This isn’t the first time that Max Black a.k.a Quantum has traveled to another world using a strange portal, but this is the worst he’s ever felt. Thanks to his powers his body is made entirely of light, but he still feels like throwing up.
The sky is red. There is no sun, there are no stars, only a vast cloud of fire constantly twisting. The landscape is a barren wasteland of cliffs and jagged rocks, with rivers of molten lava. In the distance, a volcano is spewing pitch black smoke. The only sign of civilization is an enormous wall, as tall as the eye can see, with a very elaborate gate in front of it.
A pentagram has been scratched on the doors, and on top of it there’s a skull with impressive horns.
If reaching this place through a portal shaped like a pentagram wasn’t enough, this confirms it.
<Yep, this is definitely Hell> he nods.
The sound of a woman screaming with excruciating pain distracts Quantum from his sightseeing. Kari is kneeling on the ground: her image seems to flicker in and out of existence repeatedly. The duplicate disappears and reappears again, screaming every time. Quantum doesn’t know what to do, but help comes from an unexpected source. The muscle-bound demon that brought them here touches Kari and says a word which Quantum doesn’t understand.
Her body is trapped by red energy chains; she collapses, but her body seems to be stable now.
<Stay away from her!> Quantum threatens, shooting lasers from his eyes; the demon doesn’t need to move as a sword appears in the air to deflect the blast.
The demon doesn’t say anything. He holds Kari’s body in his arms, then walks towards the gate which slowly opens on its own power. There’s something glowing red on the other side.
The demon stops when he’s right in front of the gate, looking back as if still waiting for Quantum.
<Yeah, sure, let’s go through Hell’s Gate, what’s the worst that could happen?> he shrugs.
Kari’s original body regains consciousness. She’s being carried over the shoulder by a very, very large demon, her hands and feet bound by red energy chains.
She’s inside a very large building, with red light coming through extremely elaborate pentagon windows. It’s unbearably hot, much worse than being in a sauna.
There are other people too: another demon is carrying Noriko, who in addition to the chains is also restricted by a gag and a blindfold. The demon woman is also there, and notices that Kari is awake.
<Don’t> is her brief suggestion.
Kari jumps into action. She creates two duplicates to trip the demon that’s carrying her, another two to catch her once she falls from her shoulder, and a dozen to attack the woman.
It’s completely useless: by the time Kari notices that she’s now carrying a red energy scythe, the demon has already cut in half her duplicates.
<I said don’t> the demon woman repeats, while the duplicates vanish from existence.
It’s just the beginning of an extremely elaborate dance. Kari doesn’t move, but she creates duplicates at the speed of thought. They move around the Demon woman to keep her busy, faking an offensive strategy.
“If she’s anything like Torn, I can’t possibly hope to knock her out” – the original Kari thinks, avoiding a strike from the Demon that she tripped: she positions her hands in the perfect spot to break the energy chains. At the same time, other duplicates have stolen Noriko’s body from the third demon. The Demon woman keeps her cool, but she’s obviously frustrated.
<Enough of this. She’s just a human> she says, swinging her scythe.
<Wrong. I’m Legion> Kari replies, unleashing her Myridian power to create six hundred duplicates to completely overwhelm her opponents.
The fight becomes an unmanageable mess for anyone who isn’t used to coordinating the actions of so many people at the same time. Kari staged the positions of her duplicates to make both Demons stab each other during the fight, and they unwillingly oblige.
<Adequate> the Demon woman congratulates her. The voice is behind the original Kari.
She would turn around, but she doesn’t dare to: when she lowers her eyes, she can see that the scythe’s blade is coming from her chest. The Demon woman just stabbed from behind.
<If I turn this solid, you die. And so do all your copies. Yield.>
Kari doesn’t know if being stabbed in the chest hurts this much, but it confirms that she’s not bluffing. She lost her advantage and wills her duplicates to disappear.
<Who are you? Why did you take us here? Where are Torn and Laceration?>
<You talk too much> she berates her, recreating the chains and adding a gag.
When they remove the blindfold, Noriko’s silver eyes flash as she rapidly processes the situation. They’re inside what looks like a church, only much bigger. The temperature is so high and the air is so thick she has trouble breathing; for once, she regrets wearing her leather jacket as she feels she’s about to faint due to heat exhaustion.
<On your knees> the Demon woman orders, forcing Noriko to get on her knees; she’s either unaware of her own strength or Noriko is weaker than she thought, given how her push hurts.
The Demon woman kneels, while still holding her red scythe. They’re facing a very impressive throne, shaped like a giant skull with ludicrously big horns on both sides.
<Oblivion, Lord Of All Demons, we beseech you.>
The air catches fire. As much as she wants to look, Noriko has to divert her eyes or she would risk burning them. When she can finally see again, there’s an extremely large Demon sitting on the throne. He must be eight feet tall; each arm probably weighs more than Noriko.
<Why is it so cold in here?> he asks, with a terrifyingly deep and booming voice.
<We had to lower the temperature significantly to let the humans survive> the woman answers.
<Yes, of course. It’s easy to forget how fragile they are.>
<Let me go and I’ll show you who’s fragile> Noriko challenges him; for her efforts, she finds the woman’s scythe less than an inch away from her throat.
<Show respect. You speak to the Lord Of All Demons.>
<Respect? You send assassins after me, you kidnap my team, and you want respect?>
<The little one is brave. Release her, Agony.>
<As you wish, Oblivion> the woman agrees, nodding. At her gesture, all Noriko’s restrains vanish.
She immediately draws both Genius Guns and shoots at Oblivion, point blank. Kari is shocked by how readily she attacked: at full power, this move would pulverize a human.
Oblivion looks at her through the energy armor that completely absorbed the blast. He keeps the defense long enough to realize that Noriko isn’t going to fire again, before losing the armor.
<Yes, I am convinced she’s the one. Agony, you will take care of the little one. See that she’s properly fed, bathed and clothed for the ritual.>
<As you wish, Oblivion.>
<Hold on just a second, big guy. I think I deserve an explanation here> Noriko demands.
<Thread carefully, little one: bravery can easily lead to pride and foolishness.>
<You will speak to the Lord Of All Demons only when spoken to, human> Agony explains, preventing Noriko from complaining with another gag. She grabs her by the arm and walks away from the throne, stopping only when Oblivion asks:
<Agony. I received word that Torn has been apprehended. I assume he won’t be a problem.>
<He won’t. I am a Demon of the Seventh Circle, sworn to neutrality.>
<Try to remember it. If you try to help your husband, I won’t show mercy.>
<I am aware of that, Oblivion> Agony answers with a bow, before dragging Noriko away.
Shinjuku, Tokyo
Ministry of Defense Headquarters
The press conference was a success. The battle between the Vanguard and the Demons at the airport was the source of much speculation: was Japan under attack? Would they need to prepare for another Artemis, another Abyss? The face of Defense Minister Leiko Tanaka appeared on TV screens to reassure them. Everything was under control, as long as she was in charge.
<We have managed to subdue the prisoner> one of her people assure her.
<Any sign of the Vanguard?> Leiko asks.
<No, but there was an explosion at Null Tower. We are still…> one of the other underlings starts to say, but stops when he notices something that changed the lighting: there’s a red-headed woman floating outside the window. With arms crossed and a serious look on her face.
<Leave us> Leiko orders. Her subordinates bow respectfully and don’t waste any time obeying.
Leiko opens the window; a wisp of wind blows through her long dark hair.
<Can I help you with anything, Vesta?>
<Where is the demon?> the goddess asks, without much need for pleasantries.
<That is classified information.>
<You should release him to U.S. custody.>
<Why would I do that? Did he commit any crime on American soil?>
<No, but…>
<Is he a citizen of the United States?>
<Again, no, but that’s not the…>
<Then we have nothing to discuss.>
<Noriko was kidnapped by one of the demons> Vesta reveals.
<I fail to see how that is my problem.>
<She’s your own daughter!>
<A fact that she emphatically denies. If she can take care of herself, she doesn’t need my help. If she can’t, she doesn’t deserve to be my daughter.>
Vesta is shocked: she knew Leiko was cold, but this is absolute zero.
<However… in the interest of Japan, I could offer you a deal. The demon for the Palladium.>
<What!? How do you…>
<How do I know that you have the Drylon device that keeps the Earth separated from the rest of the Galaxy? You forget my alliance with Eris. I know all your little secrets, Hestia.>
Vesta clenches her fists; Leiko called by her birth name, the one she hasn’t used since her exile from Olympus. How much did Eris tell her!?
<It’s a fair exchange. I lost the Core thanks to Null, it’s only fair to compensate me with another Drylon device. I would also note that I didn’t insult you by asking for the Heart of the Universe.>
<Would repeating this conversation at 10,000 feet change your mind?> Vesta bluffs.
<Would revealing to the world how many people you killed change yours?>
<What? What are you talking about!? I’m not a killer!>
<Of course you are. People love you because they constantly see you saving lives: you haven’t missed a single natural disaster in the past year and a half. Worldwide casualties from earthquakes, floods and tornadoes have dropped by a third. Wildfires have become almost non-existent.>
<What’s your point?>
<You’re immortal. How many lives could you have saved in the past millennia, if only you’d used your powers instead of hiding them?>
<That’s not… I wasn’t… they… it’s complicated> Vesta stumbles.
<You think you have any sort of moral authority over me? If you want to challenge me, go ahead. I will not hesitate to obliterate your public image. How would my daughter react to that?>
The temperature is rising. Vesta has never wished for a mortal to suffer a painful death, but this woman is seriously getting on her nerves.
<This isn’t over> she says through her teeth. Her hatred for Leiko is showing.
<Of course not. I haven’t even finished setting up the board. You may go now… pawn.>
Vesta flies away, regretting her decision to come here. Leiko may be free from the Core’s influence now, but somehow she’s even worse than before.
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