75 – Priority: Thessia (9)

Samael entered the hidden place deep within his mind. This 'adventure' never happened in any past cycles, and was a completely new experience to Samael.

He had traveled through his mind before, even rebuilding it when it was broken, but this was the first time he found a hidden place there.

With the things happening to him in this last cycle, he was sure this place was essential and most likely had an answer to what was wrong with his memories and him.

So, he decided to thoroughly explore the place, leaving no place untouched.

Samael started to walk around the place, which wasn't big and was all white with a few dozen specks of colors flickering randomly. Nothing here made sense to him, but he continued exploring.

As he continued walking in this place, the different specks of colors started to attract him. It also helped they were the only different thing in this white place. So, he approached one of them and tried to see what was inside the color, but to no avail.

Left with no other choice, he touched one of the colors. And, what he found surprised him to the core.

' Those are ... memories.'

Yes, those flickering specks of colors that were around the place were memories, sealed inside for some reason. The problem was, ' I don't remember living this.'

Samael had a bad experience not long ago, regarding his memories, but thanks to his preparedness, he managed to 'resolve' the situation. But, the image he saw in that particular color didn't match with any cycle he remembered.

Feeling something was very very wrong with this whole situation, Samael stopped touching this particular color and rushed in the direction of another. He repeated the process and touched it.

Inside were other memories, from a cycle he also didn't remember.

' What the fuck...'

Samael repeated the process many times, with each color showing different memories he didn't remember living.

He now had more questions than when he entered here. What are those colors? Are they really memories of a cycle he didn't remember? If yes, why appear here? What IS HERE? Why he didn't see this place any other time he meditated, or checked his mind?

He then remembered the thing the Stargazer gave him, 'Perhaps that plus the Headmaster's assistance helped to find the hidden place/realm.. But, the Stargazers were supposed to be neutral, and they now intervene?... This doesn't make sense.'

Just as Samael was feeling lost, he heard the impossible. Another voice, a very familiar one, in this hidden place in his mind.

'' You are not supposed to be here.''

Samael turned around as fast as he could and was face to face with ... himself. Another Samael was there, but he didn't look lost, just surprised.

''...''

While Samael was speechless, this other Samael continued talking. From his tone, he seemed exasperated, '' Is this because of the Asari DNA?... No, if it was, he would've found this sooner... Maybe it was the help he received from the Headmaster....? Well, it doesn't matter. It's time for you to leave.''

Samael had recovered just in time to hear all of that, so he said in a hurry, '' WAIT! What is this place? What are you? Can you explain what is happening to me?''

But this other Samael had no intention of answering. '' I just told you it's not time yet. See you later.''

Before Samael could say or do anything, the other Samael waved his hand and he was sent flying out of this hidden realm.

The other Samael was left alone once more. He looked at the entrance from where Samael had entered and just left. '' It seems I will have to be faster and more meticulous now. I know how paranoid he is, so I will not have much time now.''

What happened today was something he didn't predict, '' But at this point in time, it would change almost nothing. The preparations were almost complete. I just have to wait.''

The other Samael then sealed the entrance of this place once more and hid in a way that even with the help of the Headmaster would have trouble finding it again.

'' See you soon.''

WITH SAMAEL

The Headmaster was left alone inside Samael's mind for some time now. At first, she was curious and tried to look around, but to her surprise, she found mental barriers all around, preventing her from accessing a lot of things regarding Samael.

She tried for some time until she realized she would not be able to bypass the barriers so she decided to sit around the entrance of that hidden realm and meditate.

So imagine her shock as she felt and saw Samael being flung out of that hidden place and the entrance to it dispersing in front of her eyes. She tried to feel it once more but realized it was an impossible task.

' This day keeps getting weirder and weirder.'

The Headmaster got closer to Samael and helped him get up, '' What happened?''

'' My situation is a lot worse than I initially thought. It's time for drastic measures.''

Samael was staring at the place where the entrance was located. Just now, he felt a strong repulsion when he saw that other Samael. Who is inside his mind, in a place where he can't reach, with memories he didn't remember living.

He wasn't dumb and knew the situation was bad. So, he would act accordingly.

Samael looked around his mind one last time before saying to the Headmaster, '' Let's get out of here.''

The Headmaster nodded and ended the melding process, allowing her and Samael to return to the outside world.

IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD

Samara and Grunt were left alone when the Headmaster and Samael melded.

Surprisingly, the Asari and the Krogan had a high affinity and made a few small talks.

Really small talk.

But enough to make the Asari appreciate the Krogan more and more. They also toyed with the Illusive Man, well mostly the Krogan, as he drew a few things on the human's face.

Grunt was about to draw another thing when he and Samara noticed the Headmaster and Samael returned.

''...''

''...''

''...''

''...''

Samael, even with all the things that just happened to him, smiled at the scene.

Grunt said nothing, put the pen on the ground, and sat on a chair. Samara chuckled a little while the Headmaster returned to her seat.

As soon as she sat down, she looked at Samael, who also sat down beside Grunt, '' Now, let me ask you once more. What are you?''

She still remembers the familiar feeling she received when she was inside Samael's mind. It was almost like he was an Asari.

Samael could've bulsihited it, but he decided to tell the truth. '' LD has been working on something that would allow DNA of different races to be mixed.''

'' Are you suggesting-''

'' Yes, the project is finished and I have Asari's DNA.''

Grunt didn't look shocked because he knew, but that was a clap of thunder in a clear sky to the Headmaster and Samara. They never expected to hear that. This was a realm not even they would delve into.

But, it also made sense to the Headmaster, as it would explain the feeling she felt inside Samael's mind.

'' ... This is amazing,'' Samara remarked.

'' This will change a lot of things in the galaxy.''

Both Samara and the Headmaster could see the potential this thing had. They also knew the dangers, but they trusted LD and Samael enough to know they would not abuse. Or at least they hoped so.

'' Aren't this supposed to be a secret?''

Samael smiled faintly, '' Ladies, we are at war, you just didn't realize it. Besides, I'm LD's owner and I can share the things I made with my team... I know how to share, unlike others.''

'' DAMN!'' Grunt realized he said that out loud and looked at the sky (?).

What Samael had just hinted was the fact that the Asari had the Prothean Beacon for millennia and not even once disclosed the existence of it to other species, nor used the content for the greater good of the galaxy, only for their own gain.

If they had, from the beginning, shared the content of the beacon with the others, Samael knew the chance of them winning against the Reapers would be above 70%.

Granted, the Asari were one of the most friendly species in the galaxy, but even they had selfish desires, and that affected the galaxy more than they realized.

Of course, Samael also wasn't going to share the Serum formula, he would sell it. ( AN: LOL)

'' We will sell it to the public at a later date.''

The Headmaster and Samara said nothing about what Samael said because they knew it was true. Regardless they now knew LD had this in their possession and would sell to the public later.

They would tell this to their sister, so they could prepare.

" Can you tell us what you gained from the fusion of DNA?" The Headmaster asked that because, initially, she just felt Samael had a mind like her sisters, nothing more. But now that that's confirmed and she knew Samael had Asari's DNA mixed with his, things might not be so simple.

Granted, very few people would reveal their trump card so easily, but Samael from the beginning of their conversation until now, seemed honest enough.

Samael once more didn't mind being honest. He treated people how they treated him, and both Asari in front of him were friends," I didn't gain biotic powers ... yet, nor the ability to initiate the melding process. But I can mediate a lot faster and it seems my mental capabilities improved quite drastically."

It made enough sense, to Samara and the Headmaster, but before they could say something more, Samael continued, almost as if he remembered something, '' Oh, I can also do this.''

Under the shocked gaze of both Asari's, Samael got up from his seat and raised a pouting Grunt with only one arm. Mind you, a Krogan weighs at least 200 Kilos.

Samael was content with the faces they were making, '' I never said only one set of DNA could be mixed.''

Samara recovered from her shock and a few things now made sense to her. How Samael was emitting a far more dangerous aura than Grunt, how he seemed in control of almost everything he did .... because he was. She had nothing but praise for this human.

' It seems we will have to update his status in the list of important individuals.'

All species have a list of important individuals and the owner of LD was on the top 5 of all of them. Now, they would have to update that list and put him in the top 3, maybe even top 1.

And even though Samara knew the path Samael was walking was dangerous, she now knew the human in front of her most likely was prepared for almost everything, seeing as he revealed a lot of his secrets in this conversation.

If only she knew how much Samael was still hiding, she would laugh at that assumption.

'' You are one of a kind.'' Samara praised Samael.

Samael put Grunt on the ground, '' I try my best. Now, before we talk on a more serious note, I have to ask something from you.'' He said that while looking at the Headmaster.

'' Say it.'' The Headmaster at this point had recovered from all the things Samael said and had no trouble answering him.

'' Do you think my mind was wiped before?'' Seeing the confusion on the Headmaster's face, Samael added, '' I mean, do you think I went through the same process as him?'' He was pointing at the Illusive Man.

The Headmaster hesitated because this really wasn't her area of expertise, knowing the process only today. Still, she gave her opinion, '' Your mind was ... patched up, meaning someone did something to fix something. Now, I can't say for sure what that something was, so I can't say you went through the same process as him.''

Samael made a pensative face for a minnute. He learned a lot today, so he would take some time to digest everything. So, he said after a few seconds, '' I will deal with that later. Now, how about we talk business?''

Samara and the Headmaster looked at each other and nodded. They knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and they would not miss it.

That was the start of a deal between the Ardat-Yakshi and LD, but the end result of that was a history for another time.