Hakuno was having breakfast with Gilgamesh and Enkidu when the ground quaked beneath them.
Gilgamesh released a few choice words when the ground stilled. "What in the name of the underworld was that!?"
Enkidu had a far-away look, their mouth drawn into a frown. "Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?" asked Hakuno. She had to consciously pry her fingers off of the table, the indent pressed into her hand.
A solider rushed into the room. "My King, my Queen, come quickly." Hearing the desperation in the soldier's voice, the three of them got up and followed the solider to the front of the palace. The palace itself was built on raised land so it overlooked the city and the wall surrounding the city.
Despite the distance and the height of the wall, Hakuno had a clear view of a golden bull-like creature snorting and stomping from beyond the wall. It look to be a normal sized animal from this distance and she feared how tall it would be when she was standing next to it. Dark clouds covered the sky and it seemed like the clouds were surrounding the monster as well.
She turned to Gilgamesh, clear on what she thought of an obvious "god-like" creature on their doorstep that probably was here due to her husband's poor decision from yesterday.
"Okay, this is not my fault and it might not even be related to her." Gilgamesh turned to the solider and began barking orders to get the army assembled and out attacking the giant bull.
Trying to ignore her right now huh? Hakuno focused on the matter at hand and began running through the tablets in her mind. Did any of them mention a giant bull? Not that she could think of.
"Hakuno, you stay here, we'll be right back," said Enkidu.
"Huh?" Hakuno snapped to attention and grabbed both Gilgamesh's and Enkidu's arm before they could escape from her. "Oh no you two don't. You are not going to leave me behind."
"But Hakuno, it's going to be dangerous," protested Enkidu.
"There's no way I'm going to let my Queen near that thing…that did not happen because it was my fault," Gilgamesh added quickly.
"And there is no way I am letting the two of you go towards that thing without a plan," she replied curtly. "I have the feeling both of you were going to run at that thing without a plan and try to wrestle it to death or something else that will be ridiculously ineffective."
Based on the looks they gave each other, it was obvious that was their plan.
Of course it was.
Hakuno took a deep breath. All she wanted to do right now was find Elutil and make sure Nungal was alright. She couldn't though. She was Queen and her people were in trouble right now. At least she knew Elutil knew the procedures and would go into hiding at the first sign of trouble. Hakuno had also instructed Shub to find them as well. If anything happened to Elutil, Shub was the person Hakuno trusted to make sure her son stayed safe.
"Obviously this is not a problem we can face head on. Gil, I know you have the habit of buying the most randomest of things that catch your eye. Do you have anything that can help?" Hakuno remembered Ekur complaining about it a few weeks back that Gilgamesh had taken over a whole room of random treasures and he had moved into another space that could have been turned into a library.
"My treasures all have value of some kind!" he retorted. "But I can think of something that might help. I remember it had a mystical quality to it."
Hakuno grabbed the nearest slave and asked him to find Urash and to send him to the treasure room. Having someone with some knowledge of magic would be best in this situation.
The trio moved quickly, all realizing time was of the essence. Hakuno knew Gilgamesh was thinking of the soldiers he had sent out to fight the bull. It was obvious they were just there to distract the monster, the might of it obviously too much for mere mortals to handle.
"I heard you wanted my slave boy." Ekur was waiting for them outside the treasure room arms crossed. Urash was next to him, hands on his knees, wheezing for air.
"Do not get started with me too, I've already gotten an earful from Hakuno already," groaned Gilgamesh.
"I will not because obviously we do not have time for that," replied Ekur.
"What are we looking for in here Gil?" Enkidu stepped into the throne room and made a face. Hakuno had to agree with that sentiment. Yes, Gilgamesh liked collecting treasures and things and Hakuno was fine with that. It was just, his organizational skills were sorely lacking.
"We're looking for a way to stop that murderous bull," Hakuno explained to Urash. "Gil says he remembers he has something that might work."
"From what I recall it was on the left side…" Gilgamesh waded through a collection of swords, shields and potion bottles.
"A way to stop the bull…" Urash glanced thoughtfully to the left. "You mean to use the chain?"
Gilgamesh's head shot up and he glared at the slave boy. "How did you know that?" he growled.
Ekur stepped protectively in front of the boy. "My King," he warned slowly.
Now not in the view of the King, Urash rolled his eyes before focusing on Hakuno. "It's lit up like a beacon in this room. Plenty of objects in here exhibit a magical aura but that one is the second most powerful item in here."
"Second most?" repeated Hakuno in surprise.
Urash glanced to the back of the room and grimanced.
Interesting. Now Hakuno was beginning to wonder what kind of objects her husband kept in here.
But first, the matter at hand. "Can you find the chain then?"
Urash nodded. "If the King would allow me?"
"Go ahead but if you take something…"
With hesitation, Urash waded into the left side of the room and pushed aside a plate of armor and picked up an end of a thick silver chain that ended in a gold and black blade. He gave it a sharp tug but was unable to drag the rest of it out.
"Here, I'll do it." Enkidu took the chain from Urash and with a mighty pull drew out lengths, and lengths of chain from the pile. They grimanced and looked down at it. "I can feel the power in this."
Hakuno had to agree. Even from where she was standing, the power that seemed to emit from the chain made her hair stand on end. Also from looking at the chain itself, the length seemed wrong somehow. Like it was getting longer and shorter on its own.
"See?" Gilgamesh said smugly. "That has to help."
"Do you know what it can do?" asked Hakuno.
"I cannot say exactly but I think this is a weapon that can be used against the gods," said Urash. "Like it has the power to hold back creatures of immense strength." He shook his head, like he had been concentrating hard. "I feel like it will have power against the bull."
"I know that look in your eye, Hakuno you have a plan don't you?" Enkidu perked up.
She nodded. "Alright, this is the plan…"
The bull-like monster looked more imposing when one was standing near its giant golden hooves.
From where they were standing, Enkidu could not even see its head. What they could see though was the carnage around the monster. The broken bodies of the soldiers of Uruk that threw themselves at the monster to slow it down. There had to be close to three hundred bodies out here.
They were grateful that they were able to convince Hakuno to stay behind at the palace. Of course, that came with the promise that the two of them would drag their broken bodies back to her if they had to.
They glanced to their right where Gilgamesh stood, one end of the chain wrapped tight around his arm. Hakuno had mentioned the chain looked weird and Enkidu had to agree. For some reason it was hard to tell how long the chain actually was despite Gilgamesh holding both ends. "Well this is going to be fun," he said, looking up at the giant monster with a wide grin. "Punching that Huwawa creature will be nothing compared to this."
Enkidu did not know if they should feel assured or worried about Gilgamesh's confidence in them being able to do this.
Gilgamesh handed the other end of the chain to them. Enkidu wrapped it around their arm. At first they were thinking of holding it in their mouth but the risk of cutting themselves as high and they would rather not lose teeth because it got yanked out of the mouth.
"Be careful Gil."
"You as well."
Enkidu took a deep breath and ran towards the bull. Gilgamesh was right next to them. When they reached the beast's leg, they diverted paths. Enkidu felt the part of the forest still within them and took a might leap and landed on the bull's golden leg. Their finger and toe nails were longer, and they sunk into the bull's leg, keeping Enkidu in place on the body.
Like Hakuno predicted the creature was so big it did not even notice Enkidu was on it. Its focus was on Gilgamesh, who was running around the feet, the chains tangling them together.
Enkidu had to move fast before Gilgamesh got crushed.
They focused on their own task. Ripping their nails out of the creature's body, Enkidu began scaling the beast. As they ran up the leg, they became aware of a shift in their body. The usual human proportions were shifting so the legs and arms were the same length. The song of the forest, the wolves that raised them that side sang in their veins.
Enkidu let out a howl as they raced around the body, wrapping the chains whichever way they could. They ran through the ribcage, flew out towards one of its back legs before looping around back to the ribcage. Again, over, and over again, Enkidu ran this way and that, the chain never growing taunt, never running out.
Soon though, it was time. Enkidu could feel the bull moving under them. It was trying to move towards Uruk. It shook its body as if trying to get rid of the beast on it and the loose chains surrounding it.
Enkidu did not know if Gilgamesh finished the work on the ground but there was no time to waste. They could not let this monster into the city!
They ran to the back of the bull and jumped off, grabbing the bony tail on the way down to slow the descent. The chain grew taunt in Enkidu's grip. The bull's legs locked together and it crashed to the ground, the resounding earthquake knocking Enkidu off their feet.
"Well that was unpleasant," growled Gilgamesh as he walked over to Enkidu. He was bruised and battered but looked more annoyed than anything else. "Although I have to say I am enjoying this chain thing a lot. I should probably use it more in the future." He gave another sharp tug to the end wrapped around his arm and the chains around the bull constricted more.
Enkidu was not sure but it seemed like the bull was making a screeching noise. A cry of pain? Of course they did not feel bad for it. It attacked and killed the people of Uruk. It hurt the people that Gilgamesh and Hakuno were in charge of.
"I think you need to be grateful to Urash for telling you how these chains work. And I think holding back gods is not the only thing it can do." Enkidu gave a tug on their end and the restraints on the bull tightened further.
Gilgamesh's expression told Enkidu the chance of that happening were incredibly low. Well, if Gilgamesh treated Urash better due to this, then that would be an improvement.
"Go get my Queen, we have the bull contained!" Gilgamesh called back to the soldiers waiting by the gate into the city. While Gilgamesh and Enkidu were fighting the bull, they were on standby. If, on the off chance the King and ur-sal were to fall in battle, the soldiers were to rush into the city and escort the citizens of Uruk to safety. Of course, Hakuno and Nungal were the main priority.
"I'm already here." Hakuno stepped out from behind the soldiers.
"I knew you two would be able to handle it. And I did wait until the city proper until the bull had fallen before walking out." Hakuno gave Gilgamesh a look before he could protest to why she should be back in the palace.
"But Hakuno, it might have been dangerous," protested Enkidu.
Hakuno stepped up next to them and patted Enkidu on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I was careful. Besides, if I was waiting at the palace, I doubt Gil would be able to wait long enough for me to arrive."
"Of course I could!" Gilgamesh tugged on his end of the chain and the bull let out a moan of pain as the chains tightened around it.
"Uh huh," Hakuno replied slowly. "Enkidu, can you make sure Gil doesn't pull on the chain too much? We do not want the bull to die. And remember, please stay quiet Gil, this is an incredibly dangerous and sensitive situation we are going to be in."
Enkidu nodded and stepped closer to Gilgamesh.
Gilgamesh frowned but thankfully he did not tug on his end of the chain again.
Hakuno took a deep breath. Who knew when she married Gilgamesh she would end up attempting to parlay with a goddess. "Ishtar!" she called out. "I know you are here somewhere, watching us. I would like to speak with you." She nodded to Enkidu who gave a sharp tug on their end of the chain.
The bull cried out in protest as the chains tightened further.
A moment passed.
And then another.
An unnaturally beautiful woman seemed to appear out of thin air before Hakuno. Her eight star-pendant and the frustration on her face made it clear on who this being was.
Hakuno dropped into a low bow. "I am sorry for getting your attention in this way Queen of the Heavens. Your power is great and vast and you unleashed this monstrous bull upon us due to the transgression of my King and I beg you for your forgiveness in the matter."
It wasn't much of a plan but it was better than nothing. Based on the stories of Ishtar in the tablets, she was not the type to forgive and forget. Hakuno knew if she let Gilgamesh and Enkidu kill this monstrous bull, Ishtar's temper would flare and they would be in a worse place than before.
"So you were the one he chose instead of me?" Ishtar gave Hakuno a once over. "You are an ugly thing aren't you?"
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Enkidu's hand clamp down on Gilgamesh's arm. She had a sense of déjà vu from the encounter with Huwawa. Only this time, there was no way they could kill Ishtar.
"Of course I am nothing compared to you oh great Ishtar." Hakuno kept her eyes on the ground, careful to only watch Ishtar out of her peripherals. "However, please grant us mercy. The main temple dedicated to you is here, in Uruk. Destroying it with the bull would be a detriment to your great power and your followers would weep at the loss of the place to worship your might."
Was she going too far? Maybe. But desperate times called her to pull out all the stops.
"Yes, the loss of my main temple would be a problem. However, you, King of Uruk have shamed me with your foul words. Perhaps I should strike down this Queen of yours where she stands in punishment of your sin?"
"Don't you dare!" snarled Gilgamesh, his hands balling into fists. "I will kill your monstrous bull and then come for your head if you lay a finger on her."
Enkidu gave a hard yank on the chain and the bull screech as the chains tightened.
Hakuno took a shaky breath. Gods, this was not a good situation, not at all. She wanted to move away from the goddess that was obviously shimmering in her anger, but she knew if she did anything, Ishtar would take it as a sign of aggression and destroy Hakuno where she stood. Or perhaps just standing here was going to invoke Ishtar's wrath. Both not good situations to be in.
Suddenly a dog's howl seemed to break up the tension building in the air. The hair on the back of Hakuno's neck stood on end.
"I was not going to make my presence known but you, sister of mine, forced me to show my hand." A woman appeared behind Hakuno. Her black hair was curled into waves, an elaborate headpiece covering the top of her head. Her long dress had a pattern of waves and stars along with symbols of dogs. By the woman's feet was a dog. A large beast, its head coming up to Hakuno's waist, the fur having a golden sheen.
Hakuno knew this woman. No, this goddess. "Great Healer Gula," she whispered in shock.