(Ereshgal POV)
I almost laughed.
"It's impressive how you said that nonsense with a straight face" I told him, repeating his own words back at him. The orb—still pulsing red in my hand—cast faint shadows across the table.
I set it down between us.
"Haha, it's a bit sad you don't believe me" Ishtal replied, smiling. He picked up the orb, and the moment his fingers touched it, it turned gold.
"I won't tell you everything" he continued, his voice calm and measured. "But ever since our father was imprisoned, Kudur's claim to the throne is nearly upon us. And he's not a ruler that suits us, neither Uruk nor Sippar."
The orb stayed golden.
I watched the glow reflect in his eyes and wondered how far he'd go before the truth began to burn.
"Besides" he went on, "he already has part of the council and the nobles on his side. Only a true heir could oppose him. Ennari is too young and naive. And you… you were dead. I was about to make a drastic move, but now that you're here, it will be much easier."
The light in the orb didn't waver.
"So you're the one who needs my help" I said.
"Yes and no" he answered easily. "Things would be easier with you, but that doesn't mean I need you." His tone never cracked.
"Think about it" he said. "Weren't you planning on going to Uruk to stop Kudur anyway? It's a win-win."
I looked at the orb again. Still gold. Truth, or the shape of it.
He'd planned every word of this.
"Alright" he said finally, standing up. "Think it over for the rest of the day. Give me your answer tomorrow."
The orb vanished from his hand, replaced by a small pouch that hit the table with the clink of coins. "You can stay here. That should cover food and supplies."
Without another word, he turned and walked out.
Silence settled. Kisaya hadn't said a word through it all, and I didn't look at her now. The glow from the window cut across the table.
In the silence, I started to feel it again, the pull in my throat. My hand went to my neck on instinct.
"I need to drink blood again" I said.
….
The streets of Sippar pulsed with life. Morning light spilled over the marble facades, turning every polished surface into gold. Ishtal walked through the market at an easy pace, the hem of his robe brushing the dust. He looked like any other noble returning from prayer, hands clasped behind his back, eyes half-lidded, that faint, practiced smile on his face.
He walked past merchants shouting prices for fruit and cloth, past pilgrims leaving coins at the roadside shrines, past guards whose armor caught the light like pieces of the sun. No one stopped him, no one would dare.
He was halfway across the square when he realized he was no longer alone.
A woman appeared at his side, matching his pace without a sound. Jet-black hair slipped from beneath a dark scarf that covered her mouth. Only her eyes were visible—sharp, watchful.
"My lord" she said quietly, "why did you back down? I'm certain the two of us could've neutralized that chosen girl and the creature."
Ishtal smiled, not looking at her. "Nadira, I don't know about him, but she's dangerous. She was already a threat back when she was Consecrated. Now she's an Ascendant, far worse. We could stop her, but it would do irreparable harm to the city, a price we're not willing to pay."
Nadira's eyes widened above the scarf. "Ascendant? That young?" She paused, lowering her voice. "Even so, an Ascendant shouldn't be beyond control."
"Yes" he said, voice calm, almost amused. "A soft glow like that only comes from someone who's passed the Trial of Will. She didn't sense you because she probably hasn't learned to use that power yet, it must've happened recently. And as for handling her… her runes are made for battle, and she's survived more life or death fights than most soldiers ever will."
Nadira's eyes widened again.
"Haha, I know." His tone softened into something that almost sounded like pride. "That's why I want her on our side. We need to tread carefully. A dangerous weapon can still be useful, if it's pointed in the right direction."
He stopped beside a fruit stand, picked up a fig, inspected it, then set it back down. "Don't watch them while they stay there. Only keep an eye on them if they leave."
"As you command, my lord" Nadira replied.
He resumed walking, the crowd parting instinctively around him. For a moment Nadira walked beside him, silent, the morning noise washing over them. Then, as quickly as she'd appeared, she was gone.
Ishtal continued alone.
He looked toward the temple, letting his smile fade. "But Ereshgal…" he murmured, almost to himself. "He's still too naive."
….
(Ninsun POV)
I woke with my chest pounding, sweat soaking my robe as if the fever had burrowed into the linen itself.
The same vision.
From the hill, the city stretched still beneath the dawn.
At first glance, everything seemed intact: the temples stood tall, the walls unbroken, the air unmoving.
But the longer you looked, the more the image fractured. The temple's shadows bent the wrong way.
In the streets, hundreds of figures stood frozen, facing the horizon.
They were smiling.
But… it was no longer a smile. It was a crack, a strained line pulled too wide, almost eager to tear the face apart.
Their bodies were only dark outlines.
Then the light came.
The figures kept smiling as their edges dissolved, carried away by the light.
When the sun covered everything, only faint traces remained on the ground…
What does it mean? Who are those people?
A hand wiped the sweat from my forehead before I could react. Muru's voice followed, calm and flat.
"What did you see?" she asked.
"The same as always" I said.
"Alright" she replied. "I'll report it." Then she turned and left.
I'm tired of watching the future for that man. But as long as he holds Lugalbanda hostage, I have no choice. I have to obey. The thought alone makes my chest tighten. I press my hands to my knees, trying to swallow the anger, until all that's left is the ache of it.
Footsteps came back through the door.
"Priestess, would you like to walk in the garden? Some fresh air might help" Muru asked.
"What's the point?" The question came out dry, almost empty.
But I meant it.
She only sighed. "Then at least eat something. Please."
I wasn't hungry.
Muru stepped closer.
"Please" she whispered, sadness folded at the edges.
I let out a breath "…Alright" I said. "A little."