Ananu was very unconscious, and Gilgamesh knew this.
But he still couldn't control his emotions when he heard Ananu ask in a trembling voice, "How long will it take to find Enkidu?"
He couldn't help but lower his head, stumbled suddenly, his weak body swayed, and finally stood firm.
Snap.
He stepped on a stone.
His somewhat distracted eyes focused on it.
That's a rocky beach.
Stone beach by the sea.
He was stunned, stood up straight, and looked into the distance.
What caught his eyes was the blue-grey sea.
Huge waves were raging, white waves were beating against the table, and the sea breeze and ocean currents were roaring together.
This is the sorrow of the Mother Goddess, the anger of the Mother Goddess.
The mother goddess Tiamat was killed by the Anunnaki gods, but her existence itself will never be erased. She is salt water, and she will always exist in the endless sea.
Gilgamesh looked at his mother, his legs weakened, and he knelt down in front of Tiamat.
But he will not lay his head on the ground and kiss the Mother Goddess.
Because he was carrying his only remaining best friend on his back.
But now, a huge problem is placed in front of Gilgamesh.
How should he go to the gate of the underworld on the sea?
If he were alone, he would cut wood on the shore, make a raft, and cross the sea in the huge waves.
However, he will not let go of Ananu now, nor can he let go of Ananu.
Enkidu entrusted him with the complete Lock of Heaven, and Enkidu's aura still remained in his body. If he hadn't been greedy for this aura, Ananu would have been unable to hold on, and Enkidu Returned to the dust.
So he absolutely cannot let go of Ananu.
But--
How to cross the sea?
Gilgamesh looked at the blue-grey sea and stood on the shore in a daze, at a loss.
Wow——
The water flow appeared without warning.
Gilgamesh looked underneath him.
It was a clear spring that wrapped around his legs, allowing him to float slowly.
Nanshe?
Gilgamesh looked back.
The goddess with tears in her eyes stood behind her at some point, holding her hands up.
Gilgamesh understood immediately.
Nanshe, help yourself cross the sea.
He knew from the beginning that this goddess who had tied her love to Ananu but could never get this feeling was following him.
Ishtar helped him cross the vast land, and now Nanshe will help him cross the deep sea.
Gilgamesh looked at Nanshe as if he wanted to say something.
Nan She shook her head.
She raised her head, not letting tears fall from the corners of her eyes, and just looked at the sky, gritted her teeth, and pushed forward with both hands.
Gilgamesh was pushed away by Nanshe towards the island at the entrance to the underworld, and moved away bit by bit, away from the sea and away from Nanshe.
Nanshe's divine power will protect him and Ananu all the way to the entrance to the underworld.
Nanshe himself stayed on the beach.
She looked at Ananu who was walking away. The tired body that had been walking finally couldn't hold on anymore and fell softly on the stone beach.
"Ah, Mother Goddess Tiamat"
She kissed the stone beach sadly.
"Why, why did this happen to me?"
"I fell in love with him, but fate made him die"
"Ananu, Ananu"
Salty tears flowed into an even saltier sea.
The Mother Goddess tolerates everything and listens to everything, but she can only tolerate and listen.
The goddess sat on her knees on the deserted stone beach, looking at the direction in which the person she loved was leaving, shedding tears silently, unwilling to go away for a long time.
Surrounded by the spring water with Nanshe's divine power, Gilgamesh felt the water mist around him, and his eyelashes trembled slightly.
How long has he been walking on the sea like this?
Not sure.
However, the sun has risen and set several times, but he didn't count it, but it must have been more than ten days.
The reason for his eyelid trembling is also very simple.
He saw it.
That little island in the fog.
The place where both Ishtar and Ananu have set foot, the entrance to the underworld.
In the mist, the entrance to the gloomy underworld was looming.
Ananu may have felt a familiar breath, and moved his fingers slightly.
"Ananu, just wait, we will be there soon."
Gilgamesh comforted him and swung his legs, thinking of speeding up a bit.
He could see a tall, dry figure standing vaguely on the shore of the island.
He woke up. He was Utnapishtim. During the great flood, he accepted the revelation of God Enki and built the ark to retain the last fire for mankind. But now, eternal life is for him. It seems more like a punishment, trapping a rotten and broken soul in an equally rotten and broken body. He can never be freed, and even the underworld will not let him enter.
Sensing Gilgamesh's approach, Utnapishtim's body swayed, and Gilgamesh could hear the muttering in his mouth.
It seems to be saying.
"Is someone coming again?"
The god Gilgamesh was still in a daze, but he was already standing on the shore.
Nanshe's divine power finally ran out, the spring water dispersed, and Gilgamesh looked at his feet.
It is the same as the blue-gray sea, and the blue-gray rocks are the same as Ananu said.
After Ananu returned to Uruk, he told Gilgamesh and Enkidu, as well as Siduri and Luslan, everything he had seen along the way. Shamhat was still there at that time. Work as a goddess.
Oh, by the way, Ananu seemed to have gone to tell Nanshe this story alone.
Gilgamesh stood on the island and looked in the direction of Utnapishtim, but what he saw was not only Utnapishtim, there was another tall figure standing behind him.
Just like Ananu said, today's human beings are "flawed", while previous humans were relatively "perfect".
At least, some clues can be seen from the height.
Utnapishtim and the old woman next to him are both hunched over now, but even so, they are still a bit taller than Gilgamesh. If both of them stand straight, I am afraid that They will all be over two meters tall, and Utnapishtim can even be three meters tall.
"Huh, the breath of death, what I don't want, even my soul will disappear."
Utnapishtim stood there with sunken eye sockets. Gilgamesh couldn't even see his eyes, but he could definitely feel that he seemed to be looking at him and his back. Ananu.
"Jill."
Gilgamesh continued to walk forward, but Ananu opened his mouth and called softly.
(End of chapter)
