Halcyon Days Pt 3

When The Great Gilgamesh was born, Then-King Lugalbanda strengthened the infant's eyes with kohl, the way he did with the Anzu bird chick, the way he did with , the child of the fixer of fate.

But Gilgamesh's fate was not his to fix, neither was Anzu's to fix. The child would fix his own fate, for unlike Lugalbanada, Gilgamesh would be a king of kings, a godly king from birth to death.

-

Tablet III of The Epic Of Gilgamesh

.....

He wasn't himself.

Floating at the front of a crowd of people in the observation room of a vast space station in a close orbit around the Sun's equator. They knew with memories that were not , of countless people, AIs, and governments had contributed to the station's design and construction, but that I - or rather, the I that was in this dream - was its chief designer, engineer, and organizer of the whole project as nobody else was so ambitious.

Finally, finally, it was complete.

Visible outside the artificially dimmed window extended the station's massively powerful array of magnetic engines clad in ceramic insulation, glowing white with the heat of the Sun. Beyond that the surface of the Sun filled the entire panoramic view, a constantly roiling wall of plasma mesmerizing and awe-inspiring in its vastness and power.

"All systems are green. You have the honors," said Thomas, the AI who'd taken the job of station manager for the duration of the project.

With a thought the authorization codes were submitted, that initiated the station's stellar lifting for the first time.

A slight hum could be heard from the walls as a magnetic field the size of a major city came into being and reached out for the surface of the star's corona of superheated gas. As the crowd watched, breathless, a tendril rose up like a questing vine to meet the station's yawning plasma collector. The tendril widened into a column, the trailing edge a spectacular dissipating trail as it fell outside of the magnetic confinement due to the station moving in its orbit. The column then thickened until it was nearly opaque, flowing upward like a turbulent fiery river through space.

They knew that the engine had begun to feed the gas into a long succession of fusion reactors. About three percent of the resulting power went straight back into maintaining the magnetic lifting field, necessary to overcome the Sun's powerful gravitational pull on the plasma, and as thrust to maintain the station's orbit. The rest of the power was fed into the specialized reactors that produced various forms of exotic matter and antimatter in staggering quantities.

Meanwhile the fusion process could be continued in a chain to produce any element and isotope needed as a byproduct of generating all the energy, producing vast amounts of atomically pure raw construction material made to order. A forest of kilometers long radiators on the lifter's outward side would hit their blazing white hot design temperature managing all the excess heat.

"Startup successful. All systems are performing as simulations predicted. Congratulations, Project Leader," said Thomas, a smile audible in his synthesized voice, and the hushed silence of the room broke out into ecstatic cheers.

The crowd obligingly quieted down. So many people waiting on her words.

"My friends!" They began, letting their eyes meet those of the people in the crowd, moving from one to the next.

"At this very moment, millions of tons of matter are being harvested and fused into the forms needed for any project we can imagine. To start with, the shipyards orbiting Earth will have an endless supply of building material for the extrasolar colony and exploration ship programs. Their hulls will be made of the metals made here. Their drives will be built with the exotic matter produced here. Their fuel tanks will be loaded with the antimatter produced here. Our production capacity will grow a thousandfold starting today!" They told them, a smile and pure conviction carrying the words.

"Because of what we have accomplished in this project, humanity will finally be able to spread out, to leave our cradle, to explore the stars and live among them. So many have contributed resources, expertise, and hard work to this project. We have labored together, and today we have cemented a future together that is as bright as the unfiltered light of Sol beyond this window, as limitless as the stars themselves!"

With that he half turned and stretched out an arm to let the view of the star behind her punctuate her point.

The cheers and applause were thunderous. It shook the room, and their jubilation was echoed by countless people watching from their homes across the solar system.

As the premonition, visions , maybe a memory, fades , all there is left is a thought.

They have underestimated mankind, and they all are going to die for that mistake. Humanity will see its furthest horizon. We will outlast the stars themselves, and one can only pity the fate of any wretched thing that stands between me and that future.

...

His body is relaxed, resting. His mind is in a similar state, using memories and experiences to keep itself occupied, making a meaningless dream that it probably won't bother remembering the next morning after the first urgent thought.

That is, until it is interrupted.

Not brusquely, but rather in the most subtle of ways, not out of caution but rather out of lack of effort. Not action was taken over it, it was only noticed and then ignored.

Whatever the watcher was, it lost its interest as soon as it saw him. Maybe it hadn't noticed him specifically, or even truly acknowledge his existence, but all he ever felt was a gaze.

One would normally wouldn't notice, but his mind notices its own status, its existence.

It was moments like this , were he knows clairvoyance was... odd. Somehow, it was different from .... before . In here, one reaches another state, you reach deeper into some neglected part of you.

Where he saw possibilities and felt the mind behind his very thoughts once again, strangled to what he guessed was his body and soul by the strings of his being, interacting to one another in a fragile balance.

Limiting.

He could see how this strings could affect his mind, now he saw why, how reaching out for more could disturb the balance that composed him.

A deeper understanding of true focus and can all branches of possible thaumaturgy unexplored.

And then, it was too much. My own self forcefully bringing itself back to reality least it exercises itself to much.

He didn't immediately jump, nor did he open his eyes in surprise, or scream in fear or pain.

....

Daily, to the sound of music, hymns, and prayers to fetishes and statues of gods that were washed, clothed, perfumed, fed and entertained by minstrels and dancers.

In clouds of incense, meals of bread, cakes, fruit and honey were set before the deity, along with offerings of beer, wine and water…On feast days the statues of the deities were taken in solemn procession through the courtyard and the streets of the city accompanied by singing and dancing.

The people of Mesopotamia relied on their gods for every aspect of their lives, from calling on Kulla, the god of bricks, to help in the laying of the foundation of a house, to petitioning the goddess Lama for protection, and so developed many tales concerning these deities.

The life of their prophesied king was no different.

The wild cow goddess —the earth's blessings are in her soul and body, they say—

—and in the child she has brought to us.

As they continue to celebrate the constant spring like season and plenty the gods spring upon them as for the honor of housing their Keystone.

Their decision to reward the mortals for their precieved success.

He watches and judges without their knowledge.

The so-called gods weren't truly as omniscient as they would have their worshippers believe. Although the gods could keep watching mortal widely via catalyst, such as sun god Shamash using sunlight as his Catalyst to look over the world, there was still a blind spot could be exploited.

With the innate understanding of their Authorities, he also found—perhaps, the proper word is "created"—a multiple methods to block the gods' sight, and power , such as using bounded fields.

Soon ever brick in the fertile crescent would be filled with them.

None shall watch or control but him.

None.

]|[

Nearly , a decade passed by quickly as he worked to fulfil his role as the promised King of Uruk.

Sneaking out from the city was hard because of his radiance.

He wasn't being narcissistic or self-centered, the blessings of Shamash just made him metaphysically blinding in the eyes of others since his birth.

"Greetings, King Gilgamesh!"

"Good afternoon, King Gilgamesh!"

"Have a nice day, King Gilgamesh!"

Gilgamesh giggled as people passed by him with respectful greetings. If anything, this was what he loved most about his royal status. Everybody knew him, and they all loved him. For any other child no older than seven, being respected and acknowledged would be everything to him.

"I solved our cattle problem... I started commanding constructions to create roads to link all of our cities... and I sent our soldiers to wipe out the nearby nest of monsters who were eating our cattle."

What now ?

He noticed a sight that was quite unusual for such a place. Right next to the gate was a stall where the guards were supposed to keep watch for any monsters that could attack the city. Instead, the sounds of snoring could be heard from nearly fifty feet away.

"ZzZ..."

He quietly approached the stall and blinked when he saw the pair of guards, who were supposed to be watching vigilantly, passed out with drool coming nearly halfway out of their mouths.

He reached an arm over the desk and gently grasped on of the man's shoulders and began shaking.

"Oi... Wake up."

"Oh Hubababa... Morning already?"

The guard mumbled groggily as he was shaken awake. Rubbing his eyes, the man sat up and gently grasped a spear that had been laying beside him.

"Um... You have reached the great city of Uruk. Home of our great king Gilgamesh. All weapons must be confiscated before ent-"

His face suddenly turned pale when he realized who exactly was in front of him.

"Lord Gilgamesh?!"

The guard straightened up in his seat and beads of sweat began pouring down his forehead. His eyes were wide open, having been broken out of his stupor.

"W-what brings you-"

Finally, he fell to the ground and bowed as far as he physically could.

"F-forgive us, King Gilgamesh! We were too busy celebrating at a party last night!"

Gilgamesh perked up with curiosity.

"Party?"

"U-um... Yeah."

The guard looked up from his position on the ground. "One of our captains hosted a party to celebrate the feast day of our protector goddess Ishtar in your name. It's customary to celebrate and give offerings, right? That's what we were doing. I... I might have had a little bit too much to drink last night."

"Huh... That was yesterday?"

He frowned, wondering how he could have forgotten such an important day in their culture. Perhaps did spend way too much time in the treasury cataloguing everything. He glanced at the other guard who was still unconscious on the desk. He hadn't even stirred, sleeping like a rock.

"And your friend?"

The man grimaced.

"Same thing, sir. Though I don't really know much. He was partying at another district. I picked him up at the end of the night and collapsed here for our shift."

He sighed and crossed his arms.

"As much as we are glad that you indeed showed up for your shifts, you should have gotten someone else to do it for you. Passed out and drunk is no way to look after our gates, therefore we shall wake you up."

He pointed to the outskirts of the wall.

"I want you to run three laps around the entirety of Uruk."

The man turned pale once again. "T-three laps, sir? But-"

"No excuses. This is your punishment. Accept it and get it over with."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Or would you perhaps like me to raise the number to six?"

"N-no sir! Your kindness is appreciated! I will begin the punishment!"

The soldier quickly grabbed his spear and took off running down the outskirts of the city wall.

"Don't forget to tell your friend to do the same!"

He yelled after the man before he could get too far away.

Now.... what to do ?

Most of my time is spent training.

Knowledge of the acrane and bureaucracy while tedious, is simply for one such as I.

Physical effort.....

The Blood pumping, sweat rolling off my skin and the the pressure in my lungs. That ... humanity is exhilarating.

And to enjoy such pleasure, education in all sorts of weapons is a must.

I've been training in swords, axes, daggers, javelins, spears, bow and arrows, and maces. Those are all the main weapons that people in Sumer use, and thus I must excel at.

Fighting multiple opponents at once helps me to practice them all, but it's been a very slow grind, since their physical abilities are so far below mine now.

I also practice 4 different types of elemental mystics - Wind, Earth, Fire, and Water.

The classics always were the best for a foundation.

Thanks to being a demigod, and the Keystone there isn't really any magic he couldn't learn if he tried hard enough.

He also learned quite a bit of magic from Baqqanum.

Time for some desk work.

]|[

Besides all the magic and the weapons training, the rest of his days were a bit more annoying than they used to be.

Like now for instance.

Right now he is slightly dozing off in a meeting with the elders, the head of agriculture, the head of construction, the head of the army Ali, the head of the magicians Baqqanum, and a representative of Ishtar, a priestess but really a sacred prostitute for that flighty goddess.

Her name was Shamhat, and almost all everything but her beauty, was average.

She was a beautiful young woman, with long flowing hair , as thick as barley and lightly tan skin that shined a good bit. Her body was slender, but still curvaceous. She held a calm air about her that told you she would ease all your concerns with a gentle hand.

She didn't talk much, and seemed to only give input when it concerned the gods. To give ceremonies, and attend to whatever the gods need.

This includes demigods.

One would think having an entire entree of young maidens to your every whim would be heavenly but it is no different from the other services due to being .... physically unable to enjoy the other benefits of their profession as is his current.

Having , at what's at best, an overly attentive secretary and a zealot to their body of worship following you around at worst , is not what one first imagines.

Right now we were all discussing what would happen when I become king in awe and idolisation.

ugh.

]|[

It would be days before the first real moment in this life where something exciting happened.

It was the first true hunt.

His father allowed him to join the hunt expeditions a while ago but the first real use of my training came from the river ports instead of a sporting event.

As he stood there, slowly relaxing, he could feel the ground start to vibrate a bit.

At first , it was ignored since it was probably just a chariot or cart speeding on the uneven surface of the makeshift around the forests , but was unable to ignore the sound of the settlements a bit away from me being demolished as "something" crashed into it, nor the screams of the people inside of it.

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅"

He used pushed back all the dust and shrapnel flying at me to the side with a wave of his hand, to see what interrupted my hunting.

It didn't improve his disposition the slightest.

Towering over me at about 9 feet with sharp dark brown, that seemed as hard as granite. It didn't have paws, but 2 sets of grotesquely muscular hands, and a long thin tail.

It's head was that of a dog, with large, lapis lazil eyes.

It almost made me bypass all the blood and innards soaked in, and the fact that he knew that the blood was from my people only enraged him more.

His people.

His possessions.

His responsibility.

With that glance, the truth was revealed.

The Ahuizotl, mixture of dog and monkey.

Killer of humans, and even other Phantasmal beasts for challenging it's authority.

Immense speeds, and strength in both its arms and fur. A strong resistance to mundane weaponry and elemental "magecraft".

All for the purpose of domination and destruction.

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅"

The brave soldiers with me started to approach it despite its fierce roar, that he ignored as he ran forward.

Ba-bum

Ba-bum

Ba-bum

My heart started beating faster the closer he got. The blood that flowed , the quickening of breath.

Ba-bum

Ba-bum

Ba-bum

"▂▂▃ - Uck!"

It barely managed to swivel its head around before I punched it in the chest, sending it flying away from the houses and a bit back out of civilisation.

The Fur on it definitely wasn't for show, since punching it made his hands numb for a moment.

"My King!"

Someone shouted to the right of me.

he turned to me right, where the 20 or so soldiers were running up to me.

"Stay Back!"

The shaking of the ground threw my balance off a bit, and gave it enough time to charge again. He expected it this time though and started to threw a jab at it's side. It looked and felt like he was going to connect.

Before it could recover, He turn the jab into a quick grapple, then turning that into a submission hold.

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅▄▄▅▄▄▅▅"

As it thrashed in its endless bloodlust, refusing to submit , he couldn't help but scoff at the face he was making, "Are you going to continue make angry screeches at me, ?"

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅"

His question was met with a roar and a dash with me riding it's back.

He was prepared though.

With a thought and a flex of mana, a wave of flame was set in its path, and when that hit and blinded him with no effect on him , he threw out a veritable vortex of fire, thoroughly cooking it in the inferno.

The screech of pain that echoed out was powerful enough to ruin the makeshift streets.

Now to deal with the aftermath.

]|[

Tears gathered in their eyes as they looked upon me, as if they were experiencing a crisis, and he was their to save them from it.

Even if that was true , It unnerved him a little bit, and it unnerved even more as they all got on their knees, dirtying their clothes, and starting murmuring my name. It was as if he was a god gracing them with my presence. Even those with gold lining their skirts and necks, kneeled as if they were unworthy.

Gratitude for my whims is logically expected and the effort demands compensation but still.

Hm.

This needs to be further looked into before judgement is made.

]|[

As more and more expeditions were made to exterminate nature's control of the land and expand the control of man , he needed more and more time to train. As the pleasure was just as exquisite as the finest foods and the best craftsmanship.

In the private grounds of the palace, an older Gilgamesh, at the cusp of adolescence, was training.

Carefree despite his nakedness. Despite this era's lax views on modesty, nudism was still not "mainstream" as it were.

He did not care.

After all, this body was perfectly designed and crafted by the gods themselves. If there is any flaw, it has not been found.

But what about Siduri, the temple initiate sent to her first task in service of the King ?

She is just at the cusp of maidenhood and bombarded with perfection beyond comparison that will ruin her for all others.

Her enthusiasm was replaced with one reaction.

"Chaaaaaaa !!!"

After blushing up a storm, she screamed as hard as he can and ran away at double speed.

Glancing away and a few more practice swings, Gilgamesh changed into his refined clothes and began to move forward to see Shamhat. As my rite to adulthood and my coronation approaches , we spent more time together.

On the way , he was fascinated by the view of Uruk from the ziggurat.

A beautiful cityscape full of vibrancy and where people come and go.

A river flows through the center, and flowers are in full bloom in the city. The sky is clear blue, and birds fly with their wings flapping.

he is very fortunate. To be honest, it can be said that it was the correct answer to let the data in assimilated into this vessel from the sea of everything.

He had no regrets.

To retain retain memories and skills of the stars ...

Done with his musings, the boy king began to walk again.　

This is the story of the king, spun by a foreign powers.

To be a Hero, is to be greedy.

King, be arrogant

At the moment, he hadn't been officially inaugurated as the King yet.

That said he had started his path of Collector and Hoarder, though he walked the path of Warriors and Magi too, granting him "King of Warriors" and "King of Priests" titles.

To continue on.