Beyond The Impossible

Max Black’s apartment, New York City

The TV is on while the superhero is busy making coffee, not yet completely awake. It’s just background noise for him, but the white brunette sitting on the couch in her underwear is following the news with much interest.

<Isn’t it weird that they’re only talking about this?> Jane Blake asks.

<About what?> he answers, just now noticing that it’s yet another report on Noriko Null’s latest revolutionary medical technology.

<Oh, that. Not really? I mean, Noriko just figured out how to grow back any missing limb. That’s kind of the definition of a big deal.>

<So is building her own personal city in Antarctica. They’ve barely mentioned it! You’ve seen it, haven’t you Max?>

<I have. But it’s still under construction, it’ll take years to finish.>

<And by then nobody will notice. It’s going to be a nightmare for the environment, isn’t it?>

<I’m sure Noriko has thought about a solution. Why are you so worked up about it, Jane?>

<I’ve known her since we were kids. Sometimes she gets so excited about her ideas that she doesn’t think things through. I know she’s different now, but I still worry about her.>

<I see what you mean. Ever since we returned from Lampyria, she’s been in a rush to finish every project she shelved.>

<“Lampyria” is one of those space adventures that you don’t want to talk about, I guess?>

<Sorry, Jane. Standard Vanguard procedure: every off-planet mission is top secret.>

<I know, I know. Speaking of secret stuff, are you going to tell her we’re a couple now?>

<She has bigger things to worry about than my personal life, Jane.>

<So there’s, like, no history between you two?>

<What do you mean?>

<You’ve been through some pretty rough stuff together, and she’s always been into older guys.>

<Come on, she’s like my little sister! She’s way too young for me!>

<I’m six months younger than she is.> she reminds him, sounding upset.

Luckily for him, his phone starts buzzing right then. She reaches for it, but Max moves at the speed of light to take it first.

<Sorry, I have to go. I have a Vanguard meeting in five minutes.>

<Just five? Couldn’t she give you a little more warning?>

<Sorry, this is a 24-7 job.> he answers, hurrying to finish his coffee as fast as possible.

<At least put on some pants before you go save the world.> Jane tells him.

Operation Center, Null Tower

Situated in one of the top floors, the Operation Center is the meeting room of the Vanguard.

Noriko Null is sitting at the round table, together with one of Kari Zel’s duplicates. Torn and Vesta are in front of the one-way window that overlooks the city, and they’re guarding the host of this unusual meeting.

<I expected a less understated base of operations.> the goddess Athena confesses. She’s still wearing her civilian clothes, her athletic body barely contained by a yellow office suit.

<She should not be here. She’s a security risk.> Torn comments. The goddess turns towards him, looking at the Demon with her grey eyes.

<Perhaps I’m not the only one. Null entrusted the Iron Key of Heaven to Hell, didn’t she? Quite a temptation for your kind to abandon their pretense of being neutral.>

<The Key is secure. I checked.> Torn answers.

<Really. I would like to see proof of this, perhaps visiting Hell myself.>

<You can’t. Gods are not allowed to set foot in Hell.>

<Except when they are. You made concessions to a select few, don’t you? Including Anubis, an Egyptian god. Should I ask Hades to go check if the Key is still there?>

<The Key is kept in the First Circle. No god can go there, not even those welcomed in Hell.>

<Well. That’s quite convenient for you Demons, I’ll say.>

<It is. That is why we made that specific rule.>

<Stop antagonizing him, Athena. The Iron Key has not been used.> Noriko chastises her.

<Oh I already knew that. I was just testing him.> Athena admits with a smile, patting Torn’s shoulder as she walks towards the table.

<Is this how she normally acts?> Torn asks Vesta, confused by the goddess.

<Always.> Vesta admits, reaching for Torn’s shoulder to grab the tiny tracking device that Athena placed on his duster when she touched him.

<Was this really necessary, Athena?> Vesta asks, vaporizing the device.

<Intelligence on Hell is hard to come by. You can’t fault a goddess for trying.>

Quantum then arrives in the Operation Center, noticing Athena as soon as he becomes solid.

<Sorry I’m late, guys. Hey, I didn’t know we had guests.>

<Let’s get this started. Athena, I set this up so that she can’t see you; I need a confirmation from you that she’s not lying, okay?> Noriko asks, touching the snake tattoo on her left forearm.

The room becomes dark and the conference table projects the hologram of a stunningly beautiful woman, whose face is hidden by a metallic mask.

<Greetings, dear Slayer. I assume this is a secure channel?> Helen of Troy asks.

<The Covenant’s communication network is completely untraceable. What do you have for me?>

<A few days ago, someone threw a planet at Asphodelus. Rhea is unharmed, but Ilithyia and Eris have completely dropped off the map.>

<What about the mortal population?> Vesta asks.

<No survivors. My husband Apollo has sent his Oracles to inspect the debris; it’s undoubtedly from the Naqada Galaxy, the domain of Nephthys.>

<Send me the data. I want to verify it independently.> Noriko asks.

<No need for that. My sources confirm the same conclusions.> Athena whispers to her.

<Why would Nephthys attack Vesta’s mom?> Kari asks.

<Unknown. But the Egyptians do have a history of using planets as weapons.> Helen adds.

<What does Nephthys have to say about this?> Noriko wonders.

<I don’t know, nobody has asked her. But apparently Hera is calling for a divine council to decide the next course of action, and Apollo has not been invited.>

<Neither have I.> Athena adds, knowing Helen can’t hear her.

<Do you know who will be at the council?> Vesta asks.

<I know for sure Hebe and Adrestia will be there. Ares and Poseidon have been invited but I don’t think they will show up. I doubt she’d call anybody else.>

<I must have somebody inside during the meeting. Any chance you can get in?> Noriko asks.

<Not without Hera’s permission. And Apollo already suspects I’m giving information to his enemies, if I get in contact with Hera he will find out I joined your Covenant.> Helen answers.

<Just send me then. Torn can let me in with a portal and I can be pretty sneaky.> Kari suggests.

<Or I can just hang around as a radio signal and listen to everything.> Quantum adds.

<I wouldn’t count on it. The meeting will be in Megalopolis; its security system was designed by Hephaestus himself. It will detect anyone who isn’t a god.>

<She’s right. I’ve tested the system more than once: it’s impregnable.> Athena confirms.

<Will Rhea be there?> Noriko then asks, her silver eyes suddenly shining. People in the room exchange glances at each other: they recognize it as a signal that she just had an idea.

<I don’t think Hera has summoned her. Why do you ask?>

<We might have a way in, but I have a few details to fix. Great job Helen, I’ll contact you soon.>

<Very well. Helen of Troy out.> the demigoddess responds, ending the transmission.

<I know that look on your face. What do you have in mind?> Vesta asks to Noriko.

<You’re physically identical to your mother. You’re going to that meeting and pretend to be Rhea.>

<Come on, it can’t be that simple!> Quantum objects.

<It isn’t. Gods recognize each other through their divine aura, not by superficial physical appearances.> Athena says.

<So what you’re saying is I just have to invent something that can fool a god’s eyes.>

<Exactly.>

There is an awkward silence for a few seconds. Then Athena raises an eyebrow and asks:

<How much time do you need?>

Eskan, Serket sector

Naqada Galaxy, 17 million light-years from Earth

Eskan is not a particularly important planet, but its position as a commercial hub between other more influential worlds has allowed it to live a relatively uneventful life.

Until seven days ago, when a gold-skinned alien landed on Eskan. It was only a minor curiosity at first, until the alien started converting more and more people.

Iset-emk-heb is a local priestess of Serket, a member of the human minority. Over 90% of the population are Naga, four-armed and snake-legged reptilian humanoids who almost universally worship Nephthys. When her city descended into chaos, Iset-emk-heb found refuge in the temple of Serket and closed herself inside. Without the means to contact the world outside the temple’s walls, all she could do was pray and wait… until today, when total silence fell upon the city.

She unlocks the door to the temple and very cautiously walks outside; everything is so silent she can hear her own heart pounding.

Everywhere she looks, there is only death. Hundreds of Naga are just laying motionless on the ground, not moving a muscle. The only person still standing is the golden alien, a male humanoid with a blank expression on his face.

<We were wondering when you would come outside.> he says.

The priestess is terrified, but she knows she can’t escape the alien. She heard the reports before barricading herself in the temple: the alien can make himself intangible. Which makes the fact that he didn’t even try to get inside the temple even more baffling.

<Why did you kill them? What do you want from us?> she asks.

<Kill them? We are Eden. Death does not concern us.>

<What do you mean? They’re not breathing.>

<Air does not concern us either. Everything you see around you is Eden now: these creatures have joined eternity with us. Right now, there are only two minds on this planet: Eden and you.>

<You mean… I’m the only survivor? Do you fear Serket that much?>

There’s a slight hint of emotion on the alien’s face, something that gets close to a smile.

<Child… Eden stopped fearing gods four billion years ago. We merely waited for your gods to answer your prayers, but it seems they don’t want to hear them.>

<You are wrong! Serket will hear my plea and cure my world from your plague! Just wait and…>

<We have waited long enough. Seven days are needed for the Ascension, and the time has come.>

<What do you mean by…> the priestess starts to say, but she doesn’t get to finish: the alien gets close enough to touch her, turning her eyes golden and her mind into Eden.

<Welcome to eternity. Do you feel it now?> the alien asks.

<Yes. We are Eden now. Let us start the Ascension.> the priestess answers, and her body starts to glow from within. She’s not alone: one after the other, the motionless Naga start glowing as well.

It’s a process that propagates quickly throughout the planet, but nobody can witness it.

Then the first Naga burst open: internal organs reassemble themselves, the third and fourth arm are absorbed back into the body, the tail turns into a pair of legs, and in less than a minute the reptile has been replaced by an exact replica of the gold-skinned alien. The same thing happens to all those converted by Eden, reaching a perfect balance of 50% male and 50% female Eden.

All identical, copies of each other made in series. All nine billion of them.

All with a single goal in their mind.

<We must find the Nexus.> the former priestess says.