Four warships drop below lightspeed, emerging from a dark nebula that hides much of this solar system from the rest of the Naqada Galaxy. Three of them… the N10-Quetzalcoatl, the N12-Yama and the N13-Vanth, only carry Nullbots and F.E.N.R.I.S. units.
The crew of the last one, the N01-Ragnarok, looks at the main viewscreen: it shows the shiny golden planet beneath them, clearly visible thanks to the total absence of clouds.
<You know, I had a feeling Eden would look like that.> Kari Zel comments.
<Aww, it’s so pretty! Can we go there? Please please please?> Amaterasu pleads Noriko, like a child begging for a new toy. Which isn’t far from the truth considering Amaterasu’s mental age, even though the goddess looks like she could be Null’s mother.
<The sensors are not picking up any kind of planetary defense; let’s not waste the opportunity.> Noriko says, standing up from the captain’s chair only to bump into Torn.
<Where are you going?> the Demon asks, crossing his arms.
<To the surface, to look for Max? That’s the whole reason why we’re here!>
<You can’t do that.> Vesta adds, joining Torn in blocking Noriko’s way.
<According to the sensors, the air is perfectly breathable.>
<Uhm, guys, the sensors are also not picking up any lifeforms, or any sign of civilization. Are we sure this is the right place?> Kari adds, currently ignored by Noriko.
<If this is Eden, they could assimilate you. I’ll look for Quantum: Demons are immune to their power.> Torn says.
<And so are gods. You should sit this one out, Nori.> Vesta concurs.
<That’s not really my style. Besides, if you do find Max, you’re going to need my help to set him free from the Anubis necrobots.> Noriko adds.
<Amaterasu can do the same, remember? You taught her how to control the necrobots. And she’s immune from assimilation.> Vesta insists.
<I’ll be good, I promise!> Amaterasu adds.
Noriko sighs: she hates being left out of an adventure, and she hates being smart enough to recognize that Vesta is absolutely right.
<Alright, fine. But no sightseeing: find Max, bring him back, and don’t get sidetracked.>
<Yay! Roadtrip!> Amaterasu exclaims, jumping up and down in excitement.
<We don’t need roads.> Torn replies, using a red energy sword to cut a pentagram of fire in the air.
He then walks right through it; Vesta and Amaterasu follow him, before the pentagram disappears.
Kari watches them, then taps her fingers on the nearest surface for a few seconds, until she decides to break the awkward silence.
<You know this is too easy, right?>
<Yeah. The Eden must be aware that we’re here, but they’re letting us through and they’re not actively trying to assimilate us… which, from all we know about them, should be the first thing they ought to try. Let me have another look at the sensors.> Noriko says, walking towards one of the consoles and looking over Kari’s shoulder to study the same results.
<This doesn’t make any sense. The Eden are supposed to be very technologically advanced, second only to the Drylon, but the planet is a complete desert. Could they be fooling the sensors?>
<The long rage ones are fine: they’re picking up the Surtur fleet entering the system.> another Kari duplicate informs her.
Soon enough, ten identical ships arrive at the planet’s orbit. They position themselves around Eden, spread across is equator to completely surround it.
<You know, I’m starting to think that bringing every ship you own was overkill.> Kari comments.
<The Eden don’t seem to care about visitors. Maybe if we just keep a low profile, they won’t make a scene.> Noriko says.
Just then, the Surtur fleet suddenly opens fire on the planet: their entire arsenal, mostly direct energy weapons and relativistic projectiles, is thrown at Eden without prejudice.
<I think subtlety just went out the window!> Kari exclaims.
<What the f#ck is going on!? Null to fleet, stop firing immediately!!!>
Her order has no effect: the ships are not ceasing their attack. Noriko angrily walks back to the captain’s chair, but when she tries to access the ship’s controls all the screens go black.
<I’m afraid I can’t let you reprogram the ships, Null.>
The voice comes from the translucent hologram of a man with a remarkable resemblance to someone who has been dead for thousands of years.
<Diomedes!?>
<Not quite, but he did program me. Call me Emissary.>
<L.O.K.I, activate emergency override!> Noriko calls.
<I can’t let you do that either, Null. Your ship’s artificial intelligence is currently off-line; for the time being, I’m the one in charge of this fleet.>
<Uhm, Nori? What’s going on?> Kari asks.
<I’m actually as confused as you are. Look, Emissary, I’m no fan of the Eden, but my friends are on the surface! If you don’t stop firing, you’ll end up killing them!>
<That is unfortunate. But Diomedes knew that your personal connection to the Vanguard would not allow you to think clearly, so he programmed me to reach the objective regardless of casualties.>
<What objective?>
<Slaying Anubis.>
<Anubis is not even on that planet, and the Eden are his enemies anyway!>
<It’s a broad mandate. Quantum is his minion now, and as such he must be eliminated. Preferably before Anubis himself arrives with the rest of his army. Which should be…>
A bright halo of light appears in front of the N01-Ragnarok, delivering a massive capital ship in the form of a gigantic pyramid. It’s surrounded by hundreds of smaller ships, as well as hundreds of thousands of cyborg Demons using their Blood weapons to hang on the hulls.
<…right about now.>
Kari looks at the number of ships on the sensors: their numbers keep increasing. Then she looks at Noriko, who is staring intensely at the viewscreen with anger and determination.
<This is bad, isn’t it?> Kari asks.
<It is.> Noriko answers, her eyes shining silver once again.
<For them. They just pissed me off.>
Eden
Torn, Vesta and Amaterasu emerge from a fire pentagram, finding themselves in a golden desert.
Vesta immediately takes flight to have a better look at the place, while Amaterasu grabs Torn’s arm.
<Uhm, excuse me, mister Just Torn? Where is everybody?>
<I don’t know. But I don’t like it.> the Demon answers, looking up at the sky: the ships under control of Emissary have opened fire, with one of the blasts hitting the planet several miles away.
It’s enough to create a mushroom cloud that reaches into the stratosphere, generating a massive golden sandstorm that hits the Vanguard at incredible speed.
Amaterasu tries to shield Torn with her body; he’s prepared to spin his energy sword fast enough to create an additional protection, but very soon he realizes he doesn’t need to.
The golden sand turns intangible before it can touch them. In fact, every single grain seems to go out its way in trying to avoid physical contact with them.
<This feels funny. It’s like it’s not even there.> the young goddess notices.
Torn and Vesta have other concerns: hundreds of pentagrams have appeared in the middle of the sandstorm, announcing the arrival of a true army of cyborg Demons.
<Cut of a million deaths!!!> Torn shouts, releasing a torrent of sharp knives that hits the opposing army with incredible violence. Even so, there are too many of them to be kept at bay so simply; Torn senses that there is an entire battalion about to stab him in the back, but he can’t defend himself while continuing his main attack. Just when it looks like his enemies will have a chance to kill him, he feels an intense heat behind him and a woman yelling:
<Covering fire!>
Vesta is now creating a wall of fire behind Torn, hot enough to incinerate anything that tries to get through it. It doesn’t stop the cyborg Demons from trying: their flesh melts before they can even touch the fire, but some of the cybernetics last long enough to create a puddle of molten metal and evaporating blood behind Torn.
<That was horrible.> Torn comments.
<I know, I wouldn’t have done this against living people… but these are reanimated dead bodies.>
<I was referring to the name of your attack. You need to work on it.>
<Could we please focus on something more important? Like, where is Amaterasu?> Vesta asks, looking around. The Japanese goddess is standing in the middle of the raging sandstorm, and she’s holding out her hands when she calls:
<Kusanagi-no-tsurugi!>
As she does this, a katana made of blindingly bright divine power appears in her hands. Vesta recognizes it as the weapon she once used to kill Helios, back when she was controlled by Viper.
<Uhm, Amaterasu? You might want to tone it down… we don’t want to incinerate the planet. That’s a weapon for killing gods.>
<Exactly. I’m about to kill the big bad wolf.> Amaterasu replies, pointing the sword at the storm.
There’s something walking through the mayhem. A large and imposing figure, with the head of a jackal and with glowing circuitry all over its body, surrounded by undead cyborgs.
<Holy cραπ. Anubis!!! What is he doing here!?> Vesta says, her fire becoming a little colder.
<He’s here to die.> Torn replies calmly, ready to rush into battle; Vesta immediately stops him.
<Wait! If you get too close, he can control you with his necrobots. You can’t touch him!>
<I won’t. I’m just going to fill his skull with enough blades to make it explode.>
<This is Anubis we’re talking about! You can’t just attack him without a plan!>
<BAD DOG!!!> Amaterasu yells, attracting the attention of her allies.
She just rushed towards Anubis with her sword, ready to strike him with everything she’s got… and she stops before reaching him, because she just noticed Anubis is just standing there.
<Uhm… aren’t you going to… defend yourself and stuff?> she asks, looking up. She’s a tall woman, but Anubis is currently over eight feet tall: she has to levitate to keep her sword at his chest level.
Without saying anything, Anubis takes a step forward. Amaterasu’s first instinct is to step back, but Anubis grabs her hand to help her keep her sword straight. Not only that: he helps her push the Kusanagi sword right through his chest, burning through his flesh and the metal inside it.
<Are you… helping me stab you? Why? I don’t get it!> Amaterasu admits.
Then her sword starts to get dimmer and dimmer, no matter how much power she puts into it. She then looks at Anubis once again: his eyes are now on fire.
<To show you that nothing you do matters.> he answers, grabbing Amaterasu by the head; he then pulls her away from him, absorbing what little energy is left in the Kusanagi, and starts squeezing.
<Get away from her! ETERNAL FLAME!> Vesta yells at him, flying up close and hitting him at point blank with a blast of superheated plasma. It’s enough to evaporate the skin on his head, exposing his skull laced with metal, but it seems it’s little more than an inconvenience as Anubis uses Amaterasu’s unconscious body as a crude weapon to clubber Vesta.
<I am Anubis, daughter of Kronos. You can’t injure me the same way twice. I evolve.> he boasts, as a pentagram appears behind him.
<Evolve this. BRAIN SHATTER STORM!> Torn shouts, landing on top of Anubis and placing his hands above the god’s head.
Thousands of knives appear inside his brain, multiplying incessantly until the pressure is too great.
The head of Anubis explodes in a gory shower of brains and circuitry, leaving the scavenger god headless. He lets go Amaterasu and Vesta; Torn can sense they’re still alive.
Unfortunately he can’t sense Anubis moving again, and Torn is swatted away with the force of a speeding train.
The headless Anubis stands proudly in front of his vanquished enemies, surrounded by the desecrated bodies of his undead cyborg army.
<We have seen enough.> is the comment of a male and a female voice, speaking in unison.
Anubis recreates his head, or at least part of his skull, then he turns around to face the two Eden who are now in front of him.
<We can now start the assimilation.>
<I can respect you for understanding that you have no hope against me, Eden.>
<Against you? You might have misunderstood us. The reason we have lured you here, Anubis, is because you are the key to the assimilation of all gods.>
<Big words for a dead species!> Anubis mocks them, preparing to incinerate them. But when he tries to unleash his powers against Eden, his own body betrays him.
<What is the meaning of this!?> he asks, looking at his hands: his circuits are becoming golden.
<It means you are about to evolve, Anubis. Welcome to infinity… welcome to Eden.>
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