Beyond The Impossible

Edge of the Mortal Republic

Patrolling the border of an interstellar state isn’t as hard as it sounds.

Since it’s physically impossible to personally inspect every single mile of a border that stretches for several thousand light-years, the ships are actually checking the status of the nearby interstellar buoys.

The task is assigned to smaller vessels, to minimize the risk of being detected from the other side, although it’s more of a diplomatic courtesy: the gods know that everybody is constantly trying to spy on everybody else.

This particular side of the border is considered quite secure: until a few days earlier it was the border with the Adrestia sector, and conceivably Apollo has higher priorities than taking interest in expanding what is already the farthest reach of his territory.

Everything changes when the buoys report a breach not from Apollo or even from Ares, but from the couple hundred ships that dropped below lightspeed without giving any warning.

On the bridge of the largest ship, a destroyer that dwarfs some of the largest capital ships of several divine armies, an android sits on the captain’s chair and links her neural network to the fleet’s communications array.

<This is General Antandre, captain of the Mothership Hippolyta. This border is currently under the protection of the Queen of the Amazons: any god or organic being attempting to trespass will be punished to the highest extent of Amazon law.>

 

Delos system, 78.000 light-years from Earth

A halo of light appears in one of the chapels of the sanctuary; as it descends towards the ground, Noriko Null and Vesta appear out of nowhere.

<Okay. Step one is done.> Noriko says, breathing a sigh of relief as she puts the Key of Heaven back inside the pockets of her green leather jacket.

<You sound nervous.> Vesta notices.

<Why would I be? We’re just about to face a god who could throw a supernova at us without breaking a sweat. No biggie.>

<You could’ve ordered every single Demon soldier to follow us; you’re the Regent of Hell now.>

<Don’t remind me… I’m still not comfortable with that title. But enough Demons have already been killed, I’m not going to order others into battle.>

<Noriko… for the most intelligent person in the universe, you can be incredibly naïve at times. And that’s coming from me!> Vesta admits.

<What are you talking about?>

<Why do you think the Demons made you Regent? They want to be sent to battle!>

<I know that. And in the long run I may not have a choice in the matter. But attacking Apollo head on is a complete and utter suicide: they’re not anywhere near his weight class.>

<Neither are we! I may have unlocked my powers like I’ve never done before, but make no mistake: we absolutely cannot take down Apollo with sheer power.>

<I just need you to keep him busy and prevent him from going nova. Can you do that?>

<Not for long. How much time do you need?>

<Once we get within range? About thirty minutes.>

<THIRTY MINUTES!?> Vesta shouts.

<Just kidding, I only need five.>

<Then why did you say thirty!?>

<Because five minutes now sounds much more feasible, doesn’t it?>

<You’ve been hanging around Quantum way too much…>

 

The Throne of the Sun

At the center of the sanctuary, and of the entire Delos system as well, Apollo is pouting on his throne. From the outside it’s impossible to see the damage caused by his fight with Ares, but he’s far from fully healed… especially on his pride.

Even the priestesses chanting in his praise are not enough to raise his spirits. The room is engineered specifically to enhance and harmonize their chorus; the smallest imperfection is very noticeable, to the point that he notices the arrival of two visitors before they even step into the room.

<We have visitors.> he says, pulling the golden chain connected to his throne. The chain is connected to a collar on the throat of his wife Helen, and a painful electrical shock hits her.

Null and Vesta walk towards the throne, passing through the singing priestesses; following a gesture from Apollo, dozens upon dozes of his Oracles materialize on the spot by changing from beams of pure light into flesh and blood.

<Supreme Divine Commander Null. Here to join the chorus glorifying the Sun God?>

<Not my style. I’m more of a rock ‘n’ roll kind of girl.>

<What happened to Helen?> Vesta asks, looking at the demigoddess in chains.

<Just a little marital dispute. I should’ve listened to Artemis: marrying the most beautiful woman in the universe was a mistake. I should have waited until I found a better candidate for my Queen… I can have any beautiful woman I desire, but the chance to have a legend at my side is fleeting.>

<Aaaand here it comes.> Noriko comments, rolling her eyes.

<As your god, Supreme Divine Commander, I order you to kill my treacherous wife and to take her place as my new Queen.>

<Hard pass, Apollo. I don’t date psychos, let alone marry them. And I’m not gonna help you take over the Galaxy just because you got your ass handed to you by Ares.>

Noriko expects Apollo to throw a tantrum and toss a “how dare you” or two, but he just sighs.

<I thought you were smart. Oracles?> he says, raising a finger: in response, all the Oracles present turn towards Null; their bodies shine as they prepare to unleash photonic blasts at her.

<The Supreme Divine Commander is relieved of her duties. Kill her.>

<Vesta? Start the countdown.> Null says, as her eyes turn golden.

Dozens of Oracles summon enough energy to utterly annihilate her as they raise their hands towards her, but they keep their own power contained.

<What are you waiting for? The Sun God gave you an order!> Apollo shouts, his body beginning to shine as he prepares to unleash his solar power.

He’s so bright that Helen has to turn away; she hears an extremely loud noise, and as she turns back towards the throne she can see that it’s been completely melted into slag.

Both Apollo and Vesta have disappeared, but the trail of fire that leads towards a large hole in the wall leaves little mystery to what happened.

<Took you long enough. Do you need help?> Helen asks, inspecting the chain that used to connect her to the throne: Vesta’s flame has severed the connection.

<Thanks, but I’ve got this.> Null replies; despite her bravado, her body language reveals that she’s really struggling. Even if Helen has absolutely no idea about what she’s doing.

<The choir has stopped.> she notices, looking around: the priestesses are frozen in place, just like the Oracles. She prepares to remove the mask that blocks her powers, but Null warns her:

<Don’t. I need the Oracles to be fully aware of what’s going on, I don’t want your supernatural beauty to distract them.>

<What exactly is going on, Null? You know Vesta can’t hold her own against my husband.>

<She’s far more powerful than even she realizes, but you’re right. All I need is for her to keep Apollo busy for a few minutes.>

<Why? What exactly are you doing?>

<All Oracles, priests and priestesses share a telepathic connection to Apollo, to ensure that he hears their prayers. If I hit him with a regular Final Abyss, I risk killing every single one of them. I’m gonna have to be more creative this time.>

<Wouldn’t it be easy to just consider them acceptable losses?>

<I am Null. I don’t do “easy”.>

 

Outside of the sanctuary

Apollo was taken by surprise: he didn’t expect Vesta to attack him so viciously and with such tremendous speed. Once he adjusts his divine senses, however, it’s fairly easy for him to dodge someone who can just barely move at the speed of light.

<I never knew you could be so feisty, Hestia. Earth has changed you.>

<More than you know!> she replies, flying around Apollo to hit him from behind; he simply changes his body into pure light, getting enough distance, then resumes his godly form just as he discharges enough solar energy to sterilize a planet.

Vesta doesn’t even attempt to dodge. She takes the full blunt of the attack, which passes through the flame that surround her body without doing no damage whatsoever.

<I’m immune to heat damage, Apollo. Think I’m afraid of a little sunburn? You don’t have anything that can harm me.>

<You… you DARE to compare yourself to me!? I AM THE SUN!!! You’re only the goddess of housewives!!! You are NOTHING next to me!!!>

<Am I? I am the Household Fire, the flame that protects home and family. Sense anything different about me? I’m channeling the power of Hell itself… and its desire to protect all Demons.>

<If you insist on living like a mortal, I will let you die as one! SUPER…> Apollo says, channeling his power between the palm of his hands: a sphere that concentrates the energy of an entire star.

<And if you claim to be a god, I will fight you as one. HELLFIRE…> Vesta replies, concentrating the amalgamation of her fiery plasma and raging Blood energy, until both gods launch their greatest attacks simultaneously.

<…NOVA!!!>

<…INFERNO!!!>

The two beams of absolute power collide, canceling out the vast majority of the other god’s attack; what remains is still more than enough to create two blinding streams of light moving in opposite directions, so bright that this battle will eventually be seen throughout the Galaxy.

 

Inside the Sanctuary

Helen of Troy is under no illusion of understanding what’s going on, other than this is the first time that she can see anyone stand up to Apollo. Even her demigoddess physiology doesn’t allow her more than a glance at the cataclysmic clash before she has to concentrate on her surroundings.

<By my father! Null, I think Ares has weakened Apollo enough to… Null?> Helen asks, confused by the sight: the Oracles and the priestesses are emitting some sort of electricity that moves towards Null, who is absorbing information through them while her body is enveloped by black lightning.

<FINAL… ABYSS…> she says with undeniable struggle; Helen braces herself to witness the same attack that has already killed Artemis, Serket and Sobek… but Null is still going.

<…ASCENSION!!!> she then completes the attack, and her body finally releases an unfathomable amount of information that rises through the roof in the form of a stream of black electricity.

That’s all that Helen can witness on her own, other than watching Null and every single other mortal in the sanctuary collapse under the stress.

Only Vesta can see what’s really going on: once outside the sanctuary, the amount of electricity increases rapidly and takes a shape of a flying dragon.

Apollo ceases his attack on Vesta once he notices the incoming new threat. He shoots a ray of solar energy at the black beast, but the dragon just flies straight to it, absorbing it into its darkness.

Once Apollo is finally hit by the Final Abyss Ascension, his body is stripped away bit by bit: Vesta can see his skin and muscles being painfully blasted away, reducing the Sun God to a skeleton which then dissipates into fine dust in the void of space.

Her heart still pounding after witnessing even a fraction of this event, Helen quickly moves towards Null to make sure she’s still alive.

<He has risen! He has risen!> more than one Oracle proclaims, regaining consciousness much faster than Null.

<What are you talking about?> Helen wonders.

<Apollo has ascended to a higher plane of existence! Blessed be his name!>

<He has what?>

<He has risen above the mortal plane and granted us a vision of his ascension! Didn’t you witness the same? Every single faithful must have seen the light!>

<But… don’t you remember him ordering you to…> Helen wonders, looking again at the unconscious Null. Who she swears is smiling in her sleep.

<To consider you his sole successor? Yes, Your Majesty, of course we remember. All hail Helen the First, the Sun Queen!> one Oracle proclaims.

<All hail the Sun Queen!> the rest of the Oracles repeat, prostrating themselves in front of the new sovereign… who is staring at the Slayer of Gods in her arms.

“You knew his subjects would never accept Apollo’s death. You must’ve exploited the telepathic connection to draw more power and brainwash the entire Oracle hierarchy at the same time… you might just be even more dangerous than both Apollo and Ares combined!” she thinks, standing up while holding Null in her arms.

<As my first order as Sun Queen, I reinstate Noriko Null as Supreme Divine Commander. See that she’s fully healed: she will need all her strength to lead you into battle against Ares.>