91 – Virmire (4)

Samael faced the barely green Asari. With some twist of fate, it was Shiala, a familiar face. It was also she who worked as a 'translator' between species in the games and in past cycles. Only, Samael had no idea how she got involved with the Thorian so soon in the timeline.

He approached cautiously and said, "Oh, great one. We come in peace."

The creature seemed pleased with Samael's way of addressing it, and replied through the Asari, "Why are you here, disturbing my slumber? Not long ago, others did the same. They took me out of my home and brought me here, asking for my knowledge... Are you going to do the same?"

The tone was far from friendly. It seems the creature's experience with Saren and Sovereign was unpleasant. This was expected, as the creature had been at Feros, chilling, before the others took it out by force and brought it here.

Samael chose his words carefully. He knew that if he used one wrong word, the situation would get complicated. '' No. We are here to help you.''

"Oh?" Genuine surprise was conveyed through the Shiala. "And how could you, an inferior species, help me?"

The Thorian was a creature that lived through countless years, even cycles. It knew things others didn't, much like Samael, and viewed humans as an inferior species.

"You know what took you from your home. You know what they are capable of, the ways they twist things to make them their slaves... They did the same to you." Samael anticipated that the Thorian would react negatively to this, so he positioned himself in front of Samara and Myany.

It wasn't necessary, as both were strong enough to protect themselves, but they appreciated the gesture.

As expected, the Thorian reacted strongly, with Shiala shaking with what could only be anger. "What are you suggesting? That I'm already under the Reapers' control?! Me?"

Samael nodded slowly. "Yes. You understand the Reapers and their abilities, you possess knowledge even they are unaware of. They wanted something from you, they got it, and now they've left you indoctrinated so that you would spread their indoctrination to those that find you."

"I killed the Reaper not long ago, and I came here with an offer."

The Thorian continued to shake with rage, but it was also smart enough to listen. If it had been indoctrinated long ago, no amount of talk-no-Jutsu would sway it. "Talk."

'' I have a way to undo what they did to you.''

"Impossible." The Thorian dismissed the reasoning immediately. "I have knowledge of countless cycles before this one. No one, in any other cycle, found a way to deal with the indoctrination. The only way is death."

From its tone, it was clear the Thorian did not want to die, even though it knew it would become a slave to others in the future. It would fight until the end to survive.

"They didn't have me in it." An unnaturally arrogant tone emerged from Samael's mouth. "The price to undo what they did to you is steep, bigger than others might be willing to pay, but I have a feeling you will accept it."

The Thorian was clearly struggling. On one hand, it could choose to stay as it was now, feeling its sanity and control of its mind slipping away with each passing second, or it could listen to the human in front of it.

In the end, perhaps because the indoctrination process hadn't started for long, the Thorian was willing to listen, "What is the way to undo what they did to me?"

Samael knew it was time to act like a salesman. '' I developed a process in which we destroy the indoctrination from within your mind. I have to have help from the Ardat-Yakshi.'' He pointed at Myany, who nodded at the controlled Shiala.

The Thorian clearly knew what the Asari was and indicated for Samael to continue.

"So, with the destructive mental powers of the Ardat-Yakshi, we can dismantle the indoctrination... along with the rest of your mind," Samael said slowly, allowing the Thorian to absorb that fact.

The Asari controlled by the Thorian displayed a pensive expression. It seemed that even the Thorian hadn't considered this approach. However, the creature was still not convinced. After all, who would be if someone told them that the only way to save you was to essentially destroy what made you, you.

Before the Thorian could say something, Samael continued, '' But, we also have a way to retain most, if not all your personality and memories. The process also isn't easy, but in theory, it should be done. Are you interested?''

The mind-controlled Asari struggled for a good while before sighing in defeat, "Every passing second I'm feeling my mind getting corrupted... Tell me what I need to do."

Samael sighed in relief, knowing the Thorian was listening. He relaxed a bit as he said, "First, release the Asari you are controlling. She won't be needed anymore."

The Thorian said nothing more, and Shiala fell to the ground almost as if someone cut the strings controlling her. Samara went closer to check for any injuries and see if she could help in any way.

Samael nodded at the Thorian gesture and motioned for Myany to get closer. "Now, it's the fun part. We will meld with you, access your mind, and carry out our process there. It's also during this phase that we will extract everything that makes you, you. We'll hold it in a device, and once the procedure is complete, we will implant all of it back into you, without the indoctrination part."

What Samael failed to mention was that, due to the time constraint, the 'device' would be his mind. He had performed this process for various individuals in past cycles, so theoretically, it should be straightforward.

This situation was considered an emergency. Normally, all LD personnel had a device that contained what they believed to be their personality and their most important memories. Samael had required them to use this device, and now it was time to expand this process throughout the galaxy, seeing as the Reapers weren't exactly a secret anymore.

Both Samael and Myany moved closer to the hole where the Thorian was located, with the Ardat-Yakshi trembling slightly. "We need to be in contact for the meld to begin."

A few vines got close to Samael, who grabbed one and brought it closer to Myany. He then said to her, "I'm counting on you."

Myany knew the process, as taught by the Headmaster, but putting it into action was a different challenge. Still, she nodded, took Samael's hand, and grasped the vine, starting the melding process.

Samara watched, after making sure the other Asari was okay. She could only wish good luck to both of them as she waited for the process to be over.

--

INSIDE THE THORIAN MIND

"This is... incredible," Myany remarked as she looked inside the Thorian mind. She had melded before with other species and knew that most of their minds were complex but simple. The Thorian was on another level.

Its mind was enormous, each space filled with information she did not dare uncover or even touch. It was fascinating but incredibly dangerous.

And at the very end of its mind, she could see what resembled a black cloud, slowly but surely eating away at its surroundings. Myany instinctively realized that this was the indoctrination as a shape, and it was spreading throughout the Thorian mind.

'... When that spreads through the entire mind, no one will be able to remain themselves.'

It was a frightening thought—one that Myany had recently learned would soon become a reality in the galaxy. She and her 'defective' sisters were the key to helping everyone with this impending crisis.

As Myany watched the 'indoctrination' consume the Thorian's mind, fear overwhelmed her. In contrast, Samael remained calm. Having experienced far more than anyone else in the galaxy, he broke the brief silence and spoke to the Thorian. "Are you there?"

All species have different minds, so when entering one, things tend to look different from one another. Sometimes there are significant differences, and sometimes there are not.

Some species, like the Elcor, do not have a mental 'form' to be present in their own mind, and it seems the Thorian was the same, as there was no visible presence with Samael and Myany, but its voice could be heard.

"What's the next step?" The urgency was evident in the Thorian's mental voice. It seemed the conversation with them earlier had sparked a sense of anxiety in the Thorian.

Before, it had accepted its grim situation, but now it had realized there was a way out, which made it increasingly anxious.

"First, before we deal with the cloud that is consuming you, we will safely store your personality and memories."

"Where would you do that?"

Samael pointed at his head. "Here."

The Thorian was initially surprised but then became angry. A human—a species it considered young and inferior—had just suggested that his mind was strong enough to contain all its personalities and memories. It had to be a joke.

"You will die. The human mind cannot comprehend what I know and who I am." While the Thorian didn't fully understand how the process worked, absorbing his memories and personality was undoubtedly a complex feat. Given that a human was going to be the 'device,' it was rightly pissed.

But Samael said calmly, "Are you sure about that? Myany, keep an eye on that cloud for a bit while I talk 'privately' with our friend here. If there are any movements, let me know."

"Leave it to me," Myany replied, focusing her attention on the distant cloud while Samael shifted slightly to the left.

The Thorian didn't have a mental body, so the conversation felt odd. Still, Samael said, " You have to trust me. I can handle it.''

He had faced far worse situations than this, but the Thorian had no idea, so it still felt uncertain.

"You are human. Again, your mind cannot hold what I have stored. It's suicide."

"I can handle it," Samael replied in a serious tone. "Besides, right now, we don't have time or a choice. Look at that cloud."

Samael glanced at it, and he was sure the Thorian was doing the same. The cloud was slowly but surely consuming the Thorian's mind. It was an unpleasant sight.

It was like watching cancer spread and having no way to stop it.

"It will not stop until you are no longer you. You will become a slave to someone else's will, merely a pawn in their game. You will cease to exist, having no will or thoughts other than helping the Reapers."

"Is that what you want?" Samael spoke slowly, with a caring tone. He had gone through similar a couple of times, not only with his mind but also with others, so he understood what the Thorian was feeling.

"... No."

"Then let me help you. Besides, it's your only choice. We can do this."

There was a brief silence as the Thorian began to accept this new reality. It looked at the cloud in the distance, understanding what needed to be done.

'If that cloud were bigger or closer, who knows what might happen... maybe by now, I wouldn't even be me.'

"How do we start the process?"

Samael smiled and said, ''I'll open a way to my mind for you to start the process. It's easy, but careful to not lose yourself.''

Again, this was an emergency, and Samael normally didn't allow this to happen. A mistake would not only severely injure him but also the Thorian. It was dangerous for everyone involved, but they had no choice.

"You said this is an emergency... Have you done the procedure before?"

Samael looked into the distance, almost as if he were gazing into his past. "Yes, a few times. It worked for them, and it will work for you... Now, focus."

Samael touched his forehead and closed his eyes. This was a difficult process to begin with, and now, with the Thorian lacking any physical form here, it had become even harder.

'If it weren't for the Asari DNA within me, I don't think I would've been able to pull this off.'

While silently thanking his past self for incorporating the Asari DNA into the Chimera Serum, Samael began to drag his finger across his forehead, opening his head slightly.

The Thorian could only watch in fascination. It was witnessing the 'inside' of Samael's mind. It was something incredibly rare to see, as even it had not witnessed such a thing before.

'Fascinating...'

Then the Thorian sensed something. The human in front of it wasn't ordinary, he was different, more dangerous...

'Now that I can glimpse a part of his inner mind, I can feel it. He's part Krogan, Asari, and a few other things... But how?'

Before the Thorian could ponder further, it caught a small glimpse of Samael's mental landscape. What it saw was so strange that it was left dumbfounded.

The Thorian spoke in a serious tone, "...What are you?"

With a pained expression, Samael replied, "The one who will stop the Reapers once and for all. Now, start the process. Gather your memories, or what's left of them, and bring them here."

It was an easy enough task, as this was the Thorian's mental world. A few moments later, its memories and personality, which had no shape or form, started to arrive.

The Thorian was quiet, knowing this was it for him. Once he initiated the process, he would 'die' for a few hours, days, or even longer.

Without saying anything, everything began to flood Samael's mind. If he hadn't prepared in previous cycles, he wouldn't have been able to handle it. But now? It was easy.

Samael just needed to lock it safely away in a corner of his mind before passing it on to the Thorian after they completed the unindoctrination process.

The memories sta—

BZZZTT

"Samael!" After what sounded like thunder, they heard Myany scream. When Samael looked over, he saw the cloud that was consuming the Thorian's mind in the distance, rapidly approaching.

"It seems it felt what we were doing and decided to come over," Samael said with a smile, feeling the last part of the Thorian's memories and personality enter his mind. "But it's too late."

With a flick of his hand, the cut across Samael's mind was sealed shut, and the Thorian's personality and memories were safely stored away in his mind.

Now, the Thorian's mental world was just an empty place, filled only with the indoctrination cloud and both visitors..

Samael calmly approached Myany and said while looking at the approaching cloud, "Now, it's your turn."

Myany stopped shaking, and her expression of fear was replaced with ecstasy. She even spoke in a trembling voice, "A-are you sure? Can I really do it?"

Again, training and doing something for real were different. She had learned how to perform the process, but now she was actually going to do it. It was exhilarating.

"Yes. You don't need to worry about me. Go nuts." Samael knew how it worked, so he would watch the show. Also, no one could truly harm his mind, as he had made many restrictions on it, so he was safe from what Myany was about to do.

Smiling like a maniac, Myany stopped holding back. The Ardat-Yakshi only had two instincts, which they suppressed for the sake of others. She was no different, having done so for as long as she could remember.

Now, after a really long time, she was ready to have fun and let it go.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"

With that shout, a biotic surge rampaged through the Thorian's mind, obliterating everything that remained of it. The indoctrination cloud was nothing compared to the destruction caused by the biotic energy and it was annihilated the moment it came into contact.

Even after that, Myany didn't stop, as she was feeling good after a long time and she knew it was going to be diffictul to do this after today.

Wavs of biotic powers continued to rampage around the place.Samael didn't stop her, as he liked to watch it. It was quite the sight too.

He was letting her have her fun while he thought about what to do next. 'We dealt with everything here at Virmire, so we will leave, but... I don't know if I should leave people here or not... Yeah, let's leave a team here.'

'The Thorian will be transported to Javik's planet, where it will reside in the future. Then, I'll transfer what he passed on to me. But that is for the future.'

'The reunion with everyone is six days away, but I still have to go to Tuchanka and the Migrant Fleet... No rest for the wicked, it seems.'

Samael cursed his luck as he enjoyed the show in front of him.

---

With that, the Thorian technically died, and for the first time in this cycle, an indoctrinated 'person' was saved.

Whether this process would become the norm in the future, no one knew.