Desolate.
That was Annanu's first impression after opening his eyes, climbing up from the ground, and taking in the sight before him.
All he could see were enormous blue-gray stones, some jagged, some neatly shaped, but in the end, they were merely stones.
Other than those stones, there was nothing else.
Annanu looked up. That was the direction he had come from. He tried flying up to take a look, but found no way out.
Annanu sighed and swallowed.
This was the Underworld.
He had entered it.
All warmth had vanished from his body, leaving him cold and rigid. Annanu felt as though this clay body of his were about to turn into frozen earth.
There was no path before him, yet Annanu knew where he needed to go.
Downward.
The Underworld went ever downward. The farther down one went, the closer one came to its core—to the dwelling and throne of Ereshkigal, goddess of the Underworld.
However, Ereshkigal's dwelling was not the deepest part of the Underworld.
Beneath the throne of Ereshkigal, goddess of the Underworld, lay an enormous space. That was the true deepest part of the Underworld, where Abzu's corpse remained. The first Lahmu and Lahamu were also there, endlessly producing and consuming red clay.
Having found his path, Annanu began to descend.
Since there was no way out above, he understood one fact—
If he wished to truly return from the Underworld and leave this incomparably deep subterranean realm, he had to obtain the permission of its master.
That was also the attitude of this place's master—Ereshkigal, goddess of the Underworld.
[You came to my home without an invitation. Won't you come see me?]
Annanu had no other choice. He could only continue downward in search of Ereshkigal, goddess of the Underworld—the terrifying queen whom not