Enkidu was gone.
Annanu felt his life force draining away even more violently. He sat dazed in the rain, as if he could feel nothing at all.
The last remnant of Enkidu's shell remained in his hand—a tiny bit of earth.
Before long, Annanu toppled to one side.
He lost consciousness once more.
His brother had already departed before him, and the gods' curse was still at work. Annanu did not have much time left, either.
How much longer could he live?
Perhaps he would die the very next moment.
"Annanu, Annanu—!!!"
Seeing Annanu suddenly collapse, Gilgamesh completely lost his composure. He hurriedly lunged forward, supporting Annanu against himself so that he would not fall.
He looked at the Chains of Heaven in his hand, then at Annanu.
Closing his eyes, he lifted his last dear friend into his arms.
At least do something. Do something.
"Great God!"
Whoosh—
Maanna carried the cold-faced goddess down into the divine realm of the Anunnaki. The first thing Ishtar did upon landing was shout.
The Great God had forced her before; she had been in the wrong first, so she could only follow his orders.
But now, Enlil had convened the Meeting of Destinies without her. What was he trying to do? Exclude her, the Venus goddess among the triad of astral gods, from the Seven Chief Gods of Destiny?
Ishtar would never accept such a claim or such treatment. She had every right to question him and be furious, even reason enough to fight the Great God over this near-insulting disregard.
Of course, whether she could beat him was another matter.
Yet she did not see the Great God. Instead, she saw the god Nanna, who was still in the realm of the Anunnaki—her father.
"Why are you back?"
Nanna looked rather