Deshret, Naqada Galaxy
The goddess Serket, a woman as tall as a mountain, hits the ground with her scorpion tail in the attempt to squash her target. She manages to create a huge chasm, but her target is long gone.
<Why don’t we ever go to a place where people are not trying to kill us?> Quantum asks, reforming his body from light to flesh and blood as far away from the enemy as possible.
<We don’t know any world without people who want us dead.> Torn answers him, emerging from a portal in the shape of a pentagram.
<What about Myridia? We’re superstars there!> Kari comments, her voice altered by the same 10K Rise technique that allowed her to run away from the scorpion’s tale ten thousand times faster than a regular human.
<I’ve had more people trying to kill me on Myridia than on Earth.> Quantum reminds her.
<Are you cowering behind mortals now, Hermes? Fight me if you’re a true god!> the gigantic scorpion goddess says, looking around to spot the god of speed.
<I don’t want to tell you heroes how to do your job, but do you mind taking her down before she gets serious?> Hermes says, appearing behind the Vanguard in the blink of an eye.
<I thought we came all the way to this galaxy to talk to her, not to fight her!> Kari says.
<This is an Egyptian galaxy, everything’s about protocol here. If we want her to talk we need to show our strength as her equals, and for that we have to do the whole song and dance.>
<She can’t dance. She has no legs.> Torn reminds him.
<I meant defeat her in battle, my literal-minded friend. Unless, of course, you mean to tell me that the Vanguard is nothing without Null or your resident goddess.> Hermes teases them.
Torn and Quantum look at each other, while Kari does her best to suppress a smile.
<Do you want to go first?> Quantum asks the Demon.
<Where?>
<I mean, do you want to attack first?>
<Why, do you need help?>
<Oh for f##k’s sake! I’ll do it myself.> Quantum says in exasperation, transforming into light and flying towards Serket. He reaches her in a fraction of a second, of course, but even that limited amount of time is enough to change his whole body into antimatter.
The resulting explosion is way worse than any atomic bomb ever detonated on Earth. Serket’s body is instantly vaporized, leaving a gigantic crater where the sand was heated enough to turn into glass.
Quantum’s antimatter completely annihilated all the matter it touched, releasing both energy and and a spectacularly deadly amount of gamma rays.
Torn and Kari can see all of this and not die thanks to the god on their side: it doesn’t look like Hermes is doing anything, but the area around him is completely unaffected by the cataclysm.
<Not too bad for a mortal. He’s even reforming his human body while simultaneously absorbing the radiation; I’m almost impressed.> Hermes comments.
<It feels way too easy. We were ready to get to a safe position; Serket could’ve avoided the hit if she wanted to… ouch!> Kari shouts, feeling a sharp pain in her foot: to her surprise, a scorpion the size of her hand just came out of the sand to pitch her.
<Where did this come… from…> she says, dropping out of her 10K Rise and immediately fainting.
Torn observes silently, watching another scorpion come out to pinch him. By the time the arachnid is stabbed by a tiny sword, another scorpion has already emerged to take its place. When that suffers the same fate, a third scorpion attacks him.
<They seem quite persistent.> Torn comments, calmly walking towards Kari as a dozen scorpions crawl out of the sand to attack him. He gets close enough to Kari to confirm that she’s still alive, but by that time his whole body is covered in scorpions and he finally loses consciousness.
Quantum then reforms his body, standing in front of Hermes and showing him the palm of his hand: it’s currently made of photons and ready to blast him at point blank range.
<What did you do to them!?>
<You do realize that I could be in another star system by the time you blink, right? Or that Serket is right behind you?> the god asks him.
<Like I’m gonna fall for…> Quantum answers, feeling his consciousness fade away as a scorpion appears on his back and stings him.
He drops to the floor, leaving a human-sized Serket to watch the three members of the Vanguard at her mercy… something that Hermes finds hilarious.
<If only my dear Noriko could be here to watch us!>
Cape Town, South Africa
A motorcycle speeds through the neighborhood, drawing attention thanks to its futuristic design and by being extremely quiet. When the young woman driving it parks next to the unassuming one-story house and takes off her helmet, she gets a few stares: this may be one of the most multicultural cities in the continent, but there aren’t many Japanese people living here.
If they knew that the bike can fly, or that this is Noriko Null, they would certainly stare even more.
She’s wearing a red leather jacket instead of her usual green, and her boots have completely unpractical heels. Her silver eyes shine briefly before she puts on a pair of aviator sunglasses and walks towards the house. Before she can sound the doorbell, she can hear someone revving up a very loud engine; it’s coming from the house’s garage.
Soon enough, she’s facing a black man driving his motorcycle next to hers.
<Perfect timing, Noriko. You look great!> Daren Bekker tells her, leaving the engine on while he gets closer to Noriko’s motorbike.
<Wow. This is the Phoenix, right? You shouldn’t leave this in the open. I wonder how much… Nori?> Daren asks, turning towards her: she’s already jumped on his bike.
<A 1968 BMW R69S, 594 cc boxer twin engine, 9.5 compression ratio, Earles fork with suspension units and oil pressure shock absorbers! It’s even got the original alloy rims!> she exclaims.
<I didn’t know you were a gearhead.> Daren comments, smiling at seeing her so excited.
<I didn’t know you could drive this with… uhm…>
<With one hand? You can’t. I haven’t done it since the accident.> he says, looking at his left hand: it’s still blue after being re-grown thanks to Noriko’s technology.
<It’s still in perfect shape. It’s practically new.> she says, quickly changing the subject.
<Do you want to ride it?> Daren asks her.
<What? Me? No no no, it’s yours. Besides, I don’t even have a driver’s license!>
<Come on, don’t be modest. You know how to ride, don’t you?> he asks, getting on the bike right behind her and putting on his helmet.
<Y-yes, it’s… it’s not my first ride.> she says nervously, feeling him holding on to her.
<Let’s go have some fun.> he encourages her.
As Noriko revs up the engine again, for the first time in months she’s not thinking about the Vanguard or the safety of the Galaxy.
Holy Palace of Megalopolis, 52.000 light-years away
Vesta doesn’t like this place. It’s too opulent, with its statues of diamond and its ornate crystal windows decorated with all sorts of jewelry, and too self-congratulatory with the endless portraits of Hera and Zeus shown as a happy and healthy couple. The Holy Palace is less the seat of government of Hera’s sector, and more a constant reminder that she’s the Queen of Olympus.
She can’t voice her displeasure, though, because right now she’s impersonating her mother Rhea.
<This place is so shiny! I wish we had something like this on Asphodelus.> she has to say.
<It is a waste of resources.> Adrestia complains. The daughter of Ares and goddess of revenge is floating next to her, keeping her arms behind her back. Her disgust is barely visible behind her façade of emotional detachment as they cross the immense room.
<You don’t like Hera’s interior design, sweetie?>
<This place reeks of complacency. Nothing here has been earned, nothing has been fought for. Under a serious attack, this whole palace would crumble like a mortal succumbs to old age.>
<I guess so. But who would dare to attack the Queen?>
<Who indeed.> Adrestia says; it’s clear she’s hiding something, but Vesta could never read her.
<How is your father?> she then changes the subject.
<He is war.> is the puzzling answer Adrestia gives, and the door leaving to the next room opens without either goddess touching it.
<Granny!> she hears a young goddess shout, then “Rhea” finds herself on the receiving end of an enthusiastic hug.
<Hello Hebe.> Vesta answers, hugging back her niece. She looks a little younger than Adrestia and she’s blonde like her, but the two couldn’t be more different: she’s wearing a very simple white dress instead of a uniform, she has crown of freshly picked flowers on her head, and she’s one of the few members of the family that Vesta genuinely missed during her exile.
<It’s been so long! You look amazing, granny!>
<She looks like she always does.> Adrestia comments dryly.
<No she doesn’t! She looks a lot younger than she used to!> Hebe exclaims.
<That’s because you’re the goddess of youth, my dear, everybody looks young to you. Will your brothers and sisters arrive soon?> Vesta says to distract Hebe: they may be identical to the naked eye, but if anyone could see that she’s a thousand times younger than Rhea, that’s Hebe.
<Ehm, no. We don’t know where Ilithyia is, Ares is busy, Hephaestus is, well, he’s dead, and Enyo… Mother doesn’t want us to talk about Enyo.> Hebe answers, lowering her voice.
<Speaking of your mother, where is she now?> Vesta asks.
<The Queen will join us soon; she’s talking to another guest.> is the answer she receives, but not from any of the goddesses present: the voice comes from a hummingbird that she hadn’t even noticed. The bird lands at her feet, transforming itself into a fully grown woman, with flowing wavy hair and wearing a rather low-cut dress.
<It is my pleasure to meet you, Queen Mother Rhea. I am Circe, daughter of Helios and mistress of magic. You may recall witnessing my abilities at the Strongest Under The Heavens tournament.>
<Didn’t you lose against a mortal there?> Vesta asks, taking the occasion to mock Circe.
<Mother doesn’t want us to talk about the tournament either.> Hebe adds timidly.
<Why would Hera summon the bastard child of her daughter’s husband?> Adrestia asks.
<Aren’t you an illegitimate child too, Adrestia? A daughter of Aphrodite, even? At least my mother didn’t have children with half of Olympus.> Circe responds.
<Shall we see if you can turn into an animal that can escape a black hole, Circe?> Adrestia asks.
<Ladies, ladies, calm down okay? We’re family, there’s no need to fight!> Vesta tries to calm them down, receiving only a puzzled look from all goddesses present.
<But that’s what we always do at any family reunion. Are you alright, granny?> Hebe asks her; she sounds genuinely worried.
<Oh, well, you know, it must be the shock of watching an entire planet die.> Vesta tries to minimize, feeling nervous as all eyes are on her.
<Your aura does feel a little strange.> Adrestia comments, as her eyes carefully examine her body.
For a moment, Vesta considers the option of just bailing out. Hebe and Circe would certainly be unable to stop her, but Adrestia isn’t called “She Who Cannot Be Escaped” without reason.
Fortunately for her, Hera becomes the center of attention when she enters the room accompanied by seven of her peacocks… and by a guest who makes Vesta’s blood boil and freeze at the same time.
<Mother! What a pleasant surprise. May I introduce you to one of the latest vassals of Zeus?> Hera says, pointing at the woman standing next to her: she’s wearing an armor that covers her head to toe, and her mechanically altered voice is unmistakable.
<It is my honor to finally meet you, Your Majesty Rhea. I am Leiko Tanaka, Ice Queen of the Lar and current sovereign of the Winter Kingdom. You’ll be happy to know that your daughter Hera and I have quickly become friends.>
<Yes. I’m ecstatic.> Vesta answers reluctantly.
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