Beyond The Impossible

Max Black’s apartment, New York City, Earth

Max has been waking up the same way in the past month: to the sound of the alarm provided by the world’s best-selling digital assistant.

<Good morning, Max. It is 7 o’clock; the weather is…> an electronic female voice starts telling him, but he interrupts her:

<Five more minutes.> he groans, rolling in the sheets.

<You have disabled the snooze function. Would you like to enable it again? You might wish to be reminded that I was specifically asked by co-user Jane to keep it disabled.>

<I know, I know. Why did I even buy you?> Max wonders, lazily getting off the bed and staring at the metallic object resting on the nightstand; it’s the size of a lighter, emitting a blinking light whenever it talks.

<You did not buy me, Max. This A.I.D.A. unit has been purchased by Noriko Null and gifted to you for your 39th birthday. Should I proceed with reading you the news?>

<Sure, why not.> Max shrugs.

While he’s in the bathroom, A.I.D.A. proceeds to read him the news he asked her to follow: it’s a personalized feed of news about the Vanguard, upcoming shows and movies, and about crimes all over the world. The assistant times everything based on how long it’s taken him to get ready in the previous days, so by the time he’s in the kitchen he’s heard all the news.

He greets his girlfriend Jane Blake with a kiss on the neck; she’s sitting at the table, reading the hologram of a newspaper being projected by her own A.I.D.A.

<You were late last night.> she tells him.

<I was busy. A flood in Bangladesh, attempted robbery in some place I don’t remember in Australia, and a hotel fire in… I think it was in Vietnam?> Max wonders.

<It was Savannakhet, Laos. Would you like to read about it?> A.I.D.A. asks.

<No, I’m sure it went fine. Did you know about this?> Jane asks, scrolling the hologram back to the first page.

It’s a picture of a woman in Ancient Greek clothes below the title “President Devane to meet Empress Hebe in the White House”.

<No, Noriko never tells me these things. I haven’t even met the new President yet.> Max says.

<People say he’s going to ask the Empire to move the capital away from Earth… he’s not really going to do that, is he?> Jane asks, with a worried tone.

<Dunno. I haven’t paid much attention.> Max shrugs, pouring himself some coffee.

<Come on Max, seriously!?> Jane replies. They’ve been together long enough for him to realize that she’s upset at him.

<What? Since when do you care about politics?> he asks.

<I don’t know, maybe since my best friend became the most important person in the universe? We just survived an intergalactic war and you literally have a seat at the table with the people who could launch another one, Max, you really don’t have any insight?>

<Noriko will deal with it. President or not, Devane is not going to cause trouble.>

<What’s that supposed to mean? She’s not… thinking of…> Jane says, mimicking the gesture of cutting someone’s throat.

<Oh come on, you know she’d never go that far. I meant that I trust Noriko can handle this.>

<Well if she said something to the public, people wouldn’t be so on edge. Does she even know how rough things are out there? Does she talk to anybody?> Jane worries.

<Oh, I get it. You’re upset because she’s not answering your calls, right?>

<How petty do you think I am, Max? I know Noriko is busy, but I worry she’s losing touch with the common people… she told me she doesn’t automatically absorb the world’s information anymore. She needs someone to ground her; you know how she gets, focusing too much on the big picture.>

<I get what you’re saying, but she’s not…> Max tries to argue, but he’s interrupted by A.I.D.A.

<Priority message for Quantum from Lampyria.>

<Sorry, I have to take this.> Max admits; being addressed to his codename means it’s Vanguard business. Noriko’s not-so-subtle way to make sure he never misses any alert.

 

Presidential Palace, Midgard City, Antarctica

One of the underground sub-levels is supposed to be used as a training room for the Vanguard, but right now it’s Gilgamesh that is busy smashing through Nullbots with his bare hands.

<Slow down a bit with those. They cost me five million dollars apiece.> Noriko warns him; she’s keeping herself busy running on a treadmill while the news are projected in front of her eyes fifty times faster than what a regular human would be able to read.

<Is that a lot?> the Sumerian hero asks, passing his hand over his bronze-skinned forehead to check if he dropped a single drop of sweat. There isn’t any.

<It’s all relative. The Palace has a budget of 75 billion for security, if you break ten Nullbots each day it’s going to take you four years and…> Noriko tries to answer, when her attention is caught by the alarm sounded by her personal A.I.D.A.:

<Priority message for Noriko Null from Lampyria.>

<Have I told you already how I distrust this infernal machine of yours?> Gilgames asks.

<Yes you have. I was not manufactured in Hell and I am not a machine, I am an Advanced Intelligence Data Analyser.> A.I.D.A. replies.

<Don’t mind him, A.I.D.A. What’s the message?> Noriko asks, stepping off the threadmill.

<Message reads: “Lily Elosia about to die, come quickly”.>

 

Eralal, planet Lampyria

Middle Galaxy, 163,000 light-years from Earth

This world doesn’t get many visitors. Located about 500 light-years from Hell, it’s the only other populated planet in this galaxy since Noriko Null moved it here years ago.

The city of Eralal looks more densely populated than during the last time the Vanguard visited it; then again, considering the rate at which the Lampyrians reproduce, most of the people on the planet weren’t even alive back then.

Hundreds of winged, blue-skinned women flocked around the hospitals once word of the official visit spread, and all the members of the Vanguard are being escorted by guards not for their protection but to keep their more vocal supporters away from the patients.

<You sure have a lot of people around here.> Kari Zel comments, trying to break the ice, after noticing just how many doctors and nurses are bumping against each other in the hallways.

<We’re one of the few hospitals in the city specialized in dealing with the elderly; it’s not something we traditionally had to consider.> the doctor answers.

<Elderly? I thought Lampyrians could only live for ten years.> Torn comments.

The doctor stares at him as if she just caught him dancing on her mother’s grave.

<There’s no need to be rude, sir. Now, we don’t have a lot of room, so I politely ask you to go in two at a time, and try not to tire her.>

<Did I say something offensive?> Torn wonders, turning towards Vesta.

<It’s not polite to bring up lifespans. How would you feel if I reminded you that Demons only live for a few centuries?> the goddess replies.

<Why would that be upsetting if it’s true?> Torn asks back.

Quantum is not in the mood with deal with the Demon’s lack of tact, jumping in:

<I’ll go first with Noriko, if nobody minds.>

<Of course. I’ll be right here teaching these two to keep their mouths shut.> Kari reassures him.

<Now what did I do?> Vesta wonders.

Noriko ignores their argument and opens the door, leading to a private hospital room; a privilege in the current medical crisis, but that was to be expected for Lampyria’s favorite daughter.

There are three Lampyrians in the room, two of which seem basically identical save for minor differences in their haircuts. They’re standing next to the bed of the third one, who looks significantly weaker than them.

She barely resembles the Lily Elosia who used to be the Vanguard’s closest ally.

Her blue hair is fading into grey, there are bags under her eyes, and her large bat-like wings spreading to her sides have withered to the point of not being able to let her fly anymore.

<You made it! Would you mind letting me have a talk with my old friends, lovelies?> she asks the other two Lampyrians, who say goodbye to her by kissing her forehead one after the other.

Quantum looks at them as they leave, while Noriko walks up to the bed to ask:

<Your daughters?>

<Granddaughter and great-granddaughter, actually. Three months old, and she’s already decided she wants to be First Chief next year.> Lily chuckles, which leads to a coughing fit.

<Lily, how long have you been sick? If you tried calling earlier, maybe Nori could’ve come up with a cure or something.> Quantum says.

<There’s no cure and there’s no sickness, Max, I’m just old. It’s my time.>

<I could have a look at your vitals, just to be sure.> Noriko offers.

<Don’t bother. It’s all stuff most Lampyrians over 9 suffer from… ovary cancer, furcula osteoporosis, third ventricle fibrillation… there’s no cure for being old, and even if there was I wouldn’t want one. I’ve had a great life.>

<You’re not even ten years old! I thought your people…> Quantum complains.

<Lifespan is an average, Max, not a guarantee. I’m over nine years old… and when I was born, nobody in my species had lived past two. I’ve been friends with the most extraordinary people who ever lived, I’ve helped save my people and led them into a new age… you’re too young to understand, perhaps, but I’m ready to die.>

<We’re… really going to miss you, Lily. I’m sorry I couldn’t make the time to visit more often, or to help your people more.> Noriko admits.

<Stop taking responsibility for everyone, Noriko. I’ve already instructed my successor as First Chief to cooperate with the Olympian Galaxy; we’re going to need a world to terraform soon, we’re reproducing too fast for our own planet.> Lily says, stopping for another coughing fit.

<Hey, I’ve got it! You know Hebe, right? She can make Lily young again!> Quantum realizes, snapping his fingers.

<Max…> Noriko tries to stop him.

<Or Asclepius! No offense, but as the god of medicine he should know more than you right? Or heck, if everything fails we have the Tablet of Destines to…>

<Noriko, do you mind giving me a minute alone with Max?> Lily asks her.

<Of course. And Lily… I’m going to issue a formal declaration to officially make you the sixth member of the Vanguard. You might have been missing from Earth for a long time from your point of view, but you’ll always be a part of the team.> Noriko replies, trying not to show her sadness.

Once she’s gone and Max Black is left alone with his former girlfriend, he sits next to her. She was so youthful the last time he saw her… he can’t even remember how long ago it was, but in his eyes it can’t have been enough to make her look this old.

<Why do you want to die, Lily?>

<I told you Max, it’s my time. Tell me, what’s going on with you? With Noriko in the room she would only have talked business… you know how she is.>

<Nothing new. I’m still with Jane… crap, I should’ve brought her. I didn’t think it be so serious!>

<And is it serious? Between you two, I mean.>

<I think so. I don’t know. I’m still trying to figure out stuff, including this hero business. Things were so much easier when we only had one planet to deal with, now we’re tangled into galactic stuff! If even Noriko can’t figure stuff out… I’m just a dude who lucked out getting powers, Lily.>

<Coming up with solutions is Noriko’s job, Max. Yours is to keep her grounded and human; how’s that been working out?>

<Not great. Kind of hard asking her to focus on the little guy when there are whole galactic empires trying to get us killed.>

<If that was an easy job, we wouldn’t need a superhero. I might be the sixth member of the Vanguard, Max, but you’re its heart.> Lily says, taking his hand.

The two share a few moments in silence.

<Could you stay with me for a while, before we call back the others?> she pleads.

<Of course. Take all the time you need.> he replies.

<Thanks. You’ve always been my hero.> Lily adds, closing her eyes to rest.

These are the last words she will ever say to him.

Lily Elosia will die in her sleep during the night at age 9 years, 8 weeks and 4 days.