Just as the initial strategy Rovi, Gilgamesh, and Enkidu had laid down in that room.
Win over and divide the gods in the heavens.
At this moment, the god standing in the way of Anu, King of the Gods, was precisely one of those they had won over and divided.
Shamash, the Sun God.
He was the stellar projection of the sun descending upon Mesopotamia, the god who governed light.
Yet beyond all those divine identities, he was also Gilgamesh's great-grandfather's grandfather by blood.
He was one of the rare beings among the gods who, despite being a god, could stand from humanity's perspective—thus accepting Gilgamesh and the others' "recruitment" and appearing now.
He appeared high in the Heavenly Realm, riding a golden chariot as he gazed toward the halls of the gods.
Shamash appeared as a towering shadow, his body covered in golden scale armor. His golden hair shone brilliantly, and he manifested in male form, wearing a crown like the sun as he sat upon the Divine Seat of the golden chariot.
Beneath that crown, his crimson-gold eyes gleamed.
"Anu, Father God shared by all gods—when you, who had long ceased to concern yourself with the affairs of the world, stepped out from the highest hall, you should have understood that the end of the Age of Gods was inevitable." The Sun God stared motionlessly at the King of the Gods.
Anu said nothing. He merely sat upon the Divine Seat of the God King, gripping the scepter that governs the Heavenly Realm in his hand.
Just as Shamash had said, Anu had retreated into the highest temple of the Heavenly Realm long ago, entrusting the duty of governing heaven and earth to his grandson, Marduk.
"Marduk is already dead, Brother Shamash. You can't possibly not know that."