Beyond The Impossible

The Empyrean

Noriko Null holds the Tablet Of Destinies in her hands, still having a hard time believing what just happened.

<So that’s it? I can just use this, no dirty tricks?>

Leiko Tanaka stands before her. She tries to smile, but it’s hard to move: the right side of her body has been corrupted by the Drylon seed, and while it hasn’t reached her face yet it still doesn’t allow her to move freely.

<I don’t know how this works, honey. Just that my… original personality doesn’t want you to have this device. But even if I’m just a figment of your imagination from your version of Heaven, I still think of you as my daughter. And I couldn’t allow her to harm you.> she confesses.

It’s difficult to reconcile the appearance of this half-human hybrid with the loving housewife created by her subconscious, but she does sound like her.

<It could very well be a trap, Null. Perhaps I should use the device.> Roxiana suggests, trying to snatch the Tablet out of Noriko’s hands.

Noriko is fast enough to keep the Tablet away, taking a step back. She could take out one of her Genius Guns at a moment’s notice, but Roxiana is not making any other moves.

<Don’t make me fight you for it, Null.>

<You’re not going to do anything, Roxiana. You don’t know what this thing actually does.>

<Do you?>

Noriko has to admit that her predecessor makes a strong point. But she takes a deep breath and places her hand on the Tablet Of Destinies.

<Let’s find out. Tablet?>

<You have unlocked 7 actions. Select target.> the device says, using Noriko’s own voice but deeply distorted. She figures it’s how she’s able to understand it.

<Why just seven?> she asks.

<Full recharge and renewed unlock required for additional actions.>

<Looks like you will have to evaluate your wishes carefully. Choose wisely.> Roxiana says, suddenly a little grateful for not being the one in charge.

As if to rush the decision, the glass structure inside the Empyrean begins to creak, and the endless ocean of white flames on the other side becomes agitated.

<We better rush this before Heaven blows up. Tablet?>

<You have unlocked 7 actions. Select target.> it repeats.

<Heaven.>

<Target selected: 1 target. Select action.>

<Stabilize Heaven.> Noriko orders, holding her breath and bracing for anything.

She doesn’t have to, because one second later the Tablet informs her:

<Action completed. You have 6 actions left.>

<Was… was that it?> Noriko wonders, looking around.

<Question unclear. Reformulate.>

The white fire is no longer raging, and the glass is no longer vibrating, but it’s hard to understand what just happened. Noriko consults her phone and Roxiana her personal information device, and their sensors confirm the same result: Heaven is no longer on the verge of exploding.

Siduri doesn’t seem to need any technology for this. Keeping her monotone voice, her emotions unreadable because she doesn’t have a face, the bronze-skinned woman confirms:

<Heaven has been healed, yes?>

<It worked. Holy mother of oceans, it really worked. Null, do you have any idea of the levels of energy at play to do something like this in a second? The word “astronomical” doesn’t cut it!!!>

<Yeah, I figured. Tablet, do questions count as actions?>

<Answer: no. You have 6 actions left.>

<I want to know exactly what we’re dealing with here. What actions are available?>

<Answer: manipulation, creation and destruction of information, matter/energy, space/time.>

<Complete authority over the universe.> Gilgamesh intervenes, citing Sumerian scripture after crossing the portal that connects Heaven to the Empyrean.

The members of the Vanguard and Reaper trail behind him, visibly exhausted by the fight with the Drylon seed but fully healed by Heaven.

Vesta and Quantum are quick to restrain Leiko, not exactly keen to trusting her.

<Is that what I think it is?> Kari asks.

<The Tablet Of Destinies. You are in control of reality now.> Torn says.

<Order it to kill all the gods in the universe!> Reaper shouts.

<I’m right here, mister.> Vesta reminds him.

<I’m sorry for your husband’s sacrifice, Vesta. I truly am… but perhaps I don’t have to. Tablet, another question: can you bring back the dead?>

<Answer: yes, corpses can be teleported.>

<That’s not exactly what I…>

<Noriko, don’t. Theodoros accepted his death… it’s time I let him go.> Vesta admits.

<Are you sure?>

<As much as I will ever be. This has been hard on everyone… let’s just go home.> the goddess says.

Noriko thinks it over. But she doesn’t let go of the Tablet.

<Reformulating the question, Tablet. Can you bring back to life someone after death?>

<Answer: if target is valid and intrinsic signature is available, the target can be reconstructed. You have 6 actions left.>

<What do you mean by “intrinsic signature”?>

<Answer: questioner lacks knowledge to understand the answer. You have 6 actions left.>

<Smartass. What is a “valid target”?>

<Answer: any target who is not Drylon and is within the same universe of the Tablet. You have 6 actions left.>

<Noriko, I’m serious, do not resurrect my husband.> Vesta repeats, letting Leiko go to get closer.

<That’s not what I’m getting at. Tablet, can the target be in MY universe, since we’re not technically there?

<Answer: statement is incorrect, the Tablet is in the same universe of the questioner. You have 6 actions left.>

<I guess Heaven counts as the universe as far as you’re concerned, uh?>

<Answer: correct. You have 6 actions left.>

<I’m getting tired of hearing that.>

<Noriko? Remember how we discussed we should talk about those crazy plans of yours before you do something completely reckless? This feels like a good moment for that!> Kari says.

Noriko doesn’t register her complaint. There was only one thing in her mind the moment Torn mentioned her being in control of reality.

<There’s nothing to discuss, Kari. I have the chance to fix my greatest failure. Tablet, new target: every single Demon killed by Ares or Anubis.>

<You can’t be serious.> Vesta reacts, her jaw hanging in disbelief.

<Target selected: 221,556,222 targets. Select action.>

<Resurrect.>

<Invalid action. Intrinsic signature not available. You have 6 actions left.>

<Nori, maybe we should think about this more carefully…> Quantum warns her.

<Tablet, another question: how do I find the intrinsic signature of the last selected target?>

<Answer: intrinsic signature can be reconstructed by extracting data from the entity designed “Abyss” by the questioner. You have 6 actions left.>

<Okay then. New target: Abyss.>

<Target selected: 1 target. Select action.>

<Extract from the target the intrinsic signature of all the Demons killed by Ares or Anubis.>

<Action completed. 221,556,222 intrinsic signatures extracted. Error: 215,565 signatures too corrupt for extraction. You have 5 actions left.>

<New target: all the Demons killed by Ares or Anubis for which intrinsic signature is available.>

<Target selected: 221,340,657 targets. Select action.>

<Resurrect.>

<Action completed. You have 4 actions left.>

Both Torn and Reaper react strongly to what the Tablet just did. Their bodies glow red from within, as if their skin was briefly unable to withstand the Blood power they contain, and they stumble to keep their balance with such a powerful surge.

Kari creates a couple of duplicates to help her friend stand up.

<Are you alright? What just happened?> she asks.

<She… she did it. By the fires of Hell, she did it… I can feel the Blood resonating with the recreation of millions of souls. Three quarters our civilization, restored in an instant!>

<Just 99.9% of the dead, unfortunately. And I had to waste one action to extract those “intrinsic signatures.> Noriko shrugs.

<Now what? Please tell me you’re not gonna try to top that crazy stunt!> Quantum says.

<Good question. I have some ideas, but there’s something I have to take care first. Tablet, new target: Heaven, excluding the Empyrean.>

<Target selected: 1 target. Select action.>

<Destroy.>

<Action completed. You have 3 actions left.>

Without further ado, the portal that leads back to Heaven itself simply evaporates.

<What? No! We never had the chance to explore its potential yet!> Roxiana complains.

<I’ve learned it’s unstable enough to destroy a large chunk of the known universe, and that even the Drylon weren’t keen on exploiting it. It was too dangerous to keep around.>

<An interesting choice, yes? My people will follow this development.> Siduri comments.

<I hope so. This place can be used to reach your realm, isn’t it?>

<Your understanding is correct.> the enigmatic figure confirms.

<Perfect. Tablet, now target: the Empyrean.>

<Target selected: 1 target. Select action.>

<Create a door that only I and the Vanguard can open or close, and that connects this place to Maximum Security Vault #4 of Asgard Station, in the Null Zone.>

<Action completed. You have 2 actions left.>

A simple wooden door appears right behind Noriko, standing in its own and seemingly leading nowhere.

<Well… that was all I had in mind, guys. I’m open to suggestions!> Noriko admits.

<Demons are not the only people killed by gods… you could resurrect a lot of them!> Kari realizes.

<I know, but there were reasons why I chose them: they were isolated from the rest of the Galaxy, Hell definitely has enough space for them, and their connection to the Blood will make it easy for them to accept the transition. Bringing back large groups of people from anywhere else… there are too many variables to do that when we know so little about the way the Tablet operates!>

<There are other loved ones.> Kari insists.

<I thought about bringing back Dmitri, yes. But I’ve learned that sometimes you have to let go of the past.> Noriko says, looking directly at Vesta, who points out:

<You could make yourself a goddess.>

<No offense, but not my style. Anyone else?> Noriko asks.

<Send me back to the time of the Drylon!> Roxiana says.

<Kill all the gods!> Reaper repeats once again.

<Cure me?> Leiko asks, not particularly convincing with her tone.

<Okay in order: I already said no, I already said hell no, and the Tablet said it wouldn’t work on a Drylon… which you currently kind of are, mother. Nothing else?>

<I think we’re playing with fire with this thing. We should leave it as it is.> Quantum suggests.

<Hmmm I don’t think so. There is one conundrum I couldn’t solve on my own… the Winter Kingdom crisis. If even the Tablet can’t give them a ruler they can agree on, nothing can!>

<Noriko, if you’re thinking about resurrecting the Winter King…> Leiko says.

<Even I am not that reckless. No, I’m going to let them decide who they want as ruler: they’ve repeatedly said they will only accept a legitimate heir to the throne, which currently includes only you and me after the Winter King murdered all other potential heirs, so… Tablet, questions: do you have the intrinsic signature of any legitimate heir to the Winter Throne murdered by order of the last Winter King?>

<Answer: 57 signatures can be reconstructed from archives found in the Winter Kingdom.>

<That ought to be enough people for the Lar to select somebody. New target: resurrect the legitimate heirs to the Winter Throne murdered by order of the last Winter King.>

<Target selected: 57 targets. You have 2 actions left.>

<Resurrect.>

<Action completed. You have 1 action left.>

<Nothing comes to mind. Question, how much time do I have to order the last action?>

<Answer: 38 years 9 months 2…>

<That’s enough. Let’s just go home and sleep on it, okay?>

<Question unclear. Reformulate.>

<Wasn’t talking to you, Tablet.> Noriko clarifies, walking towards the new door leading back to her universe.