Themyscira
Naqada Galaxy, 17 million light-years from Earth
Medusa wanders around the petrified control center, not sure what to do: she’s in an unfamiliar environment, and she’s never been good with technology anyway.
A white triangle of light, pulsating with black energy within it, suddenly illuminates the room.
A woman emerges from it, with her hands raised in the body language that for millions of years has meant “I come in peace”.
<Please don’t be alarmed. I’m a friend.> she says.
<You’re a goddess.> Medusa realizes, stepping back in fear. It wasn’t a difficult deduction, considering the woman wasn’t turned into stone the moment she saw her.
<Yes, I am. My name is Vesta, but you probably know me as Hestia.>
<Poseidon’s sister. Are you here to finish the job!?> Medusa yells, desperately looking around for anything that looks like a weapon.
<I realize my family has hurt you, but trust me, I am not like them. I work for the Noriko Null.>
<The Slayer of Gods!?> Medusa exclaims excitedly.
<She wants to help you. Can you give me your word you won’t hurt her?>
<Why would a goddess trust my word? Gods say I’m a monster.>
<And I say you’re a victim. Will you let us help you?> Vesta insists.
Medusa hesitates. What Rei has told her about Noriko sounded too good to be true, but she quite literally doesn’t have any other option.
<Alright. But tell her to never look at me… I can’t control what happens to mortals when they do.>
<If there’s one thing Noriko doesn’t need to be told, is to be careful. Mostly because she won’t listen to you anyway when you tell her. The coast is clear on this side!> Vesta informs her teammates.
A mortal looking almost exactly like Rei and a male Demon wearing a strange leather garment step out of the Aether portal. Their eyes are covered by perfectly black goggles.
<I don’t hear the sea. This is not a coast.> Torn comments.
<I assume this is the Amazon control center. Where’s Medusa?> Noriko asks, unable to see thanks to the goggles.
<I’m… here. I’ve heard great things about you, Empress Noriko!>
<Just call me Null. Any chance I could take off these goggles and have a look at the place without being turned into stone?>
<Not… not as long as I’m here, I’m afraid. Any mortal who looks upon me is…>
<Yeah yeah, I’ve done my research. Can you turn it off?>
<I cannot. I can control which objects I look at turn to stone, but not mortals who look at me.>
<Is that just through visible light? Would I be petrified if I looked at you through infrared or ultraviolet light?> Noriko wonders.
<I don’t know what those words mean.> Medusa admits.
<I wouldn’t risk it. If getting around her power was so easy, Athena wouldn’t have bothered sending Perseus to kill her.> Vesta communicates through her Soul Relay, to prevent Medusa from overhearing her.
<Okay. Is there an access point to the planet’s informatic systems?> Noriko asks.
<We’re inside some kind of control center. Except Medusa transmuted everything into stone.> Vesta informs her.
<Rei won’t take long to realize I’ve piggybacked the Portal Generator’s signal through her teleportation signature; I need to check a few things before we leave. Medusa, would you be able to turn everything back into the way it was?> Noriko asks.
<Yes, quite easily. Including the automatons?> Medusa asks, referring to the Amazons.
<Better wait with those.>
<Also don’t turn Anubis back either.> Vesta says, looking at the statue of the cybernetic jackal.
<I thought your power didn’t work on gods.> Noriko says, raising an eyebrow.
<It usually doesn’t. But this one has been… perverted by something poisoning his blood. I won’t turn him back, but it’s of my own accord, goddess.> Medusa says to Vesta, pronouncing the last word like it was the worst insult she could come up with.
Instantaneously, all the circuits and computers of the room return to their original state.
<Outstanding. Vesta, would you mind taking her out of the room? I need to use my eyes for this.> Noriko orders, and Medusa is reluctantly escorted out.
<Dangerous power.> Torn comments, taking off his goggles.
<Enough to scare both Athena and Rei. The thought did cross my mind.> Noriko admits, already hard at work on one of the computers.
<We are in enemy territory. We should not linger.> Torn warns her.
<I know that. Rei has set up quite a security system here; I don’t think I can look up critical information without tripping an alarm. Which, for all we know, could blow up the planet.>
<You are typically more confident in your ability to bypass security.> Torn notes.
<Rei is as smart as I am, and remember this is probably the most technologically advanced planet in the known universe at the moment. Lots of things to… ah, found it!>
Noriko is visibly excited as she creates a 3-dimensional hologram of the building, with a particular room highlighted by a blinking light.
<That’s where she keeps the eyes of Prometheus. Get them and get back here in less than a minute!> she orders.
<Why so specific?>
<Because I triggered an alarm. This hemisphere will be reduced to slag in the next fifty minutes!>
<More than enough time.> Torn acknowledges, disappearing into a Blood pentagram.
<Yes. Suspiciously so.> Noriko tells herself, glancing at the petrified Anubis.
New York City, two hours later
Noriko has been analyzing the eyes of Prometheus for so long that her own eyes are tired now.
Quantum materializes next to her, holding a cup of coffee.
<Maybe you should take a pause.> he suggests, handing her the cup.
<A triple shot espresso? Really? This is basically water to me.> she complains, raising an eyebrow but still drinking it.
<It’s not as strong as the stuff you usually drink, I know, but Dr. Kalama says you should cut back the caffeine. Speaking of which, she wants to talk to you about Medusa’s physical.>
<Couldn’t she just call?>
<You shut down all non-Vanguard communications. Something wrong with the eyes?> Quantum asks, trying to peek into the microscope examining the organs.
<No, I can’t find anything wrong with them. No clue why exactly they should give anyone prophetic powers, either.>
<But you’re not buying it. I recognize that face… something’s bothering you.> he says.
<It was too easy, Max. Finding Rei’s base and recovering the eyes, with no resistance? Medusa defeating Rei so easily? And Rei showing up at my door like that? I wonder if Rei wanted me to get the eyes.>
<After the trouble of stealing them from Athena?>
<This smells like a trap. What if, say, Prometheus just explodes once he gets his eyes back?>
<Have you tried asking Prometheus?> Quantum asks.
<Not yet. If there is nothing wrong with the eyes, he might be working with Rei after all.>
<I thought you trusted Prometheus.>
<I did. But I haven’t ruled out that it was a mistake trusting him.>
<Like it was a mistake trusting Athena?>
Noriko turns towards him, her silver eyes shining.
<Low blow.> she complains.
<Just because you made a mistake doesn’t mean you need to be super paranoid from now on, Noriko. It also means that maybe Rei also just did a mistake.> Quantum suggests.
<You’re suggesting she underestimated Medusa like I underestimated Athena?>
<Rei is, like, you if you were raised by your mother, right? So she must have twice your ego.>
<Hmm. You might have a point.> Noriko concedes.
<Also, why would she booby trap the eyes? Shouldn’t she want to use them?>
<She might have had little chance. You can’t just transplant the eyes of a god in a human; no mortal brain could handle dealing with that much information. And if she tried to take the eyes herself, the Nexus would not be able to interface with the eyes, killing the host.>
<And you figured out all of this without running any experiments… how, exactly?>
<I am Null. Also, unlike Rei, I have talked directly with Prometheus about how his eyes work. I am certain that only a god can use them.>
<Rei has Anubis under her control. Maybe she planned to give them to him?>
<Too risky. They could have helped him escape her control. All the evidence points to Rei wanting to give the eyes to Medusa. I just have to figure out why she didn’t. Maybe I will give a second opinion to Dr. Kalama after all…>
The infirmary
Noriko is holding up an X-ray of Medusa’s head. It’s unlike anything she’s ever seen: the skeletons of the snakes can clearly be seen, attached to her skull.
But the scans of her brainwaves are even weirder: it’s a completely jumbled mess of signals.
<I can see why you wanted my opinion.> Noriko says.
<This is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The only gods I’ve ever been able to examine properly are Vesta and Amaterasu, and they just look human. X-rays can’t penetrate their bodies, and their brainwaves are very distinctly not human. Medusa, on the other hand… underneath all that, I could see undeniably human waves. The rest of those? It looks like each snake has its own brain. And that’s not even the weirdest part.> Dr. Kalama explains, showing Noriko a box of bulletproof glass contained within a forcefield. It’s holding a couple dozen tiny snakes, the size of worms.
<I took a blood sample. Not only was the needle able to pierce the skin, but as soon as I tried to put the blood into a vial… it turned into those things.>
<There are legends of Medusa’s spilled blood creating monsters.> Noriko recalls.
<A few blood cells didn’t transform, so I was able to run some tests. The cells have no DNA, or a DNA equivalent, just like Vesta’s blood: she’s most definitely still a goddess. But they do imitate human blood cells to an extent I’ve never seen. I imagine that’s why Medusa stayed “dead” after decapitation: her cells were imitating death, even if she can’t truly die.>
<Excellent work as always, doctor. How is she feeling?>
<Uncomfortable at being tested so much and afraid we’re trying to imprison her. It took several confirmations that you asked for those tests to calm her down… she sounds like huge fan of yours.>
<Then I guess it’s time I just talk to her.> Noriko says.
Medusa’s room
The blinds have been closed, preventing anyone from looking inside. Probably an unnecessary precaution on the 70th floor, but Medusa doesn’t mind… she’s used to living in damp caverns, so this is a step up for her.
<Feel well enough for a chat?> Noriko asks, entering the room wearing goggles that make her completely blind.
Despite that, Medusa takes great care in adjusting her hospital gown and straightening her snakes.
<Yes, absolutely! It is a great honor to finally meet you, Emp… Null.>
<Sorry about all those exams. I had to check if Rei did anything to you and, well, to make sure you’re not unwillingly dangerous.>
<I understand. I am used to scaring people. You must have a similar effect, giving what you accomplished!>
<Yes, well, I’ve been told I can be intimidating sometimes.> Noriko admits, very carefully sitting next to Medusa on her bed.
<Before you say anything else, Null, I must thank you for what you have done. Not just rescuing me from Rei, but for Athena and Poseidon.>
<They had it coming. Do you know specifically why Athena cut off your head and kept it?>
<When Poseidon… violated me, I fled to one of her planets and hid in her temple. I knew they were enemies, so I hoped she would protect me. I should have known better than expecting decency from a goddess. As for the rest… the gods have long tried to take control of my power. None succeeded.>
<Why is that? Lots of gods can transmute matter.>
<But their powers can’t affect Drylon technology. Mine can.> Medusa reveals.
<Interesting. I can see why Athena would want something like that.> Noriko understands, stroking her chin pensively.
<What do you know about Prometheus?> she then asks Medusa.
<The god of prophecy? Not much. Zeus imprisoned him in Tartarus for helping mortals; I would guess he’s still there. Why do you ask?>
<Athena stole his eyes. They were stored with your severed head, before Rei stole it… and before I took them from her. Are you positive nobody ever mentioned them to you?>
<I would recall something like that. Can I ask you something as well, Null? Why did you do it? Take over Olympus, I mean.>
<I didn’t want to rule, but divine rule had to stop. I’ve seen how much pain it caused.>
<I couldn’t agree more. Nothing good ever came from gods.> Medusa says, and the hatred she puts into that last word is almost tangible.
<Aren’t you a goddess?>
<I am a monster, not a goddess. And I will gladly support your mission.>
<My… mission?>
<To kill all the gods. That is why they call you the Slayer of Gods, is it not?>
<Not exactly. I’ve killed several gods, yes, but I’m not out to kill all of them.>
<Why not?> Medusa asks. The snakes on her head become agitated.
<I know it must be hard for you to accept, Medusa, but not all gods are homicidal maniacs. A lot of them are, for sure, but not all. Vesta saved you, remember?>
<Some sort of scheme. You can’t trust any god.> Medusa insists, standing up.
<I trust her completely. Let me explain…>
<Is she controlling you in some way!? I must talk to her!> Medusa insists, rushing towards the door and finding it locked.
<Medusa, calm down, there’s no need to…> Noriko tries to talk to her, but she’s distracted when her goggles suddenly become uncomfortably heavy once transmuted into stone.
She takes them off, taking care to keep her eyes closed, but when she tries to reach Medusa, she’s held back. Now her leather jacket is made of stone, pinning her down and making it hard to move.
<I will free you from her influence, Null.> Medusa swears; the door, once transmuted into stone, becomes too heavy for its hinges and falls.
Two Nullbots await, but they also turn to stone before they can even attempt to slow her down.
She expected to find some sort of resistance, but she’s surprised by Quantum appearing in front of her holding a mirror up to her face.
This transforms her body into stone, and Quantum breathes a sigh of relief.
<I don’t see what’s so special about this one. We’ve beaten worse…> he says to himself, shocked when Medusa suddenly returns to her usual self and smacks the mirror out of his hands.
He does have the good sense to immediately transform himself into X-rays… but even if he’s not looking at her through visible light, he’s still turned to stone.
Medusa walks past him, and she’s able to reach the end of the corridor before she finds a fire pentagram on the door.
The portal doesn’t form when the pentagram turns into stone. Medusa looks around frantically, and one after the other an additional three other pentagrams become stone.
Until Torn crashes through the door now behind her, wielding two Blood swords. They turn to stone before they reach their target, but one still pierces her heart and one her stomach.
Medusa screams in pain as a large amount of green blood is spilled on the floor… which coalesces into a large snake that throws itself at Torn.
Medusa holds her hands tight over her wounds, feeling them closing themselves. She watches Torn tear the snake into shreds, struggling to use his Blood weapons because they all become stone as soon as they are conjured. That’s enough for the mass of smaller snakes to wrap themselves around him, keeping him occupied while Medusa leaves.
<Hold it. That’s as far as you go.> Vesta warns her, positioning herself in front of Medusa.
<What sort of spell did you use on Null? She should have slayed you!>
<I would never harm Noriko. Now stand down, or I will harm you.> Vesta threatens her.
<I have been awakened to a strange and unfamiliar future, goddess, but I still remember never to trust your kind. And I will help Null rid the cosmos of your blight.>
<You’re scared and confused, Medusa. I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if it means helping my friends. And your powers don’t work on me… you have nothing to threaten me with.>
<Confused, yes. Scared? I am Medusa. I am terror.> she boasts, and the building trembles.
Vesta looks around: the floor has been turned into stone. The ceiling has been turned into stone. And it’s beginning to crack… because every floor above it is not made of stone. As are those below.
There’s a reason why skyscrapers are never built in stone: the building rapidly starts collapsing under its own weight, and Vesta forfeits dealing with Medusa.
Her first priority is saving the mortals. She thanks her entire Pantheon that the building is almost completely empty. After Athena’s takeover, only the Null family has returned to using it as their living quarters. Thankfully both Bob and Nalani Null are still on vacation, and Gilgamesh is still with them.
Vesta first rescues Torn, carrying him over without slowing down much: she knows his Demon body can withstand a couple dozen Gs of acceleration. She also grabs the statue that used to be Quantum, and deposits them on the rooftop of the nearest skyscraper.
The top floors have already collapsed by the time she grabs both Dr. Kalama and Noriko; she was forced to slow down considerably, otherwise she would have ripped their arms out of their sockets just by grabbing them.
A final sweep of the bottom floors allows her to rescue the seven unfortunate technicians that had the misfortune of working within Null Tower today. By the time she had unceremoniously dropped them on the street, several seconds from the transmutation have already passed: the skyscraper is now fully collapsing, with several tons of stone about to fall into the street.
She takes a full breath. This will require using her powers to the fullest, something she couldn’t have dreamt before her time with the Vanguard.
First, she surrounds the building with a ring of incandescent plasma. Any stone falling within it is vaporized; the hardest part is controlling the heat with enough precision to avoid boiling the entire city alive. This still leaves an enormous cloud of stone dust ready to flood the streets.
There’s a loud boom as Vesta vastly exceeds the speed of sound: she flies around the collapsing building at incredible speeds, generating a tornado of fire that annihilates any debris before it spreads any further.
By the time Vesta lands and catches her breath, Null Tower has been reduced to several stories of stone debris covered by a small dust cloud… but the fact that there isn’t a single casualty is nothing short of miraculous.
Vesta didn’t bother attempting to rescue Medusa: not just because there wasn’t enough time, but because she’s reasonably sure she can’t stay dead.
A suspicion confirmed when several snakes wiggle out of the ruins, slithering onto each other until they take a vaguely humanoid form… which is then reconstructed into Medusa’s body, kneeling under the stress of the entire process.
With the city understandably going into panic and hearing approaching sirens, Vesta floats towards the monster goddess and puts a hand on her shoulder.
<That was reckless. You could have killed a lot of people.>
<It was worth it. My blood found them, across the rubble.> Medusa replies, turning towards Vesta and opening her eyes.
They are bright red, filled with fire, and the last thing Vesta sees before her body turns into stone.
Medusa stands, blinking several times. The eyes of Prometheus burn, but she’s accustomed to pain.
Jumping out of the pile of petrified ruins, she feels stronger than she’s ever been.
<Now that you can’t bewitch Null anymore… together, we will get rid of all gods.> Medusa swears.