Beyond The Impossible

Olympus, Imperial Palace

Noriko Null doesn’t particularly like coming here. Not only because it’s a reminder of how Gaea transmuted the white dwarf star into an actual planet… something she still can’t explain the logistics of… but it’s also a symbol of how she hasn’t completely eradicated the old system.

At least the palace is wildly different from how it used to be when Zeus was in charge. The old buildings made of Neutral Matter are still there, but it looks tiny when compared to the new complex built around it.

She finds Hebe in the gardens, tending to the flowers of a beautifully curated rose bush.

<I’m surprised you’re not in the throne room.> Noriko tells her.

<I never liked the place.> the Goddess of Youth admits.

<And the fact that you’re doing this by yourself. Not to be rude or anything, but I expected you’d have other people do chores.>

<Slavery is illegal throughout the Empire now. You know I never really like forcing mortals to work for me? I just did it because I was thought it was what proper deities do.>

Noriko allows herself a smile. She really needed a confirmation that her decision to back Hebe’s claim as the successor to Zeus was the right call.

<I assume this is not a social visit? It never is with you.> Hebe asks.

<Well… no, it isn’t. Sorry if I always come to you with bad news, I guess I have been taking you for granted really.>

<It’s fine, Noriko, you do all the hard work anyway.>

<I would find the ceremonial stuff you do much harder than running an Empire, but that’s besides the point. I need you help with the Nine Gods.>

<Ah. You must be in a dire situation if you expect me to make any difference.> Hebe replies, finishing tending to the bush to finally face Noriko.

<Don’t sell yourself short, Hebe. After all you are our official representative with the Nine.>

<In theory I am. In practice, they don’t even answer my calls.>

<Wait, you called the Nine? What for?> Noriko wonders.

<I called my uncle Poseidon to give him my condolences for losing a large number of subjects.>

<What are you talking about?>

<The mortals from the Atlantis Uprising that now dwell in the oceans of Olympus.>

<You called Poseidon to tell him you’re sorry we’re giving asylum to the refugees from his dictatorship!?>

<Well… not in those words…> Hebe admits, nervously hunching. She’s noticeably taller than Noriko and several thousand years older, but the mortal feels like she’s scolding a child.

<Hebe, please call me before you do stuff like that okay? Poseidon surely took offense for what must’ve felt like you boasting; he already has a grudge against us for deposing Hera, I really don’t need to give him any more reasons to hate us.>

<I’m sorry. I was just trying to do something nice.>

“And I thought Vesta was the naïve one in that family!” Noriko thinks.

<Did Poseidon cause you trouble for what I did?> the goddess asks.

<Not that I know of, although that’s probably just a ticking bomb.>

<Oh. Then what kind of help do you need from me?>

<I need to talk with Ereshkigal.>

It doesn’t take a lot of expertise on body language to see that the mention of that name quickly makes Hebe uncomfortable.

<I’m not sure it’s a wise choice, Noriko. Good things rarely happen to the mortals who get involved with the Goddess of Death. Come to think of it, that’s also true for other gods.>

<She’s creating an army of Ichor warriors and she’s already sent assassins to kill some of my citizens. I can’t let that slide.>

<I suppose you can’t, but… please reconsider, Noriko, Ereshkigal is just as powerful as my father!>

<Did you miss the memo on how I fought Gaea to a standstill?> the mortal asks, raising an eyebrow.

<Tell me you’re not seriously considering fighting Ereshkigal!>

<I hope it doesn’t come to that: I really, really don’t want the Empire having to deal with an entire pantheon. But I have to be realistic and take a potential confrontation as a possibility and formulate a plan accordingly.>

<The Nine Gods have not attacked each other since their council was founded a million years ago, why would Ereshkigal take the risk?> Hebe wonders.

<A million… what are you talking about, it’s only been four years since Nephthys literally declared war against us!>

<She declared war against my mother, who was not fully recognized by the Nine Gods as taking the place of Zeus.>

<Exactly as Ereshkigal is doing now: technically speaking you took your father’s place as one of the Nine Gods, Hebe, not me.>

<Point taken. But Noriko, please let me be the one to talk with Ereshkigal okay? You have a tendency to, well, antagonize any god that stands in your way.>

<Alright. But we should meet Ereshkigal in a neutral place. The Throne of the Universe, perhaps?>

<I can’t summon the Throne without the rest of the Nine Gods showing up. How about Hell? I hear Ereshkigal has ties with them: she’s one of the few gods allowed to set foot there.>

<But you aren’t, Hebe, and I really need you to be there in case we need to use your age-reversing powers against her.>

<I was afraid you’d say something like that. Any other ideas?>

<Well, there is one place I can think of that technically doesn’t belong to any god and wouldn’t be afraid of death itself…>

 

Themiscyra, 1 million light-years from Earth

Queen Clonie sits on the throne of the Amazons, in a position high enough to look down towards both the Mortal and the Divine Co-Empresses.

<Surely you jest.> she replies, crossing her legs.

<You wouldn’t need to do anything. Just let me use one of your palaces as neutral ground where we can talk to Ereshkigal.> Noriko asks.

<Let me see if I have this right. You want to invite a belligerent foreign goddess to my world because you are afraid she could declare war against one of your worlds?>

<Basically, yeah.>

<What guarantees do I have that she won’t attack us?>

<Your Majesty, the Amazons are not organic: as the Goddess of Death, Ereshkigal wouldn’t gain any pleasure from deactivating androids.> Hebe clarifies.

<She means gynoids.> Noriko corrects her, knowing how sensitive the Queen is over the use of the most technically correct term.

<You are already in debt towards the Amazons, Lady Null, for supporting your fight against the forces of Hera. Now you ask us to provide yet another favor without receiving anything in return?>

<It’s not like you didn’t get what you wanted: I’ve transported your planet out of the Olympian Galaxy, using the Key of Heaven.> Noriko reminds her.

<We also asked you to give us an enemy to fight, which you have not provided yet. Unless Ereshkigal is the target you want us to attack?>

<Are you mad? There is no way you could…> Hebe starts to protest, immediately interrupted by Noriko. She knows that telling the Amazons they wouldn’t stand a chance would be a mistake.

<Ereshkigal is not a worthy opponent for you, Queen Clonie. It is possible that your army might fight her forces at some day, but first I must talk to her to determine if you should declare war against her.> Noriko elaborates.

She can almost feel the android’s brain heating up slightly as her computer mind elaborates possible strategies on the subject.

<I will allow Themiscyra to serve as neutral ground for this meeting, under one condition: I will be present during this discussion.>

<As long as you make it very clear to Ereshkigal that you are not talking for the Olympian Empire.> Noriko concedes.

<And you will do the same?>

<It is the official position of the Olympian Empire that Themiscyra is a fully independent realm; I see no reason to change that.> Noriko reassures her.

 

Hell, 163,000 light-years from Earth

Doctor Catherine Kalama is grateful of the protection the house grants from the harsh environment of Hell, even though it feels like she’s in a sauna.

She followed the extremely old Maim to her private library, and she’s patiently watching her move one book to another.

<Do you need any help? I’d be glad to assist.> she offers.

<I forgot how much humans like to talk.> the old Demon woman complains.

<Indeed.> Torn agrees, giving a single nod.

<It’s just that if you need more time, we can get back to Earth and come back later.>

<I know your people are cursed with a short life, dear, but you simply must have patience. I know I put that book somewhere around here.>

<Not to be rude, but I have patients that need my attention. If you have some insight about Ichor, can’t you just tell me about it?> the doctor insists.

<My dear human, Demon culture is older than you realize. Our society goes back millions of years: over such a long period, nothing is set in stone… except for excellent bookkeeping. If one is to learn from the past, one must be patient and meticulous. Ah, here it is!> Maim exclaims, dragging a very thick book from beneath a pile of paper.

The doctor gets closer to watch it. On its leathery cover, between the scratches left by something sharp she sees what she interprets as letters from an alphabet she doesn’t recognize.

<Is that the Demon language?> she asks Torn.

<Looks like Ancient Demonic.> he replies.

<What does it say?>

<I don’t know. Nobody can read it anymore.> Torn answers, only to be hit on the head by a cane made of Blood energy.

<And you call yourself Laceration’s son! Did your mother teach you anything about history? And to think she was my most brilliant student!> Maim shouts at him.

<What’s so important about this book?> the doctor asks, not worried about Torn’s pain: from what she knows about Demon biology, he might as well be hit by a car and not feel it.

<Any historian worthy of the name would tell you this is Primordial Demonic. You’re looking at the oldest copy in circulation, completed seventy-five thousand years ago.>

<Really? I can’t believe it’s that old!> the doctor exclaims, cautiously touching the book: she can’t wrap her head around anything be so ancient.

<This is the six hundred and sixty-seventh reprint. The original dates back to nine hundred million years ago.> Maim explains.

<Please tell me you can read it.> the doctor says.

<Young human, you’re talking to the last surviving member of the Nameless Order: we are the ones who made sure history would not be lost. Of course I can read it.>

<What is it about?>

<It’s the chronicle of the Ichor Rebellion. The uprising of the Demons who denied the Blood to bond themselves to the Ichor. The combined forces of Hell were barely able to contain it; if Ichor is spreading in your Galaxy, young human… you need to be prepared for a genocide.>