Beyond The Impossible

Babylon Galaxy, 500 million light-years from Earth

The Throne Of The Universe

For the past million years, the known universe has been ruled from this palace.

The planet it rests on is always different, destroyed at the end of every meeting and completely recreated in a different place. Usually, in a neutral location.

But that ceased to be true when the Council of The Nine Gods was dismissed, marking the beginning of the War Of The Six Empires.

After he’s done rebuilding the planet from scratch in his own galaxy, Marduk looks at the place with a certain nostalgia.

Breaking the Council was not his idea, and as he suspected the decision of his sisters to get involved in the silly wars of the Olympians backfired.

He would have been perfectly content to keep administering his own part of the universe, but now that the damage is done somebody has to do the repairs.

Marduk walks past the ten thrones at the center of the vast hall, pausing to stare at the one in the middle. It’s larger than all the others, and nobody has managed to sit on it for the past million years.

While the same name is typically used for planet or the palace, this is the literal Throne Of The Universe from which Kronos used to rule the Twelve Galaxies during his reign.

<Longing for the boot of our long-gone Emperor, Marduk?>

Ereshkigal, the Sumerian Goddess Of Death of the Irkalla Galaxy, takes her place on her own throne of skulls after arriving through a hexagram of Ichor energy.

<You have to admit, for all his flaws Kronos held the universe in order.>

<No, I won’t. You took the throne from Enki, while I was forced to suffer the indignity of being a vassal of Kronos. The one good thing Zeus ever did was dethroning him.> Ereshkigal says, with the disdain of having to praise a Greek god being evident from her tone of voice.

<These really are unprecedented times. I actually agree with a Sumerian.>

Another goddess just took her place, one of the three thrones reserved for an Egyptian.

Isis, Goddess of Magic from the Abydos Galaxy, sits on her golden throne in a perfectly practiced pose; the only indication that this isn’t a statue is the way she sneers at Ereshkigal.

<But I am surprised at seeing you here, Ereshkigal, considering how you sullied this hallowed palace with your unlawful war against Olympus.>

<I am surprised you have the courage to talk to me this way, Isis, considering you didn’t have the guts to deal with the blasphemous mortals of Olympus.> Ereshkigal shoots back.

<Ah yes, your glorious war that went so well that your only two allies lost their own kingdoms. Remind me again how your direct confrontation with Null went?>

<If it’s a direct confrontation you want, Egyptian, I’m up for it. Remember, the rules of the Nine Gods no longer apply.> Ereshkigal threatens her, with an aura of Ichor flowing from her pitch black skin. Isis does not look impressed.

<Ereshkigal, Inanna, please behave yourselves. What will the other gods think?> Marduk pleads with them, as an explosion of power heralds the arrival of another rule.

<They’ll think it’s about time! You weren’t seriously going to fight without me, right!?>

Marduk shakes his head as he takes his position on his own throne of mudstone, the most plain of them all. By contrast Inanna, Sumerian Goddess of Sex and Violence from the Uruk Galaxy, takes her place on her throne of marble decorated with scenes depicting lewd acts and battles.

She slouches on the throne, demonstrating little respect for it and showing off her pure white legs.

<You know what the problem with the Nine Gods was? We spent too much time arguing why we should not fight each other. I for one am glad Null kicked our butts into doing something!>

<My butt was not “kicked”, sister.> Ereshkigal reminds Inanna.

<Girl, if it took any more beatings, you wouldn’t be able to sit on that throne.>

<Did you call for this meeting only to disgust me, or is there a point to this reunion?> Isis sighs.

<What are you talking about? Scheming is my sister’s thing, not mine.>

<I had nothing to do with this. As the host, I assumed Marduk called the meeting.> Ereshkigal says, for once taken by surprise.

<I did no such thing. I received a request to call for a gathering of the Nine Gods.> he explains.

<By who?> Inanna asks.

<Obviously from Hebe. She’s the only former member of the Nine Gods still in power. At least those still willing to show themselves.> Isis deduces.

Her hypothesis is proven false by the appearance of something that startles even those Class-1 gods.

It’s pure sunlight, a thousand times brighter than the biggest star in the cosmos; its presence alone could even destroy the Neutral Matter foundations of the palace.

Fortunately the light coalesces into a solid form: a golden statue of a man with a falcon’s head, which appears already seated on his golden throne without moving. It’s hard to tell where the throne ends and the god starts: out of all the divinities here, he’s the least humanoid.

Ra, Sun God of the Karnak Galaxy, commands an immense presence even in this assembly.

To the point that everyone, even the usually chatty Inanna, wait to see if he’s going to say something before they make any comments. Just to avoid interrupting him.

<I’m guessing the god who has spoken a dozen words in the last eon wasn’t the one who wanted to have a meeting.> Inanna finally says.

<Ra, why is this meeting important enough for you to actually attend?> Isis asks.

Ra does not respond.

<You were right, Isis. Hebe must have called the meeting, or perhaps Null.> Marduk says.

<Almost, but not quite.>

The answer comes from a familiar voice, transmitted through a portal that has just formed.

Everyone expects to see Noriko Null emerge from it. But while the woman who does set foot in the palace has her face and her silver eyes, they immediately recognize it’s someone else.

It’s not just the longer hair, or the black uniform with the empty white circle on her chest.

There’s a malignant aura around her, which is a bit obscured by what she’s holding on a leash made of energy. A five feet tall cybernetic jackal.

<I suppose introductions are in order. I am Rei Null, Empress of the Rei Empire, absolute ruler of the Naqada Galaxy. Feel free to bow.>

Isis stands up from her throne, shouting as divine energy swells around her:

<You’re the blasphemous pretender who defaced the realm of the Egyptians! How do you dare the INDIGNITY of showing your face here!?> she accuses, ready to blast her at a moment’s notice.

The jackal growls at her, the circuity over its black fur glowing green.

<Easy, Anubis. She hasn’t realized yet who she’s talking to.>

<You enslaved one of the Nine Gods into serving as your pet?> Ereshkigal comments, intrigued.

<Kinky.> Inanna adds, aroused.

<Whatever spell you’re using to control my nephew won’t help you here, mortal. Anubis was the weakest among us. You may look like Null, but you are not her: we are not under any obligation to keep you alive.> Isis reminds her, releasing a blast powerful enough to vaporize a country.

She’s surprised to see the blast stopping in mid-air and evaporating without leaving any trace, but not as surprised as she is when she notices what caused her attack to fail.

Ra lifted a finger.

<You’re right, I am not Noriko. I am Rei. I am better, especially at getting allies.> Rei says, walking towards one of the thrones… specifically, the ebony one where Hades used to sit.

She draws out a weapon that the gods recognize resembles a Genius Gun, which she uses to blast the throne of Hades into a thousand pieces.

<Let me explain this in terms you gods will understand. All the power of the Nine Gods was shared between those nine thrones.> she reminds them.

Then she fires a second shot at the aquamarine throne of Poseidon, shattering it.

<Then came the War Of The Six Empires. And where does that leaves you?> she asks, shooting a final blast at the throne that used to belong to Anubis.

The jackal doesn’t show emotions at this act, after which Rei takes a seat on a different throne.

<Six thrones left. If the universe is still the same, this means that those left hold more power than before. The Council Of The Nine Gods is dead: it’s time to build something better from its ashes. I propose to consider the six of us as the first members of the Universal Council.> she explains.

<You’re sitting on Hebe’s throne.> Marduk points out.

<Am I?> Rei asks rhetorically, with a wicked smile on her face.

<I admire your bravado, mortal. But to ignore the power Hebe still wields, even if it’s just because she shares her position with the real Null…> Ereshkigal objects.

<Do NOT. Call her. “Real”.> Rei angrily interrupts her, her silver eyes shining in anger.

<She does have a point. There are other powers besides us in the Nine Galaxies. The Aegian Galaxy, for one.> Inanna adds, in a rare moment of seriousness: she has not forgotten the war.

<Ruled be a loose association of gods and mortals that would crumble under its own weight if it wasn’t for the support of Olympus. If you had the courage to fight Noriko, you would conquer two Galaxies at once.>

<Brave words from someone who is here asking for an alliance. If you are as bold as you seem to be, why not take on Null by yourself?> Isis asks.

<Because I’m not an idiot. Taking on Noriko is one thing, but she has powerful allies. Marduk had the right idea to isolate her from her peers, even if that didn’t go as planned. Which is to our advantage: she probably feels invincible now.>

<“Our” advantage? How presumptuous of you. Let’s assume we do forge an alliance: why would we willingly share power with a mortal?> Ereshkigal points out.

<Because you’re all too unfocused to achieve anything. You’re among the most powerful beings in the universe and you’re immortal: the concepts of urgency and of being the underdog are completely alien to you. I, on the other hand, know exactly how to start from the bottom and conquer everything. I’ve done it before, in my reality.> Rei explains.

<As you pointed out, we already rule everything except a couple of galaxies that stand little chance against us. You have nothing to offer us in exchange for an alliance.> Isis insists.

<Not exactly. Kronos was the ruler of the Twelve Galaxies, wasn’t he? It doesn’t take having the most powerful mind in existence to figure out that is more than the Nine Galaxies.>

<That’s eight galaxies now that I’ve destroyed the Hades one. But the others don’t matter: the Middle Galaxy is just Hell, and the other two are the Dark Galaxy and the Celestial Galaxy.> Inanna dismisses her.

<Why would they not matter?> Rei insists.

<The Dark Galaxy is the kingdom of Baal: there is no point in discussing a takeover. And we don’t talk about the Celestial Galaxy.> Ereshkigal says.

<LET’S.> Ra says, with a booming voice so loud that only a Survival Field allows Rei to survive having her eardrums explode.

<Ra, you can’t be serious. Only Kronos was powerful enough to conquer those realms! To even entertain such a suicidal endeavor is madness!> Isis points out.

<Here’s my proposal. Recognize me as the ruler of the Naqada Galaxy and agree to a nonaggression treaty among members of the Universal Council… and I will take care of both the Dark and Celestial Galaxies.> Rei proposes.

<You will die. This cannot work.> Ereshkigal shakes her head.

<If she dies, she dies. And Anubis will be free. I accept the proposal.> Isis reluctantly says.

<This sounds cool. I also accept.> Inanna echoes her.

<You ask us to grant you a lot of leeway just based on your word? I will only accept if Hebe and Null are accepted into the Universal Council and allowed to vote.> Marduk says.

<That is completely off the table.> Rei shoots him down.

<Then my vote is no.>

<Two in favor and two against then. Rei can’t vote for herself, Ra, so you’re the tie breaker. What’s your take on this? Do you really trust this strange mortal enough to support her cause?>

<YES.>

And with a single word, without much of its population knowing nothing of this, the universe just found itself a new ruling body.