"The queen is missing!" was the last thing Gilgamesh heard before he found himself dashing towards the platform of the ziggurat.
Without pausing for a moment, he opened the Gate of Babylon. This was the fastest he ever brought Vimana out his whole life.
Accompanied by Enkidu, the two of them hopped on and flew away fast. Gilgamesh steered the Throne of the Heaven, unaware of which direction to go to and where to look for you.
Enkidu grabbed his friend's arm and pulled him. This was the first time Gilgamesh was ever worried. No matter how much he hid it beneath his anger, it didn't go unnoticed by his dear friend.
His whole life, Enkidu saw him as someone who was collected. Even more than that, someone who doesn't care about others. However, all those crumbled the moment you disappeared.
With a skill that only Enkidu possesses—the ability of the highest class—he is capable of detecting mana sources.
"Steer Vimana closer to the ground," Enkidu instructed. In that way, he could use his presence detection at close range. It could nullify an equal or lower rank of presence concealment.
However, he did not need to use his skill that much the moment they flew close to the ground. The queen's captors may have been able to hide themselves, but they were unable to cover up their tracks.
"There's a trail of pollens down on the ground," Enkidu said. "It leads towards Kutha."
Without another word, Gilgamesh steered Vimana towards Kutha. As they hovered above the city, Enkidu noticed that the pollens didn't stop there.
He looked ahead towards the direction of where this trail may lead. To his terror, he realized it led to Mt. Ebih, home of the Ishtar Temple.
"Quick!" He exclaimed. "To Ishtar's Temple!"
Vimana zoomed towards the mountains. It was then that the two of them were able to make sense of things. The captors passed through Kutha, the home of the former priests and priestesses of Uruk—the worshippers of Ishtar.
They arrived at the temple in no time. To their surprise, ear-piercing screams could be heard from within and it is what welcomed them to the goddess's temple. It was the sound of utter chaos.
Gilgamesh and Enkidu decided to leave Vimana up in the air. The two of them jumped down from a height that their enemies would be unable to reach the divine vehicle, rendering them unable to escape.
Upon reaching the ground and running toward the temple, Gilgamesh ordered Enkidu to stay behind. "I will look for (y/n)," he said. "Stay here and make sure none of these people escape!"
With the rage that was boiling inside of him, Gilgamesh made sure to himself that he is going to make these people pay—twice the damage they have caused. But little did he know, what awaits him begs for three times more the punishment.
It was his first time entering this temple. Being so full of himself, he never found the need to worship a god. He in himself is divine, after all.
He was only halfway through the corridors when he was halted by black flames. His eyes widened, unable to fathom where those came from. Have the elders summoned Ereshkigal? He is yet to find out.
Before he could step into the flames, several people came out of a nearby chamber, running for their lives. He didn't bother to stop them as he was sure Enkidu would not let any of them escape.
However, he grabbed one robed man and wrapped his hand around the man's throat. "Where is (y/n)!" Furious, he demanded more than he asked.
His question was left unanswered as the man in his hands was too afraid to answer. Realizing he would just be wasting his time waiting for an answer, he threw the man on the ground and took things to himself.
The robed man scrambled to get on his feet and run away. Unfortunately, it was already too late for him. The black fire had already made its way up his cloak. It was only a matter of seconds when his whole body was engulfed in flames, leaving nothing behind. Not even a speck of ashes could be seen on the floor.
Gil let out a low gasp. The ferocity of these flames was far greater than any he had encountered before in his whole life. The flames of Kur pale in comparison to this black monster of a fire.
It didn't burn the body—it burned the soul, eradicating existence from all of the realms.
"Gil," a weak whisper broke Gilgamesh out of his trance. He turned around towards the direction of the flames.
On the other end of these flames, there, he found you. You stood in the middle of the corridor, naked with your bump bare before his very eyes.
"(Y/n)!" Gil shouted. He brushed away the dangers of swimming in the black flames and ran towards you, avoiding the fire as much as he could.
On the other hand, you stayed still, unable to take a step further as you were starting to feel the heat of your powers burn from within you.
All of a sudden, you felt excruciating pain in your stomach. It elicited an inhuman scream out of you and you were sure it was heard from every corner of this temple. You clutched your stomach as you slowly looked down.
Blood.
There was blood pooling on the floor and it's coming from between your legs. You gasped and you suddenly found it was starting to get harder and harder to breathe.
You could no longer feel the burning from within you as it paled in comparison to the pain in your womb.
Your vision once again became blurry. But this time, there was no white light overtaking your vision. Instead, it was darkness—pitch-black darkness...
...and then everything went silent.
Gilgamesh was able to catch you before you fell to the ground. "(Y/n)!" He shouted your name as he knelt in the pool of blood below you.
He cradled you in his arms, as he placed one hand on your cheek. You were still warm and he could still see your chest heave up and down in labored breathing.
Before he could carry you up in his arms, he noticed the black flames disappearing. They vanished before his very eyes as if they never actually existed. The walls and floors of the temple remained unscathed, and these flames remained a mystery to him.
Quickly but carefully, Gil lifted you in his arms. He wasted no time in running out of the temple.
By the lobby, Enkidu awaited, the gates of his chains open, and your captors held down by his weapon. Enkidu gasped at the sight of the bleeding queen in Gilgamesh's arms. He stood frozen in his place as looked at the trail of blood you left behind.
Gilgamesh didn't look at him either. Instead, he rushed out of the temple. Upon the opening, he ordered Vimana to lower down the ground.
He hurriedly got in with you unconscious and limp in his arms. With all speed, he drove Vimana back to the ziggurat, leaving Enkidu and your captors behind.
***
It was a dark stormy night in the empire of Al-Simr. Howling winds and raging thunders devastate the dry lands. Inside the edifice of the queen, the people gathered and all of them cowered in fear.
Dry thunderstorms usually occur in these lands. However, tonight was different. It was raining awfully hard. Upon a glimpse outside, one would see nothing but darkness.
The queen together with their people anxiously awaited the return of the royal guards. They have insisted to go on the lookout for any survivors or people who might've not been able to evacuate into the edifice.
Fortunately, not long after, the royal guards returned. Upon their arrival, they closed the massive stone doors of the temple, sealing them shut from the outside world.
Everyone went silent. The roars of the wind and screeches of the lightning became significantly softer in the embrace of the temple.
At the throne, the queen sat shivering and trembling. "Are you alright, your highness?" Ajamu asked, wrapping a thick blanket around the queen's fragile body.
"I... I-I-I'm worried," Nefera replied, her resolve breaking and tears pooling on her eyelids.
Ajamu gently placed his hand on the queen's shoulder. "This storm shall pass in the morning," he assured her. However, it was not the type of assurance that Nefera needed.
"(Y-y/n)," she muttered. Ajamu's eyes widened in worry. "I-is she okay? Is this storm also ravaging Uruk?"
Ajamu was at a loss for words. Neither did he know the answer to the queen's question. He could only hope and utter a silent prayer for the safety of their princess.
Nefera wanted to run away, to find shelter in the deepest depths of their home. At the bottom of the edifice, a few levels before the border that lies on the soil, she found herself a safe quiet space.
She badly wanted to go there and shut herself away from everyone. However, she knows she shouldn't. Her people are leaning on her for strength during these trying times.
Instead of running away, she thought of you. "What would (y/n) do in a situation like this?" She asked herself.
With several deep breaths, she was finally able to gain her composure. She turned her worry for you into strength. "(Y/n) is alright," she whispered to herself. "And so will Al-Simr be."