Clay that molds the essence of imagination into shapes. Clay that rises upon the antiquity of man to form culture. And clay molded in legend to be the origin point of man crafted by the Gods.

A basic material, it was arguably a center point of civilization.

From the Golden Authority that stretched down upon the lit horizon, and the booming voice that echoed through the air, new clay sprung forth from the Earth to create a vessel at Enkidu's behest.

Expression softening, Enkidu whispered with clenched fists against the beast of the Gods, Guglanna, that had stood at the precipice of his own end.

"Friend," Enkidu implored with faithful reminiscence. "Let us fight once more."

Divine Authority pulsed with an arrogant luster.

The forming clay at Enkidu's back amalgamated and condensed, shaping itself from the feet up. Regal tipped sabatons formed first, followed up by greaves, fan-plates, poleyn, cuisse, and a flowing tasset. Then came the upper armour, the plankart, rerebrace, breastplate, pauldrons, vambraces, and gauntlets. In the place of the head, the helm was missing, but a face with closed eyes was molded into the clay.

Colourless at first, the descent of Golden authority rapidly gave life to the vessel. From the legs up, the armour took on a golden hue, the flowing tasset shifting into a noble crimson, and the inner lining of the armour became black. The face came to life thereafter; golden locks were swept back, and an expression steepled with pride and scorn adorned his features. It was the crimson intensity of the eyes however, that was the most piercing.

Shirou fell mute within his out of body experience under Enkidu's control. He recognized the face all too well, but others were more vocal.

"There's only one person Lord Enkidu would call friend…!" Erica bit her lower lip, seeing what had just happened. She was trapped under Persues's Authority, but it didn't mean she was blind. "Gilgamesh!"

Heretic God Gilgamesh, the First of Heroes, King of Uruk, and the precursor to mankind's failed separation of the Gods in this world.

Separated by several miles, the pair of crimson eyes still appeared able to notice Erica's rude exclamation. For a mongrel to dare call the King's name without due title was grounds for punishment, but a more pressing issue focused the King's attention.

Guglanna's towering figure couldn't be ignored. In fact, its ferocity had only intensified at Gilgamesh's descent.

Crossing his arms, Gilgamesh uttered a single name as he hovered beside his one and only friend.

"…Ishtar?"

"Ishtar." Enkidu nodded with certainty, ignoring the way Gilgamesh hummed while assessing everything.

In the scenes further behind, Gilgamesh silently observed all in a fleeting instant. Mankind who fought the Gods uncaring of their weakness, and an adversary they stood no chance of defeating. Even now as Enkidu had stalled Guglanna on his own, the men of the local magic cabals hadn't given up their resolve despite Enkidu no longer augmenting them with his Authority. It was sure death, but as if unable to stand that travesty, Godou had thrown himself back into the fray.

Grudgingly, Gilgamesh came to a decision after Enkidu glanced at him.

"I'll allow it." Gilgamesh said, clicking his tongue.

Stretching an arm forward, numerous ripples formed in the air above the area Perseus and the others were fighting. Quickly, Perseus's expression darkened as his amalgamation of Marduk understood the implication from that time several centuries ago.

"Gate of Babylon."

The world's first treasury said to hold all the world's valuables opened.

For a moment, the fighting paused as Godou froze, Marduk growled, and the men of the local magic cabals balked in wonder.

From the rippling portals, crafted artillery-like weapons emerged, able to be manned in pairs of two. The design was simple, but the potent magic tied to the Golden King was unmistakable. The base of the structure was large, while a jewel like tip protruded from the end. Near the base, a loading port made it possible to ready the weapon with make-shift arrows.

"Melammu Dingirs (The King's Signal Cannons)."

Gilgamesh's voice resounded through the crackling of Guglanna's lightning in the distance.

"Mongrels, I will give you your chance!"

A wave of magic energy pushed all the surviving men from the magic capable away from Persues's reach, leaving only Godou to fend for himself. The magic didn't stop there. Inexplicably, the survivors found themselves by the Dingirs, still holding their weapons of clay made by Enkidu. Though made of clay, they were weapons that could match even those of Gilgamesh's vault.

"Harness and concentrate your belief, and turn it into a force of rebellion!"

The Dingir's shone, Marduk's eyes growing savage as his persona of Perseus whistled for his Pegasus. However, Godou would not let him leave, his battle instinct screaming at him that this was a turning point.

"Load the arrows!" Gilgamesh's voice echoed through the ears of all.

Broken out of their stupor, many of the men of the local magic cabals noticed the entry slot by the sides of the Dingirs. One would insert the arrows, and the other would stand next to the Dingir's purple jewel and aim with a level that shifted the position on a vertical and horizontal axis.

Swallowing, and noting that Enkidu was standing calmly next to the new Heretic God that had descended, mankind would trust the friend who never failed to fight with them.

["Man, the stations and aim!"]

["Load the clay weapons, more are emerging from the earth from Enkidu's grace!"]

["On it!"]

["Rotating and aligning!"]

All at once, the men took their positions and set their unwavering sights on a flustered Perseus. The magecraft born through human hands at this instance unraveled the truth of mankind's independence from the Gods. Let it be the fuel for the future.

"Show them the power that comes with an iron will and resolve! Let it flood the earth!"

The Dingir's shone. Able to be remotely controlled by Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes did no such thing. Rather, he used the ability of the Dingirs to convert human conviction into force to power the king's cannons.

"Fire!"

The order was given with a voice that was tinged with a hint of approval.

Systematic bombardment began from then on, covering the area surrounding Godou and Perseus in a cloud of thick dust. Flashing purple cannon fire continued to flicker relentlessly as Gilgamesh's side profile hardened at others using his treasures. But the King bore the brunt of his reluctance.

Shirou had never seen such a side to the King of Heroes he knew. Tolerance? It was almost surreal. To make his presence small to prevent conflict, Shirou finally stopped struggling and gave Enkidu full control against Guglanna.

Once more, two friends stared down the beast that marked their separation.

Yet a battle already fought once before, would not last long. The key to defeat the adversary, the answer, was already known.

As it was stated in legend, it would be so in reality fuelled by the authority of fate.

In a battle in which Gilgamesh and Enkidu stood against Guglanna, the Epic of Gilgamesh foretold the conclusion.

Destined victory.

This time would be different.

The King refuses to accept loss and begins with the weapon that would end it all.

"Awaken, Ea." From Gilgamesh's hand, a world opened, the hilt of a sword pushing forth like a drawn sheath. "A fitting stage has been set!"

Grabbing the hilt, Gilgamesh drew forth a cylindrical sword whose black blade was cut into three counter spinning axels. Red patterns adorned the metal, the guard fashioned in lustrous gold.

Glancing at Gilgamesh, Enkidu smirked before harnessing his Authority into a towering flame. This time things really would be different.

A deluge of chains fell from Enkidu's robes and splayed out all around him. Nodding once, Enkidu took to the skies, the clinking of interlocked chains echoing behind him.

"I will become the chains that bind Authority."

Glowing with verdant green light, the chains anchored to Enkidu began to rapidly enlarge with him at the center forming the tip of a blade.

Without hesitation, the chains dove towards Guglanna who raised its mighty hoof and stamped down. Wind and lightning exploded forth, but the chains were undeterred. Trampled underfoot, the chains did not lose strength, but began to weave itself round and round Guglanna's right leg.

"I am the King that stood upon the end of an era."

Gilgamesh dismissed the upper portion of his armour, revealing flaring red tribal markings that marked his heritage as three-fourths God, one fourth Man. Muscles rippling with each movement, Gilgamesh brandished Ea up high.

The sight caused Guglanna's pupils to dilate, and its resistance to increase several folds.

It knew.

It knew exactly what was coming and written in legend.

Without hesitation, it tried to retreat into the clouds surrounding its body, but the chains that wound around its right leg steepled movement.

"Clay that transcends mortal limits."

As more Authority was imbued into the chains, they grew tighter and tighter, rapidly constricting upwards and tossing Guglanna's off balance. Numerous other chains formed from clay then sprouted from the ground, pushing Guglanna up into the air.

"An epic that stands the test of time."

Gilgamesh let out a breath, the axels on Ea's blade rapidly rotating to produced a vacuum of red-tinged wind creating a vortex.

"No adversary is our equal."

Gilgamesh opened and closed his eyes, the fury of the despair he'd once felt at his friend's passing converting into his rage.

"Bull of the Gods, do you remember that day?"

Gulganna mooed. Kicking with its hind legs and shaking the ornamental bells adorning its horns, it produced a storm of lightning that did little to the clay chains binding it.

"Though the wrath of thunder and lightning may strike from the distant sky."

Enkidu's body converted into the largest chain that wrapped itself around Guglanna's neck.

"Man will move forward. That was the King's decree! That was mankind's determination!"

Gilgamesh raised Ea up, the skies rupturing into the void that depicts the beginning of creation.

"Look up and behold!"

"Judgement is upon you!"

Gilgamesh flared the full brunt of his Authority, channelling it all into his sword.

Panicking, Guglanna's muscles bulged. The hairs of its pelt bristled as sheer magic energy coursed through its body without end. Chains began to shatter, breaking, and converting back into ordinary clay, but not all was lost.

"Mother's lament." Enkidu coughed, the damage to the chain reflecting on his main body, yet Enkidu would never let go.

Just as in the past, so too to the present.

"Childhood's end." Gilgamesh stared up at the bull suspended in the air by the chains crafted by the hands of the Gods.

"To the earth!" Enkidu braced himself as Guglanna mooed and thrashed.

"To the Heavens!" Gilgamesh declared, all focus shifting to attack.

"A new star is born!" / "A new star is born!"

Unbreakable chains that bind fast to the strongest divinity.

And a sword of Rupture swung that symbolized the principle of origin that could tear apart the world.

"ENUMA!"

Both sung as one.

"ELISH!"

/-/

The lower realm of mortals was crying, the skies died blood red and cracking before a shockwave reverberated ceaselessly.

Remnants of a towering bull could be seen in the clouds, but its head and half of its body had been erased from existence. With a mighty shudder, the rest of the corpse buckled and collapsed into a shower of golden motes of sand that faded in the wind.

Seeing this in the distance, Perseus's expression twisted horribly, but it was a bit different for Shirou and the others of the mortal plane.

Although Guglanna was felled, there was still the matter of the Heretic God that had descended.

Putting away Ea, Shirou became keenly aware that Gilgamesh was staring right at him as Enkidu reverted from chains into human form.

It was finally time to address a certain matter.

With glaring eyes, Gilgamesh stared at 'Enkidu,' his own wisdom seeing through the deception.

"Mongrel-"

"Gill." Enkidu saw it coming a mile away.

Gilgamesh froze mid-sentence, staring blankly at his vessel formed from clay.

"Am I that bad, Enkidu?" Gilgamesh asked, his vessel gradually crumbling away into pieces of clay at Enkidu's whim.

"Yes." Enkidu rasped, exhausted from overtaxing himself but more than aware of his friend's personality. "At least the you now would have Siduri nursing her head."

It was a plain barbed shot that was nothing else than the truth, and yet Gilgamesh was for from offended.

"Fwuahahah!" Gil laughed, putting the matter of as he slipped into reminiscence. "Indeed, the arrogance of that woman who would dare advise on me on my own matters. Very well. I will watch this comedy from above, this clay body was adequate."

Gilgamesh soon focused back on Shirou, and Shirou knew it.

"Hmph." Gilgamesh addressed Shirou with a trace of scorn. "Be relieved that your king is merciful. Had it been anyone else Enkidu did not acknowledge…this would not be ending here. Oh and-"

Gilgamesh suddenly paused, putting his hand through a portal leading into his treasury and tossing Enkidu a beating heart tainted with demonic essence.

Gilgamesh nodded before pointing to an obscure point in the sky.

"Make it count."

Gilgamesh then crumbled into pieces of clay dust, his Authority returning to the Divine Realm, but leaving his Dingirs behind for mortal use. For those who deemed worthy humans.

Staring at the heart in dumbfoundment, Shirou had no idea what he would use it for, but Enkidu was different.

"…As if I'd ever miss."

Tired and far from peak condition, Enkidu began floating once more.

The battle was far from won.

If there's a pet, then there's a master.

-Moments prior.

/-/

Amid the turbulent clouds, Ishtar lounged on a floating boat in the shape of a large bow, but quickly found that she could no longer do so.

Everything had been going so well too. She'd even managed to form a cooperative tie with Perseus due to his aspect as Marduk, and his indolence regarding Ishtar. All she sought out for was entertainment and the pursuit of love. If that meant turning a continent into a hovel of prostitution and kinks, then she was all for it. However, more than anything, her interest towards 'true love' was the sweetest kind of treat.

At first it had just been a passing glance from a person that coincidentally picked up one of her seashell's as Aphrodite, but that quickly changed when she caught a glimpse of something truly delectable.

One-sided affection, jealousy, competitive spirit, it was all there bundled up in a shell of insecurity and guilt known as Arturia Pendragon.

Ishtar licked her lips, drooling while resisting the urge to stalk on the love story. Right now, she had other matters regarding the elimination of Campione that would surely impede her activities if left unattended.

Seeing Enkidu around had been enough of a shock, but this was different.

"Damn Goldie," Ishtar gnashed her teeth as she sensed Gilgamesh's descent. Her prized Guglanna was in danger.

Ishtar moved to intervene, but the hoot of an owl obstructed her as Athena and Arturia appeared under the light of a full moon.

"Knowest mine shame, kin of the past?"

Athena's long silver hair gleamed in the moonlight, her ethereal features captivating in their splendor. Meanwhile, Arturia wore armour and an Authority Ishtar could only glare at she remembered being kicked out of Arturia's dreamscape by that very sword's energy.

Still, before Arturia, Ishtar recognized Athena as the bigger danger.

"Hello, dear sister. Speaking in the old tongue I see." Ishtar giggled, a hand covering her mouth before her expression turned icy. "I wonder why?"

Both Goddesses knew damn well why.

Already it was too much for Athena to bear. It was only by virtue of Arturia being the only one present that Athena finally let it all go. It didn't matter what she said anymore because of Aphrodite's damn curse so long as the point got through.

"With mine own hands, I will fuck you." (Kill you.)

Athena was beyond caring anymore, ignoring Arturia's gobsmacked expression as she summoned her scythe and held it in a vice-like grip.

"I welcome you to try," Ishtar was now glaring.

Arturia glanced back and forth between the Goddesses with sheer confusion.

Athena's lip twitched, her Authority spiking in the form of divine energy. The hissing of serpents echoed through the air, concealed by the hooting of ephemeral owls.

"Cum, and I will fill your bitch hole all the way through with the sharp end of my scythe." (Come and I will pierce you from the bottom up with my scythe.)

"Oooh, kinky." Ishtar raised her own divine energy up in response to Athena, but kept a constant eye on the situation with Guglanna. Sadly, provocation was not the way to go about stalling with Athena who'd had enough of everything.

"You're fucked." (You're dead.) Athena's eyes grew dead cold. "Utterly fucked." (I will end you.)

Turning to Arturia, Athena brought Arturia forward, urging her to take a battle stance. Athena had seen Arturia use a sword before and knew that if Arturia could combine the Authority Shirou gave her with her swordsmanship, then Ishtar could not take her lightly.

"Arthenia, you will help me fuck her." (Arthenia, follow my lead.)

"W-What?" Arturia squeaked.

S-She didn't come for that kind of fight!

Sorry for delays, I hit my head by accident when I was out playing basketball with friends, and it was hard to focus on a screen. I missed a hard pass and took it with my temple instead, and I wasn't feeling good for the rest of the day.

Thanks for reading, and thanks to my newest patrons: George Z and rayne N!

Free web novel :[The Apostate in Grim Fantasy] (For those that asked, the web novel is available on webnovel and the patron main page, please leave a review if you'd like! The goal is 10 to show a rating)

Next update: To be announced

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