Beyond The Impossible

Null City Grand Cathedral, Myridia

As the Council of Myridia begins, Noriko Null does her best to avoid attracting too much attention.

Which is not an easy task when you’re inside a church that worships you, during a council that is supposed to define how your religion works.

The chapel is quite big, with its ceiling decorated with a painting depicting Null towering over an utterly terrified Demeter.

It’s housing a quite diverse collection of people, dozens of men and women from different parts of the Galaxy. Noriko recognizes only four mortals: Supreme Pontiff Ganos Lal, President of the Mortal Senate Alexer Syzar, President of Myridia Radul Sil, and Mortal Resistance Movement founder Xenon Arceus. There are two goddesses, Nike and Adrestia, and the demigoddess Helen.

Everyone looks human with the exception of three aliens: a Lampyrian, a Lar wearing a self-refrigerating suit, and a Naga male that is resting on his coiled tail, being unable to use a chair because his species doesn’t have legs.

Only Ganos Lal knows that Null herself is present… at least that she knows: Noriko has noticed a few curious glances from Syzar and Adrestia.

<I believe we are ready to commence. The first point we need to discuss is the nature of Null. Many of you represent believers who consider her only partly mortal; does any representative of the Demitheist sects wish to start?> Ganos asks.

<Well it is obvious that she is the daughter of Vesta.> is the first voice heard, which immediately causes a bunch of other people to speak at the same time.

<How can you deny she is the daughter of almighty Zeus!?>

<She was given birth by Artemis! It is written!>

<This is madness! She brings death, she must be the daughter of Persephone!>

<Have all of you really forgotten that she is the daughter of Bob, which is so very clearly a metaphor for Hermes?>

<You are all wrong! By calling her father Bob, it is implied she was talking about Hephaestus!>

<She is the child of Hephaestus, but she is obviously an artificial construct built by him!>

<You mean by Athena!>

<Has anyone asked her?> Noriko asks.

Everyone falls silent, looking at her as if she just said the dumbest thing possible. The awkward moment last a few seconds, then people go back to shouting at each other.

<This is going to be a looong day.> she sighs.

 

Washington DC, Earth

President Keen is sitting in the Situation Room of the White House, surrounded by a bunch of scientists. One of them is looking at a holographic screen; it’s showing a picture of Tyche next to a scan of her body… or rather what should’ve been a scan. It’s only her silhouette.

<We have been unable to run medical tests on her: as you can see, she’s completely impervious to CT scans, PT scans, and even to x-rays. She has no pulse and her body is always at room temperature. We examined some tissue samples by using a diamond knife and her cells don’t show any structure we recognize… they’re more like viruses than living cells.> the scientist explains.

<So she’s not human.> is the only piece of information the President retains.

<No, sir, not at all. The closest thing we ever saw was during the autopsy of Naiad, the self-proclaimed demigoddess of the Guild, but even she was more human.>

<What powers does she have?>

<She has demonstrated flight and the ability to lift at least fifty thousand pounds. She refused to lift heavier weight saying she found it boring, insisting instead we test her probability powers.>

<Her what?>

<We have verified that she can alter probabilities. We have tested this repeatedly, but… it’s better if you run the test for yourself.> the scientist says, placing a one dollar coin on the table and pushing it towards the President.

<What am I supposed to do with this?> President Keen asks.

<Try tossing it. She said the coin will land on its edge until you agree to her request for asylum.>

<This is ridiculous.> the President says, launching the coin towards the table… where it lands on it edge, much to his surprise. He launches it a second time: it lands on its edge again.

<You think this is funny? Just get me a normal coin!>

<It is a normal coin, sir. She told the same thing to me… and I got the coin landing on its edge for 257 times in a row. With seven different coins.>

<Unbelievable.> the President murmurs, going for another launch. The coin lands on the edge again.

<She said she can give us faster-than-light travel and the cure for all diseases. Any way we can be sure she’s not lying about those either?> he asks, continuing to try to make the coin land differently.

<Well, sir, she must know a way to travel to other planets or she wouldn’t be here. As for her medical advice… she claims to be 7,000 years old, but we could not identify her real age. It may be because of natural biology, but we can’t fathom how something like her could evolve.>

<So it might be artificial?>

<There’s no way to know. To be perfectly honest, mister President… we’re flying blind here.>

<I see.> President Keen nods. He launches the coin and tries to grab it before it falls, but it slips through his fingers and lands on the table. On its side, obviously.

<Someone call me the Global Defense Organization.>

 

Hell, 163,000 light-years away

Family meetings are something of an alien concept for Demons: it’s perfectly natural for members of the same family to meet each other only on special occasions.

In fact, the last time Torn asked for a family meeting was when his wife Agony was pregnant with his youngest daughter Lesion. But this time it’s for a far less joyous occasion.

<You can’t let Vice exile you!> Agony protests.

<She is the Lady Of All Demons. I can’t appeal to her decision.> Torn replies.

<Can’t you just slice her throat or something?> Lesion asks. She’s definitely the most affected relative: her older sister Laceration is just standing in a corner, sulking in silence with her arms crossed.

<I could probably take her, considering she’s still healing from her fight with Anubis. But I can’t fight all the armies of Hell.>

<That sounds nothing like the Demon I married.> Agony scolds him.

<Agony… I’m still loyal to Hell. I can’t defy Vice so easily.>

<You defied Oblivion when he ordered you to give up the location of the Dragon Tomb. And I know you can’t possibly be afraid of Lilith. Why don’t you ask Null to kill her?>

<If I’m still a citizen of Hell when she does it, we will be at war with Olympus. Vice exiling me is her way to give me a way out: the Vanguard’s actions won’t be blamed on us.> Torn explains.

<Not at the expense of this family. We are coming with you.> Vice declares.

<We’re going to Earth!?> Lesion asks excitedly.

<No, you are not. Earth is no place for a child.> Torn protests.

<But I’m older than most of your human friends!> Lesion replies.

<If Hell exiles its fiercest soul, then it doesn’t deserve to be a home for our children. And they won’t leave without me. Don’t make me fight you over this, husband, because you will lose.>

Torn nods solemnly and gives an exceptionally rare smile.

<I could not have asked for a better wife. Very well; you can follow me to Earth.>

<I’m staying.> Laceration says, breaking her silence.

<I did not say this was debatable.> Agony says to her teenage daughter.

<You guys can’t fix this mess without someone passing you information about what’s going on in Hell. I have to stay here in order to snoop around. The worst thing they can do if they find out I’m helping you is kill me. Besides, I’ve been to Earth already… that place is just cold and boring.> Laceration explains.

<It’s incredibly risky. You could lose your life and nobody would know why you did it.> Torn says.

<Then I suppose I really am your daughter.> Laceration shrugs.

 

Null City Grand Cathedral, Myridia

The council has been debating for hours, and several people have already left: once the council formalized that Null is fully mortal, all the Demitheist sects officialized their separation from the Church of Null and left. Those who are still present take solace when Ganos Lal announces:

<We can take a break before starting the night session. Let’s reconvene in forty-five minutes.>

<Can’t it wait? We still have a lot to discuss.> Nike comments.

<I agree, Lady Nike, but mortals have… needs. Feel free to take advantage of the banquet in the next room and the, uhm, the restrooms are in the building next to the cathedral.> Ganos Lal explains, trying her best to leave the room without revealing that she really needs to go.

Noriko Null does the same, but she finds herself cornered by Alexer Syzar immediately after they leave the room.

<You haven’t said much.> he tells her.

<I prefer to listen. If you’ll excuse me, my bladder is about to explode…>

<Who do you think you’re fooling, Null? I know it’s you. Why keep your presence a secret?>

<I have my reasons. And it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what yours are, Syzar… faking joining a religion to gain new voters? That’s cheap, even for you.>

<Someone has to manage this religion, Null, even if you won’t. As President of the Senate…>

<Spare me the propaganda, Syzar, I know you’re just looking after yourself. What is your real goal, start a new sect since you won’t run for another term?>

<I’m going to be re-elected, Null. I’ve already formalized my candidacy.>

<You’re kidding, right? I already told you, Syzar: if you do this I will…>

<You will run as my opponent? Yes, I remember your threat. And I’m calling your bluff.>

<Are you kidding me!?>

<You don’t want to run for office, Null, you never did. You are terrified by the very idea of being in charge; your hesitation to reveal yourself to your worshippers prove it.>

<I don’t have to run by myself. I could endorse Xenon Arceus if I wanted to. I hear he’s gaining traction in the polls, isn’t it?>

<Go ahead. Xenon is my duplicate.> Syzar reveals, leading to a sight that pleases him to no end… the utter surprise on Null’s face.

<Did you think the Mist was the only duplicate I created? My half-Myridian heritage provided me with an opponent to galvanize my voters. He’ll switch sides immediately before the election and I’ll win in a landslide. But don’t worry… I’ll tell him to thank you in his concession speech.> Syzar tells her, patronizingly patting her back and smugly walking away from her.

He leaves her behind, approaching Xenon Arceus who is waiting for him next to a woman wearing a grey cape that she’s using to cover her entire body.

<New recruit?> Syzar asks Xenon, whose black mask completely obscure his face.

<A most valuable new asset. Let’s talk privately.> Xenon whispers, leading Syzar and the woman to a separate room, where they stand beneath a giant silver Ø symbol.

<Was it hard to slip past security? They scan for duplicates and illegal devices.> Syzar asks.

<Skorpios was very helpful.> Xenon says; the woman opens the cape to show off her body: she’s covered in scars, which are all visible since her clothes barely cover more than a bikini. When Xenon touches her stomach, his hand goes through a tiny black portal and when he pulls his hand out he’s holding a ray gun.

<Impressive! Did she help you smuggle some device to trick the scanners?> Syzar asks.

<No, but she did help me get rid of the body.>

<What body?> Syzar wonders, feeling a sudden pain in his stomach. He looks down, watching his clothes and skin burn away: Xenon just shot him point blank.

<The body of your duplicate that I killed before stealing his identity.> Xenon reveals, right before shooting Syzar a second time, directly in the heart.