Imperial Palace, Earth
Noriko Null has been soaking in her bathtub for what feels like forever.
As long as she was in Heaven, she couldn’t realize just how much her body and mind needed some rest: time was never a factor, and she could just keep going from one adventure to the next.
Intellectually, she knows there’s so much she has to do now… after taking a moment to herself.
She’s been thinking about leaving the tub for the past ten minutes, without actually doing it.
The wake-up call comes when the water begins turning into blood and the foam becomes black.
The dark mass rises from the tub, coalescing into a hooded figure that stares her down as she reaches for the nearest towel.
<NULL. You have SOME nerve to disrespect me like this!> the imposing silhouette shouts.
She finds herself naked in front of the Lord Of The Dead, covered only by a blood-soaked towel.
<Hades? What are you talking about, you’re the one creeping into my bathroom! I expected this from your brother Zeus, not from you!>
<Do not take me for a fool, Null. I know you have betrayed our word.>
<I did no such thing. Also, does your wife know you’re here?>
<When I agreed to be your ally, you promised me you would not become immortal. By stepping into Heaven, you broke that promise.>
<That’s ridiculous, that’s not what happened at all.>
<There is no sense in denying your actions. I see everything.>
<Not the words I wanted to hear in these circumstances.> she murmurs, sinking a little lower hoping the blood would provide a bit more privacy, then she continues:
<First of all, I’m not immortal right now. Second, if I remember correctly, your condition was that I should not, and I quote, “seek immortality or eternal youth”. Is that right?>
<Yes, technically it is.> the shadow admits, crossing his arms.
<I was brought into Heaven against my will. That hardly counts as me “seeking immortality” in my book. Ergo, I did not break our alliance.>
<But you did resurrect over two hundred million Demons. That is… abhorrent.>
<How? Their resurrection doesn’t affect you in any way, they don’t even live in your Galaxy!>
<They live. You did not respect their death.>
<They were killed for no reason by Ares! They didn’t deserve to die.>
<You don’t get to decide that!!!> Hades shouts; this the loudest and angriest she’s ever heard him being.
His shadow grows, and the blood’s temperature rises to the point of scalding Noriko.
She jumps out of the tub, only to be grabbed by Hades by the throat: she can feel the coldness in his fingers crawl inside her bones.
<Death is the natural state of being of mortals: they stay alive for a fleeting moment as the preamble of an eternity in death. To deny their destiny, even briefly, signals that you do not respect death. That you do not respect ME.> he argues, his grip getting tighter.
Noriko grasps for air, as her heart suddenly stops beating.
<I brought you back to the living out of respect of your services in bringing death to so many gods. Clearly it was a mistake: what good are you to death if you’re still alive!?>
<Can’t… win…> Noriko struggles to say, her arms now too tired to try breaking free.
<Do not ask for my pity. I am not a merciful god.>
<Without… me…> she finishes, literally with her last breath.
Hades holds her lifeless body for a couple of seconds, thinking things over. When he lets her go, once she hits the bathroom floor she feels the pain of her life returning to her body.
<You are right. We have powerful enemies in common which you can’t slay if you’re dead. Our alliance stands, but you are now banned from the Underworld forever.>
<I can live with that.> Noriko quips, coughing multiple times afterwards.
Hades notices the irony. The life of this pathetic little creature, laying naked in a blood-dirty bathroom floor, is literally in the palm of his hands… but somehow she emerged victorious.
<Never call me again. I will call you. And please, give my regards to my sister.> Hades says taking leave, disappearing into his own shadow.
Noriko stands up, her body covered in blood, lamenting:
<Ugh. Why didn’t I ally myself with the god of cleaning? Now I need another bath.>
Hell, 163,000 light-years from Earth
The mass resurrection has been a logistical nightmare: millions of Demons suddenly returning to life requires unimaginable quantities of paperwork and patience.
A huge crowd has formed outside the Pandemonium, the planetary parliament. Endless arguments about why the government is taking so long to restore order fill the air.
But when Noriko Null steps out of the pentagram portal after Torn, the crowd immediately goes completely silent.
Thousands of Demons bow before her, getting down on one knee and lowering their heads.
<As is, guys. You don’t need to do this for me.> Noriko tries to argue.
<It’s not a sign of servitude. They are pledging their souls to yours.> Torn explains.
<I’m not asking them to do it.>
<No, but your actions did.> Torn adds, leading Noriko towards the entrance of the Pandemonium.
Even once inside, they keep encountering Demons that bow in the same way. The silence is incredibly creepy, with the echo of their footsteps being the only sound.
Until they reach the throne where the current Lady Of All Demons is sitting, built out of a giant skull with horns.
Agony, the current Lady and Torn’s wife, can’t bow: she’s supposed to represent the will of the Demon race, and bowing would mean disrespecting her own office.
Instead it’s another Demon woman who bows, someone Noriko was sure she would never meet again: Vice, the elderly previous Lady Of All Demons.
<Regent Of Hell. It is with extreme humility that I pledge my allegiance to your reign, and with equally extreme gratitude I am happy to see my friend again.>
<Vice. Sorry I couldn’t defend Hell when Ares attacked.>
<Defending Hell was not your responsibility at the time, Regent, it was mine. Which is why I declined Agony’s offer to take back my position of Lady Of All Demons.>
<I can see why. It is not an easy job.> Agony comments.
<Just be glad you only have one planet to look after and not a whole Galaxy, Agony. Mind if I talk with Vice alone for a few minutes?>
<After reversing the greatest tragedy in Demon history, Null, you may do anything you wish.>
Trying not to dwell on the concept, Noriko takes the elderly Demon for a walk in a more secluded part of the Pandemonium. It is weird to talk to her like this: the reality of talking to a person that is alive only because of her wish is sinking in.
<So… if you don’t mind me asking, Vice… how was it being dead?>
<You should tell me. I’ve been told that you have died yourself.>
<It was just my body, I wasn’t really dead. What do you remember?>
<The pain of Ares’s blade cutting through my body. Then emerging from a mass of pure Blood energy regurgitated by Hell. Not too different from what millions of Demons have experienced.>
<Hmm. Your body was thrown into the sea of Blood and magma beneath the surface, right?>
<A standard Demon funeral.>
<I wonder. Did the Tablet re-create your body from the Blood and displaced your mind from the moment of your death into the present? Or did it recreate you from nothing?>
<Forgive my honesty, Regent Of Hell, but like all humans you are overthinking death. My soul was with the Blood and now it isn’t. Nothing more.>
<So it doesn’t concern you that, perhaps, you’re not actually the Vice that died but just a new one that was created as her copy?>
<If that is the case, it makes no difference to me. Is that all you wanted to talk about?>
<Not even close. You’ve been told that we encountered Reaper, right? I remember that you and Torn’s father used to be friends.>
<Indeed. But if he truly is an Ichor user and a follower of Baal… it is regrettable that he disappeared after your return from Hell, Null. Nothing good can come from this.>
<That’s what I’m afraid of. I would like your help in locating him, Vice. He talked about the Dark Galaxy… is there a way to reach it?>
<With great effort, yes. But it will take weeks, perhaps months of preparations.>
<I’m not in a rush. I have a lot of work to do… next time I do a miracle, remind me to schedule it right before a vacation.>
Boreas, 30,000 light-years from Earth
If Noriko is used to the people of Hell to show their support, it’s more than a little jarring to see the crowd of Lar citizens of the Winter Kingdom gathered around the Winter Palace without this being a protest against her decisions.
<Talk about a 180.> she comments, watching over them from one of the windows inside the Winter Castle.
<We may not show it often, but we can be a passionate people.> Kylon reminds her, while going over the holographic records of the Royal Family.
Noriko returns to her former boyfriend, sitting next to him. He scuttles over a few inches; since she erased his memories of their relationship, he seems uncomfortable at getting too close.
<You might be pleased to know we have identified all the people you resurrected. Some of them were murdered by the last Winter King decades ago, it will take some time for them to adjust.> he informs her.
<I’m guessing the Lar don’t elaborate trauma at the same speed of Demons. That’s not a complaint, mind you, it’s more understandable to me… but at least one of them will have to take over the Winter Throne as soon as possible.>
<I’ve arranged for psychological evaluations of all of them, as well as opinion polls on who would get the most support from the people.> Kylon says.
<Will that actually matter? You guys don’t elect your leaders.>
<Not directly perhaps, but everyone who wishes to sit on the Winter Throne knows there are two paths to keeping the power: either gain popular support or eliminate the competition. I highly doubt anyone would be crazy enough to do the latter under your watch, especially now.>
<So you really think the Lar will finally accept me as the Mortal Empress?>
<I’m sure the next Winter King, or the next Ice Queen, will pledge allegiance to you. On the subject, however… for this to work, the current Ice Queen should abdicate. Assuming she is not dead?>
<Leiko is alive and under my custody. Give me a name of the next ruler and some reassurance I won’t have to deal with a madman like the last Winter King, and I’ll get her to abdicate.>
<That is surprising to hear. I swore to kill her in retribution of her crimes against my people, something you delayed only because of greater immediate concerns. What changed?>
Noriko has to think deeply before answering. Not just because she has to preserve Kylon’s loyalty, but because she’s not really sure of what is the honest answer.
<I saw a part of her that I didn’t believe existed. When I was in Heaven, Kylon… I saw what she could have been if her mind hadn’t been warped. And it’s only because she demonstrated that part is still alive within herself that I was able to save millions of people. I’ve always thought she was past redemption, but perhaps… perhaps what I saw in Heaven could still become reality.>
<What was Heaven like, Noriko?>
<Everything I ever wanted it to be. A place where my life was simple, ordinary and made sense.>
<So why did you leave?>
<There’s value in an ordinary life, but… it’s not for me.>
<I see. Out of curiosity, in this “ideal world” of yours… were we still together?>
<No, there was… I was alone.> Noriko admits, trying to hide the sadness in her voice.
<So you might be the only person with tangible proof she doesn’t need anyone. That must be a relief.>
<Yeah. A relief.> she lies.
Imperial Palace, Earth
Vetting the Lar candidates to the throne took longer than Noriko anticipated. It’s the middle of the night when she returns to her quarters on Earth, and she didn’t even manage to do a tenth of what she wanted to accomplish within the day.
She had to decline the invitation from Prime Minister Lyra to go over the actions of her government, or Athena’s request to discuss her theories on how the Tablet Of Destinies works, or to visit with Vesta the tomb of her husband. And she didn’t get to check on her prisoners, Leiko and Roxiana.
Of course her superhuman mind doesn’t have to retire for the night, and she’s pushed her body way past this. But she promised herself to at least try to take things just a little more slowly.
Once she’s back to the part of the Palace that acts as her private quarters, much to her surprise she quickly finds out she’s not alone.
Hearing someone moving around in the apartment’s kitchen, she expected to find Quantum or perhaps Kari… but she sees a buff man with bronze skin examining a bottle.
<Gilgamesh, when I said I’d give you a place to stay while you get accustomed to modern life, I didn’t mean my place. Don’t you have your own apartment!?>
<My fair Null, it’s customary among my people to properly pay respect to a host. Especially to one who saved your life.>
<And it’s customary among my people not to break in another… is that my wine!?> she complains, watching Gilgamesh opening the bottle.
<A great year, judging by its pleasant aroma. Care to join me?> he asks, recovering a couple of glasses and placing them on the kitchen table.
<That is… that is Dionysus wine, Gilgamesh. Strongest stuff in the universe.>
<Sounds inviting!>
<No, it isn’t. The last time I drank that stuff, things got weird.>
<And yet you keep a bottle of it within walking distance from your bedroom. Perhaps you were just waiting for the right occasion.> he suggests, pouring two glasses.
She thinks it over. Her brain tells her this is a terrible idea, but her soul aches for something to numb her loneliness.
<Oh what the heck, you only live once.> she shrugs, taking her seat next to Gilgamesh.
<Not anymore, thanks to you.>
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