Beyond The Impossible

Takama, 45,000 light-years from Earth

There’s a saying in the Olympian Galaxy: “where there’s people, there’s Aphrodite”. And sure enough, even on planets where other gods reign supreme you can find a temple dedicated to her.

This is true on Takama, where the sign on the temple’s entrance shows both the symbol of Aphrodite and the rising sun symbolizing Amaterasu.

Once Kari Zel and Lily are inside, the first thing they see is the front desk where a middle aged man barely looks at them as he says without the slightest hint of enthusiasm:

<Welcome to the house of love. Buying or selling?>

<Uhm, I think it counts as buying> Kari thinks out loud.

<Male, female or Lampyrian? We have a discount on blueskins.>

<That’s degrading to my species> Lily objects.

<No, that’s surplus. We get a lot of your kind here. Now, again, what do you want to buy?>

<What we’re looking for isn’t in the menu, mister… Theophilus> Kari says, reading the nametag on the man’s toga before leaning seductively on the desk.

<This is a temple of Aphrodite, ma’am. If it’s anatomically possible, it’s on the menu.>

<Oh I know. You specialize in forbidden things, don’t you? Even… illegal ones?>

<Who sent you? You work for her?> he asks, pointing at the window; or more specifically, at the sun that is about to rise.

<Trust me, we’re no fans of Amaterasu. Especially her edict to ban all unlicensed tachyon relays, which we know Aphrodite worshipers can use to interact with an interstellar communications network> Lily explains.

<We want access to the Meretrix> Kari jumps in, going straight to the point.

<That is not for sale> he quickly replies.

<Are you sure there is… nothing we can give you for it?> Kari asks, seductively leaning closer.

<Miss, in my twenty years of service to Aphrodite, I’ve seen it all. It’ll take more than batting your eyelashes to-> he starts to explain, interrupted when a duplicate of Kari appears behind him and slams his head against the desk.

<What are you doing? We’re not supposed to attract attention!> Lily laments.

<It was taking too long, we’re just stealing his Meretrix device. Here it is!> Kari exclaims after taking from the unconscious Theophilus a personal communicator the size of a smartphone.

<How did you know he had one on him?>

<What, you’ve never slept with an Aphrodite priest? They’re all connected to the Meretrix!>

<Gods save human promiscuity> Lily sighs.

 

The Divine Palace

The Chrysanthemum Throne is relatively modest for a goddess, considering the standards of this galaxy: basically an ornate golden chair with the red symbol of the rising sun. There’s a Japanese woman sitting on it with perfect elegance and poise, wearing a red and white kimono.

There’s a man prostrated in front of her, looking down both to signal that he’s not worthy to look at her directly and because her body shines like a lightbulb.

<The border with the Ilithyia sector is secure, Your Divinity, but your generals humbly request your wisdom on how to proceed.>

<I was told they didn’t need more Oni.>

<That is true, Your Divinity. Your generals are not asking for your power, but for your wisdom; it seems that millions of mortals are attempting to flee her kingdom. So many of them that we are having trouble keeping track of the number of ships.>

<Why would they leave Ilithyia? Is she a bad goddess?>

<These deserters have tales of persecution, forced sterilization and genocide. What should your army do, Your Divinity? Do you wish to welcome these migrants into your realm, or should we slaughter them?>

<I… uhm… Maybe we could… ah… can you… wait here? For a second? I’ll be right back> Amaterasu excuses herself, floating away from the throne room leaving behind an extremely confused delegate.

 

Viper’s lab

There are two Oni robots guarding the entrance, but they don’t lift a finger towards Amaterasu. Not that they would be able to do anything to her.

Once inside she finds Viper relaxing on the couch, with her feet resting on the coffee table and taking popcorn from a bucket carried by an Oni.

<Mother. May I have a word with you?> Amaterasu humbly asks her.

<Sure. I’m on a break> Viper agrees, using a remote control to activate a Sound Nullifier. She has to do this to carry out a conversation, considering that she’s enjoying the view of two Oni flailing a shirtless Demon with laser whips while he’s being electrocuted: the screams are ear-splitting.

<Why is that man being tortured?>

<That’s not a man, Amaterasu, that’s a Demon.>

<Oh. What’s the difference?>

<A third testicle. And a Demon doesn’t break as easily. Speaking of breaking men, how’s the crusade going?>

<About that, Mother, I have a question. It seems that mortals are fleeing from Ilithyia and wish to become my subjects. What should I…>

<F#ck ‘em> Viper cuts her off, before stuffing her mouth with popcorn.

<That… sounds really demeaning, Mother.>

<I mean kill them, dumbass. C’mon, do I have to tell you everything?>

<But… they haven’t done anything. Their goddess is mean to them, maybe they just want someone to treat them better?> the goddess timidly asks.

<Amaterasu, listen to me. Lions do not concern themselves with the opinions of sheep.>

<What’s a lion?>

<Christ, why did I make a goddess with the brains of a six year old?> Viper says, rolling her eyes.

<I’m sorry to disappoint you again, Mother.>

<You know what’s wrong with having gods around? People get lazy. Why bother doing anything when you can just pray for it? If those people didn’t like their goddess, they should’ve have revolted earlier. We’re not running a charity here, we’re taking over the galaxy! Who cares if a few losers fall through the cracks. I swear, once we’re done I’m gonna kill every single god there is.>

<Except me, right Mother?>

<Hm. I take it back, there is a positive for a goddess with the brains of a child.>

<Thank you mother! I’m so happy to make you proud of me!>

<Oh shut the f#ck up and go make me a sandwich.>

A flash of pure light illuminates the room, as if the sun became a hundred times brighter for just a moment. Viper snaps her fingers in front of the Oni holding the popcorn, and the eyes of the robot project the hologram of a man with golden skin flying towards the planet.

<Intruder identified. Helios, God of the Sun> the robot explains.

<On second thought, Amaterasu, go and deal with this idiot. Then you can make me a sandwich.>

 

In orbit above the planet

Helios knows this could be a trap. He knows that the fleet of Amaterasu is truly formidable, though he doesn’t know that it’s mostly thanks to the warships supplied by Viper. So when he’s able to reach Takama without any resistance, there is no doubt in his mind that he’s expected.

And sure enough, a beautiful goddess rises into space to meet him. Her kimono and long black hair are floating freely, and he’s so concentrated in admiring her beauty and evaluating the extent of her powers that it takes him a while to notice her mouth is moving.

<You can’t talk in space. You have to use your mind. Why are you using your mouth?> he asks.

<Oh, so you can hear me! Good, I thought for a second you were deaf. Should we start over?>

<Are you mocking me?> Helios asks, confused by Amaterasu’s demeanor.

<I’ll start over. Welcome to Takama-ga-hara, “Plain of High Heaven”. I am Amaterasu-ōmikami, the Shining Light, the Goddess of the Sun. You came to pay your respects?>

<I am Helios, son of Hyperion and Theia. And I am the true God of the Sun.>

<Okay. So about these respects?>

Of all the reactions Helios could’ve anticipated, but this was completely unexpected.

<Do you understand my words, foreign goddess? I am the GOD OF THE SUN!> Helios shouts, making his body as bright as a star. Amaterasu blinks, but more out of confusion than anything.

<I’ll be honest, I’m new at this job, so I don’t actually know what “pay your respects” means, I was just told I should say it. Is it something you do by shouting?>

<Cease your prattling, impostor!!!> Helios answers, pointing his hand towards Amaterasu: it releases a powerful ray of pure solar energy, enough to vaporize an entire city.

<Yata-no-Kagami!> she says, conjuring up some sort of energy mirror which she uses as a shield; the blast is reflected back to Helios, who reacts by attacking once more but with a hundred times more power. With the same effect.

<You’re not very respectful> she berates him.

<Respect? For someone who steals MY title!? Calling yourself “Goddess of the Sun” is an insult!>

<I thought you were the God of the Sun. You want to be a goddess now?>

<You will regret provoking my wrath> Helios answers, his words filled with rage. His body becomes engulfed in a field of plasma as hot as a star, then he starts a barrage of attacks that put Amatearu in the defensive: she’s forced to block every single shot, since missing a single one would devastate a continent in her capital world.

<I am the one who demands respect! I am the son of two generals of Kronos! I’ve been the God of the Sun for millions of years before Apollo was even born! All the mortals who require my benevolence for the very existence of their worlds should worship me! Why won’t Olympus understand it? Why am I always ignored!?>

<Maybe you’re not a very good god?> Amaterasu asks him. Only now Helios realizes that she moved behind him: she’s been controlling the shield telekinetically. It’s the opportunity he was waiting for. Moving faster than the speed of light, faster than she can recall the shield or create a new one, he throws a punch strong enough to knock a moon out of orbit or break a few godly teeth.

<In fact, you sound like a jerk> Amaterasu continues, calmly intercepting the punch with the palm in her hand. Even when Helios increases the temperature of the plasma field that surrounds him to a million degrees, she seems completely unperturbed. If Helios was angry before, the way she’s overshadowing him is pushing him over the edge.

<Let’s see how you deal with your entire kingdom being obliterated!> he says, gathering the energy inside his body: once he releases it all at once, it’ll have the same effect of a supernova.

<We can’t have that. I was told how to deal with gods who don’t respect me. Ara-mitama!> Amaterasu says, changing her clothes at an atomic level: the kimono is replaced by a red armor clearly inspired by that of a samurai. At the rate Helios is increasing his temperature, he will boil the oceans of Takama long before he destroys the solar system. With so little time to deal with him, Amaterasu sighs and raises her hand.

<I was saving this for something cooler, but… Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi!> she says, drawing power directly from her own divine essence and solidifying it into a sword.

With a single movement, she cuts Helios in half. Each part of him explodes like a miniature star, but instead of spreading destruction in all directions everything is absorbed into the sword itself.

 

Viper’s lab

Much like the real Null, Viper really likes the sound of her own voice: it’s rare to find her speechless. But when all the sensors in her laboratory prove unable to fully register the extent of Amaterasu’s power, even she is left utterly speechless.

<This is even better than I expected. She’s not just using the energy she inherited from Tiamat… she’s fully in control. I actually built a true goddess> she realizes.

<Did I do good, Mother?> Amaterasu asks, making even Viper miss a heartbeat. Especially when, once she turns around to see her, Amaterasu is holding with one hand the sword that just killed a god with no effort… and in the other one, the sandwich she’s giving to her “mother”.

<A good starting point> Viper answers, now that a different kind of hunger rages inside her.