N01-Ragnarok, intergalactic space
The ship is traveling millions of times faster than the speed of light, leaving the Olympian Galaxy.
Quantum is pacing back and forth on the bridge, nervous about the situation.
<We barely get to use this thing anymore.> he complains, looking at the stars fly by on the ship’s viewscreen.
<The Portal Generator is less glamorous, I know, but it’s much more efficient. And there are a lot of situations where I don’t want to show up in a warship.> Noriko Null answers him from the captain’s chair, where she’s busy scrolling through various holographic screens relaying information from her native galaxy.
<So why aren’t we using that?>
<Because we’re in a war, Max, and our destination is in enemy territory. If we’re going to be attacked the second we enter the Aegian Galaxy, I’d much rather be inside the most defended and most armed ship in the known universe.>
<Speaking of which, I noticed you’ve made some changes. I couldn’t understand any of the new equipment you installed, but it seemed like a lot of work.>
<You have no idea, the renovations cost me the equivalent of half of Earth’s economy… the amount of resources hoarded by the gods and just sitting there gathering dust is frankly insulting. But I’m guessing you’re not asking because you’re interested in the ship’s new schematics… what’s bothering you, Max?> she asks, shutting down the holograms. She’s known Quantum long enough to recognize when he’s not comfortable with the current mission.
<We’re in a war.> he repeats.
<One that I didn’t start.> she points out.
<This whole business about creating a new empire, Noriko… it was supposed to stop gods from fighting. Instead we ended up with a freaking intergalactic war!>
<We knew there’d be a lot of resistance against us, Max. Gods can listen to reason only up to a point, after which they only respect strength and determination.>
<So what’s the plan now? Keep fighting one god after the other, until you’ve either killed all the bad ones or intimidated them into keeping quiet?>
<If necessary.> Noriko answers, her silver eyes shining ominously.
<Things worked out pretty well for some of them.> Quantum comments under his breath, knowing full well that she’d hear his remark.
<What’s that supposed to mean?>
<I’m worried about some of the company you keep, Noriko. You made Enyo your Secretary of Defense for Christ’s sake! And now Hermes is working for you!>
<They’re useful.>
<They’re murderers.>
<So am I, Max. Not just of gods: the blood of thousands, maybe millions of mortals is on my hands at this point. And unlike my followers, I make no excuse for my actions.>
<Oh come on, that’s different! We’re talking about gods who used to murder for fun! Do you really believe these people can be trusted!?>
<Not even for a second. Gods like Enyo are guns, Max: they need to be treated carefully and with respect for their power, yes, but I’m the one using them. Not the other way around. Heck the thing I’m most known for is killing their own kind, and they made me Empress for it! I know how to handle gods at this point.>
<Which is why your closest ally declared war on you.> he points out.
<Ouch. I guess I deserved that.> Noriko awkwardly admits, chuckling nervously.
<I’m not saying I’m not trusting you, Nori. I followed you to Hell, literally, and I’m backing you even now that we’re up against Death. I just worry that you’re losing yourself with all this Empress business.> he confesses.
<Actually, that’s a common misconception.> a male voice intervenes.
Both Noriko and Quantum are surprised by the sudden appearance of a man with pitch black wings, and could swear the bridge now smells like ashes.
<Ereshkigal is just the Goddess of Death. I am Death.> Thanatos introduces himself, carrying the unconscious body of Persephone in his arms.
The ship’s infirmary, minutes later
Kari Zel and Quantum keep their distance from the god, while Vesta is sharing a warm embrace with him.
<Thanatos, it’s been so long! How have you been?>
<Resting in peace, thank you.>
<Kari, Max, this is Thanatos, son of Nyx. He’s been working with my brother for about as long as I can remember. Thanatos, these are…>
<I know them. All mortals are known to me, but I must admit I expected to meet them much later.>
<Okay this dude beats all of her relatives in terms of creepiness.> Quantum whispers to Kari.
<How did you get past the ship’s defenses? How did you even find us, we’re traveling at least two hundred million times the speed of light!> Kari points out.
<I can reach any place where there are mortals. A special ability of mine, one that I haven’t had much use for after I retired to the Stygian Galaxy.>
<Why did you move there anyway? I heard something about a scuffle with Herakles?> Vesta asks.
<He beat me fair and square. Collecting souls for Hades felt hollow after that. I was a relief, honestly: you know how much I hate conflict.>
<Does that mean you’re not going to resist being confined to the ship? As a follower of Hades, I should consider you a prisoner of war.> Noriko tells the god, while busy adjusting the settings of the scanners to examine the body on the medical bed.
Persephone is not breathing and has no pulse, but Noriko knows that for gods that’s not enough to consider her dead.
Of course if she were human she would certainly not have survived: her arms have been ripped off her body, and she’s clearly lost a lot of blood.
However the bruises on her body have completely healed, a sign that her divine power is still working overtime to heal her.
<I’m a pacifist, Lady Null. Violent death is the domain of others. But infirmaries are not an unfamiliar territory for me: please tell me, what are you hoping to discover here?> he asks, getting closer to her. Uncomfortably close, actually.
<I’ve studied the way Vesta heals before, but I’ve never encountered a god in such dire conditions: if I figure out how they can heal so fast, maybe…> she explains, not really caring too much by how close Thanatos is to her until she suddenly moves away from him.
<What?> he wonders, confused by her sudden revulsion.
<Did… did you just sniff my hair!?> she asks, not even believing her own words.
<You have a delicious aroma of death upon you.> he compliments her.
<Gross.> Kari points out.
<Not as mortals would understand it, of course! But there is so much death around you.> he continues, and by the tone of his voice he means it as a compliment.
Vesta is the only one volunteering to touch him, gently pulling him away from the others.
<Thanatos, you’ve been away from mortals for too long. You need to brush on your social skills.>
<Ehm. So why exactly did you bring her here? You know we’re at war with your galaxy right?> Quantum volunteers to try steering the conversation to a less awkward place.
<It was Persephone’s wish before she lost consciousness. She wants you to kill Inanna.>
<I’m the one who sent Inanna after her husband, and I’m pretty sure Persephone knows. Why would she come here anyway?> Noriko wonders.
<Queen Persephone is not an easy goddess to understand. But I know she has doubts about this war, and I suspect she might already have deduced that Hades is doomed to fail.>
<Thanks for the vote of confidence.> Kari comments.
<It’s not because of your valor. I don’t think Persephone respects you. But although she would never, ever admit it… she knows the secret that made Hades retire to his own galaxy without challenging the dominion of his brothers.>
<Which would be…?> Noriko pushes him to reveal.
<Hades is the weakest of the Nine Gods.> he says.
<Oh come on, that’s ridiculous.> Vesta complains, in a rare support for her brother.
<Sure, the new pretenders are weaker than him… Anubis is just a Class-2 god and Hebe is just a Class-4… but out of all Class-1 gods, Hades is the weakest. And he knows it.>
<I thought all Class-1 gods were basically equally powerful? Wasn’t that the whole reason behind establishing the Nine Gods as a ruling body?> Noriko asks.
<Don’t get me wrong, they are formidable: Class-1 gods are as powerful to other gods as minor gods are to humans. The only thing that can hurt a Class-1 is another Class-1… at least until you showed up, Slayer. But their strengths are not comparable to each other.>
<Domains.> Vesta says, as if she just remembered something crucial.
<You know what he’s talking about?> Kari asks.
<All gods know this. The only way for a god to grow in power is to choose a domain, a specialty: something to focus and excel on. Mine was fire. Hera’s was marriage, and so on.>
<Uhm, wasn’t Hera significantly more powerful than you? You’re telling me it was because she was focusing on marriage!?> Quantum asks, scratching his head in confusion.
<The children of Kronos are different. They were born immensely more powerful than they should have been.> Thanatos reveals.
<I wasn’t.> Vesta contradicts him.
<Are you sure?>
<I’m assuming this has something to do with Zeus being considered the most powerful of the Nine Gods, but what does this have to do with Hades being the weakest?> Noriko wonders.
<Domains. As a son of Kronos, Hades was born a Class-1 god like his brothers. But he chose passive domains… ruling over the dead, who can’t challenge him. His Helmet of Invisibility helped him hide from any fight, and his alliance with his brothers meant that no other god would ever dare challenge him. Added to his pacifist nature… a god grows in power by facing adversities and powerful foes. Hades never pursued any of it, and hasn’t been in a real fight since the War Of The Giants… his power has done nothing but wither in the past million years.> Thanatos clarifies.
<That’s the real reason why he declared war on me. Once I had access to the Tablet Of Destinies and survived an encounter with Poseidon… he’s afraid I’ll surpass him.> Noriko realizes.
<Yes. You’re already one of the Nine Gods in anything but name… you could probably be considered the first ever Class-1 mortal.>
<Still doesn’t explain why Persephone thought that we’d help her against Inanna.> Kari says.
<Like I said, the Queen is not an easy goddess to understand. You’ll need to ask her.>
<If she knows enough about what Hades and his allies have been planning, this could change the course of the war. Kari, contact the rest of the alliance, we need to postpone the attack on Atlantis until we know more about this.> Noriko orders.
<On it.> Kari replies, creating a duplicate to rush to the communications array.
Noriko reluctantly approaches Thanatos. He might be creepy, but his intel is invaluable.
<You seem to know a lot about Class-1 gods.> she tells him.
<My mother is Nyx. As a Primordial Goddess, she’s also a Class-1.>
<What should I know about the other Nine Gods?>
<What you really wish to know is how to kill them.> Thanatos understands.
<Yes. I’m guessing you know more about death that any other.>
<I am Death. You wish to become like me?>
<I guess I do.>
<My dearest mortal… how could you not have realized it yet? You already are.> he cryptically answers.