled, "Good."
X
It had taken them a few hours to get into contact will the crew and had them assemble on the Normandy. When they all got together the two Spectres explained the situation and told them that they would be heading out within the next 30 hours.
Everyone was more than ready to get back into action after having some well deserved time off. Ashley being one of them since her leg had finished healing a week ago and she hated that she missed out on the final fight.
They had all gathered at Flux to have one last night together before heading off into the unknown once more. Garrus, Chellick and Reena joining them since they all had become so close since the attack on the station.
"So, another long perril filled mission huh?" asked Chellick with his arm around his Quarian bride-to-be. Their wedding was in another three months, and every one of their friends were more than ready to watch the couple tie the knot.
"Guess so, but this is mainly just a recon mission." said Jane taking a sip of her drink.
"More like a way to keep everything quiet around here." said Garrus. "Ever since we proved them wrong about Saren and the Reapers they've done a lot of back tracking to cover up anything that might cause a public panic."
"Stupid politicians..." muttered Ashley from his right. "At least Anderson's on the Council."
Alex had been quiet the whole time and barely touched his first drink. Reena noticed this and set her own drink down, "You alright Alex? You haven't been talking much."
The nano soldier shrugged and downed his shot of whisky in one go. "A lot on my mind. Been trying to wrap my head around this upcoming mission."
It was true, ever since they had been told about the missing ships Alex was hit with a large wave of deja du. And ever since then he'd been in his own head trying to come up with a way that would avoid the Normandy being destroyed. But so far nothing would make sense.
"What's on your mind?" asked Jane.
"It doesn't feel right." he replied simply, "Three ships going missing without a trace. It could mean a number of things, but something feels very off. I haven't had this kind of feeling since New York."
"What else could be out there? I mean it is the Terminus Systems." said Joker leaning back in his chair.
"Guess we'll find out when we find them." said Ashley.
Alex was still lost in his head. Jane patted the side of his face bringing him back to the present. "Everything will be fine, I promise."
If only he could believe her this time.
X
The rest of the night was spent drinking, dancing and just having a good time. When it all came winding down everyone either stumbled or walked back to where they were staying. Garrus and Ashley went together, most likely to have one last night together before they were separated.
Alex and Jane walked hand in hand back toward Alex's apartment. The couple had, had a good time like everyone else and were ready to just curl up in bed until they had to meet at the ship with the rest of the crew the next day.
Entering the apartment, they kicked off their shoes and headed to the bedroom. "Alex, are you sure your okay?" asked Jane as they got ready to go to sleep.
Alex pulled his t-shirt off and sat on the edge of the bed. "I..." he hesitated. There was no other way to go about this. No matter how much it might suck, he had to tell her the truth and hope for the best.
Jane sat down next to him and pulled his face to the side to meet her gaze. "Listen, I know your scared. Hell I am too. After everything we've faced and what's coming our way, we have every right to feel a little afraid. But that's what makes us stronger as people...and stronger as a couple."
The Post-Human sighed; "I know Jane. It's just...I feel like I could lose you if I dont..." he paused. The thought of losing this woman scared him more than the Reapers ever could, it was a fear that plagued his ever thought almost everyday. "I just can't lose you. After everything we've faced, and how much I've come to rely on your presence. I don't know what might happen."
Jane rubbed his shoulder, "I feel the same way. Like this is all a dream and I could wake up at any moment. That's why I make the most of every moment we have." She reached up and undid the clasp on her dog tags, putting them in her hand before placing them in Alex's and closing his fingers around them. "I want you to have these, Alex. As a reminder that no matter where you are, I'm always there with you."
Alex gripped the tags in his hand and smiled, "I wish I had something to give you."
Jane laughed lightly as her arms wound around his neck, her forehead pressed against his. "You are all I need. We both have been alone all this time, taking on challenges no one in their right mind could face. And yet here we are."
Setting the tags aside, Alex held the Commander's waist as he kissed her. "You know, you sounded like a cheesy romance novel just now right?"
The red-head smacked his arm before shimmying out of her pants and crawling under he covers, "Shut up and get into bed soldier. We've got a long day tomorrow."
He gave a mock-salute, "Yes ma'am." he said before crawling in next to her. Jane curling her small, curvy frame into his as she got comfortable.
As they drifted off to sleep, Alex realized that even though things may seem the same as they were in the game, things could be changed just as easily in real life. Because to him, this was life now. And he would do whatever it took to make sure that everything would turn out okay for everyone involved.
Wrapping his arms around the woman he loved, the nano soldier joined her in the land of dreams. Thoughts of the impending future the farthest thing from his mind. The only thing that mattered to him was the one in his arms.
X
Alexander 'Maverick' Drake
SSV Normandy - Cargo Bay
September 30, 2183 - 11:10 hours
Emergency lights and alarms rang out through the entire ship. Fires raged out of control as the vessel shook from an explosion on one of the upper decks.
In his nano suit, Alex used his enhanced strength to lift a collapsed chunk of bulkhead off one of the crew that was pinned under it before helping them to the nearby escape pod.
Adams, Tali and a few other people from the engine room helped take the man inside and get him in a seat as another explosion rocked the ship. "What the hell's going on up there! What's attacking us!" shouted one of the crewmen inside the escape pod.
Alex looked around the wrecked cargo bay, the metal of the hull creaked from the hits it had taken and wouldn't last much longer. "Get out of here!" he shouted to the crew.
"What about you?" asked Tali both worried for him and terrified about the situation.
"I'm heading up to the upper decks, make sure that everyone else made it off. Don't worry I'll be fine." he replied heading to the elevator.
"The lift is out! You'll never make it!" shouted Adams.
The nano soldier spun around, omni-tool flared as the controls for the pod was hacked. The doors slammed shut and the pod was shot from the Normandy before any of them knew what had happened.
Satisfied that the surviving crew on this level were safe, Alex headed to the elevator door and grabbed the bottom. "Maximum Power." the metal creaked and groaned loudly as the Post-Human used all his strength to pull the large reinforced door open.
The inside was a mess. The lift had collapsed from one of the attacks that hit the ship and laid in a mangled mess at the bottom level. "This won't stop me." he said looking up the shaft to where the crew deck was located.
Bracing himself, he leapt into the shaft and grabbed a ledge that was a third of the way up. Pulling upward, he launched himself the rest of the way and grabbed the base of the door leading out.
Using what little space there was, Alex braced his left knee on the ledge and grabbed the bottom of the door like he did the one in the cargo hold. "Maximum Power." Pulling with all his strength, the door groaned in protest as it opened just wide enough.
Rolling inside, the large door slammed shut behind him as he got to his feet.
The Crew deck was almost completely in flames. The charred corpses of a few unlucky servicemen laid around making the nano soldier feel guilt seep into his chest. 'No! No time for that, get moving!' he shouted in his head as he ran up the stairs leading to the CIC.
He approached the door and prepared himself to enter. "Air Seals Engaged. Magnetic Boots Engaged." chimed Prophet as the door slid open, sucking air out of the stair well as Alex stepped out into the CIC which made the rest of the ship look better.
The CIC was a complete disaster. A large hole was ripped into the roof revealing the many stars out in the void and the planet they had been close to at the time of the attack. The light from said planet illuminating the many terminals and chairs that had been ripped out-of-place and was now floating in zero-gravity along with three dead bodies.
The galaxy map flashed and sparked from the damage it suffered as large chunks of the hull began to break off from the weakened structure.
Moving slowly so that his mag-boots stuck right while in the vacuüm. Alex made his way through the ruined CIC toward the bridge. Pushing several chairs out of the way so that he could see better.
Up ahead, a kinetic barrier was erected to seal off the cockpit where Jane was helping Joker out of his seat and toward the escape pod nearby. Relieved to see that she was alright, Alex began to move a little quicker forward.
"Warning: Attack Imminent." he spun around and saw the large, hive-shaped ship come back around. It's main weapon charging just before a beam of super heated energy shot through the air and sliced into the already disabled Normandy.
"Danger Level: Increasing." warned Prophet as the beam began to draw closer to him. Alex turned back to the bridge and began moving as fast as he could. Leaping the last couple of feet and landing in time as the back half of the ship was cut away and began to drift from the front end.
The nano soldier kept moving. The remaining piece of ship wouldn't last much longer and he had to reach Jane before-
Another beam of energy cut into the cockpit. Sending Jane flying back out of the way as Joker shouted to her from the escape pod. As the beam cut farther and farther, the Commander made a split second decision.
She punched the eject panel for the escape pod. Sealing the door and sending it away as a small explosion ripped her away from the console and sending her slamming against the bulkhead. A second explosion sent her into the opposite bulkhead before she drifted down the length of the bridge.
Alex caught her after seeing the two small explosions. But the impact sent them both flying off into the empty void. One last shot from the enemy vessel struck the engine core causing the large part of the Normandy to explode in a massive fireball.
The two Spectres were thrown from the blast, Alex clinging to Jane as they were lost among the rest of the debris.
Then he saw it. Air leaking out of her hard suit from three separate locations, caused by her hitting the bulkhead so hard from the explosions.
Spinning her around, Alex brought up his omni-tool and began dispensing omni-gel to cover the suit ruptures. Jane's green eyes widened behind her helmet's clear visor seeing him in the same situation as her, but relaxed as her air supply slowly began to regulate.
Patching up two of the holes, the Post-Human began to work on the last one when something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention.
One of the Normandy's engines floated by them among the small debris field. Orange and blue flames poking out of the cracks along the surface as it drew closer.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl. Alex looked into Jane's eyes. Jane looked back into his red visor. Everything around them ceased to exist, for just a brief moment it seemed that it was just the two of them floating there.
The engine exploded. The blast was so close that it damaged their suits and ripped them apart. Sending both Spectres flying in separate directions. Alex toward the empty void of space. And Jane toward the nearby planet.
Alex's breath came out in pants as his HUD flickered violently from the blast. He righted himself as best he could while in zero-gravity and looked for Jane. When he found her his blood froze in his veins.
Her body hurdled toward the planet, the blast taking her so far that he could barely see her anymore...then he saw a small speck of light close to the planet's atmosphere. "No..." his voice rang from within the helmet. "No." he said louder as tears built up in his eyes.
"NO! JAAAAAAANNNNNNEEEE!" he screamed out. His heart feeling like it was being ripped apart by a wild animal. His cries of anguish muffled by the suffocating, cold darkness of space as he floated helpless in the vacuum.
"Suit Integrity Compromised."
"Life Support System Failing."
"Emergency Lock Down Initiated."
All of the nano suit's non-essential functions shut down as Prophet began to make repairs to save Alex from death. But the Post-Human didn't care. his eyes locked on to where he last saw Jane and remained unblinking.
"Suit Integrity Critical: 9%"
"Repairs in Progress."
The AI's words fell on deaf ears. As he floated in the blackness, Alex felt something die within him. His chest ached with a pain that was far worse than any wound he had ever received.
While he slipped into unconsciousness, the cold slowly starting to seep into his bones, he could only think of one thing and one thing only.
Jane Shepard, the woman he had fallen in love with, was dead...and it was his fault.
A/N: Even the strong, can be rendered weak when they lose what they love most. But it also can change them...in ways that you can't possibly imagine. The next chapter is still in the past and will explain a lot more and will also reveal major changes to canon before jumping back to the 'present'. And I know a lot of you have even more questions now than you ever have before, don't worry, each of them will be answered in due time.
Update coming soon! So stay tuned.