Chapter 3

Myriad constellations painted a canvas in the sky. They winked and twinkled in mirth, looking down on the earth from palaces built from the hopes of mankind. Not for the first time, Enkidu wondered how such things came to be, and who it was that elevated the stars to such lofty positions.

He pondered, and thought on what stardust tasted like.

'Maybe spicy?'

He imagined a great feast; him and Sariel and Diana with countless other faceless figures, all gathered around a great table. They each sat with a plate of gleaming stardust in front of them, ready to tuck in. All laughed and bantered in unison, conversing with one another in blissful serenity. He looked over to his left, and Sariel was staring at him with a particularly offended look, face red and cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk.

Huh… it seems she is always pouting, even in my dreams.

"Hey! Were you even listening to a word I just said?"

He let out a strangled noise of surprise.

His daydreams faded into mist with only Sariel's face remaining, and with a decidedly put-upon expression she poked him in the middle of his forehead. His parrot squawked in agitation, and the rabbit-girl sent it a particularly nasty look.

Enkidu blinked once, twice, before an apologetic smile graced his lips.

"Ah… sorry about that Sariel, I wasn't paying attention. Please accept my deepest apologies!"

Looking at the furiously bowing boy, she let out a small sigh. He peered up at her from in between the green curtains of his hair, eyes sparkling with unshed tears. Sariel clamped down on the urge to crush the boy in a hug, and instead tried to level him with the sternest glare she could muster.

She crumbled in two seconds flat, and hugged him anyway. It was almost impossible to stay mad at him when he did that.

Whoever taught him puppy-dog eyes was evil in the extreme.

She released the bewildered Enkidu after a few moments, the boy confused but not displeased at this turn of events.

"I was saying, Enkidu, that we should hurry back home. The sun has already set, and mother said we should be back before midnight. Do you have everything we need?"

"Ah, yes! I put them all in the basket."

She nodded in satisfaction, and both began the journey home.

Enkidu had been living with her and her mother for a few days now, Sariel insisting after they had learnt he had been sleeping alone in the forest with just a ratty piece of cloth to cover himself.

She wasn't even sure he could catch a cold, but it was the principal of the matter

He didn't protest the action, but instead insisted on helping her in gathering vegetables and herbs after dinner every day. Sher had almost instantly agreed with him, and mother has been looking at her with a knowing glint ever since.

Maybe she had been hugging him too much.

Regardless, her life had been seeing a noticeable improvement ever since she had found Enkidu that fateful day. Every morning seemed a little brighter, his boundless optimism seeming to affect everything around him.

Lush, green grass grew outside in abundance, adorned with lilies that now seemed to almost glow in the darkness. The river, clean before, now seemed composed solely of a crashing wave of refracting crystals. The bath she had earlier today was unnaturally warm and inviting, and her skin felt softer than it had in forever.

Even her mother, a normally stern but loving woman, seemed to brighten up from his presence. The way she moved, the way she talked, everything she did seemed to have a vigour that had been previously absent. It was something she had never noticed missing before, but now that it was there she couldn't imagine her mother without it.

Sariel noted, absently, that she had been spending more and more time in human form. Before, it was something that felt strangely alien to her and left her exhausted after switching. Now, she could switch forms with a fluidity she previously lacked, like taking off or putting on a coat, and both felt as natural as the other.

She felt more than heard Enkidu's footsteps halt, and turned around to see the issue.

Instead of looking off into space like he was wont to do, his eyes were instead focused onto a seemingly random point to the north. His almost perpetual smile was replaced with a small frown, which had her frowning in turn.

"Enkidu?" She called out, hoping to break him from his reverie. "What's wrong?"

He said nothing for a few moments, face locked in concentration, before answering.

"Somethings…off. I'm not sure how, but I know for sure that there is something over there. Something strange."

He pointed towards where he was staring so intently, and she peered forwards into the gloom. Besides a copse of trees, there was nothing in that direction.

"I don't see it"

"It's definitely there, I'm sure of it."

Sariel remembered glowing gold eyes, and withheld her reservations. She spoke once more, a hint of wariness colouring her voice.

"Is it… dangerous?"

Enkidu craned his neck until he stared directly at the moon, as if beseeching it for answers. It sat, large, unmoving and silent. Unhelpful.

"Not necessarily. Whatever it is has a weird metal smell, mixed with something I can't place."

He turned towards her, and his eyes swirled with something unfathomable. Blue and gold interwoven morphed into ethereal shapes, twisting and turning in fey patterns upon his iris.

She blinked and they were gone.

"You actually have the opposite smell, Sariel."

"Opposite? I hope you're not saying I smell bad Enkidu. A lady of my stature does not appreciate such comments."

He gulped at the scary look she gave him.

"N-No, I don't mean it like that! Smell isn't the best way to describe it really, it's more like a specific feeling or attribute unique to you."

He rubbed his chin in a way a great philosopher might, but instead of looking wise and learned it just made him look adorable.

Well, more adorable than usual anyway

Her curiosity piqued, she posed him a question.

"What do I smell like then, to you?"

Her cheeks went slightly red as soon as she said it, a hitch of nervousness present in her voice.

He looked her over critically, before nodding to himself. The parrot eyed her haughtily from where it had nested on top of his head.

"Lilies and moonlight."

Huh?

"You feel like lilies and moonlight."

She could understand lilies, her mother loved them and they grew in abundance all around their house. But moonlight? How can one even smell like moonlight? It didn't make any sense.

She made to reply, before remembering they needed to be home soon. She bundled Enkidu onto her back and started sprinting back home, all thoughts of metal scents and weird eyes fading into the back of her mind as she jumped an darted through the trees.

She really really didn't want another scolding

////

"Hey Sariel?"

"What?"

"Can you teach me how to shapeshift?"

She startled in surprise, and her tea scalded her lungs instead of going down her throat, making her double over in a coughing fit.

Enkidu was at her side in an instant, patting her on the back in soothing circles.

'It's truly unfair how good his hands feel.' She thought to herself, her spluttering petering out under his gentle ministrations.

She looked up into his gentle, concerned gaze, and found her heart swelling to previously unknown proportions. Before she had had to look down at him even when seated, but in the scant time they had known each other he had shot up like a weed.

Where once he was small and childish, barely able to reach her belly even on his toes, now the top of his head reached her shoulder blades, and with the rate he was going at they would be the same height in a few more days.

His stature wasn't the only thing in which he had matured though. His round face had started to become more angular, his elfin features a perfect blend of masculine and feminine traits that could bewitch any man or woman that beheld it.

She wasn't sure what was causing such a change, but Enkidu himself didn't seem bothered by it, and her mother had just chuckled throatily and patted her on the head.

Sariel wasn't sure she liked the change, as her role as the 'beautiful and regal older sister' was more and more turning into the 'clueless and needy onee-san' she so often read about in the mangas she filched from her mothers study.

'Especially when he was so doting and shit.'

She felt his hands leave the arch of her back, and Sariel let out a needy whine at the loss of contact.

The rabbit-girl gazed almost hungrily at his retreating fingers, and a whispering in the back of her mind urged Sariel to intertwine her digits with his.

His new appearance was inspiring some decidedly unwholesome thoughts

She pushed such thoughts to the darkest corners of psyche, burying them next to the first time she had tried changing into her rabbit form. She winced in embarrassing remembrance.

Sariel suddenly remembered what had led to this situation in the first place.

"Enkidu listen, what I do isn't real shapeshifting."

"Huh? I just saw you turn into a rabbit and back 20 minutes ago!"

She held her mug to her face, attempting to mask her unladylike snort.

She wasn't particularly successful

Gathering herself, she spoke once more in a lecturing tone.

"I can turn into a rabbit and back only because I was born this way. You see, many magical creatures can assume a human form after they gain a certain amount of mystical or martial prowess. That doesn't mean, however, that I can assume any other form. I can only either be a rabbit or a human, and nothing else."

"Why?"

No matter how much his appearance had changed, he was still as inquisitive as ever. Unfortunately, this was not something she could help him with.

"I'm not sure Enkidu, maybe you should ask mother? She knows all sorts of things."

///

Diana caught a reflection in the mirror, and stood rooted in place. She peered into the glass, running her fingers over the flawless skin of her face, almost in disbelief.

She looked happy

There was no-one around, both her daughter and her friend off doing who-knows-what, and as such no one around for her to put pretences up for. She forced her lips into a neutral frown, but the edges just as quickly curled into a lopsided grin.

She shook her head, bemoaning the state of her life that she was surprised to be Happy.

It had been far too long

Ever since she had been stuck in this forest, looking after her wayward daughter, her life had seemed tinged with a grey veil of melancholy. Every day was the same monotonous drag, and her only solace was beholding the cute face of her little rabbit, eyes so innocent and pure.

She was growing up now though, and soon, she knew, she would leave the nest as all children eventually did. She had been asking more and more of the outside world recently, and Enkidu's arrival had only exacerbated these issues further.

'Oh Sariel, my sweet daughter, would you hate me if you knew the truth?'

Thunder crackled in her ears, the air thick with the scent of ozone. Angry voices shouted and clamoured, the heavens shaking in their outrage. She stared downwards at the unfeeling white marble, for to raise her head was to see his face.

She could never bear seeing him upset.

'I'm sorry, little brother."

A loud knocking startled her from the daydream.

She stared into the mirror once more, her eyes were red and puffy. She dabbed at them with a napkin until suitably presentable, before opening the door.

There stood Enkidu, even taller than he was the night previous. He had somehow aged a year in a single day, now looking more like a teenager than a small child.

He bounced up and down impatiently, and his little parrot flew donuts around the boy's head.

"Yes? Was there something you needed, young man?"

He grinned, and opened his mouth.

"Hi auntie Diana! I was just wondering whether you knew why magical creatures can only transform into humans. Sariel told me you might know!"

She looked past the boy, and found her daughter quickly dart back from where she had been spying on them. A fond smile graced her lips.

She really needed to work on her stealth

"Tell you what, If you go downstairs and help me cook, I'll tell you all about it. Does that sound like a deal?"

He nodded with force, and rushed away, jumping down the steps two at a time.

Diana chuckled at his enthusiasm, and snapped her fingers. Blue light coalesced into a simple white apron, with a small bunny mascot printed on the front.

I wonder what we should make?

///

He ran his knife through the cucumber, splitting it in twain. It was unfortunate, but he had been relegated to salad duty after he nearly set the pan on fire. Twice.

'It's not my fault, I swear! Where's the instruction manual telling you oil and water don't mix?'

He shook a mental fist at the culinary gods, vowing to best them one day.

So engrossed was he in his thoughts, that Enkidu had completely forgotten why he had even agreed to be there in the first place.

Diana, thankfully, had not.

"Enkidu, what do you think is so special about humanity that all magical creatures default their appearances towards it?"

In went the cucumbers into the bowl, and Enkidu cocked his head in confusion.

"Hmm…is it because they look the best?"

Diana smiled in amusement, flipping the egg in her skillet. Her eyes sparkled with the same glint Sariel got whenever she read books to him.

"Heh. You're correct, in a way. Angels, devils, yokai, any mystical being you can imagine; they all have the capacity to assume a human form. It is one of the easiest forms of magic to learn for any species, but to assume any other guise takes both exceptional talent and great skill."

Next came the tomatoes, which he sliced cleanly into separate halves.

"The human form is so simple because it is the most natural form on the planet. Every other being in the world, every living thing, was a new idea created by the gods. From the biggest of elephants to the smallest of mice, all of it was a concept never seen before brought to life."

His hands began to shake as he tossed the last of the tomatoes into the bowl. Diana's voice seemed to drown out all other sound, until all he could hear was her.

"Everything except humanity, for they were created in the image of the gods."

Enkidu almost dropped his knife. Under his skin something pulsed and writhed.

"It is not the visage of humanity that we transform into, but that of the gods. For within all created things lies a spark, a spark that connects that thing to its creator. Even as small as it is, it still contains a minutiae of divine essence, and as such every being with even the most paltry potential for magic can take on their shape."

The boy breathed in through his nose, unsure as to why the explanation had unsettled him so.

No, unsettled was not the right word.

It resonated with him.

A fog enveloped his mind, strange thoughts and feelings emerging from his subconscious.

A soft hand gently sculpting his being.

The warm embrace of the earth.

A motherly smile.

Enkidu looked down at pale fingers, and noticed them growing. He stared up at Diana, who was drawing three plates from the top shelf. He smiled.

I hope all the gods are as nice as Auntie Diana

///

Enkidu hung upside-down, both legs wrapped around a tree branch. Sariel sat relaxed at the foot of the tree, a large book sitting opened on her lap.

On the front, printed in blocky letters, was the title.

'Encyclopedia of the natural world'

There was a large picture of something called a 'mountain' taking up one page, and on the other was a wall of text.

He couldn't read it though, for he was still upside-down.

"Stop acting like a monkey and get down here, Enkidu. This part is really interesting!"

Rocking back and forth to build up momentum, Enkidu flipped off the branch and landed on the soft earth, hand curled into a fist and raised into the air.

The parrot clapped his wings together and gave a trill of applause, whilst Sariel rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"If I knew you were gonna do this after seeing those Superman comics, I wouldn't have let you read them!"

Enkidu blew a raspberry at her, the parrot cackled, and Sairel's eyebrow twitched.

The boy walked forward and plopped himself beside her, shoulders rubbing together.

'We're already almost the same height!' Sariel thought in panic. Her hand twitched forward unbidden, a hungry lion lunging towards the helpless foal, before she clamped down on such instincts.

He is getting way too dangerous for his own good

He smiled sunnily, completely oblivious before peering at the book.

His oohs and ahs of fascination were like music to her ears. Her left hand grabbed her traitorous right before it could make any sudden moves, trapping it to the earth before it could go somewhere it definitely shouldn't.

Her cheeks glowed in luminescent red.

'Damn this hormonal human body, and damn that blasted Enkidu! No holding hands until marriage!"

Her body didn't seem to agree, but she would beat it into submission.

"Hey Sariel…Wanna go on an adventure?"

The question came out of nowhere, startling her.

"I love this forest, but the longer I stay here, the more restless I become. You keep showing me all these stories, where the heroes go and slay the dragon, help the oppressed, and save the day. Doesn't that sound like fun? Don't you just wanna go out and do it?"

The flowers on the tree started to bloom.

"What's stopping us? Me, you and Aunty Diana, let's all go on an adventure! Maybe, first we can go visit a mountain. I've never seen one before, and I bet there's an evil dragon living inside!"

Sariel bit her lip. If she didn't control herself, her unruly hand was going to go on a rampage.

As he continued to ramble, Sariel fought to find something to say to dissuade him.

'We can't. We just can't. Because…Because…'

She paused, thoughts grinding to a halt.

'Why can't we?'

She had been born in this forest, raised in this forest, and had spent all 18 years of her life stuck in this place. For all that it was her home, and she loved it dearly, she still longed for more.

'To see the ocean, the desert, the towering cities of man.'

The more she pondered on it, the stronger the feeling of longing swelled in her breast, until it was bursting from her very being.

'Do I want to go on adventures, aiding the poor and needy. Do I want people to look at me, and thank me with a smile on their face?'

She let out a soft exhale of breath. Her smile could almost match Enkidu's.

'I do.' She realised, and in her heart of hearts she knew it to be true.

There was no more denying it now. The spark of ambition grew to a roaring flame.

'I want to be a hero.'

She turned to Enkidu, who was still lost in his own little world, still ranting about 'dragons' and 'saving the world from evil'.

She interrupted him before he could derail too much.

"I agree Enkidu. Let's go on an adventure."

The waning sun cast a shadow over his face, but she could still make out gleaming blue-gold eyes, and pearly whites stretched into a smile of epic proportions.

He grasped her hand, interlocking fingers, and she distantly noted that his hands were slightly bigger than hers.

"Let's."

The sound of panting breath and heavy footfalls came from behind them, and Sariel snapped to attention almost instantly. She gasped in shock.

It was Bao Lin, but the usually arrogant boy from the monkey clan was nowhere to be seen. His human form was covered in cuts and bruises, and his shirt was soaked red with blood.

He staggered a few more steps, before collapsing to the ground in agony.

Both Sariel and Enkidu rushed over, and thankfully he was still breathing, even if shallowly. He spat to the side, blood and phlegm, before looking up at both of them

'He was scared.' She realised, as fat, ugly tears streamed from his eyes. His lips trembled, but Bao Lin fought down the pain valiantly.

To her shame, Enkidu reacted first. Wrapping him in a bear hug, the monkey-boy stiffened, before relaxing into his gentle embrace. He spoke at last.

"Sariel, stranger, you gotta help us. The monkey tribe is being attacked!"

Her lips pursed in worry.

"It was just a normal day, no warning or nuthin'... until this random woman walked through the gates."

He let out a little shiver at even mentioning this woman, and Enkidu removed himself from the boy, though his eyes were still filled with worry.

"That woman… that woman isn't normal. She went to discuss something with the village elder, and I don't know what they said, but the next thing we knew everything just exploded."

"Exploded?"

"Yeah, it was crazy! That scary lady just walked out the Chief's hut completely unharmed, and started demanding we hand over our 'treasures'. We tried to fight back of course, but…"

He trailed off, gulping in fear. From the corner of his eye Enkidu could see Diana rushing out from the house, his parrot leading her to them.

"It was no use. We didn't even stand a chance. Even our best martial artist got completely obliterated. I managed to sneak off after pretending to be unconscious, but the rest of the village is still trapped. You gotta help us, please!"

Diana was already here, a fierce look on her face. She pressed a palm towards Bao Lin, glowing in arcane energy, and his wounds began to shut slowly. His eyes fluttered shut, and his breathing evened.

Diana picked the unconscious up abruptly and walked back to the house, both enkidu following her in silence.

She laid him down on the couch, pushed some type of herbal poultice into the red marks where his wounds were, and nodded in quiet satisfaction.

She spoke up for the first time.

"He will be fine. You two stay here whilst I go and deal with the issue."

Diana's eyes were hard, and waves of menace seemed to emanate from her form.

Sariel had neve seen her mother like this before.

"No."

She didn't realise she had spoken until two heads turned to regard her. Still, she meant what she said.

"We'll help mother. That woman sounded really strong, you can't go there by yourself! Besides, me and Enkidu don't have to fight. We can help free all of the hostages stuck in the village."

She looked to Enkidu for support, and he nodded his head in quiet resolution.

Diana didn't budge.

"You don't understand, Sariel. This is something beyond you. As your mother I command you to STAY HERE!"

Her mother scarcely raised her voice, but this did not deter Sariel. They were both too headstrong for that.

Sariel clenched her fists in righteous indignation.

"We have to come. How can I call myself a hero otherwise?"

A hand crashed onto the table, knocking three plates full of food onto the floor. Enkidu's stomach grumbled mournfully.

"This is serious, Sariel! You are not equipped enough to fight someone who defeated the monkey village elder, let alone the entire village! I will not lose my daughter due to some misplaced pride. I thought you gave up on that silly dream years ago!"

She wanted to shout, scream and tear down the walls in her frustration. She had never felt so angry before, so enraged that her blood felt like molten lead in her veins.

A hand, warm and soft, grasped her wrist, and she felt her rage leave her.

Enkidu had been silent the entire time, but now he spoke, his voice unwavering with the hint of something primal layering it.

"Auntie Diana, you cannot fight this foe alone. She's strong, whoever she is, maybe even stronger than you. The trees are trembling, Diana! I've never seen them do that before! I fear that if you go there alone, you may not return, weakened as you are."

Diana's eyes widened.

"How…"

"Now is not the time to discuss. We have to leave now." Enkidu's voice was soft and solemn.

Diana turned away for a second, knuckles turning white as she gripped the edge of the table. It crunched in her grip with a great crack.

"Get your bow Sariel, quickly."

She rushed upstairs, sending one last questioning look at both her mother and Enkidu, who was looking at him as if seeing the boy in a new light.

Enkidu closed his eyes, and let out a breath.

///

In the middle of a moonlit meadow, a sapling began to bloom. A thin, golden bough sprouted from the ground

The air was silent and serene, only interrupted by the faint twittering of birds and chirping of crickets

The sky was littered with stars

Underneath the grass something shifted, a hundred roiling chains slithering underneath the soft earth.

He stared into the heavens, and the heavens stared back, judging

A single thought pierced his brain.

A single concept, both foreign and familiar

A single phrase

His flesh churned, but this time he was content

For he knew at least one thing

My body is made from mud and clay

///

She was getting tired of waiting.

There was only so much fun she could derive from fighting the common rabble, but these monkey-men were especially boorish.

They hardly struggled, and what resistance they did put up was paltry compared to her own might. She could at least respect their commitment, for even under threat of death they denied her ultimate prize.

No matter how much it irked her

Their constant denials had become grating, for even though they seemed truthful, the stench of her weapon suffused the entire area around them. If her senses told her it was here, then it was here without question. A king's perception can never be lacking.

It had certainly never failed her before

She grabbed the man in front of her, shaking him up and down like a toy. His face was bruised and beaten, yet an angry snarl still remained.

She sneered.

"This is your last warning, mongrel. Tell me where my treasure is, or I will raze your pathetic village to the ground!"

He attempted to spit at her face, but a gauntleted fist to the gut stopped him mid-action. Twice critical gleamed red in the fading sun. It was a handy tool, she could admit, but it paled in comparison to the other weapons within her collection.

Such treasures would be wasted on the likes of them

She looked with disdain at the once haughty man rolling around on the ground, as one might look at a particularly odious insect, and stomped a golden boot into his belly.

The breath left his stomach in a pathetic wheeze.

A glowing portal opened up next to her, and the hilt of a weapon presented itself for perusal. She grabbed it with her other hand.

"Please, have mercy!" A woman shouted, large and pot-bellied.

"We have given you all of our treasures, every trinket we own. We truly have nothing else, I swear! If it's the Ruyi Jingu Bang you are looking for, we do not have it anymore! It has been gone from this village for many years. Please, spare us!"

Crimson eyes looked down on the shivering woman.

A second passed, then two, and the residents of the village allowed themselves to hope.

Maybe the tyrant had seen sense?

They were fools

Gilgamesh, King of heroes, laughed uproariously. Golden bangles jingled in unison, whilst she held her sides in mirth.

Then her eyes narrowed.

"I must commend your audacity, mongrel. To lie so brazenly in front of the king, you must be either suicidally brave or completely stupid. In the end, it matters not.

She crossed her arms over chest, pressing up bountiful assets. Her savage grin oozed killing intent.

"It seems I will have to fish my treasure out from under your ashes."

She pulled at the floating hilt, and a curved sword came free. Encrusted with countless jewels, it looked more like an ornament than a weapon. It's edge gleamed with bloodlust, almost as if sentient.

Gilgamesh smirked.

The relic she had chosen was not particularly powerful, at least for a mythical weapon, but it would suffice. She would not sully the rest of her collection on such a weak foe. Even this was too much, but she supposed they deserved some magnanimity from the king.

Their audacity had impressed her, at least a small amount.

She raised the sword into the air, motes of verdant light encapsulating the blade.

"Shamshir-e Zo-ah!"

There was an arrow stuck in her pauldron.

Gilgamesh's mind boggled in disbelief.

Who dares?

A white haired girl stared at her, fingers trembling around her bowstring.

She heard a sound behind her, almost imperceptible, but it was enough for Gilgamesh to leap from her spot.

She was almost too late

Twin hunting knives raked at the spot she had just been standing, leaving glittering trails in their wake. They belonged to woman with red hair and stag antlers, face set in in a rictus of anger.

She looked forward, and saw the villagers being hurried away by a green haired boy.

Gilgamesh snarled in fury.

She was so close…She would not be denied victory, not now or ever.

"I know not your purpose, interlopers, but I find myself uncaring. For the crime of hindering the king is punishable by death."

A pressure descended upon the earth, growing stronger by the minute. It was the tingle at the base of your spine, the eldritch whisper at your ear, the creeping dread and the primal fear.

Her hair was blazing yellow, whipping in unnatural winds, as she twirled her blade in her hands.

Without warning, she charged.

///

Diana blocked and parried with furious intent. Now more than ever she cursed the absence of her usual power.

'If father hadn't-'

There was no time to think, she realised, as another sweeping slash threatened to separate her head from her shoulders.

The woman fought with skill unparalleled, twisting and weaving in unpredictable ways that made it hard to counter her blows.

She let out a brief shout, a shield of white light pushing her assailant away.

With a quick reprieve given, Diana attempted quickly to perceive what manner of enemy she was facing, scanning, hunting for any weaknesses.

Her eyes widened into saucers.

How…?

The woman before her, equipped with freakish strength and unmatched grace, was completely human.

She could scarcely believe it, but there was not a drop of divine blood in her. She was neither, angel, devil, or any other supernatural race either.

She attempted to block a lightning quick strike, but her arms buckled, and a small nick formed on her cheek.

Diana looked past her assailant for a brief second, and saw that both Enkidu and Sariel had managed to evacuate the rest of the villagers.

She sighed in relief, letting down her guard for a single moment.

That mistake would cost her dearly

An armoured leg slammed into her stomach with the strength of a freight train, sending her flying back into a tree.

She crumpled to the floor, gasping for breath.

The golden bastard sauntered up to her with lazy steps.

"I was expecting a bit more from someone favoured by Artemis, you know."

She taunted Diana with a cocky smirk, spinning her sword once again.

Diana grit her teeth, but said nothing.

'How low have I fallen, that people think I am a goddess no more.'

"Alas, this was quite the disappointing match. Maybe your companions will prove more of a challenge?"

She stroked her chin in thought, and delighted in the expression of fear in the older woman's eyes.

"Don't…touch them…."

"Or what? You are outmatched, hunter of Artemis."

A second arrow pierced the air, but this time Gilgamesh was ready. She held her sword horizontally, and split the arrow straight down the middle.

A gasp could be heard from the treetops, and there sat that same white haired girl. Her rabbit ears twitched in alarm.

Sariel tried nocking another arrow, but she was far too slow. Gilgamesh was already upon her.

"If those damn monkeys wont tell me where the treasure is, maybe you will!"

The rabbit-girl tried leaping away, but it quickly became clear that ,even with her agility, she could not outrun this blonde-haired berserker.

A gauntleted hand reached out, nearly grazing her arm, and Sariel knew fear.

Is this…the end?

She still had so many things she wanted to do. So many things to see. So many questions yet unanswered.

It can't be…I still have so much left to do

She leaped forwards, her pursuer steadily gaining on her.

She still hadn't finished reading her encyclopaedia, still only halfway through. She still hadn't seen that mountain, or even slayed an evil dragon!

She was beginning to flag, it wouldn't be long before she ran out of fumes.

She still hadn't had an adventure

A single teardrop fell from her eyes. She could feel hot breath on her neck.

She saw a happy face, green hair and a beautiful smile

'I will protect his smile.'

Sariel grit her teeth, and a shard of frigid moonlight formed in shaking hands.

She threw it backwards, and it carved a path through the atmosphere with a screeching wail.

Gilgamesh barely was able to tilt her head to the side, before the projectile went whizzing past her, shearing a few golden locks in the process.

It hilted in the tree behind her, before exploding in a sphere of freezing vapour.

Gilgamesh looked at the aftermath in confusion, before she grinned.

I guess the bunny had some bite after all

It was time to end this though. She was done playing with her food. A burst of prana formed at her feet, before rocketing her forwards, grabbing the girl by the arm and slamming her on the ground.

"Tell me where my treasure is or your life is forfeit."

Theblade of her sword pressed into the white-haired girl's throat.

She punched her preemptively, before the girl could spit at her face.

That's the second time today!

"I-Im not telling you shit, you BITCH!"

Gilgamesh sighed. This one was at least slightly more interesting than the others. The fire in her eyes burnt furious and unabated. It would be a shame to kill her.

But if she did not comply…

Vines and thorns erupted from the earth, binding her arms and legs before she could react. She broke free and dodged away, but the tendrils kept after her like hunting dogs.

She jumped high with another burst of prana, but the trees seemed almost to have a mind of their own. Their branches snapped at her like whips, whilst the mass of vines surged upwards, baying for blood.

Gilgamesh focused, before concentrating her magical power once more into her gleaming blade.

She called out its name, and the sword answered.

"Shamshir-e Zomorrodnegar!"

A slash made of verdant energy pulsed forward, cutting everything in its path. The vines were torn asunder, great oaks were felled in one mighty swing.

Gilgamesh landed on her feet, a small droplet of sweat dripping from her temple. She searched her surroundings, wary.

"Come out you coward!" She shouted into the gloom, "The king demands it!"

For a second there was silence, before she heard the shuffle of feet.

He emerged from the trees, that boy she had seen before. He seemed different somehow though, taller and more imposing.

His face was covered in shadows, but his eyes shone blue and gold, a million fractals of light swirling in their depths.

A strange emotion welled inside her, one she had never felt before

A small bird perched on his shoulder, glaring at her.

Gilgamesh laughed at the absurdity of it all.

This is their final member? A random boy with a parrot?

She wasn't sure why, but the strange feeling from before grew in intensity, suffusing her body with a strange heat.

It made her stop and reconsider, something of a rarity for her.

"Tell me, mongrel. What is your name? I wish to know who challenges the King of Heroes on this day."

The figure didn't react, instead seemingly whispering to the parrot, which flew off into the distance.

He stepped forward into the moonlight, and her breath hitched.

She could not tell whether they were a man or woman, for their beauty seemed to transcend such labels. He was both and neither, for he was perfect.

Gilgamesh licked dry lips, the warmth in her body pulsing in time with the rising beat of her heart.

What…what was happening to her?

She stamped out all foreign feelings, trying to refocus.

The great King Gilgamesh, distracted by a pretty face…

She vowed it would never happen again

The being spoke, his voice smooth as sin.

"My name is Enkidu, villain."

Flowers bloomed with every step, and the entire forest came to life.

"And I'm here to ask you, politely, to stop being evil."