Chapter 7: Lamashtu
Lagash
King $%# $^&#$ chuckled darkly as his guards looked on with mild disturbance, doing their absolute best to not look at the mad, deranged king. To do so could mean death, for the mad king had taken it upon himself to kill any unfortunate soul that drew his ire.
"Do you not see, oh great King $%# $^&#$ ," he cackled maniacally, his menacing brown eyes turning dark. Drool akin to that of a rabid dog's poured from his mouth to the horror of his terrified guardians. "Your people despise you. Your queen despised you. Those traitors who are in league with Gilgamesh and his cohort, despise you and are ready to overthrow you at a moment's notice," he said in an unhinged manner as his guards looked cautiously at one another. The king's eyes were wild in appearance as strands of his disheveled and unkempt black hair caressed his face. With every word, his head teetered slightly to the side as if he were a puppet, rocking back and forth and back again in a never-ending cycle of insanity and despair.
The king of Lagash clutched his throne hard with his bloodied fingernails which had been stained with the blood of those unlucky to have gotten in his way. He had personally wielded the sword against any would-be agitators. His chief of security. A peddler on the street. The firstborn daughter of one of his generals.
All of them were threats. All of them had to be exterminated to safeguard his rule. The voices told him too.
He breathed heavily, his eyes closed shut, as he struggled to contain the burning anger that was building up inside him, just ready to be unleashed. He stood up for the briefest of seconds causing his guards to flinch away before he wobbled and collapsed back down on his throne, teetering on its edge as he gasped for breath. Instantly, one of his guards rushed to his side and held him steady before he could fall off his chair.
They had come to him after his wife's death. Telling him about the conspiracy that surrounded him. He could trust no one with his life and the second he gave these unseen threats an inch, they'd take his life.
To them, it was clear that the king's mind was deteriorating to the point of no return. To the king, it was clear that he was the only sane individual left in this world.
"How obvious," he croaked to the unseen voice that he heard speaking to him, not realizing that everything he heard had come out of his own mouth. Tears of dark red blood streamed from his eyes as he entered a delirious state. "Everyone is against me, everyone! This city doesn't deserve me!" he wept. "The gods don't deserve me! They whine against me, about the things that I 'fail' to do, but in reality it is their own self-serving nature that has caused them such distress! It is their fault!"
"They are blind! Blind to my glory, the kind of glory that shines bright and makes the gods jealous! They are blind to my generosity! They are my blind to the sacrifices I offer in their name!"
"It's not my fault," he hoarse out. "It has never been! It's a conspiracy! A conspiracy against me! That damned king of Uruk, favored by the gods!" The king spat on the floor, disgust evident in his voice as his dehydrated throat clenched. He grabbed a mug of beer on a table next to him and gulped down, savoring the tingling sensation it left in him, providing him the briefest of respites from the world around him. "Bah! Fuck the gods! All I need is myself!"
A brief flash of lightning landed in front of the palace, generated from a single stormy cloud in the otherwise clear sky. The guards shrieked as the divine made clear their displeasure.
The king took no notice of the divine sign as he continued his monologue to the chagrin and terror of his guards who were terrified that the gods would punish them on the basis of their proximity to the king alone. The gods had forsaken him. Now he would forsake them.
Unbeknownst to the guards who were inching backwards, desperately wishing to get out as soon as the next shift change occurred, the king's mind wasn't his own. A malevolent force had attached to his despair and paranoia, amplifying it a hundred fold by poisoning his feeble mind with thoughts of suspicion and utter anguish.
Such manipulation was more the territory of his brothers who governed chaos and discord, but Komur Han was never one to deny himself a free meal or free entertainment. The great god of evil appeared invisible to the eyes of the mortals thanks to the mist, but his true form, that of a wispy cloud of black smoke akin to that of a demon's, made sure to move back and forth through the nasal cavities of the king allowing the minor god to whisper suggestive thoughts into the addled brain of the king.
The king would die soon. Komur Han knew it, but what was the fun in just allowing him to go off peacefully into the good night. No, there was so much more to be done. So much more to take advantage of.
He'd give the king one last purpose before he went. He'd be his servant, a play-thing worthy of the son of the great ruler of Tamag, Erlik.
The wispy black form seemed to form a smile as gaps emerged revealing spaces of smokeless air that appeared to form eyes and a mouth. The distorted form grinned happily for a split second before diving back into the mouth of the king.
They'd have so much fun together in these last few nights.
X Outside Lamashtu's Cave
Gilgamesh let out a deep breath as he prodded the glowing fire with a stick, basking in its life-giving warmth as he allowed the cold wind to caress his back. Gilgamesh smiled contently as he turned his gaze towards Enkidu.
"Well, this is certainly an interesting sight," mused Gilgamesh as he watched Enkidu lay on his back and pet his new friend. The wildman's focus was solely on the creature that laid prostrate next to him, nuzzling the man with its black snout. Enkidu's eyes glistened with moisture as he recalled his past life in the wilderness. Part of him longed to go back into the wild, to frolic with his animal friends and eat the fruits that the Earth provided him.
For now, though, he was content to be here. He had a purpose and he would see it filled.
"Who's a good boy? You are! Yes, you are!" Enkidu exclaimed, his voice betraying nothing of his innermost desires, as he rubbed his oily left hand against the soft fur of the cheetah's head. The big cat panted as it laid on the ground, resting after it had chased after Enkidu in a long and eventful game of tag. With Perseus gone, they were on pause for their mission and had resorted to more unusual forms of entertainment. Enkidu would play with the cheetah whilst Gilgamesh was content to simply watch the festivities. It may not have been the dancing woman that he had grown accustomed to in his long years as king, but it was entertainment nonetheless.
"It's about time you got a cheetah of your own," Gilgamesh said as he approached the tired big cat. In his hands was a salted piece of preserved venison, perfect food for a growing cheetah. "I myself have several back home in Uruk. They are absolutely amazing hunting companions, no animal can escape them thanks to their legs and their body structure gives them the ability to outrun them no matter what."
"He isn't my pet, Gilgamesh," Enkidu spoke with a confident assurance. Gilgamesh's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, as if such a thought was foreign to him - which it was. "He's my friend. Cheetah's aren't like dogs. They are majestic creatures who belong in the wild. Not domestic creatures that are only allowed to move around when their owner sees it fit."
"Perhaps," Gilgamesh said, doubt permeating from his voice. "But cheetahs aren't like lions and leopards. They enjoy human companionship. In the wild, they are at the mercy of stronger beasts like those aforementioned predators who gleefully steal their kills while they do all the work, leaving their pups at risk of starvation. With me and other kings of the Near East, they are well fed creatures who are indispensable in hunting trips. They live good lives."
Enkidu shook his head, his eyes closed as if to try and push back the tinge of anger that had started to rise in his chest at his friend's callous comments. Cheetahs, like most wild animals, deserved to be free like he once was. His entire early life was spent living amongst the woodland creatures, hunting with them, sparring with them, and playing with them whether they be deer, lions, or falcons.
They didn't deserve to be holed up in a palace at the discretion of some king. They deserved to be free like the gods had intended them to be. Free to roam. Free to live. In the possession of a king, they were trophies, mere possessions. In the wild, they were noble, majestic animals who were feared by all, but a few. They were respected. They were powerful. For such creatures to be forced into a docile lifestyle was a crime that Enkidu felt was worse than death.
Gilgamesh, sensing Enkidu's rising anger, wisely left that topic of discussion for another time. Enkidu had once lived amongst the creatures of the wild, accepted them into his life as if they were family. He had been one with the wild and it had been one with him. To further provoke him would simply anger him and cause conflict which was something they couldn't afford, especially not at this important hour. They already had enough problems with the entire Puabi incident.
The defeat of Lamashtu was on the line. His future rule over Lagash was on the line. His reputation was on the line. He was beginning to love Enkidu like a brother, but he wouldn't lose everything that he had gained in the past several years to defend his belief that cheetah's were fit to be pets.
"Very well," Gilgamesh said as he sat in front of the panting cheetah. The cat's eyes looked up in curiosity as the king of Uruk placed the slab of meat in front of him. "Eat well," he spoke to the cat as its eyes lit up. Soon, the spotted creature had launched itself at the meat. His anger abated, Enkidu chuckled at the sight as he continued to lovingly pet the cat's head, his smile widening slightly as he felt the smooth fur pad his skin.
"Where do you think Perseus ran off to," Enkidu asked, lifting his head up. Gilgamesh shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, but if I had to hazard a guess, I'd say he went back home, to his pantheon of origin. Surely they have some blacksmith god that could provide him with iron. It's not like that stuff is rare, it's just not useful."
Enkidu nodded as the conversation paused. Silence permeated the area for the next few minutes except the occasional purr from Enkidu's new friend and the crackling of the warm fire in front of them, it's comforting flame providing much needed warmth to the duo.
Gilgamesh hesitated for a second before continuing. This could backfire, but Enkidu needed to learn. He needed a wake-up call. He was a newborn, born naive into a world full of monsters and contradictions. He needed to understand that the choices he made mattered, that falling back on his baseless desires and spontaneous emotions would spell nothing but trouble for him in the future.
God, he sounded like a hypocrite, even in his thoughts.
"What happened to Puabi was your fault, Enkidu."
"Don't say that, Gilgamesh. It was my - wait, what did you say?" Enkidu replied as he realized what Gilgamesh said.
"What happened to Puabi was your fault." Enkidu simply looked away. As if sensing the wildman's displeasure, the cheetah bared its canines at Gilgamesh who simply glared at the beast until it backed down. There would be no question about it. He was the alpha of this pack.
"Enkidu…" he said in a low tone as he shifted himself till he was in arm's reach of Enkidu before he placed his hand on his shoulder. The cheetah hissed, but Gilgamesh paid it no heed.
"Look at me." The wildman's eyes turned to face the eyes of the king of Uruk who looked at him as a father would look at his son. "You made a mistake. You've accepted it. That's good. Now, you must move on. There's no use in living in the past."
"How can I move on, Gilgamesh?" Doubt permeated from Enkidu's voice as his eyes watered. He stared up to the sky, gazing into the shining stars that hovered above them. "My actions took the lives of an innocent. The punishment for that should be death!"
Gilgamesh said nothing at first, hesitating briefly before he took in the surrounding cold air with a deep breath. His stomach churned as a sudden sense of bitterness overwhelmed him. What was this feeling? Rage? No, there wasn't any fire to it. Sorrow? No, he didn't feel like breaking down into tears. Disgust? No, that couldn't be it, after all, his feelings seemed to be directed at himself-
Guilt. Gilgamesh felt his startled mind jump as his eyes briefly widened. Guilt. He felt guilty. Guilty of his crimes. Guilty of his failures. No, this couldn't be. He was a king, the son of gods, he couldn't feel guilty. He had nothing to feel guilty for, and yet-
Gilgamesh suddenly felt himself inhale, an action that went unnoticed by Enkidu and his pet cheetah. Memories started to flow through his mind. The scared face of an innocent boy, living in an enemy village, that Gilgamesh had shoved aside, barely taking notice as he hit a mud brick wall with a sickening crack. The distraught face of a bride-to-be as she was all, but cornered by Gilgamesh whose status of king didn't dissuade him one bit from fulfilling what was his right. The pained face of a young man who had been forced into his army as he was beaten over and over again by Gilgamesh's retainers, while he laughed in glee.
Gilgamesh covered his eyes as the beginning of tears set in. He was what Perseus had accused him of being. A murderer. An enslaver. A rapist. It didn't matter if these things were acceptable in society. It didn't matter if these things were justified because he was king. It didn't matter if there was a precedent set by the gods that seemed to okay these things.
He was a monster. He had been a hero, an example of all that was righteous in the world. He had followed in the footsteps of his father, the good king Lugalbanda, but he had changed. He had once been a hero, but now, he was the villain. His enemies knew it. His people knew it. The gods knew it. And it had taken the intervention of a foreign mercenary and a being carved from clay for him to see what he had become.
"My actions took the lives of an innocent. The punishment for that should be death!" Those words rang through his ears as he grappled with the notion.
"I've taken the lives of innocents before, Enkidu." Enkidu turned to his friend, his face marred in shock over the blatant admission. "I've ordered my men to raze towns, to plunder the little wealth possessed by poverty-stricken families. I've ordered my men to take women and children as slaves, I've ordered them to kill men, soldiers and civilians alike. Many innocents fell at the hands of my men. Many women were carried away screaming by my soldiers to be subjected to horrific punishments whilst I did nothing."
Gilgamesh laughed darkly. "I justified it. My men deserved this. Slavery, rape, looting, etc. These are the natural consequences of war. One side loses and gets defiled, the other side wins and becomes the defiler. It was in the nature of the things, part of the "survival of the fittest" mindset that has plagued mankind since their dawn."
Gilgamesh paused briefly. "I now realize that I was wrong. You are not the only one to make these mistakes and you won't be the last. What matters is that you've accepted that you are at fault. This may not provide you any comfort, but things will get better."
"Do right by Puabi by making sure you never make that mistake again. Do not let your selfish desires or sense of justice mislead you from the reality of a situation."
Enkidu sat stoically as he faced Gilgamesh as he wiped tears from his eyes.
Gilgamesh's dark eyes gleamed as the briefest of smiles broke through his lips as he spoke his next words. "And the best way to do that is to tear Lamashtu limb from limb. Do unto her what she did to Puabi. An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. We will make her pay, Enkidu."
Gilgamesh grasped Enkidu by the shoulder with a firm hand. This time, the cheetah didn't make any noise of protest. Enkidu's eyes stared directly into Gilgamesh's as the latter finished his monologue.
"We will make her pay."
And for the first time in days, Enkidu smiled.
X
"Hephaestus," Perseus called out as he reentered the forge, his nostrils tingling unpleasantly at the putrid stench of smoke. The sound of metal being hammered echoed throughout the cave "I've returned." Outwardly, he feigned confidence, but on the inside, he felt the slightest bit of apprehension. If Hephaestus followed through with checking with his mother's, then he would be in trouble.
"Perseus. Welcome back to my humble abode. I trust you took your short vacation well? Spend the time with some locals I wager? Fathered some demigod children?" Hephaestus let out a deep chuckle as sparks flashed across his dark beard, his eyes never leaving the focus of his work.
Perseus laughed. "Took a long nap by the sea. It was comforting to say the least considering the fact that I slept for around 24 hours."
Hephaestus grinned wryly. "You must have exhausted yourself with your previous work." Hephaestus finally set down his large hammer as he headed over to his weapon's rack. He turned around briefly, his facial expressions suddenly moving from jovial to stern.
"So tell me, how did you find my forge?" Hephaestus' eyes flashed orange as his pupils were replaced by miniature, bright orange flames. Perseus took a step back, slightly intimidated by the display. While he may not look the part with his limp and unpleasant looks, Hephaestus was clearly dangerous and not a god to be trifled with. Fire, by its very nature, was a dangerous and unpredictable substance. Who was to say that Hephaestus couldn't be similarly unhinged if the situation called for it?
"I asked my mothers," he continued as he gradually approached the god of snakes who made sure to portray a false aura of confidence. "Neither Eurynome nor Thetis has given you my whereabouts."
"So I ask you again, how did you find my forge?" The flames in the furnaces shot up several feet as Hephaestus emphasized his control over them. Perseus coughed as smoke started to fill up the room.
"I never said that either of your mother's gave me your location. That was simply your assumption. I found it out through a wayward water spirit whose name I don't care to remember," he said as he lied through his teeth about not knowing the water spirit. He would protect the confidentiality of his informants. There was no use in punishing those who could prove to be useful later, especially when the information they provided turned out to be worth the money.
"Are you sure?" growled Hephaestus as Perseus nodded his head deftly. Hephaestus stared at him for several seconds, his eyes burning with red energy before turning his head away.
"Well, apparently your reputation precedes you, Perseus." Perseus' eyes furrowed in confusion. "It seems that in spite of Thetis having no knowledge about how you gained access to my forge, she has given you tacit approval to know the location of my forge."
A shocked expression presented itself on Perseus' face as he scoured his mind to see if he had any connection to Thetis whatsoever. Drawing a blank, Perseus could simply nod dumbly in thanks.
"Did she give a reason why?" Perseus asked hesitantly.
"Yeah. She told me to stay on your good side. She seems to trust you for some reason, perhaps because you're so isolated and at odds with much of the Greek world." Perseus brow furrowed at the response as Hephaestus grabbed the weapons. Three large iron knives, 2 iron axes with ornately decorated wooden shafts, and an iron sword. All three weapons were beautifully crafted with intricate carvings present on the blades themselves likely providing power to whatever enchantments laid on those blades.
"These are beautiful," Perseus said in awe as he lifted the iron sword. Glossy and grey, they were a sight to behold as Perseus swung the sword around with ease. Unlike his usual curved bronze sickle swords, this sword was straight making it perfect for stabbing and less adept at slashing like his previous swords. Nevertheless, a stabbing sword was good to have.
"I've enchanted it to have greater durability. It's not stygian iron or celestial bronze, but it will get the job done. These engravings guarantee that they will not break unless a sufficiently powerful force is applied such as an elephant stepping on it."
Perseus smiled. "These are perfect Hephaestus, thank you." In his hands appeared a large pouch full of golden drachmas which he tossed over to the god of the forge. Three more soon followed, each one carrying a portion of the large amount of gold that Hephaestus was owed.
"Pleasure doing business with you," Hephaestus grunted before turning back to his work. Perseus smiled genially as he turned around. "Oh, and one more thing," Perseus called out just before he made to leave as he realized that he had forgotten something important. "You mind enchanting it to absorb salt."
"….. what?"
X
"Here are your weapons, boys," cried out Perseus as he suddenly appeared in a bright flash of golden light. Gilgamesh spat out a mouthful of beer as his mug shattered against the rocks. Enkidu flew up from his comfy rock, spittle flying out of his mouth as he fumbled for his axe only to see Perseus standing there.
"Oh, it's you." Gilgamesh's eyes rolled in exasperation as he realized the situation. "You couldn't have provided us a less, theatrical entrance?" He said as he failed to keep the miffed tone in his voice from coming out.
Perseus simply shrugged as he laid out two, large iron axes. "Go on, take them," he encouraged. "You'll have to keep your bronze-headed axes strapped to your backs, though, I still have no idea how you carry them without falling from the sheer weight."
"Trade secret," Gilgamesh said gruffly as Enkidu nodded his head. Perseus rolled his eyes as he handed over two iron daggers. Each one made especially by the god of fire to serve as the perfect cutting tool."
"You got the salt?" Perseus asked as he summoned his own iron sword. Unlike his sickle swords, the blade of his new sword was straight, perfect for stabbing unlike the slashing capabilities of his bronze sickle swords." Perseus didn't generally use such weapons, but he'd make do. At its most basic level, it was just a longer dagger.
"You got the salt?" Perseus asked as Enkidu motioned to two large, wooden containers. Perseus approached them as he withdrew his sword. Grasping a handful of the coarse, white material, he proceeded to rub it gently along the smooth surface of the blade, taking the time to admire its silvery-grayish sheen as he took the time to allow the salt to adhere to the blade. Normally, this would be difficult, but Perseus had asked Hephaestus to enchant the blades so that they'd be able to take up the salt crystals relatively easily without the need for a thick paste or some other, weird technique.
Perseus motioned for Gilgamesh and Enkidu to follow his movements which they promptly did. Perseus also made several small bags that could easily be attached at the waist. If needed, they could use the salt to make barriers that prevented the demons from crossing them or simply just toss them at the demons.
Gilgamesh spoke up. "So did you inform Shamash about the situation with Tiamat, Perseus," he questioned. Perseus opened his mouth before closing it whilst a sheepish expression emerged on his face.
Gilgamesh's face turned to an expression of incredulity. "How'd you forget to inform the god that one of the most dangerous beings on the planet is on the cusp of rising?"
"How have you not informed your mother, Gilgamesh?" Perseus bit back. "I'm only hum- a god. We make mistakes. Some things just slip our minds, especially in moments of intense emotional turmoil."
"I sincerely hope that you caught the irony in your statement," mumbled Gilgamesh. "When will you inform the gods."
"As soon as this Lamashtu business is done with and you sit on the throne of Lagash…. or at least until you send for a governor or something. She just killed the queen of Lagash, deviating from her pattern in a serious way. Who knows what she'll do next if we don't find her.
Perseus turned to Enkidu. "The cave?" he asked as Enkidu quickly motioned him to follow him. After around 45 minutes of walking, they came across their target, a small cave whose entrance was present near the bottom of a large, rocky ledge.
'How do we know if she's in there?" Enkidu asked as Perseus approached a rock, his forked tongue flickering.
A grimace pierced his lips. "I can smell her," he said. "The entrance to the cave has the same scent as the figure who killed the queen of Lagash." With a quick gesture of his hand, he motioned for his companions to follow him into the darkness.
The cave was dark, damp, and filled with the putrid scent of rotting flesh, clearly the remnants of the few unfortunate victims that happened to pass by her cave, or perhaps it was the place she took the bodies of her corpses. No one had been able to find the queen's body after all.
As they traversed the cave and heard the echoes of their own steps, Perseus couldn't help but be overcome with an overwhelming sense of dread. His hand gripped his sword as he felt a slight sense of primal fear echo through his veins at every mysterious noise he heard. The chittering of a bat. The flap of an insect's wing. Even the ever present, utterly disconcerting noise of water dripping down from stalactites. All of it played on Perseus' heightened nerves.
He had done tasks like this before. Sneak into the homes of his targets with deft precision, but he had never done it on a monster Lamashtu's caliber. His normal targets had been hellhounds, the occasional rogue cyclops, even a manticore at one point.
But none of those beasts ever made him feel the sense of dread that he was feeling at this moment. It was that little voice in your head, the one that you get after completing an important task, hoping to the gods that they had done something right, worrying that against all odds they had made some tiny, miniscule mistake that would have disastrous consequences on their life.
This was the moment that could make or break them. If Lamashtu escaped, they would be on the hunt all over again. She would torment them incessantly, targeting those they might grow to care about with abandon as she slunk away from their lives only to reemerge several months later when they let their guard down for just a bit.
It didn't help that if they didn't defeat the demon, the bonds of brotherhood meant to be forged between Enkidu and Gilgamesh would likely never emerge. Both tainted by their failure, they would move on with their lives, wondering what could've been and hating themselves for their respective mistakes. Enkidu would live forever in the wild, tormenting himself over his failures with Puabi. Gilgamesh, on the other hand, would go back to his life as a tyrant, losing all the moral character that he had started the process of developing. He would go back, likely wage war against Lagash, and campaign against the rest of Mesopotamia, all the while tormenting his people with practices such as prima nocta.
If that were the case, Perseus would have to come in and try to kill the King of Uruk…. and he didn't know if he'd come back from such a task alive.
Perseus held his breath as the trio came across a large cavern. Miniature sources of light dotted the cavern highlighting the area to reveal its contents. Perseus could see the decaying corpses and skeletons of dozens of individuals strewn across the room. It was clear that Lamashtu didn't have a particular care for cleanliness.
Perseus had to avert his eyes at the several baby skulls that lined a small ledge to the left of the cavern.
Perseus could hear Enkidu grit his teeth as he glanced at Gilgamesh to see him bow his head in mourning for the lost souls who had been consumed. It was a terrible reminder of what they had come here to do. Avenge those who were slaughtered callously by the demoness.
The pitter patter of footsteps came to their attention as the trio froze, their eyes darting around the room as they yearned for a glimpse of the foul beast that they had set their eyes on. If they could see it, they could kill it.
Unfortunately for them, the demoness took to the shadows.
She was here though. She had to be. Perseus gritted his teeth at the thought of losing track of their prey once again.
"We should split up," suggested Gilgamesh as he stepped further into the cavern. He pointed to the various side passageways that exited the large center. "We'll cover more ground that way and if one of us encounters Lamashtu, well, we'll likely here the fight and come rushing in."
"Except for the problem that we have no idea where these passageways lead nor how long they are. Plus, it would be hard to pinpoint the exact passageway where a fight is taking place should Lamashtu be onto us," said Perseus dryly.
"Well, we can't just wait here," protested Enkidu. "She's smart so she probably has a back entrance to this entire place and will leave should she find it necessary. We need to serve as bait. She probably thinks she can take us one on one, but knows that she'd be as screwed as the Palm King Trees coconuts if she fights all of us at once."
Perseus once again gritted his teeth at the logical points. Unfortunately for him, he could come up with no better ideas.
"Fine," he said as he acceded to the demands. "Each of us takes a different passageway and screams if we come across Lamash-"
Perseus was interrupted by a loud shake in the cavern that knocked the trio off their feet. His eyes widened as large, stone slabs suddenly slammed against the bottom of the floor, closing all but one passageway that was located directly in front of them.
'If this doesn't scream trap, I don't know what does,'' Perseus murmured as he hesitantly approached the passageway while snatching up one of the burning torches on the walls. Perseus motioned for the rest of the trio to stay back as he summoned his few remaining jars of Greek fire. The stuff was precious and extremely hard to procure, but this was as apt a time as any to use it.
Taking a quick breath, Perseus launched the jar into the passageway followed by the torch before lunging behind a nearby rock to take cover. Following a burst of bright green light, a loud 'boom' echoed through the cavern as the rocks started to collapse in on themselves from the force of the explosion Perseus frowned at the lack of screams.
"Break through the passageway slabs," he shouted as Enkidu and Gilgamesh immediately rushed forward, breaking two out of the four blocked entrances using their immense bulk. Unfortunately for Enkidu, he found more than he bargained for.
The naive wildman flailed at the edge of a small hole that was positioned directly behind the formerly stone slab. At its bottom were a series of wooden spikes primed to tear into the flesh of any unlucky individual who happened to fall into the trap.
As Enkidu flailed precariously on the edge, a blur shot forward from the shadows as it raced towards Enkidu, claws outstretched to push him over.
Perseus reacted just in time. Summoning his bow, he aimed and fired an arrow off of pure instinct in a desperate play to dissuade the ambusher from performing a killing below. He smiled victoriously as the arrow sailed and lodged itself into the shadow's side.
He was no Apollo or Artemis, but he could take pride in being good with a bow. What he would do without such skills, well, it was best not to contemplate on it.
The shadowy fiend snarled in pain as Enkidu managed to regain his balance. On the other side of the cavern, Gilgamesh rushed towards the shadowy figure who bellowed in outrage as she was hit by the king of Uruk's full force. Cornered against the wall, Gilgamesh took advantage of the shadowy figure and punched forward with his right hand….
…. Only for the shadowy figure to vanish at the last minute, his hand cruising through and pummeling directly into the rock leaving a massive hole in the wall. Gilgamesh growled in pain as he withdrew his bloodied fist and shook it, using what little divine energy he had in him to accelerate the healing process. It wouldn't do for his weapon hand to lack strength.
"Show yourself, Lamashtu!" Perseus growled as he fired off another arrow at the shadowy figure he assumed was the demoness who had reemerged next to Enkidu. The figure managed to dodge the arrow whilst tearing out the arrow in her side at the exact same time. Enkidu charged forward, grasping his iron axe as he swung it at the figure only for the figure to vanish once again into shadows.
"Did you know Lamashtu could become a shadow?!" Enkidu called out as Gilgamesh' axe struck into another wall in his attempt to damage the creature.
Perseus gritted his teeth. "Some demons have the ability to dissolve into shadow, but I didn't think Lamashtu was one of them!" he called out as he warily watched the shadowy figure race across the cavern's ceiling, its shadowy form slithering around.
Perseus and the trio watched as a scaled hand emerged from the shadows, its five clawed hand slashing through a stalactite with ease causing the structure to crash to the floor while kicking up a cloud of dust.
The trio coughed as the dust entered their lungs. Perseus activated his heat pits, trying to get a reading on the location of the beast through the dusty atmosphere as more and more stalactites were dropped. He winced as he found himself pelted with rocks as he moved around, desperate to prevent himself from being a sitting target.
A loud cry burst through the room as Perseus caught the silvery flash of an axe being thrown at the ceiling. A screaming cry of pain followed as black blood dripped from the sky and the shadowy figure fell to the floor.
The now armless beast rose from the floor, it's dark red eyes filled with pain and rage. It was a mindless beast, it's eyes showing no evidence of intelligent emotion. As Perseus felt its eyes draw onto him, he knew that its sole purpose in this world was to bring despair, sorrow, and misfortune upon the world.
The creature snarled at him as Perseus withdrew his iron sword, but Gilgamesh beat him to the creature. Picking up his fallen axe from the ground, the king of Uruk lunged at the fallen beast, intent on decapitating it then and now.
It was a miracle that the beast rolled away just in time to avoid the swing. With a shout, it suddenly disappeared, not into smoke, but rather it turned invisible.
"Perseus can you see it?" Gilgamesh called as Perseus shook his head. Whatever the thing was, it gave off no body heat.
"He might not see it," growled Enkidu as he suddenly charged forward into the darkness. A loud shriek emanated through the cavern as the creature's invisible form suddenly reappeared in front of them, coated in its own black blood. "But I can smell its putrid stench."
The creature's dark red eyes screeched once again as Perseus caught sight of its most defining feature. Its feet were that of a rooster's, tipped with black talons perfect for shredding while its skin was pale and wrinkly.
"I know what this is," murmured Perseus as shock emanated through his body. Gilgamesh lunged forward, finished the creature off with a loud bellow. His axe beheading the creature, spilling black blood everywhere as its body dissipated into black smoke.
"I got to tell you, Perseus, these iron axes really do the trick." Perseus nodded, silent as he considered the beasts before them.
"That wasn't Lamashtu was it," Enkidu asked. Perseus shook his head and opened his mouth to reply.
"Of course it wasn't," echoed a melodious voice that permeated through the halls. The trio looked desperately around, trying to find the source of the noise.
"That was just one of many shedim that were granted to me by my sister. She gave birth to them with her ex during his 130-year sabbatical from his second wife following the death of his son.
"Show yourself, demon!" growled Gilgamesh as the trio found themselves standing back to back, gazing at every shadow on the off chance it moved
The voice sniffled. "I'll have you know that the proper term is demoness, young one. I mean seriously, can't you give a modicum of respect to beings that are clearly superior to you." Gilgamesh's growl grew louder.
"That's enough, Gilgamesh. She's clearly riling you up," murmured Perseus as he scanned the ceiling for any sign of her presence. Lamashtu was getting cocky and that would be her downfall.
"And look who we have here! A minor Greek God. Isn't that a lovely surprise. And a god of snakes no less!" she mocked. Perseus' eyes twitched as Enkidu and Gilgamesh stood motionless
"You know, normally I'd try seducing you, you know, for fun, but you're too smart for that I'm afraid. A pity too, since you're such a young, good-looking, and succulent young man. I'm sure your blood must taste delic-"
Perseus' iron dagger flew past her head as it lodged itself in the ceiling, having managed to catch sight of a single claw lurking in the darker portions of the cave. She had gotten cocky in her monologue and had accidentally made use of dramatic hand gestures.
Lamashtu's outrage scream echoed through the cavern as she barely moved past the flying weapon before launching herself at the mercenary god with vigor.
Perseus barely managed to summon his shield in time before the demoness could wrench her fangs into the snake gods neck. His breath hitched as he took in the disgusting scent of her true form, before he pushed back with his shield, sending the demoness tumbling onto the floor.
Enkidu and Gilgamesh sprinted up, their powerful axes ready to deliver the final blow, only for Lamashtu to vanish into a cloud smoke.
"I'm getting so fucking tired of that move," growled Gilgamesh as Enkidu nodded in agreement, his eyes peeled for their adversary.
"Well that was rude of you, interrupting me during my monologue," Lamashtu crooned as she fell from the ceiling to stand a few dozen feet away from the trio. "And here I thought we were friends. Rookie mistake on my part, I'd have to say, though, I have so many stories to tell. Why, there was this one time I found a poor woman all alone at the bottom of a pit just waiting-"
Enkidu growled in outrage as he let his emotions get the better of him. He flung his axe hard only for the demoness to vanish once again. The next second, she reappeared in front of the wildman and smacked him hard with a backhand, causing him to scream in pain as he rolled on the ground 15 feet away. Perseus and Gilgamesh felt their eyes widened in shock at the display of supernatural strength which saw their friend flung to the side.
"It's over Lamashtu," growled Perseus as he lunged forward with his iron sword in an attempt to take advantage of the demoness' stationary position… only for yet another shedim to emerge and place itself in between the two. The rooster-footed creature from the depths of hell screeched as the salted blade burned the demon's innards as it crumpled to the ground and dissolved into a pile of black smoke.
"Over?" The demoness laughed. "It's barely even started. Did you really think I didn't know that you were on my tail? The famed king of Uruk and an unloved mercenary god coming along with their pet to Lagash usually means only one thing. They're hunting monsters." Lamashtu's eyes flashed bright red.
"I can only thank the queen for being such an unwitting accomplice. Rumor down under has it that she had several men sacrifice themselves to lead the Uridimmu to that town where I killed poor old Puabi."
"Oh, that reminds me" the demoness cackled as she snapped her fingers. "That's her baby's body right there, next to the queens." Lamashtu said as she pointed to a bundle of skeletons near her. The headless body of the queen cradled Puabi's boy in its arms, all flesh stripped from the bones. "They were…... a succulent meal."
"I'll kill you!" cried an enraged Enkidu as he lunged forward at Lamashtu, his axe swinging. Instantly, several other shedim burst from the shadows but Enkidu paid them no heed. A single axe chop disintegrated three of them at once as he barged forward at Lamashtu. The shedim weren't so tough without the advantage of surprise.
Lamashtu simply smirked as Enkidu rushed her. Deftly, she dodged the axe blow before smacking her hand against Enkidu's back with enough force to force him to stumble. Stunned by the turn of events, Enkidu turned only to barely block the claws coming directly at his throat with the shaft of its axe, Hephaestus' enchantments preventing it from cutting through.
Lamashtu hissed as part of her shoulder accidentally touched the iron blade of the axe. Smoke rose from the burn mark as she rushed to the side. "Iron," she spat as she gazed at the offending weapon with hatred.
"She's weakened," Perseus shouted to Gilgamesh and Enkidu as he rushed forward. Contact with iron and salt would limit Lamashtu from using her demonic abilities. Teleporting in a bright flash of golden light that blinded several of the shedim and vaporized the few closest to him, Perseus appeared at the top of the cavern in an attempt to wrench the iron dagger that he had thrown up there free.
He failed miserably as his hand slipped from the iron dagger as he flailed to the ground, arms out and eyes wide. He barely managed to summon the energy to perform another quick teleport just before reaching ground level and managed to use that momentum to slam into one of the shedim attacking Gilgamesh as he appeared out of the air.
"What the hell was that!" shouted Gilgamesh as he found himself annoyed at Perseus unnecessary and completely idiotic actions. Perseus simply refused to look at him, his cheeks flushed from the feelings of shame that bubbled up inside him.
No matter how much he tried to deny it. He was still young for a god and being young and cocky lent itself easily to making stupid mistakes.
Mentally rebuking himself for trying to be a badass, Perseus summoned the iron dagger back into his hand using regular old divine magic. Perseus, with iron sword and dagger in hand, slashed through the waves of shedim that were starting to appear. Black blood splattered across his body as each rooster-footed monstrosity charged at him, intent on ripping him from limb to limb. Perseus' mind went blank as he became a killing machine. Instinct took over as he slashed the demons in half.
One shedim was a threat for sure. It was easier for it to sneak away undetected and strike from the shadows. A few hundred shedim attacking at once though meant that all caution was thrown at the window. The demons simply threw themselves at the trio, knowing that all it took was one good, lucky strike and content in their misguided belief that their superior numbers gave them the advantage. Unfortunately for them, that lack of caution made them take bigger risks in their attacks, leaving them open to Perseus' blade as he twirled around, dancing around sharp claws and mouths full of sharp teeth. One shedim even vanished into mist and tried to enter his body only for Perseus to momentarily vanish his knife and dig into his small bag attached to his midsection and fling several clumps of salt.
That particular shedim screeched in pain as its ghostly form suddenly transformed into something more tangible, allowing Perseus to decapitate him quickly.
They were getting nowhere. Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and Perseus all fought voraciously, slaying a shedim with every swing of their blade, making every hit count, but there were just so many of them. Like a hydra's head, when one head was chopped off, two more immediately took its place as the shedim seemed to prove the effectiveness of strength in numbers. There was no end to their numbers.
"You all might as well give up now," Lamashtu called out. "This is my home and I have the home field advantage." Perseus could hear Lamashtu's wicked smile permeate on her face permanently as they fled through the passageway to escape the horde of shedim. "You are not hunting me… I am hunting you," she said dramatically.
Then she screamed. The trio were forced to cover their ears or risk permanent hearing loss as the demonic screech permeated through the air. Luckily for them, the shedim seemed to be affected as well, albeit to a lesser extent as their shadowy forms seemed to shiver, releasing miniscule tendrils of dark smoke. Frustrated at the lack of effect, Lamashtu transformed into mist as she teleported away, further into the cave.
"She's still weak," he called out to Gilgamesh and Enkidu, his eardrums ringing as he struggled to maintain his balance. "The salted iron blade she touched weakened her powers. She couldn't have teleported so far. She has to still be in this cave!"
"After her then!" Enkidu bellowed as he tucked in his head and charged forward, his two horns positioned to stab through the nearest shedim who screeched in outrage. Perseus and Gilgamesh soon followed his lead, slicing through the rooster-footed demons with abandon as they traversed the blood-slicked cavern floor. It was a miracle that they didn't slip.
This continued on for several minutes as his ears rang from the rooster cries of the dying demons. Soon, they came across yet another large cavern, this one smaller than the room they were in. As soon as Perseus and Gilgamesh ran through, Enkidu let out a powerful bellow that shook the room as he smashed his fist several times into the wall causing the entrance to the cavern to collapse, preventing the hordes of shedim from coming through.
For now, at least.
The shedim screeched and crowed as they scratched against the rocks that blocked their entrance. If they were smarter creatures, they would use their supernatural strength to break through, but their avian brains weren't that of a crows. They were idiots, born to savage, and so the trio paid them no heed as they paced through the new, unfamiliar cavern. Hopefully, they didn't remember their shadow traveling abilities as well.
Out of the corner of his eye, Perseus sighted movement. He threw up his sword, barely catching Lamashtu's jagged claws as it scraped against the side of his blade. Lamashtu hissed as the claws started to smoke before ducking to avoid Gilgamesh's axe blow. A quick slash and Gilgamesh had doubled over, clutching his bleeding abdomen as the formerly beautiful women transformed back into her lioness-headed form. Lamashtu moved once again, barely dodging Enkidu's rabid charge as he crashed into the cave wall. Perseus charged, but Lamashtu just smacked him away.
"Is Pazuzu serious? Does he respect me so little that he sent you three to kill me? You can barely even touch me, much less kill me." Lamashtu let out a garbled guffaw as she upturned her lion head and shot fire into the ceiling, forcing the trio to look away.
"I am a demon from Hell. The right hand of Lilith. I tear children from the wombs of pregnant women and lead weak men astray with just a knowing glance! And you think you have a chance at stopping me?"
Perseus grasped at his iron sword only for Lamashtu to kick it away from him. Lamashtu lifted the god of snakes up, forcing him to look directly into her eyes as her face morphed from that of a lion to that of a beautiful, young woman.
"To think you call yourself the king of snakes," she said in a sultry tone. Perseus' eyes widened in shock as she forcefully pressed her lips to his. Perseus' hands moved downwards.
When they broke apart, Perseus found himself fighting a force. It was hard to describe, but he felt his mind overwhelmed with thoughts of infatuation, lust, and desire. Lamashtu simply laughed as Perseus slackened briefly. Whatever toxin that Lamashtu had transmitted into the kiss was overwhelming his senses.
"Perseus," Gilgamesh cried out as he grabbed his axe. Lamashtu paid him no heed as she waved her hands. Several shedim emerged from the shadows, these ones larger and more muscular than the ones they had seen before. Enkidu stood by Gilgamesh's side as they watched the shedim warily.
"Stay out of this," Lamashtu called out with mockery as she turned to face them. "I'll get to you lat- Ack!"
Lamashtu dropped Perseus as she clutched her abdomen. Sizzling skin and dripping blood met her gaze as she clutched the hilt of the iron dagger that had embedded itself into her abdomen. Lamashtu's gaze shifted to the drowned god who was slowly rising up. Perseus showed his fangs out as he hissed.
"How?!" Lamashtu screeched as she waved her shedim to attack Gilgamesh and Enkidu before she stalked towards Perseus, tossing out. Perseus simply coughed as he found himself on his knees, his brief moment of willpower being extremely debilitating to his divine energy reserves. He'd barely had time to replenish them after his fight against Gilgamesh, but now it was close to being depleted fighting off this toxin for a brief few moments.
Perseus simply chuckled, before succumbing to a coughing fit. "You clearly haven't fought a god before Lamashtu. We have several tricks up our sleeve." Lamashtu simply glanced at him with a strange, pensive look as if she was looking at him in a new light.
"Of course a snake god would be resistant to toxins," she mumbled in annoyance. "Why wouldn't they! To any lesser being they would have succumbed and collapsed on the floor, allowing me to have my way with them and feast upon their flesh." Lamashtu's eyes faced directly into Perseus' who was starting to rise up again, exhausted, but ready to fight as he drew on the last of his reserves. No more second chances.
"I'll just have to up the dosage," Lamashtu murmured before a victorious yell drew her attention as she witnesses Gilgamesh and Enkidu standing over the dissipating force of the last of their shedim opponents.
"Oh no, whatever will I do," Lamashtu mocked as the duo started to approach her with menacing intent. Lamashtu brought her dainty, clawed hands marred with blood close together as black energy danced between them. With a laugh, she separated her hands revealing a dark, sparkling bolt of energy that she launched at the boulders that had sealed the entrance of the cavern.
Perseus cursed as the trapped shedim started to run after them. This entire exchange felt like a never-ending battle where one minute, they seemed to have the upper hand, but the next minute, Lamashtu would do something that would change the game. She was toying with them, having contingencies for every move they might take.
If they fought the shedim army, Lamashtu would escape justice. If they fought Lamashtu, the shedim army would tear them apart soon after.
He needed to be quick. He needed to be decisive. One strike to end it all. And that called for one thing.
Perseus chuckled darkly as he summoned a sword. Not his pure, enchanted iron sword, but the one made from stygian iron. The sword he only withdrew in the most desperate of circumstances when confronted by a foe who could be killed by no other method. Even a single touch of the blade would see a lesser demon burst into smoke and sent straight back into the abyss. For a demon like Lamashtu, a single touch would negate her demonic abilities for several hours. The sword was as damaging to its opponent as it was to the physical, mental, and spiritual health of its user, but desperate times call for desperate measures. If the blade ate up his divine soul, then so be it.
At least he would have taken Lamashtu down. Revenge for Puabi. Revenge for Lagash. Revenge for his lost pride.
And with that he charged, pushing away his weakness and exhaustion. Lamashtu was taken aback by the sudden movement even as Gilgamesh and Enkidu followed his lead, charging at the demons with their axes. Enkidu's eyes in particular were filled with a darkness that screamed for blood. Lamashtu barely managed to evade the cold touch of stygian iron as she dove to the side to avoid the slash of Perseus' blade.
It didn't save her from Enkidu though as he brought down his axe on a downward arch that aimed directly at her head.
For a split second, Perseus thought they had finally done it as her visage shattered into a shower of black dust as Enkidu's blade connected, but his heart stopped as he heard Lamashtu's laugh permeate through the cavern. She had survived, likely having vanished a split second before the axe connected, using her limited teleportation abilities to escape from danger. They hadn't hit her enough times with the iron blades.
Meanwhile, Gilgamesh found himself as a one-man army against the shedim. He twirled his axe with deft precision and with each blow, several shedim found themselves without heads and arms while others were cut in half. "Will this fight ever end," he shouted at Perseus who simply shook his head in response.
"Enkidu, come with me, Gilgamesh can handle the shedim himself." Gilgamesh spouted curses at Perseus who simply ignored him as he traversed deeper into the cavern. Enkidu looked back briefly, pondering whether or not to disobey Perseus' direction, before deciding against it. The last time he did that, an innocent woman had died. His friend was strong. He'd be able to take care of the demons on his own.
Perseus dismissed his stygian iron sword, sighing in relief as the unearthly cold that came along with possessing the blade left him. In its place appeared his iron sword and dagger. There was no use in potentially losing his soul to the devouring weapon.
"Will Gilgamesh be fine?" Enkidu asked as he ran alongside Perseus. "In his previous life, Gilgamesh was a one-man army. Even when surrounded, his God-given strength and healing factor gave him the ability to survive the onslaught of even the strongest foe. He has a tendency to survive nearly anything, so I'm sure he will be fine." As if to disagree with him, a pained scream echoed through the cavern before it was followed by a roar of anger.
Perseus simply ignored Enkidu's inquiries after that. In a way, it felt poetic that they would be the ones to confront Lamashtu for the final time. Both of them had desires for revenge that greatly exceeded the desires of Gilgamesh. So as they found themselves entering yet another cavern, facing a weakened Lamashtu who was still clutching the bleeding wound in her abdomen, they knew they would be ready.
This was the last stand and it would be a glorious one. "So, are you going to come closer," she mocked as she straightened up. Perseus' eyes narrowed as the sizzling wound knitted itself back together. A veneer of feigned arrogance and strength was expressed by the demoness as she took a step towards him, but it was clear to all that she was struggling to even step up, at least, that's what it appeared to look like. Sweat poured down her lioness face- the fact that she wasn't glamour meant that she didn't want to waste energy. Her breath seemed heavier. Her posture slackened.
Enkidu took in the sight as if he were a predator stalking wounded prey.
A glint appeared in her eye as the wildman charged forward.
"Enkidu, no-" he shouted out in a vain attempt to stop his friend, but it was too late. As the wildman swung his axe at the demoness, she lunged forward and grasped him by the right arm, close enough so that he would have no room to attack her. With a shout and a demonic cackle, her eyes flared a dark red color as she flipped Enkidu over her shoulder and tossed him.
Perseus' eyes widened in horror as Lamashtu stepped away from the entrance of a small hole that had been disguised from him by two large, inconspicuous rocks that Lamashtu had been standing in between.
Looking at the hole, he felt an overwhelming sense of despair clutch his heart, only for it to lighten at the sight of a single hand grasping at the edge.
Lamashtu cackled as she stalked towards Perseus, making the mistake of assuming that Enkidu had already fallen into her voracious portal of damnation.
"You fools! Did you truly think you could defeat me? You are just minor gods! I am a literal demon, a child of the most powerful god in Mesopotamia. I am literally a princess of Hell."
Perseus snorts. "Now, what would Ereshkigal think, huh? Dividing your loyalties between two underworld dimensions. The god flipped his iron knife in his hands before shifting his legs into a better stance, his left arm out ready to block and catch blows while his right arm held the knife in a sideways manner, perfect for stabbing downwards like an icepick.
Lamashtu hisses as she lunged towards him. "You'll join your friend in hell soon enough!" she cackles as her body morphs into her true form.
Perseus dodges quickly as her clawed hands slash towards him, intent on ripping him to shreds. He curses as he feels the splash of golden ichor that had been released from her cuts.
Another slash catches him by the legs, but Perseus ignored the pain as he twirled around on his fallen knees with his knife and embedded it into the demoness' leg. Quickly, he withdrew his sword and leapt up, before he slashed downwards with a heavy two-handed blow.
The demoness rose her hands up to catch the strike, hissing as the iron burnt through the keratin in her fingernails. Perseus withdrew the sword before spinning around and launching another strike which was blocked again by the sharp claws of Lamashtu. The two exchanged blows, neither of them seeing the form of Enkidu emerge from the pit, his face red in anger and his body covered in sweat from the heat of the pit. The wildman rose up from the ground before collapsing. The toll from even being exposed to the heat and dark energy from Hell having whittled away his remaining strength.
Lamashtu screeched as Perseus delivered a solid cut across her stomach. Lamashtu had nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide. Her teleportation abilities were rendered mute by the iron as were many of her normal demonic powers. All she had were her sharp talons, her fangs, and her supernatural strength.
"Do you think you can win? This battle is pointless!" Perseus simply chuckled. This time though, she was weak. He could smell it.
"Sounds like standard villain talk," scoffed Perseus as a tired smile graced his face. It may not be Stygian Iron, but iron was iron and it was working.
"Perseus duck!" shouted a voice behind him. Gilgamesh, Perseus realized as he fell to the floor. A wheezing sound blessed his ears as the sickening crack of metal axe impacting with flesh graced the air.
Finally, caught off guard, Lamashtu's reaction speed had failed her. Her clawed hands clutched the axe buried in her chest as she screamed in pain. The sizzling of the burns sounded like music to Perseus' ears as he approached her with caution.
Nearby, Enkidu rose up. Perseus glanced at Gilgamesh as the 2/3rds god stood by his side, his body caked in scars, presumably from the rooster-footed demons that had afflicted them for so long.
"Let's end this," Gilgamesh growled as he grasped the axe handle and wrenched it from the demoness' chest. She screamed in absolute agony as she convulsed on the ground, blood spewing from her mouth.
"So, what will it be?" Perseus asked the demoness. "Beheading or Hell!"
"Wait," the demoness said in a desperate voice. "Wait, you don't have to kill me. I can give you what Pazuzu couldn't! I can give you the location of your mother!"
Gilgamesh paused, but Perseus' eyes filled with rage as he grasped the injured demoness by the neck.
"I doubt that," he growled as he flung her towards the pit in front of them. A loud scream followed before a great gust of fire flared up from the hole and impacted the ceiling. Perseus' eyes widened as rocks started to fall from the ceiling.
"The hole's closing in on themselves," he yelled to his companions who stood there, wide eyed at the fact that he didn't even try to figure out where his mother was.
Perseus growled as he screamed at them again, breaking them out of their stupor. Together, they fled for their lives as the ceiling started to collapse behind them.
They traversed the blood slicked floors, slicing through any random shedim that had still deigned to stay behind after Lamashtu's fall through hell. As soon as they finally left the accursed cavern, the entrance behind them fell apart creating a large cloud of dust that surrounded the entire area.
For a few minutes, they stood there in shock at the fact that they had actually emerged victorious. Gilgamesh was the first to bellow in victory and he was soon followed by Perseus and Enkidu. They embraced each other as they bounced around in a childish manner for the world to see for they had done what few had done before.
They had killed a demon. They had killed Lamashtu.
No, it was more than that. They had their vengeance. For Puabi, for Shamhat, for the queen of Lagash, for the hundreds of woman who had lost their children and babies to the demoness.
As the celebration died down, Perseus' mouth broke into a wide smile. "Come now, my friends," he said, uncaring that the word friend had left his mouth. They had forged this friendship in the blood of monsters. The Palm Tree King. The Uridimmu. Lamashtu.
These were their victories. And now, nothing would stand in the way of their goals.
At that thought he stared deep into the eyes of the King of Uruk, a man who seemed to have changed in so little time. He'd keep an eye on the king for sure, to make sure that he was changing. The way they had helped each other in these past few battles had forged a bond. Only time would tell if it was an unbreakable one.
He smiled. "It's time to expand your empire."
If it were possible, Gilgamesh's smile seemed to grow wider.
X
"You're late," Shamash said as Perseus found himself standing in the garden of the sun, only a hologram of his true self. Such was the power of dreams.
"Took a small detour to the Mediterranean," he said as he sat cross-legged on the golden grass that was below him. "Had to find some iron."
Shamash inclined his head in acknowledgment. "Well, you've certainly done your job well," he admitted as he stared at Perseus.
"The gods of Mesopotamia are pleased that you've managed to get Gilgamesh and Enkidu to become such close friends. It will only be a matter of time before they see themselves as brothers. They have too much in common not to."
"You have our thanks on that and a small sum of gold has been deposited into your treasury in acknowledgment of that. The rest will be given upon the completion of your task."
Shamash paused before sighing slightly. "Now, we come to the more… damaging parts of this discussion. Your defeat of Lamashtu has spread to the words of many gods and divine creatures. Pazuzu appears to be elated -" Perseus smiled slightly at that, a gesture that didn't go unnoticed by Shamash.
"Enlil is pleased. Ea could care less. Marduk expresses admiration of your feat. Even Nergal has shown interest." Shamash paused. "Also, my sister, Ishtar, has told me that she is considering seeking you out in a bid to seduce you."
Shamash chuckled at the Greek god's horrified expression at the thought. "Don't worry, I won't give her your location, but I doubt that'll stop her for long." A slight gulp echoed from Perseus' mouth as Shamash gave a slight smile. "Your feat has impressed the vast majority of gods. Lamashtu is one of the most terrifying creatures on the planet who has sowed much strife through these lands. Only Pazuzu has successfully driven the demoness away and that's only because he could care less about what her father thinks about him."
Shamash's smile twisted into a frown. "Unfortunately, not all the gods have been so forthcoming in their praise."
Perseus' hand rubbed against his sweat-covered head. "Anu?" he said to the consternation of Shamash who quickly put a finger to his mouth. "Don't say his name," he hissed. "Even here, deep in the bowels of Kur, I would rather not risk him eavesdropping into our conversations." The god of snakes nodded in acknowledgment, his eyebrows terse in an expression of worry.
"Your positive status amongst the gods right now has prevented him from taking any action against you, but that doesn't mean he will forget the fact that you killed his daughter. He can forgive Gilgamesh and Enkidu as they are of our pantheon and, furthermore, he's convinced that it is you who made them go after his precious daughter."
"He will watch and wait and the second you do something out of line, he will pounce on you like a lion on a gazelle." Shamash paused for a second, his golden eyes staring deeply into the green slitted eyes of the god of snakes. "Be very careful about your next moves. If you slight him one more time, he will come after you and he will make his will, law. Not even I can protect you from him."
"You've lit a spark, Perseus. Make sure it doesn't turn into a fire."
Shamash moved to wave his hand to dismiss Perseus, but paused when the god spoke up. "Lord Shamash, did you watch our battle against the Uridimmu in Lagash."
Shamash's head turned sharply at the comment. "What?" he said in shock. "When did this happen! That thing is supposed to be locked up in a cage!"
"A few days before the battle with Lamashtu, it came after us in a small town we were exploring as a possible trap for the demoness. We managed to kill it, but it said some disturbing things."
Perseus paused for a second as Shamash looked at him with intensity. The mercenary took a deep breath before revealing the explosive news.
"It said that Tiamat was reforming."
Shamash exploded with bright light as he bellowed in rage, forcing Perseus to cover his eyes.
"WHAT!" he shouted in an expression mixed with varying amounts of anger, shock, and pure terror."
"You're going to want to get Marduk to start hunting down his former trophies. If the Uridimmu escaped, it's not hard to imagine that the others will follow soon enough. Oh, and the Tablets of Destiny are going to need to be found."
Shamash nodded in agreement as he held his aching head in his hands. "Thank you Perseus for this enlightening conversation. That will be all for today. Continue on with your mission in aiding Gilgamesh and Enkidu by expanding the former's empire and dealing with threats here and there. I will call you if you are needed."
Before the mercenary god could respond, the sun deity waved his hand and Perseus found himself back in his own body.
Sighing intently, Perseus went back to sleep. They'd be arriving in Lagash tomorrow afternoon.
The next day, Perseus, Enkidu, and Gilgamesh started their journey. The latter two joyously proclaimed their victory to any passerby that they happened to come across to their delight. Such propaganda would be useful in garnering support for Gilgamesh's claim to this territory.
Perseus, though, stayed silent as they walked. His mind filled with worry over the future conflicts that might befall him.
"Why are you so worried, Perseus," Gilgamesh asked as he noticed the tense nature of Perseus' shoulders.
"Yeah," interrupted Enkidu. "This is a momentous victory," he called out enthusiastically as he threw his hands up in the air in celebration. "We should celebrate! With food! Wine! Women! And more wine!"
Perseus flicked out his tongue as he let out a minor hiss. His eyes shifted from left to right as if he were waiting for an ambush to occur at any moment. He was paranoid and for good reason. Anu was not a god to be trifled with and they had just killed his daughter.
After a few moments, he spoke up. "Yes…." he grudgingly acknowledged. "This is a momentous occasion that should be celebrated. We've defeated Lamashtu, started laying the groundwork for the eventual conquest of Lagash for Gilgamesh's burgeoning empire…. But"
"But?" asked Gilgamesh.
"We just killed the daughter of Anu, and like I've been saying before, the gods don't take kindly to such slights."
Perseus' eyes narrowed. "One of us will be cursed by the sky god at a time where he will encounter the least opposition. Most likely me since the two of you are the beloved creations of this pantheon whereas I am a foreign god and technically your caretaker. The blood of Lamashtu is on my hands."
Perseus took a deep breath. "Anu will punish me. It's not a question of if, but when. He will bind his time. He is cunning, just like my uncle, Zeus, and he will not hesitate to attack me when I am at my weakest."
"Your weakest?" spoke Enkidu questioningly. "But what honor is there-"
"There is no honor!" Perseus snapped. "At its very core, honor is a made up trait that serves to make living beings feel good about themselves. It is a trait whose sole goal is to limit the other side."
"Here's a lesson for you two," he said in a slightly mournful tone as his mind drifted back to moments in his past as various events flashed before his eyes.
"Those who espouse the most about the importance of honor in an individual and in society are the ones who are the most likely to toss it aside the first chance they get."
"The problem with honor is that it is made with the expectation that the other side will adhere to similar rules. That assumption has been the death of many a nation."
"Heed my warning, Gilgamesh and Enkidu. Honor may be good, in small amounts for propagandistic purposes and for ensuring law and order, but on the battlefield…."
Perseus took a deep breath as haunting images flashed through his mind of various betrayals.
"On the battlefield, anything goes. It doesn't matter if one is a god, monster, or a person, there is nothing more important than winning through whatever means necessary."
'It doesn't matter if you assassinate a leader the day before the battle or retreat whilst using slash and burn tactics on your land to ensure that the enemy army finds nothing to eat. You do whatever it takes to win."
Perseus sat back as he calmed down from his rant. Gilgamesh and Enkidu stood there silently, the former, having experienced some of what Perseus had said in his own life, nodded his head in agreement. The latter stood shell-shocked as his view of the world changed once again.
That was good. Enkidu would soon be out of his little shell of innocence. Soon, he would know how the world worked.
"In any case," Perseus muttered loudly as he rested his head against the wall. "All I can do is wait and see and hope to Zeus that I will be prepared for whatever punishment Anu comes up with."
"Was it worth it," Enkidu asked tentatively. Perseus looked him straight in the eye as his thoughts flared to the dead body of Puabi and her young, innocent baby.
"Yes," he said softly. Perseus couldn't help, but feel slightly surprised as his eyes grew wet and let out a tiny stream of tears that ran down his face. "Yes, it was."
Sorry for the extremely long wait. University has been hectic this past semester, but I'm glad I finally got this chapter out.
Komur Han: Not much is known about this god of evil except the fact that he is one of the Karaoglanlar or "black boys" of Turkic mythology who are the sons of the god of evil, Erlik. Erlik, whose face appears to be part pig in the Wikipedia image, is considered to be the counterpart of the creator god Ulgen and rules the underworld, Tamag.
Shedim: The shedim are rooster-footed demons from Jewish mythology. Among their number, or possibly their leader, is the demon Asmodeus. According to some texts, evidence of their presence could be found in the morning if one had surrounded their bed with ashes, allowing for their footprints to appear despite the fact that the demons themselves were invisible and took to the shadows. They could also be seen if a person had sprinkled their eyes with the ashes of a black cat. Some accounts list them as the children of Adam and his first wife, Lilith.
Lilith: The first wife of Adam who left him because she refused to be the bottom partner during sex thanks to the symbolism that it meant Adam was superior to her rather than them being equals to each other. Among the legends regarding her is that, following the death of Abel, Adam left Eve for 130 years during which he fathered various demons with Lilith.