Prologue

"Son, are you going to meditate all day?" A young woman spoke at a little boy as she stood in the archway connecting the corridor and the boy's room.

The most appropriate words to describe the woman's appearance was divine. She had a well-featured face without any sign of defectiveness. Her hair was light brown and wavy, framing her beautiful face. She had a slender body with bountiful bosoms and wide hips with shapely buttocks. She was around 168 cm in height. Her complexion was lightly tanned, the sign of her time spent under the sun, and yet it added to her charm. Her eyes were blood-red, signifying her divinity.

She was wearing pure white clothes to cover her bountiful breasts and her bottom. She wore accessories made from gold studded with precious gemstones around her neck, her thin biceps, her slender forearms, and her ankles. Each one of her earlobes was studded with an earring made from gold and precious gemstones. A delicate tiara with glimmering jewels perched on her head.

This woman whose beauty is like that of a goddess is actually a real goddess despite being a lesser one. Although she had a lower status in her pantheon, she was still a being above mere mortals. She was Ninsun, one of lesser goddesses who resided in City-State of Uruk as its patron goddess.

She eyed her son who was meditating on his bed and waited for him to wake up patiently. She knew that he'd heard her. He would end up his meditation sooner.

It wasn't a strange sight for her to see a kid around 7 to 8 years old meditating silently like a disciplined adult. Other kids won't be able to stay still in the same place for a very long time because of their short attention span, undeveloped discipline, and lack of patience. Ordinary children are always restless.

However, her son was different. Far, far different from any normal child in the City-State of Uruk. Her son, Gilgamesh, was a special case. He had his fate and destiny determined before his birth by gods and goddesses with higher status than hers. He was the prophesied child who will maintain the connection between mortals and divines as the Age of Gods advanced to the end. A cornerstone, so to speak.

Gilgamesh was blessed by many higher gods and goddesses. Even the god of the sun, Shamash, didn't hold back when he blessed Gilgamesh who was still in his mother's womb at that time. Shamash's divine blessing could be said to be more significant than the others for Shamash blessed Gilgamesh with a perfectly glorious appearance that already shone despite Gilgamesh was still a baby.

Gilgamesh had a perfect appearance. Even as a child, he was a very cute kid that would wake up the maternal instinct of women and paternal instinct of men. His charisma was enormous for he was the only mortal whose status was closest to divines because of his two-third divine blood. However, his uniqueness wasn't only his appearance.

From the moment he was born, Gilgamesh seemed aware of his surrounding. He was also very clever and smart. He only cried when he was hungry and was about to urinate or defecate. He wouldn't create a fuss like any ordinary baby outside of those two cases. It made rearing him an easy job that would turn the complexion of other newly turned parents purple in envy for they didn't have such leisure in taking care of their babes like her.

Moreover, Gilgamesh developed faster than normal infants. He started to speak at the sixth month and started to crawl in the ninth month after his birth. He then began to walk before his eleventh month after his birth. He was also a sensible child who didn't ask unreasonable things like ordinary children. He mostly spent his time in meditation.

As Ninsun watched her son's perfect face, she couldn't help but feel happiness, love, regret, and anguish at once. She felt happy and love because Gilgamesh was her beloved son but felt regret and anguish due to his burdens as the cornerstone of divines' scheme and plot. Alas, she was nothing but a lesser goddess who lacked authority to free her son for his enormous burden.

Ninsun pushed her complex feelings to the depth of her mind as she saw a small shift in Gilgamesh's eyelids. The next moment, she saw her son opening his eyes slowly. After opening his eyes that matched her due to his godly heritage, Gilgamesh seemed absentminded for a short while before recovering. He then focused his stare on Ninsun and beamed at her.

Warmth flooded Ninsun's heart when she saw her son's wide happy grin. He'd always been a momma boy and closer to her than his father, Banda, the lesser hero-god and the current Lugal (Ruler) of Uruk. It filled her with maternal pride.

Gilgamesh climbed down his bed and walked up towards his mother. He was still short, only reaching her torso. He then hugged his mother's slender waist and rested the side of his face on her flat, soft stomach. His face seemed serene as he hugged his mother closely, relishing in her warmth and maternal affection.

"Mother!" Gilgamesh greeted Ninsun softly. His voice held maturity in contrast to his young age. "Do you need me for something?"

"My dearest son. It's already the time to learn about governing and ruling from the elders," Ninsun answered softly as she combed her son's silky and soft hair, which was golden as if each strand was made from the purest gold.

"Ah, I see," Gilgamesh responded shortly. He seemed fed-up from his voice, and his eyes, which were opened, glinted in annoyance. "It's already time for that, huh? Do I need to learn from those old fogies? Why can't I learn about governing and ruling myself?"

Ninsun stopped combing her son's hair and separated herself from her son. Gilgamesh's hands that circled around her waist dropped to the sides of his body. She then held her son cheeks softly and raised his face so they could see each other face. She had serious expression but had the trace of motherly affection for him. She then said to him, "Now, now, don't be disrespectful towards those elders, my son. They are wise and knowledgeable. They are important people who support the king in governing and ruling this city. Don't show this disrespectful behavior in front of them, okay? Do it for mother, please."

Gilgamesh seemed to contemplate his mother's request for a few seconds. He then nodded silently.

Ninsun beamed angelically when she saw Gilgamesh's affirmation. She stared at her son's dazed expression in amusement. He always fell into a dazed stupor whenever he saw her smiling. It made her feel funny because she knew that her son was charmed by her divine beauty.

Regardless, Ninsun gave Gilgamesh some pecks on his cheeks and forehead. She then said to him, "Now, go. Don't make them wait anymore."

Gilgamesh recovered from his stupor and wore a silly smile on his face. He nodded absentmindedly before walking up passing his mother while biding his farewell to her faintly.

As Gilgamesh walked out of her temple, Ninsun had turned around and was watching her son's back. She shook her head, feeling flattered, amused, and exasperated simultaneously at his son behavior. Her son would grow up with huge mother complex if he didn't get grip on himself soon.