Beyond The Impossible

Hell, 163,000 light-years from Earth

Nalani Null may be the second smartest member of her species, but she’s still just seven years old. When she leaves the pentagram-shaped portal and she faces the view of a planet of rocky deserts with rivers of flowing lava and a sky permanently on fire, she’s quick to hold her mother’s hand as hard as she can.

<You’ll be fine, honey. Your sister’s belt will protect you.> her mother Catherine Kalama reassures her, pointing at the Survival Field projector attached to her own belt.

<But don’t get too far. Even with the field, the lava will kill you.> Torn points out.

<Torn!> Doctor Kalama reprimands him.

<What?>

<She’s just a kid!>

<You are correct. Nalani: the lava will kill you instantly.> the Demon corrects himself.

<Don’t worry about me. I’m not scared.> the child lies.

<Let’s proceed. The Elders are ready for us.> Torn incites them, leading the way through the streets of a city carven into a mountain and approaching a temple.

<Couldn’t you have taken us directly into the meeting with a portal?> Doctor Kalama asks.

<That would not have been advisable.> Torn answers, opening the colossal gate that leads into the temple: it’s made of rock, several inches deep and probably weighting several tons.

<Lots of security here.> Nalani notes.

<Out of necessity. We cannot risk it getting outside, especially not through a portal.> Torn explains, and once they’re inside Nalani understands what he means.

The centerpiece of the room is a diamond-shaped red crystal that contains a mass of black energy, which moves around like a caged animal trying to escape.

<You’re keeping a piece if Ichor here? Isn’t that dangerous?> Doctor Kalama asks, holding tight to Nalani to prevent the eager child from rushing towards the crystal to analyze it.

<How else could we study it?> an elderly Demon woman asks, approaching the humans.

She’s the only one doing this, but she’s not alone: another dozen Demons are standing around the red crystal, the youngest of them being over 200 years old.

<Maim, these are the half sister of the Regent of Hell, and her mother. Nalani, Doctor, this is Maim, Hell’s greatest historian.> Torn introduces her.

<Don’t mind my fellow scholars, humans. They’re not too fond of your kind.> the old Demon says, approaching Doctor Kalama and getting a bit too close for comfort.

<The mistress of Regent Null’s father, uh? You don’t have the same skin color she has.>

<That’s, uhm, that’s right. I’m Native Hawaiian.>

<If I remember humans correctly, that means you’re her father’s personal property, isn’t it?>

<What!?>

<Lady, how long has it been since you’ve been to Earth? Slavery isn’t a thing anymore.> Nalani informs her.

<Is that so. Torn, I just won a bet I made with your father before you were born: humans are capable of evolution after all.>

<Can you start addressing the problem at hand? I don’t know if you’ve been informed, but there’s people counting on you to find a solution.> Doctor Kalama says.

<Human, do not confuse caution with callousness. A million Demons have been deployed into your galaxy to protect it from harm: we are all ready to sacrifice our lives to serve the Regent, if necessary.> one of the elders reprimands her.

Nalani approaches the red crystal out of curiosity, even if she still has enough sense to not touch it.

<How did you guys manage to trap this thing? I thought it could eat through the Blood?> she asks.

<Ichor has a will, but not a mind.> Maim explains.

<This is an insult, how could a bloodless child understand our work here?> another elder complains. Nalani looks at him, whishing she could make her eyes shine like her sister.

<Ichor is a pseudo-sentient and psycho-reactive energy field like the Blood. You made a cage that blocks any mental signal from reaching the Ichor, making it unable to respond to stimuli.>

<Uh. Well said, for a human.> the same elder scoffs at her deduction.

<My name is Nalani.> she reminds him, pouting and crossing her arms.

<Back on Earth, you said there could be a “chemical way” to stop the Ichor from reanimating the dead. What did you mean by that?> Torn asks.

Nalani is still offended by being treated like a child, but she can’t pass the opportunity to be proven right and immediately addresses the elders.

<Unlike the Blood, Ichor is toxic right? Any organic matter in contact with it will be consumed.>

<That is correct. The Blood acts as a symbiote, the Ichor as a parasite.> Maim confirms.

<So I thought: if the Ichor can induce a chemical reaction that affects biological matter, what if it could also work the other way around? Do something to the hosts that disrupts the Ichor?>

<But the Ichor has no form unless it’s willed by who is controlling it.> Torn objects.

<Yes, it’s an energy field that isn’t even solid most of the time… it’s not even affected by gravity. But it has to be different from the Blood in some specific way if it’s able to affect biological matter when the Blood itself isn’t, right? I don’t have enough data to figure out what’s different about it, but you guys have a lot of history with…>

<Air.> Torn interrupts her.

<Something bothering you, Torn?> Maim asks.

<I have just started wielding Ichor, but when I tried summoning outside the atmosphere I could not do it. I believed I was simply not skilled enough yet… but Nalani’s words make me wonder.>

<Why would you try summoning Ichor while in space?> Maim asks.

<Why would I not?>

<It’s possible that Ichor needs an atmosphere to become solid. It would explain why Ereshkigal would use it to raise the dead instead of use it against the ships! But I’d have to run some tests to be sure… do you guys happen to have a lab around here?> Nalani asks.

 

The Throne Of The Universe

If her half-sister is having the time of her life, Noriko Null absolutely hates being here.

Both because she never liked the Assembly of the Nine Gods as a matter of principle, but also because she’s been separated from all lines of communications.

<Isis, I appreciate the help in dealing with Charybdis but you have the worst timing. I have a war to deal with, can’t this wait?> she pleads.

<You better take this seriously, Null. Violating the laws of the Nine Gods carries consequences.> the Egyptian goddess tells her, just waiting patiently on her throne.

<Technically I’m not one of the Nine, Hebe is. Can’t you send me back while she deals with this?>

<Do you really want me to deal with them alone?> Hebe asks, trying to sound like a mature leader and failing to mask her fear.

Noriko sighs, leaning against Hebe’s gold and marble throne.

<At least tell the others to hurry up. I’m not immortal, y’know.>

Isis doesn’t care about that remark, but the answer comes from a new being that just appears without warning. A humanoid with the head of an ibis.

<Duly noted. Apologies for the unscheduled delay.> Thoth says. Noriko hasn’t seen the Egyptian god of knowledge since the Strongest Under The Heavens tournament.

<I object. Isn’t the Assembly supposed to be summoned by the Lady Of All Demons?> she says.

<Considering your current status as Regent of Hell, Co-Empress Null, Hell cannot be considered truly neutral in this matter. I will therefore act as the host of this Assembly.> Thoth says.

Noriko doesn’t like it, but he did act impartially during the tournament.

<The delay was caused by my attempt to convince Ra to attend the Assembly, which he declined.>

<What a shocker. Does that guy ever do anything!?> Noriko complains.

<I hereby summon the rest of the Nine Gods Who Rule The Universe.> Thoth says, and seven other thrones are rapidly occupied by their respective gods… and much to Noriko’s surprise, that includes the three gods who declared war against her.

<You have got to be kidding me! You have the courage to show your face!?> she shouts.

<I could say the same thing.> Ereshkigal comments.

<I will put an end to your reign right now and reclaim Olympus for myself!> Poseidon yells, slamming his trident on the floor.

<You will do no such thing. This is hallowed ground.> Anubis objects. Noriko hasn’t seen the half-cyborg half-jackal god of death for a while, and he looks as scary as ever.

<I agree. It is bad enough that members of the Assembly have violated its laws, you will not defile this sacred institution.> Marduk adds. Noriko knows him the least among the Nine Gods, but in addition to being the one taking the most human form he seems to be the calmest.

<Screw the rules, things have been boring for too long.> Inanna says.

<Let’s move on and waste no more time on this farce.> Hades complains.

<As the member who has requested this emergency meeting, Isis has the floor.> Thoth says.

<I will be brief, Hades. The laws of the Nine Gods state that its members cannot attack each other: it is in fact the most fundamental rule we established, the one that guaranteed peace in our galaxies since the Assembly was established a million years ago.>

<Yeah, and it sucked: why did we agree to such a dumb rule?> Inanna comments.

<What peace? You guys have been waging wars constantly!> Noriko interjects.

<Among mortals. Those don’t count.> Ereshkigal adds.

<But it is no longer a problem of mortals, is it? I hereby formally accuse Hades, Poseidon, Ereshkigal and Hebe as having violated our laws by attacking each other.> Isis says.

<I haven’t done anything! My galaxy is the one under attack!> Hebe objects.

<Your co-ruler unleashed a thousand black holes against my realm. Destroyed my throne world.> Hades reminds her.

<She also assisted several terrorist groups trying to overthrow my realm, just like she overthrew my brother Zeus. And she killed your sister Nephthys, Isis.> Poseidon adds.

<Those black holes were in self-defense, Zeus abdicated, I destroyed two of those terrorist organizations that were trying to overthrow you… something you absolutely deserve, by the way… and I killed Nephthys after she violated your stupid laws!> Noriko defends her record.

<Null does have a point. The Assembly decided that my mother was not in violation of the laws because she attacked a mortal and not a goddess, wouldn’t this be the same?> Anubis asks, placing Noriko in the strange position of being happy to have a cyborg death god on her side.

<It is irrelevant, Null was not acting with the blessing of one of the Nine Gods at the time. We cannot allow such blatant disregards of our laws to go unpunished any longer: let us take a vote to decide if the accused are guilty. And if so, according to our laws, their galaxies shall be destroyed.>

<I vote innocent!> Hebe is quick to announce, raising her hand.

<The accused cannot participate in the vote.> Thoth informs her.

<Oh.> Hebe timidly says, lowering her hand and trying to hide her embarrassment.

<The Nine Gods shall now take decide the fate of the accused. What is your vote, Isis?>

<Guilty.> she reiterates.

<Anubis?>

<Innocent.> is the surprise answer. Noriko wonders if he has ulterior motives… after all, not a single Egyptian galaxy risks destruction.

<Marduk?>

<Guilty.>

<Inanna?>

<Just a question first. If they’re innocent, do the accused get to continue their war?>

<We would have no other way to stop them without joining the war ourselves.> Isis clarifies.

<Then why do you even ask? I’m the Goddess of War, of course I want them to fight! Innocent!>

<Two guilty votes, two innocent votes. Ra abstains. Without a majority, the motion is rejected: the charges are hereby dropped.> Thoth summarized.

<What a surprise. Who could have predicted this outcome?> Ereshkigal asks, smugly aware that everyone has realized this stalemate was engineered by her.

<So it has come to this. After a million years, four of the Nine Galaxies are now at war.> Isis comments, disappointed in the result.

<Make that five, Egyptian. You can’t have a real war without a war goddess!> Inanna corrects her.

<Your help is unnecessary, sister, but not unappreciated.> Ereshkigal nods.

<Uh? Why would I side with you? I’m joining the war to defend Hebe and her pet mortal!>

<You are???> Hebe exclaims.

<Sure! Your galaxy wouldn’t last a week against those three, and I’ve been waiting for a good war for too long to end the fun too quickly.>

<I remain neutral. That way at least one member of the Sumerian Pantheon will take no part in this insanity.> Marduk says.

<If the Greeks and Sumerians have lost their minds, the Egyptians will also stay neutral.> Isis says.

<I must disagree, aunt. Null has done no wrong, and in recognition to her assistant against the invasion of the Eden… I pledge my armies to aid her defense and destroy her enemies.> Anubis declares.

<This is great! Six galactic empires at war: this is going to kill so many people!!!> Inanna exclaims.