Chapter 20 - Stop it

Another month came and people began to panic. All major figures in science had joined various technological departments.

Biochemical weapons, nuclear weaponry, artillery and more. Some stockpiled food and others created cults.

It became a mayhem where the army had to intervene. Reality of the situation also brought the hidden organization to the light.

Though, the inception of its existence, no one knew except a select few. A collective effort that showcased the unity of the human race in despair.

Humans never grew fond of the idea of total unification, no matter how dire the situation proved to be.

Remnants of the life religion came back to life, claiming that the vines represent the wrath of the Sea of Life.

The Hal organization began to make a mess as well. Their debut became a massacre of over a dozen well-known researchers working on nuclear weapons.

In a blink of an eye. They became the villains in the eyes of the public, as every country declared war on them.

...

Morpheus sat in his space as his sluggish body yelled for him to sleep. Although he never slept, he had to enter a sort of hibernation to sort out his memories and recover mental strength.

Instead of resting. He ran hundreds of calculations every hour to see if there existed better ways to fight against the thing.

Tests of absolute zero didn't make it through with their limited range. So, such technology never grew up.

Lasers still lacked power and nuclear bombs with suicide bombers created at most 200 MT of force.

His calculations couldn't predict the power of 200 MT of force. The changes to the atmosphere, radiation, destroyed ecosystems.

So, large yield nuclear weaponry became the last option. If the Empire fell, then he'd drop dozens of them.

Biochemical weapons showed some promise. However, the regenerative factor the thing showed gave him doubts.

...

Around the world, hundreds of researchers with black circles under their eyes worked nonstop to further the development even for a minute.

The monster kept lashing out as it threw millions of vines in the range of thousands of kilobars to breakthrough.

Nature cried, volcanoes spewed out their anger as the tornadoes used the debris of the volcanoes as weapons.

The one month didn't faze it at all. Day after day, the level of attacks grew and soon enough, some vines began to make their way from below.

At first they didn't realise. However, the volcanoes became different. Instead of spewing out lava in to the air, they began to flow at a rapid speed to the ground.

One researcher described it as Hell with Heaven working to stop God. Another new phenomenon appeared.

Bloody red lightning bolts showered the dark skies as they lit the world up. They spread into a jellyfish pattern.

Whenever one would appear. Vines perished along with it. Once they got closer to the death domain, their intensity skyrocketed.

A blinding light show that took the world's breath. Privileged artists that could see the real time development created pieces of breathtaking art straight from a legendary tale.

With the spread of art, people began to get different peaks at the reality of the situation.

In the corner of the world. The religion of life came back stronger than ever. It never stopped the others.

2 months then came and like a lightning bolt. Shocked the world. The vines managed to break into the domain of death.

The intensity of attacks lowered.

Then hell descended. Once the vines almost crossed the death domain boundary, the world saw a flash of light and lost connection with it.

High from the space, they saw an ethereal grow spanning hundreds of thousands of kilobars.

It flew up thousands of bars into the air.

The glow preserved for 10 minutes before gravity took it back. People did everything to see what happened.

Helicopters, jets and satellites concentrated on the death domain. Outside of it, before the domain, the vines refused to move for an hour after the glorious show.

When they crossed the boundary. They saw a lit orange ground filled with lakes of lava surging into the sky every few seconds.

From a quiet gray filled world, into a world of its own.

The majestic presentation equalled a small brake for the vines as they got pushed back dozens of kilobars before they began to move once again.

Battlefield returned to its original place, as many felt the boulder on their shoulders lighten.

Like a shot of adrenaline. Everyone began to work in earnest.

Ideas poured out as people speculated what that could be.

The answer came a few hours later. Uncalculable amount of magma must have hid underneath the shallow ground of the death domain as their volume exceeded anything Morpheus had imagined.

To launch such an amount of material baffled them.

Morpheus took a note of it, but as he couldn't use it, soon threw it away into the back of his mind.

If it erupted every time, the vines got close. Then, humanity might not be in such danger.

The premonition became loud gongs as they signalled the danger incoming every few hours.

At some point. It grew to such a point where he couldn't hibernate and recover energy even if he wanted to.

Third month ran in and left in a blink of an eye.

The vines once again broke through to the death domain.

World watched again as the place lit into the orange glow before receding.

At first, they cheered. Then some began to notice some problems. A glorious height of thousands of bars turned into hundreds.

Many guessed as leaders discussed measures along with Morpheus.

"We must start launching nukes ahead of time. We can not only measure the effectiveness before the real battle begins. It might prove the theory of accumulation." Said the Emperor

"Ridiculous. Our own production is measly a few dozens per month and you wish to send a large portion of that to prove some groundless theory?!" said a head senator as he rebuked him.

"Stop." Said Morpheus as he fell into deep thought. This entire time, they never tested the might of the vines.

To survive against weak tornadoes proved the weight and endurance they had. However, they got damaged by lava many times.

Nukes?

Such a temperature they might find in the core of their Sun.

Many speculated that it might exceed it a few times.

"Let's shift most of our resources into nuclear weaponry and send a few dozen rockets first. If it doesn't affect our side. Then we'll slow it down at least, buying time isn't bad." Said Morpheus after he talked with Sophós for a bit.

"Splendidly said, I agree!" The Emperor said as he soon left.

He promised to use his own stockpile. It prevented any kind of excuses from the Senators.

That faction eluded Morpheus. Perfected corruption would be the term.

They sucked the people just enough so they don't have any kind of ideas as they use most of the resources for their own benefit.

And some measly part to improve the country.

He shook his head and talked with Sophós for some time. They'd add a few of theirs and combine it with the Emperor.

The nukes had one job. To stop various breakthrough points where the vines are stronger and the defences weaker.

...

Fourth month rolled in and the nukes began to rain upon the vines. The heat alone disintegrated every piece of vines in the vicinity of a kilobar.

Effects of nukes gained the approval of many.

A step forward created 225 MT weapons.

To celebrate its conception, Morpheus and the Barford family sent one as a gift to the vine.

The shockwave swept through 5000 thousand kilobars, reaching deep into the death domain.

Anything in the vicinity of hundreds of kilobars disintegrated in moments. A thousand or so kilobars turned into a burning hell.

The shockwave rocked through the vines as it became unresponsive.

This time it lasted over 3 hours before it began to move again. It turned much more docile as it approached in a steady manner.

After 3 days of no powerful nukes, it began to pick up its pace again. Then, another one came and lit up the skies.

With the coming of the second one. It controlled its offense and any time it grew more agitated, humanity sent another one.

5th month required 12 nukes.

6th needed 9, 7th month 4, and it soon turned into a monthly cycle.

Some people returned to their daily lives believing in the nuclear prowess and the deterrent it had against the vines.

Morpheus didn't take any budget he had for the weapons, as he wished to build more powerful ones.

A total of three years came by.

The fuss turned into daily news and people grew used to it. Select few called it a conspiracy of the nobles to gain control over normal citizens.

However, even under the heavy observation. No one noticed the near invisible green flowers on the vines constantly sucking something in.

...

"Sir, the observed level of radiation near the death domain remained the same. Any problems that come with radiation don't affect us." said a researcher as she reported her findings.

"Good, let's continue with the monthly nukes. If it moves within a day, then send a second one for a good measure to see its reaction." Morpheus said, and returned to his own space.

The beating gongs no longer disturbed him. He sat down and began thinking about the beauty of science.

"Even Gods yield in its wrath." He said and giggled to himself.

So what if it denied logic and reality? Nuclear weapons solved the problems very well...