Finis Chaldea

[Bloodedge]

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The world above the world; a haven for all who earn a place among the greatest, and those who follow them. Though Finis Chaldea is comprised of numerous countries that have ascended to the sky, neighboring lands rise as well, essentially creating a realm of its own where sky vessels allow transport between countries as boats of the sea do in the world below.

Chaldea is a place of magnificence and various tiers of luxury, but its history is among the darkest in Alaya. . .

[Apollymi]

In the Age of the Gods, before heroes or the ascension of mankind... a young woman obsessed with the love of others lounged almost gracefully in an open air temple. The location of this space, was almost unknown and she rested, being fed grapes by some needy ex-lover, as she stared almost aimlessly into a ball made of crystal. Through this, she could see and interact with the world below, and those green eyes of hers sharpened as she rolled over slightly. A new man had just appeared, what a strange thing he was. Skinny though he might be, he had a bit of potential didn't he? Ah, and what was this? He was given a near impossible task by that hag of a goddess? Well, there was no need to let him walk aimlessly into his death. She looked closer to his target the Golden Fleece and saw in its shadow a small girl. She looked as if she might have been elf kind, cute but skinny. With luscious blue-violet hair. Oh well, she had no intention of blessing this girl with her form, no... she wanted her to help her new golden blonde pet. The tip of her finger, glowed a gentle pink and she touched this girl's heart through the glass. Instantly, she'd leave behind a single directive, a certain swell of feeling, a blessing for this little girl. "Love Jason selflessly always, and help him become great~" There, no one could complain she wasn't doing her fair share of the work. This girl would no longer end up locked in some temple, a vestal virgin priestess, no... she'd get to experience the fun of life and get to love a man, surely that was more than what any girl could ask for?

How many gorgeous women wandered this planet? How many got to experience her perfect figure and praised her for it? A lot, was the answer. Still there was nothing but boredom in her heart, and disinterest in her soul. Her last lover had outlived his usefulness long ago... he'd been cute and devoted but was that really enough? No, she wanted more, demanded more... she was already a goddess, without the material wealth to go along with good looks, every man would simply fall short of expectation. What of a man, who boasted muscles, and tattoos? Blonde with a strong ego and gorgeous face, where was one like that? Ah, there he was... she stared into the crystal ball only to see a shift...

[Bloodedge]

Blonde, muscular, strong ego and tattooed were descriptors of one particular male that goddess would see upon looking deeper into her crystal ball. Well, tattoos were a bit much for the time being. His flesh was without a blemish of any sort, without fault even, as if he'd been constructed by the gods themselves. Ah... he was, in a manner of speaking. To call this man a hero would be premature, but this very moment was the beginning of an era that would last for eons. A veritable shower of golden majesty descended upon a battlefield from the skies. It was composed of various tools, Artifacts of legendary quality even, and all brought down by a single man whose golden form stood as the only rival to the onslaught's splendor. Ah, but he was not the only individual sweating on this battlefield. Gilgamesh, the Wedge of Heaven set upon this world by the gods, faced the one creature those meddlesome deities thought could best him. Long, green hair billowed as an equivalent array erupted from the ground, called upon by the humanoid sculpted from the gods' clay: Enkidu. In the latter person's case, it was no assault of various weapons being used. Enkidu was neither man, woman nor otherwise identifiable by human standards. Enkidu was itself a weapon─ chains sculpted with the power to restrain those of divine origin, such as Gilgamesh himself.

For minutes, hours, even days, those weapons and chains clashed against one another. It wasn't always such a barrage. Many times, the blonde male named Gilgamesh took weapons into his own hands to clash against his opponent directly. He'd never seen such a furious opponent before. He possessed a vast, nigh-infinite treasury of weapons and Artifacts, but he'd never thought to use them as anything other than shelf-warmers. That choice was not given to him in this fight. He had to make use of his tools again and again, lest he be felled by Enkidu's next attack. The battle had been going on for so long while being so evenly matched, he'd long since started loosing tools as a troop would loose arrows upon an invading army. Strangely, the blonde man who'd long since become a king wore a wide smile on his face. He was thoroughly enjoying himself for the first time in ages. "Enkidu, was it? I'm surprised. You've got more to offer than any mongrel I've ever seen. Don't think that means you stand a chance of actually defeating me."

[Apollymi]

This goddess was indeed watching, riveted by what she saw within the depths of this crystal ball. She remembered when this young king was forged by heaven, he wasn't quite enough yet. But his attitude was in the right place, she liked a man with the attitude to place himself above others. Oh, but he was also one of those types who took everything for themselves. She flicked green hair out of her face as she watched in awe as he discarded treasure after treasure. Seeing him be so free with those... she could hardly fight against a building tightness in her loins. Too bad he was just shy of the marker right now, a rich king, who was almost perfectly her type was one thing... but where was his fame? She bedded rich, hot men all the time, took portions of their riches to grant whatever wishes they had within her power. Though this wasn't just a friendly exchange, she took from them for more and more influence, because she wished her name to be the only one sung even among the gods.

A certain one was well on his way to falling out of favor, that green haired tool, was created by a certain voiceless male god. She couldn't simply sway that one to agree with her all the time, which made it rather annoying for her to get her way. Ugh, one day they'd all be out of her way, until then... she'd watch this ongoing match, wondering if the tool created would bring this lad back into the fold. If it did, she supposed she'd have a good enough time, she could turn him into one of the denizens that served her. She could at least take most of his treasures for herself and gain the power necessary to topple the rest. And who wouldn't want a lovely goddess such as herself to be the only one worshiped? A very large amount of people actually including several of her own cohorts. In fact, a red haired young woman was looking down upon this more directly, her cheek pressed against her knuckles as she shook her head at this wasteful display. No, not the king spewing treasures, but instead, the young life meant to wrangle his.

[Bloodedge]

"I am no mongrel, but a mere tool, King Gilgamesh. Today, this tool will put a stop to you," Enkidu proclaimed in the wake of the blonde king's arrogance. In addition to weapons and chains clashing between earth and sky, there were additional weapons rising form the earth to join the clash as well. He was running out of energy by producing these weapons so repeatedly, but so too was Gilgamesh running out of treasures to throw out. Seven days had passed, and things were drawing to an eventual close─ even a standstill. "Hah! A stop to me?!" the king chanted. Sadly, he could not fully disprove the green-haired individual. He could not be stopped, no... but nor could he stop the other.

Soon enough, only one treasure remained in the king's trove. In his hand was a small, golden key-shaped sword which saw the segments around its grip rotate as he raised it to the sky. Gilgamesh's mana extended high above in the form of a red labyrinth-like pattern. The battlefield around them was a barren wasteland by now, but there would still be those who saw this crimson display of cuneiform lettering far, far away. "I will tell you of the beginning," Gilgamesh stated as those crimson arrays receded into a blinding flash, revealing the king's ultimate and unique Artifact. It could hardly be called a sword, despite possessing similar shape. Its 'blade' was more of a cylinder, shaped similarly to a drill with three segments that rotated independently. At the manifestation of this weapon, its power swelled and consumed all, nearly as if to combat against reality itself across the battlefield. Beyond Gilgamesh himself, perhaps this was the thing those gods feared─ the thing which made them send this new creation to him in the first place. "Heaven and Earth split. Nothingness congratulated creation, and my Sword of Rupture cleaved the World."

This was the moment Enkidu had been waiting for. This, in fact, was what his own Omega Skill had been constructed to deal with. As Gilgamesh readied his ultimate attack, Enkidu reached to the ground. They almost seemed frightened by this display of power... almost. "That's... not bad," they said with a smile that bordered the line between excitement and nervousness. "I will awaken the breath of the planet, for I walk with nature." Two incantations were spoken on either side of combat, and a second surge of impossible power rose from the ground. The two would speak in unison. . .

"Enuma Elish!"

Two of the same, but very different ability, were in use. One erupted from a weapon swung down, while the other was Enkidu becoming the spear tip of a massive chain. One was meant to render creation itself, and the other... was meant to bind that which opposed the gods. What would the outcome be? Sadly for the resident overseers of this world, their creation was not enough to counter Gilgamesh's growth. The two strikes collided only to cancel one another out, though the collision itself would have great effect on the land. Their fight took place in a desert, but it would end in a field of glass where the two stood in wake of an explosion... within a massive crater. As if scripted, both Gilgamesh and Enkidu fell onto their backs in unison. In the end, there was silence broken only by one thing. . .

"Fuhahahahahaha!" What a strange thing to hear. The king laughed to no end, much to the confusion of Enkidu. But then... Enkidu came to understand said laughter's purpose. They had battled one another with everything they had, only for there to be no victor in the end. What would come of Enkidu, then? "Ahahahaha! Hahaha!" Yes, it would be both of them who fell into a long fit of hysteria at what befell them this day. Fated rivals, it seemed, would not be as such for very long.

[Apollymi]

One of the women watching this, rolled onto her side with a large pout spanning her face. What was the point of all that build up if no one died at the end? It was almost more annoying than anything else... a strong king like Gilgamesh being bested by a tool? Well, she supposed he wasn't entirely bested, but at this point, a tie was tantamount to defeat. What was even the point if he couldn't keep something as simple as a tool from stepping out of line? A huff escaped her as she rolled over. "That's too boring. Maybe later he'll be worth something more..." she said frowning. Perhaps it was a better showing than originally speculated. If he didn't fall immediately to something that was supposed to be capable of wrangling the divine, then perhaps he could still be used as a tool to destroy the others... A wait and see approach would be necessary. And if nothing else, maybe if he properly got rid of any of the other gods, she'd be kind enough to allow him to sample her a bit as well, and give him the pleasure of handing over all of his treasury to her. Yes, that seemed like a good enough reward for his efforts.

At the same time, a different goddess found herself less bored by the outcome. "I told them so..." she said with a gentle shake of her head. Gilgamesh the errant king was one of her lesser concerns. Yes, he was powerful and yes he was mighty, but how a child chose to flex their power was the least of her concerns. He wasn't completely incompetent and therefore should have been left to rule. They didn't need him to hold their standings with the other mortals, and it definitely wasn't going to do them any favors to not have this outcome turn out the way they wished. Trying to force any young individual into an old way of thinking would almost always be met by blatant rebellion. Maybe they'd learn... more than likely they'd die or lose power long before they learned, but it was at least still a possibility. In her own mighty opinion, there was someone else way more deserving of the gods scrutiny and she walked among them. At the very least, there was one pleasantry the red haired goddess took out of this situation, and that was, the budding friendship between the lonely ruler and this created tool of theirs. If nothing else, she didn't really abide by the kinds of personalities that came from being alone at the top for too long... a balancing aspect was indeed necessary, and the one known as Enkidu could at least be considered that.

Ah, but those opinions were godly ones. Divine in nature and one of them lacking quite a bit of context. The human element of this situation was determined by a certain young lady. With golden eyes and flowing green locks. She was beautiful this much went without saying, but there was a certain intelligence showing in those eyes of hers. As she looked upon this moments clash her eyes were wide and appreciative. She'd watched this battle between weapon and king and found it awe inspiring. “I felt as if the World was born seven times, and destroyed seven times...” she almost whispered even amongst their laughter. How could they laugh after doing so much? Well, it was simply the truth of them as individuals.

[Bloodedge]

By the time their laughing came to a halt, the two combatants were oddly at peace with one another. Never had either of them experienced such a thrill as this battle, and the same could be said of the world as a single woman (remarkably similar in appearance to Enkidu) observed the battle. Her words were a whisper, but Enkidu's golden gaze shifted toward her location just after they were spoken. The smile on their face potentially had two purposes. Whatever the case, one would soon witness the union of the two fighters in a showing of... a friendly exchange? Yes, King Gilgamesh and the Chain of Heaven would go on to forge a friendship to transcend all time that day, after simultaneously realizing neither could best the other without both of their deaths. And so, the world saw what was perhaps its first ever friendship based solely on a sense of equality.

Where would that friendship lead? Many laughs, many adventures, many battles, and many bonding experiences occurred between those two over the years. Eventually, the king and his then-treasured friend were constantly at each other's side. Enkidu had accepted Gilgamesh as king of the known world, pledging fidelity and receiving the blessing of Gilgamesh's own mother in this world to become the king's faithful companion. In time, the pair were on a constant hunt for a worthy adventure to undertake together. Enkidu eventually heard the tale of a fearsome monster, Huwawa, appointed by the gods themselves to guard the Cedar Forest─ a place forbidden to mortals. Well, luckily for them, they were not quite mortal. A visit to the armorer and weapon smith of Uruk proceeded a trip to the Cedar Forest, where they would seek their timeless fame and a journey to be sung of by bards for ages to come. Little did the pair know, more would come of this than simple renown. . .

[Apollymi]

Under constant watch both heavenly and otherwise, the friendship of Gilgamesh and Enkidu flourished. How strange was a friendship born and battle and how much did it influence them? Well, only under pressure were precious jewels formed. And in this case, the jewel itself was a friendship that would bring about something entirely new. She'd watch most interestedly as the pair approached the Cedar Forest. She'd warned those who'd decided on its sacred nature that marking it out of bounds and putting a large guard in front of it, would all but guarantee trespass, but what did she know? The Goddess of Wisdom was obviously misinformed.

At the same time a certain green eye goddess was watching something else entirely different develop. Young blonde boys across the lands found favor in the form of women and riches, and young women grew into the most shapely figures the world would know. And all around her praises were sung. Did she care about the things she gave? No... they didn't matter, what mattered was all the attention she received. None could ever claim to be on her level and no one could ever take this from her. She laid around unamused bestowing gifts, all so she could hear the praises of the world. Who cared about someone entering a forest? It was only wood, that hardly had any real weight as far as she was concerned.

[Bloodedge]

Within the Cedar Forest of legend, the companions of Uruk sought their bounty. The guardian was nowhere to be seen initially. Wasn't he supposed to be some sort of hulking beast? Well, surely the two could draw him out by making clear the fact that the forest upon this mountain had intruders! What better way to do this than to topple and strip the trees, making all the ruckus of a tantruming child by an otherwise silent hearth? Yes, that did the trick! In actuality, the creature they sought could hear the rustle within this forest from a hundred leagues away, but it was simply... observing. When the trees were disturbed, a greater noise than falling trunks resonated from the mountaintop. It was Huwawa. Its roar was a flood cascading over the mountain, filling the forest. When a great shadow of a beast rose, one could see within its open maw. Its mouth was death, and its breath was fire. One could hardly describe its visage, but it was undoubtedly the terror of humankind as Gilgamesh was told.

Apparently, Enkidu had once been associated with this hulking beast, during their time in the wild. Upon that massive cranium was a circlet of flowers, once constructed by the younger Enkidu... It would soon be one of blood by the hands of its killers. This quest was for fame, for eternal glory in this world. There was no combat against this beast. Instead, there was an exchange of lies. Huwawa possessed multiple 'terrors' that made it a danger to humanity, so Gilgamesh thought to offer a suitable exchange for them. He offered an elder sister to be a wife, a younger sister to be a concubine, a water-skin of cool water, and some other objects. For Huwawa, created to be the 'perfect human' by foolish gods who thought evolution was necessary in the species, these things were of interest. Ah, but Gilgamesh did not truly have an elder sister. He had no younger sister. Any water-skin in his possession was his to drink from, just as the face of Huwawa leaning toward him to lend an ear would be his to strike with a mighty fist. These two came along with other men from the city of Uruk, who took this time to strip cedar from the forest and roll it downhill. These woods would not be exclusive to this forest; the gods needed nothing else kept from mankind. Just the same though, would this terror not wreak havoc on mortals after being robbed of the thing it guarded? Surely it would, but that would not be allowed. Reeling from Gilgamesh's initial strike powered by incredible mana, Huwawa was quickly reduced to a nonexistent problem by the blade of Enkidu rending its head from its body.

And so, humans would inherit cedar wood starting with Uruk, and Gilgamesh would be hailed as humanity's first hero for besting the creature they most feared. Both he and Enkidu returned to Uruk, victorious as they enjoyed the finest banquet this world had to offer. Finally, a Hero had been born. . .

[Apollymi]

Ah, the deed was being done. The humans feared this creature the gods had created, but the goddess of wisdom herself, despised its existence. That creature was a far cry from human and the fact that the others approved of it, spoke plenty about them. How many times would they have to see the fruits of their labors rot, before the changed their method of thinking? Or at the very least listen to the person who was always right? Well, she supposed that was asking a great deal too much, when half the council was distracted there was hardly anything to be done about the world itself. But... that wasn't going to be the case for much longer. A new title had appeared in this world and with it came the knowledge of what that thing was... a Hero. How strange... a title applied to all who faced the terror the world presented and slayed it in the name of humanity. Gilgamesh became something great, and it'd happened without their direct influence... maybe this time, there was enough information for him to be left alone? Maybe this time no additional suffering would be deemed necessary? She could hope right?

No. No she couldn't. Right at this moment, the opportunistic green eyed goddess was watching with glee as a man ascended. He was becoming something all together new, something she now decided she needed. A hero?! What even was that? It was something original to the blonde haired man and thus something she wished to be connected to. She'd thought he wouldn't necessarily have the makings to be her husband or consort, but now... she was sure he could be. Maybe she would go to him? Give him a chance to present himself properly? Maybe she'd take a moment or two herself and make sure she was still her undeniably gorgeous self. Maybe just maybe... she'd found her real ticket up in the world.

[Bloodedge]

What was the green-haired goddess viewing at the time of her decision? The Hero Gilgamesh had returned to Uruk, ordered the fashioning of a new city gate using the acquired cedar, and washed the filth from his body. Huwawa's blood stained his weapons, so he cleaned them. A clean robe and cloak were required to suit his kingly visage with this new title of Hero, so he took some time perusing his garbs. Only the most luxurious of garments would do. Naturally, he littered his body with jewelry of gold and lapis lazuli, adorning his neck, wrists, ears and so-on. He tied back his hair and placed a crown atop his head before taking his throne. His appearance, his demeanor, his very aura were all the epitome of the word splendid. Moreover, he was on top of the world.

What of Enkidu? Well, the banquet was over. The pair had enjoyed their meal of victory, with the victory itself fresh in their minds and fresh on their clothes. As such, Enkidu was off enjoying their time elsewhere in the Citadel of Uruk. Perhaps they were indulging, while King Gilgamesh merely basked in his own glory. The blonde male was on top of the world, both physically and metaphorically. What could go wrong now? The way he saw it, nothing at all. Everything was simply... perfect, as if he'd been back in his original world and being named the #1 player on Earth all over again.

[Apollymi]

What could go wrong? Well, one thing? The descent of a certain green-eyed goddess. Her form was admittedly quite magnificent, the mounds of her chest spilled over, and her shape was divine. Waist-length green hair and a golden crown atop her head were about the highlights of her non-physical attributes. She was beautiful and none could deny this as far as her physicality was concerned, but for every mark in the positive space of her attractiveness, she lost five in intelligence, both emotional and educational. How much proof did we need of this? None really, she was about to speak. And though her tone and cadence were soothing and melodious the words she spoke were... "Gilgamesh, I, Ishtar, glorious goddess have seen the greatness you've become and I will give you the honor of becoming my husband. You could have me as your beloved and give me all your riches... It will be your greatest pleasure in life to give to me! And I will see you reach heights second only to me~" she announced as if this was the best possible thing that could happen to any man.

At the same time that crimson haired woman laughed aloud within her own temple. "If, by some lack of logic he takes such a deal... I am done. This world can obviously live without any wisdom, if that is the kind of deal accepted by the king at the top of the world," she scoffed crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back in her chair. Such an offer was selfish at base, and the woman was not exactly known to be faithful or kind to her lovers at all. Surely, anyone with anything resembling sense could see this. She'd given that man all the things he needed to attain wisdom, so... all the faith she had in humanity, rested on this man's shoulders.

[Bloodedge]

Oh, what was this? Was there someone else coming to congratulate the first Hero of this world for his grand conquest? No, that was not the case at all. His visitor was none other than Ishtar, this world's goddess of love, beauty, and so-on. she was the patron goddess of his own city, and one of the most widely-heralded deities in creation. While he was very much against the gods, he still walked the mortal plane, and would thus be expected to participate in customs such as deity worship. Besides, Ishtar was an appealing thing to behold. Perhaps that had to do with his natural preferences, or perhaps it was the influence of her divine authority affecting even him? Well, the answer didn't matter.

Now then, what exactly did she want? She had seen his greatness. Of course, he was officially the greatest man to walk this planet. None could have orchestrated that plan as he did, as even he couldn't have done it completely alone within Huwawa's marked territory blessed by the gods. She would allow him the honor of becoming her husband? To give her his riches? To reach great heights, second only to her? Such useless dribble spewed before his own throne could be met with nothing but a glare, even as the king appraised the goddess' form. After a few moments of silence and the deepest inhale, Gilgamesh opened his mouth and answered 'glorious' Ishtar.

"If I take you in marriage, what gifts can I give in return? What ointments and clothing for your body? I would gladly give you bread and all sorts of food fit for a god. I would give you wine to drink fit for a queen. I would pour out barley to stuff your granary..." His words trailed on, seeming almost as if Gilgamesh thought himself unfit to wed the goddess. He thought no such thing. The gods gave birth to him in this world, but he was so far beyond them. They were corrupt at their core, becoming worse over time. Mankind ill needed their interventions, or even their influence─ and no man deserved what he knew Ishtar to do with her lovers. "But as for making you my wife─ that I will not. How would it go with me? Your lovers have found you like a brazier which smolders in the cold, a backdoor which keeps out neither squall of wind nor storm, a castle which crushes the garrison, pitch that blackens the bearer, a water-skin that chafes the carrier, a stone which falls from the parapet, a battering-ram turned back from the enemy, a sandal that trips the wearer."

Crimson eyes that had no place in mortal skulls were lidded shut as he spoke. The king sighed. He was long-winded already, but not nearly done. What more was there to say about Ishtar's escapades in the thing she called 'love'? Much, much more. "Which of your lovers did you ever love forever? What shepherd of yours has pleased you for all time?" he asked, all in rhetoric. "Listen to me while I tell the tale of your lovers. There was Tammuz, the lover of your youth. For him you decreed wailing, year after year. You loved the many-colored roller, but still you struck and broke his wing; now in the grove he sits and cries, 'kappi, kappi, my wing, my wing.' You have loved the lion tremendous in strength: seven pits you dug for him, and seven. You have loved the stallion magnificent in battle, and for him you decreed whip and spur and a thong, to gallop seven leagues by force and to muddy the water before he drinks; and for his mother Silili lamentations. You have loved the shepherd of the flock; he made meal-cake for you day after day, he killed kids for your sake. You struck and turned him into a wolf; now his own herd-boys chase him away, his own hounds worry his flanks. And did you not love Ishullanu, the gardener of your father's palm-grove? He brought you baskets filled with dates without end; every day he loaded your table. Then you turned your eyes on him and said, 'Dearest Ishullanu, come here to me, let us enjoy your manhood, come forward and take me, I am yours.' Ishallu answered, 'What are you asking from me? My mother has baked and I have eaten; why should I come to such as you for food that is tainted and rotten? For when was a screen of rushes sufficient protection from frosts?' But when you had heard his answer, you struck him. He was changed to a blind mole deep in the earth, one whose desire is always beyond his reach."

One clause remained─ just one. After all his rambling, Gilgamesh opened those piercing optics of his, offering a single curiosity. "And if you and I should be lovers, should not I be served in the same fashion as all these others whom you loved once?"

[Apollymi]

Disappointment. That is what shined in the eyes of the red haired goddess, as Gilgamesh began speaking. She could only shake her head and watch in horror as he talked like one of those who followed that empty-headed goddess around like puppies. Oh the last hope of the world had fallen on the shoulders of one who could not resist the physical wiles of the goddess Ishtar.

Excitement. At the same time those first words were spoken, the green-eyed goddess herself looking nothing but superior. Her nose turned up in the air as her ego inflated to a size it couldn't have possibly been before. The first Hero of the world acknowledged her splendor. He alone was fit enough to possess her... and he would provide all that she needed for a life of true comfort. She would indulge, use his wealth and his body and have the life she always wanted to live. No other gods to stand in her way, no other person to get between her and what she wanted. No criticism no flaky behavior just a man who suited all of her needs and could give her happiness, physically, materially, and emotionally.

While ego inflation and mental victory played in the mind of one goddess. Disappointment, and nigh hysterically bereavement played across another. How on this great planet had the one who could have been everything fallen into the trap of a bimbo with no morals. And then... everything changed. Gilgamesh began speaking and those two faces, switched. Instead of the goddess Ishtar showing a face of glory and happiness nothing but rage and sadness filled her. And for that crimson haired goddess, that disappointment swelled to near parental levels of approval. There was pride and happiness alight in her red eyes and she laughed. It was joyous and perfect. Nothing could have been better. Nothing could have prepared the goddess of Wisdom to see the crest fallen Ishtar, finally meet a man who did not want her. Glorious was this moment. "Tehe....hehe...Ha. Ha. Hahahahahahaha!~" magnificent. All was well, all could be good, in a sea of millions a single clever man saw through her completely. At the same time, Ishtar heard the thoughts of Gilgamesh and couldn't fathom an answer to his query. Instead her face went bright red with rage and humiliation. How dare he bring up all others while she made an offer to him?! Surely he couldn't make such a decision based on the past alone! He couldn't be allowed to think he could turn down a goddess such as herself. Not ever! An angry huff left this woman as she turned heel, disappearing from the sight of Gilgamesh without even trying to formulate an answer to his question. Her wailing cries could be heard by all as she approached, her heavenly father. She did this with all of the energy of a tantrum throwing toddler, told no to a new toy...

[Bloodedge]

The long speech of telling Ishtar essentially her own backstory was over, and on the table was a question for the goddess. Wouldn't he be left to suffer the same fate as those others? Would he not be spurned and cursed the moment he proved disagreeable, as all the others had been? What of the moment she took and took until he had nothing left, leaving him worthless and penniless in the desolation of his own choices? He would take no part in it. Gilgamesh had entered this world and done everything in his power to set himself up for greatness. Now that he'd reached the threshold of legends and stepped through the doorframe, neither goddess nor harlot could stand before him and threaten his new legacy. Damned be the fact that Ishtar's form screamed an invitation to his loins. He had access to every woman in Uruk─ nay, every woman he locked eyes with! Her body was perfection incarnate, but there would be others. One day... there would be one who did not seek the treasures he amassed, nor the glory of being by his side. If he was lucky enough, that same woman would have one such physique. As Ishtar stormed off without bothering to answer his question, the king wondered if he would eventually be gifted another prophetic dream from the world, this time involving his newfound curiosity. Oh well. He had more than he ever needed in terms of companionship since Enkidu's appearance, so none of that really mattered anyway.

Where had Ishtar gone, though? That was not for Gilgamesh to know, but it was for all of Celestia to hear. Of course, there was one god these cries were meant for; it was always the same man in the end. Middle-aged in appearance, golden locks swept back onto his neck, a perfectly-maintained beard, and garb of white, crimson and gold with lapis lazuli gems adorning him. Presently, he took the name of Anu, but he would always take the role of some fatherly figure among this world's deities. He would at times answer to Zeus, Odin, even God despite the fact that such a name could not be applied to him properly for reasons he did not understand. Ah, but there was one word or title that always registered in his case: the Father. Surely that would be what he was expecting, hearing that familiar voice wailing its way across their divine realm toward his heavenly throne.

[Apollymi]

Ishtar's life work had been turned against her... and where did she go... straight to the blonde man with his well-groomed facial hair. Tears in her eyes she stomped angrily before his throne, wanting punishments to be passed upon the 'Hero' Gilgamesh for his slight against her. How dare he actually turn her down by pointing out all the things she'd done before. Whatever, now was the time, she'd put on her most pouty face and let her tears remain, she'd cry a the foot of her father's throne until she got her way, as she always did. "FATHER!! Gilgamesh said horrible things about me, he brought up all the things I did before and he won't agree to be my husband. He... he...he slandered me!" yes, that was the right word. She remembered that one. "He disrespected a goddess, you have to give me Gugalanna so I can punish him and all those other people he has laughing at me!" she demanded petulantly. Surely, this man wouldn't let a slight against the gods go... surely there was no way he'd let the recently crowned hero Gilgamesh get away with two slights against divinity in a single day.

Ah, but they wouldn't be alone in this throne room for very long. With the wails of Ishtar, carrying far and wide across this plane, other goddesses were drawn in as well. The Mother, as she was called, sat, eyes covered in almost nun-like clothing at the blonde man's side. She'd seen a great many things but maybe this was the wrong way to go about this. Before that woman had to throw herself to the green haired girl's line of sight, that red haired goddess, known colloquially as the Crone sat down next to her and scoffed heartily, still bemused by the goings on, "It's not slander if he's telling the truth. You're a goddess, if you can't avenge your own assumed slights, do you even deserve to call yourself such?" Was the question posed by the red haired woman. The blonde at her side could only nod her agreement this point stuck. To give a creature like the Bull of Heaven to punish a man for telling the truth was not at all in keeping with any teachings a good mother could have. Wailing children had to learn to comfort themselves at some point in life.

[Bloodedge]

Of all the reasons Ishtar could be approaching him this day, she chose to whine about being rejected by one who stood among mortals. The one called Gilgamesh was more divine than mortal, but for what purpose did she think his attention worthwhile? She didn't have to come bawling back to Celestia just to whine about some partial human shirking her affections. Slander, though... perhaps he was missing something? Whether he was or wasn't missing a fact or two, the request of the Bull of Heaven was a ridiculous one. He rather fancied that divine beast; it was far too much to waste on some trifle matter. Alas, the Father seldom denied a request from his fellow deities─ particularly those like Ishtar, who brought them great worship.

Two naysayers rose in response to Ishtar's demands. At the same time, an orange-haired deity arrived to take Ishtar's side in the matter. Seeing Gilgamesh brought to ruin would be a boon to them all─ himself especially. "That's a little extreme, Metis. King Gilgamesh has power that places him among our ranks, and both the attitude and potential to do so. I would suggest a bit of maintenance at minimum, especially after he managed to befriend the chains we built for him," the man spoke. One other male was present, his hair similar in color to that of Ishtar, Enkidu, and a particular Sacred Prostitute. This male came not by any conventional means, but by emerging from vines which erupted through the floor. He had nothing to say, but every inclination to observe the goings-on. While words were shared between deities, Anu seemed to be deep in thought. His comrades were essentially at conference now, so perhaps this was a matter for the majority vote. . .

[Apollymi]

Apparently, the woman known currently as Metis was being extreme. She turned those glowing crimson eyes to the man who'd chosen once again to question wisdom. There was nothing but ire in her countenance. This one would never learn, his whole world would crumble and he'd lose all, long before he realized that he was better off thinking with the head on his shoulders, instead of the one which dangled between his legs. "Is that so, Enki? If it's only maintenance then why don't you lower yourself to the world and impress the goddess Ishtar by defending her honor in glorious combat? Why waste a divine creature to terrorize both innocents and the two people who can kill it? Or have you forgotten just earlier today he slayed another creature created by this plane? I'm sure you did, considering all logical thought leaves your head as soon as those mounds on her chest appear within your line of sight." Oh, yes there was full conversational rudeness. Wisdom was beyond tired of watching this group discuss the comings and goings of this wayward child. If any one of them told her no and it stuck, it would be different, but with at least two men willing to appease her for various reasons, and another one willing to abstain for his own purpose, the annoyance that was this 'goddess' would only continue to float around this realm until she managed to bring it to the ground with her. This was the most likely outcome of all of this, it always had been, and Metis had been warning of it sense the beginning. But only those completely immune to Ishtar's wiles would ever really listen.

A young girl soon entered her seat in the council room as well. Taking her seat beside Metis. Her body emerged in shadow but she pushed back her hood revealing light pink hair and a small crown in obsidian with empty gems. Her face seemed to show no real deference one way or another. She couldn't help but think this situation was one which would end badly regardless of what way it turned out. Ishtar was more furious now when she'd first shown up. How dare they not give her what she wanted immediately, she was here now, and better than all of them, they should hand her whatever she needed to get what she wanted. "If you don't give me what I want. I'll tear down the gates of hell. There won't be a difference between who dies and who lives, and you'll be the ones to blame for it because you could have just done what I wanted!" she exclaimed. How very unreasonable. Metis looked at this woman and scoffed and her words immediately made an enemy of the pink haired girl who'd just shown up. One didn't get to claim her domain as any part of a threat, and now there were three against this notion.

[Bloodedge]

The ire of their resident wisdom goddess was not something which concerned the one called Enki. They were not so different in capacity by their very design, so as far as he was concerned, she had no place to address him in such a way. "You are the wise one, no? What good would it do one of us to face him directly? Any of us would hardly fare better than Huwawa or Gugalanna. If we were to rid ourselves of him, the only way to do so would be to abuse the mortal side and exhaust his stamina first. If we accomplish that, I will gladly be the first to descend for the sake of us all," the orange-haired god explained. Gilgamish was far too great a threat for single combat, especially with the Chain of Heaven in tow. If his options were limited, however, one such as Enki would be dispatched without hesitation. Such was his way for the sake of all gods and their livelihoods, irrespective of the fact that he enjoyed the idea of Ishtar's favor.

Three seemed against the use of Gugalanna, while only two stood in favor. The silent Enlil was hardly one to contribute; he always stuck to his creations, trees, and so on. This should have been an easy choice. Anu could have simply said no, but Ishtar had a certain mood she tended to resort to at the worst times. She claimed she would tear open the gates of hell and let the dead intermingle with the living if she was not given the Bull of Heaven. Given her usual anger-induced reactions, such a thing was well within her will and power alike. What then, could he do? Discord between the group could never be avoided, but he had to keep them from physical conflict with one another for the good of all. Well... if nothing else, he supposed he could ensure the wellbeing of remaining humans. "If I do what you desire, there will be seven years of drought throughout Uruk, when corn will be seedless husks," he stated. As the patron goddess of Uruk, Ishtar was the one responsible for its fruitful harvests as well. Anu would not see the people suffer her ire as an afterthought. "Have you saved grain enough for the people, and grass for the cattle?"

[Apollymi]

The one called Enki brought up the point that none of them would fare very well against the one called Gilgamesh. His answer to the question presented was simply that they would have to wear down the stamina of him to be able to be rid of him, and that he would easily take that up if it was possible. Ah, but he really didn't get it. Maybe he didn't remember what the goddess of wisdom had been preaching since the time of Gilgamesh's conception. "It would do nothing, as we should do. We are gods, meddling in the affairs of mortals or other gods shouldn't be something we do. Every time we do so, we take one step closer to our almost inevitable end. Instead of making the decision to bother him constantly, we could have left him to his works, all we have ever done is push him further away from his divinity. And it was always something easily avoided," she said with an eye roll. "Or you know, remember that I mentioned trying to force would do nothing but drive him away. And look at him... doing exactly that. Leave him be, let her wallow in her failure that she might actually learn some form of decency. A man saying no to her, isn't the worse thing that could ever happen to her. Or continue to feed that ego of hers, until her head sinks the all of us by virtue of association, the choice as always is yours, but it'll be on your head," she said in an offhanded manner. She knew that the likeliest scenario would be this whiny wench who called herself a goddess, getting her way from yet another enabling man, but... to try an be the voice of reason was her highest priority. She never truly understood what made men go so stupid in the brain, they'd likely blame anything else when they had nothing to show for their efforts. It was kind of sad to see such unmotivated people in such high positions of power. This was actually quite disgusting. Aside from the Mother, and Stranger, there were hardly any reliable voices of reason. Even Enlil was only as useful as his own mind allowed him to be.

It was about time, someone put that hag goddess in her place. Who cared, about learning lessons and all of that nonsense. She was here to get revenge for the audacity that was shown her today. Good on Enki, trying to win her favor by sticking up for her. No matter what Metis mind would never change, she saw nothing about Ishtar as remotely redeemable. If this was a council of all women there would have been no ground she had to stand on. But it wasn't. There were always three men present which meant she only had to convince the few and use her own vote to throw it the way she wanted. Ah, but what was this, she was asked about taking care of the people, if Anu did what was asked of him? Ah, well it was all but assured she'd get her way. Seven years of providing for the land of Uruk post the rampage of Gugalanna? Yes. "I have enough grain and food for all those remaining. Seven years hardly matters, I want my vengeance give me Gugalanna so I can take it now!" she claimed. Yes, she'd take care of the people if it would allow her to show her rage to Gilgamesh. The Crone sat and sighed. This kind of thing happened repeatedly, and it didn't even take her vast knowledge to understand the outcome. "Ah, and here it comes. Giving her the freedom to rampage over the mortal realm once more... to do nothing but cause more division between us and what is supposed to be our key. Tell me, in less than a year's time, when she's complaining about not having enough to stuff her face, do you plan to feed her then too? What about when this doesn't go to plan and she comes back to beg more? Will you give that to her too? Are you so blind to the consequences of indulging this brat that you can't fathom the harm her actions do to us all?" Those would be her last words this day. It didn't matter that she would get to eventually say 'I told you so' so much would be lost before then, all because no one could see her for what she was. Or maybe they could... and they were fine with the outcome?

[Bloodedge]

For gods to avoid meddling in the affairs of mortals made no sense. What was the point of being gods if they did not lord over the mortal races? Those lesser existences needed guidance, and they were the ones to offer it in exchange for nothing but worship. "With an attitude like his? How long do you think he will be satisfied with being a Hero? As soon as a few more appear, that childish man will aim for the next step higher. Where does that put him? Oh. Targeting us with no provocation. Best let him lose that divinity we granted him now. Maybe then he won't be able to manage anything, if he's allowed to live that long," said Enki. If nothing else, he hated that loud-mouthed king. He'd be the end of their age one way or another, so it only made sense to nip the weed at its bud before it grew all the way to Celestia.

Anu didn't see much choice in the matter. To prevent strife between his fellow gods escalating, and to prevent the eventual fall of the humans who sustained them all, he had to grant Ishtar this moment of vengeance. A wave of his hand produced a pair of lapis lazuli bull horns set in a golden halter. Seven years of famine would befall the mortal world soon, but Anu trusted his companions to keep their word. The choice was not an easy one; it had to be made to the best of his ability regardless. "Calm yourself, Metis. We will not war amongst ourselves as the mortals do. Whatever the cost, that must always be avoided," he declared. With that, eyes of green were opened by the ever-meditative Enlil, speaking words of their own to his state of understanding. Did anyone hear them? Most typically didn't, but this time, he had something audible to say. "With all action, there is consequence, dear Wisdom. The remuneration of our every choice will be deserved as it is earned."

[Apollymi]

The claims of Enki about the attitude of Gilgamesh were not necessarily unfounded. He was abrasive by his own nature, but not so childish as Enki thought. In fact, Metis could almost guarantee that if he grew bored of his current level of conquest the only god in any real danger was Anu himself. Besides all of that, King Gilgamesh was just and put in place by them, if they didn't trust in their own work why did they even bother? It was a circular argument every time it came up, a simple shake of her head would occur. There was no point in constantly explaining the same point. No, instead she would do as she always ended up doing, she'd wait... and be proven right.

Metis was told to calm herself even as the golden halter and lapis lazuli horns were produced. He really intended to grant this goddess, the means to take her vengeance because someone brought up actual truthful facts about her, when she tried to seduce them? What sort of lesson did this teach anyone involved? What was to be learned from this situation? Nothing. A scoff left Metis, there was a burning anger in her one which cried to be unleashed. Anu was so concerned about actions taking place between the gods, he hadn't even stopped to consider how one like Gilgamesh would take this constant interference. While she though through all the possibilities, a single conclusion was reached. The Bull of Heaven would die this day and once again this council would meet. And when it did, a decision would be made by her. Strangely, the words that met Metis' ear weren't from any of the others, instead, Enlil spoke and his words were hauntingly cryptic but... Metis was wisdom incarnate, she understood his stance now. She wondered if he truly thought the fall of the gods was the right thing to do? Maybe, there would be a greater reason for it later, but whatever the case, Ishtar's eyes were sparkling.

The Bull of Heaven was hers this day, and she'd use it to rain terror down on Uruk. Yes, she'd have to feed the people afterwards, but she'd trample that idiot Gilgamesh for speaking badly of her. And maybe, if he groveled and begged forgiveness, she'd give him the chance to make it up to her. She'd take that thing from Anu and head herself back down to the world to release this bull upon Uruk. She'd stand atop the walls of the great city as she brought down this mountain sized beast. The bull would take a breath. A large crack opened up in the ground, swallowing up a hundred men... killing and stirring up panic. Another snort opened up two cracks tearing aside the land once more, two hundred would die as a result. None would be safe from her wrath this day. Her cackling laughter would be heard throughout Uruk as chaos ensued.

[Bloodedge]

And so, a great terror befell Uruk and the world as a whole. The Bull of Heaven's steps were a thing to fear. Its breath alone severed the earth, sending hundreds of innocent citizens careening to their deaths on the world below. Uruk and other segments of the surrounding Chaldea were falling apart piece by piece, and the creature had only just been loosed. Naturally, these tremors reached the likes of Gilgamesh and Enkidu, the former of whom rose from his throne with a grimace. As for the latter, Enkidu... Well, they were still celebrating their victory over Huwawa. While no more than a genderless tool of the gods, now of Gilgamesh, Enkidu preferred identifying as male. As the ultimate tier of shapeshifter, they had such ability to produce whatever genitals they preferred, or... whatever their partner preferred in this case. In the midst of ecstasy and the wake of that second destructive snort, Enkidu pushed upward, gazing down into eyes that matched their own. Sweat was wiped from the brow as it continued glistening across their perfect androgynous form. "Forgive me. My dear brother, I fear, may be in need of his weapon," Enkidu spoke through a series of pants. "I will return to further bask in victory with you soon. Wait for me."

What a terrible time for an assault on Uruk, and for what purpose? None that Enkidu knew. Nevertheless, they happened to be much closer to the walls of Uruk than King Gilgamesh, becoming the first to face off against that mountain-sized beast by the river. That laughing, was that... the goddess, Ishtar herself, he heard and saw upon the wall? What reason could she have to bring heaven's great beast to assault her own city? It seemed Enkidu was even more necessary than they first thought. . .

[Apollymi]

The Bull of Heaven's rampage had started and there was only one person capable of stopping it. Ishtar stood atop the city walls and laughed at the destruction and chaos. She knew it would draw the attention of King Gilgamesh. She knew he would come and save his people. And if he wished to stop the bulls rampage he would have to grovel and apologize.

Ah, but someone else was also apologizing. As a push forward met her hips, a certain Sacred Prostitute was enjoying the body of the Chains of Heaven. Enkidu had been indulging in her since their victory over Huwawa, and she'd been enjoying him in kind. Of course the rumbling across the ground was something rather obviously not related to their clandestine activities. A smile crossed her face as she looked into eyes that mirrored her own. "Well, I suppose it was too much to assume it was simply us making the ground shake so... Go. I will always wait for you..." she said leaning into his face to press her lips against his cheek.

Soon after the first two, another deep breath would be aimed at this city, nothing could stand in the way of Gugalanna's power! Ishtar would continue to reign down terror on Uruk until the King issued his apology, preferably on his knees while singing the praises of her might and glory. Yes, that was the best possible outcome here, and she'd have it. With the Bull of Heaven on her side, it wasn't possible that she'd lose either. The Bull of Heaven was practically invincible. None could fell a divine beast! Maybe it would come to her attention a bit later, what the Chains of Heaven were created for. She'd been present when that idea was put up, but it was hardly her concern, she definitely didn't retain anything about it, besides knowing that it'd been a beast before challenging Gilgamesh.

[Bloodedge]

Enkidu met the Bull of Heaven with preparation, but no one person could possibly be prepared enough for a divine creature of its caliber. A third snort caused the Chains of Heaven to topple just as the king was approaching the fray. Luckily, Enkidu managed to recover quickly before falling through another crack in the land. This recovery did not come easily, however. Chains emerged from their robes, extending to great length to take the bull by its horns. A swing was meant to bring Enkidu about onto Gugalanna's back, where they intended to use chains as reins to steady its movements.

Meanwhile, Gilgamesh stood before the bull and the ireful Ishtar atop the city wall. To think, she would resort to acquiring the Bull of Heaven simply because she felt slighted. He looked upon that divine beast with crossed arms, and the smuggest of grins on his face. He actually seemed entertained. Why wouldn't he be? He'd been approached by a goddess, and rejected her idea of affections, just to produce this outlandish reaction. One might consider this something worth bragging about, even as hundreds died around them. "Ishtar, you whore... Did you go and cry to your father in heaven?" he mumbled a curiosity, knowing the Bull of Heaven was not at all attributed to that woman. "You went as far as dispatching the Bull of Heaven, and for what? Because the King of Uruk can see that no man deserves the dream of bedding you, when it is followed by the nightmare of waking up while you remain at his side the next morning? Hmph. Hardly befitting of a goddess."

[Apollymi]

The Bull of Heaven was being properly wrangled by the Chains of Heaven. Of course, to Ishtar this whole thing didn't matter, she was sure it wouldn't last. Even as the Chains used themselves as reins, the beast still thrashed about trying to mar more and more. Still, its breaths could no longer reach the ground to split it apart and now, a great number of the people here were considerably safer than they had been. Their king and his friend, had stepped up to save them, in spite of any abrasiveness in his personality it was obvious he was here. Ah, but what of this goddess, why was she like this? What had the King of Uruk done to incur her wrath? Oh... he'd turned down her proposition. Really? Something so simple had hundreds killed and thousands endangered. She was the patron goddess of Uruk and this was the choice she made?

He spoke to her, but his words didn't beg forgiveness. No. He was still insulting her?! A huff escaped the goddess known as Ishtar. "I told him of your slights against me, and I was granted the Bull to enact my vengeance!" she proclaimed as if this was a perfectly legitimate line of thought to take. "Instead of spewing more insults you should be begging forgiveness!" Her audacity knew no bounds. No, she would not call off the bull, not until such a time as an apology was issued, and maybe... he'd learn his lesson. "It is any man's dream to wake and serve me. And you should be no different. Heel and I'll be gracious and forgive you!" she claimed her nose up in the air. Oh, yes, this was all about saving face. She seemed not to realize that no one actually had to know the man had turned her down if she hadn't made a public spectacle of the situation. She seemed to be lacking the basic reasoning that she could have sulked about this in private and nothing bad would have happened. But no, she'd brought the City of Uruk to the footfalls of a divine beast, because a man didn't want her.

All the while Metis watched from above. It was more obvious now to her that the ignorance that plagued the brain of Ishtar was leaking out into the world at large. How stupid could one be, to create a problem for themselves, and then make it public by issuing an act of revenge. She was a goddess, she could have cursed him quietly with no show of force and forced his hand. If Metis had a power like hers and wished to make a man suffer, there were many easier ways to do it, she could have left is body longing unable to find satisfaction with anyone else. She could have made herself the only option for him and quietly forced his hand. All of that would have cemented her power and made him look ill-tempered as everyone claimed he was. But no... here she was, bringing a foul name to divinity and making herself look like no more than an idiotic tantrum-throwing child. A fist met the side of Metis' cheek, annoyance exuded from her being. How long would this last?

[Bloodedge]

Oh, she spoke of his slights against her. Of course. It wasn't as if he'd simply told her of her own escapades throughout the long life of a deity. Even though he hadn't fabricated a single line of that speech, she reacted as if it was all slander. Ah, but he should beg forgiveness. He should desire to serve and service her, he should be gracious of her desire for him, and he should... heel? "Fu─" he chortled. Gilgamesh stood at the top of the world, both literally and metaphorically. He was an existence like no other, and one the likes of which there would never be again while his legend remained intact. Never would he heel before a whiny goddess, nor any deity or otherwise. "You confuse dreams with illusion. Me, heel? I find you more deserving of the heel of my boot; or perhaps the palm of my hand, being the petulant child you are. Off my wall, whore goddess, and I will see you bent over my knee as you deserve."

Even in the face of the Bull of Heaven, Gilgamesh knew no fear. He could not be stopped. He could not be punished. He could not be bested, even by the thing made for the sole purpose of restraining him. All those gods had against him was a heaping pile of nothing, worth less than even dung used fertilize a single, crushed seed of barley. Gilgamesh could hardly resist laughing at the thought, while Enkidu continued to wrangle Gugalanna. Its tail brushed against them just once, nearly throwing the Chains of Heaven from their place atop it. Regardless, persistence was apparent. "My friend, we boasted that we would leave enduring names behind us. Let us rip the heart from this bull and throw it in Ishtar's face, that she might never show her face again with that bloody makeup," they insisted. With that, Gilgamesh's restraint was lost. "Fuhahaha! Interesting. That sort of makeup would certainly fit that bitch, with her shrill, annoying laughter."

[Apollymi]

Gilgamesh may have stood atop this world, but he as nothing compared to a goddess. This was a belief held firmly by Ishtar. Of course, it didn't matter that this was part of her own delusion of grandeur. He should have simply done what she wanted. How dare he bring up things that didn't matter when she propositioned him. How dare he make the self-serving decision not to do what she wanted. He deserved to suffer for his misdeeds, so did everyone else connected to him. Still, he claimed not to heel, and not to desire what all men did. He claimed her undeserving, explaining methods of physical punishment. He called her a petulant child and threatened to bend her over his knee. A look of shock and disgust crossed the goddess' face. How dare he?! No one treated her like that, the fact that she was willing to go so far merely for the way he'd spoken to her should have made this clear. "You are but a man, you can't make claims like that. Do as your goddess commands or suffer," Yes, that saved face didn't it?

Well, not really. In fact, the words of Enkidu did nothing but prove that her threat hardly mattered. They were talking about slaying a divine beast, and sullying her with its entrails. How gross. "You cannot slay the Bull of Heaven. Divine creatures cannot be slayed by the likes of you!" she exclaimed, more cackling laughter leaving her face. Yes. There was nothing any of them could do until she called off her beast. And she would only do so with Gilgamesh's submission. This plan was perfect. But what was this, Gilgamesh was laughing with Enkidu? Wasn't he just a tool? Why did his opinion matter, why did it look like they were having fun? Nothing about this was fun, this was vengeance! How dare they enjoy each other's company when she was standing before them? She was here for worship. They were supposed to cower in fear of her wonderous form. Apologies were supposed to be issued, it was supposed to be made worthwhile for her to have to feed the remaining people of Uruk, after she conquered Gilgamesh.

[Bloodedge]

"H'oh? Come then, O' Goddess. Bring me to my knees with your divine power, and perhaps you will be the first to make Gilgamesh heel," the king challenged. It was worth wondering why Ishtar thought herself so superior, but one might suppose all deities would eventually be as such. No matter. She could think there was no besting the Bull of Heaven, for the moment. Both Gilgamesh and Enkidu knew better, even though neither of them could possibly know the whole of it just yet. The king's existence was two-thirds divine, yet also beyond divinity in a way only the world itself knew.

Even without knowing though, there was an understanding. Nothing could stand against the two of them together─ nothing. They were laughing together in light of the bull's rampage and Ishtar's outbursts, when Enkidu offered an additional clause during a further expansion of chains to bind the beast fully. "Now, thrust in your sword between the nape and the horns!" they called out. To this, Gilgamesh took action by brandishing the Sword of Rupture. Those spinning segments were aimed forward during the king's charge, the end of which would see an effort to pierce the bull's skull. "Enuma Elish!" the king shouted, hellbent on pouring the might of the ultimate weapon directly into the cranium of this divine beast. Divine creatures could not be slain, Ishtar proclaimed. That foolish goddess; divinities were precisely what Enkidu had been created to bind, and no amount of divinity could save one from a power born during creation itself. "Die and be silent!" Gilgamesh commanded of the bull.

[Apollymi]

Gilgamesh had words for Ishtar, he wanted to her to prove her power. To make him heel? How did she do that?! Surprise and shock came over the goddess' face, why should she have to do that sort of work? Speaking alone should have been enough. She'd procured the Bull of Heaven to run amok in his city. Why wasn't this enough to see him brought to heel? She turned her nose up in the air preserving what was left of her dignity. "Divinity such as mine would be wasted upon the likes of you. You should do as you are told!~" she said, casting a slit of a green eye down at him. This was working right? Yes, surely it was, she was a goddess. She stood above men and beasts, all should follow her direction and do as she commanded. No divine power was needed to bring a King like Gilgamesh to his knees, obviously her being here and doing so much should be exactly enough.

Ah, but it wouldn't be enough. More words from that tool Enkidu. As he gave the advice which would see the Bull of Heaven slain. The combination of the Chains of Heaven and Ea were too much for a simple creature to withstand. Surely, there was some way to win like this. Ah, but no. The Bull of Heaven died in this moment and Ishtar was left to cross her arms over her bulging chest. Metis would never let her hear the end of this blunder. She'd said this would end this way, and now here she was, unable to save face in the felling of her sacred beast. Gugalanna fell to his side and breathed no more. But... but but... It couldn't end like this. She was a goddess, she should get what she wanted. No one told him to slay the Bull of Heaven. Surely punishment would come because he did such a profane thing. Surely this was considered some form of blasphemy. "Curse you, Gilgamesh. How dare you commit more treasonous acts against me. Against the gods!" Yes, that worked right. Obviously the problem here wasn't that she brought a divine creature to try an subdue a man and his city. Obviously the problem was that he'd gone and killed it. He should have let it kill him before bringing harm to something that belonged to the gods.

Ishtar moaned like a petulant child, but the people of the City of Uruk were busy. The courtesans and ladies of the temple, the sacred prostitutes and all were busy, tending to the wounded. Saying prayers for the dead. Many quietly thanking their king for saving them from this madwoman's ire. The Bull of Heaven was felled this day, and now life could continue on...

[Bloodedge]

Well, that was that. The Bull of Heaven itself was felled by a simple pair of comrades who towered over the known world in status. The flood of power which crippled all of Chaldea was no more, yet there Ishtar was, still spewing her nonsense. Enkidu heard the uttered curse of the goddess, and had a brilliant idea. She'd done all of this to bed Gilgamesh, they assumed. With that in mind, surely all she needed was something phallic? Enkidu's descent saw one more use of their chains, emasculating the fallen bull while a golden gaze was set upon Ishtar. The bloody shaft of the beast was thrown with those chains. They would ideally see the blood of a monstrous groin slung onto her face, while one utterance was made. "If I could lay my hands on you, it is this I should do. The bull's entrails should be attached to you like the foolish men who flock to your feet."

And so, Gilgamesh laughed again. Well said, he thought. Meanwhile, there was little more to be said toward the goddess. The top of the world didn't cut it anymore. With his own hands, and the greatest tool Enkidu at his disposal, Gilgamesh had done greater than the impossible. He turned not to Ishtar, but to the people of Uruk with an exclamation. "Who is the most glorious of heroes?! Who is the most eminent among men?! It is I, Gilgamesh of Uruk! Flounder before me, for I am your King! Your Hero! He who fells man, god and beast alike! Fufuhahahahaha!~" Such was the result of a deity's vengeance. The plan of Ishtar had been thwarted, and the only outcome was an even further swelling of the first Hero's hubris. At this point, there was nothing that could even stand before him, bar Enkidu─ and they were his possession.

[Apollymi]

The humiliation of Ishtar would see no end today. Even as she made her proclamations, even as she cursed King Gilgamesh, someone was at his side to cheer him on. Enkidu. And what would the Chains of Heaven do in response to the goddess' outburst? Castrate the creature she'd taken from heaven and throw its heaping dong at her face. Of course, she was nothing but confused by what was going on here and thus had no real defense prepared. A giant bull cock met her face, left blood smeared on it. She looked shocked, she couldn't play this off, there was nothing she could do... so, tears welled up in her eyes. A guttural cry left her as her face shifted and she seemed to finally be gaining some form of humility in light of this day. Of course, she couldn't help herself, it was mostly just a bad reaction. There was nothing she could have done better, so she cried over this. Now, she'd have to feed the people, while Gilgamesh got to be happy. Why did he and his friend look so peaceful together. She hated Enkidu for doing this to her. She hated that creature from keeping her away from the object of her twisted affections.

So, what would she do? Nothing immediately, obviously she had no choice but to go crying back to Anu. She'd lost the Bull of Heaven, but surely some punishment was deserved. If nothing else, she should be able to find a way to separate the King from his weapon. If she could do that, obviously she could take him the way she wanted. Obviously, he was only standing so high and mighty because he had Enkidu at his side. Obviously, it'd been a terrible idea to leave the pair of them together. Yes, that was her angle. Her defeat, wasn't a personal defeat, it was the fault of the gods for not taking action long before now. It was time for the gods to step up and punish the man properly for his wrong doing. It was time for them to cement themselves properly. They could celebrate now, but they would suffer later.

[Bloodedge]

As Ishtar cried, companions hugged and cheered. How many years had it been? It felt as if they'd been at each other's sides for eons, living the greatest life this planet had to offer. This day, they became legends, only to go much, much farther just after celebrating the initial victory. There was even more celebrating to do now. Enkidu quickly became another sort of hero─ a hero of the people for their showing against Ishtar in those final moments. To see someone other than Gilgamesh stand up to the gods in such a way, was equally worthy of the title. The Father, Anu, observed this turn of events while Ishtar ran back to Celestia. Someone had recently said something about this. If there was already another Hero, even of a different nature, how far would Gilgamesh go? The king rested on a podium above all mortals, but what higher podium was there to reach for once he was properly joined on the existing one? The only higher plane was the realm of gods: their home.

"Hmm," Anu grunted. This was not going well. Enkidu was made to be the perfect counter to Gilgamesh, and that failed. However, the Bull of Heaven should have been capable of trumping the king, albeit at the cost of mankind and much reverence for the gods as a result. Now, with Enkidu at his side, Gilgamesh managed to overcome even that obstacle. There was nothing more to do, was there? Ah... but there was. Enki appeared spiteful, having hoped the pair would at least be weakened by Gugalanna. Had they been, a more direct assault on them would have been easy. Having the Chains of Heaven was more of a bane to their potential victory against that king than previously anticipated. Thoughts were beginning to converge between certain deities, and it was only about to become worse. . .

[Apollymi]

It'd taken less than a day for the revenge of Ishtar to fall apart in front of the gods. Anu might have been watching but he was looking at it from an analytical standpoint. Ishtar was still mad she hadn't gotten her way and now wished to simply take away that which made Gilgamesh so happy. Metis had a smug sense of satisfaction having expressly told everyone how this would turn out. And what of the Mother? She could feel nothing but disdain for the tantrums thrown by the green-haired child before her. Her humiliation was deserved in this case, and now was the time for a firm hand in her case. The mute woman believed this, and even blind she could see that no good would come of trying to appease this child.

Ishtar appeared before Anu again still crying. She couldn't believe what had happened, the absolute disrespect she was shown this day. "You have to do something. They mock the gods! Look what they did, they killed the Bull of Heaven someone has to pay!" she exclaimed. Obviously she was very worked up. Metis, just like the time prior to this, had nothing to say that would make this child feel better. "They are not mocking the gods, they are mocking you. Your actions caused this, your tantrum and threats sounded the death march for the Bull of Heaven and now your foiled plan has left you embarrassed in front of us... again," Metis said staring at the woman with so much weight even Ishtar found herself squirming. "It sounds to me like the one who should pay is you," she said with an eye roll. Of course, Metis knew Anu had no real intention of punishing this girl. He never did, he'd probably take this showing as some excuse to further annoying King Gilgamesh. And where was Kur? Dealing with the hundreds of dead created by this terrible showing of godly power.

[Bloodedge]

Of course Ishtar, once again, thought someone should pay for her plans falling through. When would she stop? Such trouble was created by this child, but Anu could do naught but try keeping his mind open for a fellow god. "The loss of Gugalanna is a great one," he said in a moment of mourning. Having one of their greatest divine beasts slain as some sort of spectacle did not do well for reverence, but that could be chalked up to a miscalculation. Some decisions were made, and perhaps they shouldn't have been. What do do now though? "Metis is not wrong, Ishtar. You appear before us with the bull's blood on your face, having swayed me to grant it to you just earlier today. However, perhaps this combination may be more problematic for us in the future. Something must be done for the sake of security," he surmised.

Ah, an opportunity! It seemed Enki was not the only one thinking their greatest problem was having both Gilgamesh and Enkidu together. They could not deal with the former properly, so perhaps they could do away with the latter? "We should never have let the Chains fall into his hands. That was not our best decision, but while we can do nothing about the king himself, what is keeping us from removing the blessing that lets Enkidu draw breath? An enemy means nothing if he can first be disarmed, and Enkidu has truly shown a blatant disregard for those of us who created him with that stunt earlier."

[Apollymi]

Gugalanna's loss was great? Sure, but it was just a creature, someone could raise it again. "Ugh, it was powerful yes, but it's just a creature. Have Kur return it, if it's so troublesome," she said as if such a thought somehow absolved her. The words of Anu were quite strange as well, if he actually took Metis' side against her, she'd never get her way! Ah, a breath of relief, he saw the potential bad of one like Gilgamesh being left alone with the Chains of Heaven. Good good, she could work with that. Kur, the lass in question with her pink hair showed up again, this time with something obvious to say. "I cannot return it. Unlike you... I understand the full breath of my power. If we are willing to look beyond the fact that I now have hundreds of new dead to deal with because you decided the innocent were an easy sacrifice to your wrath," she started which also made Ishtar scoff. "The return of a Divine Beast would require an equal sacrifice to avoid actually ripping a hole in the underworld. Do you plan to put your life on the line to return it?" she asked of Ishtar who looked a bit sickly under all that blood. Metis heard the girl's words and smiled for the first time in a while. She would be alright, this was good as she was the most likely to catch the ire of the wayward goddess without the other women around.

All the while the conversation around them was shifting. Metis looked on with discontent. If Anu was already speaking about what Gilgamesh had done instead of what Ishtar had done, well... the conversation was already going in a bad direction. Enki, the sniveling fool he was, was willing to try all he could to part Gilgamesh from Enkidu just to give himself a better chance. Given his disposition it was likely a two birds situation, where he could use his statements to garner favor with Ishtar while also getting to finally try and one-up the King Gilgamesh. "Fall into his hands? I told you how this would turn out when you started talking of chaining the king to heaven's will. Enkidu is an individual, he made the choice to stay with his friend... the king was finally given some sense of real humanity and bonding. And your thought now, is to sever that connection and put even more space between us and him? For what? To what end does it actually do us any good to do something so cruel to them?" Metis asked. Her words resonated with the Mother who also saw no reason for added cruelty. Kur for her part in this couldn't abide being that rude to someone who'd actually not gone out looking for trouble. Everything surrounding King Gilgamesh said his actions were reactive, not premeditated. But Ishtar saw her in, and she would take it here and now. "What is friendship between two semi-divine beings, if they have no respect for me... for us. At the very least, they are too strong together, separating them, and letting those chains die, would be good for us all. If would show the power we still have over him and all of mankind... besides, he's just a thing. It doesn't matter how attached he is to it, it's life doesn't matter more than how much it disrespected me!" she said that haughty attitude of hers coming to light. Imagine the look on Gilgamesh's face when she revealed that it was her who got his little friend killed. Then he would have no one but her to turn to, and she could have him as the pet she used to kill the rest of the gods. Starting with Metis, her constant stand against Ishtar had long since been a thorn in her side.

[Bloodedge]

Indeed, the Divine Beast could not simply be resurrected. To do so would require a far greater power than anyone should ever use. Among them, Anu believed only Ishtar herself could be so impulsive as to make that decision. Sadly, there were worse things to consider. Enki did have something of a point. What if Gilgamesh decided to fully rebel against them, deeming the whole group of deities an enemy to whatever intentions he had after dealing with Ishtar? Whether Anu agreed with the woman or not, there was a fear of King Gilgamesh that had been slowly seeding its way into this group for decades. "Enkidu is a thing of our creation. To take it back would be tantamount to reclaiming a child's toy because the child cannot be trusted with it," said Anu. Cowardice led to rationalizing, as it always would. Between Ishtar and Enki, he would not hear the reason of Metis and take it as sound. At times, she seemed a bit too human. Since Gilgamesh claimed to stand far above mankind, surely he could be made to see the way of the divine.

"Spare us your notions of cruelty, Metis," Enki demanded, adding more which would further Anu's crumbling beliefs. "Regardless of the reason, the Chains of Heaven is a tool. It was designed to bring Gilgamesh before us, not to be used by him. Any will it developed was an accident brought about by Enlil's attachment to his creations. All we have to do is remove the accidental part. It would 'kill' Enkidu, but the Chains of Heaven would remain for reclaiming." Enki's words were true, Anu thought. It would mean nothing to slay the chains, right? The Father's gaze was brought to Enlil, the creator. In the end, it was his decision to make. "I am afraid I can not be sure what the best path is. Ishtar, you are driven by rage. Metis, you are driven by compassion. Enki, it seems your distaste for Gilgamesh is what drives you. Enlil is the one we should consult," he said at last, drawing attention to the green-haired male in his meditative state. With that alone though, Enlil's eyes did not yet open. . .

[Apollymi]

The thought of the rebellion of Gilgamesh was enough to cause Anu to double back. How rich were his words, did he truly not see his own hypocrisy? Oh well, Metis wasn't the type to fear, she'd point it out here and now. "You have no ground to stand on if that is your point. Especially when you refuse to do something about the proven untrustworthy child right in front of you. The one you gave a toy to who destroyed it in her own rage. The lack of logic is astounding and the hypocrisy is stifling," Metis seemed the most human but in truth she was only logical. There was no rationale to be presented that would make this the right choice. The calculations in her head were already rolling to a finish, and if this happened this way, there would be no saving any of them, but Anu was their leader locked in stupidity with the rest of them. Such a showing was shameful at its core.

Oh, and now it was sniveling Enki's turn to speak. Spare him the notion of cruelty he claimed. The Chains of Heaven were a thing, "Your plan is still the same, you want to take him from being an individual to make him into a thing. A thing you think you'll be able to claim from someone who's already shown attachment to him? You think you'll be able to take him from Gilgamesh even without a human form to make the decision? Stupidity at its finest, Enki. Good job, I didn't think anyone could sound as stupid as Ishtar does to me today..." the snarky tone of Metis had settled. There was no way she could accept it. No way was it alright to do such a thing to two individuals who'd done nothing to them but try and live their lives. What was more, Ishtar was being called stupid again by this woman. "All you do is talk about what's going to happen, you don't actually know..." she said to Metis which caused the red haired woman to scoff again, her eyes saw through this little harlot and she knew she'd never grow up while anyone was willing to enable her. "Simple analysis isn't hard. Any of you would be capable of it. If you weren't so busy being afraid or angry that you can't see past a single moment. You more so than others, will never be capable of it though. You can only see you," she said pointing to Ishtar. That might have seemed like a curse, but it was more of an observation than anything else. Too bad even Metis didn't know how true such a thing was. But what was this? Now in the quiet of a moment, Anu was referring to Enlil. He apparently saw the rest of their points as leaning too far away to be considered right. He was leaving this decision to his creator. And what would their most quiet resident, decide? Even Metis quieted herself to find out, but she knew what would happen to her this day regardless. There was no way she'd be associated with this group if such an illogical decision was made. If they were willing to live their lives without wisdom, she wouldn't stay. She didn't need godhood to justify her existence, and she didn't need to surround herself with idiocy to feel superior.

[Bloodedge]

Enlil's voice was the one which carried the most weight in this situation. But, was it truly? Not at all. Enlil's opinion was only a matter of when something happened, as opposed to if it happened at all. Said result had nothing to do with the death of Enkidu, rather something else entirely. Whatever the case, the time to make a very important decision was now. Where did their choices lead them? When was it enough, and when was it too much? What did the natural order of things have to say about deities in a realm above mortals creating things, breathing life into them, only to tear away said life later? All those answers coalesced into a single solution when Enlil's eyes peeled open. He would speak the second time this day, while an eerie glow reminiscent of the water found in swamps overtook his gaze. "The Chains of Heaven, my child. I see a return to the mold from whence it came. Neither soul in its body, nor a path to the husk that remains. Such is the way nature would have it, and befitting of the gods' desire as a whole."

Cryptic as ever, Enlil seemed to truly believe all who were present desired Enkidu's death. Why he thought this, he would not say. The message was delivered as intended, as believed, and as needed. Enkidu had already been cursed. They would fall ill, suffer, and lose all control of their corporeal form. In a matter of days, perhaps even weeks, the living form of Enkidu would crumble as the blessed clay lost the very blessing which mobilized it. Seeing this event unfold preemptively, Enlil shed but a single tear. Was it mourning? Perhaps it could be perceived as such, but no─ it was for a different purpose entirely.

[Apollymi]

Enlil's words were not at all what one such as Metis expected. But given the look on his face, the glazing of his eyes and that single shed tear, she could at least understand him in the moment. Enlil made many things, for gods and mortals alike, he created so many and so much and felt innate attachment to all of it. The fact that he thought the death of the Chains of Heaven was the answer in the end was depressing. But at least a decision like that from him was understandable. It was a decision of obvious struggle, one which was weighed out ends against means. It might have been the only choice he saw as logical but... it would have resounding effects. Clear as day such a decision would bring the gods into the sight of Gilgamesh, maybe not immediately but eventually and how the rest didn't see the retribution they'd earn making such a decision she didn't understand. Still, Metis could have no part of it. The fires within her chest, the flames of wisdom that had been ignored burned at the slight. How could they call themselves gods while acting as spoilt mortal children? How could they think themselves superior while ruining the world for the sake of themselves? Errant selfishness, disgusting nepotism, fear, and cowardice... they bathed in it like it was the finest oils. Metis as an individual was compassionate, so much so that she had no intention of standing with this group on this decision. She wouldn't be part of it, and she didn't need to be. An exhale left the mouth of Metis and it burned feverishly, those red eyes of hers glowed as a struggle she'd contended with for so many years came to an end. A death procession was playing but it wasn't just for Enkidu. The bells that sounded were the end of an era and it would start this day.

All the while a gleeful smile came to the face of Ishtar. Finally she was getting her way. That stupid set of chains would be gone and leave open the space for her to take up next to her man of choice. Without his friend he'd have nothing left to give him joy and he'd come to her when she called. No choices were left and all would be glorious. "Finally, someone solved the problem. We'll reign supreme over them..." she said as if she'd actually accomplished something this day. And mostly she meant herself, though they didn't need to know that. She planned to use this moment to tame Gilgamesh and get him on her side, once that happened she would be taking her fight directly to the other gods. Actually, bringing the fight to Metis first would be the best idea. Surely it would be an easy task to convince everyone else that she'd started a fight between them and that Ishtar only defended herself in the fray. "Things are finally turning around~" she couldn't have seemed happier, but she saw only herself. Both the Mother and the Stranger had their gaze focused on Metis who hadn't said a single word. Still both could practically feel the disturbance of her very being. And what would come of such a thing, well, Metis had but a single word to say. "No."

[Bloodedge]

Things truly were turning around, though not in any way Celestia would find beneficial. By Enlil's own account, none would go without suffering to some extent as a result of this day. He felt remorse, even a hint of pity toward his fellow divine, but this was the way things would always have to be. They were all so... infected. He wasn't certain by what, but it had once leaked into Celestia and taken hold of the seven prime gods, only to trickle down into the rest of this world. Just as others sought to cut off the head of their problems in Gilgamesh, perhaps it was best that the world's problems be cut off at the head... through them. Strange though it may have been to many, Metis had a singular word to offer in the wake of Ishtar's uttered excitement. No, she said. Enlil's eyes closed once more. He had a fair idea of what would come next, and there was no stopping it.

Just the same, there was no stopping the collapse of Enkidu following victory over Gugalanna. The Chains of Heaven had never been stricken by illness previously, and worse yet, this form of sickness was far worse than any human could ever manage. It was death, plain and simple, though it began in the soul. An understanding of sorts was imparted unto them, as if seeing a dream in a moment of waking. 'I see. This makes sense. Gugalanna, the Bull of Heaven, is like me, the Bull of Earth. From Enuma Elish... the Celestial Ox returns to the stars...' There was a crowd forming around Enkidu as these thoughts were gathered. They had fallen into the arms of their 'brother' Gilgamesh, and were being taken off to the finest bed in all of Uruk while the king felt a strange quantity of concern. 'And the soil that was fastened to the sky... returns to the earth. . .'

[Apollymi]

No? What was wrong with Metis now? Yes, she'd not gotten her way, but that couldn't have been enough to make her pout in the throne room? Oh this was rich, Ishtar would have to poke fun, what with her constant commentary on Ishtar it was only right. "What's wrong Metis? Surely, you aren't pouting because I came out the winner here? Jealousy isn't very flattering," she said with all the vitriol of teen drama queen. Metis wouldn't be taking that no for a second. "Imagine trying and failing to find a character flaw in someone else, while giving away your own. Didn't you once decide to fist fight a mountain over it being a better topic of discussion than you?" she said. Kur laughed, why wouldn't she? It was a rather funny thing to say. Even a small smile appeared on the face of the blind mother as she sat impassively. "I said, no... I meant no. I meant... I will have no part of this, it is wrong. It always has been and it always will be," Metis said with finality. The fun of the moment had ended and it was time for Metis to do something she was always going to do. She was going to leave this place. "Since we are so content to live without wisdom, I will let you... I'm done," she said finally standing in the most calm manner she had in years.

No one would say that Metis had anything to do with this situation. Today would be the day that wisdom walked out of Celestia, and the day the seven became six. She would walk away from being a goddess, she could easily throw away godhood. What did it matter, the ability to lord over mortals if no good came from it? Ah, but there was one more thing she had to say and this would be to Kur. She'd lean over the girl and whisper careful words in her ear. And once those whispered words had passed, she placed a gentle hand atop that young one's head. "Take care, Kur..." she said as she forced down her divinity. Moment by moment was casting it aside.

[Bloodedge]

Moments passed, until Enkidu rested atop the finest royal bed in Uruk. The king remained over that bed, taking one of his companion's hands as it reached out to his cheek. "My brother," Enkidu spoke. "Dear as you are to me... they will take me from you." In that single sentence, everything that could be understood about the situation, was understood. They, Enkidu said. One could only presume 'they' was meant to imply the gods. Who else could curse Enkidu? To do that, one had to be capable of cursing... Oh. One had to be able to curse Gilgamesh himself to some extent. Those beings above would go so far to tear him down? How laughable. It was so laughable, in fact, that Gilgamesh... wept. There was nothing else he could manage. Decades upon decades were spent in this world, gaining everything it had to offer, and eventually discovering even the majesty of friendship truer than any bond one could ever imagine.

Now, that body sculpted as flawlessly as his own had been, was beginning to crumble. This was... death? Death was possible in this world, for people like them? Ten days, it took. Over ten days, Enkidu traversed multiple stages. They cursed a great many things, even including the Sacred Prostitute who gave them the true spark of humanity. Of course, they rescinded that final curse and replaced it with blessing in the end. Moments leading to death were harsh, and reacting to it all was quite difficult. In the end, there was but a final clause to offer Gilgamesh. "My friend, the great goddess cursed me, and I must die in shame. I shall not die like a man fallen in battle. I feared falling, but... happy is the man who falls in battle. I must die in shame. That is fine. Do not hate, my brother. I was just a tool." Those words were the final thing offered to Gilgamesh by his companion. As he wept, the king became outraged by that foolish thought.

"No. Hear me, Enkidu. You have been no tool, but a friend... of which I will never have another," the king insisted. To this, though, Enkidu shed tears as well. What sort of ridiculous proclamation was that? "My friend, why do you weep?" asked Gilgamesh. "Because, brother... Who would understand you after I die? Who else would march forward by your side? My friend… when I think that you will live on all alone henceforth, I can’t help but shed tears…" And so, those tears proved to be all Enkidu had left. A hand fell to their side, and the King of Uruk froze where he sat. Silence fell for minutes on end, until Gilgamesh finally stood, trembling through his every word.

"Hear me, great ones of Uruk. I weep for Enkidu, my friend. Bitterly moaning like a woman mourning, I weep for my brother. Enkidu, my brother... you were the axe at my side. My hand's strength, the sword in my belt, the shield before me... a glorious robe, my fairest ornament. Fate has robbed me. The whole of this world will weep for you, my friend... but none more than me. The young men of Uruk, your brothers, will go long-haired in mourning as though they were women." He shook further, reaching out with a hand that could not be stilled to touch the green-haired individual's cheek. There was no warmth to be found there, why? "What is this sleep that holds you now, Enkidu? You must be lost in the dark... and cannot hear me," he surmised. Yes, that was it. Enkidu was merely resting and playing another foolish prank like the days of old between them, right? They would wake eventually, he was sure. A veil overhead, as if veiling a bride, would send his friend off to a peaceful rest for the time being. Damned be those who came to collect the body for burial. Enkidu would wake, surely. But... why then, when the king touched his heart, was there no beat to be found?

[Apollymi]

Ishtar scoffed. Obviously that mountain deserved to be felled, it stood between her and the attention she deserved. Alas, Ishtar would never truly understand the insults she received. Her pompous attitude made her ignore such things, especially from people on equal footing, she'd only consider something an insult if she thought she could win a fight against it. And strangely though she hated Metis, she didn't consider that woman one she could challenge directly. No, she'd need more brute strength for that... she needed, Gilgamesh. Or, maybe not. Whatever Metis was doing, it seemed like she was saying good bye, to Kur only. There was a weird feeling coming off of her, the Mother turned to Metis and her crimson eyes met that one's covered ones. A single nod would happen between them, whatever was happening here, Ishtar didn't get it. But the cleverer women did. One final look would happen and it would be to Enlil. Why? Because there was something strange about the fact that he made his decision. Maybe they had an understanding or maybe it was something else, but whatever the case, she had no qualm with him either. At this moment the foundation of Celestia shook. Enough had been forced down and now it was time. Metis became a shining ball of light and after clearing Celestia she shot off into the distance a ball of shining light to cover the night sky, mourning the death of a hero and a friendship.

Speaking of mourning, the entire city of Uruk was in mourning. All felt sadness when Enkidu fell sick and when the king mourned his people mourned. Along with him, in the private of her room, a specific sacred prostitute mourned as well. She'd told Enkidu she'd wait for him and she meant it. Her sadness fell in tears as she stripped herself of fragrant flowers and cried at the death of her lover. What more could she do, nothing would be fun or happy for her, now that he was gone.

[Bloodedge]

What Metis was doing... no, surely she couldn't be making such a rash decision. Goodbyes were offered, both verbal and silent, and Anu observed in shock. He could see it coming only in the final moments. Worse yet, it was almost as if he could feel the descent of a god happening. Frankly, he was somehow surprised by this turn of events. "Sacrilege," the old god muttered. Nothing was to be done about this, sadly. Some would know regret, and some would know satisfaction as the goddess governing Wisdom abandoned her post. Regardless of any individual's opinion on the matter, there were now six in this dysfunctional 'family' of supreme beings.

Seven days passed as millennia would, and still, Enkidu did not wake. Golden locks littered the room, as the king spent seven days and seven nights pacing about the room, tearing out his hair in grief, even ripping apart his royal robes and leaving them to the floor as if they were abominations. What was the point of them anyway? To be a mark of his supremacy? There was no purpose in such a thing, if he couldn't even sustain or return the life of his truest companion. On the seventh night, something would finally spark proper movement in the King of Uruk. He looked to Enkidu's veiled body once more. He touched it, and in return, it touched him. There was no movement of hands from the fallen lump of clay; no, the Chains of Heaven in tool form emerged from the body. Gilgamesh could not realize that in all the time he spent wishing for his friend's return into his arms, the chains were waiting until the clay around them became brittle enough to meet the king's hand. Those chains wrapped around his left arm, and he clenched his fist. "I see. Is this all you have for me, my brother? Gone from this world, shall I be forced to carry your corpse as a constant reminder?" he wondered through gritted teeth. His lip bled, as did his palm. A fear had been setting in over the past several days. What purpose did all their days together serve, if they were just going to die at the end of it all? Gilgamesh himself was here to perpetuate Enkidu's glory, but what of the day he died in such a pathetic way? His mourning, when he finally left that room, carried him out into the wilderness beyond Uruk's walls. A proclamation was made on his way, for all the masons to fashion a statue in Enkidu's honor. Tales of one called the Faraway were in his memory; one who entered the assembly of the gods, and had the key to true immortality. He could find that person, and if he found them, he could find the way to live on forever as his friend deserved before being so wrongly taken from him.

[Apollymi]

Sacrilege? Was that what had just taken place. The mother's head inclined gently. It was Metis' choice to make. She felt this way about all of her children and Metis was included. Metis was one who made a decision and made the wisest one within her mindset. There was nothing but motherly pride in the blind and mute woman for the redheaded one who'd left. Of course, she began to ponder something else, if Metis made the wisest and most compassionate then what choices had the rest of them made? That was something to ponder, and as all else, she'd do it in silence. Kur for her part in this, returned to the underworld. Her domain as it was explained to her by Metis. Someone had to welcome the new Hero and hold the boundary between life and death.

At the same time, the death of Enkidu had a huge impact on the city of Uruk. And an even greater impact on its king. Days of mourning and then a new purpose. The king emerged and began a new journey. He gave instructions and they would be followed and the city would continue on... but to what end... none could know.

[Bloodedge]

And so was the beginning of a long journey. Days passed and became weeks, which became months, which became many long, troublesome years. The hedonist king lived off the land during this journey, wearing the skin of lions as clothes, the age of his mourning shown in the wild growth of his hair. He searched for his father, reported to have entered the assembly of the gods and attained immortality. What he found after years of searching was not Utnapishtim, his father, but instead to the mountain of Mashu where the two 'Scorpions' guarded gates as high as the wall of heaven. They were such terrifying creatures, half man and half dragon with stares that could strike death into men. One was male in design, shirtless and magnificent as the king himself. Crimson optics met a pair of an even deeper hue for the first time in Gilgamesh's life, and in that moment, the king shielded his eyes for the length of a single moment. What was this? These two creatures, they had auras even the likes of him could not fathom. Was this his reckoning to follow Enkidu's path?

No. Not yet; he would find his target and live on in glory for himself and Enkidu alike. With that in mind, he steeled himself and stepped forward with courage. How strange, the male Scorpion seemed to think. None were ever so bold as to step toward them, but this one... it seemed he was precisely the man they thought he was. The Man-Scorpion called to his mate, "This one who comes to us now is flesh of the gods." These words were spoken from atop a mighty throne, which seemed part of the rightmost pillar of the closed gate. As for the gate itself, none could understand its true majesty. There was an ominous air leaking through the space betwixt doors, reeking of nothing and everything simultaneously. Whatever was beyond it, even the gods wanted nothing to do with. . .

[Apollymi]

The male Scorpion was calling to his mate, stating the nature of this golden haired man before them. His mate, a while haired large horned individual was stretched across his throne. Her body laid softly as she turned her head towards that one. Oh, a long tail snaked up the side of throne as if draped for decoration. Those eyes of hers, a crimson type red, almost hued pink with white crosses in the middle. She looked upon the man and replied to her mate instead. "He is two-thirds god," she said as if thinking for only just a moment. "And one-third man." There was some finality in this, but it was almost as if this creature didn't enjoy speaking. But here she was, waiting at this gate, with her mate... for some reason. What did these two guard and why had it been so long since they'd seen anyone else? Why did a man approach them at all, and what would he get out of coming here? Well, all those questions would have but one answer and they would be for the blonde man before them to answer.

[Bloodedge]

Those eyes. Those strange eyes, even stranger still than those possessed by the divine king, Gilgamesh. The mate of this Man-Scorpion spoke of his origins, peering through eyes with crosses he could not see within. For whatever reason, this additional visual could not be seen by the king, just as he could not see the bursts present in her the raven-haired Man-Scorpion's vermillion orbs. There was a blur around the pair of them. Perhaps he was simply tired. Ah, but one could never avoid witnessing those tails. While one draped over the throne, another with the bearing of a daggertail lay over it, shifting about it like a mating serpent. "Hm," the male muttered before calling out to the child of the gods. "Why have you traveled so far? You crossed the waters of a world above the sky... for what purpose? Tell us why you're here," the Man-Scorpion ordered.

Gilgamesh had never taken another's command, but here, he could not simply have his way. Since the moment Enkidu fell ill, he felt as if nothing had ever been his way, but instead some cruel fate that toyed with him like a child's plaything. As such, he didn't think twice before answering these strange beings. "For Enkidu. My friend; I loved him dearly. Together we endured all kinds of hardships. On his account, I have come, for he has been taken from me. I have wept for him day and night. I would not give up his body for burial; I thought my friend would come back because of my weeping. Since he went, my life is nothing; that is why I have travelled here in search of Utnapishtim my father. Men say he has entered the assembly of the gods, and has found everlasting life. I have a desire to question him concerning the living and the dead," the blonde king explained. The Man-Scorpion quirked a brow upon hearing this, as if an age-old question had finally been answered in a very interesting way. After a single glance toward his mate, he spoke aloud. "No man born to this world has done what you ask. For mankind, this gate is the only way, but there are twelve leagues of darkness between here and wherever you wish to appear. There is no light. Your heart, your soul, will be flooded with maddening darkness and the full weight of endless nothing. That sums it up, no?" he said, concluding with a question for the female of the pair.

[Apollymi]

The male asked why this blonde made his way to them and the answer they were given was quite different. A pompous young king had been walking the land coming all the way to this place, because of the death of his friend? Oh, it wasn't just a friend. The person who died here, was someone he felt for at the core of his being. It was strange to hear from one like him and it was... sweet. The ending of Enkidu was sad, but his friend being so moved by it, was beautiful. A single moment of eye contact, between the Man-Scorpion and his mate before the male spoke once more. He gave the King of Uruk, an understanding of the depths that he was going into. Of course, he was missing a few minor details. No matter, the mate would roll slightly and give a simple headshake.

"No," she answered as she rolled her eyes rather casually. "You forget the part where he has to maintain the strength to move forward or fall into endless darkness," she stated while casting her gaze slightly towards the blonde before resettling her gaze on her mate. Her tail above just wrestling with his, "But besides that... yes, you covered the simplest aspects," she said. Would it be worth it? Would he still wish to push forward? Was the best humanity had to offer, really ready for what lay beyond? Hm, well, they would see.

[Bloodedge]

Ah, one minor, yet very important detail was left out. In addition to the darkness, there was the fact that Gilgamesh would not be passing through empty space at all. This journey was one which took place through the primordial goo of the world─ the thick source of the darkness one saw within. To be too weak to pass, was to lose any ability to reach any sort of exit. To fail was to be consumed by the abyssal plane itself, gone from all realities this world knew. "Right. Though, if anyone should have that, it should be the first Hero of this world," he said as if they had every reason to know of this man's ability. The Man-Scorpion possessed a glowing red gem set in his forehead, perhaps leading one to believe it produced some sort of clairvoyance. "What is your answer then, Gilgamesh?"

Gilgamesh had his answer. He didn't make this journey to Mashu for no reason; he made it to discover the secret of immortality. He would find it, and he would find a way to restore his friend as well. Then, they would live in unison for eternity, their epic tale never ending. "Although I must go in sorrow and in pain, with sighing and weeping, still, I must go. Open the gate of the mountain," he said firmly. What an interesting conclusion. Though it was filled with its own tier of hubris, the Man-Scorpion grinned and snapped his fingers to open one side of the gate. "Go then, Gilgamesh. You have my permission to pass. May your feet carry you safely home," he said. Alas, there was only half of the gate giving way to the darkness. The Man-Scorpion gave his blessing, but one could not simply pass through without both doors swinging open.

[Apollymi]

The pair of gate guardians had given Gilgamesh all the necessary information. What lay beyond was not something truly fathomable by any who had never seen it. Still he was the cream of the crop. The peak of humanity and how would he choose to face this next task? Her mate spoke again, reminding her of the fact that Gilgamesh was the first Hero of the world, surely his strength would carry him through? "That seems most likely, still warnings exist for a reason," she mused. How comfortable the female of this paring had to be, lying relaxed in throne at a gate waiting for whoever came to enter it.

And who else but a hero would ever choose to face the darkness? Well, not many, but beyond that there was the fact that he'd chosen to face it, but how? Ah... with courage and pride. He stated that even while being distressed he would still move forward, because he felt it was his duty to do so? How noble. Well, half of the gate would open with the snap of the Man-Scorpion but the other half wouldn't simply open because he decided it was alright. How interesting it would be to note, that the decision to let him pass didn't fall to one or the other. Both had to agree or none could pass. How oddly fair. Would she also allow it? Well... yes. A stretch occurred in her left arm as she snapped as well. Her decision had come at an earlier point in the conversation, thinking of how he spoke of his friend. She didn't imagine his will was one easily damaged. "The Gate of the Mountain is open," she said as her eyes came to a close. His journey had only just begun, how would it go? How would it end?

[Bloodedge]

One segment of the gate swung open, and then, the other. Gilgamesh took those first steps forward, entering as both doors closed behind him. In that time, the Man-Scorpion began to laugh just slightly. This had gone beyond expectation. To think, that pompous king had such a side to him. Well... he'd always had an inkling, but the confirmation was astounding nonetheless. "King of Uruk, Eiyuu-Ou Gilgamesh. He smelled of shit as much as he looked it, but that may be the best of him I'd ever seen. The Epic didn't embellish at all, huh?" he mused as fingers danced along his mate's exposed upper thigh. Nails nearly claw-like in quality traced the skin with an unknown power that could tear asunder mortal flesh, as those eerie eyes drew to a close just as the gates had recently done. "I'm impressed."

Once the gate closed, Gilgamesh was on the move. Twelve leagues, he would walk an impossible trek. Each step was made against the weight of creation itself, and all which encompassed it in addition to that which didn't make the cut to reality. He had already been on this path toward the mountain of Mashu for decades, but the road ahead would feel longer than his entire life thus far. Still, he would move forward. . .

When he had gone one league, the darkness became thick around him, for there was no light; he could see nothing ahead and nothing behind him.

After two leagues the darkness was thick and there was no light; he could see nothing ahead and nothing behind him.

After three leagues the darkness was thick, and there was no light; he could see nothing ahead and nothing behind him.

After four leagues the darkness was thick and there was no light; he could see nothing ahead and nothing behind him.

At the end of five leagues, the darkness was thick and there was no light; he could see nothing ahead and nothing behind him.

At the end of six leagues, the darkness was thick and there was no light; he could see nothing ahead and nothing behind him.

When he had gone seven leagues, the darkness was thick and there was no light; he could see nothing ahead and nothing behind him.

When he had gone eight leagues, Gilgamesh gave a great cry... for the darkness was thick and there was no light; he could see nothing ahead and nothing behind him.

After nine leagues, he felt the north wind on his face, but the darkness was thick and there was no light; he could see nothing ahead and nothing behind him.

After ten leagues, the end was near.

After eleven leagues, the dawn light appeared.

At the end of twelve leagues, the sun streamed out.

There was the garden of the gods; all around him stood bushes bearing gems. Seeing it, he went down at once, for there was fruit of carnelian with the vine hanging from it, beautiful to look at. Lapis lazuli leaves hung thick with fruit, sweet to see. For thorns and thistles, there were hematite and rare stones, agate, and pearls of the sea. Gilgamesh set foot in the gods' garden where no mortal man had ever been, and there he was, wearing the skin of beasts he'd eaten along the journey as his only garb.

[Apollymi]

As the King of Uruk disappeared past the gate, a conversation took place between the Man-Scorpion and his mate. The King of Heroes was in a bad way, possibly the worst he'd ever been seen, but strangely... also the best. She could do nothing but agree as she stretched within the lap of the Man-Scorpion. "It is true. I thought maybe it was written that way to humanize him. I didn't expect he was actually so human..." she said of his reaction to the situation that surrounded him now. Those clawed fingers that moved along her thigh distracted. The potential of power that could have shredded mortals flesh sent marked tingles along her own. How very interesting. As his eyes and the gate closed, her own opened baring new light. "I am also impressed. I had no expectations of finding anything quite so genuine below all that bravado," she commented as her own hand came to rest against his uncovered chest. Her own clawed fingers playing across his chest as she absently turned. That tail of hers still wrestling his, how would this go?

Beside the sea she lives, the woman of the vine, the maker of wine; Siduri sits in a garden at the edge of the sea, with the golden bowl and the golden vats that the gods gave her. She is covered with the veil but when she sees Gilgamesh approaching she is frightened. Gilgamesh was coming towards her, wearing skins, the flesh of the gods was in his body, but despair in his heart, and his face like the face of one who has made a long journey. 'Surely this is some criminal, where is he going now?' she wondered alone in this place what was she to do? She moved to bar herself against him, closing the gate to her garden, locking the bars in place and aiming to shoot the bolt home before she would attract his attention. Yes, this was the right call to make, exactly what should be done in the face of such an obvious threat.

[Bloodedge]

He had not seen, but the sound of the bolt caught Gilgamesh's ear. He threw up his head to find the target, he lunged quickly, and he managed to lodge his foot in the gate before it shut fully. In that moment, he called out. "You, wine-maker! Why do you bolt your door? What have you seen to make you bar this gate? I will break in the door and burst in your gate, for I am Gilgamesh who seized and killed the Bull of Heaven. I killed the watchman of the cedar forest, I overthrew Huwawa, and I killed the lions in the mountain passes!" he announced with all the pomposity this world's first Hero had been known to possess. Outwardly, his persona had gone nowhere... yet outwardly, he hadn't really been king of anything for several years.

Meanwhile, as one leg of this journey came to an end and opened the path to the next, the Scorpions were unseen to the world at large. The gate remained closed, and the Man-Scorpion floated above it with that bladed tail wrapped round his mate. His previous garbs were nowhere to be seen, as if replaced by the burning glow of that gem in his head, and that same glow upon the strange crimson tattoo spanning the left side of his torso. What was he up to now, and how went their casual behavior from Gilgamesh's departure. Well, to answer the first query, the Man-Scorpion was floating ever so nonchalantly above the gate. His body would not go cold due to the current lack of clothing, however; that problem would be solved by another. Meanwhile though, he had much to say. "H'oh? It looks like that attitude has gone nowhere after all. It only took a few decades for him to start yelling orders and boasts again. . ."

[Apollymi]

The man who proclaimed himself Gilgamesh, had placed his foot within the gate, keeping the woman known as Siduri from closing herself in and protecting herself from this wild man. Stranger still, this man claimed that he was king, but he didn't quite look the part. If he was that person, why was he here? "If you are that Gilgamesh who killed and seized the Bull of Heaven, who killed the watchman of the cedar forest, who overthrew Huwawa, that lived in the forest, and who killed the lions in the passes of the mountain..." there was a pause. How did she describe what she was seeing here? Did he really have no idea how he looked? Well she would be the one to tell him of this problem. If he was to have a kingly visage, then... "Why are your cheeks so starved, and why is your face so drawn? Why is despair in your heart and your face like the face of one who has made a long journey?" she asked in rapid succession never to really let up. "Yes, why is your face burned with heat and cold and why do you come here wandering over pastures in search of the wind?!" Yes, that was it, why did he look so un-kingly and undeserving if he was truly the man he claimed? Why did he bring brash attitude and threat of violence to her door?

A tail was wrapped around the female mate of the Man-Scorpion and now they were floating unseen back to the business they took care of in their loneliness. And what did this entail, well, watching and discussion. Unclothed they now where without any care of their nudity and no real understanding of the change in temperature. Well, that mattered little they were here for each other. Just as the male had glowing tattoos embedded within his skin, his female counterpart, had similarly glowing marks decorating her abdomen as she settled herself in preparing to start copulation in this position for whatever reason. "Well, it is his favorite defense mechanism. He's still pretty shaken up after all... I assume a few decades isn't enough to get rid of such habits," she said thoughtfully as she aimed to help her counterpart find his home within her loins.

[Bloodedge]

Why, oh why, did Gilgamesh enter the gods' garden with that attitude? Simply put, it was all he had left. He brought with him an empty life, an empty stomach, and nearly an empty soul. Who was this maker of wines to question him? He was the king he purported to be, regardless of his apparent disheveled state. "And why should not my cheeks be starved and my face drawn?" he answered in outrage, his foot still wedging itself against the gate. As always, without Enkidu, he had only his forceful mannerisms to rely on. And rely, he would. "Despair is in my heart, and my face is the face of one who has made a long journey! It was burned with heat and cold! Why should I not wander over the pastures in search of the wind?!" How dare she. His hair had grown long, a mere speck of length for all the tears he'd not been able to shed each time his eyes dried out. Many days, it felt as if he hydrated himself just to lose the water in his stomach through the eyes. Who was she then, to offer these demanding questions to a man in mourning? "My friend, my younger brother, he who hunted the wild ass of the wilderness and the panther of the plains. My friend, my younger brother who seized and killed the Bull of Heaven and overthrew Huwawa in the cedar forest... my friend who was very dear to me, and who endured dangers beside me..." Bravado aside, the King of Uruk was breaking down once more. The journey itself served not as a distraction from his purpose, but a distraction from those horrendous thoughts. Now that he told the tale, those dried eyes found moisture to lose once again as his voice cracked and crumbled. "Enkidu, my brother, whom I loved─ mortality has overtaken him. For seven days and nights, until the worm fastened on him, I wept. Because of my brother, I am afraid of death. Because of m brother, I stray the wilderness and cannot rest. Now, woman, maker of wine, since I have seen your face..." Another pause found its way into his speech. What had become a husk of a man in the span of a few sentences could no longer look upon the wine-maker directly. "Do not let me see the face of death which I dread so much."

The Scorpions seemed so very disconnected from events they could see with great clarity. The King of Heroes, as they called him, was in shambles. Still, they sought indulgence in one another so casually... as they always had, and always would. "Nor will a few millennia do the trick. He does better when he's laughing like an arrogant child," the male said. That same hand from before rose to the female's chin, claws more prominent as it glided along the flesh with the same ease his groin glided betwixt her folds. Skyborne deviance was no stranger to these two, as revealed by their approach of it with all concern to the wind. "Just the same, you do better when all the air is leaving your lungs at once. It's been a while since I've seen that. Show me now."

[Apollymi]

Oh the answer Siduri would receive. The man known as Gilgamesh, the King of Uruk was here now. Having made a long journey. He'd eaten what he killed to survive, he'd come to the garden of the gods, hiding himself behind his pompous attitude and for what? Because of the death of Enkidu, the Chains of Heaven? Because that was his friend and his friend had died. Because that face no longer walked beside his, he now feared what fate had in store for him. Death was a scary thing when one wasn't prepared for it. Death could be such a huge problem for those who wanted glorious tales sung about them. Death was what man earned as his main reward in life. To know that this is what the great king feared. To watch him break down before a relative stranger, to know that this was quite outside of his normal behavior... it moved Siduri's heart. Compassion was one of the things she had left, one of the things that was part of her being as she came together here in the gardens of the gods. She'd question him about his journey wondering why if he was so fearful he was trying to move on? "Gilgamesh, where are you hurrying to? You will never find the life for which you are looking..." she gave pause and then explanation. Maybe with the truth, he could be dissuaded. Maybe she could save him a bit of pain? "When the gods created man, they allotted to him death, but life they retained in their own keeping," she explained. She couldn't leave him like this though. A man so broken didn't deserve to sit at the edge of the world without understanding and without acknowledgement for his suffering. "As for you Gilgamesh, fill your belly with good things; day and night, night and day," she explained to him. "Feast and be merry, dance and rejoice," she claimed. "Let your clothes be fresh, bathe yourself in water, cherish the little child that holds your hand, make your wife happy in your embrace, for this too is the lot of man." Siduri explained to this man what life was supposed to be for him. He was king, and death would come because he was mortal, but that didn't mean, his life had to be joyless. There was plenty yet for him to do, so simply could he live if he chose.

So disconnected where the Scorpions, but still... they'd helped. They didn't have to open that door, but it was part of their most important task that they did. What wasn't important or what was more important, was how they were entwined now. But the female of the pair did agree with her mate. The King of Uruk was more functional a being with that annoying laugh in his chest and a smile on his face. "He does to better when he is like that, this is a fair assessment. How long then will it take for his horrendous laugh to return to grace the ears of those who worry for him?" she ponded ever so curiously. What wasn't curious though, was the way their bodies currently entwined. Even in the sky, this great beast seemed just as at ease as they had been on the throne. Here and now the male met the woman's folds and told her how he liked to see her. Had it been so long since they'd last had a dance like this? A heavy breath left her as he slid all the way home and the adjustment period as her body tightened around his own was acknowledged. He wanted to see what she was like breathless, and absorbed? Well there was only one answer for such a demand and it moved across all of time. Two simple words would leave her lips as her hips shifted to create the scene he wished to witness. "Yes, Daddy."

[Bloodedge]

Immortality could not be found by him? Madness. The gods kept life unending for themselves, but he who was more divine than man could find a way to take a portion for himself! He, two-thirds god and a lesser portion man, could not be reduced to the same fate as that which made so little of him. And what of Enkidu? Had Enkidu not been taken by the gods' fury, would they, too, not have been able to reach the nape of everlasting glory? Why should they, created by the gods with only a touch of man, bear the ultimate curse of the latter? Worse yet, how did this young woman expect him to follow through with her suggestions? Fill his belly? Be merry? Wear fresh clothes, bathe, cherish children, and take a wife? Appealing to the ears of those who found methods of filling the heart, surely, but how could he be so audacious as to try filling the hole left in Enkidu's wake?

"How can I be silent?" he asked. "How can I rest, when Enkidu whom I love is dust, and I too shall die and be laid in the earth? You live by the seashore and look into the heart of it. Young woman, tell me now, which is the way to Utnapishtim, the son of Ubara-Tutu? What directions are there for passage. Give me... oh, give me directions. I will cross the Ocean if possible. If it is not, I will wander still farther into the wilderness." There was little more to it than that. Whether it was possible or not, he didn't care. Somewhere in this world, there was immortality. Gilgamesh almost felt as if he could achieve it somewhere in that pit of darkness he traversed, but there were more questions than answers about that place.

On the other side of this epic tale, there was further abandon of the goings-on by two strange individuals. An age-old phrase was spoken by the woman as their bodies met properly, and in that same moment, the known world was flooded by an unperceivable aura. And with that, came the first pivoting of hips in an event that would span several seasons over time. Massive horns atop the female's head were taken hold of, and with every thrust from the male, thunderclaps reached the lower half of the world, even in a cloudless sky. This would be the way as the Man-Scorpion grinned. "That's a good Kitten~"

[Apollymi]

Gilgamesh was without consolation. He wouldn't accept that the goodness of life, was only made sweeter by the fact that death would eventually embrace him. He could not rest, he could not know happiness while his friend remained amongst the dead. Siduri, how could she actually help him? He did not see reason, he didn't understand that the ocean was vast and that nothing real could cross. But... when he implored her at this point in his life. When he asked of her with the most sincere from of humility he possessed... was it really possible for her to deny him? Was it even worth while to let him suffer as such? "Gilgamesh, there is no simple way to cross this ocean. Whomever has passed it, cannot themselves find the way back..." she said with great care. "The place and the passage are difficult and the waters of death are deep," she explained of this situation. It wasn't merely a matter of being impassable, literally only death could await those who walked this path. Would he really choose this? "When you come to the waters of death what will you do? Do you truly wish to cross with the ferryman?" Siduri asked this question of him, but it might have been considered misleading. There was a way to cross this place, there was something which could be done... but there was only one way for it to take place. Would he really be ready to place his trust in another, after the gods had already crossed him? Could he place his faith in her, to help guide him along the way?

[Bloodedge]

Reason would not take hold of him so late in a long, long journey. He could not be dissuaded. If he was not to be given passage, he would find his own way through hell and high water, and even worse yet. Indeed, for what would be the point of risking anything less than everything, when he had nothing left? What would be the point of risking any less than everything, when he had everything to gain? He would throw life and limb behind, all that remained bar the skin of beasts he'd eaten, all to chance perpetuating the one thing that remained: life. "Though the place and passage are difficult and the waters of death are deep, I will go. When I come to the waters of death, I will strike at death itself with these weary hands, and I will fend against it with my last breath until my journey is complete. Young woman, maker of wine, I wish to cross with the ferryman," he said. His body was battered. What remained of him was clutching onto life by mere desperation, and it would continue to do so until his life was ended, or until new life was breathed into him. There was no second thought placed into trusting this woman. If he did not trust her, he could do nothing in this realm, this garden she presided over. If he learned that even she could not be trusted, then perhaps he would be crossing those waters to see Enkidu on the other side in the end. To do that, would not his journey be completed in another way?

[Apollymi]

Gilgamesh remained clutching onto life. He claimed that he would take the trip, and he would do so no matter the cost. Siduri was left to look at the man in amazement. Was this really his mettle? Was this a true showing of himself, to trust a woman he found in the middle of the darkest place. One who lived quietly to herself and could lead him to his doom. Perhaps he was merely depressed or perhaps what was to be found at the end was indeed exactly what he wished to seek. Regardless the confirmation was there and everything she needed to know was now present before her very eyes. Her mind processed his words and she took a deep breath herself. "Come with me," she said softly. Maybe in just a few moments of time, she'd come to appreciate this man's character. Or maybe, this was the only way this tale could ever go? Irrespective of the truth there was only this moment...

"Urshanabi," the name of the ferryman spoken at the edge of this water. Her hands were contorted strangely before her, and she seemed to be peeking through the tips of her fingers. She looked out over the horizon as she aimed to connect one side to the other. A bridge formed over this ocean. Connecting one end to another. Siduri was a simple wise woman, at first sight, just an individual making her own way in this secluded part of the world. Right at the moment, the ferryman she aimed to connect this man with, was simply a magic meant to connect two places. A simple step forward and another and another, upon this bridge would move them over the vastness of this ocean until he reached the shore he sought on the other side. And thus Siduri became Gilgamesh's escort to that which he sought.

[Bloodedge]

There was no ferryman, but instead a spell of sorts to allow transport. The wine-maker herself was to be his escort across the vastness of the death sea, and by way of a simple path to tread upon. One foot in front of the other, he stepped. It felt so similar to his previous path leading into the gods' garden, yet oh so different. At the opposite end lay Utnapishtim, he who entered the assembly of the gods. The elderly, yet capable-looking male brandished a long beard of white, eyes drawn to narrow slits as he looked out into the distance. What was this, encroaching upon this side of the sea? The closer Siduri came with this man in tow, the more disturbed Utnapishtim seemed to be. "Why does Urshanabi stretch here without ceremony? That man who comes is none of mine, surely," he mused. Meanwhile, Gilgamesh's trek continued alongside the wine-maker. Determination leaked through his very pores as they walked over the sea of death, his eyes never straying from the horizon ahead. He could almost sense it─ Utnapishtim was in the distance with the answers he sought.

[Apollymi]

Of course, the coming of Urshanabi was unexpected. Of course it would be met with something less than happiness, that being said, Siduri would make sure the man known as Gilgamesh got to this portion of his destination, because it was the least she could do for a man who'd already put his all into getting here. "This man is King Gilgamesh of Uruk," she said with her same disposition. "He is why Urshanabi has come unexpectedly," she mentioned. There were many things to say, so much to communicate and Siduri thought if only a little she owed it to the King of Uruk to give him this... just a bit of ease on a long journey. "He's been through a lot, had done many great things... he wants immortality," she said succinctly. "If you don't mind... it's been a long and ardrous journey for him, and not one entirely of his own making..." she added softly. Why did she feel the need to go this far? Well, it was strange, but somewhere deep within Siduri thought she owed this man something...

[Bloodedge]

With the arrival of Siduri and this man of the mortal world, Utnapishtim received all necessary information from the wine-maker. She'd gone against the way of this garden, bringing one who had not undergone suitable trials to be tested for joining the assembly of the gods. In a way, this was an act of sacrilege. Nevertheless, one could not simply say no once the ferryman successfully brought someone over the sea of death. Utnapishtim reached this plane much the same way, yet the one called Gilgamesh had not obtained the gods' favor before this journey. No, in fact, King Gilgamesh had just the opposite. The gods did not wish to see him further empowered; the goal at present was still to keep mankind and those who walked their world underfoot. Whatever Utnapishtim thought, Gilgamesh stepped forth with a speech. "I see you now, Utnapishtim, and your appearance is no different from mine. There is nothing strange in your features. I thought I should find you like a hero prepared for battle, but you lie here taking your ease on your back. Tell me truly, how was it that you came to enter the company of the gods, and to possess everlasting life?" he asked.

Utnapishtim gazed upon the tattered king. His appearance was no different? Had that boy not seen his own visage? The amount of divinity he possessed was clear in his very eyes, in the ethereal glow that enshrouded him during moments such as the present, in even the way he carried himself. Speaking of how he carried himself, though... there was no way he could actually acquire immortality by the garden's trial. "I will reveal to you a mystery. I will tell you a secret of the gods. As for you, Gilgamesh, who will assemble the gods for your sake, so that you may find that life for which you are searching? But if you wish, come and put it to the test. Only prevail against sleep for six days and seven nights," Utnapishtim explained, inviting Gilgamesh into his own home within this realm. It was he who watched over the test for those who would become like him, but Gilgamesh would not leave in such a way. Merely remaining on this side of the death sea for the aforementioned timeframe, without feeling the slightest kiss of death via sleep, was enough of a test. Ah, but the journey to reach this place was arduous enough, and Gilgamesh's journey was longer still. As the king rested on his haunches, sleep laid claim to him quickly. Utnapishtim left the clearly drowsy king's side and addressed Siduri. "Look at him now, the strong man who would have everlasting life. Even now, the mists of sleep are drifting over him."

[Apollymi]

A conversation between Gilgamesh and Utnapishtim was to ensue, and Siduri sat aside and listened. She wondered what would be said and the words shared between these two great men were about what she expected. Ah, but even the man who'd already claimed immortality for himself came with a certain test. Trials were the way of places like this, so the King of Uruk was given one. And what a mighty one it was, to stay awake for a mere week after the length of his journey should have been no real challenge. And perhaps if it had been the start of this journey this could have been a test easily passed. But here and now, after decades of toil and grief. The king sat down and fell asleep, almost instantly. What would have been easy became an impossible task just by virtue of the journey. Ah, but of course, that sort of thing was about the expectation here. Siduri looked at Utnapishtim and gave a soft smile. "I can see that. Just tap his shoulder, and wake him gently. Send him back to his life the way he came..." she offered. She didn't know this situation would end like this, but she had no ill-will towards King Gilgamesh. Moreover, somewhere deep within her building she wanted him to be alright, which was not a thought she was sure she understood the start of.

[Bloodedge]

Tap his shoulder, she said. Send him back the way he came, she continued. That would not be enough. If he was merely sent back to Uruk, that moronic king would somehow find his way back to this plane of existence. Utnapishtim did not wish to see this blonde again for the rest of time, entering his domain clad in the skin of wild beasts and smelling of their dung. "All men are deceivers. Even you, he will attempt to deceive. Bake loaves of bread, each day one loaf, and put it beside his head. Make a mark on the wall to number the days he has slept," Utnapishtim insisted. He would not allow the king to pretend sleep had not taken him, nor would he let him pretend he was prepared to pass this trial. Whatever the reason for failure, it remained just that: failure. That was what it was, and that was what Utnapishtim would let it be, regardless of Gilgamesh's claims when he woke.

[Apollymi]

According to the Faraway the King of Uruk would attempt to deceive Siduri when he woke. To what end? Likely to try and keep going his challenge. Instead of letting this happen as naturally intended Utnapishtim explained that she should bake a loaf of bread and mark the wall each day the man slept. This would act as proof of his unconscious state. "If that is what you wish... I will go along with this," said Siduri. And she went to work baking her first loaf of bread and marking the wall. She'd leave that loaf beside Gilgamesh and not bake another until the next day. This pattern would continue, until the count of baked loaves was six with a seven on the embers. Those six before had been there long enough to begin to decay. Ah, but the number was strangely aligned as well, the number of fully baked loaves was currently equal to the number of gods in Celestia. How fitting. While Siduri worked on her next loaf she thought over the sleeping king, he did deserve his rest, it wasn't really something she'd interfere with. Yes, he'd failed his trial but... he was a hero, and a hero's life was supposed to be about the journey.

[Bloodedge]

Six days, and seven nights. The trail was a tremendous failure in the end. On the seventh day, the rising sun was followed by Utnapishtim tapping the King of Uruk to wake him. Just as he expected, just as he warned Siduri one week before, Gilgamesh rose and spewed lies immediately. "I hardly slept when you touched and roused me," he declared. Knowing this moment would come, Utnapishtim pointed to the king's side. "Count these loaves and learn how many days you slept, for your first is hard, your second like leather, your third is soggy, the crust of your fourth has mold, your fifth is mildewed, your sixth is fresh, and your seventh was still over the glowing embers when I touched and woke you."

Gilgamesh looked, and he realized the truth. The king thought he was merely resting his eyes. Staving off sleep was something he'd been doing for several decades now, but that thief in the night called sleep had taken hold of his limbs. In this realm, that was the worst fate one could know. The trial was over, and there was no victory for the pompous King Gilgamesh. What had it all been for? "What shall I do, Utnapishtim? Where shall I go? Wherever my foot rests, I find death. It inhabits my room, it awaits my every breath to make the next my last," he explained. To Gilgamesh, even sleep felt like the potential end as of late. Enkidu fell asleep some decades ago, and each time he woke over several days, he woke worse than ever before. What if he was next? What then would become of his journey?

Utnapishtim did have some solace for the King of Uruk. If nothing else, he'd seen Siduri dutifully baking bread to leave at Gilgamesh's bedside. He'd seen the tossing, the turning of a broken man in his homestead over six days and seven nights. Moreover, there was still the matter of Siduri breaking a most sacred rule of this realm. Perhaps he, too, had a kindness to offer while maintaining his position and the laws of this garden. "Woe to you, Urshanabi. Now and forever more, you have become hateful to this harborage. It is not for you, nor for you are the crossings of this sea. One, you have brought to me, and one, you will take from this place with nothing but wasted time. Go now, banished from the shore. But... this man before whom you walked, bringing him here, whose body is covered with foulness and the grace of whose limbs has been spoiled by wild skins... take him to the washing-place. There he shall wash his long hair clean as snow in the water. He shall throw off his skins and let the sea carry them away, and the beauty of his body shall be shown. The fillet on his forehead shall be renewed, and he shall be given clothes to cover his nakedness. Till he reaches his own city and his journey is accomplished, these clothes will show no sign of age; they will wear like a new garment."

That was not all Utnapishtim had to say. No, there was a much greater truth to share. Gilgamesh would receive no immortality, but his journey had been an arduous one. It was clear in the way he slept, wild as a beaten hound in its cage, as if fighting against reality from the dream state. "Gilgamesh, you came here a man wearied out. You have worn yourself out. What shall I give you to carry you back to your own country? Gilgamesh, I shall reveal a secret thing. It is a mystery of the gods I am telling you. There is a plant that grows under the water; it has a prickle like a thorn, like a rose. It will wound your hands, but if you succeed in taking it, then your hands will hold that which restores lost youth to a man."

[Apollymi]

And as the seventh loaf was baking Gilgamesh was roused from his sleep. Immediately this man began to protest, claiming he'd not been sleep very long at all. Siduri had been here this entire time. She'd baked the bread and watched and waited as she had in the garden before now. She new the truth of the passage of time, but still the reaction to being caught unawares made her giggle lightly behind her veil. Utnapishtim had been right, that was exactly the first reaction of the King of Uruk. Ah, but the truth of this tired man came to the forefront. He walked in death and was afraid of it, having failed his task there was no immortality for him, but Utnapishtim wasn't a cruel man. He saw the struggles of the King of Uruk and had for him a consolation prize. But what would Siduri get for all the trouble she'd gone through this great amount of time? Banishment and the task of seeing the young king she'd led here out. Ah, she supposed that was a fair enough thing to have happen. She'd violated the spirit of the rules of this place. She wasn't so obtuse as to not understand what she'd done here. "I understand. I'll see to this final task...and leave these shores," she said acknowledging her part in this. Oh well, it wasn't like she loved this place at all. She'd been born here, and now she'd leave. Perhaps she'd see what the world had to offer her.

Her instructions given, she'd wait for the King of Uruk. She'd lead him to the washing place and do all things instructed of her. In this particular moment she had no real thoughts of her sacrilege nor her own abandoned post. Right now, she simply wished to conitnue helping the king until he ended this long journey of his.

[Bloodedge]

Without immortality, Gilgamesh had but one thing to take from this journey. An herb to restore youth was quite close to what he originally sought, was it not? The old could become young again; it was even better than eternity in a single state, in a way. He looked to Utnapishtim, thinking of how bitter the situation would be if one obtained eternal life during one's decrepit years. So then, he'd follow Siduri Washing would not come first, though; he had to collect his bounty before reaching the alleged washing-place. With this information fresh in his mind, Gilgamesh opened the sluices, that a sweet-water current might carry him out to the deepest channel. Heavy stones were tied to his feet, dragging the king down to the water-bed. There, he saw the plant growing. It prickled him as warned, but that was the last thing capable of stopping him. Gilgamesh took the herb in hand and cut the heavy stones from his feet. The sea carried him from there, throwing him onto the shore. At long last, there was a smile on the king's face as he addressed Siduri, herb held tightly in his grasp. "Come here, woman! See this marvelous plant! By its virtue, a man may win back all his former strength. I will take it to strong-walled Uruk, and there..."

What was Gilgamesh to do when he carried this plant home? Well, after discovering that the gods were holding immortality to themselves offering it only under trials that could only be completed after an impossible journey, Gilgamesh thought this was a victory not just for himself... but indeed for all mankind. Restored youth was not immortality. One could be killed, but one could not die of aging. All could benefit from this, and the gods' reign of terror would be brought to a halt! "I will grow it. I will give it to the old men to eat. Its name shall be 'The Old Men are Young Again'; and at last I shall eat it myself and have back all my lost youth." Content at last, Gilgamesh continued after Siduri. Thirty leagues they had to travel after returning by the gate through which they came. Luckily for Gilgamesh, there was no way to take the same path he'd taken before discovering the wine-maker. Thirty leagues, and they would stumble upon a well of cool water─ a fitting pool for the king to bathe in before his magnificent return to Uruk.

[Apollymi]

The King did not wish to leave or bathe first. Instead, he went after the bounty of that mysterious herb. Of course, Siduri was by his side for the entirety of this situation, watching as he prepared himself to submerge wondering what drove him truly. She waited by the shore for his return to the surface and when he did he addressed her directly. She looked towards him, prepared to correct the use of the term 'woman' to refer to her in general. They'd been traveling together for quite a long while, and she'd been banished from the place of her birth, the least he could do, was use her name to address her at this point. Ah, but that was something that could wait, because for the first time since she'd known this man he had a smile on his face. That was surprising. He was excited to have it, happy to have it. And he didn't even wish to immediately use it himself. Instead he wanted to take it home with it, and spread it out among his people "Hm, that... is noble, a fit choice for a king," she said acknowledging his choice. "And Siduri. It'd become strange for you to keep calling me woman all the time," she said and from there she carried on.

How long did they travel back towards the world from whence he'd come? Very far, leagues and leagues until he came across a place he actually wished to bathe. Good for him. And Siduri would keep watch, brown eyes large and alight as she kept with her own hopes. What would the world be like. What was his city actually like? She'd stand to the side, waiting for the dismissal she figured was coming so she could leave him to his bath.

[Bloodedge]

Ah yes, that woman was sure to have a name, wasn't she? Gilgamesh took pause upon hearing her correction. It had been such a very long time since he even considered a name other than Enkidu's. He walked among beasts and monsters alike, none having names attributed to their identity. For decades, that went on. Now, he was experiencing his first introduction in quite some time indeed. "Siduri. You have been banished from the garden where you were the maker of wine, the ferryman, and the watcher of the shore. You have aided me as a midwife would. In Uruk, the great-walled city, there is a home for you."

No more waiting. In his satisfaction, Gilgamesh would strip himself naked and toss aside the beast skin that adorned him for so long. Those makeshift garbs would not do for a king's glorious return, and he was due for new garments anyway. He brandished his golden body as one would showcase the finest heirloom, as it was the most immaculate form in this world. Even in the filth of previous hunts, his magnificent form boasted the glow of the heavens themselves, and with it, he blessed the waters that would in turn cleanse his flesh and hair as no other water ever had. Ah, how wonderful! The water soothed his skin and soul. This should be the water he bathed in always, and perhaps he would one day make it so. Something had to be done with eternal youth, after all. "Come, Siduri! I deem these waters the most glorious of all. You are welcome to join this experience!"

[Apollymi]

Siduri's correction to her name had the king, singing an interesting tune. He pointed out that she'd been banished from her own, her noted skills and made the claim that she'd aided him in the ways of the midwife. The king of Uruk gracious as he was, made the claim that she could find her home within the walls of his city. "Oh? I should thank the king for his kindness. It would be quite helpful to see something new," she said. It seemed she bore no lasting attachment to the place she'd called her home for most of her known life. Instead, Siduri was more than ready to leave the shore and see what the world had to offer. Ah, a naked Gilgamesh. Shameless as he was, the King of Uruk stripped himself without a care in the world for the wandering eye of the wine-maker. In fact the sight took her quite by surprise and had her turning her head to the side to avoid catching any more random glances at his nudity. All was fine and soon enough he was as covered as he could be, steeping beneath the calming waters. Siduri coughed lightly freeing herself of any obligation but beneath her veil her face was exceedingly red. An offer to share a bath with the king was something many women would dream about, but it wasn't a dream Siduri shared. Though he given his own state, likely meant no harm by it, the flustered lass had no choice but muster a flustered response. "I do not think that necessary... I can just bathe later," she said turning on her heels to truly face away. The first Hero of this world would not be getting beneath her skin this day.

Ah, but something else lurked in this area. Beneath the cool sweet waters a white snake moved about. The scent of that lovely herb drawing its attention. It was slithering up gently, waiting for its time to strike. It's prey unaware and those he would steal from also wouldn't know. This creature once belonged to a goddess but now, it had fallen to a lowly status. A single sweet meal, one last declaration of its life before it all came to an end. Surely, that was fine. The snake aimed to swallow up that herb, gently taking it into itself letting that magic work upon it. And when it was finished, it would simply shed its skin and slither down stream. But there would be quite a few lasting effects to this tiny snakes actions.

[Bloodedge]

Over and over, King Gilgamesh splashed and wiped himself in the cool waters. Already glistening, he was made clean bit by bit. His hair regained its luster and golden sheen, and his body sparkled like freshly-polished jewels. Such a great moment this was, and yet, the wine-maker refused his offer to partake of the bath. Long locks draped over his face, the king laughed, that crimson gaze peering through the beads cascading down that mop of hair. "H'oh? What is this?" he wondered, taking in the sight of her seemingly flustered form and finding it greatly amusing. "O wine-maker of the garden of the gods, Siduri; does embarrassment seep up through the ground and take you by the ankle? Fear not, for you have been blessed with radiance of which there is no shame to be taken. Take pride in it," he insisted, carrying on as if she felt embarrassment for her own sake.

Content, relaxed, and unawares, Gilgamesh was fated to suffer one additional loss during his highest point of the last several decades. That rejuvenating herb was the one thing he'd gained from this journey. He was to use it for himself, but also for his people. He was to... lose it before even making it halfway to the strong-walled city of Uruk. His eye caught a glimpse of the fleeing snake, herb hanging from its maw and its skin left behind. Before he could even react, the creature was gone downstream. Gilgamesh... was stunned. He'd done all of that, and for what? To have the youth of a common serpent restored? Already, his bounty was likely back to the channel from whence he collected it. Gilgamesh sat at the water's edge, staring out into nothingness until... he laughed. "Fu-... fufu-... fufuhahahahahahaha! Ahahahahahaha!" Cracked from his core, he couldn't restrain the laughter which built itself from nothingness deep within his lungs. It forced its way out once, twice, and for a third time without halt. It had all been for naught in essence. For decades he wandered the world in search of something, and now, the weary king was ending his journey with no more than what he'd started with. The bitter irony alone was enough to drive men mad, as some cruel satire crashing down upon the silence of an otherwise blissful moment.

[Apollymi]

Oh, the king took amusement from Siduri's embarrassment? Of course he did, he was the type of man who saw such things often and after journeying for decades likely saw the novelty of her in a moment like this. "It's nothing like that... someone has to have some modesty," she claimed her face still burning as a result of his jabs and having caught sight of his nudity. Ah, poor lass, it would likely be ingrained in her mind for far too long. Maybe the image would eventually replace itself, disappear into the folds of her cortex long before she ever properly remembered seeing it. Yes, that was it, the exact thing to go for.

As she pondered over this point, that little serpent stole the fruits of King Gilgamesh's labors. It ran off with all that he had accomplished in decades. And in the face of that irony, the king, laughed. Oh but it wasn't a pleasing sound, it was the laugh of one broken and spit upon by the world. Over and over again, this man had tried and failed to catch hold of an ounce of hope. Or at least... that would be his thought... that snake lowly as it was, was once a creature of deep meaning to the world. Its caretaker once a goddess of Wisdom called Metis, who'd named him something like...Gandr? Yes, that was it, the snake once called Gandr. And Gandr's last vestiges stretched much wider and longer than any could know. By taking in that herb, the world would be affected, but in what way? Well, the snake was so pleased by the meal that it deemed it would not let it escape, as it was carried down stream it bit its own tail becoming endless in its cycle of renewal. A ring, this snake would now take on, but the meaning of its name was lost with its goddess. Gandr? Gandr? Jormungandr, the World Serpent. It's care given by wisdom determined the length of life, but in grasping its own tail, life became a cycle to start anew at its end. This, was what King Gilgamesh wanted for his people, but not something he would actively give, no... it would be through his failures that he finally gave to the world. The snake which found its resting place in the depths of the underworld, would change the world for the better by Gilgamesh's own hand, but never would he know of it. And on this unknown note, would end the Epic of Gilgamesh.

[Bloodedge]

Modesty? What a wasted effort. When one had, one should flaunt as the unique possession it was. Gilgamesh could, however, take solace in the fact that there was such a woman. In hindsight, women who brandished their beauty as a cornered hound bore its fangs were quite... disgusting. It gave him a memory of that goddess who had nothing to offer but a divine form, no capacity, no merit whatsoever. He never thought he'd develop a type while being capable of bedding women in every corner of the world on a whim, yet here he was... having a revelation.

He was prepared to accept Siduri's refusal of bathing. He was prepared to finish cleaning himself, and to let Siduri have the pool while he basked in glorious victory. Indeed, he may have even been prepared to properly absorb the sight of the wine-maker in bathing, but now... he was slighted by a beast. The king laughed like a maniac as his head fell back, dripping locks weighted and hanging into the water at his rear. "Was it for this that I toiled with my hands and wrung out my heart's blood? For myself, I have gained nothing. The beast of the earth has joy of it now. I found a sign, and now I have lost it. Hahahahaha!" He could do nothing but laugh at misfortune. In a way, he felt... empowered. The massive weight of this entire journey was now beneath him, and most importantly... he'd been throwing his life away in search of immortality for decades now, and in spite of letting his own life be in the hands of fate, fate could not claim it. In that case, was he not immortal by his own capacity? Could he not fell every attempt at his own life with a bit of effort put forth? He'd been doing so for his entire life thus far, so what was to stop him from continuing? Nothing. Strangely, there was a great satisfaction deep within the King of Uruk, if only because he could just... give up now. "Let's go. My long journey is over. Where are those garbs Utnapishtim spoke of?"

[Apollymi]

"Hmmm..." Siduri was in deep thought. The King of Uruk seemed somehow better for losing that plant he had. She didn't know why but it was almost like he'd found some sort of peace during this journey. She supposed that was best and if he wasn't throwing his life away, then maybe he'd learn to enjoy it eventually. She'd be in Uruk maybe for a time, she'd eventually come to know what kind of man he was after his despair. Ah, what was this now, he wanted to know about his clothing. Of course, she had it, she turned, her eyes up to avoid more unnecessary looking upon his unclothed glory. "It's here," she said. Though the lass would have enjoyed a long bath, she was more of a lover of warmer waters and these didn't look that. But with the end of Gilgamesh's journey she could go along with him for a bit if he'd prefer not to dwell on this place. He should at least return to a kingly visage, if he was going home to greet his people. But when they left this place, where would they be...

In the time since Gilgamesh began his journey, several other people had begun popping up all over the continent. They were busy individuals, garnering the faith of others, protecting the masses, or any other random thing. Of course, one such individual was in place just watching. A long blonde ponytail move about in the breeze and her body was carefully armored. She held with her the flag of France and had large blue eyes to boot. Why was she here? Well, there was a rumor about the Holy Grail and she was coming to claim it. She wished to use it to help her people and to that end, she'd been working. Doing what? Investigating some disturbance of space, she found in the middle of this place. It was wide spread encompassing a large area, but it was not solid yet. She'd be making sure she was inside before it solidified because it was thought this barrier was created by the birth of a Holy Grail. She felt no bad energy from the barrier so she felt it trust worthy enough, maybe it was here to keep the damage to nearby areas low, that was thoughtful for all potentially involved. Still, it was in a strange place, a disputed stretch of land, between several kingdoms and empires.

[Bloodedge]

Gilgamesh went on to dress himself in garbs that would not wear and tear with age. Though he was without his royal jewels, that was all fine. As he preferred, the majority of his torso was exposed, bar the golden pauldron-like shawl thrown over his shoulders. With that, the two were on their way to what Gilgamesh presumed would be Uruk, or at least the realm of Chaldea. Where they wound up instead, was somewhere... lower in the world. Why? Could they not be brought to the realm above? Oh well. "This is not Mesopotamia, nor is it Chaldea. Wine-make─... Siduri, why have you brought us to this level?" he wondered.

Little did the king know, the two of them moved as normal, yet they appeared in this realm as a golden glow falling from the sky like an incoming meteorite. Where they landed was within the confines of this barrier. They were but one of a total seven who were being dragged into this bounded field by a power equaling the world itself: The Holy Grail. At least one individual here had been keeping count of the stars breaching the barrier; he was one who knew why they came. Vermillion hair adorned his head, matching the stubble of his face and the three claw marks over his right eye. "Five," he counted. Another male, far more muscular than a human should be, looked up as well. Wild, black hair was moved from his gaze as he observed the falling star prior to Gilgamesh's query.

[Apollymi]

Ah, they were now somewhere strange, Siduri looked up from where they'd come and saw with her eyes, a magical barrier around this thing. "King Gilgamesh, I am hardly responsible for this..." she said her brows furrowing. "The layers in the world aren't exactly even, it isn't easy to get directly from one place to another, as you already know," she said with a minor scoff. "This is almost a completed barrier, or a reality marble but it's not done yet..." she mentioned of her own analysis. Why they were here, was a question up in the air, but the former wine-maker had done nothing but make the path, he'd been the one to determine the direction. Besides all of that, there was a huge barrier forming around them.

At the same time a different woman was riding into the barrier altogether. She dropped from the back of a winged horse that disappeared from sight after she landed. Her hands touched the ground and her covered eyes traced the whole of the lands. Oh, there were people here... "Hm, I wonder if I'm going to have to fight," she mused to herself. Six others besides herself wasn't a large number of people... and she could in fact kill a great number of people without real effort. What did she want? Some place to call home, she was done wandering about in the world, being treated as a monster. Oh well, what were a few more lives on her hands to disappear somewhere into the world. Ah, but the barrier still wasn't complete just yet, some criteria had yet to be met.

[Bloodedge]

"If not you, the ferryman, then who should take blame for this?" Gilgamesh questioned further. It was not he who chose the location, but rather his ambition doing the work without his knowledge. A few steps were taken in a bit of a roundabout, while Gilgamesh found his attention on the forming barrier as well. How strange. This place was actively sealing itself off, but from what? Rather, what was it sealing in? "Hmph. It would be no epiphany if this proved to be the work of those gods, the whore Ishtar and her lot. They are welcome to try containing me now."

Ah, but this had nothing to do with the gods, and was indeed something beyond even their ability. Even the deities of this world had no control over the world itself. "Six," was counted by the red-haired male in this field. Only one more would appear before the barrier completed itself, and one more happened to be on its way. Within it, there were two bodies. Both could have been qualified to seek the Holy Grail, but one abstained by nature. Of course, that one white-haired mage of a man also abstained from mentioning why they were en route to this place. "Oh, we're almost there, my king~♥" he said to the one he escorted... who was interestingly a little too much of a girl to be a king. "Are you excited?"

[Apollymi]

Apparently Gilgamesh didn't truly understand how the ferryman spell worked. A sigh came from Siduri as she tried to think of a proper way to explain. "You, King Gilgamesh. I make the path, you walk it," she mentioned hazarding a glance his way. Was this barrier the work of the gods... she thought not. "Unless the Mistress of the Underworld has decided your death is necessary I think not. And even hers feels... different," mentioned Siduri. She'd been ferrying people towards death herself for quite a long time, she was familiar with the way such magic felt, and this on the surface was nothing like that. Yes, it had the pull of great severing power but... it didn't retain the cool nonjudgement of death. No, this was something entirely different. "I would sincerely hope the gods didn't just decide to keep messing with you just after you'd resurfaced, that'd be vindictive," she said giving a gentle nod. Whatever was creating this barrier, they were going to be stuck in it if they didn't get out. And given what the king of Uruk was like she assumed they'd not be getting out on purpose. "Would it be presumptuous to assume that this is a matter of curiosity for you? The barrier itself is almost finished and I have no doubts we'll be locked in once it is," she mentioned. Taking that slightly advisory role she'd had since meeting him in his journey.

While counts and tallies were taken the last of those involved would be arriving soon, and in the company of what she considered to be a rather annoying man. She had a young a feminine form, though not particularly well endowed. She had blonde hair, kept up modestly in a rounded bun with a braid. She walked along with all the poise of an aristocrat but through the wild lands as if she was unbothered. Her dress, was delicate but blue and with white underthings and she had sharp green-blue eyes which were startling to behold. "I doubt I have done anything in this world to deserve your constant yammering as a punishment," she mentioned. It would be obvious to all this man annoyed her to no end. He also kept calling her king, and occasionally made her into a man which was something she hated as well. He piled on reasons for her to dislike him but whenever she needed to be somewhere he made sure she was there, which is why, even though she considered him to be the biggest annoyance in her new life, she allowed him to say by her side and breathing. "I do not know what I should be excited about. You told me I needed to come here. So we set out... but if I find this to be another annoyance unnecessary for any reason," her eyes narrowed with a strange amount of unseen bloodlust. She wasn't always violent, but this man seemed to bring that right out of her, even with just playful words.

[Bloodedge]

So then, this was not the work of the gods. He could believe Siduri, given her life spent within their garden. That, however, left an even greater curiosity. If the gods had nothing to do with it, then this was an all new challenge to welcome as he returned to Uruk. More glory was here to be sought, Enkidu at his side just as they'd always been... Well, in a way. "If not the gods, then there is nothing but glory in the path ahead. Perhaps I will ordain a new piece to my vault," he proclaimed. Speaking of his vault, what a shame it was that he'd not brought with him the key to unlock it. There could be combat here, yet all he had was his flesh, clothes, and access to only a few special tools linked directly to him. He should keep in mind to find a better way of accessing the treasury, but no matter; the weapons he had access to were more than enough to handle any threat on this level of the world. "This is no curiosity, Siduri! What lies before us is something that calls itself a challenge! I will remind it that it is but a stepping stone to the likes of me." Forward he went as the barrier began to close. He'd find the purpose of this field, and he would leave a victor of whatever challenge it presented. Simple, he thought.

Just like that, the group of seven plus were sealed within a wall of true magic, beyond even the waning magical power of gods and fairies at their greatest. The fault lay with two: the girl-king and the mage at her side. Of the two, the latter seemed nothing but amused at every word his ruler offered. She was always so cute with her threats of death against him, even as she continued following his instruction to the journey's next segment. "You should be excited about everything, of course!~ The simple fact that I brought you here is something to look forward to, isn't it? No need to send me death-glares, Artoria~♥" he retorted with a wink, his long staff aiming its head in the direction of... strangely, a French flag in the far distance from their point of arrival. "See, look! Someone besides the Saxons; you can finally put your sword down!"

[Apollymi]

Apparently, Gilgamesh would see any real fight as nothing but glory if the gods weren't involved. He had no idea of the kind of time they'd emerged in, his journey had taken decades and the gods had experienced quite a bit of decline. "Is that really it? The King of Uruk will claim a new treasure? Hm, alright then... I suppose we are in it for the long haul. I will avoid dying if at all possible," she said like a good little assistant. Obviously she wanted no part in any fighting, she was a guide, advisor but not a fighter in the conventional sense. She could hide them, move them, or even pick at the barrier to try and force a hole but if he wanted to stay for glory, well... she would be by his side. "Well, at least you're in good spirits..." she claimed. Strangely that barrier over head came to a proper close while the last participant entered not even knowing what she was walking into.

"No one is excited about everything," she said flatly. "And you taking me somewhere, usually means I have to fight something or someone. Or that you are going to do something annoying like turn me into a man," she said giving him another glare for his troubles and for her own memories. "Death glares are free, you live off them now, right?" she asked of him. Though there were French, in this encampment so he wasn't lying. Maybe she wouldn't need to kill anyone. Ah, and what was this, someone holding a French flag was approaching, long blonde hair at her back, lightly armored and with a face, strikingly similar to Artoria's own. She stood as a guardian to her little encampment, but blue eyes would meet Artoria's and a flash of recognition would be present on both sides. "Eri-nee," said the lass with the longer looser hair. "Emi!" There it was, the excitement... excitement unknown by Artoria in a long time, and suddenly, her arms were open and there was another blonde rushing into them happily. "I missed you. I didn't expect to find you here..." she questioned in rapid succession. "Calm down, calm down... Give me a minute."

[Bloodedge]

Indeed, the King of Uruk would claim a new treasure. Such was his way, and such would always be his way. Boundless was his collection, ever growing, ever increasing in power. He'd already forgotten how many things he'd collected over many, many years. "Is the King of Uruk not Gilgamesh? Is Gilgamesh not he who amasses a collection of all things in this world? If it is to be considered treasure, it is mine. I have decided on a return to my pursuit of all things valuable as I return to great Uruk!" he announced. If only he knew, it was that precise decision which landed them at this location.

Others, however, arrived very much on purpose. Artoria for example, though she may not have made the decision herself, was here by the guidance of Merlin. Five total others were present for various reasons, but all shared a common goal: ambition. Yes, each participant of the coming battle was here due to their own ambition, their desire for the Holy Grail, whether they knew of its existence or not. All had a reason to possess that item. All had a reason to at least touch it. One such person was the red-haired male, who was already on the move to find his first of six targets. All participants would be given a message by the grail itself. "Seven souls are present. Which of you will touch the grail?" a voice from beyond even Celestia asked. The red-haired male registered this as his time to strike. All participants were shown an image in their minds, a single word each. One saw Saber, one Archer, one Lancer, one Assassin, one Caster, one Rider, and one Berserker. Gilgamesh took pause where he stood. It was he who was given the title Archer, though it appeared quite... fuzzy. That red-haired man running through shadows was Assassin, on his way to one deemed by the grail to be... ah yes, the most likely first target of his would be Rider. All he had to do was find the one assigned that role, and his path to the grail could be forged.

[Apollymi]

"A king's declaration..." mentioned the poor lass known as Siduri. She supposed this was entirely better than watching him mope and writhe in the garden of the gods. At least in a moment like this the King's glory would be obvious to all. Perhaps, he'd earn reprieve in addition to his new treasure. That was Siduri's hope for the man known as Gilgamesh. Of course, they weren't the only people present here, and soon a count would be issued.

"Seven?" was the murmur of the one woman who looked up thinking about it. Or rather she didn't look. Her eyes were covered and her thoughts were clear as day. There was a grail here and that was all she needed. She was fast, she had Pegasus, potentially, all she had to do was find the thing and she could take it. She was still kneeling but now with a known set of targets to look for, she could eliminate unnecessary mana signatures and search for the grail, and she'd do so... with her hand to the ground and her body completely open. She was technically fearless... there was nothing that could sneak up on her, so she could instead look for her prize.

All the while, Artoria and the golden haired other girl who looked like her stood together taking in the information. "Holy Grail? There is a grail here?" she questioned aloud. "Eri-nee you didn't know? Why did you come here then?" she questioned. Though her sister was a Saber now... there was no real problem for the one known as Emi. They were still embracing as the announcement happened but would let each other go to ponder the new situation. "I am here because he said I should be. As annoying as he is... that is fine," she said though she was currently in a good mood, so that statement wasn't accompanied by an angry glare. "Eri-nee, you haven't changed much I see. Are you giving people a hard time, still?" she questioned in her general motherly tone. "No... I am not. He is truly annoying. I promise. Moving on..." she quickly said not wanting her first topic of conversation with her younger sister to be everything wrong with Merlin. "So we just have to touch it to win? Then what do you say... want to touch the Holy Grail? Me and You.... I am pretty sure we can take five people..." offered Artoria.

[Bloodedge]

The Assassin-class combatant was steady on the move, fleet of foot and strong of will. His presence was concealed via his own ability as an Assassin, and the use of a more personalized skill allowed him to accelerate his own 'time' in a way. With rapid movements due to said acceleration, and with his dagger at the ready, he made way for the seemingly unexpecting Rider. 'Easy business,' he thought, anticipating little resistance as he'd faced so little since arriving in this world. His aim was clear. He would not slow himself until he'd bypassed the Rider with a slash through her very magic circuits. By managing that, he would make a return trip, and another, and another. A full flurry of lacerations across her body were to occur in his plan, until he'd severed enough that any attempt to utilize mana would essentially be suicide.

Meanwhile, Merlin was looking about as if there weren't two participants of this great battle standing before him. Hell, they were even discussing him at the moment, yet he paid them little to no mind. There were greater things at play right here, right now. A little family reunion of sorts was not even remotely important compared to the grand things playing out all around them. Oh, he could see it all, in real time even. "Everything comes together eventually," he mused aloud, without much thought to it at all.

[Apollymi]

Ah, the one marked Assassin, was headed straight for her. 'Error.' was the only word that came to her mind. She supposed she was out in the middle of the open, seemingly unarmed and very much just minding her own business. Her identity had been revealed, and she was no doubt considered the weakest opponent on the map. No matter, even blind, she could see him coming. Presence Concealment was a valuable skill, but it wasn't infallible. Her senses were likely some of the most perfect this world could offer. Even without eyes, she could hear his steps, feel the wind shifting differently and more so than that she could taste his temperature on the wind. A gentle shift, would conjure a magic circle. This magic circle would appear quickly, several long daggers popping out, each one crossing a blade meant to injure her person. She defended herself in this manner, "Apologies, I didn't know this spot was taken," she said one of those daggers coming to rest in her hands. That mask over her eyes was beginning to crack, how long would it take for her to release her own restraints? Five seconds? As that magical device was keeping her from killing everyone within her line of sight.

And what was this, a clear offer from Artoria for the two of them to partner up for this endeavor. All the while Merlin was looking around as if there was something more interesting than the two lasses in front of him. "Is he alright?" asked Emi, ever the concerned one. "Ignore him. He does that... I told you, really annoying," Artoria said with the same tone she'd had since entering this conversation. "So... you, me, touching a holy grail?" she asked of her younger sister once more. "Eri-nee, I don't know if we can both touch it..." she murmured. She didn't know why her sister wanted the Grail but didn't want it to come down to a fight between them. "It does not matter. That is not what I asked you..." she commented her eyes travelling away from her sister for the first time. Ah, Artoria's sweet side was about to show for just a moment. "I will not ever draw my weapon against you. So... it does not matter if we can not both have it. I would not see my little sister cry the first time I saw her... so, do you want to touch it?" she asked of Emi once more. "Yes, I need to I could probably get it on my own. But... I wouldn't attack you either," she said going to hug her again. And in this moment Artoria opened up her arms again, her younger sister was so emotional. "Come on now, we have people to beat up. I am sure no one wants to see Jeanne D'Arc crying all over her big sister's dress..." she said freeing them both up for more active participation.

[Bloodedge]

Oh? Strange; he'd never been deflected when utilizing this combination of abilities. This was going to be a bigger challenge than he initially thought, but he had confidence he could win against this one. "That's new. You're good. Sorry, this spot isn't really taken though. This is check," he referenced. Those multiple daggers of Rider's seemed to be the biggest problem he had in store. The way Assassin saw it, he would have to use his ability more frequently than initially anticipated. Luckily, he had quite a few daggers of his own. One by one, he was brandishing them and throwing them toward the Rider's blades with purpose. All he needed was to make contact with each one, and he could determine the tide of battle from an early point. Ah, but the tide was determined the moment this became the first battle. Another force was already approaching what he knew to be a new ongoing battle, hellbent on claiming the full glory of this little war. Everyone within this bounded field felt so... so very small, yet capable. Was there glory to be found here? Perhaps there was, but mention of the Holy Grail was intriguing nonetheless. That was undoubtedly something he needed in his treasury. So, onward he went, his presence swelling as he walked with a power this level of the world had never known.

In the meantime, Artoria and Jeanne D'Arc were reaching an agreement. How interesting. This was the second time this world had seen what would be known in future as a Holy Grail War, and it was the second time an alliance had been formed at its beginning. What would come of this one? Even Merlin could not know the outcome, interesting as it would be to see for himself.

[Apollymi]

"That is an error. There is no check... you didn't look at the whole board..." she mentioned. His knives came in contact with those daggers of hers, and would disappear from sight. "Not to sound disinterested but we'll both die if we stay here. And I don't want to die. Something we can't fight is headed straight for us," she said moving out of her circle of magic. She should move, she should run. This attack while annoying wouldn't be the end of her, as long as she got clear of this area before the arrival of what had to be the scariest aura within this little bubble. Her own use of Monstrous Strength would tier up her abilities. She would be saving that use of her real skill for a while yet. To reveal herself before it was necessary might actually get her killed. No knives would touch her as the use of those daggers would continue to defend her, even if they disappeared, she'd simply make sure her body was out of the way behind the weapons as they were thrown.

The pair of young women with their golden hair had agreed to face this war together. "New world same day, what's the job?" Artoria asked of Jeanne D'Arc. The girl with the longer hair had her face go soft, it really was just like old times. If they were attacking this war one by one then their main goal was the grail itself. "The Grail. Is somewhere within this bounded field. A number of sacrifices would be necessary to claim it after it is found. According to the texts in the church. You need a win, not necessarily a death, but both can count as a sacrifice. The person who 'wins' is the one who claims the Grail and has enough power to fill it. Enough sacrifices..." she explained the situation. Death could be the thing to do, but there were a few other methods. Mind control, charisma, taking out the biggest target and running were viable options. "How do I claim a win?" she asked of her sister. If death wasn't the only option, she'd be courteous enough to offer whatever alternative the world would allow. That was her duty as a Knight.

[Bloodedge]

This woman spoke strangely while his daggers phased through reality behind her. He didn't look at the whole board? The chess metaphor was being taken a bit too literally, it seemed. What could he have been missing? There was nothing triggering his senses in this confrontation; she didn't have anything secret to pull. She had nothing, right? Though it was a waste, he expanded his senses... albeit at the worst possible time. Ah. That was why they should both be moving away from here. The exact moment Assassin expanded his senses, was the exact moment that monstrous existence would have been perceivable to him naturally. It was too late. It felt like hours passed before Assassin's gaze shifted toward the source of this great power. This was supposed to be an easy series of assassinations, wasn't it? No. Assassin's gaze met golden majesty incarnate, and just then, there was a spear tip through his dagger-holding hand. His weapon was released from his grasp as a result, but... this was not Rider's weapon.

No, this spear tip through his hand was attached to a long chain, which came from a golden ripple in the air above that golden-clad blonde in the distance. "Little worm crawling on the ground," he spoke, arms crossed and judgement being passed through a crimson gaze so distant from humanity. "Who gave you permission to look up?" Weakness was what the king saw in the Assassin. During the redhead's shock from the speed by which he was pierced, more chains with spearheads were shot forth. His outstretched arm, his legs, his other arm, even his face were shot through in a matter of blinks. "You are not worthy to gaze upon me. A worm is only fit to continue staring at the ground, until it is picked out to bait the fisherman's hook." One final chain was shot, its tip piercing the Assassin's head before those glowing red eyes were set upon the other combatant here. "You. Are you the fish this worm has brought to me?"

[Apollymi]

"I warned you." That was all the woman with her moving daggers had to say... why? Well because, that huge problem she'd sensed was now upon them and there was nothing they could do about him. And, this Assassin was paying the price for trying to take an easy mark. What was more, it looked like she might be next on the list even though she'd done nothing to deserve this kind of trouble. An elaborate metaphor about fishing was put forth and now... Rider was trapped waiting just for a moment, speaking to the man, better than being randomly murdered. Noted. He doesn't want to be looked at in this moment... Alright. She didn't have to look to see. "I am a monster not a fish..." she said carefully. "I had no intention of running into you just now. Your aura is a bit too big to take directly. I planned to observe for a while. I didn't expect you to come right towards us because Assassin attacked. But I reacted to defend myself... and he wouldn't take the hint and flee, though I also could have killed him myself and would have if it wouldn't have put me at a direct disadvantage." she explained of herself. She had a very memorable skill, and it lost effectiveness if too many people saw or lived through it. It was in her best interest to use it in blitz attacks and get rid of the evidence. Which she could have done in this case, if Gilgamesh hadn't stumbled upon her. She had an entire plan here, and none of it involved trying to take this man on immediately.

Oh, Jeanne was explaining to her sister, how to claim a win without a death. How interesting. Her older sister was a trained bodyguard and assassin. Jeanne had no doubt that she could kill someone if she wanted to, but here she was asking of the other options. "That's an interesting question from you..." she noted before moving on. "You can claim victory if someone hands it to you. It's possible to get people to forfeit a copy of their Mystic Code to you. It comes out in the form of a card. If they do, it will count as their sacrifice and they won't have to die to fill the Grail. I don't think may people think of that..." she mentioned to her sister. "So mercy is an option. Good. It would go against my honor to slaughter someone who does not want to fight or is incapable of it," she said. Artoria didn't know who all was in this barrier currently, but she was the type who would accept surrender if people would rather that than fight her. Perhaps it could even lighten their load and gain either or both of them allies in the process.

[Bloodedge]

And so, within seconds of this Holy Grail War starting, one of its seven combatants was slain. Assassin perished in a way that was strange to Gilgamesh; he faded into obscurity, leaving magical lines of coding in the air where he once stood. Did that have something to do with the Holy Grail itself? Gilgamesh would leave the assumption at that for the moment. Now, there was the blindfolded woman to deal with. She claimed not to be a fish, but a monster. If he chose to interpret that a certain way, he would say all the better for slaying her. However, monsters did not know reason. This woman rationalized that she was unfit to face him directly. Well, she had a sense of her position in the world at least. "You have tact. That is commendable. Very well, then I will humor your wishes to survive by taking a coward's approach. Tell me now, what are the details of this barrier around the Holy Grail? That Assassin has been reduced to the words of the world, why? Explain to me how I go about claiming the grail... or does the alleged monster think to stand in my way?"

Meanwhile, Merlin was whistling. A pair of sisters taking on very different roles in this world were reunited, even working together for the sake of claiming 'the' Holy Grail. While they discussed ways of avoiding murder, there was another killed without hesitation, and yet another who might soon perish as well. It was almost laughable to see in his mind's eye, and well worth commenting on to the sisters. "If honor is something you're keeping, I suppose neither of you has a desire to wait until only one other enemy is left? Seven has already been reduced to six; five if you two count as one unit~"

[Apollymi]

This purple haired woman was being commended. Apparently the amount of tact she showed here, impressed a man who just annihilated another for looking at him. It was actually quite ironic that such a thing happened in front of someone like her, whose eyes were a death sentence as well. Ah, in exchange for being able to walk away from this, he wanted information. He truly didn't understand this, given his power that was an amazing thought to her. "Truly?" she said. Well, it would be better if he was informed of the rules at least, there was no need to give a man who could senselessly slaughter everyone that it was the only way it could be done. "The barrier that surrounds the Holy Grail is a feature of the world. It locks the named participants in order to give way to the Holy Grail war," she explained of the situation. "The Grail itself will grant the wish of the one who claims it... and the first one to touches it with enough sacrifices to fill it wins," she mentioned. "He is like that because he is...well, likely of separate existence to those born only of this world. He needs to be claimed, along with the details that make him in the form he was in before he was dispatched. Such is a thing that happens when two competitors come in contact with each other, have you truly not come across another from the other side since coming here?" What Rider described was essentially a PvP function of a video game. And that question didn't necessarily need to be answered. She simply found it strange considering how strong he was that he'd never encountered and killed another player before now. "You can claim that and it will count as one of your sacrifices, though since he was killed the grail itself as claimed him already," she mentioned softly. "However if you come across someone whose life you don't just want to end, you can have them forfeit the same thing to you in the form of a card. The one who fills and touches the grail, wins..." she explained of the situation. Obviously, she was here because she had a wish in mind, like everyone else did. And the deaths of others was one way to make it happen, though not the only way. The legends said that when Egypt rose, the Pharoahs ascended together for the grail. It was a nice notion.

At this point in time another was lurking behind a dark hood. She was currently aiming to win this, and strategizing. Of course, that particular strategy of hers, went out the window the moment her target aligned themselves with another. She couldn't dare try and take one of them. Their natural resistances would have them unable to be controlled quickly. Ah, but there was another, one she could use to try and topple the ones naturally against her, this was especially necessary now that Assassin was dead. "Tsk. I didn't expect to work with him again..." she mumbled. Still, within the shadow of her cloak she approached. Quickly beginning to cast a spell to control the mind of Berserker, who currently had the form of a young man. "I do apologize, I wouldn't have done this to you but I cannot put myself out here right now," a strange seal appeared on the back of her hand, and the magical network would aim to encase Berserker. It would give her control of his mind and body and allow her a physical manifestation to use against the others. "I will release you when this is over. I swear..."

Ah, and at the same time, Merlin was speaking of honor and claiming that some two opponents were already down. Artoria looked at him with abject confusion. "What am I out there already? Who kills someone in less than five minutes?!" she seemed outraged. Of course she was, she was by her own nature a natural born killer. She would have easily slayed a great number of people. "Heheheehe!~" this was a giggle from Jeanne. Her sister would be outraged, but that was fine. Jeanne would never lead them astray, they'd have both glory and the Grail, she was certain, no pair had ever topped them after all. "Never mind. It does not matter. You point we will go..." said Artoria, whose body became encased in armor almost immediately. No reason to leave herself open her sword was currently not drawn but that was fine as well. And Jeanne, closed her eyes for just a moment, she turned on the spot and when she opened them, she pointed with the tip of that flag. "There..." she said leading them towards Berserker. And with it, Artoria began to go as well.

[Bloodedge]

The king was given much information about the grail and this 'war' for its sake. Good, good. Rider knew when to accept his glorious order as well. So then, he had to fell a maximum total of five more combatants within this bubble, and he would have the grail. Easily done. That thing was his, even as his drinking cup. If he had one wish to offer it, he would instead have it be filled with the best beer he had. Revive Enkidu using a magical wish-granting tool? The monkey's paw would not make a fool of him after everything else in this world did. As for the dead worm and his spilled Mystic Code, well... Gilgamesh would not sully his collection with something so basic, presuming he didn't have its proper versions already. "If the cup has taken him to fill itself, I have no use of it. Go, woman; take his innards before they coalesce into another abomination crawling through the dirt," he said to Rider. Why she called herself a monster was irrelevant; she was just some woman at the end of the day. However, she had been of use to him. He would offer her some form of remuneration, even if in the form of her survival. No... no, that wasn't quite right. Once more, he had nothing and was given something. His spirits, as a result, were high. Ah, but there was one infuriating thing to be addressed. "My question, woman. Is it your intention to reach for that cup of mine?"

In this war, there were now two alliances... in a way. That hooded woman laid claim to the silent one, the most physically intimidating of the bunch. They were... something resembling friends, in a way. Her words spoken in his final moments of consciousness were like a curse, but also like consolation. She would release him when this was over? That felt somehow ominous, but as his mind was lost to him, he could not think of why. For now, he was becoming but a husk. As Berserker, he was going to end up in that situation anyway, whether he understood that or not.

Ah, three were on their way to Berserker at the moment. Two of those three were even participants in this battle, while the third was simply a friendly observer hearing the reaction to the first notice of death. The first war had been this way as well, somewhat. Perhaps there would always be one person seeking to eliminate all competition immediately. Perhaps that would have even worked this time, if that one had not been the least capable of them all. And, perhaps it would have been quite helpful if there wasn't an illegal piece on the board to boot. "That number may soon be four... or even two, depending on the outcome of a conversation. This war isn't as fair as the last one. I think the grail made a mistake~"

[Apollymi]

This Rider was experiencing a bit of fright and a lot of nostalgia. The man who was standing before her was a bit like someone else she knew and worked for... that being said, he hadn't made a move against her so far. And when scary, larger than life people ask you questions... she's learned to answer honestly and quickly. Ah, but what was this? He was giving her the codes belonging to the dead man? That was his kill, was he really quite serious? Well, he obviously didn't need the codes, whatever build he had going was far beyond the level of those who tried for this grail. "As you like..." she said quietly. She reached for the codes and the look on her face shifted immediately. "Uh-oh... my boss is going to murder me. It's not really my fault though..." she said rubbing her face with one hand. Surely he was the most savvy businessman on the planet, he should have realized what a move like that could do in combat. Her boss' father was the fallen Assassin, and what would one like him be doing in a world like this? She supposed now that he was dead, it'd be rude not to take what was offered and she had some use of what she saw there. Binding and Severing. That was something she could use in her Omega Skill whenever it opened. It would make her little skill almost as good as this barrier at separating things from the outside world. And now she wouldn't even be allowed to properly think it over either, because now she was actually being asked a question and called a woman? Really? She hadn't been referred to as such since the base parts of her youth, it definitely hadn't been a reference for her while she aimed to leave that temple she'd been in. She didn't know this man, aside from realizing how very strong he was compared to everyone else here. His attitude was a bit familiar but it'd be wrong to make assumptions. "I... don't wish to die, again. If that cup is yours trying to take it is suicide," she replied, understanding the difference in power between him and her. "In the first place, this was just the least amount of bloodshed needed to put me in the one place in this world I know would offer me sanctuary without harm," she said an exasperated sigh escaping her. She'd already died, she'd already experienced the worst this world had to offer at the hands of a hero, in truth she had no delusions of grandeur. She simply wanted to live a life which was peaceful.

At the same time, an alliance had been made, or rather forced. A woman who was obviously a mage, had captured the mind of Berserker. She planned t use him a bit... at least until she could garner a more mentally fortuitous person to use in her scheme. She had a goal after all, and though she didn't want to harm the two blonde females she knew to be walking around this place, she did need them to not fight her. And she couldn't bewitch them without weakening them first. "Fight anyone who approaches. I will do my best to make sure you don't die," she said as an order. Yes, it was magically ingrained into this beast of a man. If he could take out any number of the others who would resist her abilities, she could release him after making sure he handed over his mystic code for the grail. This was humane. And once anyone figured out they were controlling the Berserker, they would... without question surrender to avoid death. She'd take their cards too that would give her the best chance of filling the cup enough to take it. Minimal losses with the assassin already out of the picture. And then she could finally do it.

According to Merlin, other alliances were being created as they moved. And what was this... he claimed this war was less fair than previous ones. "Eh? This one is not fair?" said Artoria with her brow raised. Why would he bring her here, if it wasn't fair, unless... he was actually just being nice and wanted her to see her sister. Maybe she was here to make it fairer for that girl, or maybe, this was just another of his amusements. Still, perhaps she could forgive it since her younger sister was here. "He's ahead of us by just a bit. He is a Berserker I don't know if we should try reasoning with him," she said softly. "Alright then, you want to run help defense while I slay or reason with him? I am not sure which will work but it would be better not to have someone mad running around in a small space," mentioned Artoria. Jeanne would nod her approval and hold that flag of hers before herself. She'd begin channeling an ability to add extra magic resistance to her sister and herself. With the amounts they had at base, it'd be nigh impossible to bewitch either of them and like this she could also heal the other lass if she needed. Artoria stepped up, armor glistening her face beautiful but those eyes of hers narrowed. "I will accept surrender or I will fight you... it is your choice," she said aloud. Medea carefully observed from the shadows. How interesting, this tiny girl had a gorgeous face, just like the other one. And what was more, she seemed to be under the impression that she could fight Berserker. that was dumb.

[Bloodedge]

Apparently, that dead worm was somehow connected to the Rider's boss. She must have been referring to the world people like them came from. Oh well; this world was a different sort of beast, which offered mercy to no man. He, too, would refrain from showing mercy to the undeserving. That Assassin was far too weak to make it in combat against real magic. What sort of watered-down version of magic was he even using? Gilgamesh's journey had gone on for so long, he couldn't fathom such a pitiful imitation, but alas... he knew nothing of the thing that would soon be considered magecraft by those who knew the difference to proper magic. Whatever the case, he stood stationary while Rider claimed the pitiful code lines to whatever end she would use them. In the moments that followed, something strange was mentioned. She did not wish to die... again? His brow furrowed; that was a curiosity to express later. The way things were going presently, he imagined he would soon either understand, or have the perfect time to gain understanding. More importantly, it seemed all Rider wanted from the Holy Grail was a place of sanctuary. "Hmph. If it is strong-walled Uruk you seek, you have come to the wrong place. However, you are in luck. You've a decent enough head on your shoulders to avoid the ire of a king," he commented, observing her form, her mannerisms, and her ability beyond the surface. "If nothing else, you could be fashioned into a chambermaid or sacred prostitute. Perhaps you will yet reveal even greater value, no? Regardless, you do not behave as one stricken with blindness. Rid yourself of that blindfold, woman; you have permission to gaze upon your king's golden majesty!"

Berserker was given a single order: fight any who approached. Three happened to be approaching at the moment, and his breathing was beginning to intensify. Steam escaped the Berserker's nose while the words of a small woman fell upon deaf ears. Surrender? It didn't register. Fight? It did register, but in the voice of Caster within the recesses of his mind. Bow in hand, he thought only of attacking those who approached himself and his current master. As such, the Berserker knocked an arrow. His muscles were swelling rapidly as mindless grunts passed his lips. When that arrow was loosed, it would be aimed at the girl who first spoke to him, boasting all the piercing power of a rifle's bullet. At this point, Merlin was yammering again. "Eh? Now is the time you decide to try reasoning? He's obviously minus a brain, my king~"

[Apollymi]

It seemed there was a conversation to be had still. The large aura having man before her seemed to have more to say. He offered her sanctuary in Uruk of all places. Even with her eyes covered rabid confusion spread about her face. Uruk was a fairy tale, a crap shoot, a thing parents told their children to aspire to reach because it so obviously didn't exist. She wasn't headed to such a place or even going off looking for a place that might not exist. Egypt was home of the fair minded Pharaohs. Those who left in peace everyone but the rapists and child molesters. Given this knowledge, that place would have been a quiet spot for her to live in. "Forgive me, but Uruk isn't a place I knew to exist. The dream city from the dawn of humanity never seemed properly tangible to those of us here. But we were alive to see the Pharaohs rise and know what they are about, Egypt is the only place known to ascend to," she explained of the current world situation. "And I don't know what a sacred prostitute is, but after all of this I can say I am not interested..." she said. Even without specifics, her life down here hadn't been pleasant. Especially not in the most recent days. She didn't seek that sort of attention, she wanted only to live in peace. "About my eyes..." she gave pause. How to word this... was it more offensive to show him and have him be affected at random? Or was it more offensive to deny he wishes of someone who sounded like he was the King of Uruk, that fabled place. "You are correct I am not blind, my eyes cannot close though and they do a thing I can't control... I will remove it if you'd like, but... I'd rather not gain ire over something natural to my being," she phrased that sentence rather carefully. She could easily remove what covered her eyes but if she petrified someone accidentally immediately after claiming she didn't want to fight it might be taken badly.

At the same time, Artoria was being rebuffed for trying to take the nice route but it wasn't simply a matter of her trying to be nice. It was literally against everything about the way her being currently worked to attack someone who might not want to be attacked. Besides, her sister was here and there was a certain thing she was aware of that others might have missed. "Oh, and it starts again," she said to Merlin, that man truly didn't understand her at all. Now, she as being fired upon by the Berserker. No matter, in instinct was well beyond the standard. She moved around the arrow that was shot with enough force to penetrate and moved forward, quick enough that another arrow likely couldn't be loosed before she aimed to behead this creature with all the physical prowess she could muster and the shining sword in her hands as evidence. "Iie, Eri-nee isn't trying to reason. She was giving an option... she tends to when killing isn't the primary objective," mentioned Jeanne as she channeled her protections to her sister. "Besides, she's my big sister, so she always tries to set a good example for me. Even when I know how she is..." she stated with a proud smile. Hoshimi Eri was going against her nature as a killer to walk in this world as Queen Artoria, she'd make sure her sister always knew she could choose differently, even if she didn't say that, such was simply her way.

[Bloodedge]

How was it possible that one didn't know of glorious Uruk? Was the lower world truly so distant that tales of the great city did not reach it? Madness, all of it! And what was this Egypt she spoke of? Ah, his journey had taken many decades. Some other place must have risen to Chaldea during his absence, and become a stable place of its own... though Rider's story implied that it was already such before ascending. "I know not of Egypt. If it has joined the ranks of Chaldea, it has done so while I have been away. Uruk stands, I assure you. It has not ascended, but has stood as the linchpin of Chaldea for all time in this world," he explained, taking great satisfaction in his own wonderful city. Apart from the gods's invasiveness (and Gilgamesh himself, according to most of the people) there were no complaints to be forged about Uruk. He would welcome the likes of her, whether she took up the position of sacred prostitute or otherwise. As for her eyes though, there was much to be said about their apparent nature. Hearing there was an ability she could not control, the king scoffed. "Do not insult my intelligence, mongrel. Of course they do something you cannot control! Would not one leave their eyes uncovered if not for some curse or deformity?"

Berserker's arrow had been evaded, but he did not care. His goal was to attack, and attack, he would. Another arrow was to be knocked. In the process of readying it, however, all was too late. Muscles began to grow and tighten as more adrenaline was forced through his body, this time specifically to enable quick evasion. Saber was his sole opponent for the moment. Her sword cleaved through the air─ albeit only the air, as Berserker's back arched to clear his nape of the blade's path. Momentum carried him farther back until he kicked off the ground. He was airborne in a blink. The knock of his arrow was completed in the midst of a standing, retreating backflip, and the apex of said flip saw the loosing of the arrow. Quick movements resulted in worse aim, but did that matter much? Not fully. Berserker's arrow would find its home in the ground just ahead of Saber. The power behind this one, however, was enough to leave a crater in the ground and send most individuals careening away from the concussive force alone.

[Apollymi]

Oh? According to Gilgamesh, the city of Uruk was the linchpin of Chaldea, not risen but there for all of time. No wonder they heard about it like it was a fairytale. Such a thing, was part of the age of the gods, there was no way the mortals from below could believe in it. According to him though, even after his journey his city would stand, she believed him. "Well if it will save me a death and let me ascend, I wouldn't mind seeing a fabled city," she accepted about as gracefully as one could given the situation. Ah but the matter of her eyes was still a topic of conversation. He wished to see, and figured their nature as strange in someway. And somehow considered it an insult to his intelligence that she had warned him of the potentials. "I meant no offense... I did have my head lopped off over them, it is a form of death I'd rather not repeat. I also don't think I'd be fond of the way Assassin died, if I am being honest," she said gently. Some five seconds after this statement was made her seal opened at the front falling away from her eyes, it'd settle around her neck to be resealed at her convenience. Her eyes were large, with square pupils the color of pale amethyst. What would happen as a result of seeing these eyes. The lesser of people petrified instantly, earning her the title of monster. There was a fifty-fifty on those who had around her own quality of mana, and for those ranked above, they would suffer the feeling of 'heavy pressure' under her gaze. This happened whether anyone was looking in those eyes of hers or not. Simply falling into the line of her vision was enough to render someone a statue. It'd been quite a while since she'd seen the sun, ah, but she couldn't blink regardless. Her eyes raised not to the sun but to the golden majesty of the King of Uruk Gilgamesh.

Berserker's arrow was avoided but so was Artoria's slash. How interesting. A small smirk appeared on the face of the Saber as she followed through that sword swing to land quickly on the ground. A pivot like a spin in a dance occurred counterclockwise to see the loosing of a fresh arrow after the recovery from a backflip. Artoria was knightly with a kingly disposition in most cases, but right now... she was having fun facing an opponent as mobile as this Berserker. "I take it you don't want to switch because you aren't a Lancer anymore~" Jeanne said of her sister, with nothing but amusement in her voice. "Iie, It is under control. I am stretching..." she said affirmatively. "Aaww, it's good that she's having fun," Jeanne said as if this was the most normal thing in the world. But it wasn't, it wasn't normal that even that altered shot of Berserkers left a huge crater in the ground. But Artoria pushed through it, her footfalls were even as the ground crumbled beneath her and she upon reaching Berserker again, would send a flurry of slashed towards his chest and torso, as if she intended to slice him up. Oh... that was it, she was practicing her sword swings.

[Bloodedge]

Of course she 'wouldn't mind' seeing a city as great as Uruk. Gilgamesh was sure none of the tales of glorious Uruk were lies. It was the finest city this world had to offer, of course by virtue of having the greatest king the world would ever know. Given what he saw of her now, they certainly had use of her. Perhaps she even had a place in the royal court, where he was certain to place the wine-maker, Siduri. Now then, onto the eyes feared by the bearer of their sockets. She survived a beheading caused by those things, apparently. No, that wasn't it. She'd been killed, she said so herself, yet here she was. He definitely had to bring her along now, even if only to learn the secrets she knew. "Hmm," he muttered, scowl on his face. Alas, it was torn away when Rider finally discarded that ridiculous blindfold of hers. He replaced it with his usual smug grin while staring into a very interesting pair of optics indeed. Those were Mystic Eyes, as he recalled. It had been many, many years since he'd seen a pair of those, even different in their purpose. There was no petrification coming the king's way. That heavy pressure was more like a taste of home, and nothing compared to the sensation of passing through Mashu's gate. While his own gaze stared back into hers, Gilgamesh stepped forward. He would take hold of Rider's face by chin and cheek, tilting away and having a closer look at those amethyst orbs. "How wasteful. Eyes the likes of fine jewels, such a rarity among mongrels, and you dare leave them covered."

Berserker's growth was occurring with greater rapidity over time. When he landed, he had triple his original weight, causing the ground at his feet to crumble under the landing. An exhale produced more steam. It seemed almost as if there was a strong heat building up within his body, though perhaps there wasn't at all. Nimble though he remained, as the approach of Saber was met by the use of his massive bow as if it were a melee weapon. In response to a flurry of slashes, there was a flurry of parries. What a shame. Had he come equipped with a proper bladed weapon, he may have been reminded subconsciously of the flying sparks brought about by such magnificent combat. Only one hand was used to perform these parries, but he wouldn't have been much of a Berserker if he didn't remain on the offensive. A stomp drove his foot deep into the ground during the clash. Something had to be under there, right? Right! His foot emerged along with the long root of a tree, which Berserker's free hand snatched and pulled. Of course, the tree was tugged from its resting place nearby as a result. What was he to do with it? Well, it was just a thing. As a simple thing, it was a weapon in the Berserker's hand to be swung at the small girl─ whatever he required to strike his target down.

[Apollymi]

Ah, her eyes were now visible and the King of Uruk was looking directly into them. How did she feel about this... well strangely. On the one hand, it was good to know her current arrangement wouldn't be falling apart based on the idea that she'd overpowered or killed the one she'd mage the arrangement with but on the other, if she'd actually managed to kill him, it was likely she could have taken the rest and the Holy Grail with no issue. "That is simultaneously a relief and a bit of a disappointment," she said with a great deal of honesty. "I mean, as far as tactics go... if they had worked on you, I might have easily claimed that grail regardless..." she explained of herself. As for the quality of her eyes and the disgrace of covering them, the woman managed to look genuinely surprised. Much like the first time a man hit on her in their previous world, she'd not expected such a compliment at all. "I...ah... thank you. I didn't expect that," she murmured. She'd not been paid a single compliment in quite a long time. But there was an explanation for covering them, in spite of how much of a waste it might have been. "I didn't have much choice. It's a bit of a hinderance to turn everyone within my line of sight to stone. And those who have knowledge of them, try and kill me over them, so... tactics play a large part in it," her modesty over this was created by necessity. "Besides, I can't close them, so sleep isn't truly possible for me without them sealed off," she said, just a slight tinge of pink was on her cheeks. This man was still staring at her and that was a bit strange for her. Though there was quite a bit of modesty in her base personality, even when she could be considered beautiful with or without those eyes. And there were also Gilgamesh's eyes, which she could swear she'd seen before. Actually if not for that hair color she would almost swear he was related to...

Artoria was surprised. The slashes she offered this beasts chest were met by parries with his bow. How strange it was to have slashes that could have felled anything met by the movements of others. It was exciting, there was little that could compare to it as a feeling. A job where she had to think to get through it, was a high tier job in Artoria's mind. No. In Eri's mind. But now he was stomping growing larger and larger as his body filled up. Steam was coming out of his mouth and in the middle of their clashes, a tree was uprooted and turned into a blunt weapon as well. A tree swung at Artoria would become something she ran along at maximum speed during the slash. Her sword moving about in her hand as she prepared a slash to be delievered over the creatures shoulder and down his back slashing over the tree arm side down to the opposite hip in the rear. She would draw blood today, she would have fun. Still, that little smirk on her face had never wavered. At the same time Jeanne kept up her enchantments. She knew Artoria was trusting her to watch their back from magical attacks and she would see to it. Besides, Jeanne was a problem herself, none could approach her lightly.

[Bloodedge]

True enough, if those eyes of Rider's were infallible enough to best Gilgamesh, she should have been easily capable of dispatching the others in this battle. The Holy Grail could have been hers with little difficulty, but that was not to be. Besides, it was by royal decree of his own that all treasures belonged to King Gilgamesh. Punishment for theft, as reaching for the grail would be considered, was death. Perhaps those cursed eyes of Rider's could be used to mete out said punishment in the foreseeable future? Time would tell what use she served, but there was one fact presently: her eyes were being wasted. "Fool! Cursed be those who discover something truly magnificent and seek to destroy it. As for the rest, if their fate is to be made statues of by falling under your view, does not that mean they were unsuited to gaze upon you? Let the unworthy be made of rock, lest the worthy be robbed of a rare treasure," he spoke while tilting her chin upwards into his own gaze. "Now, come." And with that, Gilgamesh chose the present to seek out the others who reached for that goblet of his. If this new woman was to seek Uruk, he expected that she would be following suit.

Had Berserker been of his own mind, Saber's maneuver around the tree trunk he swung would have been highly commendable. Even more worthy of praise would have been how she followed through to draw the first blood of this battle. Crimson fluid spewed from his back as the result of a rather deep gash, though there was no outward reaction from Berserker himself. Well... he was a Berserker, after all. In this particular Berserker's case, that wasn't the whole of it. As he turned about clockwise aiming to quickly slam that tree trunk into Saber once more, those who were then behind him would be able to witness the nigh-immediate recovery of his recently wounded back. Saber, however, would continue to be shown his front as the attempted onslaught continued.

[Apollymi]

Ah, after this bit of conversation, she was used to the idea that she'd know an actual insult when the man gave one. The words he said normally were highly pompous but she was realizing he was just a person with an exceedingly abrasive personality. Beyond the abrasiveness of his personality though, he was apparently a pretty motivational speaker beyond that. He held it as his own belief that any who were destroyed by her eyes didn't deserve to look at her. More so, he made it obvious he well and truly felt this way, claiming such a thing shouldn't be kept from those who could appreciate it. "Considering the death of Assassin, I know you believe that..." she said seeming to find it odd. Still, one couldn't hate the amount of confidence such a stance took. Given what her former employer was like, she supposed she'd dealt with more general fright then such a thing. Apparently, now was the time, seeking the others that were likely considered enemies to Gilgamesh. "All four of the remaining participants are..." she gave a pause and pointed. "That way," she mentioned giving it a bit more thought. Still it was strange. Two of these mana signatures were entwined in a way that implied one of them was being controlled by the other. "It's weird though..." she said softly.

At the same time, the work of Artoria was being appreciated by both her own sister, and the Caster hiding in the shadows. Caster's plan was falling apart at the seams. As Artoria seemed more than capable of handling Berserker though not right overpowering it. Jeanne was keeping both of them from being even remotely picked at by her magic. It would have taken literal days for Caster to tame even one of them enough to use against the rest, and that was simply time she didn't have. 'Ugh, I don't know whether I like the moxie of these ladies or not,' she though. Still, she could do nothing but respect an obvious set of siblings looking out for each other in this crazy world of theirs. At the same time, Artoria drew first blood, and this enemy of hers turned to face her immediately. She didn't get the real satisfaction of making her injury stick. Jeanne's eyes widened seeing Berserker's back and knowing her sister had sank that sword home before. "He regenerates..." she mentioned to her sister. Artoria at the same time was dodging left of a tree being used as a weapon against her. Having kept the distance she didn't have to worry about projectiles, but... this Berserker wielding a tree was problematic. Still that little smirk remained. That leftward dodge had the lass making quick steps around the hand that held the tree. She aimed to wound that arm directly with several slashes at the wrist, and going down to the beast of a man's ankle. Why? Well, in order to fully utilize her own most powerful ability needed a bit of wind up time if she wanted to combat regeneration.

[Bloodedge]

"Hmph," was the only response of 'Archer' to the notion that he believed his own every word. He needed only move forward, and Rider had the direction of all other combatants pinned. Oh, she was already proving herself somewhat useful. He needed no direction, but he would not shrug off her ability to determine enemy location. Weird, though? It mattered not. "All the more reason to witness conflict with my own eyes. Come, Rider."

Berserker's assault was relentless. Alas, the same could be said of the little Saber's evasive maneuvers and counterstrikes. The tree he swung scraped the ground, tearing it asunder, yet bark and dirt were not the only things spraying in the wind. There was another splash of blood mixed into the debris, erupting from Berserker's wrist and... ankle? Under any normal circumstances, anyone would have been both disarmed and grounded. Berserker, however, was only the former. Over a freshly fallen trunk, Berserker turned again. His right hand and ankle were out of commission for only moments, but his bow-wielding left hand could still be used to deliver a punch. His fist was large enough to consume the small woman's head and torso simultaneously, and the presence of the bow within that fist extended his striking range by roughly a meter in either direction.

All the while, two men were mobile. Gilgamesh's sights were on this group from a distance during his approach, while the sights of Merlin were elsewhere entirely. There was a woman in hiding, and Merlin himself... right beside her, taking in the battle from a shared perspective. When had he arrived, or even made the trip? Well, there was no trip. He arrived; that was all. "So, I'm deathly curious," he said suddenly. "How reprehensive were you about overwriting the mind of your own comrade? Couldn't you have just... talked him into it?"

[Apollymi]

"Medusa," said Rider. If anyone should know her name, it was likely this golden man who was now considered her patron. She'd hand over her class card when she was sure he wouldn't have use for her in a fight. Whatever the case, they were now on the move and headed towards the group of four currently facing off. At the same time, Artoria was moving about fighting against the Berserker as it regained its abilities to move its body rather quickly. She was drawing blood though, which meant she only needed an opening to win. And she'd find it because it was her nature. All the while, the smallest upturn of her lips was present. A large fist was aimed towards the whole of her entire body. If such a thing connected a regular person likely would have had their whole body knocked in two separate pieces. But Artoria wasn't the type to let such a thing get in her way. She moved forward, ducking under the fist, the tip of her sword coming up with a swiftness, and where it met the center of his torso, a beam of light escaped the tip of her sword, aiming to rip through the entirety of the creatures bulky form and blow out of his back in a single concentrated beam. "Eri-nee.. we have incoming," said Jeanne, knowing that two more were on their way forward. "It is fine, Emi. One problem at a time..." said Artoria who was amused beyond all reason.

At the same time, the purple haired mage was now being conversed with by the one who'd shown up with the problematic Saber. Her eyes widened at his assertion, and she turned to look at who would get so close to her. "First, I wasn't planning on using him. But... it became the best solution while I weighed my options. I could have talked him into it, but... he only listens to one person when he is in Berserker state, and that person is not here... I wouldn't risk him rampaging on me," she said of Heracles, going specifically without mentioning who it was he listened to. Moreover, she was now staring at what had to be the most attractive man she'd ever laid eyes on. "You're gorgeous..." she mentioned only to take a step back. "Wait, I don't think that... I never think that... get away from me." This was a strange happening. As far as she understood her own status, she only found Jason attractive, she loved him in a way that was sickening to her soul, even after all he'd done she was here now, for her sake and for his.

[Bloodedge]

Medusa, Rider corrected. To this, Gilgamesh gave an immediate scoff. He hadn't asked her name for a reason, but there was a reason he spoke the name of her Class instead. "I did not ask your name, Fujita Harumi. This barrier has determined that your identity is Rider, so Rider you are," he continued. With that, the king continued onward to behold a very interesting sight. Locked in combat were the identities of Saber and Berserker. Some hundreds of years ago, he recalled the Berserker Class being one difficult to deal with for only a single combatant. In the same respect, however, there was a specific player of Age of Eternity who proved dangerous even to the likes of him. That face he could now see twice, was one he had always seen twice. Ah yes... there were always two of them, weren't there? True though that was, one of them was of particular interest, and she happened to be the one facing Berserker with... a very interesting thing as the first sight he fully witnessed. . .

What was that first sight? Saber was faced with the massive fist and bow of Berserker, only to slip underneath. An upward thrust of her shining blade met the left pectoral muscle of Berserker. Unfazed was the hulking male, yet that was only a matter of the initial plunge. What brought about the slight widening of Gilgamesh's eyes was the sight of a blinding flash that blasted through Berserker's torso and shot outward into the open air. The Berserker's bow arm fell, dangling by only a small segment that connected his armpit to his side. His shoulder, part of his neck, and most of his torso were missing, and his head was dangling to the opposite side just as his arm was hanging low. "H'oh? Interesting," Gilgamesh mused. Also interesting though, was the fact that Berserker was beginning to recover from even that blast, though his onslaught had been halted for the time being.

Meanwhile, Merlin looked through the corner of his eye at the Caster of this competition. There was a smile on his face that would not go away as she offered her explanation. "That is the way with all the Argonauts, isn't it? He has the same level of control over you too, right?" he inquired. Her excuse was reasonable at least, but more worthy of note was her reaction to admitting an attraction to him. She merely looked at him the same as all women, bar very, very few. What was so strange about it? Well, it was more than obvious to him that she was under a very powerful spell, the likes of which could hardly be seen in this world by now. In fact, such a thing outdated even him... which was quite rare. "And why wouldn't you think that?" Merlin offered mock wondering as he stepped toward the Caster, his hand rising to take up a few locks of her hair. "I'll take the compliment, though. I always wondered if I could be appealing even to someone with a curse as strong as yours~♥"

[Apollymi]

Now, something strange was about to happen properly. King Gilgamesh addressed Medusa by her name, well... that wasn't the truth, he didn't address her with the name she'd given, he addressed her with the name given to her upon her first birth. "I haven't had my name said that way in ages. That is disconcerting," she said immediately finding that usage of her name to be more like the person whose eyes his reminded her of than any other thing he'd done thus far. In fact, if she wasn't absolutely certain that girl wouldn't have killed her father in such a way as she'd already witnessed, she would be certain they were the same person. Ah, that man didn't seem like the type to stray either so... they weren't siblings right? Where would that likeness have come from?

Rider's question would go unanswered for now. Instead, Berserker would be seeing his body blow apart, but as Artoria looked at his body she saw that it was already regenerating. A mindless beast like this was just going to keep attacking and with the arrival of others to watch this fray, she'd done enough exercising for the day. The woman in blue had her stance change, that shining sword of hers was risen above her head. The ground would seem to shake as magical energy gathered around her. But, Artoria was not a Caster, she had no magecraft to speak of, but what she did have, was unrestrained power. The downward stroke of that sword would release a burst of energy, not the attack of her sword but one of her magical quality. This was done with the intention of finishing the job of disintegrating Berserker before he could finish his regeneration. The ground would be left marred, small rocks vaporized and more so than that, the shining light of Artoria Pendragon was there for all to witness. A mindless beast, even controlled by another was a problem she didn't need for the rest of this war, this was especially true with the arrival of that man. She didn't turn an eye to him immediately she knew by the sound of his voice who he was, but why was he here?

At the same time the Caster who'd contracted the Berserker was astounded. She didn't know if he'd survive that onslaught, but she had bigger problems. Like the white haired man next to her, apparently discussing the nature of the power of the Argonauts and flirting with her? "Something like that yes... but me, I'm entirely different," she said. That statement was true, Medea of Colchis wasn't under the control of Jason the Argonaut. She was madly, cursedly, in love with him. She did many things because of this, love not the least of this was betraying her father and murdering her own brother. She'd devised strategies for his ascent. She'd bore him children. She'd done many many things to win the affection of that man to have him feel for her as she was forced to feel for him, before she'd ever laid eyes on him. But... he didn't love her back. He'd abandoned her at the first sight of some advantage to be gained and after the death of her children her heart broke. It broke even more when she realized she was blamed for it, as if she'd done it with her own hands. As if she was capable of something that heinous. "I wouldn't because I can't. I can't feel that way for anyone else... so it has to be some sort of sorcery. Though I don't know what kind considering I've been trying and failing at getting rid of it myself for decades," she said thinking about it more. Merlin approached her, taking locks of her hair in his hand, and calling her sudden admission about his attractiveness a compliment. "Why? That can't be a compliment and there is no reason you should have any hold on me, so why?"

[Bloodedge]

It was no surprise that Rider found his knowledge of her original name strange. No others he knew of had such capacity to discern the truth about others. Gilgamesh had grown up in this world believing it was connected somehow to his prophetic dreams, even feeling that it was so, but never delving deep enough into the truth of his own ability. Perhaps he would do so, now that his long journey was at its end. "No truth escapes my eyes," he said in passing.

What more would surprisingly grace the gazes of King Gilgamesh? There was very little that could properly impress him, but the gleaming display of Artoria's mana was undoubtedly going to do the trick. He saw right through that beam to the woman on the other side. Flaxen locks billowed, perfectly framing a visage that contained focus, determination, and beyond that... a hint of impossible dreams. Siduri recently instructed him to take a wife, did she not? Well, his choice seemed to have been made in a single moment of brilliance. What he gazed upon was like a distant star that overtook the morning sun with its radiance. At the same time, all that surrounded it was shoved into darkness. Yes, only the light of that star was allowed to exist. Only it, and only him, for only he could truly admire that star's beauty and the destructive power it was capable of. Oh, it was such a mighty display, even Berserker was reduced to ashes on the wind. Was he finally done for? No, there was more to him yet... but not now. Gilgamesh could see that, but it blurred away as part of the background behind Saber and that impossible thing she wielded, out of even his reach. Such was the same as the woman herself, was it not? "Despite having a body of mud and soil, as all men are, this one has her heart set on standing shoulder-to-shoulder with gods," he mused. "What bitter irony. This one also happens to have her eye on my goblet?"

According to Caster, she was not the same as those other Argonauts. True, she wasn't; she was something far, far worse than the rest of that lot. She had gone above and beyond for the affections of a man she knew nothing of, bar his name even at the time of murdering her own brother. What a cruel curse. It wasn't too powerful though, clearly, as she still gazed upon one such as Merlin with interest. "Obviously, you can. Would you be trying to convince yourself otherwise if it wasn't happening now?" Merlin asked as that hand released Caster's hair, taking hold of her hood instead. He wished to pull it from her head and unveil the whole of her face. "As for why, why bother wondering? How long do you plan to be stuck between trying to get Jason's attention, and trying to get rid of him in your head? Did you ever think it best to seize a moment when it presents itself? You don't need the grail to have worth, and you don't need the grail to save you either."

[Apollymi]

What kind of strange man was Gilgamesh that he knew her actual name? Well she supposed if her own eyes had strange powers, that it wasn't completely impossible that the King of Uruk had been granted a special talent or two. It didn't matter long term she supposed, it wouldn't be a problem she'd have to deal with. "Alright, avoid lying... I'll remember that," she murmured quietly.

All the while they watched an interesting show. Artoria turned Berserker to ashes and afterwards took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. That small smirk came back to her face in the moment her muscles relaxed. At the same time Jeanne was immediately at her back with her own pressed against her. "We have company..." she mused softly to her sister. Artoria opened her eyes and narrowed them in the direction of Gilgamesh, another death glare came from that blonde young woman, as if she hadn't an ounce of fear in fact, it was more like a disdainful accusation. Why someone like him was here now was outside of her normal logic. "Berserker will come back as well..." Jeanne mentioned knowing that the regeneration would pick up again eventually. "I said one problem at a time. We still do not know where that Caster is, and now Rider and Archer are far too close," Artoria mentioned. "What do you want to do?" she asked of her younger sister. The two women stood back to back ready to take on the entire world together if they had to. Archer's words weren't ones she liked, but it was about like him to have such a high opinion of himself that he would claim something without knowing its purpose. "Your goblet? Your kingdom already sits above does it not? You would chase a redundancy, or do you have a wish you cannot grant yourself?" Yes, that was it, figure out what he was here for, and figure out if it'd be necessary for her to take him on here and now. "Or is it simpler than that? Did you decide to walk among us who would reach higher just to stand in our way?" Artoria questioned. Rider was also a problem wasn't she, Mystic Eyes were rare in modern times, but Artoria had some knowledge of them, and knew that she could be potentially problematic depending on the power those eyes possessed. The Age of the Gods was coming to an end, and their favored champion would not be stopping the ascension of mankind.

"Crap," The initial destruction of Heracles was a bit problematic. If Artoria could do that, she didn't have nearly enough time to prepare enough to claim her as a champion. Nor did she see any having an easy time beating her. That is aside from another person she couldn't capture. And what was more, there was the part about her denial of the attractiveness of the man in front of her. Would she be trying to avoid mentioning it, if there wasn't truth to his statements. "I don't wish to talk semantics. It doesn't make sense, disbelief is a natural reaction," she tried to be logical about it. But even just looking at this man she was close to forgetting why she wanted this Holy Grail. He wanted to know how long she planned to keep trying for Jason's attention or trying to get rid of it. "I..." she gave pause. "I don't... it's complicated. I don't know why you'd know that..." she mentioned. Her hood came back revealing that lovely face of hers with purple eyes and those knife shaped ears. Still she looked a bit tormented, the light in her eyes was far less lively than it should have been, it'd been this way since she'd come to know of Jason and it was something she'd been struggling with for decades. "I don't know any of that.. I know the grail can grant my wish. I know it has enough magic to undo what that stupid goddess did to me," she said. But what of seizing an opportunity when it arrived. "I would... if I thought it would work. You... affect me, which means there are other means to fix this. But why would you help me?"

[Bloodedge]

Gilgamesh looked into the eyes of Saber, and those eyes were looking back. Ah, there was one other thing to be found within them: readiness. Above everything else he saw in the depths of her soul, there was a mighty willingness to push forward. Magnificent. Just like that, he remembered first seeing that face wear a different form of the same expression. Locked into competitive play in a video game, it was she who showed the ability to throw an entire team on her haunches and complete the most difficult tasks if necessary. In the end though, there was another who stood at her back just as now, equal in a way, and yet so far behind as he saw it. "My goblet, yes. All of this world's treasures belong to me. If it is treasure, then I shall obtain it," he explained as a matter of fact. Haughty though he was, there was a truth to the statement that even Gilgamesh himself could not know of, though the way he carried himself would betray that fact time and time again in the future. As for the idea that he had a wish he couldn't grant himself... it was almost a laughable truth, yet he would never rely on some cup to do what he wished. None of Saber's assertions were the truth, really. It was no point of redundancy, no desire to have a wish granted, no purposeful effort to stand in anyone's path forward. At its simplest, it was a decision to claim that which was his by law. "The floundering of mongrels is no concern of mine. Worms, dogs and otherwise are free to seek whatever glory and ascension they please, however I have given no one permission to lay claim to that which is mine."

It didn't make sense. That was pretty much Merlin in a nutshell, and far from the first time he'd heard such a thing in regards to an attraction towards him. The same could be said of Caster's reaction to his knowledge of something. Been there, done that. Merlin's hand ever so casually lowered, his finger trailing along the skin of her cheek as she talked. The goddess who cursed her was... Aphrodite, as he recalled. It was naught but another name attributed to Ishtar, who'd been a problem for the land in the sky for quite some time. She sought the grail to undo that curse. That made sense. What didn't make sense, was Caster's reprehension about attacking a moment of reprieve as it presented itself. "I wouldn't really say there are other ways to fix your problem. The grail could help, and I could help. Only one of those methods is magic. The other is more like... covering a tattoo with another. Why I would help you doesn't really matter, does it? Maybe I just saw you suffering over the years, and decided it was too cute to resist~♥"

[Apollymi]

Gilgamesh was full of a haughty attitude, he always was... Artoria looked at him with all the knowledge that she could and would be fighting him today, regardless of anything else to happen. Well, she'd always looked forward to that. Strangely, even as a Saber she didn't see herself as having any inherent disadvantages. If all that stood between her sister's current dream and her own was a single pompous king, he could be felled. He claimed that if he was treasure he'd obtain it. That was all fine and dandy but just because it existed didn't mean he needed to have it first. The Holy Grail War preceding this made that utterly clear. "Just because you will claim every treasure does not mean you have to claim it first. The first three are taken... you can wait for the fourth," Artoria's statement was strange, and ever so slightly arrogant, no, it was confident. Still it was she who faced Gilgamesh right at the moment and she had no problem being the one to stand between him and her sister. Still, this was only the second Holy Grail war. The first, had been won by the great Pharaohs. The second belonged to Jeanne D'Arc, the third would be her own. Whatever happened after that, he was free to, but there was a certain surety in Artoria right now. She didn't plan to let her sister not get what she needed. When asked what she wanted to do, Jeanne had but a small thing to say, "I know you remember what we talked about... I can do it. That thing is my wish and I can do it for all of us," she said. Ah. That wish, the founding of an Order of Holy Knights. Not just small bands of them spread out and blessed by separate individuals, one big beacon of hope to all. And overseen as strictly as they could to avoid the problems of bands of knights. Knights to be held to the highest standard, to help the world. A thing to stretch far beyond its risen counterpart. From the trenches of the lower world all the way to Chaldea, Artoria knew of her younger sister's wish and it was her obligation as an older sister to do everything in her power to make sure she got it. An unselfish wish, one which could help the world, that should be the first real wish of their family.

Why would Caster be reprehensive about reprieve? This Caster had come to know, that free didn't mean that anything came without terms. Could she actually rid herself of the problem her body and mind were plagued with by taking the Grail? Yes. But according to Merlin she could have a similar effect by taking him... but his words about it didn't make it seem like an option to take. Well, that wasn't exactly true her loins were already aching and the longer she stared at this man the more intense that became. How strange it was to know this, that was a bit exciting itself, but Merlin didn't speak in a way that made her believe in it enough. "If one is only coverage, wouldn't that just replace my current obsession with a new one? I am sorry to say that doesn't interest me as an idea... I..." she gave a pause thinking about how to phrase what she felt. "I don't want to continue down a path of crazed action for any man... not even a really pretty one," she said, her extra thoughts leaking out, that had to be an effect of some sort. Could he clarify that? Would it be as strong? Would she be inclined to seek him out? Would it become another thing to cloud her judgement constantly, to lead her further down the path of betrayal? She didn't want that... she couldn't accept that. Beyond that he claimed he'd help because he'd seen her suffering over the years and thought her too cute to resist. "Really?!" What a strange thing for him to say, and why was she now blushing?

[Bloodedge]

Three? In what way did she mean the first three were taken. Saber and Lancer were obviously a team, as they always were. That simple fact amounted to two total grails, if they intended to claim one for each of them. Where then, was this imaginary third grail? It stood to reason that one grail had already appeared, hence even magicless dogs having knowledge of them. "I need not claim it 'first' as you say, for it is already mine. The moment it became a thing of value, my coffers became its home. Such is the fate of all treasures in this world, except..." He paused, appraising Saber's form, her state of dress, the undying determination on her face... everything. "You, Saber. For what is more precious and brilliant than all the treasures I have collected? Such a thing belongs not in a vault, but even at my bedside." He was smug, grinning from ear to ear as he spoke... until there was a sudden scowl in that grin's place. What caused this? Surely it was nothing to do with the existing conversation, but instead the fact that Berserker's regeneration was hastening. That colossus was returning to his full form quickly, and not being silent about it at all. How... annoying, Gilgamesh thought.

Speaking of thoughts, Caster was carrying on with a train of thought counterproductive to Merlin's plan. She figured his analogy meant that he would only replace thoughts of the Argonaut Jason, perpetuating the problem with him as the target of her obsession. That was both true and false. "Too literal," Merlin corrected as the finger at her cheek was replaced by that same hand's palm, applying the gentlest of touches. He was not backing down, neither metaphorically nor physically. No, the sorcerer was in fact moving closer still. Words would continue being shared as faces were drawn nearer and nearer, yet not quite touching by Merlin's own design. "I don't know if even I can rewrite that curse. Think of it as having your eyes stuck on something, and having your vision obstructed until you forget what you were looking at. I wouldn't want to seed myself into your head for eternity... well, unless you decide that's something you want. I'm content to take over your every thought for just a little while, until... we're done," he concluded, his thumb sweeping over the Caster's bottom lip as his eyes locked onto the red of her cheeks. "You don't seem as opposed as you're acting, Medea of Colchis. What's the honest response?"

[Apollymi]

Gilgamesh was fighting for something and Artoria was becoming more and more sure he had no idea what the real use of the item in question. No, he was simply doing that pompous thing where he claimed all things belonged to him, but these cups they were for the lower world to ascend one kingdom, country, empire or organization at a time. They weren't here for those who'd already reached the pinnacle of existence. Perhaps he'd know that if he didn't spend so much time alone. But she couldn't even voice this immediately, because one moment he was speaking of owning all treasures and in the next breath he was speaking about the fact that Saber herself wasn't included. There was no change in that expression of hers, but the other girl, the one who shared her face nudged her gently with an elbow, voice barely a whisper. "Eri-nee.. I'm pretty sure that was a proposal. He doesn't seem the type to be invested in making pillow forts~" she teased ever so gently. For some reason, Hoshimi Emi had always been amused by the idea that this golden armored man before them was at least mildly infatuated with her elder sister. "I know what it means, I am not stupid, but... I would not even build a pillow fort with him," she said. "And we both know, I would kill a man long before he ever interested me," she mentioned her tone light. Artoria wasn't a homosexual she was simply uninterested in men. She'd never met one she liked and didn't really entertain the idea of love, passion or other fanciful notions like that. She got herself together enough to begin speaking to Gilgamesh who wore the smuggest expression until the noise started. What noise upset him? Well, the regenerating of Berserker. "You know of the four things I miss... my gun would be really useful right now. I have never seen a man get up after getting his brains blown out..." she mumbled sword at the ready. Jeanne also had her pike at the ready as they prepared an attack. "Eri-nee!! That's too violent!" she chided her elder sister, how nostalgic. "Alright, alright... I will only be appropriately violent. Your job your rules~" she said giving a gentle shrug of surrender while causing her shoulders to loose, obviously he would be requiring a full blast, not the wordless magic of the lass' own body.

Caster was in an interesting situation right now. She was apparently thinking to literally. The man before her, didn't intend to seed himself into her mind permanently, only to block what she was looking at... with enough force to make her forget what it was she was looking for, was that actually possible? He was still moving closer, closing the space between them. There wasn't a hint of distrust in this man's being. He had no fear of her... that in and of itself was most unusual. How would it be? Not being obsessed by someone else's will but deciding this kind of obsession was one she wanted for herself? Would it be interesting, would it be different, would it be enough to stop her from spiraling further out of control? She looked at this man as his thumb traveled over her bottom lip. He was so very close, but he hadn't closed that gap yet. What was he waiting for?! Wait, that was far too aggressive a thought for it to not be one related to... "You know who I am... truly and you'd do this without fear? You'd truly be fine with being cast aside if I feel only as I want to and decide I want nothing to do with you?" she said, those series of questions were practically a yes. She was rather obviously thinking about it. Her own body had moved forward of its own accord. She'd never thought of touching anyone else, never saw the merit of other men. Even after she was abandoned she hadn't even... this couldn't be bad right?

[Bloodedge]

Gilgamesh had many words to offer Saber, but in response, there was nothing but a conversation between sisters. There was one other thing as well. Berserker rose, Berserker roared, Berserker... caused Gilgamesh's scowl to grow more intense by the moment. He didn't recall giving permission to interrupt. Artoria was free to speak with her sister all she liked. After all, a bride would require a maid of honor for the ceremony. Berserker, however, was one who bore divine blood while being so very barbaric. By the time his body fully formed to begin a new assault, Gilgamesh was speaking. "Mindless lummox! Who gave you permission to intrude on my discussion?!" he asked. In doing so, Berserker's attention was brought upon Gilgamesh himself. He turned, he leapt, he carried with him an arrow more akin to a javelin meant to pierce the golden king's torso. Alas, he would never make it. Gilgamesh stared at the Berserker while the latter's shadow overtook his face, and then...

"Fool." This singular word was spoken as Berserker's every movement came to an immediate halt. Glowing chains were wrapped around his limbs from end to end, ensnaring even his neck and waist as he struggled against them to no avail. These chains had come from all around via golden ripples in the air around him. Unluckily for Berserker, Gilgamesh knew who he was. He was Heracles, the demigod son of Zeus. In having divinity, he was only made more susceptible to the Chains of Heaven that only grew more powerful the more heavenly their victim was. At this moment, Gilgamesh had a point to make. Artoria Pendragon, the Saber of this war, would be made to understand how they matched. "In seeking this cup, you seek the place closest to the gods. You fool who stretches your hand toward realms not of men... there is only one person on heaven or earth who is worthy of appreciating your destruction, and that is none other than I, Gilgamesh." In the midst of his strange proposal, the Chains of Heaven grasped and contorted Berserker's body. He was starting to show a fair amount of resistance, but Gilgamesh remained unfazed. More portals appeared, and from them came more chains that pierced the flesh of Berserker with the ease and force of a meteor ripping through the atmosphere. With so many piercings, Berserker was left to be torn asunder by the chains that gripped him. Only fragments remained then, including a severed head to be stamped upon by Gilgamesh's foot. Now, at last, he could gaze upon Saber once more. "Sink into my embrace, oh you glorious and illusionary woman. That is my decision."

With Berserker's head crushed underfoot, the link to Caster was properly broken this time. Mystic Code appeared around that crushed and mangled form. Meanwhile, Merlin was being questioned. Was he fine with being cast aside when this woman wanted nothing to do with him? That was only natural. He'd never been one for commitment, and he certainly had no intentions of committing to her. "What would I be afraid of? You're free to do as you please and have nothing to do with me the moment this war is over. Besides, it looks like your shot at the Grail just blew away with the wind. It's time for Plan B then, isn't it? Or..." he paused, his thumb making a return trip across her lip. He could have moved in, but would he? No, no, that wouldn't be very entertaining at all. It was only truly amusing if she collapsed under the pressure of that building desire, and assaulted him of her own volition... or even what she believed to be such. "Is it really more of a Plan A that you didn't know about until Plan B resulted in failure? You could forget about this obvious loss of a battle too, you know?"

[Apollymi]

Oh, they wouldn't be the ones killing Heracles properly. No, apparently Gilgamesh considered that one's resurgence an interruption that he didn't like. And what would come of that interruption? Death, obviously. Even so, Artoria seemed unperturbed by the death itself, that was bound to happen, she'd decided herself that slaying the Berserker would be necessary if only to make sure that they wouldn't have to deal with it later. Still, that random amount of carnage was appreciable at least. But his words towards her... those were strange. He seemed to have the wrong idea about why people sought this grail. She figured that everyone here had a reason to want it, but from her own perspective and from that of Jeanne's it had absolutely nothing to do with getting closer to gods, or even rising above others. This was a matter of duty, of care for the human population. Of making sure everyone knew what the mark was, and how to get to it. And now he was stomping upon the head of Heracles, having decided that Artoria should come to his embrace. Those green eyes narrowed and a light breath escaped the blonde haired lass. Those features of her soft face hardened just around the edges and the energy of her body changed quite a bit. Her intentions were clear to her sister who could only chuckle about it. "Eri-nee... are you certain?" she asked of her sister. "Aye. That grail is yours... I will see to it," she said the grip on her sword shifted as she pointed it directly at Gilgamesh. Having taken her at her word, Jeanne's protection around her sister disappeared, this was a fight for Artoria's honor and pride, she wouldn't taint it by assisting her. "You have the wrong idea. We have plans that do not involve gods, appreciation, or you." How very firm was her statement. "We reach for what we wish to possess because we need to, because mankind deserves an example that is real to them. And my destruction however that occurs, is the footwork for those I do not mind leaving in my wake. And I am already appreciated in every sense of the word," she said that little smirk coming back to her face. Jeanne was smiling as well, the siblings knew what each other were like, there would never be a time where Eri's destructive tendencies and battle prowess wouldn't be appreciated by those who were born and raised with her. Technically speaking Artoria always wanted this fight, perhaps killing him here and now would dissuade him from thinking she'd ever consider him for more than what he was. After all, nothing shattered a man's ego like being beaten by a tiny girl. "Your time here is over. And I am not interested in embracing you or anyone else." Those were Artoria's words and her stance was rather clear. He was to be her opponent and she would face him as if he wasn't some larger than life entity... he was an obstacle between her and her goal. Gilgamesh would be felled like everything else.

Meanwhile, Medea of Colchis was experiencing several new feelings, not the least of which was the breaking of the magical connection between herself and Berserker. "Shit. It's fine. It's fine... I'll set him up when he respawns," The former princess spent too much time in the company of sailors and men, her words were a bit gruff in the moment. But in her defense she was also still quite distracted in her own right. There was a man right in front of her. And unlike others, she actually had some kind of interest in him, and he was so close. "Me. You could and should be afraid of me... I am not exactly well known for making good, rational or polite decisions with the bodies of others," she mentioned honestly. Everyone knew her as the Witch of Betrayal, which was no nice title considering she wouldn't have made such decisions on her own. His thumb traveled across her lip again, and she could swear she felt it in her loins. Was it wrong to let go? Should she let go? Should she consider this her last real try, to avoid that which plagued her mind she needed only to actually let it go. But could she? It was like a crisis of her own conscious. Someone else had died, another plan had failed. She could take another, try to snatch up another servant fight another battle and lose again... or, she could win. For once for herself, she could actually win. Not for Jason. Not for the annoyance of that feeling of love that was so unnatural to her. Not for the Argonauts, but for her. She could win this moment and decide what it actually was she wanted. It was like being pushed as she looked in Merlin's face. Nudged towards an answer so much better than the alternatives. She could do it. 'Let go,' her mind whispered it and when she opened her hand, her class card was there. She could let the others fight this out... she sent it straight to the grail, it's location in the middle of the barrier she was more than well aware of. She took herself out of this race, without any of the others realizing she'd done it. And that hand that once held her class card would rest against the side of Merlin's face before her lips finally moved forward. She'd never kissed another man before, what would this be like?

[Bloodedge]

There was no approach to ready for his embrace, nor was there any sign of acceptance. Saber instead steeled herself for combat. What was this? What was happening? Not once in this world had Gilgamesh known such a thing as rejection. Among men, he was the most divine, the most powerful, the most flawless in every possible meaning of the word. Why then, had the one he hazarded a legitimate interest in, met him with rejection? She went on to clarify her intentions with the Holy Grail. No matter what her desire was, such an object would undoubtedly tread upon the territory of gods if it led to ascension into his realm. Though... perhaps that would only be a matter of time. Whatever the case, Saber's intentions were a thing to scoff at. She sounded so much like him, seeking glory for the sake of those other than herself. He'd done that recently in a relative sense, and it led only to ruin. "Abandon these pointless ideals and vows! These things will only restrict you and bring you misfortune. In the future, you'll need only desire me and live under my protection. In that case I vow, on my honor as King of Everything, that I will grant you all the happiness in the world," he proclaimed. Yes, that would suffice. She needed only to accept him, and she would be made to understand bliss everlasting.

Speaking of bliss everlasting, it was nigh time Merlin did something about that which would otherwise be everlasting grief. Caster Medea and her unrequited love desired by no one including herself, her lost children─ it was all to be washed away over the duration of this war. Her information was offered to the grail, and with that, she was free. Now then, what of these impolite decisions she was speaking of with the bodies of others? "Well, if that's what you're into, I'm not at all opposed to experimentation," Merlin quipped. The walls were broken down then, brought to ruin by a single movement of Caster's lips. His own puckered in response, inadvertently channeling the drug-like effect of his existence as an Incubus into her mouth. Merlin had an issue of busy hands though, shown as his free extremity shifted until it landed on the Caster's backside, where it gripped and rubbed with growing intensity, even carelessly leading to that dress of hers tucking betwixt cheeks as his fingers slipped between once or thrice.

[Apollymi]

Artoria kept her weapon up, her body was ready for a fight but this one, hadn't armed himself. How strange, was she not clear enough that this was a fight, not a proposal acceptance. She wasn't being coy, or playing hard-to-get, she legitimately disliked this man's approach and thus him. Artoria as she was, or Hoshimi Eri, had no actual romantic interest in her former life, and she definitely had no interest in a man who behaved like this one did. Did this sort of pitch actually work on women? Was there someone with a brain in this world who would accept how full of himself he was, so much so that he seemed like a game NPC professing things instead of like an actual human being? No. Artoria was not here for some random man, so high on his own life, that he had no understanding of anyone else's. And it was her turn to scoff, she had no idea what his life was like but she knew hers, and its worth was determined by her and her alone. "No. I will not abandon what I am in favor of you... I know what holds importance to me," she said that eye shift settling right on Jeanne D'Arc. Artoria, would do anything for her sibling any one of them could always rely on her, no matter what. Their victories were hers, as hers were theirs. And when they failed, she helped them try again... "It is my honor to live in misfortune, for those who matter most," she said with a small smile. Artoria knew what her behavior looked like from the outside, and she didn't mind it so long as those who smiles filled her life always shined brightly. "I do not need protection... I stand before them as theirs!" That declaration was hers alone to make. And a small tear appeared in the corner of the eye of Jeanne D'Arc. It was nice to know her sister loved her so. "Now, arm yourself or step aside."

Medea would get to know something not her own sorrows this day. It'd taken everything she had to let go of her current goal. She'd once again sacrificed someone for a failure. Perhaps, this would be the last time she did such a thing. Maybe, after today... she could find her self-worth in something other than undying love for a man who would never love her back. His ambitions were too high and she didn't matter enough for him... but she could lose that now. Even if only for a moment, she felt she deserved it. After hating herself and everything for so long... she deserved this moment of happiness. Ah, and a joke, Merlin was open to experimentation was he? Well, he was in luck... she had no desire to harm him at this moment. And she wasn't a sexual sadist or anything like that. Whatever the case, her mind soon became more involved. An incubus was kissing her back and that filled her with desire. She didn't even feel bad that he wasn't Jason. How strange. His busy hand was rubbing along her backside, making small moans well up in her throat. How would she respond, that hand on the side of his face would find itself buried in his hair. Her knees were going weak as folds of fabric found themselves buried between her cheeks. But somehow, she felt this was a much better use of her time. Her mouth opened a bit more, she sought more, entry into his mouth, a desire for skin to touch skin... strange though this was... it was easy to get lost.

[Bloodedge]

Further rejection. Was the King of Uruk experiencing some extended battle against an evil fate? He seemed to be on a downward spiral as of late, and he wasn't even sure how much time had passed since it all started. Years? Surely. Decades was more like it, but perhaps it had even been over a century or two since his friend was taken from him. Now, when he found a source of legitimate interest, that source tore itself away without a single sign of moving toward him. Well... she did have signs of moving toward him; it just wasn't the forward momentum he declared would be so. "Honor in misfortune?" he repeated. What a ridiculous statement she was making. What did she know of misfortune? He who possessed everything in this world, and finally the immaterial as well, had experienced loss after loss in his most recent ventures. Could one take honor in that? No, it was impossible! So impossible, in fact, that the thought alone was infuriating. "Hmph." He would not arm himself. Chances were, the Holy Grail deemed him 'Archer' for a specific reason. His treasures were something he launched from the gate, and though he did not presently have the key to his treasury, he used Enkidu much in the same way. Now was another time he would do so by ejecting dozens of spear-headed chains from the space behind himself, all aimed toward Saber. Any that touched her would not simply pierce─ they would bind where they landed, just as Gilgamesh's dear friend had once attempted in their epic battle.

Medea was quickly claimed by the nature of an Incubus. They were distant enough from the others, but not distant enough, Merlin thought. That was mere child's play. In a blink, they were farther still. Gone were signs of them on the material plane, and an illusionary space surrounded them, geared toward the Caster's preferences. This would be quite similar to her own innate ability to create Territory, though not of the same origin. Merlin himself also remained susceptible to her subconscious desires, even down to his appearance. Of course, he would be consciously keeping himself from taking on the visage of the Argonaut Jason; that would be rather counterproductive. As she sought entry to his mouth, Merlin forced his way into hers instead. The thrashing of the Incubus' tongue was strangely akin to full-on penetration of loins, by the delivered sensation alone. As for her desire to touch skin, it was quickly an urge to be met. Said desire manifesting was all it took for the sorcerer's robes to fade away as if they were never truly there from the start. Hers could have easily been in the same situation, but... one couldn't overcome mental locks without reaching certain thresholds of inclination.

[Apollymi]

"Yes." Maybe he wouldn't understand. Artoria was a knightly individual of the highest order. She was raised as a sacrifice for the glory of someone else. Prince Arthur was the child of Uther Pendragon. Prince Arthur was tutored by Merlin. Prince Arthur fought battles in his father's name. Prince Arthur slayed Vortigern. And when crowned King, Arthur became what he'd always been, Artoria. She suffered through childhood, stood at the side of men who thought twice upon her reveal and she still would do it again to end up right here, standing at her little sister's side to help her see her goals to fruition. She'd do that whole thing over again, for that single moment right at the start where Hoshimi Emi jumped into her arms for the first time in decades and they were right back to it. That was the kind of person she was... and nothing would change that. She didn't spend the first few decades of her life, fighting against patriarchy in Albion, to fall all over a demanding man who didn't know her nor understand her. No haughty king who had everything he wanted would ever treat her as an object to be held in any form. Ah, but she could leave those thoughts, in the white noise of her mind. They'd fall away as Gilgamesh actually armed himself. The chains which had destroyed Berserker came flying out of those gates of his. And now... Queen Artoria, would dance. She moved around each chain, not allowing any to make contact with her as she closed the distance between herself and her target. Her sword would be brought up in a brilliant slash from left hip to right shoulder. Artoria had no hesitation in her soul if that slash connected with a normal body, the two halves on the side of the person's body would fall apart around the diagonal slash.

While a battle of wills ensued, one Caster had her will changed entirely. They disappeared from the corners of the battlefield and came into a different space. This man was also a Caster, such a space made sense she supposed, but there was no real thought about it, aside from the fact that it meant no interruptions. Just as suddenly a tongue occupied her mouth and simultaneously stirred her loins with its thrashing. Still no resistance could ever be offered at a point like this, no... she was far too immersed already. Her tongue moved about that one that invaded seeming to welcome it to its new residence. She found her hands suddenly touched skin as well, what was he that this happened without her active speech. What kind of man was this? Her fingers ran along his skin it was so soft to the touch still her body was rather suddenly aching... this didn't seem normal. Stranger still, the look of this man wouldn't change by her own desire. No... the way she felt now, she didn't want to see Jason. She wanted to see this man who wanted her. The one who appreciated her... the one who made her feel something other than self-loathing for the first time in her life. It truly was great. She felt herself surrender, she wanted more. One hand in his hair the other exploring the skin and muscle of his back, she wished to feel her own skin against his, she wanted to fall into him completely.

[Bloodedge]

After watching Saber's little show against the fallen Berserker, it came as no surprise to King Gilgamesh that she evaded his chains. It remained disappointing, of course, but perhaps he was just disappointed overall. Why were those memories back? He'd all but forgotten his original life after decades upon decades in this world, but he remembered observing her just as he'd been doing today. "Tell me, Saber..." he spoke as both hands opened, almost as if he thought to welcome her approach with embrace. He did welcome her approach, but it was instead with the appearance of a golden sword of magnificent quality in his left hand. It was that blade which was held out to keep her initial slash at bay, while the sword's twin appeared in his right hand. "Do you know nothing of true pleasure?" he asked. With that, the second sword was swung. The slash was simple, aimed at her lower left side while her blade remained in contact with his first sword. He didn't seem to be trying very hard for overwhelming force to slay her. No, what he sought was an understanding of why she dared resist him.

In the meantime, Medea's defenses were crumbling more and more. Merlin could feel her every desire as if they tugged at his soul. What kind of man was he? The kind to answer those desires, whether consciously or otherwise. Speaking of consciousness, Medea's subconscious was doing some very interesting things. Merlin's eyes wandered briefly to witness stone pillars, candlelight ambiance, and... nothing fit to rest atop, bar a single altar. A temple? That was quite devious. Whatever the case, his various grips were joined by steps, guiding the pair toward said altar. Along the way, he took note of the fact that the hand upon her rear now felt only the meat of her backside. Excellent progress. Just as he was prepared to back her against the sturdy altar, Merlin brought about separation to their lips, gracing her tongue with his own for a few moments longer. "This is a place in your subconscious. A temple, really?" he said, breath caressing the Caster's face with each word. "That's pretty exciting, you know?" Interesting indeed. Now, Merlin's robes were gone completely. It went without saying that he already sported an erection; that was something he could manage by will alone. What even he was left curious about, however, was exactly what he'd be working with─ something else determined by his partner's core desire.

[Apollymi]

Artoria successfully dodged those chains, but strangely upon reaching Gilgamesh his arms were open and then holding swords which held her own at bay. Her face shifted slightly, just slightly... a tiny smirk appearing on her lips. Interesting. But a question was posed as a second sword appeared, the movement of her blade drug upwards to block and she spun to move around the blade. He was using swords... what a strange Archer indeed. But that was alright... that would be quite fun for her. At the same time his question made her brows furrow. "I do not understand the nature of your question... so I can not answer it," she said. Even now, Artoria was being chivalrous, she hadn't jumped to a single conclusion, but depending on the nature of his clarification she might actually begin to treat him with the same general ire she treated Merlin. There was also a change, though he was armed, he was not attacking in a manner that she couldn't avoid. There was nothing overwhelming about his actions. She knew this as she knew all things battle related. So, what was his aim? That was now a matter of her curiosity. She supposed it would only be honorable to find out before making any further moves against him. Still, she couldn't really resist the desire to see what two swords did in action, knights weren't fond of dual wielding in such a way. As such she watched him carefully, noting his movements holding her sword at her right side, with both hands on the hilt, ready to pounce at any moment.

Medea was being treated to a feeling unlike any she'd had before. Their mouths would separate but tongues would continue to play, and a few steps would lead the sorceress towards the only viable place here, the altar. At the same time, skin against skin was a joyous sensation. She could feel herself against him and hugged herself closer soon after. How nice was this feeling? Why hadn't she known this? Warm breaths questioned this place apparently in her subconscious, her gaze flickered around it and she smirked just a little. "I was supposed to spend my life in a temple like this... I probably want to end everything here..." she mused. Ah and her back met the altar, how very nice. "I'm glad you think it's exciting..." she said and strangely she meant it. She found herself soon kissing along this man's neck tasting the flesh there with her tongue. She wondered what she would find when it came to his manhood. Although she was Greek by birth, their ideal was not hers... she'd become accustomed to a tool that couldn't be countered, thick and lengthy enough to rattle her body internally. The kind which ended in impregnation with every emission. That was the sort of thing she always desired and what she was always used to, and what Merlin would have if her choice was the determining factor. Yes, she wanted exactly that, but not just to experience it in the same way. If this was to be an experience to forget she wanted something entirely different. She wanted to be the goddess taken in this temple, worshipped kissed and softly taken at various angles. She wanted to feel enamored and appreciated. However one got that... it's what she wanted. How would it feel for soft fingers to explore her body and toy with her gently? She needed to know.

[Bloodedge]

To one such as Gilgamesh, there was no clearer question. This Saber, Artoria Pendragon, however... did not understand it. She expressed this upon parrying his second blade's slash, only to retreat and refrain from attacking him further. Oh, was this chivalry? With her desires riding on the line of this battle, she showed hesitation against battering down her opponent? Interesting. Foolish, but interesting. Nevertheless, his future queen had presented him a question. It was only proper for the bridegroom to answer in kind. "Do exactly as you like," he said plainly, firmly even. "That is the true meaning of pleasure. Pleasure leads to joy, and joy leads to happiness," he explained in the way it was always clear to him.

Of course, it was not only Jason Medea wished to escape. This was to be a reset on multiple levels, from her forced romance to whatever else was now behind her. The temple would suffice while being something Merlin himself had yet to experience, so indeed, he would happily let the Caster 'end everything' in such a location. He lifted her just slightly to place her on the alter, and such was the moment he caught a glimpse of his own member. 'Well damn,' he thought, shocked by his own newfound proportions. One could count yet another new experience for Merlin already this day. Moving on, Medea's lips and tongue made their way to his neck, and her wishes made their way into his consciousness. So that was what she wanted, was it? Interesting. With that knowledge fresh in his mind, Merlin gently pushed back the woman's head, glowing eyes closing briefly as a gentle kiss found her lips. All the while, his hand took a new position after abandoning her backside; he took hold of her foot and just slightly lifted her leg whilst nudging her torso back.

[Apollymi]

Gilgamesh cleared up the haze surrounding his previous question. Alright. Though Artoria could say with confidence she didn't like this man in any way, she didn't have to have towards him the same abject hatred that she did towards Merlin. Still, she wondered how he actually managed to do anything with an attitude like his. Given how he chose to clarify his previous question the two of them could know nothing of the same world. Hell, they might as well have grown up in two entirely different universes. "If that is what you mean, then the answer is no," she said just as firmly. He could say all he liked that one should do what they wanted, but she felt that didn't often turn out right for anyone. Nor did she want the personality defects of doing such a thing. "That sounds terribly indulgent," she finished. Those words made her younger sister sigh, she was always like that, maybe this would be a good thing for the pair of them to understand about each other. But from Artoria's perspective, unnecessary hardships came from being overly indulgent, she was a knight, but also a girl. Girls weren't allowed that kind of freedom with themselves, and most often when they had it, they became terrible people. That wasn't to say men weren't terrible when they indulged either, she'd seen overly indulgent men as well, her guide and tutor was one such individual and the man standing in front of her was another. No... she wouldn't do anything like that, given her personality it was impossible for her to understand something like that. At the same time her hand was practically itching as she held onto the blade of weapon. Did he have more curiosities, was he going to attack again? She was prepared regardless, but it was strange that he wished to talk in the first place.

While the core beliefs of a king and queen fought on a battlefield, the temple that housed Merlin and Medea seemed to be in a completely unique state. Medea seemed to be well on her way to what she wanted, whether she fully understood how that would happen or not. Though Medea found herself kissing and licking at Merlin's neck she hadn't stopped doing so of her own accord. Actually, this man before her smelled and tasted amazing in addition to being unreasonably attractive to her. She knew this was no new normal, but she couldn't help but enjoy it. Her head was pushed back gently and she made the smallest noise in her throat to protest, only to have her lips met by Merlin's. Well, all fuss went right out of the proverbial window at that point and she found a leg gently lifted and her body shifted back. What was he going to do? She was ever so curious... but having felt nothing but delight since meeting this man she figured she'd have to wait and see. Still her body was hot with that anticipation, and her eyes were locked on Merlin's form. Her body easy accepted the position she was being placed in so...

[Bloodedge]

"If you find happiness indulgent, you will die a miserable fool," Gilgamesh said without a moment of hesitation. He'd seen her type before. Those who delved fully into their sense of duty without ever experiencing the various spices of life led purposeless existences in their final days. There was a great difference between living and being alive, and Artoria Pendragon was doing only one of those things. "A soul naturally seeks pleasure, consciously or not. You who denies yourself as easily as you deny my affection, I pity you." The two were at the strangest standstill, neither assaulting the other while both seemed ready to receive an attack at any moment. Gilgamesh, however, was not so chivalrous. Both of his swords were spun around rapidly, until he suddenly slammed them together at the pommels. Like this, the dual blades had the appearance of a bow... and in fact, they were. A string of golden light manifested between blade tips. Gilgamesh pulled said string with haste, loosing an arrow of light toward the Saber. Of course, he expected nothing less of her than evasion or parry. For her to do so, she would only be following the plan. Behind Saber, a single segment of the Chains of Heaven would emerge to parry the arrow should she do away with it, redirecting the projectile toward her leg.

Medea was rather compliant, just as Merlin anticipated. It really was a shame she'd fallen into the situation that plagued her for so long. She could have known happiness while someone attached to her knew the same. Ah, but that person would not be Merlin. He was not here to make attachments; he was here out of necessity. By the time he was done, Medea would be free to become what the world needed her to be, for reasons even Merlin did not yet know. Well, he'd know eventually. For the time being, his attention was on that lifted leg. His hand rubbed from ankle to shin, and farther still while his lips pecked their way upward starting at the top of her foot. Her desire spoke of the treatment received by goddesses, so he would be starting properly with the most gentle and attentive approach. The war outside his personal bounded field was not nearly over; there was no reason to be conscious of time.

[Apollymi]

According to Gilgamesh, Artoria would die a miserable fool, because she found happiness indulgent. That wasn't true, Artoria didn't find all happiness indulgent. She encouraged others to do things that made them happy. In fact nothing truly made her happier than the smiles on her siblings faces. She was the type to smile for others... and that wasn't something easily understood. In light of such commentary, a smile crossed the blonde woman's face. She was rather self-aware... too much to not know where her death bell tolled. "I have neither want or need of pity... especially not from you," Artoria said. She wasn't even offended. Many people thought her choices strange, but she was willing to live and die by them. There was no cause for this man to have so much concern for her... And while they both stared at each other, she realized that, it would be quite difficult to explain to one like him her nature. Her denial of self, was at least in part necessary. Her self... wasn't nearly the person Queen Artoria was, she also wasn't nearly so whimsical when dealing with people she found annoying. Gilgamesh had one thing going for him, in this case. He was something she wished to face, so she did. That sword of hers was still in hand and although Artoria hadn't moved to attack, she was more than experienced enough in combat, even before coming to this world, to not expect it from other people. This tyrant king, even trying to beat down her own ideals with his, wasn't the type to uphold her form of honor. So what would he do? Those two blades, turned to a bow with a golden string between. Would he seriously just shoot at her? Well, she didn't trust it. She watched him carefully stepped forward, her footwork would lead her to swinging her body in a circle, a pocket of air magic, bursting around her as she simultaneously blasted the arrow away from her on either of its trip and sent a blade of air pressure straight towards the golden King, in an unconventional use of her alpha skill. At the end of her spin, she bounded forward, a little smile on her lips... fighting people with their minds was much more fun than fighting mindless beasts. She'd follow in the shadow of that blade, swinging her sword horizontally at his body as a follow up. She would always look forward this was her way.

At the same time, Medea was locked in a bubble of partially her own creation. And sat atop an alter having the top of her foot kissed in the strangest way possible. She was definitely naked, but unused to such treatment. The press of his lips against her skin sent fire straight into her loins and added a spare beat to the normal rhythm of her heart. A gentle caress up from her ankle to her shin? Wasn't someone normally pummeling one of three holes on her body within seconds of nudity? Was this truly something to be accomplished? Perhaps she was dreaming... well if that was the case she couldn't well let go of it. The small moan that escaped her led her to quiet herself sucking in her bottom lip as her own eyes studied Merlin's form. He really was a great looking man as well, to be treated with care, by someone who wanted to do it... while they were attractive, this had to be a fantasy of her own creation. Yes, probably died in that grail war. "You confuse me, are you certain I didn't die in that war?" she asked for confirmation while still desiring more. What else would he do? How would it be done... this was already well past her expectations for sex and nothing of real substance had occurred yet.

[Bloodedge]

"Hmph." What on Earth was she smiling for? She was a foolish woman who would meet a foolish woman's end, having never experienced joy in anything resembling pure form. Gilgamesh believed nothing but lamentation would be at the end of her life. Stupid, stupid humanity, he thought. That arrow of his was deflected as anticipated, but with an addition of flare─ magecraft which countered its return trip as well. Was this foresight, or sheer dumb luck? Whatever it was, Gilgamesh seemed unmoved. Two more arrows were loosed. The first bolt of light was shot forward to burst as it connected with the air-type mana sent his way, while the second was released into the sky above. As Artoria continued her approach, his eyes followed her every move. "Don't get cocky!" he yelled while leaping over the woman's moving sword, his body twisting midair while the bow split into twin blades again. His left blade was swung down following the Saber's slash, colliding with her sword for the sake of offsetting its balance to delay a follow-up strike, while the truer purpose was furthering his momentum. A full clockwise spin would occur, leading to a twist that ended with the king's left foot kicking outward. He was just slightly above the woman, his kick aimed toward her face at a downward angle. Would he ground her with such a move? He strangely wasn't as certain as he tended to be in combat with... well, almost everyone and everything he'd ever fought.

Once more, Merlin was hearing familiar words. Those he preyed upon were often confused at some point, as he seldom admitted to the type of creature he was. It didn't need saying that he bonded with his mates on a spiritual level to answer their heart's desire, all to feast upon their ecstasy. Strange though, was Medea's state of wonder. A mysterious scrutiny of her form was occurring as he climbed her leg, his lips making contact with every inch of flesh along the trip up her shin. One hand had taken to holding her by the calf, while the other traced slowly from abdomen to pelvis with just the slightest pressure, and a touch of magic to seep through skin and spread, applied via his middle finger. "I'm afraid, my dear, death is a ways from you yet. Give me time, and I'll ensure you perish in bliss~♥" he threatened. Just then, Merlin's finger pressed her pelvis again. It was a simple gesture, but his magic had nigh-limitless effects. In this case, its purpose was to set loins ablaze by triggering a fluctuating sense of phantom pressure throughout her innermost reaches. It would occur as wafting, like gentle waves at sea intermittently rising higher to crash against a ship's hull.

[Apollymi]

Why was Artoria smiling? Well, if anyone understood it was her younger sister who was still watching the fight. Gilgamesh might have thought the young woman wouldn't know joy, but... there was one thing Jeanne knew her to give her sister great joy. When they'd played that game together, so much longer ago than anyone else could imagine, she often watched her sister smile and smirk during PvP matches. It was likely a side-effect of spending ones time as an assassin, and having to understand human behavior to end their lives, but Hoshimi Eri truly enjoyed overcoming people. What would they do when cornered? How would they react to power or unconventional combat choices? The sweetest victory when she overcame odds that was why she smiled. Queen Artoria Pendragon, took the handicap of chivalry and embodied it, because if she did not, she couldn't enjoy fighting. Sometimes even that wasn't enough, but here and now, against a living opponent with a brain, there was fun to be found all she led her younger sister straight to victory. Where was it now? Well, her sword horizontally was offset by a dual pair of blades, which Gilgamesh used to move himself out of the way. He told her not to get cocky but... she was already like that. Wind magic moved along that blade as she continued her swing through the offset balance, that was the answer. Why? From above he'd attack and she a lady of her sword could not abandon her blade to block. The increased pressure of the wind, gave her a small slipstream to work with and would see that shining blade meeting the foot above her head. Well that wasn't exactly it, in a moment like that her existence denied the true physics of his attack allowing her a quicker physical response than she would have been capable of. Specifically it made it possible for her to change her grip on her weapon, spinning it once to place it where it needed to be in front of her, all the while a bright blast of errant mana would escape at last, aiming to swallow up the man where where his foot made contact with the blade's edge. Shining light was her response to his attack. To give space to an Archer was a death sentence for a Saber. To be close to someone who knew that weakness was to face unconventional fighting styles. This was much better than the fight against that mindless Berserker, and thus she smiled.

Merlin's lips made contact with the skin on Medea's legs and her state of wonder only grew. This had to be some sort of trickery, at the same time her physical response wasn't one which could be denied. A hand holding her calf while the other applied a strange pressure along her abdomen. And how would he answer her curiosity? Not directly, no a threat would come her way instead. She'd die in bliss if she gave him time... Just a finger. Just lips. Just a gentle expression, and the magic that spread from the tip of his finger caused waves of pleasure within her body. Had she ever felt anything like that before? She could remember, but her hips squirmed in response. "Ah... well, that does sound interesting," she managed only just barely. She still wasn't over the fact that sex had yet to start, though her hips moved on their own as if trying to meet those gentle waves. Her core found itself slick with no direct stimulation. How would it feel when copulation started? She was so full of abject curiosity, how had she been having sex before now? She could hardly remember.

[Bloodedge]

Gilgamesh knew nothing of the woman's excitement. To face something with a mind was no strange occurrence to him. No, the only beacons to be found in combat were victory and... something brand new, such as the experience he'd seen only once in his long life. Ah, but there was something different here as well, wasn't there? Though he felled many a powerful enemy in the past, there was another oddity in this very battle. He stood at the very top, being matched only once. This Saber was much the same in an entirely different world. What would come of two combatants who each knew only one equal in their respective realms? Time would tell, but first came the burst of mana from the blade beneath his foot. He was encased in said mana, but during that moment, he flipped himself off the blade. One backwards flip landed him only a meter away. Who thought themselves capable of consuming him in attacks of a magical nature? Well, apparently this one was capable of such. A grimace was worn by Gilgamesh beneath the singing. One mistake may have been made on the Saber's behalf, however. He was Archer, yes, but that was only a meaningless title given to him by that blasted Holy Grail. Perhaps he only received it because he wielded a bow, or perhaps it was due to how he utilized his many treasures. Whatever the reason, Gilgamesh had never been one to shy away from direct combat when his enemy was not one deemed to be a simple mongrel. In a way, even wielding his weapons physically was a sign of respect unspoken. Now... he would show something else. A quick forward lunge occurred as one of his blades was flipped to a backhand grip, at which point he slashed horizontally at the woman's face. For this, he saw two outcomes. The natural instinct of humans showed itself when the head was endangered. Would she retreat, or would she guard? He was prepared for both events. Should she retreat, he'd timed his attack to strike the descending arrow previously fired into the sky, knocking it toward her face as an immediate follow-up. Should she block however, she was in position to have its descent be something immediately overhead at the moment of collision.

If Merlin was one thing throughout his life, it was a point of interest to humankind. Though he found himself less concerned with humanity as the centuries passed, they were no less interesting as well. Medea's squirming was one such example. Though standard, it was a moment to consider... thrilling, in ways he could not explain. It sustained him in the most literal sense, urging him to go the distance bit by bit. Sensations felt during copulation would be left to wonder for a while yet for the Caster, as he was only just beginning. At the knee, his lips no longer met her skin. The sorcerer instead let the tongue emerge from his mouth, trailing up her inner thigh until it found the pit of lust betwixt her legs. Ah, a drink he found, of sweet quality and silky texture. A simple taste he'd take while those glowing orbs lodged into his head glared over the curves of her body, finding her gaze at the end of their search. In his gaze, there was a question. Never spoken was said inquiry, but it would be delivered nonetheless. Where were the limits of Medea's desire? It was something that Merlin sought from the depths of his own soul, or rather... his soul itself craved that exact information, all to exploit the answer.

[Apollymi]

Gilgamesh didn't understand Artoria and it would be obvious he wouldn't for a while yet. It was quite easy to misunderstand the nature of this young woman, but perhaps the way she was about to handle him would clarify her nature. She'd succeeded in blasting him, and was content to share the space of only a meter or so with him. Contrary to popular belief she hadn't forgotten that extra arrow fired into the skies. Not at all... in fact things like that were once common practice for her as well. She could have easily seen herself doing something similar to assassinate someone. So here and now when the grip on his blade changed and he aimed to slash her across the face there were two expected outcomes, guard or retreat. Artoria defied human logic and would do neither of these things. Probably to the surprise and chagrin of all present except her younger sister Artoria leaned in, driving her blade forward with the strength of her steps behind it. She aimed to slip into the man's sight, even taking the slash across the face while closing her eyes only to wince as she aimed to drive her sword straight into the man's abdomen. All the while that slash while deep would heal over the seconds even to the point that not a single hint of it happening existed except for the line of blood on her face. Would these things work? In Artoria's mind they should, she hadn't backed away, she was... for al intents and purposed out of the way of the attack, she hadn't turned her back to her opponent and since she was coming in for kills and he was not, it wasn't likely he'd have any normal response to her not guarding her face or head.

While a battle took place between Gilgamesh and Artoria, Medea experienced something wholly new. Those lips of Merlin's had moved about her leg and turned into brushes of his tongue along her exposed thigh. What would come next, surely it was... "Oh," why such surprise? Well, the life of Medea had never included such a concise thing as a man's tongue anywhere near 'there'. She was so used to being rammed with no caution or preparation that the feeling of that initial lick wasn't something she was prepared or at all. Oh, but this situation was stranger still as she looked down and found Merlin looking up at her. Were those eyes always so mesmerizing? Could she be brought to the height of pleasure just like this? She was interested to know, perhaps such a method would have been amazing... Actually staring into those eyes over the curve of her own body she needed to know. She was willing to submit all to such a deviance if he could show her what the end goal of this was.

[Bloodedge]

It took an interesting amount of grace for one to slip around his slash and take only a gash across the cheek, but an even more interesting amount of beastlike capacity to do so while moving forward. Whether it was an act of reckless abandon or of overwhelming confidence, stranger things were still to come. First though, was something that could not be allowed. No simple sword attack, holy or otherwise, could be allowed to harm him. Surprising as Saber's decision to move inward was, the blade thrust itself was projected as always. A 45 degree rotation continuing his existing momentum, a paired sidestep, and he could easily clear something so simplistic in nature. Well... that should have happened. His movements occurred just as planned. What did not go as planned, was the outcome. There were two surprises─ one for each widening eye of Gilgamesh's. First came the sight of his own blood as that forward blade cleaved across his abdomen. Second, but no less important, was the realization that Saber's face had nothing but blood. He'd cut many a man and many a creature; he knew when the damage was dealt. In this case, however, he gazed upon that perfect face to see it unsullied... bar a few drops of blood? So, she had some regenerative capabilities, and here he was with an open gash in his gut. Impossible! How was he the wounded one while exerting himself against another? It was such a slight that he experienced an immediate fit of rage. Mana surged from his body, thick and oppressive in nature. It was not a purely conscious effort, but its effect was liable to force distance between himself and the Saber. "Your arrogance knows no bounds, Saber. As it stands, the only result of our meeting will be you groveling at my feet begging forgiveness while I drink from that grail!" he declared. Now that he was talking again, he had a wonderful idea. "Or perhaps that is the key to showing you the light? Yes, you may do well with a little display," the king continued as the blades in his hands returned from whence they came.

Medea seemed to be taking very kindly to Merlin's approach. Well, he never expected anything else. This was all derived from her subconscious. As such, it stood to reason that Merlin could do no wrong. What would come of this next, then? Submission functioned as the trigger to another lap directly to the Caster's lovebud. This was followed by another, another, and so on with less time spaced between each successive cycle. The end goal was clear, yet distant. Indeed, the true end had nothing to do with the goings-on. This, simply put, was mere preparation and entertainment.

[Apollymi]

Artoria was locked in combat with Gilgamesh but there was a sweetness here. She'd taken an injury but she'd also placed one. That little smirk reappeared on her face. It was satisfaction this time, to know she was right about that situation. Even so, she couldn't really fault Gilgamesh's skills. He'd been nimble enough to avoid the should have been death coming from that weapon. How strange, was that exciting? Well, regardless there was physical, oppressing manifestation of mana. It didn't seem to be conscious but it physically pushed back against her causing a space between them which after her recovery including placing her sword into the ground, Artoria stood up straight and looked towards the man across from her. The gauntlet of her armor set disappeared for just a moment as she rubbed the blood away from her face, completely revealing the unblemished form of her visage. Still there were rather interesting words shared by Gilgamesh. He called her arrogant, truly?! "Oh to be called arrogant by the likes of you, must be a compliment. Not that I know why you would say such a thing..." she said rather casually. Oh, what was this, he made the claim that she would be begging forgiveness, and he'd be drinking from the grail? Wrong on two accounts. "I have already said that grail has an owner and so does the next one, and that is not you. My death would come long before such imaginings as those," she said. No inclination in her tone implied disrespect. No, Artoria was simply speaking factually she'd die before begging anyone for anything. And that Holy Grail belonged to Jeanne D'Arc and she'd see her have it. "And you can not show me light... I possess my own," after meeting the flesh of Gilgamesh Excalibur had a slightly brighter glow. This man was arrogant, was he arrogant enough to face an attack? Was he stupid enough to let her charge it? She supposed she'd find out soon enough...

Medea suffered a special brand of torture, so new to her senses. Around the time her mind confirmed she wanted more she received another. Oh what a strange amount of stimulation her body was receiving. And it didn't stop, more and more in more rapid succession, those tongue lashings were delivered straight to her pearl and thus, sent sensation straight up her spine. She didn't know how to react. Nothing had ever felt so good before this moment, what was she to do about it, but moan her happiness into this dimly lit temple. The muscles in her thighs began to jump as well, each movement of Merlin's tongue brought her closer and closer to absolution. Even at such a pace, that stroke could cause this?! Bliss, as the tension released from her body, and spilled more of her nectar from her already leaky core. Truly there was nothing more lovely than that sensation. She still wasn't sure she was alive, after such a feeling her eyes had closed tightly and she took several breaths, how... how... how had someone been capable of this, and why hadn't she ever experienced it before.

[Bloodedge]

Almost laughably, that petulant Saber failed to realize her own arrogance. Any who had the audacity to injure the golden king were the epitome of pomposity; such had always been truth. Of course, he could now only count two in his memory who managed to draw blood from his magnificent form. That was, if nothing else, commendable. "A compliment? It should be determined. There are two kinds of arrogance. There is one where you are unequal to the task, and one where your dreams are too big. The former is commonplace stupidity... but the latter is a rare species that is difficult to find." Indeed, believing it was her place to cause him injury was a mere showing of arrogance. Her goals that came afterwards, however, were what truly determined the quality and extent of her gall. If she proved to be the latter in the end, his adoration would only grow. In all of humanity, nothing immaterial was more valuable than those with grandiose dreams they drew closer and closer to by the day. Judging by the simple fact that she now sought the grail for someone else's sake, even claiming it as a certainty in the face of King Gilgamesh, one could easily assumed she possessed the latter form of arrogance indeed. Ah, but she had some grit to go with it. She'd die before she groveled? They would soon see. First, he had to prove a point─ that there was light he could show her sheltered little mind. "You possess a light, do you? Surely that holy sword and the resolve that challenges a true king is not what you speak of. Come, Saber. A gift, I offer you to show that I forgive your demureness." With that announcement, Gilgamesh stood akimbo, his pelvis jutting forward just slightly. The clothes on his back vanished in a show of golden, dust-like light, unveiling his divine brilliance beneath. His musculature, his skin, his every proportion could not even be properly defined by the word "perfection." No, for he was sculpted of the purest mold. He broke the mold, he became an entity the gods failed to replicate, and matched only once. A diamond with greater value than the world itself could not shine brighter, and in fact... to mortal eyes, he seemed to be actually shining. To view his full naked glory was something so far above human comprehension, there appeared to be a beacon of light originating at his groin. . .

The crevice between a certain Caster's legs could also be described as shining, though in a very different way. Ah, it was but a glisten─ another drip-feeding of nectar to be taken straight from the petal itself. Of course, the presence of this quantity meant only one thing: it was nigh time to move on. He could see the battle occurring beyond this bounded field, and it seemed progress was occurring a bit faster than he anticipated. Luckily, Merlin was a master of dreams. Throughout one final lick up the full length of Medea's womanhood, he delivered imaginary progression through many, many more minutes of foreplay. He even left it vague enough to bend with her shifting desires, just as he'd been doing in real time. There was no real difference between dream and reality around one such as Merlin, so it was essentially as if the sorcerer hastened time itself while his own consciousness skipped ahead a bit. And, with that, he rose. Hands were traveling from Caster's thighs back up her torso, applying various levels of pressure that bridged caress and massage. All the while, Merlin rose higher until he stood over the woman, his tool laid over her pelvis in wait. "My my, Medea~ Is that satisfaction I've been seeing on your face? Don't get too immersed, or I'll have to leave it at that to avoid going too far~♥"

[Apollymi]

"Is that how you see the world?" Artoria questioned rhetorically. Of the two forms of arrogance he mentioned, hers was rather obvious. She'd never taken on a job she couldn't complete and no task was outside of her purview. Ah, she knew and understood by his own definition which type of arrogance she possessed. Artoria was reaching for humanity's sake. She was bringing order to chaos before such a time as her death set in upon her. She had happily become the Queen of Camelot, stunting herself in the process. She'd happily become a high tier assassin, once upon a time, to spare her younger siblings as much as she could. And now, she'd help humanity climb the ladder and attain everything they could. Starting with the human she adored the most. Archer's next move was one which should have brought any woman to their knees. But for Jeanne D'Arc, a gentle whisper occurred in her ear. Her lance was planted in the ground, her eyes closed and her hands were clasped together as she thanked those voices for their help. And now the golden majesty that was Gilgamesh was clear for her eyes to see. This was the light he spoke of? What seeing this should make him forgive her for her behavior? She stared. This was a man. That wasn't to be denied she'd been one herself so she understood the physiology. He was golden and glowing. Alright. Like a statue in a museum she could see and understand why he thought himself perfect, but why did he believe a perfect visage entitled him to her adoration? "Emi, are your eyes closed?" she asked of her younger sister, without turning her back to the man before her, after all, she wouldn't want to break form, again. "Oui, the angels warned me, is he naked?" she asked of her older sister, wondering how the lass felt about it, but finding the answer all too quickly. "Yes, for reasons I can not begin to understand..." Artoria mentioned. Oh? So she still hadn't a single normal inclination, that was both comforting and saddening to Jeanne. A sigh of relief was heaved, after all... Artoria might have actually murdered this man if he was naked before her sister. Not because she cared about his nudity, but because she cared about her sister. There was a distinct lack of interest in Artoria, she wasn't a girlish maiden, such notions were cast aside in favor of kingship, so this act didn't stir anything about her. She was fairly certain it couldn't have even if she still maintained some aspect of regular humanity. The truth of the matter was she was likely asexual long before she came to this world. Well, that wasn't entirely the truth, Hoshimi Eri crushed everything about herself to become an assassin. Artoria Pendragon, crushed all of her girlish tendencies and her own growth into a woman also stopped so she could become king... the notion of interest was missing from her mind, thus she had no reaction even to a specimen as perfect as Gilgamesh. Truly she was unmoved by men she respected, why would a man like him actually manage something others could not? "That is not a gift. It would go against my honor to attack a man so very exposed so, if you would do me the kindness of putting your armor back in place... I would be greatly pleased, to continue the work of moving you out of humanity's way."

Just the same Medea was receiving what she saw and felt as the ultimate treatment. She was sure those moments lasted hours as she spilled from within and it was well worth doing, she couldn't even really imagine anything but. Ah, well, there was magic involved with that, but it was so subtle she wasn't sure she would have noticed it at all. Eventually with one final lick all of that would come to an end, and Merlin's hands would be back on her body, gentle pressure and rubs were applied as he stood and eventually his manhood was resting over her pelvis. Her satisfaction would make him hold back... well that wasn't really allowed at all. "Well all immersion is your doing and I won't see you stop. I could always be more satisfied," she mentioned her hips were already gently wiggling what would happen. A slow push forward was about what she sought. Gone was her inhibition and gone were thoughts of rush. She wanted slow and steady to be pushed over the edge... why she wasn't this, she was no longer certain but she knew it was necessity.

[Bloodedge]

... No. No, this simply wasn't possible. There the first Hero of this world stood, baring his divine form that none on this planet should be capable of resisting. It was only natural that the Lancer behind his target cover her eyes; most would be incapable of handling the sight of him. Saber, however, was a special breed of being that was to be gladly accepted into a lover's embrace with him. Why then, was she so unmoved? How did she resist him so? Any mere mongrel would wet the bed at the thought of his name alone, yet this specimen of a woman was upholding a conversation with the person behind her. Moreover, the amount of disinterest she showed transcended all notions of offense taken. "You─" the man growled. It couldn't be. His name got him nowhere, his power got him nowhere, and even his form, the most glorious in creation... got him nowhere. Worse yet, Saber spoke of him redressing for the sake of continuing a fight. Why? Simply because she thought to "move him out of humanity's way" as she put it. In a few short moments, Gilgamesh experienced an array of emotions. To her lack of interest, he knew disappointment. To the very same thing, he knew infuriation. To the thought that he was somehow in humanity's way, he knew something bordering hysteria. Holding it in as much as he could, it was hardly possible to avoid laughing regardless. "Fuhahaha! Me? In humanity's way? You fool. It is by my hand that humanity has place in this world, and by my hand that mankind will flourish. You fathom so little as you flounder about on the ground," he spoke. The golden king's clothes were returned a moment later─ as was his weapon in bow form. His abdomen continued pouring blood, yet even that seemed less red than the sclerae of his eyes. So quickly, Gilgamesh had gone from laughter to seething again. "Prepare yourself for destruction."

With that singular warning given, Gilgamesh leapt back. His bow was then raised and aimed. His mana formed three rings of cuneiform lettering around the formation of an arrow aimed between a golden wing-like pattern. At the center where the arrows tip was to form, one could imagine a crimson eye surrounded by six lights that vanished one after another. This was but an omen. The sky darkened as if night fell in a matter of seconds. Far, far overhead, there were lights mimicking what could be seen at the tip of his arrow before its formation ended. "Behold! The inferno of destruction fills the heavens! Come forth! The Surge of Utnapishtim!" And so, the arrow was released. His target was not Saber herself, but the ground in front of her. A simple tracer round was all the arrow was, as the true Artifact was more of a satellite. Six bolts around said satellite converged around the "sword" for which this Artifact was named, creating a spear of light falling toward the planet's surface. His "Sword of the End" would fall as the mythical Star of Destruction, cleaving through space to the ultimate end of shattering even the bounded field this war took place in. Upon reaching the planet itself, all that awaited was a tsunami that would cover entire cities only seconds after emerging. Forty days and forty nights would pass before a place struck by this ultimate strike could be inhabited. In fact, it was this very "flood" which gave shape to the deluge myth of Noah.

Medea had no intention of letting Merlin stop, it seemed. She was right; she could always be more satisfied... until her last breath. Luckily for her, she was quite magically-inclined, or she would truly have been in danger of experiencing a most blissful death at his hands. Regardless, Merlin had no intention of backing down regardless. There would be no form of insertion initially. Instead, Merlin went for more of a... rubbing. Yes, that would suffice. He chose to rub his length along her womanhood, slicking it fully before one slower retreat positioned the tip just perfectly to nudge forward. Then, and only then, did that slow insertion begin. It was not just that, though. Oh no, Merlin's trickery was still at work. Every painstakingly slow moment of his initial thrust came with an addition to the dream. For every single millimeter of distance he covered, Medea would be cursed with the memory of a hundred thrusts. It was this sort of treatment which killed some humans before Merlin even drained them properly. Many a woman had suffered stroke and seizure at his hand because of this approach, but... the endless orgasming tended to be worth it for a solid meal.

[Apollymi]

Anger? Probable, men tended to have bad reactions when turned down. Lashing out, hopefully? That would excuse any behavior Artoria took on in defense of herself. Yes, that seemed about right. A large attack should be next, to flex his disappointment and vent his anger. The space after would be the time to capitalize. Oh? First would be laughter, it was kind of obnoxious. He seemed not to understand what she meant... perhaps he really thought himself helping in some way? It was possible he had an actual plan of some sort, but he didn't even know humans... He didn't act like a man who'd had any contact with a human in a very long time. In fact, she'd say Merlin was more human at this point. "I am not being obtuse, you are literally standing between us and the goal... You are here, when we have never laid eyes on you. I am not saying you are not capable, nor am I discounting any plans you might have. I am saying we are doing this now irrespective of your goals and ideals. We do not need you stifling us." There. An honest response. The plans of Jeanne D'Arc and Artoria Pendragon would have far reaching effects. There was no way someone so high level as Gilgamesh should be standing between them and their goals to help humanity. Ah, an honorable mention as well... Gilgamesh was planning on attacking and had the courtesy to announce his plans. He was redressed, and Jeanne's eyes opened once more to see the bow back in his hands. And a fired arrow which landed before her. Huh, those green eyes flickered upward and Artoria exhaled a deep breath, "Avalon's Sanctuary," such a calm announcement had the sheathe of her weapon break into golden light while she changed her stance. Defense would give before the end of everything.

That shining sword was raised above her head in a two-handed grip. It was necessity... she wasn't physically able to do this without the use of both of her hands. And that shining light began to coalesce. The shining got brighter and brighter over time, each moment seeming to gain more. Even as those missiles would try and descend upon her, she kept this stance. That shining light had a strange effect. Everyone witnessing it could feel all the hopes and dreams of humanity. They could feel the glory which would happen, they could feel hope for salvation. This light was the crystallization of the term 'glory' as it always would be... stories of this sword spread far and wide across the world already and it's legend would only become greater. "EX-" she started the chant as she caught sight of that weapon falling from the sky, the barrier in place so she could finish the sword swing. "CALIBUR!!!" That shining light would aim to meet that furious flood bringing weapon, and what would occur would be a mighty clash, a bright pillar of light and a massive explosive which shook all and disrupted everything around them. For her part in this Jeanne was looking at the barrier for herself and all behind her, including Rider for reasons unapparent to most. It was simply Artoria's nature, chivalrous without end.

Merlin continued, just as Medea wished him to, if she was privy to the shift in nature between dream and reality it wouldn't be at all obvious from her experience. The sensation of his manhood rubbing against her for those long moments seemed to cause her to squirm in anticipation and then the unimaginable happened over an extreme period of time. A push forward into her, which felt like a hundred thrusts with every movement. Actually, she'd experienced a certain tightening sensation in her nether within moments. This had to be divine, or sinful... she wasn't at all sure. Definitely sacrilegious at the very least, considering their current location. Ah, but regardless all she had to offer were moans and words of praise. Her body was clutching at every inch of him. She was sure she'd been at it for hours, sure she was out of breath. She was was seeing stars in her vision. She'd all but completely lost herself in ecstasy. A memory of an extended love-making session and she couldn't see it anymore. No more blonde, no muscles, no anger... what was it? The name in her head was so far away from her, she couldn't have recalled it in the moment. There was no reason in her mind she shouldn't be doing this... Her legs would eventually tighten, locking behind Merlin, pulling him in as her body sought all that it could take without even realizing it was how she was being. No negative effects to speak of, literally only bliss.

[Bloodedge]

As his ultimate arrow descended to bring forth nearly three fortnights of mana flood to overwhelm the battlefield, Gilgamesh's bow returned to its twin-blade form. Ahead, he bore witness to an accumulation of light as brilliant as the full moon over a clear night sky. There was something warm and inviting about that radiance; furthermore was how that light amidst the darkness framed the Saber's face as fringes billowed around it. It was the sort of sight that could have been witnessed in one's final moments, resulting in a tranquil end. Just the same, if that expression preceded the final moments of its wearer, it would have been the most beautiful final frame to behold. He could do nothing but stand there and admire the view during these final moments. Ah, but these were not going to truly be the final moments of anything, were they? A single outcry was all it took. In that one word yelled across the battlefield, a great enough burst of mana was produced to split the water and vaporize the sea of Gilgamesh's descending might. The Star of Destruction itself, that skyscraper-sized arrow, was cleaved as well. The ensuing explosion encompassed all things as far as the eye could see. All the while, Gilgamesh's gaze had been lifted. Everything was so bright, blindness should have been assured... but he would not look away even if it had some sort of effect on even him. 'H'oh? To gaze upon something like this, it almost instills in me a sense of nostalgia...' he thought. It would take quite some time for even the visual effects of this clash to clear, and Gilgamesh's eyes would be on the fallout even when they did. Impressive. One might wonder how much more Saber had in her. In Gilgamesh's case, he had come to this place with only his current weapon and Enkidu, the former of which could offer only a single ultimate strike every six days. Only one utterance would leave the king's mouth in light of all he witnessed. "Hmph..."

What more could he offer? It was like that one moment brought every moment before it crashing down at once. Saber's every rejection of his advances, every clash of tongues and blades thus far, all led to this display of light. Was it a shame? It may have been, though there was undoubtedly something more just beneath the surface of an event.

Merlin's singular thrust was already a slow effort, yet he now used his ability to manipulate minds to stretch time to a veritable infinity. For his own sake, Merlin could see and feel everything sent into the mind of Medea. Frankly... he found it all quite pleasant. It took only a few seconds for hours upon hours of memories to form. In that second, he saw the shift in Medea's mindset over time. Gone was the link, he thought. He seemed indeed capable of flooding the woman's mind with pleasure until that same flood washed over him in return. Of course, it was mere sustenance for Merlin... but it was quite difficult to avoid getting lost in a moment. Such was especially the case with Medea actually surviving and keeping enough wit and desire about her to wrap her legs around him. Well, this was new. Orgasm was no stranger to even an Incubus, and his was quickly approaching. Given their current position, there would soon be no avoiding what should have been a cardinal sin for his kind. So, what was Merlin to do about it? Well... he'd blabber about, just as he would with anything else. "Careful. Doing something like that, you'll end up full of a lot more than just memories. You'll even wind up a mother~"

[Apollymi]

A clash. Two massive attacks that likely had no business accosting each other played out in front of everyone's eyes, and ended, most practically in a stalemate. Ah, she lowered that weapon ever so slightly a sigh escaping her. Avalon, the sheathe of her sword, dismantled its barrier which looked like more scattered light around the others in the area. It would come back together pretty soon, but there were no words from Gilgamesh immediately. Just a little sound, one of those arrogant noises that she didn't know what to do with. "Excalibur?" that was a question from Jeanne. "What happened to Caliburn; did you upgrade?" she questioned. The light of that moment had made her happy, it brought her back to battles won and the feeling of brightness around victory claimed with her own hands. Artoria sighed. "I broke it." Three simple words, no more no less. "Sounds like there's a story there..." Jeanne mentioned knowing how her sister was about such things. As if to further cement it Artoria managed to look practically impetuous. "There is, but it is a long one. Still, I loved that sword, about as much as I loved my gun," she said in answer. This of course, brought a giggle from her sister, who seemed to understand the gravity of such a statement. A deep breath soon after as this. There was rampant destruction but it seemed she'd managed to prepare enough not to completely ruin everything. Surprisingly enough Gilgamesh was still standing where he had been the entire time. She couldn't relax not just yet, but it'd also be pretty rude for her to follow up on that attack immediately without knowing his intentions.

Ah, yes a different sort of problem. In spite of the fact that she was absolutely annoyed by this man. That had been more fun than most interactions she'd managed in quite a while. Weird though it was, if he moved aside she wouldn't continue attacking him at all. Well, not at the moment anyway... it would be better to try again later. To see what he learned, or if there was more to his ability to fight than what she saw. She shouldn't be thinking like that now should she? No... that wasn't kingly at all. Right now, she was working towards a goal, she shouldn't be thinking about a fight just for the sake of it. "Will you stand aside?" she said finally looking towards Gilgamesh. There was still the tiniest bit of defiance in her face, like she would still attack if he answered wrong. He had been an obstacle standing in her way, someone she wanted to fight and someone who'd managed beyond most, to both annoy her and fight her to the amount she enjoyed. Strange though it was... she had no hard feelings now as long as he didn't interfere anymore than he already had.

That single moment that carried on for eternity was well worth the effort. Medea had tightened her legs around this man and he'd in turn begun to speak of what she'd receive if she didn't let up. Well, she knew how that sort of thing worked, it wasn't as if she was incapable of understanding the basics of anatomy. Still, that didn't stop her legs from remaining where they were, nor did it stop her from continuing to experience such an interesting amount of sensation. "I am quite aware... but you'd need really good aim to guarantee something like that..." she said of potential pregnancy and the like. "Besides, I don't have any intention of stopping this~" she seemed sure of herself. And maybe she was, after all, it wouldn't have been the first time she'd had kids... not that she fully remembered the issue from before now. It was all just a memory, something fuzzy... instead what was in front of and inside her... that was real.

[Bloodedge]

Gilgamesh's gaze was fixed, as if the world around this moment ceased to be for the duration. What would have been something akin to nuclear fallout in magnitude, had become a light show. Particles descended all around; it was as if the stars themselves were acting as rain. Soon enough, a distraction came in the form of Saber's speech. Why did that foolish woman think he would stand aside? The simple outcome of matching him was no excuse for her to think she could stop him from having what was his by birthright. She'd seen one of his more powerful Artifacts and dealt with its ultimate strike, yes, but the Star of Destruction was far from his most effective tool. Perhaps... she was worth something more. "Fool," he said. "You who fells the omega, dare you tread upon the power of genesis? There is no ceasing my execution of the law and the claiming of that damned cup. Prostrate yourself if you are to avoid a criminal's treatment." With that said, Gilgamesh fixed his right sword to his back. With that hand freed, he reached out into the open air next to himself. A spell, perhaps? Another use of Enkidu? No, Gilgamesh possessed something far greater that he would use to trump this Saber... but there was one problem he hadn't thought of. . .

Merlin hadn't been joking at all when he claimed Medea would become a mother, but of course... she had no reason to think otherwise in the first place. Merlin wasn't even certain why he knew it would happen, though he also wasn't sure why this felt like a reasonable endeavor. Actually... why this woman? Why did he not chose the lightly-veiled one, or even the other purple-haired one with the eyes that were only enticing to him? He took no issue with this Caster; she was quite the looker, yet it was strange that he didn't put an thought into choosing a target. Oh well; there were no complaints to be lodged, really. If Medea wasn't going to stop him, he would not stop himself. Alongside what seemed to be a tremor even within his bounded field, Merlin performed one of a rather small number of total thrusts. These had been roughly setting the pace for this entire scenario, but this one would see a great change at its end. "Your wish is my command. Watch out though; I've always been told my child would be an annoyance even before birth," he said as the seed spewed forth from his groin, easily depositing itself directly into the womb in great quantity as he pressed against the end of Caster with ease. Feeling something like this, Merlin thought it was necessary for him to later try the ravaging approach with a tool of this caliber... Well, a human one at least.

[Apollymi]

Artoria had done all that was within her bounds to do. As a knight, she'd fought for the sake of others, protected even her enemies from her onslaught and now she'd offered reprieve at the simple cost of not getting in the way of her plans. It was all for nothing. She supposed there were worse ways to end a day. At the very least, she'd managed not to break form at all... it was becoming much easier to remember. It was becoming more of her nature to act this way. She sighed in the moment. Whatever laws he thought he was preserving, they didn't apply here. As far as she knew, the cities above were realms unto themselves, and those who ruled there couldn't rightly enforce themselves here. He was out of his own element and though she would have let this pass with just the tie, it seemed that he planned to keep trying to put her down. His hand reached out like he would call forth another weapon and her arms soon raised once more. There was no real emotion found there, even as the light began to gather once more. "Alright, let us end this..." she said as comfortably as she'd been speaking about anything else. Enough power to fell a man? Of course. Enough to fell a monstrous creature? Yes. Enough for a demigod king with way too much ego? They'd find out soon enough. "EX-" she said while bringing the sword down, that giant pillar of light aimed directly at Gilgamesh. "CALIBUR!" she shouted her final cry. Her aim to engulf the man in its blinding light. Most would have died from it. But at present she was almost doubting her ability to properly kill the man. Maybe he'd be maimed enough to sit where he was while they finished this day. Yes, that would be for the best.

At the same time, several more thrusts were given Medea. She should have been more considerate of the fact that Merlin seemed so sure of her pregnancy. But she was sure she'd heard similar words before, and the idea had never bothered her once. It bothered her less now. A tremble occurred and she felt it, how strange. Whatever that was, there was no reason to stop Merlin from enjoying himself and she had no reason not to accept what he offered. "Well, it wouldn't be the first time..." she mentioned. Oh, Medea was a strange one... she didn't actually dislike children. She loved them in fact. An old fashioned woman who enjoyed children no longer cursed by the thought of a man and enjoying herself for the first time in her life. That was fine. And as he spilled within her, she moaned as her own body naturally tightened around the filling sensation. Yes. This was bliss.

[Bloodedge]

How intriguing. This woman possessed a power capable of splitting the Star of Destruction, and it seemed she possessed some capacity to use that technique numerous times. He couldn't have imagined such a power existing, but if anyone would have the ability, it should be the woman he remembered. Oh well. Maybe he should have given more consideration to her ability beforehand. If it was truly his intention to overwhelm her, there was one item held in his treasury that was sure to do the trick. All he had to do was... oh. Gilgamesh's hand closed as if he expected something to be within, yet there was nothing. What happened? Right, he didn't take his key with him to properly access the treasury. Why would he have? His journey had been one of discovery; he wasn't supposed to end up here, locked in combat. Ah, but how was he to deal with that sort of might without any of his tools? He'd not sully Enkidu by using them as a meat shield, and he wouldn't have the ability to loose another arrow from his bow for some time yet. There was time for only one decision by the time he realized there was no weapon coming to his hand. The blade remaining in his left hand had to be swung against the arc of hopes and dreams coming his way, but surely that alone wouldn't be enough. Something was... rather exciting about that thought, though. Carrying that sense of thrill, his blade exuded mana directly from Gilgamesh's own body. The moment his sword connected with the blast, space collapsed at the point of impact. The scale was small in a sense relative to Excalibur's strike, yet large enough for the wave's initial segment to be avoided. Alas, he was engulfed in the end regardless, and even after realizing the slash alone would not suffice, an expulsion of his mana could not leave him unscathed.

Once again, it took ages to clear. What of Gilgamesh when it all subsided? There was an audible grunt in those final moments, followed by a slow series of footsteps. The ground around him was marred in a long path, and his condition was hardly better to look at. Gilgamesh approached Artoria casually, while appearing as if he'd been dragged through hell itself with all the scorching and the greater bleeding from his open wound. Upon reaching her, his empty right hand rose with intentions of gently resting upon her cheek. He'd never known defeat before, but it seemed today would mark the first of such events. For some reason, there was an upturn to his lips as he aimed to caress the Saber's face, his hand just about capable of cupping her entire head from one side. "What an abominable woman you are. Defying me... until the very end, huh? But... I shall forgive you. There are things that are beautiful because you cannot obtain them," he declared. Though his gaze did not falter, his eyes were dim. Frankly, the king was hardly on his feet... but the briefest glimmer came to his gaze, and with it came an understanding. "Farewell then, Queen of Knights. Well... it was quite fun." Was it finally time, at long last? Was he to join Enkidu, rather than finding the way to bring them back to this plane? Something... wasn't so bad about that thought. If anything, perhaps that could finally be a victory after all these decades. That was a lovely thought to have as he buckled to his knees, falling forward and out of consciousness thereafter.

Merlin had officially done something very, very unacceptable. He could already feel it happening. Impregnation via Incubus was not of the conventional sort; it was more... mystical. Seed integrated itself into the would-be mother's very Magic Circuits, then coalesced in the form of an unborn child to match the mother's natural birthing process. Medea claimed it wouldn't be the first time she dealt with a difficult child that had yet to even be born, but Merlin doubted that severely. What would come of this, was something known as a Cambion, a mere myth to those who inhabited the world. Normally, such a thing was properly impossible. Merlin could tell that would not be the case with this one, though. She was far too capable, far too gifted in the magical sense. Perhaps she would suffer a reduction of ability while with child, but he doubted even his own spawn could end her. Well... existence was about to become very interesting, wasn't it? "Ho─ you seem no worse off than ever. I take it you're satisfied," he said, wondering at this point if he had indeed simply written over the curse of Jason in her mind.

[Apollymi]

A second use of Excalibur, which he tried to defend against. She wasn't sure if she'd actually managed to hit him, but when the dust settled, it became obvious he'd been engulfed. That little smirk returned to her face right up until he started walking towards her. Curiosity burned behind those blue-green eyes. Why was he walking this way? What did it take to kill a man like him? There was a weird feeling in her, like the desire to end this man was some kind of instinct. But not one of her current being... one of her former self. She was so stunned that he was moving towards her, she was practically frozen. Oh... he was reaching out, she should cut him, right? A simple caress. His hand could cup her entire head, if he had the strength he could crush her, but he didn't. How strange. He had something to say... she was abominable. She was defying him... she was forgiven for her actions? Why would she want to be? She almost questioned aloud. Those eyes were dim, he might actually die? Did she want that? Kind of. Jeanne watched closely as her sister didn't make the moves necessary to completely murder this man. Perhaps there was some hope for him yet... even if he didn't realize it. He said farewell and that it was fun. For just a moment, just a second... that little upturn of Saber's lips returned. "Yes, it was fun..." she admitted. They'd been having quite a bit of fun, but then he collapsed.

Artoria stood her sword still in her hand looking at the body of her opponent. There was a battle taking place once more. This time inside the mind of Saber. The assassin that was her original self, wanted to take her sword and stab the man through ending his existence. Her current self said, mercy given in honor of a commendable battle. Which would win? Could she properly crush that part of herself which wanted the true victory? Bloodlust was unbecoming of a Queen. And he'd just used her title to finish speaking to her. A deep breath and she exhaled. She opened her left hand and her sheathe came back to her, she slid Excalibur home within it. Another deep breath, and her eyes shifted towards the remaining people. Siduri and Rider. "If you will heal him... do so. Just keep him out of my way... if you can," she said before turning her eyes to Rider. "I assume you do not wish to engage?" she asked of the long haired woman. "Um, no. You protected me and you didn't have to... I have no qualms," she said. Her own hands thrown up in surrender and a bow of her head incoming. Nice. No more random slayings necessary. "Farewell," she said as she walked off. "Come on Emi... you have a grail to collect~" she said as if she hadn't simply overpowered the competition for no reason whatsoever. They'd take off at a walk, with Siduri giving a gentle bow as she did. Jeanne D'Arc jumped at her name and scurried off with her sister... she'd seen the lass hesitate, and she'd never seen that happen before. Perhaps the Golden King was in a better position than he thought. Whatever the case, they headed off. Siduri on the other hand, had a green light engulf her hand. She knelt at the king's side and uttered a single statement. "Gula's Mercy," she murmured as she healed him. No death would take him today... he wasn't allowed to die at the moment. Beyond all of that... he was quite literally responsible for an entire kingdom, dying over a cup and not being able to stand down wasn't really allowed. He couldn't learn if he died.

At the same time, Medea was impregnated without much of an issue. She seemed no worse off than ever, she finally set up properly. "Yes, I am plenty satisfied," she mentioned while sitting up. "Ah, and I feel strangely light. Did you actually help me?" she seemed a bit surprised by that fact. No more pull towards crazed. No desire to hunt down and do things for Jason. Just a memory. A bad memory, a terrible set of circumstances but no longer did she feel inclined to do anything for his sake. No longer did she feel anything for him. Not love, not hate, not care... just nothing. She looked to Merlin. Oh... she could go again, but she didn't feel like it was more than that either. For the first time in her life she felt... "I'm free."

[Bloodedge]

Fun. Why didn't he realize that during all of that conflict, he was managing to have fun? He'd never have resorted to the things he did without being sufficiently entertained. At no point was it necessary for Gilgamesh to sully his own hands, if not for the sake of enjoying the thrill of combat. The rush of blood through his veins, the thought of accessing his treasury only out of necessity... it was all something he'd known only once before. Now, it was over. Where was Enkidu? Surely if he was to die here, his friend would be the first face, the first voice to greet him in Irkalla. Yes... of this there was no doubt. Even Kur herself could not stop their meeting from being the first occurrence within her domain; he was certain. Whose voice was that, then? It was not Enkidu. It was not Kur. It was... something far more recent, and more... alive. Yes, alive─ just as he was. Why? Obviously, those mongrels below glorious Uruk had capable enough representatives, so why did he have to persist? Why could he not be allowed to find Enkidu? A curse upon that wine-maker, he thought as consciousness slipped from his grasp again.

Meanwhile, Merlin was slowly retreating from the clutches of Medea in more ways than one. Bit by bit, he slid his way out, while Medea herself wondered if she'd been helped. A decision was soon made. There was some latent desire within the woman, but no sense of necessity for it. As such, Merlin's proportions returned to normal over time, and both of their clothes would do the same. She proclaimed her freedom, which meant there was but one thing to do. One step forward put Merlin in range again. As the bounded field he produced faded away, he took Medea by the neck and whispered into her ear. "Then my job here is done. Oh, but one more thing... Myrddin Emrys," he said prior to vanishing. He'd leave her with another curse, though not one of a malicious nature. The true name of Merlin had been shared, but with a few conditional clauses. It was to be forgotten, buried in the deepest reaches of Medea's dreams and passed along only to the child. Of course... Merlin being the sort of deviant he was, gave an additional allowance for temporary memory, just in case the woman's desires became overwhelming at any point in the future. Such was his way, after all. . .

[Apollymi]

Well it was obvious that Gilgamesh should persist, after all... he was king above and had his own people to look after. Beyond all of that, Siduri saw his interest in Artoria and after seeing that young woman in action... she strangely approved of her. How interesting it was but she felt as if thinking such was the right thing to do. With Gilgamesh still unconscious. "It will be a while yet before he wakes. Would you like a drink?" she asked of Rider. Yes, Rider would be traveling along with Gilgamesh when he woke, why not? She'd already agreed to it, and she was sure he'd have questions. A place where she didn't have to hide her nature was all she sought and though the king seemed to be terrible at communicating his interest to the Queen of Knights... it was pretty clear to everyone else present his intent. "I'd love one," she said. And that would be how this trio ended the Holy Grail War.

Ah but Artoria and Jeanne were on the move. After the fall of Gilgamesh a great light had descended and Jeanne hadn't even needed magic to find it. "Eri-nee, did you really have fun?" she asked of the other blonde lass. And for her part in this Artoria actually smiled again. More than that little upturn of her lips this time. Around any of the other Hoshimi, Artoria was likely to be more herself than any other time. "Yes, I did. Weird as he was... that was a great fight," she said of Gilgamesh. "It is no bother though... getting to see you would have been enough for me. So, how does this, grail work?" she asked of her sister. "It fills, I drink... it interfaces and gives me what I wish for, I think..." she said with a casual shrug. "The Angels said it would work that way... and I trust them." she said standing before the light. Her sister took up guard watching as a cup formed in this beam of light. She saw as Jeanne stepped into the light and the cup finally reached her outstretched hands. Alright, Artoria could draw some conclusions based on this. It needed filling and inside from the looks of it, was a golden glowing liquid. Jeanne took a moment to look at it, before downing the Grail's contents. It tasted sweet like wine or mead but there was power in it as well. How interesting. In the same moment the strength of that golden beam would brighten and Jeanne would find herself in the white space, known as the Nexus.

At the same time, Medea and Merlin were separating their bodies, their clothes were returning and all seemed well. But after such a space was put between them, it was closed again. She felt a hand upon her neck and words spoken directly into her ear. But just as soon as they were said, they disappeared from her consciousness. The bounded field was broken, she was free of her life-long curse and now... needed to begin thinking about her child. How strange, she also needed to help Heracles whenever he respawned. She'd keep an eye out for him. Tracking down a single demigod wasn't really a hard thing to do. And with one look upward she saw the light that could only be the holy grail. It seemed as if everything had worked out in its own time.

[Bloodedge]

One king slept, while another "king" behaved as mere escort to she who would possess the Holy Grail. That escort had an escort of her own, though, and he was soon to appear as if he'd never gone anywhere at all. He walked alongside Artoria with pep in his step, a casual grin on his face, and general high spirits overall. "It definitely seemed like something resembling fun to me. Congratulations," he said, joining the conversation without a hitch. Leaving little time for hullabaloo, Merlin trained his eyes on the grail during the approach. "Spawned already then, eh? I thought I would get to see more than one or two battles today. You didn't even get Rider's pass~" he added. Well, it seemed that sort of thing wasn't necessary at all. The Grail manifested, and Jeanne D'Arc herself laid claim to it. What an interesting turn of events. Merlin had seen a glimpse of Camelot's queen laying claim to a Holy Grail, but perhaps it was never meant to be this one. No, Jeanne was the one to take it, as she was the one to drink from it and be transported to dimension even Merlin could not see through.

Jeanne's transportation led her to a seemingly empty space, nothing but a white void surrounding her. All around though, there was the sensation of other presences similar in quality to her own... which would happen to undergo a change that made such a statement true. By the time she left this space, gone would be Jeanne D'Arc in her previous state. She would join the likes of... three others. Yes, there were only three at present, but the space felt of nigh infinite quantities. In addition to this sensation and the alteration of Jeanne, there was a male voice almost fabricated in quality. It was not quite audible, instead being delivered directly into the woman's mind. "Another reaches this plane. Only one this time? Very well. What is your desire?"

[Apollymi]

Artoria acted as an escort for her younger sister, who claimed the Holy Grail, at the same time, Merlin popped back up, after disappearing for a few moments. That wasn't at all outside of his normal, the fact that he was always in such a good mood, usually caused extreme agitation in Artoria but in a moment like this she was pleased enough to ignore his state for the most part. "Merci~," Jeanne said before she was carted off. Artoria on the other hand, didn't need the congratulatory statement, nor the commentary on her fun. "It was an easy job," she said with a casual eye roll. "As for not needing Rider's pass, I am pretty sure Archer is worth more than the rest of us... at least that would make sense considering his level is higher," she said. Oh once again that small smile came to her face, why? Because she'd overcome odds and was able to help her sister, as such she couldn't have been more pleased than she was currently. It was only a little annoying, if she'd fought him first, she definitely could have done with with way less violence than there ended up being.

At the same time, the Nexus was currently chatting with Jeanne. Well, that wasn't right, within this infinite space she was being confronted by a voice she couldn't see, and the words it spoke made her pout. "What?! We could have both taken it?!" she said seemingly shocked. "Good thing Eri-nee likes a fight..." she murmured. She was going to have to tell her when she returned that she would be able to take one and maybe for someone else. Though admittedly she had no idea who else her sister would enjoy putting up in such a way. "I want, to facilitate raising an order of knights to protect the world. I want them all connected and united under a single organization. Holy Knights. I wish to help lead upright individuals to the power to help them protect and fight the things they need to, that's my wish." she said to the Nexus. The girl was holding her hands together, as if in prayer. Of course, her wish wasn't at all selfish, it was simple, she wanted to do the right thing for the world.

[Bloodedge]

Merlin looked as aloof as always. He appeared to be listening to about half of Artoria's words, though he was actually rather attentive at the time. An easy job, was it? Artoria was so adorable when she showed signs of the merciless murderer for hire resting just below the surface of a knight. "Easy, was it? Maybe you should have a rematch~" the sorcerer stated, a strange sense of knowledge just behind his eye. A proper battle between that pair would destroy a continent at minimum. He'd seen the King of Uruk at peak potential in the past, and he'd seen the signs of Artoria's peak as well. That would be one hell of a show, he thought. Ah, but there was a certain understanding Artoria still did not possess. What was all this talk of levels? "Still thinking in levels, my king? One day," he mused without intending to give a single additional detail.

Meanwhile, Jeanne D'Arc interfaced with what many would happily consider the god above gods. She did not know it was possible for two victors to exist at once? "Previously, there were two. To share a drink from the Grail is to share its blessing, and all that accompanies," the voice stated. Now then, onto Jeanne's wish. Strangely, her wish was a selfless sort. She wanted nothing resembling power, nor fame, nor fortune─ all things that could be granted to those with a Holy Grail. Her contribution to this world would be a great one indeed. "Jeanne D'Arc, Saint. Become the Queen of Saints with this wish, and lead the Holy Knights of this world to the salvation they deserve. The Holy Grail is yours. Carry in it the sense of justice you, and claim your place amongst the stars." These words were delivered, and the Nexus' blessing was cast upon the Lancer. Upon receiving it, the identity she possessed would be Lancer no more. No, she would henceforth classify as Ruler, should she not reject that portion of the blessing.

[Apollymi]

Right. Artoria remembered why she hated speaking to Merlin. There was a certain quality to his tone which gave Artoria murderous thoughts. "Maybe one day... not today. Let me enjoy my honorable victory, and my little sister's happiness..." she said with a softness in her voice that didn't normally exist. Well, most would say that Artoria didn't enjoy things, but that wasn't true, today... she'd smiled. But according to Merlin she was still thinking wrong for her understanding of the world. "If there is some other way to measure, I am open to the knowledge. If you do not plan to give it... do not be coy about it," Artoria's words were polite but there was always the underlying threatening nature of a woman who killed people for a living. Yes, she was a knight and honor-bound by her own doing, but that didn't mean she was a safe target for teasing.

Jeanne was briefed by this voice on the nature of the previous victors. According to the voice two could share, if they wished to, but it required sharing all that the blessing entailed. "Oh? Well, I suppose that would be fine for a couple, but I prefer a bit more separatism between my sister and me," she said with a curt nod, not that she expected an answer of that sort. Jeanne was pronounced the Queen of Saints. And was given the ability to lead the Holy Knights to salvation. Free to claim her place among the stars. "Merci~" she thanked the Nexus for its favor. "Oh? One last question I guess, what do I do if I don't run a country? How to I take my place?"

[Bloodedge]

"Go ahead, enjoy! That was an achievement worth celebrating. You're the first to ever claim victory over King Gilgamesh, and I do believe... the first to tell him no as well," Merlin stated. Artoria had every reason to take satisfaction in her victory, and in her sister's claim to fame. As for the minor issue of her believing levels truly mattered to something like the Holy Grail, well... that was something he'd purposely gone without explaining for quite some time. Would he do so now? Perhaps he would, if only slightly. "There is always a way to measure. Of course, levels do matter to some extent... but the world doesn't care about that. The quality of a soul is the most important thing in this world, to my understanding. I planned on explaining that to you whenever you're done cooking~♥" was all he offered.

Jeanne did not share an interest in dividing the grail's rewards, though it was also not for any selfish purpose. Separatism was noble in some cases; this was such a case. Regardless, there was another question from the new Queen of Saints. In the first Holy Grail War, the winners were already in possession of a country to raise with them. Word had spread, and it seemed to have become understood that such a thing was required. In fact, it was no requirement at all. "As Ruler, your place is earned. Your predecessors were allowed to raise their country because it was registered to them, but you who have nothing, may now find a place of your own in Sanctuary. My Hero, it is your King that you must speak with. He will be the first key."

[Apollymi]

Merlin seemed genuinely congratulatory. According to him, her victory was worthwhile, she was apparently the only person to fell King Gilgamesh in combat, but also apparently the first to tell him no. Really?! "Truly? No one has told him no before? It is a wonder what people get up to in this world... no wonder he seemed so shocked," she said seeming to give it a bit of thought. Though she'd been an assassin, she had been trained to understand human condition and personality, if only to make it easier to kill people. In the case of the king she fully understood he was a pompous person (though he'd earned it), the idea that no one else ever spoke against him didn't bode well for him as a person. Admittedly it only made her wonder if he'd come back for the sake of avenging his bruised ego. Well, that would be fine, but she should assume that wouldn't necessarily come easily, as such she'd make sure she continued her own training for that eventuality. Merlin apparently didn't plan to share the information he had until she was 'done cooking' whatever that meant. He always said that in reference to her, as if she wasn't a whole enough person yet. Regardless, the quality of the soul was according to him was more important than level, though levels weren't completely useless. "I suppose that is more useful than what you normally have to say..." she said seeming to be pensive. How much more would she need to train to guarantee her first victory against Gilgamesh wouldn't be the only one she managed?

Meanwhile Jeanne was having a misconception of her life cleared up. Apparently, they didn't need to have a country to ascend. Apparently you could be granted a country upon your ascent. That was interesting and good news. She knew her sister would have a country of her own to raise, but not having to piggy back completely would be good for Jeanne. "Well, it's nice I can get a place once I get there... but, my king? Do I owe allegiance to someone?" she asked. Well, it was better to get such questions out of the way ahead of time. She had to prepare, gather knights, and be ready to make her country with what she had.

[Bloodedge]

"Yes, truly. Are you surprised? How many have told you no in Camelot since you became king? Well, except Sir Lancelot. You get what I mean," the sorcerer rambled against any shock Artoria possessed. Those with power were not often questioned or rejected. Merlin himself had the ability to reject the idea of rejection itself, should he so choose. For one who lived the life of King Gilgamesh, as Merlin understood, it was almost as if the concept never even existed. It was somehow a point of irony that Artoria, of all people, would be the first to actually reject him. That had to be the painful part to deal with. Merlin would have nothing to say about the usefulness of his words under normal circumstances. He never said a thing to Artoria without purpose. Everything was projected in a way that developed the Queen of Camelot, whether she was conscious of it or not. "So then, I suppose you want guidance to the next grail when it appears? You don't seem very upset about being brought here, after everything's said and done~"

How strange. This woman, proclaimed as Hero and Queen by the world itself, knew not of the King of Heroes? Something was amiss in this world indeed. Something would have to be done. For now, the matter of greatest importance was solidifying the fourth possessor of a grail after its second war. She had more questions, so she would receive more answers. Of course, a disembodied heavenly voice would only provide so much information, knowing the rest would come naturally in time. "To become King, or to become Queen, is to command allegiance. Your King awaits you, my Hero. Go forth with confidence."

[Apollymi]

Was she surprised no one told King Gilgamesh no? Yes. While it made sense that he did as he pleased as King it didn't necessarily mean she figured literally every action both personal and courtly were allowed to stand. Still the outrage in Artoria was rather obvious, as her face shifted and Merlin quickly rambled past a mention of Sir Lancelot. "Lancelot, is without question the one most likely to speak out if he feels something is wrong. And then there is you who who never really tells me anything which I think still counts," she said giving it a bit more thought. "It is shocking on a personal level, he acts as if he has had acceptance for every action he has ever committed. He threw off his clothes in front of me as if getting naked would change my mind about accepting his advances..." she said. "It is shocking this is a tactic used by someone who is king. But at the same time is less shocking if he has never heard the words and have them hold the weight they are intended to," she said. Obviously, they were talking about two very different things. Artoria ruled without much contest so long as she was honorable, someone like Lancelot spoke out when he thought she was toeing the line of her honor by her actions, it was fair enough. The idea that Merlin thought that sort of no, and the sort she gave Gilgamesh were similar seemed alien to her. Maybe never getting a naysay was enough to entitle the belief in one's own righteousness regardless of the situation? She was giving it due consideration while still not understanding what such an action was supposed to accomplish.

At the same time, apparently Jeanne wouldn't be getting any more information out of her trip into the Nexus. It couldn't tell her about the King she was supposed to be seeking, it only made the claim that she would know. At least she got the comfort of knowing her own ascension meant she didn't owe anyone anything. Well, that wasn't entirely true, she would do what she could for her elder sister... given her help this day. "Alright, I suppose... still it's a bit confusing," she said knowing if she was confused there would likely be others confused. She'd do what she could to make sure her sister had less of a hard time with this situation. And whenever the Nexus released her she would disappear from here. She wondered what kind of exchange this was, but she figured they'd find out eventually.

[Bloodedge]

Of course Sir Lancelot was the most likely to speak against anything he believed was wrong. Of Artoria's knights, Lancelot would likely go on to become the most... brotherly, in a way. He would serve more dutifully than most other knights thought possible, while also holding his monarch to their own standards where possible. Now then, what was this? Artoria did not understand why the king's nudity being rejected was an even greater deal. "You were Japanese, weren't you? Those old Sumerian poems didn't become very popular in Japan, so I wouldn't blame you if you didn't understand. King Gilgamesh is two-thirds divine here, just as he was in the old tale. As much as I hate to admit it, he's even more of a perfect specimen than I am, by design alone. Chalk it up as another victory, I suppose? You turned down a 'heavenly body' or whatever it would be called."

Confusion when dealing with the Nexus was a fate that could be avoided by only one... or perhaps two? That time had not yet come, though it also came long, long ago. Time was always so influx, even the Nexus itself could not coordinate a proper timeline with the inhabitable world. At the very least, those who entered this place rightfully would always be guided along the proper path. "Do not worry. All will become clear... in Sanctuary." These were the final words shared with the Hero, the Queen of Saints, Jeanne D'Arc. With that, the light of this realm enshrouded the new Ruler to manifest her precisely where she'd been previously. The Holy Grail was to manifest again alongside her, emptied as it had been when she was transported, yet still exuding an unearthly power.

[Apollymi]

Merlin went on to explain more, but first he prefaced that she had been Japanese in her original life. Of course she had been, though admittedly she didn't look it, she was born and raised in Japan. Ah, but that didn't really matter, what did matter was that old Sumerian poetry didn't make its way into a normal curriculum. What would come of this, apparently her lack of knowledge of the partial divinity of the man known as Gilgamesh. This apparently matched up with his former story and much to Merlin's own chagrin made that blonde man a more perfect physical specimen than himself. He claimed she should take it as another win, being able to resist the pull of a heavenly body or whatever that meant. "Uh-huh... I do not know if I should take that as a victory of any sort, though I suppose it explains the outburst thereafter," she said giving it a bit of thought. How strange was it to turn your body into such a literal example of a weapon against the opposite sex? Beyond that, Merlin was oddly chatty right now, how strange. Well maybe all of this would need to be thought about in more detail later.

Ah in the meantime, Jeanne was left to think over the confusion she had because of the Nexus. Still, it claimed that all would be made clear in Sanctuary and that she had no need to worry. She'd never heard of Sanctuary before, so that was yet another thing she'd need to figure out. Regardless, she'd need to obtain land and create her country. To do this she'd need the knights to declare as Holy Knights, and she knew just the most trustworthy group to start with. Back where she'd left, the Holy Grail of hers in hand. She turned to her sister and smiled. "Eri-nee, when you talk to that thing don't get mad. It's pretty confusing," she warned first and foremost. "Alright, how did it go?" she asked seemingly excited on her sister's behalf. "Apparently I am the Queen of Saints. Also apparently we could have shared the Grail but we would have had to share the spoils, I don't think that would work for you though so I am fine with this outcome," she said and Artoria nodded her agreement. This was good information to have and now they could move towards greater goals.

[Bloodedge]

"Of course it is!" Merlin insisted. His finger jutted upwards, his grin grew, and his eyes closed. "Artoria Pendragon, Queen of Camelot, leader of the Round Table, Bane of the Saxons, Feller of Ancient Heroes, and now the Bruiser of Testosterone! At this rate, you'll have more titles than..." He paused. "Well... never mind. That one's a spoiler, and I hate spoilers. I think." As of late, there were strange moments in which Merlin's memories didn't line up with things that happened in the past. Strange as it was, he found himself unconsciously seeing futures that seemed quite distant. This recent week had been more intense than ever; maybe he was evolving a Skill!

Jeanne returned most elegantly, just as she'd departed. Her first words upon returning were, interestingly, a warning about the voice she interacted with on the other side. So, there was a voice? Merlin found this interesting to know. If only he could reach that plane of reality, he could learn much. Oh? Jeanne was already announcing her title as Queen of Saints, as seemed to be the case with those who interacted with the Holy Grail. Ah, if only he could get such a title for himself... but the one he'd fancy was taken prior to the grails' existence. Maybe he could become King of Seduction? Yes, that would be lovely! "Jeanne D'Arc, Ruler as Queen of Saints. Lucky for me, I'm not saintly; I wouldn't know who to guide between the two of you. Well then, what now? Onto the imaginary land in the skies, or does our new Ruler wish to take her time? I'm ever so curious~♥"

[Apollymi]

In Artoria's mind, Merlin was definitely having a lot of fun with his statements at hers and Gilgamesh's expense. Given the way he was, she could understand this to some extent but still it didn't make her do anything but scoff. "Fighting is fighting. I bruised no testosterone purposefully. And it is not like I am trying to collect titles either... it just seems to happen around me," she said giving a gentle nod. Of course, she didn't know she was about to gain another one in a very short while, but perhaps that didn't matter at all. Regardless of everything else, at least there was space to move now, which was about all she wanted. "You do not like spoilers, but you do see the future do you not? That power seems contradictory to your preferences," said Artoria. If that was the case, maybe this world was finally paying him back for being such an annoyance. Ah, that would be nice, righteous justice against the meddling mage known as Merlin.

Jeanne's return led to more of Merlin's ramblings. He apparently thought that if he'd had a better alignment that he would have had trouble choosing who to guide. Little did he know, that Artoria wouldn't allow him anywhere near her younger sister apart from a moment like this. Or she might actually break every rule of chivalry to wipe out his existence as wholly as she could. Those eyes of hers narrowed as she considered it one of many options for such a turnout. "Queen of Saints sounds about right, we did always say you were one..." mentioned Artoria, which had her younger sister blush only slightly. "But that was different. That was for like running errands, administrating jobs, and making sure you had a kit to clean your gun. That was hardly the work of a saint," she said still seeming sheepish. "You have no idea how much of a saint that makes you," Artoria continued. In all honesty her younger sister was without a doubt the saint she was purported to be. Still Jeanne looked off into space before replying to Merlin with a gentle shake of her head. "The angels say there is no way you could guide me. They wouldn't allow it..." she said giving a curt nod. Of course, there was the matter of what she wanted to do now. Immediate ascension or something else first. "Hm, I do not want to go up immediately. I would rather have a core group of knights indoctrinated first, and..." she was speaking her two index fingers tapping each other as she looked at Artoria. Such a strange habit she managed to keep. "Eri-nee... would you take care of the extra? I don't want untrained and lacking knights ending up with us. And you were always better at that part than me," the girl said. Artoria looked at her younger sister as it clicked home what she was asking. The Queen of Saints started the Holy Knights, but she had no taste for the extra training nor dealing with all that came with reeling in a group of fighters. She wanted her sister to be the face of her organization, in the same way she and her elder sister had once been the face of their clan. A task they'd taken to leave her with the more personable public image. "Silly, you did not have to ask that. It is not like I would say no," she said giving the girl's head a gentle pat. "You want to take some time, pick a few for me to test? You are a better judge of people than you are giving yourself credit for. But after we can pitch it to my knights at Camelot?" Artoria offered her younger sister. If she wanted to come with her to her kingdom she was always welcome. But she figured knowing her sister had relieved a siege on her own, she might have a knight or two in mind of her own besides Artoria's personal picks. "Oui!~" Such would be how this group set out to collect the proper knights for the start of the Holy Knights.

[Bloodedge]

Merlin shrugged. His Clairvoyance was askew at best, but he always felt as if those visions of the future were happening in the moment. Only a few things made it obvious that such was not the case. "It never feels like one," he said, refusing to admit that he didn't always see the future. Actually, it was more a random occurrence when he did have foresight... Merlin just didn't know that would not be the case for very long. Regardless, there was little to say, and even less he cared to disclose at present. It seemed Jeanne's plan was not to ascend immediately, but instead to prepare the Holy Knights to join her. What an interesting decision. Well then, Merlin supposed it was time he did the resident mage's duty and produced a means of transport via teleportation. Off to Orleans they'd go, until Jeanne D'Arc was prepared to rise properly.

A short time later, Gilgamesh woke, refreshed and... not at all where he'd previously been. He recognized this place; it was his own bedchambers in Uruk. How he got here was a mystery, but it was assumable that Siduri had something to do with it. The king rose, his eyes glossed over as he parted ways with the bed. Beside him lay Bab-ilu, the key to his treasury. How laughable. If he had only taken it with him, so many things would have gone very differently on his journey. Traversing the darkness beyond that wretched gate would have been the play of children. He'd have been fed and sheltered on the journey, rested enough to survive even two weeks without sleep under Utnapishtim's test. He'd have been able to store that damned herb before it was taken by a serpent, and if he didn't, he could have captured it before it got away with his bounty. He'd have been the victor of the Holy Grail War he so randomly got dragged into. These 'what-if' scenarios played through King Gilgamesh's mind as he stepped out of his room, choosing to breathe in the air of Chaldea once more after so, so long. It was a long walk to exit the Citadel of Uruk, though no longer than any other he'd taken. What truly took his breath away though, was the realization that came after he set foot outside. This was not his city. He'd been away for so very long, many lives had come and gone. None were well, why? What he saw was a city in shambles, unworthy to be called the strong-walled city-state he constructed so long ago. At this point, it could be called nothing more than a mighty wall with a broken, oversized village resting within. Had he been the cause of the famine which shrunk the bodies of his people? Had he caused those arguments happening below, the late signs of marriages that should never have been if they were to end in such a way? Had he been the reason... there were children, but no playing? Surely that couldn't be. . .

[Apollymi]

Merlin made the claim that he didn't feel his clairvoyance was so much a problem for him. In response, Artoria could do nothing but wave him off. They'd be off immediately as he took Artoria and Jeanne to Orleans. Here Artoria would take her favorite and secondary line of action, as bodyguard to her younger sister. "Do you have knights of your own in mind?" Artoria asked as they moved within the French countryside. Jeanne thought of it for a moment and had something to say. "Gilles, was with me when I broke the siege. He is among my faithful it's not an option to leave him behind..." she said. There were several reasons for that but she was willing to forgo a true explanation so her elder sister wouldn't worry, or kill anyone. "Hector, if he lived as well. He willingly stayed behind to let an entire group get out ahead of him. If any should be among those to receive the title of Holy Knight it should be him," Jeanne mused. "And if he isn't currently out on an adventure... Sieg," she said that last addition a bit strange, because of the shift in the lass' tone. Artoria looked at her younger sister and wondered if she was about to meet her boyfriend. "Alright, if you have your own in mind I will not dissuade you. But be wary, you are kind and people are not always so..." these were her big sister's words to her. Of course, she would say that... but there were probably a few more who could do with such a title, whether they wished to come with or not. After all, Jeanne fully intended for those with the title of Holy Knight to be both above and below, not just all grouped up together. That would by far be the fairest thing to do, and would make sure every one had some form of protection in this world.

Within Uruk it seemed that the king had finally woken. Siduri would be found at his side by the time he reached the end of his walk. She stood at his side, wondering what he would say. After all, he'd seemed almost content to die when facing off against the Saber of Blue. Surely, the sight of his city this way after his long trip would be enough for him to come to his senses. "Good morning, your majesty. Are you feeling well?" Siduri asked. She would heal him if he needed or they could get to whatever work he thought himself needing to do. Given the way he spoke of his city, she was quite surprised to find it in the state it was in currently. That being said, it'd been quite a while according to those here since their king had made his last appearance. As such, she figured he'd want to re-establish himself. Both herself and Rider were more than willing to help out to that end.

[Bloodedge]

Was Gilgamesh feeling well? What a stupid question. There was blood in his veins, yes. There was breath in his lungs, yes. In respects such as these, he was feeling well. As for the state of his being, however, he was sick to his stomach. How was he supposed to let himself die if this was what he was leaving behind? The legacy he and Enkidu sought would be for nothing if this aftermath was carried as part of the memory. "Siduri..." he spoke, the decision he had to make being clear as the overhead sky. The king sighed, and his eyes lidded shut. "If you climbed up on the wall of Uruk and inspected its foundation terrace, and examined the wall brickwork, would it not be of burnt bricks? Did not the seven wise men lay these foundations? One third of the whole should be city, one third garden, and one third field. These parts, and the precinct, are all Uruk."

With that declaration made, eyes opened with a gleam of bright crimson. In the time they were closed, Gilgamesh saw this city not as it was, but as it should be... and he understood the sight. The words spoken were the truth of a Gilgamesh, a king, who knew the countries of the world. He would go on to unearth a wisdom hidden beneath the surface of his own being. He'd see mysteries and know secret things. He'd bring a tale of the days before the flood, and the tale of that labor-worn king's journey would be engraved on stone in full. It was time for Uruk to undergo a great change; the tyrant king could not be what greeted this new era. And so began the proper tale of the wise king: Gilgamesh of Uruk. When next he took his throne, he did so in new garb, sporting the most majestic robes a king of Uruk had ever been witnessed in, his full glory on display in the form of an aura as Chaldea as a realm reached new heights at last.

[Apollymi]

Siduri stood at Gilgamesh's side, hearing out what he had to say. To say the king had a plan would be almost an understatement. She supposed, given she was now a citizen she should do her part to make sure the world got to see the king under the circumstances he wished to be seen. She'd make note of his words, and continue on. Days would begin to pass and things would begin shaping up again. This time when he took his throne he did so fully dressed and she stood to the left of it, organizing the things he had to deal with into an order which could be dealt with. Surely, Uruk could come into glory while Gilgamesh was taking the hands-on approach.

All the while a certain green haired goddess was watching. She'd moved about a bit. Done some slumming down on the surface world. But none of it worked out. Over the course of a century she'd accidentally gotten herself killed, rose again. Gone down below to try and take a hero's life over, had that fall apart. And now she was once again just bored and watching the blonde haired mortals she enjoyed toil away at life. But the King of Uruk was now back and Uruk was once again back on the rise. That city was hers as far as she understood. She was its patron goddess, so soon enough she'd go to visit him and make him grovel at her feet.

[Bloodedge]

All would be well in Uruk soon enough. This, Gilgamesh knew as fact. Days passed, becoming weeks. In that time, Gilgamesh instructed the masses, he dealt in matters of state, and he meditated until those mysterious eyes of his saw their power coalesce into something very unreal. In only a short few weeks, he sat atop the throne with Siduri at his side. The king reviewed numerous tablets one after another, declaring laws and organizing trade with neighboring cities of Mesopotamia. Among these things, he'd also taken leave just briefly. Much had occurred in the time he'd been gone. One such occurrence was the rise of Egypt, which now officially counted as a subsidiary to the greater Chaldea─ both in organization and in a more literal sense. That place and its pharaohs could be considered more than acceptable, and gave Gilgamesh reason to believe he would soon be seeing one of two participants from the war some weeks prior. Why he hadn't seen or heard of them already, he neither knew nor cared. There was far too much to do for him to be concerned about that for now, but that battle and everything prior did give him a different purpose. In this time, it should have been ready by now. "Siduri!" he called out. "Does Medusa have what I require yet? I will not go on having to carry that thing around for the rest of my life. If I end up in another of those damn wars or fending off some mongrel who reaches for the heavens, I will be ready at all times."

[Apollymi]

As the days progressed so did the great city of Uruk. One day, some weeks after their return, Siduri was presented a question by King Gilgamesh. He claimed to want to know about a thing he'd asked for from the woman they'd picked up in the Holy Grail War, known as Medusa. That woman, who was classed Rider had a great many skills. And among them was her ability to be utilized as a record-keeper. Her knowledge of bounded fields and ways to manipulate them, was currently being used to devise a method for Gilgamesh to always have the 'key' to his treasury on his person. Such a job wasn't too far outside of Medusa's abilities. She'd been using her own skill to subdue Mystic Eyes and she used that basis to fashion the thing he asked for. Siduri for her part in this began answering the king. "I last checked in with her late last evening. She claimed to be on the verge of a breakthrough and stated she'd be by when it was finished..." she said of the woman.

Much to her own relief almost immediately after speaking Medusa made her way to the place before the throne. She was dressed in a lightweight cream-colored robe-like dress, and flat open-toed shoes. Her hair was pulled up from her face, and hung down her back in a ponytail of pink waves. "Apologies... it took a bit longer than expected to work it out completely, but here..." she said offering upon her approach a Mystic Code to be infused into the king's person. Doing so would allow it to change to suit his physical forms desire, in the form of line tattoos which would be present on his person in the same interesting color his eyes possessed. "It should change with the criteria you meet, but allow you to access the whole thing as you wish. It's a bit free form as far as magic is concerned, but it will definitely keep you able to access the treasury from the outside," she said. She didn't bother mentioning any potential drawbacks. She'd conversed enough with this man to know he'd laugh at anything she mentioned like strain. "Oh, though it could still be locked from the key. Like I can't stop that from functioning at all..." she added. Medusa might have seemed a bit frazzled, but she wasn't at all. Instead she was quite happy to be working again and on things she completely understood. Being within Uruk had been exactly the sort of safe haven she was looking for, with a job that would keep her busy for some time yet. "If that's all, I'll be going. I finished the backlog and I can take the new stuff now. I think Nippur is up..." she said and given nothing else was required of her, she'd go back to the room she'd been working in. All the while a certain goddess was keeping watch over what had to be her favorite blonde waiting for him to become worth the effort of taking again.

[Bloodedge]

"Hmph. Good. There will soon be an annoyance to deal with," Gilgamesh stated on the topic of his new acquisition. While sleeping most sparingly, the king began purposely triggering those prophetic dreams of his while awake. Something rather offensive was on its way to Uruk, though he couldn't quite see what it was. No, something was off about that as well. It was not Uruk which was endangered, but instead all of Chaldea. He'd have to be more diligent in refining his ability, lest he keep missing the specifics... unless there was something else clouding his vision.

Much to the king's satisfaction, Medusa was soon entering the throne room, Mystic Code in tow for precisely what he needed. His eyes locked onto the Mystic Code, then the woman herself. She seemed to have become well-acclimated to life above the surface world, looking rather comfortable as she stood before him after working tirelessly for his sake. No words of thanks would be given by one such as King Gilgamesh, but some words would be offered nonetheless. "Good work," he said while reaching out to integrate the code into himself. Crimson lines immediately drew themselves up the length of his torso, wrapping around his biceps as well. With these seals that looked remarkably similar to the summoning of his ultimate treasure, Ea, he would be capable of accessing the whole of his treasury. Excellent. With that though, his eyes were back on one of two tablets in his hands. "That will be all. When I am done dealing with Kutallu's trade, I will send for word about what that mongrel in Nippur wants from me."

[Apollymi]

Medusa had her work looked over in a moment, and then Gilgamesh took said Mystic Code into himself. Of course, what did he say about it, he didn't thank her, instead he complimented her work. Medusa's strange eyes widened, she hadn't heard those exact words in quite a while. Actually, the last time she'd heard it, they'd been from the mouth of a teen girl with surprisingly similar eyes. That gave her a strange warm and fuzzy feelings inside. "Thank you..." she managed her hands coming together before herself in an oddly girlish manner before she bowed. Apparently, he'd be in contact again when he was ready for her to take over the next bit. She couldn't help but be pleased, she actually really enjoyed working. "I'll be ready. See you later, Siduri~" she managed before disappearing. A small smile appeared under Siduri's veil. That one had become so comfortable so quickly. And while King Gilgamesh was recovering the pair had become fast friends.

All the while, Ishtar watched and with the leaving of that pink haired woman she saw the return of Gilgamesh to a glory enough to attract her attention. He was beautiful! Muscled and tattooed now with a bit of gruff hard workingness to him. He even had a couple of female servants around now so she could easily be taken care of between him and his people. Yes. Now was the time, she was done licking her death wounds. Her newest husband already interred in the underworld for having the gall not to be sad about her death. Yes, all could be done now. She stood in this moment, shaking out long green locks and stretching slightly before taking a single step forward to land her in Gilgamesh's throne room. "I see you've been busy, making yourself more attractive to me. This change in your look is one I can accept... and I am almost willing to forgive your previous rudeness. Come, you'll be mine now, I've decided!" she proclaimed. Surely this worked on men all the time. Any were ready to serve her, so this one should after all of his adventuring be properly ready for her. Siduri continued standing at Gilgamesh's side, she wondered if this was the trouble he spoke of. Ah, but that speech of hers wasn't completely unfamiliar, she remembered the golden king saying something similar to the blue saber. She wondered if he would have the same reaction as that lass did.

[Bloodedge]

Finally, the king could return to his work. The interruption he suffered was not one he was opposed to, but it was an interruption nonetheless. What was next? Was there going to be some citizen bursting into the citadel to yammer on about their recently-deceased cattle? No... no, it was going to be so much worse. Gilgamesh didn't even have to look up to see that green mop of indignation set foot in the ziggurat, and he definitely didn't need to look her way to to be enraged by her appearance. Ah, but there was even worse to come, wasn't there? She alone held all the blame Gilgamesh had to throw over Enkidu's death. Now, she was back to her usual antics. He turned her down very succinctly once, did he not?

The important thing here was not Ishtar's desire for the King of Uruk. The matter of most importance was her approach, which... was markedly similar to one Gilgamesh himself spewed earlier. Eyes widening, he looked up from the tablets. He saw across the throne room not Ishtar, but his own laughing mug. Was that what he sounded like? No wonder that damn Saber turned her nose up to his offer. Even if Ishtar hadn't been whoring around for all of time and mistreating her lovers, even if she wasn't responsible for the death of his only friend... he would have been disgusted by her demands based on her unwarranted audacity alone. For just a moment, the king trembled. A tablet fell, and his face fell into his open hand. "I can't believe it. I was such a fool, that I couldn't see it even with these eyes before now. . ."

[Apollymi]

Siduri watched Gilgamesh's reaction to the audacious approach of Ishtar and understood in the moment that he realized his mistake in approaching the blue saber. Not that she thought he would have gotten very far with that particular woman, but it might not have ended up a near death experience for him. Ah, but now Siduri got to see something interesting and that was the distinct lack of functional brain in the skull of the goddess Isthar. That indignant look only became more haughty as she threw her head back and laughed into her hand. Finally things were turning around, obviously by his own words he saw the fallacy of his earlier refusal. "Hahahaha!" she laughed shrilly and seemed very happy in the moment. "It can sometimes take much longer for ones like you to see the light But now that you've come to your senses, I can fully forgive you!" this was her declaration. Of course he couldn't mean anything else. Obviously, he and every other man should adore her. Any one of them should have been ready to give her what she wanted with no prompting. How could he have been so stupid? He was lucky he was her type, obviously she wouldn't have been so generous with her forgiveness if he wasn't.

[Bloodedge]

What? Ishtar was still here, still talking? While Gilgamesh busied himself with thoughts of recent events, that massive thorn in his side was twisting itself deeper and deeper. What was she even going on about? Forgiveness. She'd forgive him for refusing her. She'd forgive him for... listing the great number of terrible things she'd done in the past? Well, no matter. She could forgive whatever she saw fit to, but she would never be forgiven for taking Enkidu from his side. "Ishtar, the Queen of Heaven herself..." he started. A grand declaration was in order, so he stood. Down the stairs of the throne he went, robes billowing magnificently with every step. When he reached her, those crimson orbs appeared to possess almost catlike pupils. His arms opened to bare his full wingspan. Was it an embrace he sought? No. On Gilgamesh's face was nothing but a scowl, and in his mind was nothing but seething hatred. Surely a goddess of Ishtar's magnitude could bear the weight of such a grudge, no? Well... she'd have little choice. Divine Gates appeared in all directions, filling the space around Gilgamesh and that whore goddess. Nothing came of it just yet, but he already knew precisely what would come forth. "You wanted my possessions, did you not? Make your request, and I, Gilgamesh of Uruk, shall shower you in all the treasures of this world."

[Apollymi]

Ah, yes... Gilgamesh was acknowledging her as the Queen of Heaven. This was good, he knew his place in the world. He could easily be her favorite and best pet, yes... she could see it now. Him showering her with gifts, her able to accept them and live the comfortable life she's always wanted. Yes, she'd get him to dispatch the rest of the gods, maybe hunt down Metis wherever she ran off to, life would be good. She was busy in her own mind, so busy in fact that the opening of golden gates and this man's approach seemed to be just what she wanted. And what was this... his arms were open and so were a litany of golden portals. Oh how great, he was going to give her presents. "Yes of course I did. I, will take your possessions you can give them all to me! And I will happily accept them!" she said giddy about the things she was about to get. Yes, this was exactly the sort of treatment she was looking for. Finally her whims and wishes would be taken care of, she saw nothing wrong with it at all.

Siduri on the other hand, watched this whole thing with amusement. Yes, Gilgamesh had realized the wrong of his approach to Saber, and no he still wasn't interested in the goddess known as Ishtar. But what was happening now, was bound to be something closer to murder than anything else. The fact that the 'Queen of Heaven' hadn't figured out yet that there was nothing but malicious intent in Gilgamesh. He was going to throw his treasury at this woman and was likely going to try and kill her in the process. She would almost say that this woman was undeserving of such treatment, but she'd seen what Gilgamesh was like after the death of his friend.

[Bloodedge]

Ah, such sweet words. Gilgamesh would be satisfied this day. Ishtar claimed she would happily accept all the treasures he intended to shower her with, even saying he could give all of them to her. That moronic bitch didn't even know what she was signing up for, but Gilgamesh took solace in the fact that she, even indirectly, demanded her own destruction. "Again," he demanded. The gleam once present in his eye had become outright, burning effulgence. The ziggurat could not withstand all of his treasures, nor could the rest of Chaldea. Well... perhaps they could fend for themselves, or perhaps he could contain his rage long enough to avoid endangering innocents. Finally, Artifacts of all sorts were peering through the gates. Swords, spears, axes─ every weapon conceivable to humanity as well as some that did not yet exist, were present. Each tool boasted the highest quality achievable in this world. The moment his collection peered through from the treasury, his most trustworthy possession shot forth from all angles as well. This possession was none other than Enkidu, which was launched with the purpose of chaining Ishtar by the core of her body, every limb, and her neck. He would tolerate nothing less than total immobilization; he wanted that damn goddess stretched out to leave her every inch at the mercy of his collection. Should Ishtar find herself bound, innumerable weapons would remain waiting in their gates while Gilgamesh continued speaking. "Speak, whore, of how you thirst for that which is mine. Regale me in how badly you wish for me to rain the full weight of my coffers upon you."

[Apollymi]

Yes, he'd give her what she wanted. It was about time. There was nothing she wanted more than the things he possessed. His body was also a pretty fair thing to get, considering he satisfied her physical qualifications. "Give me all your treasures!" she said happily. What kind of man was he that he thought to say something like that? Well, whatever if it got her what she wanted, she figured that it would work out for her regardless. Siduri watched and wondered how long it would take before the goddess caught up to the fact that she was on the chopping block? What was this? Out of the golden gates came a set of chains, chains which wound themselves around the woman pulling at her limbs and sapping her of her power. Or rather, because she was as divine as divine could be... she would be completely immobilized. "I..." there was a pause. She wanted to be let go, but she still did want all of his stuff. Was this a thing she should say? Probably not, but would she say it? Yes. Yes she would, with all the indignation that someone who was tied up could manage.

"Let me go! You have no right to hold me, I should be free to accept all the things I want to take from you! You should give me everything you own with no grudges held, everything you have should be mine, accept and free me! If you don't I won't forgive this little outburst!" She was being rather demanding for someone so tied up. Even so, Siduri had to stifle a laugh. She figured she wasn't supposed to be witnessing such a thing. Of course she wasn't. No this man was getting his revenge and all of that had nothing to do with her directly. Obviously, in Ishtar's own mind, he was just still mad about his 'friend'. So, he was lashing out, but he would soon realize that he should just do as she said. She would allow him to take out his vengeance on the other gods who'd agreed to have his friend killed. Then they could live happily ruling the entire world together.

[Bloodedge]

There would be no such ending. In no reality would Gilgamesh be at this woman's side, bar someone's twisted fantasy... someone like Ishtar herself, for example. Even now, she was making demands. Did she know what sort of position she was in, and how much power she didn't have over him? He was born of the gods to solidify their position in this world, but what they truly made was something that would end their reign. It would all be their fault. It would all be her fault. In response to her demands, he had but one thing to say. "H'oh? You say I have no right to hold you, yet is that not precisely what you wish for? If it eases your mind on your way to the next life, you may want to think of this as a lover's embrace. I will allow you just that. Know as the red sea of your own life's blood fills your sight that if ever you stand before me again, you will know the greatest power this world has ever produced. Now, die and be silent!"

Gilgamesh would allow a single reprieve. Indeed, Ishtar was permitted only to believe those binding chains were something other than a restraint. With that, and a wave of his hand, he unleashed the veritable bullet hell of Artifacts upon that unsightly goddess. Though there were dozens upon dozens of gates, each one had another of his treasures launching immediately after it was emptied. Every jettisoned weapon was unleashed at speeds ten times greater than that of sound itself. "If the world chooses to let you stand before your fellow gods again, tell them the Age of Gods will end by my hand. No longer will humanity be plagued by your oppressive filth!"

[Apollymi]

Ishtar was confused. Yes, she did want Gilgamesh to hold her, but it should have been obvious that she didn't mean it like this. Chained up not getting what she wanted and instead running into the problem of a disagreeable man. How dare a man actually not agree with her. He shouldn't touch her! He should only touch her the way she wanted to be touched, but he had more to say now did he? Gilgamesh the king of Uruk would not be issuing an apology and releasing her, no instead he pointed out that being held by him was exactly what she wanted. He even went forward with the idea that she should die and be silent. He claimed she should think of the chains as a lover's embrace but how could she? Well she wouldn't have much time to think about it. "You can't do this to me! You can't ignore me! I..."

Ishtar the goddess was soon pelted by thousands of weapons at speeds she couldn't fathom. She screamed bloodcurdlingly until the moment of what should have been her demise. Would she die though? Well, that was a question. Her scream was meant to shake Celestia. She couldn't move herself at the moment but someone else could and should, lest they look ineffective as gods. Yes, surely they wouldn't allow her to die again, that would make everyone else look bad as well. All the while Siduri wondered if he felt a bit better. He'd even issued his threat not to appear in front of him again. The noise in the throne room was heard all the way back in the records hall, but a certain rider only looked up from her work for a moment before she went back to sorting tablets. Surely that situation had nothing to do with her, it was just like work in their original world all over again.

But eventually, Ishtar's screams would stop, and her body would disappear from the puddle of blood left behind. Her mystic codes were left behind but that was hardly anything worth looking over. A shadowy hand would emerge with a large scythe hooking onto those codes as her body was claimed for the underworld. But she wouldn't be staying there very long. Ishtar managed to look petulant even as she appeared in the underworld. "Really Kur you couldn't have done something before then? Why did you claim me? You should have claimed him, he deserves to die!" she proclaimed upset about her most recent slight. "Quiet!" this was a demand from the mistress of the underworld and one that had to be followed by the soul now present. She couldn't actually keep her here. As she was she had enough power to at least sway other souls into doing her bidding. Kur wouldn't be losing control over her space just because this woman didn't have the sense to leave a man alone who wants to be left alone. That scythe of hers came into her hands again and this time it sliced directly across her person. She would take something from her, and then, use the scythe to drag this thing back up to Celestia. It would be no pleasant trip and she would be stopped in front of Anu's Throne with a look of distaste across Kur's face. She rolled Ishtar along and she'd roll to Anu's feet. "I told you all what would happen the next time she came to the underworld."

[Bloodedge]

No satisfaction came from Ishtar's screams. Gilgamesh couldn't even find satisfaction in her death the moment it was confirmed by the presence of Mystic Code. If that wasn't bad enough, he understood the cause for that dark hand rising to claim the code, leaving nothing but the blood of divinity on his ziggurat's floor. As for what Siduri wondered silently, well... did he feel better? Not one bit. He could express his fury over and over again, but even killing Ishtar and the other gods a million times each would do nothing to bring back what he'd lost. What a pitiful state this was. He could only sit there and lash out like an angry child, as nothing would truly come of it for him. Alas, he would continue working to shut out the gods for the sake of all others they could otherwise affect. That was all he could do at this point. As such, he merely returned to his throne, to his busywork.

While the king went about his work, Ishtar was being brought back to Celestia yet again. This time, she was dropped before the Father with a message from the youngest of them. Anu gazed upon Ishtar and Kur, hearing the latter's declaration. Indeed, it was once stated that any time Ishtar appeared in the underworld, part of her would be lost upon her return. There was nothing to be done about that. So long as she was content to continue entering Kur's territory, whatever happened there was completely Kur's prerogative. "That is your decision, my child. Even the rest of us have no dominion over ourselves once your territory is entered, so your choices can only be respected. Ishtar, perhaps it is time to cut your losses and leave better off alone. That last warning was disturbing indeed. . ."

[Apollymi]

In the aftermath of Gilgamesh's outburst against the goddess Ishtar, there was only a blood puddle around on the ziggurat floor. Siduri made a motion and people moved to clean up the mess and the king went back to his work. All the while he didn't seem properly pleased by his action. Well, revenge often didn't ease anyone problems. Perhaps, now that she'd been handled in such a way... there would be no more problems for Gilgamesh. Perhaps he'd be able to continue on with his work, and things could properly get moving in the world again.

At the same time, once again in Celestia, the annoyance that was Ishtar was the topic of conversation. Apparently Anu remembered what Kur had said would happen every time she left the underworld. Admittedly she didn't expect to have to deal with Ishtar again so soon, but Metis had warned her of this eventuality. Metis. She really missed that woman, obviously there weren't many among them who just took the redheaded goddess at her word when she gave advice. She could now easily remember numerous times where Metis had pointed out logical fallacies that they'd fallen into as a group. And now, once more as a group they were being threatened with destruction because Ishtar couldn't take no for an answer. "As long as you understand. I will have no arguments and I won't have her in my underworld. I don't care what I take from her, but eventually I won't be able to return her here. You've been warned." Kur shot a venomous gaze at Ishtar but the goddess only scoffed. Kur was on a slow burn for stripping Ishtar completely of her divinity. It would be something she could do for everyone, no one with that little empathy should have any power over anyone else. Ishtar sat pouting in the floor still feeling the multiple weapons shattering her body. "He can't be allowed to treat us that way. Look what he did to me!" she exclaimed as if she wasn't at fault. Kur rubbed her face, wondering if Ishtar realized she only used collective terms to refer to slights against herself. "You literally walked into his kingdom and made demands. You did that to me too and I had a similar response..." she said reminding the woman of the time she'd first been killed in this world. With Anu telling her to cut her losses she became crazed. She didn't want to. "And what are you trying to replace Metis? That was then, this is now!" Ishtar maintained taking a potshot at the former wisdom goddess. "I don't want to. He has everything and I want it. He should give it to me and it shouldn't be so much of an argument. No man should say no to me, I'm irresistible! What was the point of creating him if he won't do what we say?!" she demanded outright. She wasn't taking no for an answer. Obviously, he was still mad about his friend. She just needed to let him cool off a bit more and then he'd be more receptive to her advances.

[Bloodedge]

And so, it continued. Despite her losses and Anu's insistence that she cease this attempted conquest, Ishtar was content to continue her whining. It was not Anu's intention to replace Metis, though the loss of the Wisdom Goddess was a great strain on his heart. She should not have been forced into that exodus, but there was nothing to be done about that presently. "Your belief in his subservience to you is clouding your judgement, Ishtar. You are a goddess, my child. Though it is unsightly that anyone beneath you should be anything but smitten under your authority, that boy is a special case indeed... and it is unbecoming of your status as a goddess to be so concerned with one who is even partially mortal."

As Anu spoke, he paced about the room. There was a great deal of worry building up in the Father, all stemming from one being they created to maintain their own standing. Was it a mistake? No, it couldn't be. Had they not created and birthed Gilgamesh, they would be trapped in Celestia for all time, never interacting with the mortals, and only growing weaker as centuries passed. He had to exist, but his refusal to listen was only putting them right back at square one, so to speak. If only he could rear in Ishtar, perhaps they could come to an understanding with Gilgamesh. "Stay your fury. I will not see us torn apart even further because you've become enraged, and thus earned more ire from that troublesome boy."

[Apollymi]

Anu was trying to talk sense into Ishtar but she didn't want sense, she wanted results. She wanted a subservient hot blonde to help her get rid of everyone else. He even had tattoos now, it wasn't fair. There was no legitimate reason for him to deny her, she had the authority over love. She was the physical manifestation of beauty, he should adore her and give her everything she wanted. Yes, that was quite literally everything he had, but it should be his honor to provide for a goddess like herself. "Ugh!" there was a scoff but nothing more. She didn't want him thinking and trying to talk her down. She wanted Anu arming her so she could demand better treatment. It wasn't unbecoming of her to want something, even a mortal like Gilgamesh had everything she wanted. Being a goddess was boring and she didn't have things, she wanted things, and money and adoration but right now all she had was adoration and not even from everyone so it didn't really count.

Anu was now pacing, which was a classic sign to Kur that he was bothered by what was happening. "You heard what he said, we are going to be in trouble if she keeps bothering him," Kur mentioned as if it wasn't obvious. What she didn't say aloud was, the fact that she thought allowing this one to fall to save the rest of them was a reasonable enough idea. Metis had mentioned a long time ago that this girl's tantrums would end them all... and here they were, being challenged with extinction. "Why do I have to stay my fury?! It isn't my fault he won't comply... you should just make him. Why doesn't any one just force him?!" she asked as if this was a reasonable question. "Well, you tried to force him. And you saw how it went," mentioned Kur before she turned to walk away. "If I were you, I'd keep this one in her temple... she might lose something important the next time she ends up in Irkalla." And with that Kur disappeared in black fog which took her directly back to her own throne room. A sigh escaped her and she wondered how long they actually had before it was a problem again.

Some time later, a new group of people were making their way into the City of Uruk. A blue clad knight, walking along with a black clad knight. Both of them were blonde and both seemed to share a face. They looked like they could pass for twins as they walked along, and took in the sights of the city. The one clad in blue found herself looking around at the entire place seeming to be considering it from several different angles, only to pass by a statue that caught her attention. This was a city she knew to be run by a specific person, and this statue was of a lovely looking individual who wasn't that person. Did a person that prideful actually like someone else? She needed to know. A lone child was watching her in the streets, apparently liking the look of both her and her sister and as she studied the statue the child studied them.

[Bloodedge]

In the time it took for the blood of Ishtar to be cleaned from his floor, Gilgamesh cleared a few more tablets. How many more annoyances would he have to deal with? It seemed they would be nigh unending, as a vision of yet another interruption struck him within minutes. Ah, he'd been wondering when that pair of knights would appear before him. He could see them entering the walls of Uruk, making their way toward the palace. That was going to be something he'd have to deal with later, but for now, he blinked away that vision. It came to fruition eventually either way. Gilgamesh, on the other hand, had already decided to ignore the premonition. "Siduri. Send a sacred prostitute to Biluda. His mother and father were among the dead during Gugalanna's appearance, when he was but a boy. I will grant him something to ease his pain, late though it may be," he said. Oh, the sacred prostitutes had been busy as of late. Many children were left without parents and siblings during the attack of Gugalanna, just as many parents were left without children. Reparations had to be dished out in time, yet all they could be given for the moment was reprieve. As Uruk stood now, there was hardly more that could be divvied out until other matters of importance were handled.

[Apollymi]

The words of Gilgamesh were heard by his attendant. Oh, he wanted to send one of the orphans a sacred prostitute for his pain and suffering. She could take care of that... "I'll make the arrangements," she mentioned taking note of the name and looking into who it should belong to. She had no problem, the blood had been cleaned up and there were quite a few other things to handle. He was busy going through several things and Siduri was whispering the follow-up order to the necessary person to get a sacred prostitute into the room belonging to the named man. All the while court life in Uruk was being handled.

Meanwhile the visitors were now staring at a statue. "Eri-nee... do you know that person?" asked the back armored woman who found their current stop odd. Her sister didn't normally take interest in the places they went. So her staring was something worth noting. "No, but I find it strange..." she said softly her eyes shifted to the child below so she could talk to him. "Tell me, little one... who is this?" she asked of him pointing to the statue. The young boy seemed to look up and back at the woman and seemed to be amazed she didn't know. "Well, it's the King Gilgamesh's best friend and brother... Enkidu!" the kid said seeming excited about it. "His friend?" there was abject curiosity in the face of Artoria. Jeanne then saw her sister do something strange. She opened up her cloak spread it on the ground took a seat and patting it intended for her sister to join her. "Tell me. I have time." These words made the child light up. He went about regaling the two noble looking women with the epic tale of Gilgamesh. Running over random words, having a childishly cute lisp and even going on to explain that he didn't understand about the brother thing. His little hands flapped, he acted out various parts of the story, complete with action figure noises and onomatopoeia. By the end of the story, over an hour later the kid seemed a bit worn out, but Artoria had gotten her answer. It was strange to her that Gilgamesh would have a statue built in someone else's honor and weirder still that he'd left in search of him for any great amount of time. It was making Artoria's brain hurt thinking about why he was like this but wasn't at all in conversation. Other kids had gathered around by now, all staring at the two young women, and surprised their small friend had managed to keep their attention. "Thank you for telling us. I will remember you..." she offered the child with a gentle pat on the head before sending him on his way with this friend. She picked up her cloak after her offering her sister a hand to stand up. "You're a lot more curious than you said... are you regretting attacking him?" asked Jeanne who seemed to be teasing. "No."

[Bloodedge]

"Do so. I will also be needing a count of how many there are. Dozens of children were orphaned all that time ago. Many now have children of their own, but those who have not found families will know some form of relief for now." Gilgamesh had been away for so long, he hardly had a count of the people he had access to. The woman called Medusa, he believed, had proved useful in taking the necessary counts, but he'd forgotten to collect the information from her during their last meeting. Oh well; he could get it as needed. At long last, he was finishing up with current trade deals. What was next again? The king sighed, rubbing his eyes with his free hand while moving aside another clay tablet. "Finally, the frustration of Kutallu is done for now. Siduri!" Ah, the number of times he'd been calling the wine-maker's name these past few weeks. The only other word leaving his mouth with anywhere near the same frequency was mongrel, or perhaps even fool... but nothing quite matched the quantity of his calls for Siduri. "Tell me, what did Rim-Sin want in exchange for the chickens?"

[Apollymi]

More orders being given out. Now she was to make sure another person got a sacred prostitute and make sure an appropriate count was taken so proper relief could be offered where it was meant to be. "I'll send out someone. And then add a count to Medusa's to do list. Though... I'll double check and make sure she hasn't done one already," Siduri mentioned. She wouldn't give anyone more work than they needed to do. As an aside, she did tend to spend quite a bit of her off-time in Medusa's presence she wouldn't want the woman to come to resent her. Doing all of this the bit they were working on finally came to an end, so Siduri's name was called once more. She took solace in that given his own habits, she knew his use of her name was telling of his intentions. She looked at her own tablet for notes related to the one known as Utur, and what did he want in exchange for the chickens the king had asked for? A sigh left Siduri in the moment, she hated saying things like this aloud. "Apparently Rim-Sin would like cattle and barely, in exchange for the chickens," she said wondering what the response to such an outrageous claim would be. Whatever the case she was ready to take it down.

Artoria and Jeanne were making their way to the ziggurat, still occasionally being stopped and harassed by small children. Even so, neither the Queen of Saints nor her older sister seemed to mind chatting with the children. They answered strange questions related to the manner of their dress, occupations and even questions about the nature of their relationship given their similar faces. Children were always so interesting, and despite her former job title, Artoria seemed to like them more than a little. "You really had us listen to his tale and you honestly are saying you aren't at all moved?" said Jeanne as she looked at her sister while they walked along leading a mass of children with them strangely. "I was just curious and the kids are nice so I listened to the whole tale, they always focus on the good parts." Artoria said as if she could hide behind that. "Whatever. After we find out who the King of Heroes is we have a long walk ahead of us to wherever they are and you are going to explain this newfound interest in someone you tried to kill," Jeanne was almost being demanding. Strangely Artoria's sister was always like this, even when she was way younger. "It really is nothing you know. I am allowed curiosity, it does not have to mean anything..." she said but one of them knew it wasn't true. They'd still be talking among themselves and randomly to children as they entered the throne room.

[Bloodedge]

Onto business in Nippur with that bastard Rim-Sin. Though an exchange with Nippur was necessary now, Gilgamesh always found that one to be reaching for much more than his paltry offers were worse. He would not let some fool by the victor in an exchange. The current trade offer, much to the king's surprise, was somehow worse than all others. He wanted cattle and barley for a few mere birds? It was not even fine hens he sought─ only a few and some roosters to fertilize eggs not being eaten. A simple plan to increase Uruk's stock would go to waste if he started shilling out cattle and the barley they used for nearly everything. "HE WANTS WHAT?!" the king retorted in utter outrage. Who the absolute hell did that cur think he was? As Gilgamesh's fist struck the arm of his own throne, he was due for quite the rant. "I'll sooner send executioner to his place of rest for him and that idiot woman who attends his murky cullions! That enfeebled child of theirs could make a better offer! I will send him two goats, and if he refuses, I will journey to his homestead myself! Rgh!"

Had he been properly human, the king may have suffered from the rise in his blood pressure. Oh well; recovery came quickly enough. If need be, he would just add displacing Rim-Sin to his long, long list of things to do. Alas, something else was in the process of pushing itself forward. Two knights, or rather Holy Knights, had been making their way through his city. Into the throne room they came, while Gilgamesh calmed himself and viewed another tablet from the virtual mountain of a stack. He needn't look upon these two, as he knew of the next arrivals. "Finally here. Surely the Saber did not come to receive my offer again. What is it?"

[Apollymi]

The business of Nippur would go about as well as Siduri expected. Of course, that being said, Siduri knew he wouldn't like the offer made at all. The king of Nippur was being a bit too short-sighted. And what would that get him? Well for starters, a whole string of insults, which made Siduri have to choke back laughter behind that veil of hers. Murky cullions... she'd have to bring that one up over drinks with Medusa later. Ah, two goats instead of the wanted cattle and barley. That was a bit more fair considering what it was that Gilgamesh actually wanted from the king of Nippur. "As you wish. I'll make arrangements and be sure to include that..." she paused. Was it a threat? Well yes, but how to make it sound like it wasn't that. "Provision in the notice," she said. Yes. Always the semi-professional, she'd been quick to pick up on how to interpret Gilgamesh's whims and words.

Speaking of the king's whims, the arrival of Saber and Lancer from that Holy Grail war. And what had changed about the king's greeting since his earlier bout with Ishtar? Well... he was markedly less demanding. A bit more passive in his approach now, good good. That would do, actually it was an enjoyable large change considering. He made a passing comment but it was one that could be taken lightly and without fuss, even by Artoria's own standards. Though she still couldn't stop that initial twitch of her sword arm. But she was on the job, and behaving, per Jeanne's request and it wasn't one she could ignore. Wiggling eye brows from Jeanne would be caused by Artoria's passivity. "No. Ask your question... he is very busy," Artoria said while closing her eyes. "Oh, right. No time. Since someone decided to listen to an hour long tale of his journey," she said in a slightly meddlesome way. Artoria's eyes opened and shifted to her younger sister for just a moment, and all she would do in response was a gentle narrowing of those eyes. Not quite a threat but very much not at all denouncing the thing she did. After all, Artoria wasn't a liar. "Anyway, I was told by the creepy weird voice that I needed to seek the King of Heroes, but I have no idea who that is and it wouldn't tell me. I need to get set up, so if you could point us in the right direction, I'd be grateful. " Jeanne was as calm as she ever was giving her point concisely so they could get out of a busy man's way.

[Bloodedge]

There was a delay following his address of the two visitors. Lucky them, having the freedom to converse instead of getting down to business. In the time it took, Gilgamesh sighed and lowered the tablet in his hand. Siduri could take it for the moment, he thought, but he never handed it off. Instead, all the king did was peer over the tablet with that ever-present glare. Jeanne D'Arc, de facto victor of the Second Holy Grail War, spoke of some... creepy weird voice. He hadn't a clue what she was going on about, but he was more familiar with the title "King of Heroes" than anyone. "Hmph," he muttered, cheek leaned against his fist. "There is no direction to point you in. The King of Heroes sits before you," he stated. There was no drive for some grand declaration in the king this day; there was no point to any of it. So, after setting his eyes on Jeanne, he offered only a few more words. "Now, what is it you need of the King of Heroes? What must you... set up? Speak."

Strangely, Gilgamesh was being approached with a purpose he'd never had to deal with before. Whatever voice Jeanne brought attention to was not one he knew, nor one he likely would know for quite some time. Her case was strange, though. When he looked at her now, he looked through to the soul and all it was comprised of. He saw her identity as Ruler, he saw her birthname from another reality, he saw... everything. Whatever this voice was, perhaps it was the reason her soul had taken on a quality more akin to his own.

[Apollymi]

Soon enough, Artoria's eyes widened for just a moment before they narrowed to absolute slits. Why? Because they'd asked Merlin about this and he'd mentioned they could come here and find what they were looking for. What a grand show that man had made of saying that King Gilgamesh would know of the person they sought. "I am going to flay him..." that was all she said to her sister. "Yes, yes, kill your mage later..." Jeanne followed up. Now the young lass was tapping her two fingers together. This situation was oddly similar to another one, but somehow that wasn't comforting. "Well... I was told the King of Heroes would do land owner things. You know for anyone who came up here but didn't pull an entire country up out of the ground. I have Holy Knights but I don't have a place to put them yet. Would you be willing to help with that?" she mentioned having the absolute grace to beyond embarrassed. At the same time Artoria seemed to have no care in the world aside from that little hint of murder on her mind. As whatever was decided, Jeanne was chiding her sister for her behavior now that they were confronted with dealing with someone else she'd physically assaulted, again.

"This is apartment hunting all over again. Every time we need to talk to someone about something important, you've inexplicably maimed them in some way! Would it kill you to show some restraint?!" she mentioned while they waited. "You have to let that go Emi. That was years ago," she said about apartment hunting. "Besides, that last guy gave us the best apartment at the cheapest price..." she said as if this was a perfectly reasonable thing. "Yes, because you put a gun to his head a day and a half before we went!" Outrage, the Queen of Saints was outraged. "He randomly decided to accost me on the street. I remember you being relieved I did not cut his hands off. No need to be upset now," she whispered. No need to take up too much of King Gilgamesh's time. At the same time, Siduri heard these girl's conversations and was once again trying her best not to laugh. What kind of life did Artoria Pendragon live before that she would have cut of the hands of an overly aggressive man.

[Bloodedge]

It seemed the new Ruler's desire was to acquire land for her group of Holy Knights. Another scoff escaped the king. Chaldea was a massive location with much unused territory at present. Still, to deal with this was to take a step out of his current necessary routine. Did that mean he would reject her? Not at all, interestingly enough. "Siduri," he said, holding his current tablet out in the woman's direction. For matters of importance such as this, he would offer his attention. After all, Jeanne at least possessed the wherewithal to approach him before laying claim to uncharted lands, or worse yet, adding an entire country nearby to confuse the masses and leave him with more tablets to review. The number of repeat concerns he had about that Egypt place were ridiculous! "A mysterious voice instructs you to visit me, and so you ascend otherwise unprepared and believing you will get land? Hmph," he said.

Of course, he had no reason to refuse. Holy Knights in Chaldea would result in a metric ton of positives, and another thing he could see about the one called Jeanne was her earnestness. He didn't even need eyes of any special caliber to see that; he'd witnessed it weeks ago during the Holy Grail War. "There is land aplenty for you and your knights, Maid of Orleans. If it is unclaimed, you are entitled to whatever acres do not interfere with existing nations or villages. But, you have nothing. I will arrange accommodations, but it will not be without cost. Assuming these knights of yours are capable enough, you shall assign a portion of them to guard and police the greater Chaldea. Many huntsmen and farmers have taken up service, and would be better suited to their trades with this growing population. When your people have settled, we will convene to organize trade that will benefit Uruk while you and these knights get your bearings, unless you have something suitable to offer now. Whatever allegiances are owed to you will also be owed to the whole of Chaldea. If this is something you find inadmissible, speak now."

[Apollymi]

Siduri's name was called once more and she found herself reaching out to take the tablet the King had previously been holding. Ah, he was going to give this pair his undivided attention. How nice. Siduri could see several good qualities from her king in most recent days. Though she'd only met him recently, she felt like he was living up to her expectations. How odd. There were words shared with Jeanne that made her look to the man strangely. "Yes, well... the weird voice aside. I intended to run the Holy Knights, as an organization, not be queen of a country. I wasn't about to start a crusade over land, that'd just be selfish," she said. Artoria smirked just a gentle upturn of her lips at the corner. This conversation was so very much like her sister, she could hardly keep back her amusement.

Ah, but Gilgamesh was being, fair. He didn't outright refuse the request, no he took it. His counter to the offer was simply that she put some knights out when it was organized in order to help police the greater area of Chaldea. What else did he require, their fealty eventually though not right now. He even offered to help them establish a trade that would help them between themselves and Uruk. Jeanne herself didn't find anything strange about the arrangement but she also wasn't one for court politics. She gave a careful side eye to her sister. "You are the administrative one, are you really telling me you are uncertain?" Artoria asked with nothing but amusement in her voice. Of course, she'd been raised Prince Arthur so court politics though something she hated were something she was well acquainted with. "Look the French Court politics are all kind of boring. I skipped out as soon as I was able for the front lines..." she mumbled once again looking a bit embarrassed. Beyond that point Jeanne was quite sure this man was supposed to be a tyrant, she didn't expect nice, and wanted her sister to confirm sincerity. "Oh? And I am supposed to be the impatient one~" she mused. "As far as intertwined courts are concerned. It is not unlike a deal I would offer anyone who came to sit at my table..." Artoria mentioned. "Well, aside from the one thing I would ask for... but I am just like that anyway..." she murmured with a cheeky smirk on her face. Jeanne took her sister at her word and turned her face back to Gilgamesh. "I have no problem with what you offer and was going to offer up knights for all our safety regardless. You seem quite busy, are you sure you don't need something more immediate for the distraction? It's only the two of us up here, but... we're more than enough for most tasks," she offered of herself and the one in her immediate employ. Artoria would do as Jeanne liked in such a moment because it would bring her a great amusement as an aside from the fact that it would bring cordial relations between two groups. Siduri found the two holy knights offers rather strange, considering the amount of trouble they'd gone through to get here, to be so nice after arriving when the king hadn't exactly shown them their best side was... odd. The Queen of Saints as she was called seemed to always possess such a capacity, but Artoria Pendragon seemed to be more like a calmed beast than the rabidly powerful monster she'd been that day.

[Bloodedge]

Interesting. To think of ascending to Chaldea for the sake of creating an organization, but having no intentions of ruling a country as the Ruler Class, was not something most assumed they would see in this realm. He could enable that with ease, so long as conditions were met. After some brief exchange with the Saber, the one he addressed gave her response. Finally. No qualms were to be had with the exchange, and she even went on to ask if there was anything else to be done. Well, that was foolish. There was more to be done than even a full group could take care of, but Gilgamesh would move on without a word of address about that. No, there would be none of that at all─ nothing but the matter of what she'd come to him for. A Divine Gate opened beside the male, producing a large tablet that remained blank until he touched it. Upon being touched and having the tiniest bit of mana applied, a map of Chaldea in its current state appeared on the tablet. A few moments of inspection ensued while the map remained visible to the others present. Soon enough, he pointed out one of the larger islands floating about. "Here. North of this place is a land of lush vegetation and streams of pure water. It is slightly mountainous, but this is the great mountain of Mashu. Any would be privileged to call it home. Should you take it, I will guide you to the Pharaohs to settle matters of accomodation."

[Apollymi]

Ah, he'd all but skipped over the offer made by Jeanne. Artoria expected this... she was in fact a similar kind of person, though without all the bravado. It wouldn't do well for him to rely on them only after they'd just arrived. It also wouldn't have been uncommon for one to put off such offers to take full advantage of them later, Artoria would have taken this approach herself. Jeanne looked to her sister who just closed her eyes and nodded making the younger one stop the coming argument. A gentle hand was even held out in front of Artoria. Jeanne sighed, why were people like this? Whatever, they could move on, and she'd gripe about it for quite a while after. Now then, the Gate of Babylon opened revealing the tablet the man had within. From this he produced a map, showing Jeanne the place she could have. A mountainous region with water and vegetation. Jeanne's eyes sparkled. She always did enjoy that part of real estate, and such a place reminded her of home. "Eri-nee look..." Artoria's small upturned lips remained. Of course her little sister was excited. She always would be. Jeanne would happily accept this for now. "That's great! Of course I'll take it!" she seemed pleased but apparently they were off to see the pharaohs for accommodations. That should be interesting at least. And they'd take whatever method of transportation he offered.

[Bloodedge]

With the acceptance of offered land, Gilgamesh opened another portal to his treasury. This one was larger by a great deal─ great enough in size to produce a large vehicle. In fact, a vehicle was exactly what emerged from it... if the thing could be called that. Out came a gold and emerald ark, more high-tech than anything found in this world and the next. It seemed somewhat Indian-inspired by design. Its wings spanned the length of the throne room, but he did not seem concerned about the exit doors as the flying contraption floated out, a velvet-lined throne on its back. The king rose, taking his place on the throne atop this contraption... and seeming as if he expected the others to join him. "Siduri. When Medusa returns from her work, tell her she is to take rest until I call for her again," he said, intending to part with his assistant for a time. Once more, he would sit with his face against his fist while awaiting the knight sisters. "The two of you─ on the ark."

[Apollymi]

Jeanne accepted her land, and Gilgamesh continued to work. This was a very interesting thing to see. Apparently that Rider had been put to work here but was being offered a break as the King left to help along his newest charges. This man was surprisingly responsible. Siduri for her part in this noticed the looks on the faces of the two female knights and smiled. "I'll see that it's done," she mentioned with a hint of mischief behind those eyes. They were two welcome additions and both of them seemed to be responsible themselves. Gilgamesh told them both to get onto the Ark which he summoned again out of a portal. He was seated himself and Jeanne managed to look a bit shocked by the whole thing. "That looks crazy to you too, right?" she asked of her sister. Artoria raised like a fine young gentleman, stood at the side offering her sister a hand up before rather easily getting in place herself. Chivalry was at her core, even while she wasn't in a male body at all. How very strange but not something worth thinking about. "Yeah, just a bit..." she answered in turn. Having put herself on the ark as well, she stood relaxed and ready. She assumed they'd be moving and that it'd be fast, she readied herself and was waiting and willing to catch her sister if need be, not that she thought it would be at all necessary.

[Bloodedge]

Indeed, catching would not be necessary at all. Vimana, as it was called, was one of Gilgamesh's favored transportation devices, and the fastest he had access to as well. Merely being atop the ark was enough to guarantee one's safety during travel, however, as there was no time for resistance to take effect. Vimana moved at the speed of thought at its maximum, so the moment they were situated, they were already positioned in the sky above the country of Egypt. Multiple pyramids of massive quality could be seen in the distance, but directly beneath them was the major city with an elevated, temple-like pyramid at its center. This was their goal, and this was also the end of the line for Gilgamesh. Disinterest was forcibly painted on his face as he looked over what appeared to be a mockery of his own ziggurat, but... one of those pharaohs was a person he surprisingly managed to get along with. He could say nothing truly negative about those two Rulers inhabiting the space so close to his own country. "Egypt is below. Go now. Inform the Pharaohs that I have found their first major contribution to Chaldea, and lead him to your lands. Here; I will allow this to work for you," he said, sending that map of his floating toward Jeanne, that she might deliver the leaders of Egypt to the proper location. Strangely, his flying contraption had not yet lowered to any reasonable distance from the ground. . .

[Apollymi]

Just as fast as they had boarded they were suddenly over a completely different place. Artoria looked down over the edge and had something of a small smirk appear on her face. She was planning to jump regardless of any offers made to her. After all, she'd already agreed to only draw her sword for the purpose of fighting off a potential danger, so she had to have some fun somewhere. Well, besides watching that rather cute child tell the story of Gilgamesh. She thought a bit more about Gilgamesh in the moment sparing him a glance for just a moment. She decided a little while ago she wanted to fight him again, not quite so maliciously but simply because her victory didn't sit right with her. Was now the time for it though... maybe she'd mention it on their return trip, one they'd definitely be taking given what her younger sister was like. "I am going ahead..." she said to her younger sister's surprise. "We're so high up! Don't do anything rash," she explained seemingly shocked by her sister's behavior. "Do not worry, Emi. I will catch you..." she said. A gentle arm crossed over her chest, as she looked towards Gilgamesh, she was on the job after all. And then, she casually flipped over the edge of the ship. Now what? Well, Gilgamesh handed over a certain tablet and some instructions for the Pharaohs, which made her nod her understanding. "Thank you. We'll be back when everything is done to help out properly..." she said in response. About this height she didn't seem to be worried. "I could have given us wings you know..." she mumbled. A silent prayer caused a pair of energy based wings to sprout from her back and she floated off gently unlike her sister who'd just landed with a fist to the ground and a smile on her face. Strange was this one but she supposed they were on their way to see some new people too.

At the same time, Ishtar was pacing about in her temple. She was stuck there, like a grounded child... how annoying. Regardless she still had her crystal ball, and was content to watch Gilgamesh as she pined over him. Why was he being so nice to these two? She didn't like that at all. And what was this about an offer to the man in a blue dress? She'd missed something hadn't she? Obviously, it was time to go back and look in more detail at this holy grail war she'd not really paid attention to.

[Bloodedge]

"Hmph." This utterance was all Gilgamesh had to offer the pair as they departed. One took the initiative and jumped from the ark─ what an interesting development. Frankly, he fully intended to see them jump anyway. After all, any inability to take a leap of this magnitude was not very conducive to living so high above the planet. Seeing the nonchalant leap of Artoria Pendragon, he determined that she would survive this plane with ease. Now then, what of Jeanne D'Arc? She seemed to have a method of her own that would function quite nicely, at least in this situation. They could make it by alright. Whether they did or didn't though, Gilgamesh had no intention of sticking around to deal with them and those other Rulers, so he was back to work at the Citadel of Uruk.

The departure of Gilgamesh was of little importance. The sisters from another world would soon be in the hands of more... approachable leaders in this realm. One such leader was beyond the massive door, up the temple and into the pyramid up top. Where there was an entrance on either side of the pyramid's base, Pharaoh Ozymandias sat atop a throne far larger than a single person required. At the forward end of the pyramid was another large opening which let the divine flames of the throne room's torches out to bless the land and invite the pure, as the sun's gaze graced the Earth. Relaxed, he was, as eyes likened to the sun itself peered across the throne room to that opening, witnessing the descent of two new figures. "We have guests, not simply the golden king. Shame. I've found myself in a mood to drink," he stated, but... to whom?

[Apollymi]

A few seconds had Artoria standing up straight, her arms out in front of her as her sister floated down rather casually, a stone slab in hand. What was more she had some magical wings which would disappear when she was about ten feet above the ground allowing her to fall into her sister's arms. "I can make us wings, you didn't have to jump," she said as Artoria set both of her feet on the ground making sure she was steady before waiting for her to pick their direction. "Well, I, by your order, am not allowed to draw my weapon, so... I need to do something," Artoria mentioned as if she was somewhat antsy. They'd continue walking towards the central pyramid making the assumption that Gilgamesh hadn't set them somewhere strange with Jeanne managing to look at her sister as if astounded by her lack of understanding of herself of all things. "Or you could have made nice with King Gilgamesh and apologized for attacking him... you know, get to know him as you obviously want to do. Instead of getting hearsay from children." she said with a curt nod. "It was a war, and he was in my way. I will not apologize. I will however demand a rematch at some point. On my honor a half win does not feel as right as I would like. And the children's stories are amazing... they give us all the important bits," said Artoria. When would her older sister learn she couldn't just attack people even when the attack was friendly in nature? Whatever; at least there were new people to come to.

Ozymandias was sitting in a large throne beside a young woman with long purple hair and eyes practically rainbowed by their various colors. They were lined in thick black and her body was covered by gentle cloth and netting as she leaned against the side of the throne. Her eyes flickered over to the man at her side as he made the claim that they had visitors coming and it wasn't simply the golden king who'd visited them previously. A chuckle came from her as he claimed this would be a shame because he wished to drink. "Well, you might get to anyway. Anyone dealing directly with him is entitled to a drink for their troubles..." she mentioned with a small smile creeping onto her lips. After all, she'd needed quite a bit of something after that man's last visit, she technically felt bad for anyone unprepared to deal with him.

[Bloodedge]

"Oi, be nice!" the Pharaoh Ozymandias insisted, his eyes cutting toward the woman at his side even as a smile stretched across his face. "He's not so terrible. I enjoyed our last meeting. At the very least, that man has an air of stylishness and finesse about him that I can support." Perhaps Ozymandias was one of few individuals who would ever get along with King Gilgamesh during their first meeting, but regardless, he had few qualms with the blonde male. In a better situation than their initial "greetings" of one another, he could imagine enjoying a decent wine boasted by the man who possessed the "finest" quality of... well, everything. What sort of wine would he have to offer? Ozymandias was left wondering for quite some time, but he was dead set on finding out one day. "But, you are correct, moon of my life. If the light of fortune shines upon us, perhaps that king has left these visitors with a sample. If not, I hope only for a beacon bright enough for them to partake of ours. That is, assuming he has not dropped off someone for us to pass divine judgement on. That would sour my mood, and I may have to abandon court for the evening to watch your face until my mental state improves."

[Apollymi]

Pharaoh Ozymandias rebuked the one sitting beside him, claiming she should be nice. That little smile on her face grew into a laugh. He went on to claim he liked the man's style and had even enjoyed their previous meeting with him. This woman gave it a bit of thought, and came to a conclusion. She didn't hate the golden king, she simply found him to be emotionally dishonest. "He can have a few style points... but that personality needs a bit of work. And that is the nicest way such a sentiment can be put," she explained of herself, though she didn't really feel the need to explain fully. "Well, I suppose, my sun and stars, if we have to pass judgement, we should take some time for ourselves. But I do not assume he would put such things off on us without at least sending us a house warming present," she said offering a cheeky little smile and more than a bit of credit on King Gilgamesh's part. Though she understood the base of his attitude, she felt like he could use a bit of humanizing.

At the same time, Artoria and Jeanne approached the throne room directly and would make their entrance soon. "You should still be nice here too. If I haven't mentioned," said Jeanne preemptively about any new rulers they met. "My saintly queen you wound me," Artoria said in full mocking tone, with words she didn't like using and phrases she would have hated. She didn't need to be told not to randomly attack people, it was strange that she was being bound to her manners even now, she'd never once attacked someone who didn't deserve it. Besides, she had no problems with Gilgamesh outside of the settings of battle, she respected him. She figured anyone else who won a holy grail war before would be worthy of a decent bit of respect as well, especially anyone who shared such a thing. And now they stood outside the entrance to a throne room they'd been walking towards. Not one to intrude they'd wait to be invited in, lest they interrupt random courtly matters.

[Bloodedge]

The Queen of Egypt herself, Nefertari as she was called at the moment, raised a very fair point. Though Ozymandias himself was quite similar since being raised in this world, there were some aspects to the golden king's presentation of himself that were somewhat... inhuman, in a negative way. "I will not argue that. Though, given the tales that have been spreading even to here as of late, I am willing to grant temporary reprieve. Judgement will come only if he fails to learn the lessons even a divine life delivers," he stated with certainty. These two were no strangers to divinity; they were each deities in their own right, albeit incarnated in "mortal" form. That blonde, however, had a very different upbringing that Ozymandias presumed would be rewritten over time after many meetings with... well, his own kind.

Speaking of meetings, they were due for one at the moment. Two had fallen into Egypt, and two sets of footsteps halted just outside their throne room. Oh, how respectful. He could easily assume then, that they were not to mete out divine punishment to these guests. "Maybe this is the present," he said softly, choosing to address their visitors right away. As his eyes traveled toward the entrance they resided beyond, however, those same eyes widened. What was this? "This presence... Could a truly valorous hero be here? And another beacon of light to boot? You approach the very light of the sun, and the embodiment of truth and justice! You may enter and bask in our radiance! Come, visitors, and let us view you with our own eyes!"

[Apollymi]

The Pharaohs were in agreement, Gilgamesh didn't seem to quite be done yet. Ozymandias said that given the stories they should give him a bit of time, and Nefertari for her part int his could give the allowance. "I will agree to that as well. Perhaps with a little more time he might be less... outlandish in his outward visage," she commented. Maybe, just maybe he'd grow into a more tolerable version of himself over time. She could try and see the bright side of this, but who was at the door, the present as Ozymandias had put it. She too turned her eyes to the door and understood the sudden heightened emotion. His greeting came to the ears of Artoria and Jeanne and both looked at each other then back forward.

"Those were compliments, this is starting strong~" mentioned Jeanne. Artoria had little to say about it, but could nod her agreement. Still the words themselves hit her ear strangely. To her this man simply sounded like an arrogant king, but not necessarily intolerable. How different. Within the room both looked up to the Pharaohs on their throne and blinked twice. This was Jeanne's thing so Artoria stood quietly waiting. "Thank you for the graceful reception. I'm, Jeanne D'Arc, recently named Queen of Saints," she said of herself. "And this is my older sister Artoria Pendragon, the Queen of Camelot... nice to meet you both," she said carefully. This was a surprisingly easy conversation to have. Artoria could agree, and simply crossed an arm over her chest and gave an incline of her head. She was acting as a full knight today so she wouldn't have too much to say in this particular case, unless she was asked. Nefertari looked down at the pair and determined their likeness in a simple moment looking between the two. Their faces were so similar that despite the difference in their names, she could believe they were siblings. Still the one who called herself Jeanne D'Arc had apparently won a holy grail war, that was no small feat regardless. A nice pair of people had apparently shown up in their throne room.

[Bloodedge]

The moment those two presences fully made their way into the throne room, Ozymandias' excitement became an expression of recognition instead. There should be few in this world who knew nothing of those two, if not as Jeanne D'Arc and Artoria Pendragon, then as legends in Age of Eternity's two-player competitive scene. Indeed, they were the ones to challenge for people like these Pharaoh's, though... no longer. All that nonsense was far behind them. Still, the sight of those women was an interesting blast from the past, so to speak. Jeanne's introduction of herself and her sister garnered a raised hand from the male, as if to say there was no need. "I know of you both. Your faces speak for themselves before your identities are made known. Welcome," he greeted. Carrying on with the introductions of himself and his queen, he did so... not with the arrogance that would likely be assumed based on his similarities to that other deified king, but instead with a confidence the likes of which could never be stripped from him. "My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings. Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and rejoice! You are valued comrades to us! And this..." His arm extended in grandiose fashion toward Nefertari. Now was such a time that would see the true face of Ozymandias bleed through the identity of a pharaoh, returning to that of a man whose gaze followed one target for all eternity. "Stand in celebration, for you gaze upon the truth of the universe. My radiance exceeds even that of the sun, but I bestow upon you the honor of witnessing the brilliance of a thousand burning galaxies! Too bright to view, but do not close your eyes. No, feast your eyes upon her majesty!"

[Apollymi]

What spewed next from the mouth of the male Pharaoh was complete acknowledgement of this pair of individuals. Ah, he had enough of his old memories to know who they both were, that was nice. It was nice to meet other reasonable people. Still even with his speech being arrogant, it didn't feel negative in anyway. No, he was simply very self-assured and this was a trait kings of all kinds needed. He was apparently the King of Kings, Ozymandias. Artoria was familiar with his name as well. He and his obvious future wife were a couple of streamers who played the game with almost as much intensity as she and her sister back before this was life. What was more she got to witness first hand one of the quirks of that individual. He'd introduced himself with confidence but he introduced his wife with absolute adoration. Jeanne's eyes were sparkling and a small smile came to Artoria's face. All the while, the woman in question waved him off, as she always did, though she felt a certain amount of confidence from his words regardless. "Feel free to ignore him. He always goes overboard when speaking of me. I can be called Nefertari, the Queen of Queens. And might I say, both of you are absolutely stunning!~"she said of the girls before her.

Soon after they were done speaking Jeanne was almost squealing, as she always would. They were among her favorite people to watch, and she enjoyed that even after their time in this world they were still such a happy couple. "Aww, I love this. I love this for both of you... you're such a happy couple!~" she practically gushed about them. At the same time, Artoria nodded. "I know of you both as well, congratulations, on your win of a Holy Grail. And thank you for being reasonable people and for the compliments..." she mentioned seeming to smirk at herself. Maybe today would be one of a few, where she actually had no need to put her weapon in her hands. "Wait one moment, quick question, unrelated... did you both also hear the strange voice in the white space?" she asked of the pair of pharaohs. She needed to know she wasn't simply crazy, and having heard the voices of the angels her entire life, it was still a possibility.

[Bloodedge]

"Overboard?" Ozymandias questioned. It was a few minutes, or even a few hours too early for Nefertari to start saying that. "I haven't even started yet." Of course, he could go on for hours upon hours about Nefertari or... any form she took, really. There was no greater existence in this world or the next, and he had even more reason to think so after living a full mortal life at her side in this incarnation. Ah, it seemed these two knew of them as well. He would gladly bask in the satisfactions others had for his personal victory, and perhaps even for the acquisition of the Holy Grail. "The Grail was an accident, less fortunate even than finding my queen. You two deserve thanks as well. It is not often we receive visitors of respectable standing. Know that you are allowed nothing less than peace and equality while here. When I speak of your standing, I declare you upstanding citizens and nothing less. Though, I don't believe for a second that you would trample over our citizens."

None had addressed why the women were here yet, but that was fine. Instead, Jeanne had a question unrelated to their visit. There was something about a strange voice in a white space. It sounded rather queer initially, but he did recall one such event roughly one decade ago. "Hmm... We did! I'd have thought it was Ra, had we not entered together. That voice guided us here after we drank from the Grail, when we chose to split its power and influence between us. It's clear to me that you also had none of your questions properly answered. That is normal, I believe."

[Apollymi]

The speech of Ozymandias and Nefertari made Jeanne happy. Artoria too, though admittedly less openly so was happy that this pair of people seemed to find their own happiness. According to Ozymandias he could have spoken on the topic of Nefertari even more, and given what he'd been like in his original life, neither of the blondes doubted him. "On my honor no harm will come to any of your citizens on my watch," said Artoria. Jeanne nodded. "I agree. We aren't really the type but it is nice to have people to meet and chat with," she said calmly. "See what happens when you don't attack the person in charge?" she asked of her sister. "It was a war. He was audacious, arrogant and pushy. You have to let that go... I was raised a prince, I do not always attack first," Artoria mentioned which made Nefertari laugh.

"I declare we have found the one most deserving of the drink. Queen Artoria Pendragon was the one who dealt with the golden king!" said Nefertari. "I regret to say, I am currently on the job. I could not accept a drink in good conscience... but do feel free to offer some other time. I would gladly drink in your company," said Artoria more smoothly than she'd spoken with Gilgamesh the entire time they'd been speaking directly to each other. "So you do know how to be nice. I am in shock... and he wasn't so bad outside of the grail war. I was wondering if maybe time passed differently here, he seems very different than he was then," said Jeanne as she'd been dealing with her sister's attitude for quite a few days. Perhaps this was a part of being a proper ruler, attitude problems. A smile spread across Nefertari's face as she made another declaration. "I enjoy these two." How very firm. As for the voice, it had been heard, they'd thought it was god. Instead they split the spoils of the grail and ended up here. Pharaoh Ozymandias in his wisdom thought it was normal to not get anything resembling a real answer from the grail. "Well that isn't exactly comforting. Be nice to the weird voice. It's more than just me who says it's strange now." said Jeanne to Artoria. "All will be well, as long as it is not necessary for me to dispatch the golden king, again, to claim what will belong to me," she said. Ah, yes... even Artoria had moments of confidence.

[Bloodedge]

Many words spoken caused Ozymandias to blink in confusion. The Saber of the two had a habit of attacking people they met? She was raised as a prince, rather than a princess? She fought King Gilgamesh in a Holy Grail War? None of those things made a great deal of sense at all. Given the world they were in, however, the latter fact made less sense than anything else said. "Why would you fight the golden king in a Holy Grail war? He has no use of another one," he declared. He wouldn't bother asking about how Artoria had been a prince, considering how wild things were in this world, as well as the era they previously lived during in their home world. Also disturbing though, was the notion that Artoria would not drink while working as Jeanne's guardian knight. "Yes, you are on the job. You are also a guest in Egypt. We can all be civil and enjoy a single drink while discussing why you've visited us."

Though receiving guests from the lower world was something they had reason to never expect, and therefore something worth enjoying, these two were here for a reason. Ozymandias for one was keen on finding out what that reason was. He knew they were sent here by Gilgamesh after their ascension, so there were only a few things they required. There was also a tablet of some sort in Jeanne's hand, presumably that map used by the King of Uruk himself. Would there be some effort to alter the land they raised? Perhaps they were here to organize a trade or something of the sort, if not a bit of modifications to whatever country Jeanne had taken charge of and raised. "So, why are you here?"

[Apollymi]

The question from Ozymandias hit Artoria's ears and she immediately turned to Jeanne gesturing towards the man. There was awe and righteous confirmation in her soul. "Look. He confirms that one had no need of the cup he chased..." she said feeling rather suddenly vindicated. As for why she fought the King of Heroes a small smile spread across the face of Artoria. "The simple answer is because he was audacious, arrogant, pushy and in my way..." she said softly. "I saw my sister for the first time in decades, not knowing the Holy Grail would spawn. She wanted to have her wish granted and as her older sister, I took it upon myself to make that happen for her," she said softly. "She had already gotten there by herself, it was my honor to remove the obstacles that stood in her way for the final stretch," she said making her younger sister blush earnestly. How dare she be so randomly charming just to speak about her. Pharaoh Ozymandias was right, if anyone should be having a drink it should be Artoria. "Well, in this case I agree with the Pharaohs, a single drink won't harm anything. And it's not like I can let you abstain after you've gone and said something so unnecessary," she said seeming to still be in a huff about her older sister gushing over her, even slightly. "As you wish~" Artoria said seeming to feel pretty good about herself in the moment.

Nefertari heard what Artoria had to say about her encounter with the King and wondered if it didn't have some strange effect on the man. Of course she could no nothing but theorize, at least the girl had agreed to the drink. Ah, what else, there was the matter of what Jeanne D'Arc had actually come here for, so she managed to look more shocked. "Oh, right. I forgot. Apologies, I got a bit worked up," she cleared up herself took a deep breath and turned the tablet over. A bit of magic made that mountainous piece of land pop up. "King Gilgamesh said this could be your first contribution to Chaldea. I was the Maid of Orleans, just a girl who broke a siege. I didn't ascend with land or anyone to rule. I want to create an organization for Holy Knights, a base they can call home. So... " she gave a pause of thought. "King Gilgamesh said you could help me with accommodations." Ah, finally the meat of their conversation. Artoria was a happy older sister watching her sister have her wishes granted and seeing her vision come to life.

[Bloodedge]

"Why would the King of Heroes need the Grail? From my understanding, he owns everything, but... not the same copy of everything. In terms of a video game, I would probably call his versions the pre-release, before any nerfs or buffs to the Artifacts seen by the rest of us. It's quite a cheat, but... I could beat him," said Ozymandias. A small amount of hubris was within him, perhaps, but he could see some reality in which he defeated someone utilizing all Artifacts. After all, none could claim more mastery of his own things than Ozymandias himself; he'd been with them far too long. Moving on from that, everyone here was keen to partake of a drink. A look toward one of the nearby attendants, a nod, and they would soon enough be visited by a young male bringing along wine chalices, goat cheese, and fresh, unleavened bread for all to claim.

Ozymandias was somewhat mistaken about Jeanne's purpose. It wasn't modifications she needed, but the whole shebang. She prefaced this with an apology for diversion, which he waved off most casually, and she ended with the showing of her granted land upon the map. Ah, he knew that place! It was a magnificent heap of land that Ozymandias himself would have enjoyed having, if not for Egypt existing prior to his and Nefertari's ascension. "Ho─ he gave you that one? Interesting..." he mused. He knew that particular area was one of importance to the tale Gilgamesh gained fame for. Why he would grant that instead of any from the many other options, was a mystery. "You two must have left quite the impression. Now then, if it is accommodations you need, there are no better aides you could have come to! I will use my full capacity as the King of Construction to build the headquarters for your knights! So... shall we ride?" the pharaoh asked while taking in hand one of the four chalices and... several pieces of cheese and bread.

[Apollymi]

Ozymandias' explanation of the situation surrounding Gilgamesh not needing a grail seemed to hit both the ears of Jeanne and Artoria totally differently. All while Jeanne managed to look shocked, Artoria just looked vindicated. It was nice when things weren't just her temper getting the better of her. He even claimed that though his ability was a bit of a cheat he thought he could beat him. "He did not need it which is what I said. I still do not understand why he was down there to be honest. About the fight though, I can say it would be fun at the very least. One of the best fights I have had the pleasure to be involved in," Artoria said, with only Jeanne realizing how much of a compliment that was coming from the Queen of Camelot. "Did you win that fight, Queen Artoria?" Nefertari asked. They had a grail so obviously King Gilgamesh didn't leave with it. But if the young Queen of Camelot had actually bested that golden man in combat that was something else entirely. "I feel like the right answer here is yes and no. Given what he did during that war, yes... I won. I would be lying if I said I was certain of what the outcome would be the same if he used everything," Artoria said. Of course Nefertari took that strangely a smile spread across her face as she heard that news. Perhaps what the Golden King needed wasn't an attitude adjustment but instead a woman?

All the while Jeanne found out that Ozymandias knew of the land she'd gotten. He seemed surprised by it in fact. "If I am being honest I didn't do much of anything... I am sure he is not particularly impressed by me." she said a knowing smirk coming over her face as she took one of the cups for herself. Artoria waited a moment letting Nefertari claim hers before taking one for herself as well. Ever the chivalrous one, bread, cheese and wine would be picked up by each of the ladies as well. With thanks uttered by the blondes. "The Queen of Composition is also at your service. I haven't decorated something new in ages!" Nefertari mentioned. That little piece of land always looked truly interesting. Jeanne for her part in this seemed shocked by the general acceptance and by the nature of shared skills and things between them. "You two really shared that grail split... I can tell, you're such a well matched pair!" she said seeming to take it all in stride. "And yes, we can leave at your earliest convenience. I am not the type to impose so you don't have to rush on our account." This girl was nice to fault of that Nefertari was sure. The older sister in this case was also pretty relaxed. They had a nice familial relationship of that she was certain.

[Bloodedge]

Another oddity was being spoken; in this case, the Queen of Camelot spoke of taking pleasure from her fight with King Gilgamesh, just after having roughly zero positive things to say about him as a person. That was quite strange. Ozymandias himself had fought many battles and enjoyed many battles, but never had he considered a fight started with malicious intent a "pleasure". Well, he supposed both she and that king had personalities that could easily be misinterpreted or off-putting to many... one more so than the other. There were signs of a rematch between the two as well, considering Artoria's voiced curiosity regarding which of them would be victorious with both at full power. That would be something incredible to witness. From only meeting each of them, Ozymandias could determine that either had the ability to best him in combat. Luckily, it seemed they were all on the same side... mostly.

Once everyone had taken up their wine and snacks, Ozymandias would be found reaching onto the tray to fill his large hand with even more cheese and bread from what remained. At their earliest convenience, Jeanne said when addressing their exodus. Well, with both his queen and himself having a new project to work on after quite some time, Ozymandias wouldn't leave the lot of them waiting. "Then there is no time to be wasted! Abu el-Hol!" he shouted. A shroud of mana swirled around him, likened in appearance to a nebula in the night sky. Forward and out the opening to this pyramid it went, while Ozymandias walked. A bite of bread and cheese, a sip of wine, and he reached the opening to look upon a great sphinx. It was no normal Divine Beast, but a Cosmic Sphinx with a body composed of the very same energy all could have seen moments before. Its headdress, wings and ornaments were all made of Magic Gold. The sphinx loafed about outside, awaiting its orders. "Ladies, to the kitten!" he said excitedly, holding out the arm which held bread and cheese toward... well, it seemed to be the group at large, but Nefertari would be the one to know the gesture's meaning.

[Apollymi]

Both Artoria and Gilgamesh were quite strange individuals, and none knew this more than Jeanne. Having been in that Holy Grail War, she saw potential on both sides, though admittedly her sister was the harder person to read. Ah, yes... but they were soon moving on. Everyone happily drinking and consuming snacks even the on-duty Artoria, would be found casually sipping wine out of her cup and eating bites of bread. Jeanne did similarly, having a similar amount of appetite to Ozzy, reaching for quite a few snacks to keep herself sated. Well, that was fair, she did grow up a peasant in France. Ozymandias claimed there was no time to waste and after casting some sort of magic, seemed to wish them to take off. The statement to the kitten was met by a raised brow on the faces of both blondes, as Nefertari descended the throne. Everyone always looked so confused. "Come ladies, you'll like this..." she offered both of them as she lead the way outside.

And what would they find outside. Well, a large blue sphinx with a cosmic body and golden wings and a headdress. Jeanne's eyes went wide at the sight, but it would be Artoria who stole the show today. A stoic and almost princely demeanor had been moving about the face of that one. Even in a dress, she definitely seemed more a knight than a ruler or even an elder sister. She definitely had no outward inclinations toward girly behaviors, except this one. She loved cats. Big cats specifically. She'd once had a lion cub delivered to her apartment. And here and now, there was a giant blue, lion-like creature before her. How could she respond? Her pupils dilated filling those large green eyes of hers, her form almost completely broke, bringing from the depths of her person, a single girlish squeal and a flapping sort of hand movement. "Kawaiii!~ Mite... Emi!" she said seemingly overly excited by what was happening here. The Queen of Camelot was an absolute girl right now and somehow that was almost more impressive to Jeanne than the cats themselves. Nefertari for her part in this couldn't help but chuckle. The most upstanding knightly woman she'd ever seen was done in by a big cat. "Oh?! Eri-nee... I didn't know there was still girl left in you anywhere. I mean if not for our bath I might have assumed you were actually a man. Leave it to a big cat to make it obvious you're still my big sister!~" she said seeming to make Artoria reconsider her behavior. The young lass had the grace to look absolutely embarrassed following the outburst as well... no one could speak of this! "Please do not speak of this to anyone. My whole image will shatter," there was pleading in those big eyes of hers. She really didn't want it getting out that she had such a girlish reaction. She was raised as King Arthur... and that damn mage Merlin, what would he say if he saw something like this. Her heart couldn't take it.

[Bloodedge]

Nefertari claimed their guests would like the Divine Beast he called upon, but... could anyone have anticipated the true reaction of the most stoic individual here? Ozymandias certainly did not. He heard a phrase spoken in Japanese, but the tone was all off. That woman could have been confused for the prince she claimed to be raised as until she laid eyes on a sphinx. Though strange, Ozymandias viewed it as something that brought her down to earth, so to speak. "Brilliant," he muttered under his breath. It was difficult to refrain from laughing, but it was clear Artoria didn't want that sort of behavior being spread to the masses. She even went on to request that it be kept private. "No need to worry. You're among friends. Besides, look at him!"

Ozymandias threw his arm around Nefertari, taking her by the midsection as he hopped onto the sphinx's back. Wings flapped, and paws kneaded the floor. Alas, it was not yet time to depart, so Ozymandias patted the beast's head to calm it. "He's cute; go on, pet him," he insisted to the Queen of Camelot, a smile and a nod being sent her way. A look toward Jeanne implied that he wished for her to do the same. In fact, the sphinx was rather fond of a good petting, and tended to purr during them at a great enough frequency to cause tremors in the air and floor.

[Apollymi]

According to Ozymandias, Artoria was among friends. Both of these people seemed to have a unique reaction to her... showing a bit too much of her base personality. No matter, she managed to straighten up a bit. Even as Ozymandias grabbed up Nefertari leaving both of them sitting atop the creature. Nefertari had similar words to offer the young blonde woman who seemed to immediately try and withdraw into herself again. "None of that," she said with a cheeky smirk. "If you can't be yourself around your friends and family you aren't going to have much luck. Besides... that is amazing reaction~ And none of us will utter a peep you are one of us after all," she mentioned. Artoria still looked overly embarrassed but the admission that she could pet the beast was too much for her to deny. "You should go ahead and pet it. You'll feel better~" Jeanne mentioned, willing to give her sister this bit of time for herself.

A few seconds later and Artoria was rubbing along the side of this creature practically hugging it while happily cooing to it. "Aaw, so fluffy. You are a great kitten, yes you are~" those were her almost whispered mumbles as her sister waited by her side. And oh the purring. She could feel it in her very soul. These people were seeing too much of her at the moment, but Artoria would have to trust a bit today. Ah but eventually that would come to an end. And Artoria would straighten herself up square off her shoulders and offer her younger sister a hand up onto the beast. "Many thanks," she mentioned. Jeanne would take it with Artoria bringing up the rear and managing for slightly less aloof passenger as she aimed to protect her sister. "There we go. Ready~" chimed Jeanne freeing the Pharaohs to take off at their leisure. "Um, could I ask you both a couple of questions about this ruler power?" she mentioned. Having no idea how long this ride could take, she figured, it would be useful for both herself and Artoria to learn the ins and out of their dominions.

[Bloodedge]

The sphinx received its attention prior to having four total people hop on its back. While Artoria and Jeanne were getting themselves situated, Ozymandias kept Nefertari held against his front. Of course, the arm around her was still being used to hold his snacks. What was he to do, then? Well... he'd take an opportunity in which he thought no one else was looking, and slip a piece of bread into the one side of Nefertari's top that actually managed to cover something up by itself. In doing so, he was of course aiming to take a peek inside as well. He could hardly restrain himself at any point, even in the midst of preparing for a trip. Ah, but had that not always been the case?

Regardless of Ozymandias' decisions made in assumed secrecy, he tapped the sphinx, urging it to take flight. The pharaoh fully intended to uphold a standard conversation with the two blondes sitting behind him, as if he wasn't at all trying to molest the other pharaoh at his fore. Jeanne had more questions─ this time regarding the abilities of a Ruler. Right... that voice never really explained that sort of thing either. "Oh? Go on, then. This trip should take some time, so there is plenty of room to give whatever information we've learned along the way."

[Apollymi]

While the two blondes petted the ride and boarded it, Nefertari was made the object of her husband's attentions. Well, that wording would be a bit off, she was always the object of his attentions, but right at the moment he was having a good time tucking a bit of food into the cloth across her chest and then having a peek over her shoulder into her top. Those rainbow like eyes of hers shifted into a narrowness before she settled herself more comfortably against his front squirming just a bit. He was going to be like this the entire trip and she knew it. To be fair she also didn't mind it at all.

Jeanne had questions and Artoria would also take the information given as it would likely help her in some way. There were many reasons that she and her siblings referred to their youngest sister as a saint and most of it had to do with the way she behaved selflessly, asking questions that benefitted all and taking into account the feelings of others. She was by far the most approachable of the Hoshimi children. Given permission to ask her questions she jumped right in. "Well, how does the whole title thing work. Like I'm Queen of Saints but it isn't like there is a country of saints to rule nor a country named Saints. So like how does a power like that work?" she asked. The Nexus voice had been a bit open in not being clear about what grail powers did, she sort of wanted to know before she needed to use it. Artoria nodded seeming to like the question, it was a good one considering the less than solid concepts some people were in charge of.

[Bloodedge]

Did Ozymandias intend to do anything specific with Nefertari? No, not really. He was having a bit of fun, tossing bread piece after bread piece into her top while seeming infinitely entertained. He even occasionally crumbled up a small piece, sprinkling it into her cleavage while chuckling as silently as possible to avoid drawing attention. He remained attentive; there was no reason to be rude to their guests after agreeing to answer any and all questions he could. Jeanne wanted to know the perks of her new identity, Queen of Saints. Ozymandias himself had never heard of another Saint in this world, though he was familiar with the story of Jeanne D'Arc (or Joan of Arc as he'd learned) from their original world. As such, he had an idea what made a Saint. That wasn't very important to the topic, though. "As we've learned, there doesn't need to be a country of saints, or a place called Saints. You being the Queen of Saints makes you just that: Queen of Saints. Anywhere in this world, if someone has acquired the title of Saint, they are your fiefdom. They answer to you, and their ability can only be a copy of yours. As the Queen of Saints, nothing attributed to a Saint can exist unless it goes through you. Even if you are not the one to grant someone the title, if the world itself chooses to birth a new Saint, their qualities are your qualities even in retrospect. There are some caveats, of course. As the King of Kings and a Hero, me facing King Gilgamesh who is the King of Heroes would nullify our ability to overwhelm one another by title alone. That is my understanding, though it is not indicative of the whole truth."

[Apollymi]

Ozymandias was doing two things at once. He was answering Jeanne's questions and he was... placing bread and crumbs into his wife's cleavage. Neither of these things seemed to be more important than the other. But Jeanne seemed to take the information in stride. "Oh... that makes pretty decent sense. I don't know any other saints either. But if it makes everyone who is one fall under my purview I suppose I am fine with that as well," she said giving it a bit of thought. Nefertari thought of something and added it as well. "And if you are the Queen of something it gives you a few special privileges when dealing with them. For instance as Queen of Queens, I could identify you both by your Queenly titles without having to ask you. I can see a bit about you compared to myself and that sort of thing," Nefertari mentioned, as she began flicking crumbs out of her top, mostly at Ozymandias face over her shoulder. These words hit Artoria's ears strangely. "So, I can not really use it to prove authority over equivalent existences, but I could use it to punish anyone who falls into the category I lord over?" she expressed the last with an upward inflection but it just made Jeanne scoff.

"Why did your mind instantly go to punishing wrong-doers?" she asked wondering what kind of life her sister lived since coming here that this was an assumption she made. "It is a pretty normal thought. When ruling everyone is your responsibility. Letting someone act out of line on your authority would make you look incompetent. So holding everyone to my standards and keeping them in line are important things to consider..." said Artoria like it was sensible. "Besides, there are not many people I question my ability to face in combat, but having more options is always better." At this point, Jeanne couldn't argue against her sister, but she doubted anyone with the title of saint would need that sort of punishing.

[Bloodedge]

In the midst of his childish actions, Nefertari began flicking crumbs back at him─ primarily at his face. That, however, was not going to stop him from continuing as he was. No, now he was just going to keep an open mouth and hope a few pieces happened to fly inside between sips of wine. "Ah, yes," he said after Nefertari's additional information. There were many things these titles seemed capable of, and he doubted they knew even half of them by now. Time would tell as more people rose to this level. "There are more complex details as well. In our case, I believe it would be more accurate to call us both Monarch of Monarchs. Topics of gender hardly mean a thing. We are each above kings and queens, as pharaohs should be!" he announced for specification.

Artoria took things in a strange direction. She addressed the idea of punishing those who were beneath her, which... while sensible, did not fall in line with how these two approached things. Well, to each their own and all. That sort of thing was certainly a viable use of the title, but now that she mentioned it, there was more worth addressing as well. "You could, yes. You could just as easily empower those who work for or with you. As our titles coincide the way I mentioned, we amplify each other when cooperating. I assume your aides will empower you as well, but we have no way of testing that for certain."

[Apollymi]

Nefertari heard the question of Artoria and had to suppress another chuckle. That girl was a bit more battle ready than her face let on. Of course, she could see the logic of it but it was still a tiny bit militant to first think of the punitive use of a skill before its potential support ability. Still she kept flicking bread crumbs at Ozymandias face seeming to have nothing to say immediately. The male Pharaoh for his part in this, explained the niche aspects of his and Nefertari's titles. "Hm, Pharaohs are incarnate gods though, right? That makes a bit of sense..." Jeanne said. Strange she always seemed to be in the company of greater tiers of people than herself. Still she didn't seem to mind it at all.

Artoria for her part in this, heard out the extra information given by Ozymandias. He claimed such a power could be used to buffer aides rather than to punish those who fell under her purview. Jeanne turned to her sister pointing. "See! You don't have to jump to enforcer at every point..." she said seemingly in a huff. Artoria could only chuckle. "Yes, I do not have to jump to that every time. But... I am not holding out much hope over any title I would get, given my own personality. I prepare for the worst..." she said while finishing her drink. This was rather true. What kind of title would Artoria get? Between her personality and temper she could see herself running a gang easier than she ran her knights. The point of the day was, Artoria was mentally preparing to rule over potential criminals with titles like assassin or the like. But beyond that, those who sided with her, didn't necessarily need her help so much but she'd offer it whenever she could given her own sense of fairness. If she prepared for the worst possible outcome, she'd have less to worry about if she happened to end up with a good title. The words Artoria said would cause, Nefertari to shift gently, turning her eyes back to that particular blue clad lass over Ozzy's shoulder. Her brows furrowed slightly but she smiled instead of anything else. "You will wrinkle your face if you are too pessimistic about it. I am certain you will not end up lording over anything so negative," Nefertari seemed to be offering words of comfort, but it wasn't just that. No, she'd seen something else, applied to Artoria already. Even if she hadn't, the lass with the princely demeanor and girlish squeal, wasn't at all a bad person.

[Bloodedge]

"Haha!" Ozymandias laughed to the notion of pharaohs being gods incarnate. In this world, there were few truer statements to be made. Ozymandias himself had never taken a properly divine form, but since being born in this reality, he could somehow... feel the divinity within, as if he could burst into the sun itself at any point. "You have good sense. I shall make my finest work to reward your understanding," he announced. With almost perfect timing, the sphinx they all rode upon began to descend. The mountains were its target, as Ozymandias saw a clearing he could work wonders with.

He was prepared to question the location again for owner preference, but Artoria said the strangest thing he'd heard all day. What was she going on about the potential of a title for? Ozymandias looked over his shoulder, confused by how she was behaving now. All the curiosities she shared thus far were those of one who already succeeded in acquiring a Holy Grail. Even so, she seemed somewhat unaware of her existing title. "What do you mean? Were you not told what your title is?" he wondered. "Or is it that you're looking for another? We can't tell you what it's like to gain two separate grails."

[Apollymi]

Apparently, it was beyond easy to get on the good side of the Pharaohs. Jeanne did so accidentally by stating what she understood to be a fact of their existence. The response to such a statement, was for Ozymandias to claim she had good sense and offer his best work in exchange for her statements. "I... didn't do anything though," she said softly. "But if you want to, I won't argue!" she finished up. Of course, Jeanne was an earnest individual so she wouldn't turn down a single thing. Instead she was left curious about why they chose to speak to her the way they did.

At the same time, Artoria's statements seemed to cause more confusion. Instead Ozymandias had a question for her while she processed the words of Nefertari. She supposed it was always possible that she worried for nothing. "I did not win that Holy Grail War," Artoria said simply. Her understanding was that it wasn't until she claimed one for herself that she'd receive such a title for herself. "I do not wish two grails, just one to call my own..." the blue lass said. She didn't understand this confusion at all. Perhaps the wrong thing was thought simply because she'd mentioned her participation. Well, she couldn't help but be less anxious about it, with such nice people on her side. "Still, I do not think I will worry too much," said Artoria. Maybe, it was worth it not to be too worried. Maybe she wouldn't end up incharge of a group of criminals. Of course, Jeanne looked at her sister with a raised brow.

[Bloodedge]

Jeanne insisted that she did nothing, but Ozymandias disagreed. She and her sister were good company, and generally well-received comrades in the lonely sky of this world. Moreover, she'd been accepting of another's capacity, unlike a certain other king whose insistent superiority was bound to rear its head at some point in the future. He didn't bother voicing his opinion to the contrary, however, as there was something baffling occurring. Artoria did not win the Holy Grail, true... that made sense. Between Nefertari and himself, neither of them implicitly "won" the war. It was fair that she wanted her own grail, but there were ways of making that happen. More importantly, her earlier mention was about receiving a title from the existing grail. It was clear that she already had one; Ozymandias could see it floating over her head as she spoke. Surely she didn't mean she received that without drinking from the Holy Grail and entering that empty space, right? "Wanting a grail of your own is understandable, given its power. Why speak of titles, though? What problem do you have with your existing one?"

[Apollymi]

It was taking a bit of time for Artoria to catch up. Of course, it could also be stated that she wouldn't understand the confusion. The words that came from Ozymandias made sense, but she wasn't simply looking for power. As was her general attitude she had enough of her own, she wasn't too pressed about that as a situation. "I..." she gave pause considering how best to explain herself. "I feel there has been some confusion. I do not have a grail. I did not get one nor did I try to. I simply fought... I do not retain the sort of title my sister has. I am simply Queen of Camelot," she said given her understand of this. Surely she didn't already possess dominion over anyone besides those who'd sworn themselves to her. It wouldn't make sense to her for that to be the case. Nefertari for her part in this, found herself looking at the lass again. Surely, she wasn't mistaken, and she wasn't. There were currently two titles of magnitude attributed to Artoria. One was Queen of Camelot, the other was Queen of Knights. This entire conversation made Jeanne look at her sister strangely but she remembered first meeting her at the war. "She truly hasn't won though. She didn't even know one was spawning when she showed up, and she never touched it, at all." Confirmed the lass trying to figure out where her sister might have picked up whatever title the Pharaohs thought she had.

[Bloodedge]

As the sphinx landed betwixt the mountains, Artoria confirmed her lack of participation in the actual claiming of Jeanne's grail. She insisted that she didn't have a title, but again, he could see it. She was the Queen of Camelot, yes, but that was the title of an ordinary person. "Queen of Camelot, yes. You are also Queen of Knights. I can see it clear as day. I've been assuming you two shared the grail just as we did, but it seems... not," he said, trailing off at the end as if something additional had been found confusing. Either way, he was soon hopping off the sphinx's back, Nefertari still in tow until he could place her on her own feet. A bit of observation was necessary. As such, Ozymandias would immediately be found surveying the land and available space between cliffs. Some of these mountains were in the way of the structure size he imagined, though that was just as much a positive as a negative. "Right then, two questions. First, do you have any preferences? And second, is this space between the mountains satisfying to you? If it is, I will start immediately!"

[Apollymi]

Artoria would be given a strange bit of information. According to Pharaoh Ozymandias she had two titles. Her normal one the Queen of Camelot and the previously unmentioned Queen of Knights. She'd heard that before, but not from any random voice in the world. No, it'd been among the parting words of Gilgamesh, as he sank from consciousness after touching her face. He... couldn't have that power could he? She thought about it more and decided that was completely preposterous. She hopped off the Sphinx's back as well, holding her arms out to her younger sister to help her down as well. Jeanne hopped into her sister's arms without thought. At the same time, Nefertari did the same into Ozymandias. It was strange she didn't know about her secondary title, and she was quite interested in finding out. Jeanne for her part in this gave her sister another hug before separating. "Don't think about it too hard, Eri-nee. You are the most knightly individual I've met... and I fought in a war. I'd believe you earned such a title," she said softly. Of course her sister would say that. But it wasn't just her, Nefertari also could see how one could have ended up with a title like that. But it would be quite a moment or two before Artoria spoke again, though she did return the hug she was given. "I don't have any problem with this spot. I think it's stunning, it reminds me of home. You don't have to exert yourself on our account. I'd like something nice, spacious, but not boxy though. I mean no disrespect but I hate large square buildings, with triangles on top. Other than that, I can leave myself in your capable hands," she explained of herself easily. She didn't know if that was enough information to work with.

At the same time Artoria finally found her words. After wracking her brain for a possible explanation. "My curiosity is a bit unrelated but, is it possible to be given such a title by someone else?"

[Bloodedge]

So, it seemed indeed that Artoria's title hadn't come from the grail at all. Curious. Even so, Ozymandias had been entertaining one such idea. There was nothing concrete, nor was there really anything worth addressing immediately. Strange things happened from time to time. More imperative was the discussion with Jeanne regarding her building preferences. She wanted nothing square, nothing topped with triangles. What did she have against triangles? "Ha! You are allowed your own tastes. Not everyone can appreciate the divine integrity of the pyramids! I have a brilliant idea!" he said, laughing all the while. Luckily, Jeanne's preferences functioned within his initial idea. From above, he'd seen something akin to a beach on the other side of these mountains, and that alone allowed him to make one decision that impacted the overall plan.

Before enacting said plan however, Artoria presented another curiosity. "Hmm? Well, the title comes with the ability to affect anyone beneath you. For example, one of us could make a queen of the lady Jeanne right now if we desired. Just the same, as you are a queen, we could grant you any title that does not overwhelm our own, or any existing title you have from the world. You believe King Gilgamesh gave you this title?" the pharaoh asked. In this realm, there were only three present that could have possibly granted Artoria such a power. Nefertari and himself had only met her officially today, which left only... the King of Heroes. "He is the King of Heroes. If you are a Hero, he could have made you a Queen, I suppose."

[Apollymi]

Apparently, Ozymandias had no problems with Jeanne's differing tastes. In all honesty, Jeanne didn't have a problem with pyramids. "I like pyramids, I am not fond of churches. They make me uncomfortable, they always have..." she explained of her own tastes. Beyond that, her sister, finally asked a question and now, Jeanne was looking at the other lass, and wondering if she was going to be alright. Of course, the words of the Pharaoh, hit Artoria's ears, and she had confirmation of the idea that she'd been named by Gilgamesh. What? Why?! There was a shift in the emotions behind the eyes of Artoria and her sister saw and understood it, and then after a few more seconds she went completely deadpan.

"Eri-nee, daijoubu..." she said softly. "You're doing the dead eyes thing. You can't kill him for giving you a title," she said thinking about what the lass was like. She'd already sworn her to not draw her weapon while they were out today, which meant that she only needed to stay at her side to avoid having the other blonde attack the golden king on sight. "I am a hero. That does make sense... I am fine." those words didn't sound fine at all. Nefertari looked at the lass and shook her head from left to right. "It is probably not good to sit on that kind of emotion, even locking it inside of yourself like that... You would just explode later if you do not speak honestly now, right?" asked Nefertari. She didn't really want this lass going off the deep end sometime later. After all she was one of the better people they'd met. In fact, this pair of sisters might be her favorite people they'd met since ascending, better to quell the extra anger now. "I appreciate that... it is fine. It..." she gave a bit of pause. "I just did not participate in that war, do all I did, turn down his proposal, ignore his nudity and nearly kill him for him to name me Queen anyway. It is so audacious," she said and though the words were calm there was unseen fury from the girl with her knightly disposition. "And he did it while being less annoying so it just makes me angry," there, she'd said it aloud and now maybe she wouldn't be quite so furious when she next set eyes on him. Well, that wasn't fair at all, she was stuck as a fifteen year old, raised prince, young woman with all the attitude associated with her previous life's work. She could always, ignore it, until she earned it herself, it wasn't like anyone would see except them anyways. Well, and Merlin, but she could always do what she normally did when it came to dealing with him.

[Bloodedge]

Ah, churches. Churches made sense, but... why was the Queen of Saints opposed to churches? That part was stranger than anything. Even so, he could very much understand discomfort found within the church. The pharaoh frankly waited for the day this world's churches proved themselves to be the root of all evil, brandishing faith as a weapon against the unsuspecting and "unworthy". Though, perhaps that was a bit too... anime, so to speak.

Something unexpected was in the works. That something was none other than a looming cloud of... outrage? It seemed like outrage to Ozymandias, but it could have always been something else entirely. Luckily, she was talked down from an explosion that built just beneath the surface. Well, talking down was how Ozymandias would put it. In actuality, it didn't seem she was very affected at all, inwardly. "If you plan to do something about that fury in regards to King Gilgamesh, do keep it far away from Egypt. My structures are mighty, but even they may falter to that collision." Annoying as that was to admit, he had a decent sense for the power of both Artoria and Gilgamesh. He would have enjoyed witnessing their clash, but not at all in the case of it happening over his precious constructs. Speaking of his constructs, it was high time he got to work. "I have waited long enough! Building blocks of the world, in the name of Ramessess II, I command you! Rise to the call of Ra, the sun!"

By his call, the mountains themselves began to crumble. The sands flew, and fledgling trees grew tall and wide. There was fire to the sands, stone against stone, and stone against wood. "Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair! There is no limit to a pharaoh's power! All creations under heaven are within my grasp!" Ozymandias stood with crossed arms and a smug visage as raw materials converged, crashing violently into one another on a scale the size of a large city.

[Apollymi]

Jeanne's mention of churches and her lack of appreciation for them, went unnoticed. That was fine, they'd always made her a bit uncomfortable... To be fair she wasn't sure why this was the case. Something about those big lofty buildings, with their high ceilings and sharp points, filled her with existential dread. No matter, she'd not be receiving nor wanting one for her knights headquarters. Instead she'd get something of the original imaginings of one like Pharaoh Ozymandias. Before he started work though, he had a simple request to Artoria, the apparent Queen of Knights. He wished she avoid bringing a fight like the one she wished to take up with Gilgamesh to his front door. A smirk crossed the blonde's face as she gave it no more thought than a second. "That is a thing unnecessary to ask. I would bring no harm to you nor your creations. I am furious, yes, but not ill-tempered truly," she commented absently. In truth, Artoria was more the type who'd challenge someone to a duel only if they were properly capable of fighting against her. She definitely wouldn't put any random person or thing in danger. No, she was definitely the type to bring her confrontation right to the source, and if she couldn't prevail, then it was her time to rethink her stance. It was a simple enough logic and one everyone should have lived by.

Ah, but while she thought this over, Pharaoh Ozymandias began his work. Shaking the lands finding blocks, using some very wordy expressions. Artoria watched the same way Jeanne did with wide eyes and general appreciate for the skill. Nefertari watched with that and a bit more, there was just general appreciation in her. "I do love watching my sun and stars in his element~" she mused happily.

[Bloodedge]

"I should consider it audacious that a queen even considers damaging a pharaoh to be within the realm of possibility. But, today I will make two exceptions!" Ozymandias announced. These two were good people, upstanding citizens and valued additions to Chaldea. After only ten years in this place, and a matter of minutes conversing with them, he knew as much already. So... "Behold! The sun descends here and shines excellence upon this land!" he shouted, as if demanding that the structure in progress be nothing less than perfection. Pylons had come together and taken root, and around them came everything else. This space was the size of a large city, so a large city was what he made in the end. The primary feature was a massive place that appeared as something between a cathedral and a library. Several stories tall, the white cylinder featured various corridors both interior and exterior, and many connected towers to serve different purposes. The more it came together, the more it seemed almost academia-esque in nature, as if it aimed to overtake the world's greatest library, school and organization base all at once. What's more, there was the city to take into account. Ozymandias took some creative liberties to have the city interwoven into the mountains as well as the main building's corridors. They could be homes, barracks, even marketplaces if Jeanne and her group so desired.

Last, but certainly not least... he had to top it off. All that sand being moved about in the sky was sent through flame, moving from there as liquid glass left to solidify only whilst in place. In addition to flawless windows being placed on each building, special attention was paid to the main building's top to create a dome. Ah, that part was what he took the most pride in. She didn't want a church, so he thought to be coy and toss in something churches never dared to have: unfiltered natural light! Of course, remaining trees and other such greenery were left within some places... particularly a couple of towers to such an extent that they peered through the top. Ozymandias thought to leave those intact for aesthetic purposes. "Well? What say you, Mighty?"

[Apollymi]

Apparently, it was audacious for Artoria to think about the pharaohs the way she did. A cheeky little smirk crossed her face in the moment as she gave a casual bow at his words. "By your grace~" Artoria said in response to the exceptions, while her sister scoffed. It was annoying how charming, the Queen of Knights could be while watching her be so very aggressive with other people. In the same moment she wondered if her sister's personal knights also knew about these mood swings of hers. Regardless, Jeanne watched by the Pharaoh's order, seeming to be elated as everything came together. Artoria also watched with amazement in her eyes. He did talk a lot like the one called Gilgamesh, but here he was putting that power and creativity on display. It was not church like in the least, actually it looked more like a mages college in a fantasy game. What was more lots of glass was included clear enough to see through.

Trees, houses, towers carved into the mountainside, this place had some truly great physical features. "Oh my, it's amazing. Brilliant? Stunning?! Uh..." there was a pause from Jeanne. "I really can barely comprehend it," she admitted. That being said it was definitely worth looking over, and more so than that it definitely showed his prowess as an architect. Artoria decided to help out a bit. "A glorious showing indeed~" she managed. Ah, but there was Nefertari. She did say she liked watching him work and the crazed architecture of this place was no exception. As the building came together her eyes practically sparkled, there was so much that could be done here. So many small touches that could complete the spaces. "Definitely some of your best work. Oh... does that mean it is finally my turn?!" she asked happily having wrapped her arm solidly around the man's waist. "Colors? Fabrics? Style choices?" she asked of the young woman whose building it would be. "I am not much of a decorative person myself. My own choices are usually pretty simple, but, if you want to choose based on what it looks like... I can accept, and leave it in your care." she said softly. "Ideally, I want it to be home for my knights, even the ones who don't truly know what that means," she said softly. "Ah, I love the feelings~" Nefertari had eyes glowing with near rainbow sheen. This lass definitely deserved the title Queen of Saints, thinking only of others was a call above what nature did for most people.

[Bloodedge]

"Hahaha! Of course, it is by the grace of the sun that these exceptions are made! What else could be so magnanimous?" Ozymandias added. As haughty as his behavior was, he seemed to almost be... joking? Well, that wasn't entirely true. He was the incarnation of the sun god, Ra. It was he who shined most brilliantly, he who was raised to be the greatest pharaoh ever born, and he who was required by law of his own existence to behave as the outstanding individual he was. This was not information he would ever hide nor be bashful about. However, it was also not something he would utilize to the detriment of others. He'd guide the masses of Egypt just as he guided the stones, sand and wood, and he'd make mighty constructs of them all. Some were exceptions, however. Some people, like some landscapes and structures, had no need of his divine interference. Those people were the ones worthy of the epithet "Mighty" to Pharaoh Ozymandias.

Ah, but even acceptance of another's status would not sully the facts of his own perfection. Brilliant, stunning, glorious─ such phrases were common from those who witnessed his works. Most important of all though, was Nefertari's opinion. Her claim that it was among his best work meant that she could work her own magic with the structure. Ah, he counted two victories then. In addition to outdoing himself, he and the two blondes could witness brilliance at its finest. That gleam in Nefertari's eye was the most radiant thing to grace this world, surpassing even the brilliance of the sun, Ozymandias himself, and all other things in creation. "Hmph! Now is the time. Behold true brilliance at work!"

[Apollymi]

"I am certain no one could be as magnanimous as you, except perhaps our lady Queen~" Ozymandias was a bit infectious as far as his attitude was concerned, and Artoria easily found herself falling into his shenanigans. Jeanne managed to be a bit shocked by all of this, her stoic older sister was acting pretty normal for her. Well as normal as she did when other people couldn't see her. Perhaps this was some kind of active camouflage, maybe it was just caused by the fact that she didn't need to be hostile. Whatever the case, Jeanne could make the case for being quite friendly with the Pharaohs, given her sister had likely fallen fully into being 'King Arthur'. Strange as it was, Jeanne believed one day the other lass would find the proper balance between her working persona and her regular one. But until then, she'd take these moments as they came and only playfully chide or poke at her sister for her behavior.

Ozymandias was content to watch Nefertari, making an announcement of incoming brilliance. She smirked as she pulled away from Ozymandias rolling her shoulders and seeming to stretch. "I am the one who controls the darkness. My guardian walk among us... give eyes, give aid, give hands. Unbelievable for a Pharaoh to serve, instead walk at my side and assist... Medjed." Oh, What was this? A use of magic, creating a little sheet with drawn-on flat eyes. It also had two hands and feet. Just like a sheet gag but it was a minor god, an extension of Celestial existence. And he worked with Nefertari, moving about, she smiled and gave the little ghost creature a pat on its head. "Now now, we have work to do, split and go... I need a full view," she mused to the little Ghost. It began marching, and marching and marching, each step causing another to appear, until a legion of these creatures stood watch and then the began moving. Each into the stronghold to take a look around and with each other moving about, a different room, a different shape and a different design. The smile that spread across Nefertari's face was one the ages had seen. She gently chewed at her bottom lip as those marks around her eyes began to glow as well. "The Mark that makes, bring life to my vision...bring the splendor of this Pharaoh's mind unto the mortals. Behold, a brilliance only matched by the Sun~" Ah more words. More spells, and this time, furniture, drapes in rich colors and soft textures, pieces which would be fit together, as they fell into the hands of the Medjed. Nefertari could see the whole of the inside of the Headquarters, and through the eyes of each Medjed, she could see where they were placing each item. She directed them with purpose, commanded with the almighty force of her will. She brought out of nothingness, the things which made a home, and she brought order to those random items. She framed windows, she decorated studies, she left open spaces for training sessions. She designed kitchens, storage, and all manner of thing a place like this could need, all while everyone looked on.

[Bloodedge]

Oh? Camelot's queen had a bit of snip to her yet, it seemed. Whilst he held upheld himself as the almighty pharaoh he was, there was but one being that stood above perfection. Anyone who understood that was, of course, of sound mind. "Hahaha! You possess impeccable judgment! The sun's light may only be gazed upon directly as it reflects off the glorious moon, after all!" As if to prove his point, Ozymandias uncrossed his arms. His eyes were focused on Nefertari, and one arm stretched out to point at his chanting queen and all her ongoing works. Medjed multiplied and moved about all the items Nefertari thought to put in place within the city. Meanwhile, Ozymandias could do naught but stare through the twinkle of his own eye. "Look at that. Look. At. That!" he stated. Never had there been something more worth watching. Well... he'd be lying if he actually said that. There were quite a few things he had a greater interest in watching, as a matter of fact. Alas, all of those things still involved Nefertari... but were not things he needed to share with the general public, for the sake of their own sanity. Though there were officially some things higher on his list, observing the woman at work was no less magnificent than it had always been. Such enjoyment transcended reality twice over, spanning two worlds already and certainly reaching the next as well. "Be warned, ye Mighty! Set foot in one building, and you may never want to leave this island," he said. Though... now that he'd spoken such words, there was something concerning. "You don't have transportation up here either, do you?"

[Apollymi]

Artoria's words to Pharaoh Ozymandias were well received. Of course they were, he was always smitten with the woman who was working now. Even long before the stepped foot in this world, everyone who knew anything of the man knew of his obsession. Of course, Artoria wasn't the type to fault anyone over things they liked, and in her humble opinion they made a great couple. They were entertaining people to watch and genuinely seemed to care for each other. Such was visible even now. Jeanne held a similar opinion and found herself bemused when the man started with something that'd become something of a catchphrase for him. Her hands clapped together in distinct delight, "Awww, it's still so cute!~ I really am happy for these two," she said which caused Artoria to nod her head. Of course, she found this whole thing to be amazing.

At the same time, Nefertari was still working. It would be quite a few moments yet, but all the things had been made already. Now there was just the matter of room organization. Beds to be laundered, desks to be situated, and a few homey touches for the likes of the Queen of Saints. Nefertari had an idea or two given the way this lass had behaved so far, that she wouldn't have asked for a space for herself. But, she was Pharaoh, and goddess among men, and if she couldn't provide for even the unasked prayers she would scarcely be worthy of her title. No the room she was decorating now was an open air office in one of the spaces with a large window, overlooking the open spaces which would likely be training grounds. It had soft blue lighting a table, a globe, and it was homey. A bed was included as well as a closet, it even came with a podium for her grail if she chose to keep it there. On the whole it was one of her best works and it was for the Queen of Saints who thought of others before herself. "It's like that?! I really can't wait!" said Jeanne, seemingly excited about the potential decoration. "Transportation up? We've been considering it. I wanted to use my friend Frankie, but Eri-nee says I shouldn't rely on her too much. I suppose I can rely on Astolfo instead, that one seems to be worthy enough in the eyes of the Queen of Knights," said Jeanne still a bit pouty. "Do not call me that..." was Artoria's first reply. "Your friend Frankie is a pirate. I did not say you could not be friends... I advised against over-reliance on someone with that sort of dynamic personality," mentioned Artoria. "You would say that, you know I like hanging out with her. She was the first person I met that reminded me of you..." said Jeanne in defense of her friend. "All the more reason to be cautious... I am not exactly the model of ideal behavior outside of the constraints of Chivalry, am I?" said Artoria. Which only made Jeanne huff. "You say that, but that isn't the truth, you're fine even without the Chivalry. Frankie being a pirate doesn't make her less of a good person..." she said huffily. "Of course it does not, but it does mean it is possible she will not always be available to you should you need to move back and forth continuously... contingencies."

[Bloodedge]

Ozymandias never pulled his gaze away. Each time he watched this act of decoration was like the first, even if it was the exact same process again and again. It was like his favorite childhood movie; he'd watch it, even marathon it every single day until he could reenact every moment. Once he reached that point, he would keep watching, until that movie became boring... except, it could never become boring. Even while his attention was visibly on Nefertari, however, Ozymandias was not a truly rude individual. At least, he'd been granted enough years to get over the tunnel vision she caused him to have. Whatever the case, his ear was still open to the words of both Jeanne and Artoria. They had something of a plan in mind for their transportation across Chaldea. He knew nothing of this "Frankie" or "Astolfo" they spoke of, but he doubted either of them could make a very horrible decision. "Whichever you choose, if not both of them, ensure they are ready to tolerate the atmosphere of Chaldea. I'm sure you've both noticed how dense the atmosphere and energies are up here. If your people are on the weaker side, they will need to be acclimated appropriately, or shielded until they can breathe and exert their mana properly. It is very easy for the little ones to die here."

[Apollymi]

Movements of the Medjed continued for several moments more, but as Nefertari finished rooms... more and more of them filed outward. They would after their parts were finished collapse in on themselves. Becoming fewer and fewer in number as decorative tasks were complete. Furishings of rooms, additions of drapes, kitchens, halls, bathrooms, all of them were decorated and filled as they should be by the magic which possessed Pharaoh Nefertari. All while they watched, the words of Ozymandias would come into Artoria's and Jeanne's ears. The mana up here was quite dense, both of them were fine with it, but they were pretty high quality individuals to start with. Jeanne was admittedly less worried as all of her associates were knights of medium to high standing already, but she'd rather be safe than sorry. "Hm, I guess I'll have to be pretty selective with the first batch..." she murmured thinking about it for a while yet. Artoria on the other hand had a completely different plan in mind after realizing it might be a problem. After all, she had a whole kingdom to look after, she couldn't have the deaths of countless elderly, women or children on her hands. She needed the people to work her farms and she couldn't well let the well learned lessons of her predecessors go to waste. "I have a way to test it," she said to her sister within a moment or two. "And after that it might be a while before I make my rise. Though, any knight that passes my test is free to work for you in the meantime," she mentioned which made Jeanne's eyebrow raise. How did her sister plan to test it? Whatever the case, Nefertari was now all finished, and she turned around as the last of the Medjed came filing out. Finally the condensed back into a single entity. She gave it a head pat and listened to the last of the ongoing conversation. Ah right, the Queen of Knights planned to raise an entire kingdom. Well, she should be complimented for her foresight and planning. If warriors weren't your only people it could potentially be quite traumatizing to move an entire kingdom to the upper world. "Oh, I leveled up from that one... feels good to stretch~" she stated as if she'd been bored before now.

[Bloodedge]

Selectiveness was probably the best option, Ozymandias thought. Jeanne did not intend to raise an entire kingdom, much less a full country as he and Nefertari did. It was only by the grace of Medjed and many sphinxes that there weren't thousands of dead children filling the graves of Egypt. It was a frightening time, but all for the better in the end. Now, those same children were teens capable enough to be warriors in the lower world. Artoria would have to be mindful if she didn't wish to sacrifice a great deal of her kingdom to lift it. Ah, but it seemed she had a plan after that little warning of his. Good. "Test thoroughly. If anyone recklessly abandons the wellbeing of their people when joining this realm, they will make an enemy of Egypt. I will not allow that kind of thirst for power to plant its vile seeds in neighboring lands. Only the Duat awaits such a cur."

At the very least, these two would be nothing to worry about. Both were righteous, even if there was something slightly twisted in the shorter one's mind. Oh well; everyone in this world was twisted somehow, whether it happened before or after their rebirth. Even as pharaoh, he would not pass judgment without reason. Moving on, Nefertari seemed quite satisfied with her efforts. She could never be as satisfied as him, of course, but... it was close enough. "H'oh? You seemed to be having a good time of it. A most magnificent show for our honored guests! And, of course, the most entertainment even a pharaoh such as myself can hope for between one moon and the next!"

[Apollymi]

Ah, reckless abandon was not appreciated by the Pharaoh Ozymandias. She wasn't quite sure what the Duat was, but Artoria was well aware of a death threat when she heard one. A small smile came to her face in a moment of legitimate respect for this man. "I will be sure before Albion raises everyone can withstand the pressure, so to speak. I have been entrusted with those people's care most of my life, I will not forsake them..." she said with full acknowledgement. "It would probably do some good to spread news of this difference to the lower world in general. It would probably do a world of good in stopping any potential massacres. Eri-nee, you're so responsible now..." she managed sounding a bit surprised. Of course, her sister had always cared for their family members, she just couldn't really wrap her head around the idea of that bubble of care extending so much. "I am Queen of Camelot, it is second nature at this point," she scoffed seeming a bit embarrassed. Artoria knew it was likely she seemed brash and uncaring most of the time, but just because she still had an assassin's brain, didn't mean she didn't care for those who couldn't protect themselves. "When we go back I will test your first choices," she said with a head nod. "After that, I will make sure my own knights can function normally before taking on the task of the rest of the country," she said. Still Jeanne didn't get how her sister fully intended to do such a thing. Maybe she'd share eventually.

Ozymandias had words for Nefertari and she could only smile brightly in response. "It was quite fun. Come Queens, I have at least one thing you need to see before you leave... " she said to them both. She'd lead the way into the building passing through well decorated halls and perfectly lit walkways. Artoria would follow already impressed and Jeanne would as well, almost squealing her delight. "Wow, this is magnificent. Really, truly..." she mentioned never really sure how she'd ever thank the Pharaohs for their kindness. "Come now, you have seen nothing yet. This room is yours..." she mentioned showing the space. An elaborate office a small hidden bedroom, bookshelves and a large window for ambiance overlooking the training grounds. "It seemed to me you would be the type to forget yourself in your demands. So, I designed this one with you in mind, does it suit you?" she asked of the girl. Jeanne's eyes went wide. Did it suit her? Of course it did, there was so much here and it was so well put together and to her taste. Her eyes were watering up at the corners as big tears began to stream down her face. "I am impressed. It usually takes a bit more pushing to make her cry," mentioned Artoria with a small smile on her face as she opened her arms for her sister whom she knew would bury herself in them. "It's really great. I don't know what to say. You've done so much for me... I didn't expect this..." Ah yes. Small hiccups and tears in between, some things didn't change it seemed. And in a moment like this, it was obvious which of them was older, it wasn't always as clear... but Artoria relished in being a proper big sister for her youngest sibling.

[Bloodedge]

While the Queen of Saints was being shown the amenities of her Holy Knights headquarters, and while the surprisingly titled Queen of Knights made decisions regarding her eventual ascension on her own merit, the King of Heroes sat upon the throne of Uruk's citadel. Golden locks were being swept from the floor around him. That journey was long since over, and his mourning of Enkidu would have to reach its end of showing. Now was the time for progress. He simply could not allow himself to visibly grieve further, lest the people of Mesopotamia share the dread and function less efficiently as a result. No, it was only he who could suffer. It was a king's place to shoulder the burden of a country. It was this king's place to shoulder the burdens of the world. "Siduri," he called out just as an attendant swept the final lock of hair from the floor. A tablet had been in his hands even during the cutting of his hair; there was far too much to be done for breaks. "The conclusion should be about now. I've prepared the Belt of Nidaba; have it sent to the Saint immediately. That should be of aid where the Egyptians cannot be," he concluded. Ah, but there was one more thing. Those pharaohs had done Chaldea a service, so perhaps it was appropriate that he send something their way as well. "If you find the time, prepare the finest wine for delivery to Egypt as well."

[Apollymi]

While the Queen of Saints tried to pull herself together while crying in her sister's arms, the King of Heroes was apparently undergoing a bit of a transformation. That is to say, he was having a hair cut for the first time in a long while, his outward showing of grief disappearing for his people. What was more, he was making more pronouncements, even while the last locks of his hair were being swept away. For her part in this, his assistant Siduri heard out the requests of the king. A Belt of Nidaba for the Queen of Saints, it would be good for her to get her crops going. And, fine wine for the Pharaohs of Egypt? Hm, previously she wasn't sure if King Gilgamesh was up on standard conventions. He was a king, it was likely he didn't apologize nor did he thank others for their work, but sending out presents in acknowledgement was a good thing to do. She'd make sure both things got where they were going, and she'd likely do so personally. "As you wish. I will personally make sure both things get where they are going," she said happily. Ah, she supposed before she left the city she should make sure she was unneeded for a short time. "Anything else you require? I don't intend to be gone long at all... but I would rather not leave anything potentially more pressing," Siduri mentioned. Preparing to teleport just herself and a few items took little energy and even smaller amounts of focus. Though admittedly, she'd not gotten to use magic so much as she did in recent days, it was still much more enjoyable than sitting alone in her little cottage on the side of the vast sea.

[Bloodedge]

Yes, that seemed like everything he should have the woman do. Ensuring that Jeanne D'Arc's headquarters was up and running quickly was imperative to the betterment of all who inhabited this realm. As for the wine he would see sent to Egypt, well... it was a simple show of good faith while other agreements between them were still being situated. There was nothing else he needed to do for that lot presently, so long as he sent this silent message of noticing their input. Ah, but was there something else he required of the wine-maker? The time of her leave was irrelevant; he had more than enough tablets to keep himself busy. Indeed, whether there was something of great enough importance to require her action or not, there was always something else he could do in the meantime. Restless as Gilgamesh himself was, he would not go about requiring too much of his people─ not anymore. "Take in the sights of this realm. Mingle with those who call Chaldea their new home, if it pleases you. Empty your mind of arduousness, and upon your return, take rest immediately," he ordered. A bit of time without Siduri present in the throne room would not be so troublesome, the king thought. Though she was no laborer, he required much of that woman banished from the garden of gods since the day they returned with that Rider. Sending her out was something frankly long overdue.

[Apollymi]

According to Gilgamesh there was something else for Siduri to do. He wished for her to take in the sights and mingle with the others of the realm. He also claimed that upon her return she should take some time to rest. Oh?! She'd not been told those specific words since they'd entered this realm. While she didn't quite expect work, she definitely wasn't really prepared for the idea of an immediate break either. But, she supposed it would be bad to go against his wishes. As an aside, what she'd seen of Jeanne and Artoria in their capture of the Holy Grail, let her know that both of those women had decent personalities, especially the one that Gilgamesh himself had his eye on. They were sisters beyond that point, and she imagined outside of their interactions with Gilgamesh, at the very least, Artoria was likely a bit less overwhelming. And Egypt had been something discussed between herself and Medusa. According to that woman, it was the safest place for children and those who did no harm to anyone else, meeting its rulers would be interesting indeed. Even if she didn't wish to leave the man whom she was currently serving, finding out how the rest planned to live would be good for perspective. "I understand. I will spend some time away then..." she said giving a gentle bow. With both the things she needed to deliver in hand, she used the bridge she'd created in the underworld now to take a single step forward that would end her, right inside the new Headquarters of the Holy Knights. Her eyes swung around this building so very different from Uruk but still very comfortable. "Ah, they work fast," she mentioned.

While all of this was occurring, Gilgamesh was still being watched. By whom? Well, the only person who watched him so closely, Ishtar. She was still a bit salty about her recent death, but she spend her spare time making sure that he wasn't too attached to the extra women he brought home with him from that Holy Grail war. "Hmphf, obviously they are nothing compared to me," she said her nose up in the air as she paced her own temple. "And there is nothing to worry about with the boy Artoria either," she claimed seeming to use such words to calm herself. "Obviously, he is just showing off for the masses, trying to muster the forces of Chaldea for my benefit," she claimed aloud. "It is clear he wishes to support me, he just was not finished yet. I obviously approached him earlier than he was ready for," she claimed. Yes, yes... it all made sense. Obviously he wanted to do as she said, but he needed time. She'd give it, there was no problem with waiting for good things. He'd killed her to make sure she wouldn't come back before he was ready to accept her properly. Yes, that made sense. It was obvious to all in the world, he didn't want to repeat the mishaps of her other lovers. She'd obvious ruined the surprise of his upgraded form. And obviously the talks of marriage to that boy, were all jest, he had no real interest in that person. He barely spoke to her directly, they hardly interacted. It was outlandish to assume anything else.

[Bloodedge]

And so, Siduri was gone from the Citadel of Uruk. Gilgamesh sighed. He hadn't been alone in this throne room in many a decade. The last time he was, as he recalled, it was the night prior to Enkidu's arrival. He'd been a tyrant working his people to the bone, taking maidens from their bridegrooms prior to their nuptials, upholding himself as a thing to be worshipped simply because he was a divine king. How laughable. To think, his detest for Ishtar was nothing but a mirror through which he could not see clearly for years. The fog had been lifted at least in part now. Through his eyes, King Gilgamesh saw infinite futures. Now, in solitude, he found time to peer once more into the depths of infinity. Where would his city go? Wherever did his legacy lead?

No. No, those were not the questions. If he wanted these lands to flourish, he had to do what was necessary and go from there. If he wanted his legacy intact, he had to create stories worth telling, and take a bride worth keeping. Oh... right, he'd thrown that out the window as well, hadn't he? It seemed hubris was a tool whose handle was no duller than its blade in the end. Oh well. There was something in the future─ some vague image with long, blonde hair cascading over a most curvaceous form. Try as he might, his vision was cloudy and showed him nothing resembling a face. Gilgamesh witnessed little more than a white dress, golden locks, and... emeralds. 'Damn it all! It is not yet done,' he thought. That damned clairvoyance of his still refused to cooperate. It behaved for his needs, but never for his wants. Or... was there perhaps something clouding his vision? The more he thought about it, the more that premonition seemed something less foggy and more... simply blinding, as if locked behind a radiance that outshined the sun.

[Apollymi]

King Gilgamesh would be left to his visions for now. While a certain set of dual blondes spent about a week preparing the base for the incoming people. Gardens were tended, siblings enjoyed each other's company and a bit of relaxation passed between the two of them. They shared drinks and spoils, and even entertained the attendant from Uruk for a day or two before her return trip. At the same time, the Pharaohs of Egypt got to experience all the fun and good drink delivered by Siduri herself. Of course, each day that passed would lead to some level of completion. And eventually when the space was completely ready for the inhabitants to come, after a sparring match or two, the pair would eventually find themselves back in Uruk. Here, they would be having a quick chat with the King Gilgamesh, to show their appreciation and to find out anything else he might need upon the return of either or both of these individuals.

Ah but before they would reach the palace, another stop would be happening. That same child from before would stop them again in front of the statue. They were still dressed strangely, and had an interesting bearing. Perhaps they'd enjoy another story? "Miss, Miss... I have another tale to tell... it's fresh!~" claimed this child. He had a short hair cut with a long thin ponytail and all of his hair was a brilliant shade of blue. He was dressed in a little vest and a pair of baggy pants, and was still about half the size of Artoria. She smiled and looked to Jeanne. This was a losing argument the Queen of Saints knew. Another time the cape would be spread. "Carry on, little one... what story do you have to share, and what is your name?" asked Artoria. The child grinned brightly, missing a tooth or two with eyes the colors of sapphires. "Alajin." he claimed his hands on his sides. That hit Artoria's ears wrong though, but she understood, missing teeth meant a lisp and it was easy to decipher. "Aladdin. I understand. I had a lisp like that too for a while... hers was horrible," she said pointing to Jeanne who nudged her with an elbow. "Oi, that's mean... I grew out of it," she said pouty but knowing that was a technically recent development. "Oh, I know mean. Let me tell you a tale of the time mean Istar, descended into the underworld!~" claimed the child and thus his next story began even with a lisp on the name Ishtar.

[Bloodedge]

Days later, nothing had changed in King Gilgamesh's visage. In fact, nothing had changed about his position or activity either. He'd taken time to eat, drink and so on, of course, but the end of each short break brought him right back to business on the throne. He'd actually gotten through all of the nonsense involving Nippur, finally moving on to a place called Kish. Still, mountains of tablets filled the ziggurat. For every one he addressed, two more arrived. All these newfound additions to Chaldea were creating too many questions, too many concerns. Gilgamesh even saw the occasional mention of that headquarters being built near the mountain of Mashu, and only thought the reaction to it moronic after an entire country appeared only ten years prior. Whatever the case, concerns had to be addressed in time... though he could do without citizens rushing into the ziggurat in a state of panic over new events. These things would eventually come to an end, he thought. When that was, even he could not see. Well, most of the work was of his own creation in a roundabout way, so it wasn't as if he could put it off regardless.

[Apollymi]

While Gilgamesh dealt with the questions of his people, Jeanne and Artoria listened to a story of Ishtar's Descent into the Underworld. The gist of the story, narrated by Aladdin was that the Goddess was arrogant and pompous and thought to take the underworld's power as her own. Apparently the Goddess of the Underworld didn't tolerate the disrespect, but played along with the game. She stripped the woman naked, taking all her authorities and strung her up in the underworld as a penance for her ill-behavior. But some mindless people decided she needed to be restored and though she couldn't just be placed back, there was the offer to switch her with someone else. The person chosen to take her place, her former husband who hadn't minded being rid of her and thus doomed himself to eternity in the underworld in her place. What a shame that was, but according to the lad, this is why the return from death had a price, by declaration of the Goddess Kur, none could leave without an exchange of equal value, and to return one must lose. What an interesting story. The boy for his part in this, acted out all of the important parts. Let out a few squeals and even danced evilly after stringing up the goddess in his imaginary play. Once again, multiple other children ended up gathered around them, with one little girl ended up situated in Jeanne's lap for the duration of the story. It was overall a very cute scene to behold. After it was over claps escaped the group. "Nice story... I do wonder where you hear all these things..." Artoria mentioned as she gave the child a pat upon his head, much to his own enjoyment. "The old Miss Stranger. She tells the best stories," the kid said his arms pressed into his sides. Apparently kids here weren't alerted to the dangers of talking with strangers, it was nice to see children be so carefree. Artoria stood soon after, offering a chivalrous hand up to her younger sister, who placed the small child in her lap down on her own feet with a pat on the head to go with it. "It was a really good story, I still can't believe you are so content to hear them," she mentioned to Artoria. The lass picked up her cape and slung it over her shoulder. "See you later, Aladdin..." she said to the boy as they walked away.

"I like a good story. That kid is amusing and I think we deserve that sort of break..." she said with a knowing smirk. "You still can't draw your weapon, Eri-nee... I need you to behave," Jeanne said to Artoria who had her eyes closed as they approached. Her head was tossed back in absolute defiance. "Little Sister, you wound my pride. I would never go against our already established agreements. I am the pinnacle of honor," claimed Artoria. But her eyes were closed what kind of thing would she open them to seeing.

[Bloodedge]

What would the "Queen of Knights" open her eyes to? Well, Gilgamesh had to do a great many things at once in the absence of Siduri. Such things included tending to his lions while still occupying the throne. This only meant there was a small pride of the large felines sauntering about the entryway, all seeming more well-behaved than even house kittens. There were about nine adults in total, and several cubs each pouncing about at play around their mothers. Meanwhile, the one male lion of the bunch was keen to laze about at the bottom of the throne stairs while the lionesses around it moved about like guardians to the throne. The adults were all in calm states, but the cubs were rather excitable. When Artoria's eyes opened, she was liable to first witness the direct pouncing of a particularly rowdy cub, just before one of its siblings jumped after it. All the while, the king's eyes were glued to yet another clay tablet. At the rate he'd been going, he was almost ready to play secretary for the whole of Chaldea. What a laughable state he'd basically leapt right into. . .

[Apollymi]

Ah, yes, Jeanne could see all the lions wandering about the throne room and she knew what would come next. A light sigh escaped her, as she prepared to have to defend her sister's honor and keep her calm. "Well, this is going to be interesting," she mumbled, just as a lion cub pounced. Artoria opened her eyes in surprise catching the kitten and only just avoiding a girly shriek. The second prompted a giggle, but she immediately put the cat down and clasped her hands behind her back. Right, she couldn't appear to be so enamored. She was a knight, the Queen of Camelot, surely a few lions wouldn't cause her to abandon all honor and hope. Ah, but they would. Her eyes were bouncing around the room, pupils fully dilated. Artoria was holding back a scream of elation while her hands were clasped steadily behind her back.

Jeanne couldn't help it, she laughed outright. "Heheh---hahahaha!~" she couldn't help it, and was soon covering her mouth but that glee in her eyes hadn't gone anywhere. She was amused when her sister had reacted to the sphinx, but here and now in front of her absolute favorite animal she was a total mess trying to get her life together and having it not work. Inside of Artoria she was repeating a mantra to herself over and over. 'I am not a child. I am the Queen of Camelot. I will not fall apart. I will stand on my honor.' Yes those words repeated over and over but the moving of her fingers behind her back was worse than when she wanted something dead. Having had a decent amount of fun at her sister's expense, Jeanne went on to speak. "Thanks for helping me get set up. I'm heading back down to pick up some people and get started on whatever rotations you have for me," she mentioned happily. "Ah, before all that though... my sister might die if she can't pet the lions. She's trying her hardest not to ask... but it's really killing her. They are her favorites after all. I imagine she'll become a complete girl for maybe a full minute this time~" she mentioned casually giving up all kinds of information about Artoria.

[Bloodedge]

With the pounce of a single lion cub, Gilgamesh received another major distraction today. This one, he didn't particularly mind. This one, he briefly glanced up from a tablet to behold with his bare eyes. This one, he'd once have welcomed with a bit of pomp and flair. Ah, but there was no point in that now. Perhaps one day, that pursuit would return. For now, there were greater concerns. First and foremost would come the announcement of Jeanne D'Arc. She spun the brief yarn of her upcoming escapade and the settling of Chaldea's newest addition. "I take it that old belt found its use in your hands, Queen of Saints. I suppose anything is better than it collecting dust outside one of Kur's temples," he stated, his gaze returning to that slab of clay. Jeanne went on to speak of her sister and some obsession with petting the lions. Foolishness. It didn't take a form of Clairvoyance to see she was barely holding herself together... or maybe it did. Frankly, Gilgamesh was starting to lose track of what counted as obvious, and what he could see beyond the norm after all the focus on his supernatural optic prowess. "And what good would it do asking permission to interact with a beast? Hmph. I suppose they are my pets, so I will acknowledge well-mannered restraint with due magnanimity. Come," he said, waving about his free hand to bring rise to the male lion, as well as its mates. The lot of them assembled before the throne as veteran soldiers would, all facing the king as if they were trained to prepare for some sort of circus act. Feline though they were, they appeared more mild-mannered before the king than lapdogs.

[Apollymi]

Ah, yes, a nice conversation between royalty. This was about what Jeanne expected, though if she was being honest she didn't have a problem with most people. She could see that King Gilgamesh wasn't as bad as he seemed on the surface, and she was a saint, seeing people's better qualities was a special skill. "Yes, it was quite helpful. I'd like to keep it a little while longer... I or someone else can hunt for meat, but vegetables are necessary. I don't want to be murdered by nii-chan for not eating properly," she stated as if it was perfectly normal for her to be afraid of anything. Moving on from that though, there was the matter of Artoria and these lions she was scarcely holding herself back from. Ah, but what was this... he was feeling magnanimous was he? Acknowledging they were his pets and not free to simply frolic with until her heart was content, "Squee!~" a light squeal and a giant smile crossed Artoria's face. She didn't even have the grace to be properly embarrassed, she seemed almost jittery before taking that first step. "Eri-nee your girl is showing. Go... pet the lions~" she said with slightly narrowed eyes. The difference between her sister's work face and her normal face were starting to once again become obvious to Jeanne, of course, she'd had all week to readjust and knew for a fact that she was in love with the idea of petting lions.

Artoria almost skipped forward, only maintaining the slightest posturing. Soon after those dilated pupils settled on this male lion. Eyes sparkled like emeralds as pieces of armor completely disappeared from her person. Unguarded, in a slightly altered version of her dress Artoria reached out to pet this lion and had her eyes close gently as she close her arms around it. Petting and cooing would ensue as the Queen of Camelot lost herself in the endorphin rush attributed to happiness. A couple of giggles and squeals entered as well... it was actually quite cute as a sight to see. "If you're going to be like that, you could be more honest..." Jeanne said while rubbing her face. To be fair, perhaps she should warn King Gilgamesh, if he ever wanted to have a conversation with Artoria that didn't involve a battle to the death, a lion or child in the room would control her baser instincts.

[Bloodedge]

"It will go to waste otherwise. Keep it as needed. If you produce excess, it will be of use for trade," Gilgamesh proclaimed, remembering a great source of annoyance for him since his return. Jeanne possessed within her a greater innocence than most people of this plane knew, so he thought to offer the woman a warning of sorts. "Be mindful that there are some mongrels who think themselves great enough to demand forests for trees. Assert yourself as holder of the Holy Grail and crush their expectations underfoot, lest you be left with nothing." His explanation was offered in good faith, but there was a mighty tinge of annoyance present on his face throughout. Those bastards had some nerve, thinking they had any right to make demands in any situation.

The king was content to continue working while offering Jeanne a bit of useful information about this realm, but an utterance from Artoria stole his attention away once more. In the aftermath of a squeal from the smaller woman, Gilgamesh peeled his eyes away from the tablet once more. The moment he viewed the maiden with her arms wrapped around a lion, he bore witness to something very different. Gone was the armor, and... what was that gleam in her eye? It was such a familiar, even unmistakable quality of emerald, and... if that dress were made white. . .

Impossible! Shock claiming his visage, he looked into the face of Jeanne D'Arc. Everything about Artoria in this moment matched his vision, bar her physical form. Was it the other one then? No. Instead of emerald, what he saw in the other one was sapphire. Back to Artoria he looked, doing nothing to fight against the widening of his eyes. Was there a stroke of good fortune in his future? If so, how distant was that possibility? He had to delve deeper. "Queen of Knights. How many years have you walked this planet?"

[Apollymi]

King Gilgamesh was being a completely reasonable person today, by Jeanne's own standards. He claimed she should keep the belt which helped her produce crops lest it go to waste, and use the excess for trade. Though he gave other warnings, about making sure she wasn't taken advantage of by those of this plane. In the moment Jeanne managed to look surprised, this wasn't the first time she was given such advice. Her own sister, said it as well while they were working, the Pharaohs of Egypt also gave this advice, and the wine-maker Siduri mentioned something similar. Jeanne nodded her understanding. "I suppose the advice of five different people cannot be ignored. I will be vigilant," Jeanne said managing to look abashed. How innocent did she seem that everyone thought that the people would take advantage of her. While petting lions Artoria looked up and chuckled, "With the title Queen of Saints, you possess an innocence the rest of us cannot," she mentioned while rubbing her face into the side of this lion's mane. It was so fluffy. It felt so nice under her touch and rubbing against it gave her an amount of happiness her body didn't often get to know.

But it did something else as well, it let her child-like self leak through just a bit. It distracted her mind of her conscious suppression of all her necessary personality traits. Gone were the thoughts of direct assassination, but also gone were the thoughts of the King of Camelot as she was originally named. Ah, yes, right at the moment she was above such things and seemed to be enjoying it. How much? Well, so much that when King Gilgamesh used her title to ask her a question, she found herself answering as she reached out to a female lion and petted that as well. "I believe it has been about 100 years... whether I am being stingy or generous with the number. I have lost track as it is not a matter of great importance," she mentioned, even managing to ignore the reference to her title, but that only made Jeanne scoff. "How are you that much older than me while looking so much younger?" Jeanne questioned directly. "I am actually nineteen right now!" This whole animal therapy thing was working, she'd not managed to get a straight answer out of her sister about her age in the week they'd been together. "I have always looked a bit younger than you, in spite of our previous two year age difference," retorted Artoria, with her nose up in the air. That one still stung even now. Both her and Rie always held a minor bit of jealousy over the more feminine body their youngest sister possessed. Rie was convinced that Eri was just a late bloomer, but Artoria as she was, knew it probably wouldn't happen for her. Not while she lived this time anyways. "If you wish to understand my youthful appearance, I have been unchanging since I pulled Caliburn from the stone, when I was fifteen," she said shooting a devious look at Jeanne, oh, a moment of teasing was coming an old one straight from the past. "You are four years older than me, aneki~" Jeanne's eyes widened at this set of words. Artoria, or rather Eri, had been prone to calling her the older sister, while being older, and it was shocking, nostalgic and it stung just a little.