*************I'M BACK! IT HASN'T BEEN TOO LONG BUT I'M HERE TO UPDATE AGAIN! I'M SORRY FOR HOW THINGS ENDED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF CHAPTERS! I KNOW IT'S TOO SAD! *********

Playing with her dark thick hair that was wrapped around her arm, Ishtar played with the gems that were once in Xura's eyes. She placed them next to the blade that she used to slice Ritsunia's neck. She laughed viciously at her accomplishment with no remorse in her soul what so ever. She had switched from her usual blue gown to that of a black one that represented how dark her soul had become. She pranced around a dark gloomy void watching Gilgamesh through a portal. She could see that she had angered him to the point where he wanted to kill her and that amused Ishtar tremendously. She was happy that she got back at Gilgamesh for what he did to her and enjoyed the grief and pain that was all over his face.

Urnungal sat outside of the palace with his knees held up to his face. His eyes watered thinking about his mother and his sister. How could he lose two people who held dear to him in one month? He didn't understand. He sobbed to himself silently. Just then he felt a hand on his shoulder but, ignored the feeling. He knew who it was.

"Son." Urnungal didn't answer. "Did you eat today?" Urnungal shook his head no. "You really should." Gilgamesh looked tired. He had dark circle under his eyes and his hair was messy but in a neat way.

"Why is she doing this father? First Sunia, now mother…why? What did we do to her father?" Gilgamesh sighed and dazed at the sunset in the sky that reflected its light over the Mesopotamian buildings of Uruk.

"You didn't do anything son. It's what I did." Gilgamesh lowered his eyes under his golden bangs. Urnungal looked at him through his teary mystical eyes. "A few years ago, before you and your sister were even born, I met your mother. She wasn't always a goddess. She was a mortal being. Ishtar was to be my wife and I just couldn't do it. I didn't love her at all. I loved your mother greatly. More than the treasures in my treasury." Urnungal sniffed blinking at his dad. "I turned Ishtar down and left her standing at the altar. I take it that she's getting her revenge now. That evil, treacherous bitch." Gilgamesh said with anger causing his tattoos to flare again. When Urnungal saw this, he took his father's hand and hugged him. Gilgamesh started to cry again. Urnungal cried as well holding onto his father.

Syria gazed at her sister. It was weird that she didn't age. She still looked the same age she was ten years ago. This was the first time that she was able to bring herself to view her sisters body. She felt so numb. Her red eyes started to water at the site of her sister's lifeless corpse. She was once so full of life, spunk, and love. How could anyone commit such a terrible act? Gilgamesh had the entire army search the entire city of Uruk. He sent troops out to Ur, Susa, Sumerian and the Lower Tigris to search for Ishtar but, there was no luck. It was the day before Xura's burial. The high priest placed a spell on her body to keep it from rotting. Syria cried silently wiping her eyes that were very similar to Xura's with her navy blue sleeve of her silk gown.

"Syria?" She heard a voice call out to her as they closed the burial chamber room's door. Syria slowly turned around not recognizing the voice. When she turned around she saw a man with a tan complexion with dark hair. He was a soldier and had a muscular build to him. He had grown facial hair throughout the years causing Syria to blink at him.

"You probably have forgotten about me." Syria stared at the man dropping his shield and arrows at the door and bowing before the statue or Ereshkigal. She didn't know who he was. She thought about it for a moment thinking back to her childhood. Slowly it came to her.

"Ritharj?" Syria said with more tears welling up in her bright red eyes. She soon buried her face and began to sob. Ritharj approached her and took her in her arms letting her cry.

"I came as soon as I heard the news."

"Where have you been all of these years?" Syria sobbed in his chest.

"I've been in Ur. I am now a general for the army in that city. I assist the Urukian army every once in a while. But my, look at how you have grown. Such a beautiful young woman you are."

"Look at how you've aged." Syria joked while sobbing. Ritharj smiled then redirected his attention to the golden casket in front of him. His heart dropped and it hit him. He almost fell to the ground but, luckily Syria had caught him. He began to sob.

"Xura." He cried in disbelief. He couldn't believe she was dead. "What happened?"

"She was killed." Syria said wiping her eyes.

"By whom?" He asked.

"The goddess Ishtar was the one who took my sisters life."

"But why?"

"Revenge. Revenge for Gilgamesh not marrying her and marrying my sister instead."

"That's awful. Who could do such a thing? Where are her children?"

"Urnungal her son is probably with his father and Ritsunia's…." Syria started to sob again.

"No….Her too?" Syria nodded.

"She killed both of them." Ritharj stared at the sleeping beauty before him. She looked like was going to wake up any moment but, he knew she wouldn't.

"I thought she was goddess?"

"That monster took her shards out of her eyes. The ones that gave Xura immortality and God like powers. That was how she able to kill her." Ritharj leaned over Xura's casket and kissed her forehead. She was so cold. The warmth he remembered was no longer there. He too grew angry at the thought of Xura being killed as well as her first born daughter.

"You know…I've always loved your sister."

"I know. Why didn't you fight for her?"

"It was no use."

"No use?" Syria asked. "Why is that?"

"Her heart was stolen by the King. I don't know if you remember but, around the time Gilgamesh was to marry Ishtar, Xura came back home. To where you guys lived prior to here."

"I remember. I was too young to really understand why she left."

"The look in her eyes when she thought Gilgamesh was going to marry her. She looked as if death had consumed itself. Her eyes were so lifeless and the tears she wept. I knew that the only person who could take that pain away from her was Gilgamesh himself. No matter how many times I hugged and consoled her, I could never take away that pain. That's how I knew I would never have her heart."

"So you left to Ur because of that?" Ritharj nodded his head.

"I wanted Xura to be happy with the man she loved and to live on be happy, have a family and raise children. I also couldn't stand the thought of Xura having a family with another man. For a while I resented Gilgamesh. I hated him but, I decided to leave to burry my feelings." There was a long pause. Soon enough, Ritharj broke down into tears. "It's funny though. After all if these years. My love for Xura hasn't faded at all. I still love her even in death. The human heart is a funny thing. Why so?"

"I don't know." Syria said burying her face in her hands beginning to wail at the words that Ritharj had just expressed. "I don't know."

The sun had set and the sky was black with gleaming diamonds shinning its light amongst the whole city. The streets were dead. Black flags and curtains were hung from every citizen of Uruk's window mourning the loss of their princess and their queen. The merchants closed their shops at sunset to pay respects to the deceased royal family member. In the town square, dozens of people were dressed in black garments holding candles and making a mural of flowers for the princess and queen. A young boy held onto his mother's hand as she mourned the loss of the queen and princess.

"Mommy?" The young boy called out while shaking his mother's arm.

"What is it?"

"Look. What is that up there?" When the young woman looked up into the sky she saw that of an evil witch floating with an army of evil souls she had summoned from the underworld. Ishtar smiled cloaked in her black gown with her long black hair tied in a high ponytail.

"Pathetic humans." She said waving her hand creating a ball of dark energy and matter. "You shall all die now." She said as she sent the orb to the ground killing all those who were mourning. All that could be heard was Ishtar's evil laugh and the screams of the people burning in purple flames.

"My friend!" The beautiful mermaid who resided at the Grecian islands wailed. She sobbed crying over Xura's body. A few familiar faces had appeared at the palace of Uruk. Leucothea, the mermaid who helped save Gilgamesh when he was abducted by the sea witch, Oceanus, the titan god of the sea, Tritonis, the goddess nymph of the Libian salt-lake sea and Pallas, warrior God of all sea warriors as well as Xura's mother Setepenre and the royal Egyptian family came to pay their respects. Setepenre fell to her knees at the sight of her daughter's body. Losing her granddaughter and daughter in one month was too much to bear. The Egyptian queen sobbed on the floor with her sister Nefuretaten trying to hoist her up. Everyone was grieving. Their darling Xura had been taken away from them too soon. Gilgamesh soon enough stormed into the chambers. When Urnungal saw the look on his father's face, he knew something was wrong.

"Father? What is the matter?" Gilgamesh gazed upon all the faces in the burial chamber.

"Uruk. It's under attack."

"What?" Urnungal replied.

"I need all of you to go down into the chambers downstairs." Gilgamesh looked like a hungry lion. "It is Ishtar. She's the one attacking the city and she's coming towards the palace."

"No way." Syria said.

"Please! Everyone downstairs! Children and women!" Gilgamesh yelled sensing Ishtar getting closer.

"We will help you protect this palace." Oceanus said extending his hand to Gilgamesh.

"Thank you my friend. But for now we need to get everyone downstairs to safety."

"We will help you." Tritonis said. "Quickly everyone! Please follow me."

Ishtar floated above the palace of Uruk and saw that Gilgamesh had placed a protective barrier over it. She smiled at his attempt to protect it but, she knew she could easily destroy it. His troops were lined up outside with cannons and weapons waiting for Ishtar to attack. She waved her hand creating another dark orb in her palm.

"Now. You all will die. Including you. Gilgamesh."