Beyond The Impossible

An ordinary café in New York City

The young couple sharing a table looks rather ordinary: he’s an African-American man in his early thirties wearing a red sweater, she’s a slightly younger white brunette with glasses and an orange tank top. They’re actually the most powerful people on the planet.

<Don’t you ever miss it?> she asks, holding a cup of tea. It’s getting progressively hotter.

<Miss what, going out? You’re the one who never does it> Max Black answers her.

<I’ve never been a social butterfly, but I do miss interacting with normal people. When you stand above them for too long, you lose perspective> Vesta answers, drinking her first sip.

<I know what you mean. But hanging out with normal friends… I mean, those who don’t know that I’m Quantum… isn’t what it used to be. They just want to talk about normal stuff, like, sports or comic books or video games.>

<Sports aside, that’s practically everything you ever talk about. But I get what you mean, it’s difficult to get a true connection with people who don’t have the fate of the world in their hands.>

<Exactly! That’s kind of why I wanted to talk to you. Nori says our next mission will be with Lily.>

<You miss her. That’s very sweet; you did make a cute couple.>

<She’s the only girl I can talk with who knows Vanguard stuff. Well, not the only one, but Kari’s married. And you and Noriko are like little sisters to me.>

<I’m literally a million years older than you, but I’ll take it as a compliment. Although I’m pretty much the worst person to ask when it comes to decent relationship advice. And considering you know Torn, that’s really saying something.>

<It’s not what I wanted to talk about, not exactly. You’re… well, this is awkward, but you’re immortal. And Lily is a Lampyrian: she won’t live for more than another seven or eight years.>

<Ah. You want my advice about having a relationship with someone with a shorter lifespan.>

<Yes. I suppose it’s a tough thing to talk about…>

<No, don’t worry. It’s fine> Vesta answers, taking her time drinking her tea. Max knows her well enough to recognize that this is bringing back painful memories.

<If you asked me this the first time we met, I would’ve told you that the pain of losing someone you love is too great to take the risk. But my time with the Vanguard has put things into perspective: I’ve accomplished more in the last five years than in the previous five thousand combined. If you really care about Lily, seven years will be a lifetime. But…>

<Let me guess: there’s a catch> he interrupts her.

<Don’t take this lightly. A short amount of time for you is a long time for her. If you get distracted, people you remember being too young to drink suddenly show up with grandchildren.>

<Uhm, Vesta, I think you’re projecting a little> he says, thanking fate for the communication that both receive through heir Neutral Transmitter.

“Guys, we’re ready to go. Drop by the Tower ASAP” they hear Noriko Null say.

<Showtime> Max comments, raising his hand to call the waiter for the check.

 

Null Tower, Operation Center

Noriko Null watches two Kari duplicates hug each other: one is wearing an elegant office suit, the other one a pink T-shirt and slacks.

<Don’t forget to get pictures!> the one wearing the suit recommends the other.

<I will. Are you going to see Kiros and Ariel while I’m gone?> the other one asks.

<Yes, I’ve changed the schedule a bit. Here’s the update> the first one answers, creating an exact duplicate of herself: the specially designed clothes are duplicated as well, but the copy doesn’t last for more than a couple seconds before being absorbed by the one in slacks.

<Alright then, bring back fun memories. Bye Nori!> the first duplicates says Noriko, waving at her before leaving the room.

<I’ll never get over how weird this looks> Noriko admits.

<Why? When I absorb a duplicate I also absorb her memories, that’s the fastest way to learn things. You of all people should understand!>

<I do understand. It doesn’t make it any less weird.>

<Right, because absorbing knowledge from seven billion strangers is SO much more normal than doing exactly the same thing with your own duplicate> Kari says.

<Touché> Noriko shrugs; just then, Max Black suddenly appears in a flash of light.

<Okay, I’m ready> he announces enthusiastically.

<Aren’t we going to wait for Torn and Vesta?> Kari asks.

<Torn will meet us in Lampyria. And if Vesta is flying, it should take her a few more seconds> Noriko answers, looking at her watch. Proving her calculations, Vesta then gently knocks on the glass; the window opens by itself, letting herself get in.

<Not that I don’t enjoy a good flight, but why meet here and not on the Ragnarok? Max and I can both fly into space> she says.

<We’re not using the Ragnarok. Energize> Noriko orders, and the four members of the Vanguard disappear.

 

N07-Naraka, in orbit above the planet

After everyone has materialized on the bridge, Noriko is the only one who simply acts like nothing happened; while she calmly walks towards the captain’s char, everyone else needs to adjust.

The bridge is clearly a copy of the Ragnarok’s, but there’s a big difference: a crew of robots.

One of them is an Oni, the former servants of Viper, who is clearly recognizable by its neutral matter armor and demonic appearance. The others are faceless machines, with a just barely recognizable human form: they’re clearly designed for efficiency rather than their looks.

<Welcome to the N07-Naraka> the Oni greets the Vanguard.

They immediately get ready to fight: Kari gets into a battle stance, while both Quantum and Vesta power up their fists ready to blast the robot with energy and fire.

<Whoa, settle down guys, he works for me!> Noriko tells them.

<You kept the Oni? I mean, I knew you had them reprogrammed, but I thought you’d throw them into the Sun!> Quantum says, still looking at the Oni with suspicion.

<Or somewhere hotter> Vesta adds.

<And what are those things? I thought I was going to pilot the ship!> Kari protests, pointing at the less humanoid robots.

<Those are Yonkai, built by Viper for labor. As for the Oni, why would I throw away a perfectly serviceable army?> Noriko answers.

<Whatever. I still don’t get why we can’t use the Ragnarok> Quantum comments.

<There is no need to worry, sir, the N07-Naraka perfectly matches the specifications of the N01-Ragnarok> the Oni calmly explains, with a serene yet booming voice.

<What’s up with this numbering stuff? I thought it was simply “the Ragnarok”> Kari says.

<It’s the ship’s registry number, which we didn’t need when we had just one. You can probably guess what the N stands for. And it shouldn’t be hard to figure out that keeping my flagship on Earth makes it easier to hide the fact that we’ve left> Noriko explains.

<Makes sense. But we should change the name of the ship: I get that Viper was going for the whole Japanese theme, with the Oni and Yonkai, but Ragnarok is so much more badass than Naraka.>

<It’s actually the Hindu equivalent of Hell… kind of. Why don’t you familiarize yourselves with it, I have something to discuss with Vesta> Noriko says, holding Vesta’s hand and practically dragging her away from the bridge. Quantum and Kari are left alone with the robots.

<Did she just basically send us to Hell?> he wonders.

<I don’t know, I’ve lost track if that’s still an insult after we went to the actual Hell> Kari shrugs.

 

Null’s cabin

Just like the Ragnarok, the Naraka has a bedroom just a few steps away from the bridge. Vesta looks at it while Noriko closes the door behind her: it’s pretty clear nobody’s ever slept here.

<What’s this all about?> the goddess asks.

<What do you know about this?> Noriko says, showing something to her friend: a black coin, with the symbol of infinity etched on its surface. Vesta takes the coin and flips it; on the other side, she finds a stranger symbol: three spirals.

<Where did you get it, Nori? This is a very old Lar artifact.>

<Define “old”> Noriko replies: considering Vesta is a million years old, it’s weird coming from her.

<Tens of millions of years, at least. This is the symbol the Lar used when their empire spanned multiple galaxies, before the reign of my father.>

<What do you know about the Lar? You must’ve heard something about them over the years.>

<Not much, I’m afraid; they were a powerful empire before my time. I never interacted much with them, Demeter made sure to either kill or exile most of them: for some reason she never liked them, possibly because modern Lar need temperatures too low to have any form of agriculture.>

<What do you mean with “modern Lar”?>

<They’re the oldest surviving mortal civilization: they’re older than the Demons, who have been around for a billion years. Evolution has changed them dramatically; they used to live on all kinds of planets, not just cold ones. They also used to live longer: now they live twice longer than Demons, but my mother told me they used to live twenty times longer. Why so interested in the Lar? Does it have something to do with your mother?>

<For once, no. Could they have been the first humanoid species to evolve?>

<Possibly; I’m not an expert on pre-Olympian civilizations. According to Aphrodite breasts were invented by Inanna and the, uhm, reproductive parts either by Atum or Gaea, which means there might have been at least one humanoid species four, maybe four and a half billion years ago.>

<So, hypothetically, if the Lar are that old, would you call them “the first men”?>

<Maybe? The Drylon are more ancient, but nobody knows what they looked like. That’s a real weird question, Noriko. Now would you please tell me what’s going on?>

<Alright> Noriko sighs, sitting on the bed. She waits for a few moments, then she recites:

<“When winter falls, and the third sun calls, all the gods will curse the queen of the universe. The first men shall return, for all mortal things to burn”.>

<You write poetry now?>

<That’s the prophecy I made a year ago, when Tyche lent me her halo. It’s ridiculous, granted, but everything checks out: winter’s fall, the third sun, and now that Rhea let the other gods know that Zeus disappeared…>

<“All the gods will curse the queen of the universe”, yeah. I can see how my mother telling everybody that Zeus disappeared will make a lot of people angry at her. But if “the first men” is a reference to anything, I don’t recognize it.>

<I was afraid you’d say that. What about Zeus? He’s your brother, you must have some idea of why he’d disappear. Surely it can’t be just for his, let’s say, sexual escapades.>

<Zeus is… complicated. He acts like he only has sex in his mind, but in his own way he cares deeply for his family and his kingdom.>

<I’m surprised you’re not angry at him. He did banish you from Olympus and exile you to Earth.>

<I don’t know how I feel about him. But one thing is sure, Noriko: he was the only one who could restrain my family. Everything they’ve done to this galaxy? That’s nothing compared to what they would do if they’re left unchecked.>

<There is someone to keep them in check> Noriko points out, her silver eyes shining.

<I want to believe that, I really do. Just… don’t get cocky, okay? You have a tendency to, well, throw yourself into unwinnable situations just to prove you can overcome them.>

<Only because I can. There are seven dead gods as a testament to that.>

<Not every problem can be fixed by killing a god, Noriko.>

<True. But if history is any guide, there will be more than seven> Null answers, looking at the coin.