Beyond The Impossible

Hell, 163,000 light-years from Earth

Out of all the planets he has visited, this is the one Max Black a.k.a. Quantum doesn’t like.

It’s so hot that he can’t stay in human form for more than a few seconds at a time, constantly switching to a holographic image of himself.

He approaches one of the very few rooms in Hell suitable for human habitation, but his path is blocked by two muscular Demons holding massive pitchforks made of Blood energy.

<No trespassing.> one of them warns him.

<You’re kidding, right? I’ve helped save your people like three or four times!> Quantum objects.

<Orders of the Regent.>

<You know, I could turn into neutrinos and phase through the entire planet from the other side…>

<That wouldn’t work.> Torn replies, approaching the entrance; the two guards stand at attention.

<I’m pretty sure it would.>

<This is the War Room; beneath us there’s an impenetrable layer of magma infused with concentrated Blood energy. The only way through is this door.>

<Well, then I’ll take the guard on the right and you…>

<Let us through.> Torn orders.

<Yes Archdemon.> both guards reply in unison, stepping aside and opening the door for them.

Quantum looks with confusion at Torn as his teammate moves inside. He follows him, but not before stopping by the guards to clarify:

<For the record, I could’ve kicked both of your asses.>

The door closes behind him, and the guards close the door to resume their duty. There isn’t a single word for a full minute before one of them asks the other.

<Why would attacking our buttocks open a door? And why does he want a record of that?>

<Humans make no sense.>

 

Hell’s War Room

Despite the copious amounts of refrigerating units brought from the Ragnarok, the room is still uncomfortably hot. This obviously isn’t a problem for the dozen or so Demons in the room, only a few of which are sitting at the round table at the center: it’s actually relatively cold for them.

<Any chance we can introduce these people to air conditioning?> Quantum asks: when he’s made of flesh and blood, it’s like being in a sauna.

<Tell me about it. Too bad somebody insisted we keep our clothes on.> Kari Zel replies, trying to bring some levity to a very serious situation.

<Knock it off. We have bigger things to worry about.> Noriko Null replies; the new Regent of Hell has taken off her trademark green leather jacket, which is hanging on her back of her rather elaborate chair.

<I don’t know about you, but I’d brainstorm better if I wasn’t sweating up a storm. At least give me your Survival Field belt!>

<Agony needs it more than us right now, believe me. Okay, now that we’re all here…>

<Where’s Vesta?> Quantum wonders.

<I’ll get to that. But first, let’s get everybody up to speed.> Noriko says, activating a series of holographic screens that float above the pentagram etched on the round table.

The screens show several graphs, spreadsheets of numbers, and truly incomprehensible pictures that look like abstract art.

<So, uhm, for anyone who doesn’t speak math, what are we looking at?> Kari wonders.

<I don’t know about numbers, but that’s a neutrino scan.> Quantum answers before Noriko can.

Both women look at him, surprised that he was the one to answer.

<What? That’s how I see things when I turn into neutrinos.>

<You’re right. This is a reconstruction of the battle between Ares and Apollo, thanks to the data provided by the Amazons.>

<It doesn’t look like anything.> Torn comments.

<That’s because their energy output overwhelms the sensors; it’s like looking inside a star. But if I’m interpreting this data correctly… and of course I am… I believe this proves that Ares is able to absorb astronomical amounts of energy but he can’t absorb heat.>

<Well that’s good, right? If his weakness is fire, we have Vesta!> Quantum says.

<I wish it was that simple.> Noriko replies, switching the hologram to a picture of Ares in his full armor. None of the Demons present say a single word, but their hatred is palpable.

<His armor is made of Degenerate Neutral Matter, and it was enough to completely protect Ares from Apollo when he was throwing supernovae at him. If we want to defeat Ares, we have to get past that damn armor.>

<Can’t you do the same trick that took out Hephaestus?> Kari suggests.

<Unfortunately not. Degenerate Neutral Matter is a completely different beast from regular Neutral Matter: it already weighs as much as neutron star material.>

<Wait wait wait… you mean to tell me this dude fights wearing an armor that weights like a planet!?> Quantum asks, suddenly realizing what they’re up against.

<Don’t worry, I have a plan to get rid of that armor.>

<Good, because I wouldn’t want to get anywhere near that thing!>

<Well…>

<Please don’t tell me your plan needs me to fight Ares alone…>

<We’ll fight him together. And we’ll have the entire Demon army at our side.> Torn replies.

<No offense, but this plan sucks. I don’t see why we have to do this the hard way, can’t you just use your Final Abyss?> Quantum asks Noriko.

<Ares would kill me a thousand times before I could get within reach. Besides, Ares is not the only threat: I’ll have to take down Apollo first.>

<Why, are they working together? Because at this point I expect anything.> Kari says.

<Apollo sold us off. To save himself from Ares, he gave him the location of Earth.>

<That makes Ares even more of a priority!> Quantum replies.

<We’re going to need the full force of the Apollo army to deal with Ares. The only way to get that is if I kill Apollo, which is exactly what I’m going to do while you guys slow down Ares.>

<But if Ares gets to Earth before…>

<He won’t.> Noriko answers, her silver eyes shining for emphasis. Judging by her tone, it’s very clear that she won’t allow any retort.

<Okay, everyone listen up. Here’s the plan…>

 

Beneath the surface

The planet itself has been severely wounded by Ares: there’s a very large chasm that exposes a violent ocean of magma, where the core of concentrated Blood energy radiates an unfathomable amount of power.

Even as the newly appointed Lady of All Demons, it takes Agony a considerable amount of concentration to stay here: only her link to the Blood protects her, forming a red bubble around her body. If it wasn’t for the Survival Field emitted by the belt borrowed from Null, she would’ve been reduced to ashes as soon as she came here.

On the other hand, Vesta is not concerned by the heat… even if the core was a thousand times hotter it wouldn’t have any effect on her. But the waves of Blood energy that wash against her body, trying to cut through her, make her uneasy.

She feels that it’s reacting to her presence. It’s not exactly alive… or at least she’s fairly certain that it isn’t… but she has the distinct feeling that she’s not wanted here.

<Stop thinking.> Agony suggests. Her eyes are closed, both to avoid burning her retinas and because she’s trying to concentrate.

<The planet thinks I shouldn’t be here.>

<The Blood is harsh but fair. If you want its power, you must earn its respect.>

<Isn’t the fact that I’m the first goddess to be invited to Hell enough?>

<When your father Kronos invaded Hell, he fought the Blood and took some of its power. The Blood remembers. That makes the connection much harder.>

<Did… did the Blood tell you this?>

<Not with words. It is pure instinct, pure rage, pure violence. If you think too much, if you try to bend it to your will, that will destroy you from the inside.>

<Can’t you… I don’t know, tell the Blood not to do that?>

<You’re afraid to lose control, aren’t you Vesta?>

<You saw what happened last time I tried to use Torn’s Soul Fusion to power up: I almost burned down all of my friends. I have to control it.>

<Nobody controls the Blood, Vesta. Not even the gods. You must allow it to resonate with your very soul: you are not its master. You must become extensions of each other.>

<Uhm… okay? How do I do that!?>

<How did you learn how to control fire?>

<I didn’t. It just came natural.> Vesta replies. She attempts a smile, and a wave of Blood energy hits her so hard that she actually feels the pain.

<Don’t lie. I’m allowing a communion between your soul and the Blood; it demands sincerity.>

<I wasn’t lying! I’m a goddess, certain things just… hey!> Vesta protests: the Blood is concentrating into sharp blades that swim around her, and one of them just cut her arm.

<That hurt! Why is it attacking me!?> she asks, placing her hand over the wound.

<It’s trying to bond with you. Don’t resist: it will either grant you its power or it will destroy it.>

<That’s not very reassuring!> Vesta shouts, trying to escape. It’s far too late: the swarm of blades hits her, thousands upon thousands of cuts at once. Even her fusion with Torn didn’t cause her so much pain, and it pales in comparison to what she feels when the swarm completely engulfs her, piercing through all her defenses to dive deep into her soul.

 

Over one million years ago

It’s the middle of the night in a strange world. The primitive lifeform native to this planet awakes to the strange light that is descending from the sky; covering their eyes, they can almost recognize that the mass of fire has a humanoid form.

The few patches of grass on the ground catch fire once the young Hestia lands. Her body is entirely made of fire, but otherwise she has the physique of a twelve year old modern human: only a few centuries have passed since her brother Zeus freed her and her siblings from the bowels of Kronos.

<Hello.> she says timidly.

The primitives keep their distance, but they get close enough to at least hear her speak… although they can’t really understand much of what she says.

<I know grandma Gaea said I shouldn’t be here, but… can I stay for a while? I burned down Demeter’s garden… again… and she keeps yelling at me.>

She steps closer, leaving burning footprints behind her. Despite the heat, the primitives feel like she doesn’t mean any harm and allow her to get near them.

<I like you guys. You’re the only ones who don’t yell at me. Hera says you’re only animals… but you’re the only animals that aren’t afraid of me.> the child goddess admits, and it looks like the primitives are as fascinated by her fire as she’s intrigued by them. One primitive, she’s not sure if male or female, is even trying to approach her fire with a stick to test what happens.

<That’s so cute! You want some? It’s really harmless.> she says, holding out her hand and offering the tiniest fraction of her fire that she can provide… and screams in horror as the primitive is burned alive before her eyes, to the point of incinerating the skeleton.

<I’m sorry! I’m sorry!> she tries to excuse herself; losing control of her emotions, her body releases a blazing wildfire that threatens to annihilate the entire community… and then it stops.

The primitives look at her in horror, through the wall of fire that’s frozen in place. Before Hestia can say anything, they run away screaming in pure terror.

<I’m sorry! I didn’t… I didn’t mean to hurt him!> she says, with her tears evaporating in the fire.

She looks down at the hand that she offered as a gesture of peace, and with extreme effort the flames retract into newly created flesh.

<I don’t want to hurt anybody.> she vows, learning to suppress her own power.

 

Today, Hell

Noriko Null rushes towards the edge of the chasm, alerted by a sudden increase in the planet’s volcanic activity. A blinding pillar of fire emerges from Hell’s scar, until it’s absorbed by a floating Vesta, whose body is surrounded by an aura of flames.

<Everything okay?> Noriko asks.

<I just needed to remember who I am. I couldn’t control the power boost from the Blood because I didn’t want it to burn down my enemies… I wanted it because there are lives that need saving.> she explains as she lands near Noriko. Despite the flames, her control is so absolute that she doesn’t even transfer any heat towards her.

<I’m not sure about what that means. Is it going to be enough to fight Apollo?>

<Just take me to my nephew, Noriko. It’s time to burn down the Sun God.>