Tianzun grinned as he gazed at his surroundings. Ishtar stumbled a bit before lightning struck her form and all her power was rendered useless.
Her size shrunk to fit her power level. A small tiny figure in the palm of Tianzun's hand. A familiar echo of footsteps echoed through the cold barren caverns of the underworld.
Tianzun grinned as he wiped his non-existent sweat before adjusting his monocle which had almost fallen off.
"Nice timing Ereshkigal~" He teased her as she attempted to keep her face straight while looking at her pitiful arrogant sister.
Ishtar finally realised what was going on as she flew into unbridled rage, "I see... You two! This was all one giant conspiracy wasn't it?!" Her face was incredibly ugly as she seethed with murderous intent.
Ereshkigal picked her ear gently before flicking it onto Ishtar followed by another strike of lightning.
Tianzun rolled his eyes, "No wonder the people turned against you... How did two apples fall so differently from the tree?" Ishtar lunged at him only for Ereshkigal to trap her in a small metal cage.
Tianzun's smile for the first time in a while was genuine, not a cheerful smile but a smile born from Ishtar's pitiful state.
He lounged on the floor before snorting, "How are you two even sisters? If you didn't look almost identical I would have thought that Ishtar was adopted." Tianzun snarked.
Ereshkigal let out a gentle giggle, If she had to be honest... These few days and the company of this strange mortal had been the best days of her immortal life.
Tianzun gazed at the cage before rattling it to set Ishtar off balance. "Just you wait here, I may not be able to do it now... But some day... I might just seal you into a lamp or a chamber pot. Until then, your sister will keep a good eye on you and discipline you. Maybe in a few thousand years she might let you out if you mellow out."
Tianzun soon looked at the ceiling of the underworld before offering Ereshkigal his hand, "It's time for the actors to bow out and receive applause. I told you didn't I? This time the applause is also for you. Just don't mess up the timing." He winked as a huge source of flame was ignited outside.
He hadn't told anyone much but asked the king to hold an altar for his death if he were to die in battle. Gilgamesh couldn't quite put his finger on it, he doubted that the scheming bastard would die so easily.
How did he know? Because they were the same type of people... Assholes.
And an asshole wouldn't willingly throw away their life.
Tianzun's injuries had been reduced to minimal as most of the damage was transferred to a paper figurine. However, still some injuries remained as he slowly stumbled close enough to make the jump.
"Tianzun... You are welcome in the underworld anytime." Ereshkigal's voice rang out softly like the gentle tolling of the bell.
Tianzun smiled as he bowed before bursting into flames.
The funeral procession at the altar was currently going underway as the many citizens mourned the loss of the one who had challenged the gods. But they all knew he had done the impossible and killed a god.
It was at that moment that the altar flame burst and magnified as a figure soon appeared. The distinct monocle and robe of black and yellow. Tianzun let out a grin as he twirled his star speckled rod before asking, "Did you miss me?"
The crowd went silent as they were suddenly at a loss of what to do.
A loud boisterous laugh came from the centre of the crowd as the king himself was grinning ear to ear. "To think you could cheat even death itself."
Tianzun nodded, It wasn't wrong in a way. But wasn't right either, It was a conspired plan between a goddess and a mortal yearning to bask in applause. But so long as the illusion held up, then all would be fine.
"Yes I have escaped death itself and have returned to the underworld! The goddess of the underworld herself has recognised Lady Ishtar's behavior and now she will spend all eternity in the underworld!"
The crowd cheered as Tianzun quickly directed the attention to Ishtar's fate rather than him "cheating death" and escaping the underworld.
The goddess Ereshkigal was magnanimous and has decided to show you Ishtar's fate.
In that moment the earth rumbled as a mirror soon emerged from the earth. The mirror soon rippled as many saw a woman resembling Ishtar, many recognised her as the goddess of the underworld.
"Humans, I have heard about my sister's deeds from the underworld. Now that her soul belongs to me, I shall ensure punishment is carried out." Ereshkigal did not raise her voice, it was gentle, it soothed the people with promises of punishment.
A goddess who cared, that's what people thought now. It made death seem less scary if someone like Ereshkigal was managing it.
Ereshkigal soon held up a cage as the crowd saw a small Ishtar being zapped every now and then by miniature lightning bolts. She seethed in rage as she attempted to break out of the cage.
Many people looked scared as Ereshkigal assured them, "She will not escape. I will guarantee that."
In that moment Ereshkigal noticed that instead of a look of fear, the people looked at her with admiration. Tianzun grinned as he started clapping, "Thank you Lady Ereshkigal for sparing us of Ishtar's wrath."
As if on cue, the crowd all started clapping for the lady in the mirror and the magician who had defied the impossible.
Tianzun turned to look at Ereshkigal in the corner of his eye. She was suddenly a lot more quiet as she looked shy. Tianzun grinned realising that she was indeed that type of personality. He winked as the mirror started sinking below the earth.
In a flash of flames he had disappeared in front of the crowd as he arrived at this safe spot where a certain king had been waiting.
"Well, well, well. Magician, you have indeed peaked my interest. Your performance is one I shall remember for all of time and existence. I have a royal order, a mission for you magician. I want you to venture back into the depths of the underworld and bury my best friend, Enkidu."
Tianzun nodded before turning to the king as his face seemed to melt and wriggled into many worms and maggots before a flash of green hair emerged and a pair of emerald eyes gazed at him.
"Im no longer a magician... I'm a faceless now." Tianzun smirked as he reverted back to his original appearance. The king didn't now whether to want to cut his head off or to let him go.
Gilgamesh glared at him, "Very faceless, but try that in front of me again and I will not show mercy. You are lucky, your performance was brilliant."
Tianzun chuckled, "Very well your majesty... Although before I venture down into the underworld. I require some assistance."
The king raised an eyebrow, "Are you saying that you require my assistance? When you could escape before? I doubt a cockroach like you needs assistance."
Tianzun shook his head before answering, "I want some help preserving flowers in stasis." He produced a bouquet of golden chrysanthemums before asking, "Could these be crystalised?" He asked.
The king snorted and snapped his fingers as he produced a jar and tossed the flowers in as they soon came out sparkling like jewels.
"I assume this is our last meeting fool?" The king questioned.
Tianzun had already turned around to walk as he waved goodbye, "A fool must walk because he can do nothing else. Perhaps some time in the distant future we may meet again."
~~~~
Ereshkigal had been residing in her lonely underworld castle for quite some time, and it hurt more. To have someone to talk to after all that time alone and then suddenly she was alone once again.
Only to hear her sister complain every now and then before listening to her yelp at the lightning striking her from the bird cage.
In that instant she felt another individual enter the underworld. Her face was marred with confusion...
Enkidu carrying Enkidu?
Out of curiosity she stood by only to see that the gates did not remain close and that they had opened willingly.
Enkidu? Soon carried Enkidu to a patch of cages and buried the body there before continuing to make his way to her castle.
Ishtar in that moment when she saw the green hair flew into another rage, "It's you! If not for that stupid king and that asshole of a magician none of this would have ever happened. It's all because of you!"
Even Ereshkigal in shock had forgotten to zap her sister.
However when she tried to identify the Enkidu, a grey fog had obscured her vision. Enkidu's face soon melted like wax as maggots and worms emerged from the face to rearrange in a disgusting fashion.
Ishtar looked stunned as Tianzun smirked, "Yes it's me. I thought I'd play a small prank on you before I left."
Ereshkigal looked at Tianzun who seemed to have fun bullying Ishtar before asking, "So was it you who wanted to bury Enkidu? Or was it the king?"
Tianzun admitted and threw Gilgamesh's name openly without any shame, "Yes it was the king, he had asked me for my last favor before I leave."
Ereshkigal opened her mouth only to close it like a fish. Tianzun chuckled, "I thought you'd react like that. I brought a gift for my partner who I couldn't have pulled it off without."
He produced a bouquet of crystal golden chrysanthemums in a vase. "I'm aware that the underworld can't sustain life, however these should remind you to be happy."
Ereshkigal looked stunned as she cradled the golden crystal flowers resembling sparkles of the sun.
She looked up as she saw a wide smile, It was a happy smile, an exaggerated smile, a ridiculous smile.
Tianzun simply turned around and waved before suddenly turning back around.
Ereshkigal looked at that ridiculous smile again as he grinned and said something before leaving.
Ereshkigal could only think about his final words before her face slowly morphed into a gentle smile. She wouldn't know now, but his last words would be her saving grace for all time to come.
"You should smile more... You look more pretty that way."
"If you must suffer eternity, then wear a smile. It's the only rebellion you have left."
//Ancient Uruk Arc Finished, Next Arc: The Fall of a Dynasty"
//Next Chapter: Zhang Qinian, The Wandering Storyteller//