"I've got a bad feeling about this…"
"Did you hear something, Berserker?" Roy asked, turning to Tezcatlipoca.
"…Sounds like something's approaching." Tezcatlipoca replied.
"?!!"
On the wasteland above the underworld's entrance, Tezcatlipoca and Roy caught the sound of something tearing through the sky, accompanied by an indescribable scream. To Roy, the voice was all too familiar.
He slowly raised his head, his ice-blue eyes glinting, reflecting Ishtar's figure atop Maanna.
But she was, as before, plummeting from the sky. This time, she was crashing with her celestial bow, Maanna, in tow.
Had this useless goddess been speeding again?
"Ishtar?" Roy called out her name.
"Oh? Mesopotamia's infamous useless goddess?" Tezcatlipoca remarked, noting her meteor-like descent. Getting hit by that would hurt…
They exchanged a glance, neither inclined to catch Ishtar, stepping back as her force hurtled toward them.
Boom!!!
A sound like a meteor striking Earth erupted, the ground quaking under Ishtar's impact, dust billowing.
A massive black crater formed in the wasteland, Ishtar and Maanna nowhere to be seen. Tezcatlipoca and Roy fell into a brief silence.
"She fell in…" Roy said.
"Yep, she actually fell in." Tezcatlipoca confirmed.
That useless goddess had crashed into the underworld in such a ridiculous way.
Her absurd entrance was, frankly, foolish.
"Open, Gate of Kur!!"
Unsure of Ishtar's intentions in the underworld, Roy and Tezcatlipoca seized the opportunity her crash provided. Roy raised his arm, channeling a surge of white mana, slamming it into the ground.
Rumble!!!
With a deafening roar, the crater expanded several times, revealing a deep, pitch-black abyss. The distinct aura of Kur wafted from the darkness. Tezcatlipoca grabbed Roy, leaping into the chasm.
"That goddess crashing from the sky did us a huge favor, taking out most of Kur's outer defenses." Tezcatlipoca said.
"Charging into the underworld so recklessly, her guts are something else." He added, marveling at Ishtar's boldness as they plummeted through the dark abyss, soon landing on Kur's black ground.
"Oh? This is Mesopotamia's underworld? Pretty austere…" Tezcatlipoca said, surveying the dark surroundings, his expression odd.
In the Age of Gods, the world was like a canvas, with the underworld, human realm, and heavens separated yet interconnected.
The heavens were truly above, the underworld beneath their feet. Scaling a high enough peak could reach divine halls; shattering the ground at the right spot, as now, led to Kur.
Unlike his own underworld, this one featured black clay paths suspended over the abyss, dim green flames floating like lanterns, guiding the way.
Tezcatlipoca sensed these eerie green flames were human souls.
Normally, they'd flicker and wail, but Kur's soul flames seemed asleep, confined by the underworld's goddess, silently floating in their zones, neither engaging nor attacking the living.
Granting rest to the dead?
Such gentle management felt overly kind, yet it was a serene resting place. He didn't dislike it.
In fact, he grew curious about Kur's mistress, Ereshkigal.
"Hey, long time no see, Ishtar. Need a hand?" Roy called out, having spotted Ishtar, who'd crashed into Kur.
She wasn't in great shape, clinging desperately to a narrow path with her smooth arms, her body dangling like a wind chime over the abyss, a forbidden depths beyond Kur, dreaded even by Sumerian gods.
Falling there would be worse than death.
With Enki and Anu gone from this land, no one would save her.
Ishtar gripped the ground, swinging her body, but Kur's anti-flight wards rendered her beloved Maanna useless. Her divine power, weakened by entering Kur, left her too feeble to climb, forcing her to hang, shouting for help.
"Help! Save me!! Anyone, even non-humans!!"
Her tearful, snotty display was utterly ungodlike.
Tezcatlipoca, a fellow god, covered his eyes, unable to watch.
How could a goddess be this foolish? Were Mesopotamia's gods too protective of her?
"Help?!" Ishtar, after struggling, heard Roy's voice, ceasing her sobs. Her face lit up, nodding eagerly. "Yes, yes! I'm Ishtar, the celestial mistress of beauty and wealth, goddess of Venus. Pull me up, mortal, and I'll reward you for saving a goddess!!"
"Reward? Didn't you say next time we meet, I'd lick your feet?" Roy teased, crouching beside her.
"Huh?! That voice… no way…" Ishtar's ruby-like eyes widened, looking up to see Roy's familiar, recently encountered face.
"No way!! Why are you in the underworld?!" She gasped, mouth agape. "You vile mortal, you've been stalking me, haven't you?! Despicable! You were smitten by my beauty last time, so you showed up now, planning a hero-rescues-damsel act to win my favor, right?!"
"…"
Tezcatlipoca gave a thumbs-up: "Nailed it."
"…"
Roy was stunned silent by the goddess's delusions. Tezcatlipoca roared with laughter, unable to speak.
Chuckling, he slung an arm around Roy's shoulder, teasing, "Master, you're something else, scheming to snag this goddess! Quetzalcoatl's already into you, and now you're chasing two divine spirits? Watch out for divine retribution. If you die, come to my underworld, I'll hook you up with a nice gig."
"I'm not into idiots…" Roy said, brushing off Tezcatlipoca's arm, exasperated.
"I'd rather marry Ereshkigal than this fool goddess."
"Hahaha! Into the underworld's goddess too? You keep surprising me, Master!" Tezcatlipoca laughed.
"You're as bad as the Count…" Roy muttered, done with the mischievous god.
He leaned over, looking at Ishtar, still lost in her fantasies, shouting, scrutinizing herself, her cheeks flushing. His mood grew more complicated.
Why are you blushing, you teapot…
He turned, beckoning Tezcatlipoca to leave.
"…Hey!! Stop!!" Ishtar yelped, shocked, shouting after Roy.
"Pull me up, human!!"
Roy ignored the delusional goddess, heading to find Kur's mistress.
He'd meant to check on Ishtar, but her antics killed his interest. Continuing her nonsense might make it seem like he was pursuing her. Plus, with Ereshkigal and Ishtar's strained relationship, aiding Ishtar could sour things with Ereshkigal, which wasn't worth it.
"Hey, come back!! Pull me up!! What are you even doing here?!" Ishtar roared.
Roy replied flatly, "Definitely not here to save you."
"Aaaaagh!!!"
Ishtar exploded with rage.
She thrashed, screaming in Kur, abandoned by a mortal without a backward glance.
When had she ever faced such humiliation?
Born favored by celestial gods, Ishtar was Mesopotamia's freest, most beautiful, and haughty goddess. She acted on whims, her desires always fulfilled. Out of pique, she razed Mount Ebih, revered even by the king of gods. Angered by Gilgamesh, she unleashed the divine beast Gugalanna on Uruk.
Her every wish was granted, her privilege backed by her loving father, doting grandfather Enki, and her brother Shamash, who, despite their spats, always saved her in danger.
But this ordeal jolted her awake. Beyond the gods, no one would indulge her tantrums or obey her commands.
Realizing she might hang here for ages, Ishtar's emotions surged.
This was the underworld, haunted by spirits and skeletons. With Roy gone, who knew when the next living soul would appear? She might dangle here for centuries.
"Hey, human, no, warrior! Come back! I won't take your kindness for free. Save me, and I'll grant you a priceless reward, a treasure gods covet!!"
"Treasure…" Roy's steps paused.
Tezcatlipoca's interest piqued at Ishtar's mention of a god-desired treasure.
"Tell me." Roy said.
"Heh, knew you'd waver!" Ishtar's eyes gleamed, unveiling her trump card, certain no god or human could resist.
She shouted confidently, "Be my husband!! I've decided. Though you're a plain human, unworthy of me, the goddess of love, beauty, and harvest, I'll allow it. Save me, and I'll be your wife, sharing my beauty and wealth!"
By the Root, she's Aqua…
Roy and Tezcatlipoca exchanged a glance, shook their heads, and walked away.
"Hey!! Come back, come back… I've offered this much, what more do you want?!" Ishtar cried.
"Help… I was wrong, I won't be so reckless, please save me…" Seeing them vanish, tears streamed down her cheeks, her voice a faint, apologetic plea.
In her near-despair, a broad hand grasped her arm, a surge of strength yanking her up into an embrace.
"Really… Drop that commanding tone sooner. Try asking or pleading for help instead." Roy said. "Got it now?"
Roy wasn't petty enough to bicker with a dim-witted goddess like Ishtar. His earlier actions were just frustration at her haughty attitude despite needing rescue, coupled with a desire to teach her a lesson for past encounters.
Seeing the willful celestial mistress genuinely apologize and reflect, his goal was met, so he'd quietly returned to save her.
Ishtar, nestled in Roy's arms, stared at his earnest face. For once, she didn't revert to her brash nature, nodding softly, murmuring, "I understand… I'm sorry, I won't do it again."
"I'll trust you this once. Don't be so reckless next time." Roy said.
"Alright, Ishtar, you're a grown goddess. It's not proper to keep clinging. You're free now, so head back on your own. I've got important things to do and can't stay."
"Oh… okay." Ishtar said, still dazed, as Roy patted her shoulder, gently setting her down.
He placed his left hand on her abdomen, channeling mana to lift some of Kur's suppressions, ensuring she could leave despite her weakened divine power.
Without lingering or hesitation, he turned toward Tezcatlipoca, waiting nearby.
Ishtar froze.
Her joy at escape, and her planned taunt, "You fell for my beauty after all", died on her lips.
He hadn't saved her for her beauty, wealth, power, or status. It was pure, selfless aid, expecting no reward.
She'd never met such a person.
"Damn… Are you mocking me? Thinking I can't offer a worthy reward… Don't underestimate a goddess…" She muttered.
"You dare lecture me? Don't think you can ditch me so easily… And I didn't come to Kur to fool around."
Mulling this over, Ishtar retrieved Maanna and hurried after Roy.
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