Beyond The Impossible

Hestia’s palace, Aquilia

Noriko Null approaches the building, adjusting her tunic even though it’s not her own body that risks showing too much skin.

<It’s so wild to see you like this.> Kari Zel comments. At first glance she’s talking to one of her duplicates, but it’s one currently inhabited by the mind of Noriko Null.

<It’s wild being like this. And I don’t know how long I can keep this up: I’m transmitting my mind through your other body currently in orbit, and it takes a considerable amount of mental energy.>

<And here I thought you’d never try to get into my pants.> Kari teases her.

<I wish they had pants around here. Or underwear for that matter.> Noriko replies, trying to push the skirt to a more conservative length.

The duo finally reaches the top of the palace, where they are greeted to a slightly confused Kari.

<Back so soon? I though you were supposed to have fun.> she tells herself.

<Let me get you up to speed.> the other Kari answers, allowing herself to be re-absorbed by the other duplicate. With the memories of the two bodies merged, the resulting Kari nods.

<Why didn’t Terastios join you?> she wonders.

<He had no interest of meeting Vesta’s priestesses… they’re sworn to abstinence. Do you know if this place has some kind of centralized library?>

<What’s going on?> Vesta wonders, floating towards them from the nearest room.

<Vesta, it’s great to see you again.> Noriko greets her. Since Vesta can only see a different Kari duplicate, she’s puzzled by the reaction as by the fact that this duplicate has silver eyes.

<It’s a long story, but this is…> Kari begins to explain, but she’s interrupted by Torn, who approaches his teammates dressed in the typical Aquilian tunic.

<Null. I thought I sensed your soul nearby.> the Demon greets her.

<No way, seriously? That’s Noriko!? That is so weird!> Quantum adds, dressed like Torn and as embarrassed as Noriko at wearing such a short tunic.

<Tell me about it. I’m not used to see you guys this close to my height.> Noriko admits.

<We have not changed. Your real body is just unusually short for an adult human.>

<Thanks Torn, I never noticed…> “Noriko” rolls her eyes.

<Odd. I thought everyone knew you are short.>

<Noriko has an idea on how to get us out of this planet, but she needs to consult a public library. Is there one on Aquilia?> Kari asks.

<Sure! It’s such a lovely place!>

The answer comes from a voice eerily similar to Vesta’s, just more high pitched. And it’s coming from someone who just entered the palace through a window.

<Of course I’ve never bothered to actually read anything in there, but they have the cutest wall decorations you’ve ever seen!> Rhea says.

Everyone but Vesta tense up, expecting a fight to break out at any moment. Rhea is clueless enough not to pick up the mood suddenly shifted.

<Mom, would you mind taking my friends to the library? You’d probably get bored there, so while they’re busy reading you and I… could… hang out… together?> Vesta suggests; the words sound so forced and unconvincing that even Rhea finds them strange.

<What’s going on? Are you scheming something, Hestia?>

<Do I need a reason to hang out with my mother? And I told you my name is Vesta now.>

<You’ve never wanted to spend time with me. You’re always finding excuses to sneak out with your mortal pets… they’re a bad influence on you! You’re a grown goddess now, it’s about time you leave those silly things behind.> Rhea replies, anger increasing in her voice as she turns towards the Vanguard and rising her hand to point her finger at them.

Vesta is quick to grab her wrist and twist her hand so that she points at the ceiling instead; and just in time, because the blast of pure kinetic energy shoots through the roof instead of reducing them to a bloody pulp.

<Whoa! Maybe we should calm down a little!> Quantum exclaims, as he blasts half of the rubble with lasers and Torn deals with the rest with a Blood sword, preventing anything from landing on Noriko’s and Kari’s heads.

<Unhand me, child. NOW.> Rhea orders, her green eyes suddenly shifting into a bright red.

<Not unless you promise me you’ll leave my friends alone.>

<Both of you stop, right now! There is literally no reason for you to fight!> Noriko intervenes, scolding the two goddesses like they were children.

<Stay out of this, mortal. Nobody tells the Queen Mother how to raise her kids.> Rhea replies, wrestling out of Vesta’s grip.

<You never raised me.> Vesta says, surprised to hear her own voice say those words.

<Excuse me!? Is that the way to talk to your mother, Hestia!?>

<Vesta, this really isn’t the time to work through your family drama!> Noriko warns her, but her friend is simply not listening. A million years of resentment are impossible to hold back.

<You’re always trying to hold me back and turn me into something I’m not. You’re a bad mother and my name. Is. VESTA.> she declares, her body beginning to burst into flames.

In response to her outburst, Rhea slaps her in the face… with enough force to throw her through the wall at incredible speed.

<I’ll teach you not to talk back to your mother, missy!> Rhea exclaims, flying out of the palace fast enough to generate a sonic boom and an incredibly powerful gust of wind.

The blowback is so sudden than even Torn needs a moment to recover, after anchoring himself to the ground with a Blood spear. Quantum survives transforming into light, and Kari activates her 10K Rise to get tough enough to remain conscious as her body slams against the wall.

Noriko is not as lucky: she might be inhabiting one of her duplicates, but she doesn’t know how to access Kari’s powers. The duplicate ends up with a nasty blow to the head, her body falling limp to the floor.

<Nori! Are you okay?> Quantum asks, being the first to reach her. Her eyes are no longer silver.

<Her soul is no longer here. She’s back in orbit.> Torn explains.

<That’s odd, the duplicate should’ve disappeared after receiving a fatal blow.> Kari says, checking the duplicate’s pulse. Faint, but still alive.

<That’s fascinating and all, but we have other things to worry about. The building’s gonna collapse pretty soon and, y’know, the whole angry goddess thing.> Quantum warns.

<Right. You two go help Vesta, I’ll try to evacuate the building.> Kari replies, generating a bunch of new duplicates who run out of the room while the one who’s talking takes the unconscious body in her arms.

<Can we seriously defeat Rhea without Noriko?> Quantum wonders; despite the strategy discussed by the team for such an emergency, it’s still a daunting prospect.

<One street to find out.> Torn answers, creating a pentagram portal leading straight to the fight.

<It’s “one way”, but whatever.> Quantum shrugs, right before a streak of light leaves the palace.

 

N01-Ragnarok, in orbit above the planet

Noriko Null opens her eyes, letting out a groan of pain as she jumps out of the captain’s chair.

Her consciousness left the Kari duplicate just in time to save her life, but she still felt the impact.

<That’s not a good sign.> Kylon comments, raising an eyebrow.

<Of all the times for Vesta to drag us into a fight with her mother!> Noriko exclaims.

<Yeah, I wonder who she learned that from.> Kari says under her breath.

<Did you at least find the rest of the Vanguard?> Kylon asks.

<They’re safe. Or at least as safe as they can be facing a Class-2 goddess… I need to find a way to get down there and help them.>

<Just use another one of my duplicates.>

<I can’t, not this soon; I need time to recover. I should teleport directly to the surface.> Noriko says, reaching for the controls until Kylon stops her.

<That would be suicide. You can’t bring any technology with you, you’d be dead within minutes.>

<I don’t need tech to kill a god, just my mind. If Kari’s powers work on the surface it means the Nexus will also work, I’ll be fine.>

<Sorry but I’m with Kylon on this one; you wouldn’t be able to get within close range, and you know the Final Abyss is not as reliable at a distance.> Kari adds.

<But… I’m the Slayer of Gods. I can’t sit this one out!>

<You’ve killed twelve gods already, how hard could it possibly be to kill another one?> the Myridian girl adds.

 

Fifty miles off the Prometheus Cave

Leiko Tanaka contemplates the gold and silver bracelet on her wrist. The Drylon device has not been activated yet, and she has no idea what it can do, but considering both Zeus and Prometheus went out of their way to hide it means it’s exceedingly dangerous.

The Aquilians next to her, powering the electric carriage with the energy emitted from their bodies, don’t seem to think much of it.

“What would be the most efficient way to activate this? Getting pregnant again would be too much trouble… the child would risk inheriting the power. I’ll just find some worthless tramp who’s already pregnant and have her activate it for me.” she reasons, until a massive earthquake shakes her off her thoughts just as the carriage is derailed.

Something just hit the nearest mountain several times faster than sound. Something angry.

 

Inside the mountain

Vesta manages to slow down by heating the interior until it becomes a thick layer of magma; its heat cannot damage her body, and it’s dense enough to help her decelerate.

<That could’ve gone better. At least I lead her out of the city.> she comments, massaging her jaw.

She doesn’t have a lot of time to recover: millions of tons of rock are swept aside with ease, turning into fine sand to then decay into loose protons scattered in the wind.

A flock of Aquilian eagles flee the disaster, raising an electrical storm that rages around the body of Rhea, who floats above the destruction with her arms crossed and a disappointed look on her face.

<Are you ready to apologize, young lady? I’ve never had to spank you as much as I had with Hera, but don’t believe for a second I’m not willing to slap some sense into you.>

<I’m not apologizing for anything, mom. You should apologize to me!!!>

<What for? I’ve been looking after you since the moment you were born.>

<You let my father eat me alive!!! He swallowed me whole and Zeus had to cut him open!!!>

<Leave your father out of this!> Rhea chastises her, preparing another attack.

The electricity from the eagles intensifies, significantly turning up the voltage and moving with a mind of its own to circle around her body.

<What in the name of…> Rhea wonders, watching in confusion as a pentagram appears above her.

<Rod of lightning!!!> Torn shouts, throwing a javelin made of Blood energy directly into Rhea’s open mouth before he disappears inside a second pentagram.

The electrical storm summoned by the eagles is gathered by Quantum, adding his own energy as he channels several terawatts worth of power down Rhea’s throat, using the javelin as a lightning rod.

Vesta watches in astonishment as her mother’s body convulses, making her wonder if this might be enough to take her down.

<We’re leaving. Now.> Torn tells her; Vesta didn’t even notice him showing up before she’s dragged through another pentagram.

Quantum knows it’s a matter of time before Rhea forces him to leave his body: gods’ ability to manipulate energy has always been his weakness, and he can already feel her power beginning to pull on his electrons. The countermeasure won’t be pleasant for either of them.

“I hope you choke on this.” is what he thinks before transforming from electricity to antimatter.

The explosion resulting from a single kilogram of antimatter touching the equivalent mass of matter releases the equivalent of 43 megatons of TNT: taking into account Rhea’s weight, it means over 3 gigatons are unleashed into her veins.

A slight fraction of this enormous power escapes her body and hits the mountain; it’s still not enough to destroy a geological formation, but the resulting crater has reduced its height in half.

The gamma rays released by the antimatter explosion would sterilize everything in the area, if they didn’t coalesce into a human being who returns to flesh and blood next to Vesta and Torn.

<Not how I imagined getting inside a goddess would feel like.> Quantum says, dizzy and disoriented from the rapid transformation; he’s getting used to rebuilding himself like this.

<Did we succeed?> Torn asks.

<You certainly did.> an angry voice replies, filling the entire atmosphere.

Rhea’s body has been completely obliterated. What lies before them is her original form, unshackled by the body she used to wear to interact with ordinary matter: still feminine in shape, but made of divine energy bubbling with anger and raw kinetic energy.

<You succeeded in making me mad.> she roars, as the planet itself trembles in the terrifying presence of the former Queen Of The Universe.