Myridian Palace, planet Myridia
Doctor Catherine Kalama knew she shouldn’t have accepted the job. She had a great career ahead of her in Honolulu, with a house next to a beautiful beach.
Now she’s on an alien planet, surrounded by people with strange hair colors panicking while the entire building is shaken by the blows of gods fighting each other.
When she arrives at the President’s office, she finds Noriko Null lying on the floor, with her public relations manager Todd Slate rhythmically compressing her chest.
<What happened?> the doctor asks, rushing to Noriko to check her vitals; but instead of taking her pulse, she looks at her N-Phone, which automatically updates her on her patient’s status.
<She said she was going into cardiac arrest. Can you help her?> Todd asks, stopping the compression to open Noriko’s mouth; Doctor Kalama prevents him from going further.
<Stop that, she doesn’t need CPR. Her brain is not human, it can go for hours without oxygen> she explains, reaching for something inside her handbag: they look like large nicotine patches, and they have the Null Pharmaceutical logo on them.
<Help me take off her clothes> she orders, taking two patches off their package; they start to glow.
<What for?> he responds, confused.
<She has too much tech in there, it’s dangerous to use the stimulators> she explains, starting to undress Noriko herself. Todd reluctantly helps her, feeling awkward when they have to remove the Genius Gun holster and the T-shirt, leaving his teenage boss in a bra.
<Let’s hope these things work> Doctor Kalama says, applying one patch over the right breast and the other under the left one, then pressing both at the same time.
If these were normal defibrillators they would be useless in this situation: Noriko’s heart has already stopped beating. But they’re something else entirely: not only they provide an electrical current, but they physically force the heart to work again. They do it a few times, until the heart begins to work again on its own, and Noriko opens her eyes with a blinding flash of light.
She gasps for air and coughs heavily, as if she just survived drowning, which isn’t very far from what actually happened. Understandably, she’s very shaken by the experience.
<It’s alright, it’s alright, everything’s gonna be fine> Doctor Kalama tries to calm her down, while simultaneously checking her condition; she looks like she’s about to panic.
<The Guild… we must go to Myridia…> Noriko says, trying to stand up but failing because she’s still far too weak for that.
<We’re already on Myridia. Do you know who I am?> the doctor asks, starting to worry about her patient’s mental health; Noriko is even slurring her words.
<You’re Doctor…Doctor… I wanna go back to sleep. Why am I…> Noriko answers, barely completing the sentence before freezing in place.
<Noriko? Stay with us, Noriko?> the doctor calls her, checking her pupils: not only they’re fully dilated, but the silver iris has lost its shine and has become simply grey.
Then they rapidly return to normal, accompanied by a microscopic sparkle. Noriko suddenly realizes that Doctor Kalama and Todd are staring at her, like she’s just woken up.
<What? Why are looking at… hey!!!> she protests, covering herself with both arms.
<Oh thank God> the doctor says with a sigh of relief. Noriko is much less happy.
<Who took off my clothes!?> she asks, moving faster than she’s ever done to recover her shirt.
<Your heart stopped for several minutes. We thought you had brain damage> Todd answers.
<Don’t be ridiculous. It just took longer than usual to reboot my brain, that’s all.>
Doctor Kalama is happy to see her patient recover, but Todd is much more open in his response: he hugs Noriko, surprising her.
<I thought we lost you. I’m so glad you’re okay!>
<Thank… you? I’m… I’m still in my underwear, y’know> she reacts, unsure if she has to hug back.
<Sorry! I’m so sorry> Todd awkwardly backs off.
For what feels like an eternity, nobody seems to know what to say in such a strange situation.
<Now what?> Doctor Kalama finally asks.
<Now we kick some a##. Vanguard, report!> Noriko calls through the Neural Transmitter.
Locris desert, 100 miles away
Vesta’s first priority was to take the fight far away from civilians, and the Locris desert is perfect for the occasion. Scarab is too mad to understand why she was led here, or maybe she doesn’t care.
She’s gone on the offensive, lifting huge rocks from the ground and throwing them at Vest and Quantum who are having a hard time keeping her at bay: they’re fast enough to dodge everything she throws at them, but even when they smash the projectiles Scarab can recreate them.
<Am I the only one having a serious déjà vu here?> Quantum asks.
<Her telekinesis seems to be on par with Demeter’s> Vesta agrees.
<It’s terrakinesis, actually. Like your pyrokinesis, but she controls earth instead of fire.>
<I hate that word. I don’t just “move” fire, I… look out!> Vesta warns him, pointing at the column of incandescent magma that just erupted from the ground. They both manage to avoid it, but it’s clearly not aiming for them: together with another dozen streams, it twists and turns to coalesce into a single, massive figure made of lava.
<Oh crap. That’s…what do you call that, magmakinesis? Lavakinesis?> Quantum wonders.
<You can’t just add “kinesis” to whatever word you want> Vesta groans.
The construct takes the form of a giant made of lava, as big as a mountain. What’s worse, an actual nearby mountain is taking humanoid shape. And Scarab is just warming up.
<You see what happens when you piss me off!? >
<No no, this is much worse than Demeter!> Quantum complains.
<Vanguard, report!> a familiar voice inside their minds intervenes.
<Nori! Are you alright?> Vesta asks, concerned by her friend’s physical condition.
<I’ve been worse, but not by much. Do you need assistance against Scarab?>
<Yes, what’s the Greek word for magma?> Quantum asks.
<“Magma”. Am I the only one who didn’t suffer brain damage?>
<Focus on the rest of the Guild, Noriko, we’ve got this covered> Vesta assures her.
<If you say so. Null out> she says when disconnecting.
The two colossal monsters charge towards Vesta and Quantum, shaking the entire continent with each step. She cracks her knuckles, while Quantum says:
<“We’ve got this covered”? Since when are you the overconfident one?>
<Remember, I used to date Hephaestus. I can handle volcanoes.>
New Rhetra
The demigoddess opens her eyes when she feels a slap on her face. She instinctively tries to touch the sore spot, but something is preventing her from moving her arm.
Slowly, she realizes she can’t move at all. She’s been pinned against the wall by red energy daggers: they hold her hands and feet, crucifying her.
There’s a man with red skin in front of her, and he has very few words to comment the situation.
<Awake? Good.>
<Let me go! Don’t you know who I am!?> she protests, struggling to break free: she’s not strong enough to free herself with just her muscles.
She’s ready to turn her body into water, but changes her mind when Torn points the Demon Sword at her chest. She’s healed herself, but her blue clothes are still soaked in her own blood.
<Don’t. I see a single drop of water and this goes inside you. Understood?>
The demigoddess nods. Torn activates the N-Phone, which in turn transmits a hologram of Noriko.
<She’s all yours> Torn says.
<Hello Naiad. I am Null. I want to ask you a few questions.>
<I will tell you nothing. Go ahead, tell your man to do his worst. I’m immortal.>
<The local authorities have some interesting information about you. Your real name is Thespia and you’re the daughter of a minor water god called Asopos. Why are you working for a criminal organization like the Guild?>
<We’re not criminals. We’re the future rulers of the Olympian Galaxy.>
<Yeah, right. What do you want from me and my team? Why was the Mist pretending to fight you?>
<I don’t know and I don’t care. I just do whatever the Scribe asks me to do.>
<My bad. My sources said you’re a member of the Inner Circle, but you’re clearly just a hired thug.>
<I am a goddess, you barely pubescent mortal> she answers with all the disdain possible.
<You’re half a goddess. What are you doing following a mortal?>
<Ha! You think the Scribe is a mortal?>
<So he’s a god? A demigod like you?>
<He is more than a man.>
<I don’t have time for this cryptic bulls##t. Either give me something useful or Torn will kill you.>
<Are you mad, child? I said I’m immortal. I can’t be killed.>
<Last chance to change your mind before I show you why they call me the Slayer of Gods.>
Back in the Myridian Palace, Noriko bites lower lip as the seconds never seem to pass. Naiad could call her bluff at any time: without a God Eraser, she couldn’t kill her even if she wanted to. Luckily, judging by the sweat on the forehead of the demigoddess, Null’s reputation precedes her.
<Alright, alright. Our real target is…>
Naiad doesn’t finish her sentence: suddenly there’s ice forming on the Demon Sword. Torn notices the shadow on his prisoner and quickly spins around to hit the person behind his back.
It’s a man wearing a dark blue armor that completely covers his body from head to toe, and he just caught the sword with his hand.
<I’m not here to fight you> he says, the air freezing as it leaves his helmet.
<Not my problem. Cut of a thousand deaths!> Torn shouts, releasing the usual storm of daggers… none of which manages to even scratch the man’s armor.
<Please. You are beneath my concern> the man mocks Torn, crushing the Demon Sword by just closing his hand. With a dismissive gesture he creates an ice dart that hits Torn in the chest, pierces through his torso and exits from the back. The splash of Torn’s blood doesn’t reach the armor: it freezes before touching it.
Torn falls to the ground, badly injured. The daggers that imprisoned Naiad disappear, and the demigoddess is free to turn her body into water to heal herself.
Noriko has been watching the whole incident from her N-Phone, and she can’t believe her eyes.
<Torn, are you alright? Torn!> she calls, before she has to take her hand off the phone: it’s covered in ice. Then she looks at her hand: it’s purple. She was just a couple seconds away from frostbite.
<Who is that guy!?>
Null City
The Myridian police have done their part helping civilians evacuate the buildings damaged by Scarab’s powers, but even they haven’t been able to catch the Mist. He’s teleporting continuously, leaving behind his usual trail of smoke, but Kari is giving him a hard time. Every time he reappears, one of her duplicates is there to attack him: they seem evenly matched, countering blow for blow all of their adversary’s moves.
<You’re good> he admits, dodging a kick to the head.
<What have you done to the Old Man?> Kari asks, avoiding a punch to her stomach.
<He’s not important. The Vanguard is competent, but we’re the Guild: we’re on a different scale.>
Kari is ready to dodge another attack, but she’s hit by the Mist… despite the fact that he hasn’t moved. Only when she’s punched a second time she understands what happened: there are now three Mist in front of there, with more appearing out of thin hair.
<You’re Myridian!> she realizes.
<Considering one of me was able to stand up to all of you, I’m about to show you what I can do.>
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