As the Hanging Gardens lumbered towards Uruk, Shamhat took a moment to gaze out across the land as they flew. She looked across the fields and in the distance, she could see the city getting ever closer.

???: "Beautiful, is it not?"

The harlot spun around before coming face-to-face with Tiamat. Shamhat had not been told who this woman was, as such she spoke in a more casual tone.

Shamhat: "I do not think we have been introduced. I am Shamhat, divine harlot of the Eanna Temple in Uruk."

Tiamat: "Divine... Harlot?"

Shamhat: "Indeed. It is a position in the temple wherein I give those that pray to the goddess Ishtar her divine blessings."

Tiamat: "Ishtar... Goddess of love and of war. Ah, you participate in sacred acts of mating, yes?"

Shamhat: "Yes, that's right. I am also the one on whom Enkidu based his form when he was still with us."

Tiamat flinched. Kingu was using Enkidu's form as his own, if Shamhat knew of that, she would likely be hurt by such news.

Shamhat: "But, that's enough out of me. Who might you be?"

Tiamat: "Oh, where are my manners? I am Tiamat."

Shamhat's eyes shot wide open upon hearing that name. Her knees gave out and she collapsed to the ground as she gazed up at the primordial goddess.

Tiamat quickly moved to pick her off of the ground.

Tiamat: "I imagine it must be quite the shock, suddenly meeting the mother of the gods like this."

Shamhat: "I- I was in your divine presence and spoke so... So casually! I must make amends for such a transgression! Oh, by Ishtar I could just curl up and die right now..."

Tiamat laughed before taking Shamhat's hand in her own.

Tiamat: "You needn't think of me as a goddess to be worshipped, Shamhat. I'd rather you think of me as your mother. After all, what is a mother if not a child's most trusted friend and ally?"

Shamhat was still in a state of shock as Tiamat smiled gently at her. Semiramis' voice then echoed throughout the gardens.

Semiramis: "Could one of you boys go see whatever the hell that annoying thing is buzzing around my gardens? It's been tailing us for the past five minutes. Y/n, go tell it to piss off or something."

Gilgamesh's voice was the next to ring out from nearby.

Gilgamesh: "Ah shit! It's the whore!"

Next to speak was Y/n.

Y/n: "AIGHT! CAPTAIN! GET THE BOAT!"

Shamhat: "Who are they talking about?"

Tiamat: "Hm. It seems my daughter is here. Well, more like my granddaughter, but close enough."

Shamhat was still in shock about Tiamat's reveal when someone landed nearby.

???: "S- So you really have awakened..."

Shamhat looked over and the woman she saw looked back at her.

Tiamat: "Hello, dear Ishtar."

Shamhat was in a stunned silence. She was standing in the presence of not only Tiamat, but also Ishtar.

Ishtar: "Hey, isn't that woman from the Eanna temple? Shamhat, right?"

Shamhat was too stunned to speak, she only nodded slowly.

Tiamat: "Do take it easy on the girl. You are her patron deity after all."

Ishtar looked at Tiamat, confused as to why she wasn't doing as a beast of humanity usually did, which was destroy humanity.

However her thoughts were cut short when she heard three voices nearby.

Noah: "I'm not sure how this is going to do anything but annoy her."

Gilgamesh: "That's the point."

Y/n: "Yup! Now then... SEND IT!!"

Before Ishtar could react, she suddenly saw a boat getting launched at her from across the gardens. Her natural instinct was to shoot at it with the boat of heaven, Maana. However when the shots bounced off of the boat, the goddess only really had one thing to say.

Ishtar: "I'm gonna break someone's dick."

Tiamat and Shamhat just watched as the boat slammed straight into the goddess as a chorus of cheers and laughter emanated from the three men nearby.

Shamhat: "L- Lady Ishtar!!"

Tiamat: "She's fine, dear. It'll take more than a wooden boat to take Ishtar down. Though I will need to have a chat with those boys. Honestly, Y/n is Abzu's successor and he acts like a child. Not that I'm complaining of course, it just makes me want to spoil him."

Shamhat then fell backwards as she heard that information. Tiamat turned to try and help her up, however Shamhat was in a state of pure shock.

Ishtar: "So that aura I sensed really was Abzu's."

Tiamat: "Please try and stand up, Shamhat. I know it's a lot to take in, but I need you to be strong here."

Ishtar: "It's no surprise. She's only human and she's standing in front of two goddesses after learning that she just laid with the primordial father."

Tiamat: "Hm. I suppose that would be a lot to try and fathom."

Shamhat then swiftly bowed before Tiamat in a panic.

Shamhat: "I beg your forgiveness, Lady Tiamat!! I had no idea I was doing such a thing with Abzu, I-"

Tiamat knelt down and placed a hand on Shamhat's cheek with a smile.

Tiamat: "You have nothing to beg forgiveness for, Shamhat. Y/n is not truly Abzu after all, but rather he is his successor. I shall never truly have Abzu back as much as it pains me to say, however Y/n has grown into something I can quite honestly say Abzu would be brimming with pride over."

Shamhat: "Y- You're not angry?"

Tiamat: "Not at you, dear. However I do not take kindly to the fact that someone has been using MY authority to bring harm to my children! That, I assure you, I am most furious about."

Shamhat shrunk away as Tiamat's right eye flashed red before the sound of laughter entered the garden they were standing in.

Noah: "I trust everyone is unharmed?"

Tiamat: "You nailed Ishtar in the face with the boat, Grand Servant."

Noah: "Ah, you had that figured out, huh?"

Tiamat: "I am a beast. I can tell when Grand Servants have been summoned and they're fairly easy to tell apart from regular servants."

Gilgamesh: "Ah, so my caster self was right, you WERE hiding something."

Noah: "Indeed. My apologies, Gilgamesh."

Gilgamesh: "As we are dealing with Beast VI, I do not blame you for hiding your identity. However she is out of earshot now."

Noah: "Indeed. As I told Y/n, my true name is Noah. The man who built the Ark so that God's creations would survive the great flood."

Gilgamesh: "Ah, so the successor to Utnapishtim."

Noah: "You could look at it that way I suppose."

Y/n: "Ight, so why the fuck are you here, Ishtar?"

Ishtar: "Well I sensed that mother had been awakened, so I came to see what idiot would do such a thing. When I was on my way, I saw this... Thing flying over to Uruk."

Y/n: "Well I can assure you now that Tiamat is no threat."

Ishtar: "Even if she were to gain her authority back?"

Tiamat: "I will also say as much. I may be considered as an evil of humanity, however I am a mother of life before all else. My children are in danger from Beast I, Goetia, and I refuse to sit idly by and watch as Goetia does as he wishes."

Y/n: "Humanity has been incinerated, surely you know this, Ishtar. That's why Chaldea's here to unfuck this singularity and get shit back on track."

Shamhat looked up at the goddess as Ishtar gave the others a cold stare.

Gilgamesh: "As much as your are a pain in my rear end, having you fighting alongside us would be a huge boon to humanity."

Ishtar: "Feh, and why should I consider it? What can you offer me that might entice me to join you?"

Gilgamesh: "I can offer a sum of treasures from my collection."

Ishtar: "Gh! HUH!?"

Y/n: "You sure that's a good move?"

Gilgamesh: "It is what Caster was planning to use anyway. I believe he was thinking about twenty percent of the jewels from within my treasury."

Ishtar: "T- T- T- TW- TWENTY PERCENT!?"

Y/n chuckled before his comms link opened up with Makeda on the other side.

Makeda: "Hi, hi! Just checking in to see if what I suspected is correct. I assume that girl over there's Ishtar?"

Y/n: "That's right, yeah."

Makeda: "Cool. I can tell you a way to win her over easily, Y/n."

Y/n: "Oya? Do tell."

Roman (Distant): "You're really going through with that idea?"

Makeda: "If it works, I will laugh hysterically for a week and Inanna will never hear the end of it."

Ishtar perked up as she heard her other name.

Ishtar: "Inanna? Why does that servant refer to me as Inanna rather than Ishtar? Is she Akkadian?"

Y/n: "She's from Sheba, so either modern Ethiopia or Yemen, we're not really sure which. I should introduce her though, this is Makeda, the queen of Sheba."

Makeda: "A pleasure to meet you, Goddess Ishtar."

Ishtar: "Hm. So you refer to me as Ishtar to my face, but Inanna behind my back?"

Makeda: "No, I refer to YOU as Ishtar. I refer to the goddess we have here in Chaldea as Inanna."

Tiamat: "They're not the same?"

Makeda: "Yes and no. Inanna is the same as Ishtar, however the differences are that Ishtar is more focused on the goddess of love side of things, while Inanna is more on the goddess of war side."

Ishtar: "Hm, I suppose that makes some sense... Wait, if you have another me then why the fuck isn't she here!?"

Y/n: "I did ask, but all Inanna did was tell me to fuck off. I proceeded to follow up by telling her to blow me."

Gilgamesh: "And she did."

Y/n: "Rather aggressively."

Gilgamesh: "Right in the middle of the cafeteria as well."

Y/n: "If Jack or Voyager had been there, Raikou would fucking kill me."

Makeda: "Anyway, getting back on topic. Y/n, I know a sure-fire way to REALLY ensure Ishtar's on your side."

Y/n: "Does it involve gold or camels like most of your suggestions do?"

Makeda: "Not this time unfortunately. No, it's a fairly simple process. Just one step to it."

Y/n: "... And that is?"

Makeda: "Drop your pants."

Gilgamesh burst into uproarious laughter as Makeda spoke, Y/n could faintly hear Roman stifling a laugh in the background.

Ishtar: "THE HELL KIND OF SUGGESTION IS THAT!?"

Makeda: "You'll see. Anyway, Y/n. Drop 'em."

Y/n sighed before asking Gilgamesh and Noah to turn away, out of respect for the magician, they did so. However they both stifled a laugh when they heard the sound of a zipper and Ishtar subsequently falling backwards.

After a few seconds of pulling his pants back up, Y/n said they could turn around again.

Gilgamesh chuckled as he saw Ishtar on the ground with blood trailing from her nose.

Y/n: "... Makeda, if this works then you and I need to have a serious talk."

Makeda: "No we don't~"

Roman: "I think I'd like to be present for that conversation. Y'know, considering who I am."

Y/n: "Fair enough."

Tiamat giggled at Y/n's antics while Shamhat tried to wrap her head around what was happening.

However as they grew closer, a strange sound echoed in the distance.

Semiramis: "Something is approaching the gardens at high speed."

Y/n: "I'll handle it."

Y/n walked further into the gardens and ascended the stairs to reach a higher balcony where he could see what looked like a black cloud speeding towards the gardens.

Y/n: "Zerkerlot! The gardens are a friendly noble phantasm! Disengage!"

Zerkerlot seemed to understand, but he didn't alter his course.

Zerkerlot: "TWIN TOWERS FLYING EDITIOOOOOOOOOON!!!!"

Semiramis sighed on her throne before using a spell to shoot the jet Zerkerlot had summoned out of the air.

Zerkerlot continued to scream as he was sent flying into the gardens.

Zerkerlot: "YOU'RE NO FUUUUUUUUUUN!!!"

He landed on the gardens with a crash as Tiamat rushed over to him to ensure he was alright.

Y/n walked into the throne room of the gardens with a sigh.

Y/n: "Apologies for Zerkerlot, he's a berserker."

Semiramis: "At least he doesn't just run around screaming his name at the top of his lungs. I have an odd recollection of meeting a berserker such as that."

Y/n: "Huh. Y'know I think Astolfo mentioned someone similar to that and for some reason Spartacus comes to mind."

Semiramis: "Either way, I expect an escort to the Ziggurat."

Y/n: "Fine by me, I have to escort Tiamat anyway so may as well make it a threesome."

Semiramis: "I'm not sure I appreciate the phrasing."

Y/n: "I hang around some of the strangest and simultaneously horniest people from across human history, you really think I'm not gonna be influenced in any way by them?"

Semiramis: "... Point taken. Now where is the magus?"

Y/n: "Dick wizard? He was in the north garden if I remember right."

Merlin: "I'm here, no need to fret!"

Semiramis: "I was merely taking stock of who was still aboard. When we reach Uruk in five minutes, then we shall disembark."

Y/n: "I'll go ask Gilgamesh to prepare Vimana."

Semiramis nodded as Y/n exited the throne room to get Gilgamesh.

A few minutes later, the group were walking through the main street of Uruk. People stopped in their tracks as Gilgamesh walked in full armour with Ishtar over his shoulder, blood still trailing from her nose. Shamhat tried to hide herself in case the people thought Gilgamesh had attacked Ishtar. However Ishtar was not the centre of attention.

The eyes of the people widened as they saw Tiamat walking alongside Y/n. The primordial mother looked at the humans that seemed to be afraid of her with a mix of confusion and sadness.

However it came to a head when a little girl ran out to the group and offered a flower to Gilgamesh, as a small offering to the king.

Gilgamesh looked down at the child before speaking plainly.

Gilgamesh: "I have my hands full at the moment, child. Give the flower to the horned woman."

The little girl didn't seem saddened, however she became more timid as Tiamat knelt down to her level. However the girl held the flower out to the goddess. Tiamat smiled before taking it in her hands. She then turned to Y/n.

Tiamat: "Would you pass me some clay?"

Y/n nodded before creating some clay with Denial of Nothingness and handing it to Tiamat.

The goddess smiled before the lump of clay in her hand began to glow gently. Within a few seconds, the clay transformed from just a simple lump into a floral crown, which Tiamat placed onto the girl's head with a smile.

That action seemed to calm and amaze the onlookers as Tiamat stood back up.

Semiramis: "Do you not find it tedious, dealing with children?"

Tiamat: "Nonsense. I am the mother of life, I care for all my children. If I found it tedious, then that would make me a bad mother, no?"

Semiramis: "I-... I have nothing for that."

Y/n: "You're talking to someone who allegedly had an incestuous relationship with her son."

Semiramis: "You can thank the fucking Christians for that allegation!"

Roman: "It was pretty normal back then for that kind of thing to happen though, so you never really know."

Semiramis: "S- Shut up, mage!"

Y/n and Merlin both laughed as they continued to walk towards the Ziggurat. When they entered the Ziggurat, they found that Caster had an audience with some soldiers.

Gilgamesh: "On account of those men being soldiers, we shall allow them to finish their report."

???: "Ah, I see you made it back safely."

The group looked over as Ninsun walked over with Kid Gil holding her hand.

Gilgamesh: "Ah, I see you're looking after the brat, mother."

Ninsun: "You do realise that this brat, as you call him, is just you but younger, right?"

Gilgamesh: "Feh."

Ninsun then saw that Ishtar was knocked out over Gilgamesh's shoulder.

Ninsun: "What happened to her?"

Gilgamesh: "For a goddess of love that's laid with so many men that I've lost count, she really can't handle seeing a man's pride."

Y/n: "Sounds like most people on twitter from what I remember of it."

Gilgamesh: "Ah yes, I did read through some of those records. Having so many conflicting ideals in one place and such overflowing stupidity was surely a mistake."

Y/n: "Well we won't have to deal with in in Chaldea's intranet since it's banned."

Gilgamesh: "Good."

The others laughed before Caster Gilgamesh dismissed his soldiers.

CasGil: "I see you have returned, magician."

Siduri: "Who are those people with you?"

Semiramis: "I am the Queen of Assyria. Semiramis, the fortress that now hovers in the air above Uruk is my hanging gardens of Babylon."

CasGil: "Hm. A flying fortress, eh? That would prove useful in the event we must evacuate Uruk."

Caster then turned his attention to his archer self before a smirk cracked onto his face.

CasGil: "Please tell me she was not defeated in battle."

Gilgamesh: "Even better. She was brought this low by gazing upon the magician's manhood."

Caster then burst into uproarious laughter before buckling over and clutching his sides.

CasGil: "Fuhahahaha! Siduri, record this, the king is in extreme abdominal pain! Fuahahahaha!"

As the king laughed, a higher pitched voice yelled from behind the group as a blonde girl stormed into the throne room.

???: "I have returned! Now I demand my payment in sweets!"

Siduri: "G- General Ibaraki, you cannot just make such demands to the king!"

Y/n: "Ibaraki? Ah, the banana oni that Ushiwaka mentioned."

Ibaraki: "WHOMSTETH THE FUCK HAS THE BALLS!?!?"

Y/n: "Ah, not a fan of that name, are we?"

Ibaraki: "Call me it again and I'll castrate you!"

Tiamat: "What a foul-mouthed child."

Ibaraki: "CHILD!? OH THAT'S IT! IMMA WHOOP A BITCHES ASS!!"

Y/n sighed as Ibaraki stormed up to Tiamat and summoned a sword, however her attack was countered by Tiamat's horns as she angled her head to block the strike.

CasGil: "ENOUGH!"

Ibaraki turned and glared at the king before standing down.

CasGil: "As Siduri said, demanding me for anything will not be tolerated, Oni. Now go back to the wall and back Leonidas up!"

Ibaraki: "But that's booooring!!"

CasGil: "As it stands, the Chaldeans have been leagues more useful than you have! They actually complete the jobs they are given rather than laze about!"

Gilgamesh: "Ah, this is the other general?"

CasGil: "I hesitate to call her that, but yes. However, overlooking her outburst, this other person you have brought with you. I can take a guess as to who she is."

Tiamat stepped forward and lowered her head slightly.

Tiamat: "It is as you suspect, child of the gods, I am Tiamat. The primordial mother."

The throne room went silent as Tiamat spoke. Siduri was in a state of disbelief as Tiamat stood before her.

CasGil: "Then the magician's plan worked."

Tiamat: "While I lack my authority to birth demonic beasts due to it being stolen. I am still the mother of humanity and all other life. I shall not allow my children that cannot see another tomorrow to go unavenged."

Caster smirked as Tiamat looked up at him with fury in her eyes.

CasGil: "... Good answer, primordial mother."

Siduri: "Shamhat, you may return to the temple."

Gilgamesh: "Hold on. Caster, why did you not tell us of the blasphemer that inhabits Enkidu's body!?"

CasGil: "Ah, so you encountered him."

Gilgamesh: "EXPLAIN!"

CasGil: "We know not who he is, only that he is working for the goddess that sends forth the demonic beasts. Your encounter with him actually backs up the claim that Enkidu's body is being used. Or at least, his likeness."

Gilgamesh: "You didn't know..."

CasGil: "I had only heard claims and rumours, however now that I know Enkidu's body is being used, then I know what to expect."

Tiamat: "I know who it is that inhabits Enkidu's husk as well. It is my son, Kingu."

CasGil: "Kingu, eh? Then that puts a name to a face. Shamhat. Take the unconscious goddess to the Eanna temple. Magician, you may return to your Chaldean embassy. The others are currently working. I believe the one called Sakura is working in the fields today."

Siduri: "Indeed, your highness. I had miss Sakura help to harvest the wheat. She and her servant went with Ana."

Y/n: "Well Medusa and Ana have her back so that's something."

Y/n smiled before heading back to the Embassy with Tiamat while Semiramis and Archer Gilgamesh remained at the Ziggurat with Merlin.

As the magician walked with Noah and Zerkerlot not too far behind he and the goddess, he couldn't help but wonder about the three goddess alliance.

Noah: "Worried about the goddesses?"

Y/n: "I have a good grasp on who one of them is."

Noah: "Ishtar, right?"

Y/n: "No. I think Ishtar has nothing to do with the alliance."

Noah: "What makes you think so?"

Y/n: "As far as I could tell, the goddesses have their own territories. One lives in the jungle, the other lives near the cedar forest. She's the one that must have Tiamat's authority."

Tiamat: "And the last one?"

Y/n: "She must live near or in mount Ebih, I know that lines up with Ishtar, but I don't think it's as simple as that."

Noah: "How so?"

Y/n: "Because the goddesses have defined territories while Ishtar seems to cross into other territories as she pleases. Think about it, the hanging gardens were flying over an area that would be considered the territory of the goddess in the jungle, however Ishtar just flew right over it to follow the gardens."

Tiamat: "Yes, that's right. Besides Ninsun and Ishtar, there are three other divinities here."

Noah: "Then those are the three goddesses."

Y/n: "Yeah, they must be."

Noah: "Hm. Well observed. I suppose having a goddess who knows divinity inside and out on our side gives us somewhat of an edge. However I'm sure you already know what I'm going to say next."

Y/n: "It won't be enough to get in Gilgamesh's good graces. Well, that just means we need to keep working."

Noah: "I'm glad that needs no explanation. However I imagine that the female Gilgamesh will not take kindly to your absence today."

Y/n: "Probably not, but that's a problem for later."

The two chuckled before Y/n began tidying his temporary home.

Back at the coast, Beast VI crawled out of the sea with a look of fury upon her face as she spat out seawater.

VI: "Damn those two... Eternity and Regression are officially on the same side. Not to mention, he hasn't even awakened his full authority as a beast!"

???: "If that's the case, then wouldn't it be best for us to strike now?"

VI looked over as Kingu made his way towards her.

VI: "... How much mana has the snake gathered?"

Kingu: "Mother's supplies still have not dwindled."

VI: "I'm gonna pay her a visit. If I'm gonna fight II and VIII, then I'm gonna need all the mana I can get. Start gathering soldiers alive, The Beast of Sodom - Mother Harlot - shall be the one to destroy those Chaldean fools."

Kingu watched as VI limped away. He could practically feel the hate emanating from her.

Kingu: "... Just what are you trying to pull, VI?"

End of Chapter.

Next Time: The King's Favour.