It didn't take long for me to regain consciousness after my soul made it back to my body but I was immediately greeted back feeling like I was ready to die again.
"Ughh...what the..." I muttered as I felt the sun practically boiling me alive and a very hot, oddly grainy surface under my body so I forced my eyes open.
I regretted it.
The blinding view of the sun immediately hit my eyes causing me to shut them tightly again as quickly as possible not to mention I was fairly certain I gotten a sun burn.
"Oh little one, your finally back" a soft gentle voice slowly managed to coaxed me to open my eyes again and this time my view of the sun was blocked by a familiar face.
"Enk—*Cough* *Cough*" The moment I tried to speak, I was sent into a coughing frenzy probably because of the fact that I was baking under the Sumerian sun and I'm naturally pale so a sunburn was probably in order.
"Careful now, you just got back... here have this" Enkidu spoke ever so gently as he carefully took my body and supported it as he brought up what looked like a clay jar, not that I could tell in my delirious state.
But nonetheless I was grateful as I drank down the water like I was deprived of water for a very long time well Enkidu did make sure I drank it in moderation to ensure I didn't choke or anything.
Though it did make me wonder, how did he know to bring it here? Sometimes Enkidu couldn't even remember what day it is or to eat at all but I guess being a creature made from the gods, he doesn't have to worry about his hunger or hydration.
But I certainly did.
Soon Enkidu removed the water from my mouth and I wiped the excess water off my mouth with the back of my hand and that's when I noticed that Lucas was there too.
"Oh your here too" I casually mentioned as Lucas had a incredulous look on his face.
"Wha? What do you mean 'your here too?' I was the one who brought Enkidu to this place" Lucas said with a rather offended look as if I had just insulted him.
"Wait you did? Why?" I asked as I tried to stand up on my feet and for a moment I held onto Enkidu arm to which he graciously offered.
"It would've been easier to have you wake up here and then your father would meet us here as well" he huffed after his explanation, crossing his arms and looking away from me.
"..."
*Grab*
"Owww!!" Immediately Lucas let out a loud yell when I grabbed his long black hair and yanked it hard and my action momentarily stunned Enkidu who quickly snapped out of it and pulled me backwards which caused my hand to release Lucas hair.
"BASTARD! You brought me out here in the middle of nowhere in the desert and under the boiling sun?!" I couldn't help but yell at Lucas even though I knew that he was trying to help but honestly I think either that the underworld made me crazy or that the heat of the sun had gotten to me.
"What do you mean? It's spring so it isn't too hot" Lucas said as he held his head trying to relieve the pain that I chased by pulling his hair and it certainly didn't help that he had long hair.
"Yeah but we're still in the desert!"
"Alright, let's calm down" Enkidu who was rather quiet and was holding me back from exploding on Lucas had spoken up.
"Calm down little one, hurting Lucas isn't gonna help you" Enkidu said as he continued to hold me back with relative ease since he was far stronger than me in strength.
"Perhaps not but it does appease one mood" a very familiar cocky voice called out from behind us causing all three of us to go silent as we turned around though we all knew who it was.
"Dad!/Gil?/Your Majesty?" Me, Enkidu and Lucas all called out at the same time as Enkidu grip on me went limp but he still retained a hold on me.
"Bold of you all to forget about me" Gilgamesh said with a smirk but he didn't appear upset as he walked towards us with his arms crossed.
"I hardly doubt we could forget about you Gil, it just happened that you weren't here for us to remember" Enkidu said rather sweetly with a warm smile as I freed myself from Enkidu arms and walked towards Lucas.
"No, they forgot about you" Lucas said bluntly with no hesitation while crossing his arms over one another and I nodded in agreement.
"Looks like at least one of you is honest HOWEVER I cannot forgive the fact that you two disobeyed my orders" Gilgamesh good mood shifted into one of annoyance while pointing his finger at Enkidu and Lucas, the latter only huffed in annoyance.
"Your majesty, you truly didn't think I would follow through?" Lucas asked with a wary smile and cocked his head to the side.
"Yes! For I am your king!" He raised his voice unexpectedly at the end which in all honestly no one was surprised at since there were different levels to Gilgamesh anger and this was one of the mildest levels.
"But I am sworn to the princess" Lucas replies smugly
"Lucas enough, daddy don't be too upset at him, he was just worried about me" I didn't really want Lucas to get too much in trouble and usually he was well at restraining himself when it comes to acting in front of Gilgamesh, there were truly times that he couldn't help it.
'But honestly... me too...' I silently thought at how even I couldn't help but tease Gilgamesh at times but it was different, he was a bit lenient with me and let me get away things he wouldn't let others.
"Your lucky my daughter likes you mongrel" Gilgamesh turned away with a huff but his last remark towards Lucas did cause an vein to pop up on the black haired wizards head.
"So Gil any trouble while down in the Kur?" Enkidu asked with a curious expression as he leaned closer towards Gilgamesh.
"No, not even the goddess herself appeared... how shameful regardless I did get my daughter back so I'll let it slide" Gilgamesh smirked perhaps at the thought that the goddess of the underworld was too afraid to fight him so she just let Athanasia go free.
Not that was how it happened but he didn't need to know the details.
"Well I'm glad you both are okay" with a gentle smile as always. Enkidu offered his thoughts.
"Ha, there is no need to worry about me" and Gilgamesh as always had a cocky smirk as he stared at Enkidu too with his own arms crossed as well and for some reason the air began to feel hot for some reason until they remembered something.
"Hey, where did the little one and Lucas go?" Enkidu abruptly spoke up as they realized that both me and Lucas had already walked ahead without them.
"You dare to leave without my permission?! And Athanasia get back here right now!!" Gilgamesh yelled out and this caused me and Lucas to stop and look back at the same time with bored looks.
"You two are so weird sometimes" Lucas said with a disinterested look.
"You really are" I agreed as well because no one wants to watch them act weird towards each other like some sort of star crossed lovers.
"Silence!" Gilgamesh loud voice ranged in the air but me and Lucas couldn't help it as we both bursted out laughing.
———————————————————
We finally got back to the palace and it was nighttime but for some reason the air felt tense.
"Finally we made it back..." Lucas groaned out and normally he would've just teleported but it turns out he used a lot of energy to send himself in and out of Kur and besides it was a good change of pace.
"We would have made it back sooner had Gil not insisted on going other places to 'rest'" the gentle and soothing voice of Enkidu was really something to behold since I felt relaxed just hearing it.
"It is important for Athanasia to rest especially after she just died" Gilgamesh said clearly trying to defend himself but really he just wanted to go sightseeing.
"Finally! Took you four long enough to get here!" A familiar, somewhat bratty and brash voice rang out as we all looked above to see...
'Ishtar?!' My eyes widened open at the sight of the goddess who was here and standing rather confidently in front of us.