When Gilgamesh woke again, he found himself lying on a simple bed made from the bones of various sea beasts.
"You're awake, child."
He raised his head and followed the voice, seeing that extremely aged, gaunt old woman.
He remembered Annanu telling him that this old woman was Utnapishtim's wife, Antarat-Babisi.
"If you're awake, and you don't want to die yet, then leave quickly."
Utnapishtim also approached. Leaning on his cane, he looked at Gilgamesh with his deep-set eye sockets, his voice low and hoarse.
"You're strong, but you can't do anything to me—unless you want to go to the underworld."
"What? Are you planning to die alongside that boy who has already turned to dust? I thought you two were quite close."
Gilgamesh did not respond to Antarat-Babisi, who was worried for him, nor did he respond to the simply irritated Utnapishtim. He merely sat on the bone bed and lowered his head to look at his hands.
Two golden lights gradually appeared in his hands.
Coiled around his left hand was a golden chain—the Chains of Heaven.
Gripped in his right hand was a golden key—the Key of Heaven.
These were the last things his two closest friends had left him.
They were already gone?
Gilgamesh could not help but think.
"Ha, weapons of this level are truly terrifying. If used properly, they might even rival that beast Enlil's Tablet of Destinies. And they have a special advantage against gods, too."
Utnapishtim's brows twitched slightly as he looked at the Chains of Heaven and the Key of Heaven.
So these were that brat's two friends.
"Must life... inevitably come to an end?"
Looking at his friends' keepsakes, Gilgamesh asked in a trembling voice.
"Are gods... destined to control everything?"
He gripped the Key of Heaven and the Chains