Beyond The Impossible

Kur, Irkalla Galaxy, 100 million light-years from Earth

The throne of Ereshkigal sits atop a huge tower overseeing a vast ocean of Ichor, where typically millions of unfortunate mortals are constantly under the threat of a gruesome death… until today.

The Ichor retracts from its usual victims, and the entire mass of pitch-black energy goo is writhing in immense pain.

Ereshkigal is far from pleased: denied the sweet suffering of her subjects, she unleashes a series of energy blasts at the mortals who dared to invade her realm.

Vesta, Kari and Torn are fast enough to dodge them. Noriko Null is willing to test the limits of her personal forcefield, but she’s pushed aside at the last possible moment by Quantum.

<How was this a good idea!?> he protests.

<She’s not trying to kill us.> she replies, her voice almost drowned by the noise of the mountain behind the team exploding once hit by one of these blasts.

<Uhm, Null, I think she is serious.> Gilgamesh points out. Despite his bulky frame, the Sumerian hero was also fast enough to dodge.

<C’mon Ereskigal, I don’t have time for your temper tantrum!>

Floating before her, the coal-skinned goddess stares at her with shining red eyes.

<I can kill you where you stand. Right. Now.>

<I know you can. Just as I know you’re not gonna do it.> Noriko replies, holstering her Genius Guns and crossing her arms defiantly.

The Vanguard is ready to rush to her defense, prepared for the fight of their lives. And Ereshkigal’s sister Inanna is eagerly waiting to participate in such a glorious battle.

For what feels like an eternity, both Noriko and Ereshkigal just stand there staring at each other.

Torn can feel them trying to judge the strength of each other’s soul, and sense something powerful brewing within them.

<Well? Just fight already!!!> Inanna yells.

Ereshkigal lifts a hand, signaling her sister to wait. Her body is suddenly surrounded by red electricity dancing around her. She holds still, staring at her opponent.

Noriko does the same, except it’s black electricity. She holds her ground.

<This is ridiculous! If you won’t fight, I…> Inanna protests, ready for anything to witness some violence; but her path is blocked by two Blood swords appearing in front of her.

<Don’t.> Torn warns her.

<Do you really think that would stop me, little demon?> the goddess asks, not sure whether to find this insolence amusing or insulting.

<You’re still technically an ally. Null wouldn’t allow you to die as long as you are.>

<What are you rambling about? They’re just STANDING!!!> she shouts, pointing at them. And indeed, even if their respective mental energies manifesting as electricity are increasing in power, it looks just as if Null and Ereshkigal were doing absolutely nothing.

<Is this normal for you guys?> Gilgamesh wonders, scratching his beard.

<What, Noriko doing something insane without telling us her plan? Happens all the time. I’m going to free Hermes if nobody minds.> Kari Zel informs the team, creating a duplicate with the task of liberating the messenger god from his restrains now that they’re no longer powered by Ichor.

<Torn, you know what’s going on?> Vesta asks her friend, just as confused as anybody else.

<None of you can sense souls. Perhaps this will help: SOUL’S EYE!!!> Torn shouts, sharing what he’s been able to witness so far.

Now everyone can see that the electricity flowing around Ereshkigal and Null is just a tiny part of what they have created. Two enormous beasts stand behind each one of them, ready to strike at the opponent: a dragon made of black electricity for the mortal, and the skeleton of a lion made of red electricity for the goddess.

Neither is physically there, but their size is colossal enough to cover the sky.

<Holy… what are those!?> Quantum exclaims.

<How our minds perceive the attack they’re ready to unleash. The Final Abyss and the Eternal Eraser.> Torn explains.

<Sister, you’re seriously trying to use that mortal crap!?> Inanna protests.

<Be silent, you…> Ereshkigal reprimands her, pausing to regain her composure after being visibly hurt once she lowers her concentration.

<Careful there. The Final Abyss is a b#tch to keep up, isn’t it? It puts a lot of strain on a mortal mind, and I’m betting it’s even worse for a goddess. You didn’t have a lot of time practicing it after stealing the technique from Hades, didn’t you?> Noriko asks her. Despite trying to keep her cool, the vein on her sweaty forehead is pulsating.

<I control enough of this power to kill you.> Ereshkigal threatens.

<Enough to survive using it? Attack me with it and you will die.> Noriko promises.

<The same is true for you. If you attack me, I can survive the Eternal Eraser.> the goddess replies.

<Unscathed? Enough to regain control of the Ichor? Enough to survive Yggdrasill dropping a thousand black holes on your head? Enough to fight off the combined forces of both Olympus and Atlantis?> Noriko challenges her.

<I wouldn’t need to. I can still destroy both galaxies on my own.> Ereshkigal reminds her.

<You can. But if pure destruction was your goal, you would have attacked Olympus while I was busy dealing with Poseidon… and you didn’t. This can only end in two ways, Ereshkigal: even you stand down right now and sign a peace treaty, or we kill each other.>

Everyone waits for the stalemate to end. Ereshkigal bits her lower lip in frustration, and Noriko Null’s mouth hints at a smile.

<And I’m willing to bet the “Goddess of Death” doesn’t have a death wish.>

<Gods damn you, Null. I yield.> Ereshkigal frustratingly concedes, throwing her arms in the air as the monster behind her rapidly fades away.

<First smart move you’ve ever made.> Noriko comments, similarly dissolving her attack without firing it. And then trying her best not to lose her balance once an earthquake hits the continent, unleashed by Inanna stamping her foot.

<ARE YOU SERIOUS???> she screams.

<Yeah, uhm, I hate agreeing with the murder-happy bombshell, but I was hoping for something just a little less anticlimactic.> Quantum comments.

<We could have the battle to eclipse all battles RIGHT NOW, sister!!!> Inanna insists.

<Oh grow up. Unlike an animalistic airhead like you, I don’t have any interest in meaningless violence for its own sake.> Ereshkigal dismisses her, conjuring up a stone tablet already inscribed in both Modern Olympian and cuneiform Sumerian to hand it to Null.

<What. Did you. Just. SAY!?> Inanna shouts, flying towards her sister at nearly the speed of sound.

She punches Ereshkigal hard enough to embed her several miles beneath the ground, at which point Noriko breathes a sigh of relief.

<And that’s our cue.> she says, activating the teleporter.

 

N-01 Ragnarok, orbiting the planet

With everyone still disoriented by the course of events, the ship shakes when hit by the shockwaves coming from the planet.

<Kari, the helm! Set a course for Earth!> Noriko orders.

<You know this would’ve been easier if you just told us the plan!!!> Kari comments, creating enough duplicates to man all the stations while the original drags the unconscious Hermes out of the bridge and headed for the infirmary.

<You can yell at me later! Engage the Negative Drive at full power, go go go!!!> Noriko incites her, raising her voice over the alarms sounding off.

And the ship leaves orbit not a moment too soon: the planet is already cracked in half, exposing the nucleus and leaking oceans of lava into cold space.

The Ragnarok accelerates beyond the speed of light, speeding past the explosion of the star that Ereshkigal is now too busy to keep in eternal agony.

<I don’t get it. Why did Inanna flip like that?> Quantum asks.

<I thought you had a sister.> Torn recalls, raising an eyebrow.

<I do, but she’s never tried to kill me because I refused to fight!>

<Hm. Humans.> the Demon shrugs.

<Never underestimate a deity’s irrational attachment to its domain. No offense.> Noriko says, turning towards Vesta for the latter remark and to hand her the tablet received from Ereshkigal.

 

As supreme sovereign ruler of Irkalla, I hereby decree that a state of war against the Allied Powers of Olympus, Uruk and Naqada no longer exists, and I dissolve all alliances with their enemies.

Signed at the Throne of Darkness of Kur

on Tishritu 47th, of the 669th year of the 3,792,770 millennium of Her reign

Ereskigal, daughter of Sin

In the presence of:

Noriko Null, daughter of Bob

Inanna, daughter of Sin

 

<A goddess of few words. The peace treaty is shorter than the signature.> Vesta observes.

<Were you saying the truth back there? Would you have sacrificed your life to stop Ereshkigal?> Gilgamesh asks, impressed by her courage.

<I was pretty sure she would fold. But yeah, if it had come to it, I would have.> Noriko confirms.

<Please don’t make it a habit of betting the fate of multiple galaxies on brinkmanship.> Kari pleads.

<No promises.>

<Now what? It’s gonna take months to get back to Earth, isn’t it?> Quantum asks.

<Let’s just wait for Hermes to recover from his wounds and he’ll get us back in no time. If you guys have any more questions, let’s continue on a full stomach… I skipped breakfast, and I’m starving!> Noriko complains.

<Did you just brag about saving the day before breakfast?> Kari’s duplicate asks her, giving her a friendly little push with her elbow.

<Maybe.> Noriko smirks.

She’s then startled by the sudden appearance in front of her eyes of a woman with bronze skin and absolutely no face.

<Then it’s a good moment to talk, yes?> Siduri asks.

This catches everyone by surprise, with every member of the Vanguard ready to continue the fight. Noriko gestures to them to stand down, staring at the mysterious being.

<How the hell did you get here!?> she asks.

<I followed you from the station, yes? I have never left your side.> Siduri answers, tilting her head.

<You evaded security sensors, both from Asgard Station and the Ragnarok, plus the senses of gods and Demons?> Noriko asks, raising an eyebrow.

<These are all things from the material universe, yes? Those don’t matter to my people.>

<Yes, those “people” you refuse to talk about. What are you doing outside the Empyrean, Siduri?>

<Multiple vermin started using thought warfare, yes? You just fought one of them. Only the Usurpers used to have the knowledge, until you discovered it.>

Noriko has to remember Siduri’s peculiar terminology to translate.

<Gods have figured out how to weaponize information… the Final Abyss… like I did, something that only the Drylon used to be able to achieve. Why do “your people” care, Siduri?>

<Dangerous. The vermin are not mature enough to survive thought warfare; if left alone, they will destroy each other. And nobody would be left to free the Celestial Galaxy from its prison, yes?>

Noriko turns towards Gilgamesh, who has known Siduri for a million years. And even he shrugs, having no clue about what she means.

<Let’s grab a bite together and tell me why the universe is in danger this time, will you?> Noriko invites the strange creature, walking with her as her stomach grumbles.