Beyond The Impossible

New Rhetra, planet Myridia

Kari’s duplicates try to punch Naiad, but they have to face the same problem of their first encounter: her body turns into water the second it’s touched.

<Again? Seriously, how much does it take to understand that you can’t hurt me?>

<It’s called teamwork> Kari answers, running towards Naiad; instead of tackling her, she splashes through her body and runs away.

<What the…> Naiad mutters, quickly turning back when she hears a shout:

<Demon Sword!!!>

Torn is running towards her, holding a red broadsword; unlike the weapons he usually creates, this one is so hot it’s leaving a visible trail of heated air.

<Calling your attack? That’s stupid> Naiad comments, releasing a stream of pressurized water; the last time she did this, it was enough to crash Torn through a building.

This time he’s able to divert the stream with the sword, and doesn’t slow down even when she increases the pressure tenfold. She stops when he’s close enough to hit her, turning her whole body into water and giving him a free shot.

<This one’s on me, big guy. Just give it your best.>

<No.>

Torn slashes through Naiad’s water form with one powerful strike, strong enough to lift a cloud of dust and sand from the ground from the wind pressure alone.

<My best would be a waste> he declares, sheathing the Demon Sword into an imaginary scabbard on his back, causing the weapon to disappear. Naiad returns to her humanoid form, laughing.

<That’s so funny! You can’t even…touch…me…>

Only now she looks down. There’s a gaping wound on her chest, bleeding through her clothes.

<How did you…> she wonders, falling to her knees as she becomes too weak to stand.

-You’ll be sorry when the boss shows up – she threatens. Kari walks towards her: in one hand she carries the severed arm of one of the Guild’s robots, while the other is juggling a device similar to an earpiece.

<Really? He’s not going to hear anything from you for a while> Kari taunts her, using all of her strength to hit Naiad with the robot arm. It’s enough to break her nose and knock her out.

<That’ll teach her not to mess with the Vanguard> Kari comments, discarding the arm and examining the earpiece.  Torn concentrates on Naiad: she’s in no condition to fight, but she’s still alive. In fact, her nose fixes itself as he watches, and the wound on her chest has already healed.

<Demigoddess> he comments.

<This thing looks like a Neural Transmitter> Kari says to herself, plugging the device into her ear.

<Where did you get that?>

<Naiad had it inside her head, I grabbed it while I was punching her water form. I wonder if I can…>

Suddenly she hears a voice in her mind, just as if the Neural Transmitter was still active. It’s a man she’s never heard before, with an accent she can’t identify.

<…compromised. Scarab will go to retrieve her while you continue your work.>

<Understood. Null will think I saved her life> another voice answers, this time one that Kari recognizes. And as she does it, the rage in her eyes would scare Null herself.

<Wait here. Don’t let Naiad escape> she orders Torn, then looking at the sky.

 

Most Myridians never come close to using their power to its full potential, using it as an easy supply of cheap labor and sex. Unlike them, Kari Zel has always loved to push herself to the limit: she knows exactly how far she can make a duplicate appear, how fast that duplicate can make another one, and how accurately she can feel another duplicate’s position. So she concentrates.

The first duplicate appears a hundred feet above her. It stays there just a fraction of a second, just enough to create a second duplicate, before it disappears. The second does exactly the same, and the third and so on. Momentum is reset for every duplication: she reaches the clouds in little more than a minute, gets her bearings, and begins the same exact process by sending duplicates horizontally.

The real Kari Zel hasn’t moved from her position, but to keep up with her latest duplicate you would need to move at 150 miles per hour.

 

Myridian Palace, Null City

Scarab sits on the President’s chair, putting her bare feet on the desk. She’s not wearing much, just a loincloth and a skimpy top, showing her skin; despite the blond hair, on Earth she could pass for Arab or Indian. Noriko is clearly staring at her, and Scarab seems to have noticed.

<I’m flattered, really, but I’m not in that team> she jokes.

<I was looking at your eyes> Noriko clarifies.

<Or lack thereof> Todd echoes her: Scarab’s eyes are completely black. Like Abyss.

<You’re bonded with a Drylon device, aren’t you? You’re not the first one I’ve met.>

<Ah yes, Elytra right? The Lampyrian pirate princess. We sent one of our guys to deal with her. I heard Hephaestus took care of her, before you killed him.>

<Let’s get to business, alright? I want to talk with your boss> Noriko changes the subject.

<And what makes you think you have that option?>

<The fact that I’m still alive. I’m unarmed and you’re powerful enough to take on both Vesta and Quantum. Which means you’re not here to collect the bounty: you’re here to collect me.>

<Yes, about that bounty> Scarab continues, making a gesture towards Noriko. She manipulates the dust particles in the air to create an arm made of rocks, which takes Noriko by the wrist.

Despite the amazing control she has over her power, the construct is a little stronger than it needs to be; Noriko groans in pain, trying to resist but with no success.

<Leave her alone!> Todd intervenes, but he’s quickly immobilized by two arms of granite protruding from the wall.

<I don’t think you understand who you’re dealing with, kid. The Guild employs millions of field operatives, and I’m one of the top four of the Inner Circle. You know what they called me before you showed up? “The deadliest woman in the Galaxy”. But then, you’re barely a woman, right?>

Two arms extend from the ceiling and two more from the floor: they contain just traces of sand and rock, but apparently it’s enough for her. The constructs pull Noriko’s arms and legs in four different directions, hard enough to make her scream in pain. And still Scarab isn’t satisfied: she walks towards her and pulls her hair, coming within an inch of her face to shout:

<You’re just a kid playing grownup! And you think you can have a bounty higher than mine!?>

The constructs pull even harder, and Scarab creates a rock dagger. She’s grinning like a maniac; she caresses Noriko’s face with one hand, while the other is still pulling her hair.

<I like your skin… I’ve been waiting to make myself a new set of clothes. And your silver eyes will make a nice pair of earrings, don’t you think?>

<You like my eyes? Then you’ll love this> Noriko struggles to say, lighting up her eyes.

But it’s not the rapid flash that usually indicates a spike in her brain activity: she purposefully increases the effect to its maximum, resulting in a blinding flare.

Scarab is distracted long enough to let go of Noriko’s hand, and the girl takes the opportunity to headbutt her opponent as hard as she can. While it’s not enough to knock her out, Scarab loses her concentration and her constructs disintegrate into sand and dust.

Noriko falls down, clasping at her chest: she can feel her heart burning. What’s worse, when she looks up, Scarab is spitting a front tooth and is understandably pissed off.

<Shut up, boss. I will kill her for this> Scarab threatens: Noriko actually managed to draw blood.

<Who are you talking to?> Noriko asks, but Scarab doesn’t have time to answer; she has to shield herself from the exploding dart someone threw at her back.

<What’s the matter, Amanra? Not woman enough?> the Mist taunts her.

M<More than enough for you> Scarab answers, ready to start a fight with the mysterious ally.

Noriko isn’t sure how to proceed. She doesn’t know much about the Mist, but Scarab seems almost as powerful as Demeter and as savage as Abyss.

Fortunately for her, this is the moment when Kari reaches her destination: she smashes through one of the windows, despite this being the top floor, and creates another duplicate… to kick Mist in the face, sending him flying across the room before he’s had a chance to do anything.

<What the fu##!?> Noriko wonders.

<What the fu##!?> Scarab echoes her.

<Gimme a second, I’ve been duplicating for half a continent> Kari apologizes, stopping to catch her breath: usually creating duplicates doesn’t tire her, but this was a very though ride.

<What are you doing!? I’m on your freakin’ side!!!> the Mist angrily complains.

<No you’re not, I’ve heard you talking to the Guild’s boss. Noriko, he’s just pretending to fight them to earn your trust: he’s one of them!> Kari reveals.

<I don’t know what you’re talking ab… Aah!> the Mist screams, touching his head as if to shut off something inside it; Scarab moves in unison with him.

<I’m sorry, what were you lying about?> Quantum asks, helped by Todd to get back on his feet; there’s a nasty bruise on his head where Scarab hit him. The Mist understands what he just did:

<He’s scrambling our signal; we’ve lost communications with the Scribe.>

<Well, fu## this, I’m killing everyone now> Scarab answers, flexing her muscles. The entire building shakes, taking everybody by surprise…even Scarab.

T<That wasn’t me> she reveals, right before the room is flooded with so much light to dwarf even Noriko’s earlier trick. There’s a woman floating outside, and she’s on fire.

<Gentlemen. Let’s take this outside, shall we?>

Vesta flies inside, tackling Scarab and carrying her outside; Quantum follows her, although at the speed of light it’s difficult to tell. The Mist makes an attempt at attacking Noriko, but Kari immediately positions herself on his path. He teleports multiple times, but her duplicates are always on the right spot to attack him; the game continues for a few seconds, before Kari is finally able to kick the Mist out of the window.

<Don’t let him get away!> Noriko orders, running towards the Genius Gun that’s still on the floor.

<Already on it, boss> Kari answers, jumping out of the window assisted by several duplicates.

Everything happened way too fast to grasp the situation, but Noriko seems to be handling things rather well… definitely better than President Sil, who’s been cowering in a corner the whole time.

<Tell your people to stay as far away from the battle as possible> she orders.

<How? Our communications system is still down!>

<You can still duplicate and shout, can’t you?>

<Yes Lady Null!> the President agrees, running outside his office while two of his duplicates take care of the unconscious Ganos Lal. Noriko may hate that woman, but she needs medical attention.

In less than a minute, Noriko and Todd are the two only people left in the President’s office, surrounded by all sorts of debris.

<Well, at least this time you didn’t wreck your building> he jokes, while she’s busy working on her N-Phone; Todd is glad to see she’s holstered the Genius Gun.

<Done. Now you can use this to locate Doctor Kalama> she explains, handing him the device.

She then leans on the desk, breathing erratically and looking extremely pale.

<Are you okay?>

<I’ve uploaded a new program into the satellite network; it will get rid of the Guild’s tampering and restart the Neural Transmitters.>

<And what about you? You’re going to coordinate the fight from here?>

<Not this… this time. I’m having another…>
Noriko collapses, and doesn’t hit the floor only because Todd catches her in time.

<Cardiac arrest…don’t…tell dad…>

She loses consciousness. Her body has gone completely limp, and when Todd checks her pulse he can’t find anything.