Beyond The Impossible

Myridia, 50 light-years from Earth

Considering it has suffered 300 years of Demeter’s propaganda, it’s no surprise that Myridia doesn’t share the rest of the galaxy’s fascination with live news.

Adding to the fact that anyone can be a witness to anything by simply sending duplicates, there’s really no need to keep constant updates from a battlefield.

That’s why the news from Null’s final battle with Ares are hard to come by, much to the frustration of the people residing in a building provided by the Church of Null.

Bob Null is the most anxious one, pacing back and forth. His companion Catherine Kalama tries to keep a calm façade to the benefit of their daughter Nalani, but she’s also worried.

Shinobu Tanaka, on the other hand, seems to be completely indifferent and more interested in studying the traditional Myridian spear hanging from the wall.

<Still nothing?> Jane Blake asks Kari Zel; considering she has a duplicate to take care of each of her three daughters, the room is quite packed.

<Nope; none of the others are responding to the Soul Relay. I better go check it out.> Kari decides, creating a duplicate to open the door… only to find herself facing Noriko Null opening it.

<That won’t be necessary. Everything is under control.> Noriko reassures her.

<Nori!> Nalani shouts enthusiastically, breaking free from her mother’s hands and running toward her half-sister to hug her. Instead of hugging her back, Noriko grabs the Kari duplicate by the shoulder and she pushes her towards Nalani, not very gently.

<Make yourself useful and deal with her, Zel.>

Her harsh words are worrisome: to most of the people in the room, a Noriko acting out of character brings back memories of her alternate personalities. Everyone waits to see where this is going, with one exception.

<That’s not Noriko.> Bob Null immediately deduces.

<You always have to spoil everything, don’t you Robert?> “Noriko” says, taking Kari by surprise when she moves faster than a human being should; the Myridian doesn’t even see the punch that break her nose, especially because upon contact the punch releases an electric discharge.

The original Kari loses consciousness and her duplicates disappear with a popping sound.
It’s utter chaos: Dr. Kalama grabs Nalani and Ariel Zel to pull them away from the impostor, Bob takes care of the twins Imani and Azure, and Jane Blake screams.

Shinobu is the only one to take action, grabbing the spear from the wall and throwing it at Noriko. She doesn’t have enough room to move out of the way, and the spear hits her shoulder. Instead of spilling blood, it causes the circuits to leak a copious amount of sparks.

<I should’ve expected this from a traitor like you.> “Noriko” says, moving towards Shinobu.

Her android body wasn’t designed for combat, so she can’t react fast enough to stop him and Jane from running as fast as they can towards the door.

<C’mon, let’s go!> Bob encourages everybody else, but unfortunately the civilians left in the room are too shocked to escape as quickly as the first two.

The cries of Nalani and of Kari’s daughters disappear into the sonic attack unleashed by the android; it’s the only offensive capability the real Null included in this model, and it’s only good to render the targets unconscious.

<Capture them. The Ice Queen wants them alive.> the android says through a radio transmission, while she pulls the spear out of her body.

 

Noriko Plaza, Null City

Leiko Tanaka takes off the high-tech sunglasses that let her control the S.I.F. android; the current situation demands her immediate attention.

This part of the city is still deserted: the telepathic command of Null’s golden eyes forced all Myridians to stay away, but its effect won’t last for much longer.

Her Lar scientists are assembled around the StarScourge: the sword is still floating in midair.

<How long is it going to take?> Leiko asks impatiently.

<Hard to say, Your Majesty. The object seems to be in a quantum lock: it’s gravitationally bound to the planet, and all efforts to teleport it have been futile.> one of the scientists explains.

<There must be some way to remove it. We can’t… what’s going on?> Leiko wonders: all of a sudden the place went completely dark, and she can’t hear anything.

Leiko activates the Winter Armor: she doesn’t need its power anymore, since the Endless Winter device is now in her chest, but the armor around her does provide thermal vision.

She can see that everybody else is immobilized and that there is someone in front of the sword. Even the armor can’t actually see what she really looks like: she can only glimpse the dark silhouette of a beautiful woman with flowing long hair.

<In case you’re planning to steal it, that sword is mine.>

The woman turns. It’s hard to tell without being able to see her face, but her body language suggests that she’s surprised to be seen at all.

<I beg to differ. This weapon was forged with the Keys of Heaven that the Slayer was recovering for me.>

<Really. And who am I speaking to?>

<I am Nyx, Primordial Goddess Of The Night. But I see that you are not afraid of darkness.>

<Not at all. If anything, I was wondering if I could be of any assistance.>

 

Miles away

Shinobu Tanaka and Jane Blake are frantically running through the halls of the building owned by the Church of Null. He hasn’t said a single word since they escaped from the android, but he’s been holding tight to her wrist.

<We can stop now, I don’t think she’s following us!> she says, her heart still pounding.

<Of course she isn’t.  She has other pawns for that.> he replies, slowing down to approach the staircase that leads to the ground floor.

<Who is “she”? And who the hell are you anyway!?> she protests; she was far too scared of the android to ask questions when her life was in danger, but now is a different story.

<That android speaks for the Ice Queen. Only she calls Null’s father “Robert”. Now be quiet!>

<You didn’t answer my second… look out!> she exclaims, pushing Shinobu to protect him from a laser blast shot by the lance of an officer of the Myridian police.

She screams as Shinobu rushes towards the officer, effortlessly dodging the following blasts. The weapon he’s facing is a relic of the Demeter Oracles: as an instrument of terror rather than war, its primary function is intimidation rather than eliminating its target.

The officer learns the difference quickly as Shinobu knocks him out of balance with a flying kick, only to violently stomp on his throat to kill him in a single move.

<I’m Black Knight of the Empire of Shadows, head of the Tanaka household and Null’s cousin. In other words, a primary target for her mother’s wrath.> he explains.

Jane doesn’t have much time to elaborate the news: there are three other officers calmly approaching Shinobu, and she can hear the footsteps of someone coming down the stairs.

<She can’t have too many agents on Myridia, we can take them. Can I count on your help? What are your combat skills?> he asks, preparing a combat stance.

<I’m a barista!!! I shouldn’t even be here!!!> she protests.

<On that we can agree. I will have to fight them off by myself.> he says with a reassuring tone… which evaporates quickly as the three officers become thirty in the blink of an eye.

<Hm. Not how I intended to go out.> he comments raising an eyebrow. He’s still fully prepared to fight to the death, but he doesn’t have to: suddenly two new Myridians appear next to each officer.

A different one pulls him away from the action; despite Shinobu’s protestations, soon he finds himself just outside of the building while the Myridians inside engage a small war.

<Care to explain what’s going on!?> Kiros Zel asks them. Jane recognizes Kari’s blue-haired husband; judging by the efficient way his duplicates are defeating the officers, he must be almost as good as his wife in a fight.

<Somebody took Noriko’s place. You should go save Kari!> she suggest.

<My real body is going there, this is a duplicate.>

<We should leave immediately. Do you have a way off this planet?> Shinobu asks.

<You’re not going anywhere, mister! I trust Kiros a heck of a lot more than I trust you, so don’t get any… ideas? Where did he go!?> Jane wonders: just as she was talking, Kiros disappeared.

<What an idiot; his real body must’ve been taken out by the android. You! Are you familiar with this planet?> Shinobu asks Jane.

<I’ve been here before for a few months, but…>

<It will have to do. Come on, the Ice Queen probably has people looking for us right now, we have to get out of sight immediately.>

<Hold on! You may have beef with this Queen, but does she have against me!?>

<You know that the android impersonating Null is not the real one; that makes you a target. If you help me get back to Earth, I…> Shinobu replies, his words cut off by a teleportation device.

 

Noriko Plaza, Null City

The Ice Queen approaches Nyx. Her presence is causing all the armor’s sensors to constantly signal errors; technology simply can’t understand what she actually is. All she knows, considering what Eris told her, is that Nyx is one of the most powerful beings in the entire universe.

<You know my daughter.> the goddess says.

<You’re reading my mind despite the Vial of Destiny?>

<That Drylon relic protects you from my power, but I am still a Primordial. And I can see in your mind that you have no claim on this sword.>

<And what would your claim be, Nyx?>

<Show respect, mortal. I might not be able to attack you directly, but I can still destroy the rest of your Galaxy if I so desire.>

<I meant no disrespect. But surely a being of your stature doesn’t need a weapon.>

<It is not the sword that I desire.> Nyx says, touching the scabbard and inspecting it carefully.

<It seems she’s not ruined the technology. Once Null has found the third Key, it can still be combined with the sword to open a portal to Heaven.>

<Null is dead.> Leiko informs her.

<I know.> Nyx says. There’s utter disinterest in her voice, where Leiko sees an opportunity.

<What would be the price for anyone finding the…>

<Are you trying to bargain with me? I have no interest in your petty search for power.>

<You just confirmed that Null is dead. If she didn’t complete the quest you gave her, I…>

<History has shown that gods can die. It has yet to prove they can’t return from the dead.>

<Null is no goddess. She’s just a child.>

Nyx chuckles lightly. It’s the closes she’s come to a laugh in billions of years.

<You are amusing. I might not destroy this galaxy after all. Find the last Key of Heaven for me, and I will allow you to rule this realm.>

<The sword would make things much… easier…> the Ice Queen says, hesitating when the light returns to the planet. With the Goddess of Darkness completely gone.

 

Asgard Station, Null Zone

Jane Blake and Shinobu Tanaka appear in the same room of the Portal Generator, where the ninja is as quick to get ready to fight Kylon as the the girl is ready to yell at him:

<Where were you five minutes ago!?>

<Something was creating an interference. I could not get you.> Kylon explains.

<Must have been the android.> Shinobu deduces.

<Does that mean that you can’t rescue the others?> Kari asks.

<I’m afraid so. I can’t get a lock on any member of the Vanguard… it appears that we are alone.>

<But we can call some ally, right? Right?>

<I’m open to suggestions.> Kylon shrugs.