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Translator: adomman
Editor: Snorri
Mourrin also told Amon that the judgment of fate did not just happen once, but was something that always existed for the gods. Each time they entered and left Nel, it would occur, and the intensity of the test would only be related to what the gods had done so far to enter a divine kingdom or in the mortal world. Sometimes the gods perish not because of being killed by someone, but because of what they did. This was the thing that was different for the gods compared to the mortals who had a limited life.
These were the things Artemis did not have time to tell Amon. Mourrin imprinted the information into Amon’s soul and then gazed at him as she said: “You have become a true god, but have not yet joined any divine clan, so the agreement between the gods may have nothing to do with you. However, if you do not pay attention, you may become an enemy of all the divine clans.”
For various reasons, the gods do not directly intervene in earthly battles after transcending eternal life and could guide the divine emissaries to assist believers in all matters. And the emissaries more or less understand the path to transcend eternal life, so other than the missions which must be completed, they are reluctant to directly appear to participate in the earthly struggles of mortals. It goes without saying that divine emissaries are not the same as ordinary mortals, although they are still mortal.
Especially after achieving the ninth level of the power of origin, those divine emissaries could be called gods on earth, and many ordinary believers cannot even distinguish the difference between such gods and the true transcendent eternal gods. Such ninth-level divine emissaries usually also avoid conflicts that may lead to perishing and solve problems through various covenants like the gods.
And as a true eternal god, to not directly intervene in mortal strife is also part of the covenant between true gods. Of course, this covenant is not absolute, it is just a way for the gods to get along with each other. After experiencing all the hardships and passing the greatest test on earth before finally gaining eternal life, true gods naturally do not want to resolve issues by destroying each other like the way mortals do.
Conventions are sometimes broken, such as the battles between gods that break out in various divine clans, as well as between divine clans. The result of such conflicts is clear to all, and that is the falling of many gods, and no one can guarantee that the perished will not be themselves. Also, just because the gods do not intervene in mortal strife does not mean that they will not have conflicts with mortals, but most of the time they do not want or need to personally handle it.
Amon had not yet joined any divine clan, so theoretically it seemed that he did not have to abide by this covenant, but in reality, violating this covenant was equivalent to causing suspicion of all gods, even if he did not belong to any divine clan. However, today’s situation was an exception, as Amon was summoned involuntarily to the battlefield directly. Faust and Naqia had chosen to shoot the arrow at Amon, and that was a direct challenge from mortals, so if God Amon wanted to kill them, the gods would not have any objections, and it also had nothing to do with the covenant.
But from another point of view, Naqia and Faust were fighting a battle, and regardless of whether the enemy was a mortal or a god, that arrow had to be shot. After listening to these, Amon suddenly remembered something and grabbed one of Mourrin’s hands and said: “Inanna, back then at the Khenmet defense line, you actually violated this agreement in order to save me at the hands of Enkidu, and took a sword to the battlefield.”
Inanna lowered her head, pouted slightly, and said: “I like hearing you call me Inanna. I did enter the battlefield in a hurry back then, and I tried to be careful not to reveal my identity, so I wore your personal guards’ armor and did not launch any attacks, only blocking Enkidu’s sword, but Enkidu still managed to recognize me.”
Amon: “It was also in that battle that Horus was in the same situation as I was today, so it gave Marduc an excuse. …But you were not forced to do what you did that day, so thank you!”
Inanna replied with her head still lowered: “You did not understand this until today, and I have been looking forward to you becoming a true god. Seth is waiting for you at the mouth of the Nile River, so I thought of a way to summon you here, but almost fell for Enlil’s scheme. I knew that you would not bow down to Enlil, and I wanted to lead you to join Marduc’s faction in the Anunnaki divine clan.
You have entered Nel and should understand that the meaning of guidance from a divine clan is not only for before becoming a god. But now that Marduc has been defeated and you are being guarded by a Creator in the Olympus divine clan, I know what choice you would make and can fully understand…”
Obviously, a simple message like this could be directly communicated through the soul, but Inanna instead chose to say it one sentence at a time like this, with her head bowed and pouting like a shy girl. After Amon became a god, he felt that Inanna seemed to have changed somewhat, because he himself had become a god, and there was a subtle change in the atmosphere between the two.
They could already enjoy eternal life together, yet it was clear that Amon would not enter the same divine kingdom as Inanna. Looking at this goddess, she was just as delicate as the shepherdess slave on the grassland back then. The communication between the two gods no longer needed any pretense, but listening to the tone of this goddess, there was obviously some bitterness, along with a hint of regret and aggression.
Amon had been angrily chasing another god with his battle axe, but now all his anger had inexplicably turned into a soft feeling. Putting his arm around Inanna’s shoulder, Amon gently patted her and said: “Thank you for putting so much effort into getting me out of trouble. After becoming a god, I still won’t join the Anunnaki divine clan, regardless of whether Marduc lost to Enlil or not, and regardless of whether Artemis ever appeared.
I didn’t have time to answer Schrodinger’s question, but I can tell you the answer. The status of that cat in my heart has never changed, and I will always be grateful to Schrodinger herself or to the goddess Artemis, but I will not join the Olympus divine clan either. I had rejected the greatest temptation on earth when I had not yet comprehended the power of the origin, and after becoming a god, I will not be swayed by another temptation.”
The image of the two of them behaving intimately had appeared on earth many times, but at this moment on the clouds, it was the first time that Amon took the initiative to hold Inanna’s shoulders. Hearing this, Inanna looked up with some surprise and asked: “You’re not joining the Olympus gods? Schrodinger will be disappointed, and your situation is also very dangerous. Even if you join Marduc’s faction now, I am afraid that it would still be difficult to protect yourself, not to mention you have also offended the king of the Ennead divine clan, Seth, as well.”
In Inanna’s opinion, Amon’s choice was simply equal to cutting himself off from the gods, and her tone did not sound sour anymore but became filled with concern and worry. Amon smiled with the tip of his nose against her forehead: “Schrodinger will not be disappointed, she knows me very well, so she just offers the possibility of being able to take refuge, but I can not always rely only on the shelter of the Olympus gods. Sometimes the gods would rather risk perishing in order to make the choice that they must make, such as when I must kill Seth myself!”
Inanna pouted and looked at Amon: “It seems I don’t know you as well as that cat. Because of Maria’s relationship, I also know that you won’t let go of Seth. Maybe I made you miss the best opportunity to kill him, I didn’t expect…”
Amon, however, interrupted her and said with another smile: “God of youth and love, we can also have the achievements of the Creator.”
Inanna said with some aggravation: “We? That so-called curse that the gods mocked me with was a hindrance to my achievement as a Creator, and I thought that this curse would be broken when you became a god. But instead of enjoying that eternal life, you rather put yourself into an even more dangerous situation. By making such a choice, I am now in an awkward situation.”
Amon wrapped her soft body to his chest: “If I join the Olympus divine clan, your situation will be even more embarrassing.”
What does that mean? Amon’s shrine was in the city of Salem, where it was the divine realm of the Anunnaki divine clan, and Amon was standing on the altar with his arm around the goddess Mourrin. But if he joined the Olympus divine clan, that kind of shrine would be tantamount to stirring up a dispute between the two divine clans. He might as well not join any divine clan and continue to stand there with his arm around Goddess Mourrin, showing an attitude of not joining the Anunnaki divine clan, but sharing the divine realm with Goddess Mourrin.
Inanna finally smiled happily, rubbed her cheek on Amon’s shoulder, and said: “So you thought of so much! …But I’m worried about another thing, do you know the vow that the gods make when they join a certain divine clan?”
Gods of the same divine clan may fight with each other, but they have a common vow: when a god from outside the divine clan challenges a god of this divine clan, they may not assist the challenger to attack the god of this divine clan. This means that if Amon challenges Enlil, Inanna cannot help Amon, at most she can only assist the defeated Amon to escape, as is the case today.
If Inanna wanted to join Amon in the challenge of Enlil, it would have been best for Amon to join the Anunnaki divine clan. But Amon already had a powerful helper like Artemis and could have been well sheltered if he had joined the Olympus divine clan. However, Amon had no intention of joining the Olympus divine clan.
If a god wanted to be free of the vow made when joining a divine clan, he needed the achievement of a Creator and to establish another divine clan. But this was almost impossible for the vast majority of gods. Amon gently said in Inanna’s ear: “My wish after becoming a god is simple: to kill Seth, hopefully, find Maria’s newborn soul, help you to break that so-called curse, and finally establish a divine kingdom of my ideals.”
Amon made a vow when he crossed the Syah Desert to pass the test of endless arising and ceasing cycle: “If I could be a god, what kind of god would I be? I myself do not like those gods, and I even loathe some of them. With such a belief, no matter how much I practice, it is impossible to become that kind of god, as determined by the test of the power of origin. If there does come a day when I pass the judgment of fate, my desire is not to join or establish that kind of divine clan, or to be that kind of god. I hope to establish a home of faith, where it will provide guidance to all who aspire to it. It would not be the gods to decide who to specifically give guidance to. The gods will no longer be real, but simply a concept in everyone’s belief. For everyone, heaven will not be an unreachable place in the afterlife, but right here right in the present.”
The message was imprinted into Inanna’s soul, and the goddess opened her lips in amazement and looked up in Amon’s arms: “My God, how difficult would this be? To think that you would make such a vow!”
Amon replied: “Since the gods have eternal life, why waste that eternity? I don’t know if I can fulfill my wish eventually, but I will go on like this.”
Inanna reached out and pinched him gently at the waist: “No matter how grand the vow is, you can only do what is right in front of you. You took so long to come back, can you go to my Rose Garden first?”
Amon: “I will go to the Rose Garden after I take care of the Garden of Eden and Salem first, right now there are two guests I have to receive personally.”
Inanna suddenly smiled, looking as beautiful as a spring flower in bloom. “I understand. Actually, my curse does not exist at all, you go first, I will wait in the Rose Garden.”
……
Amon first returned to the Garden of Eden, led the disciples to bury Hardedef and Misphi there, and made another vow: if he could still see their newborn souls on earth, no matter where they had been for how long, he was still willing to do everything possible to guide them.
After the war, there were still many things to deal with, and all the disciples, except Moses who stayed in the Garden of Eden, returned to the city of Salem and put themselves into busy work, but it was the wounded Seagull who had the most leisurely and comfortable life. Celia insisted on healing Seagull herself, performing various magic arts every day and repeatedly trying which blessing magic would have the best effect.
Amon returned to Salem but did not show up, as there were some things that no longer concerned a god, and if he openly appeared in public, it would affect the normal order of the city. In the area of the city rebuilt by the people of Duc, there were two buildings first built by God Amon himself. One was the small building where Maria once lived, and one was the courtyard where Amon grew up, its structure exactly the same as back then.
In the backyard next to the craftsman’s workshop, there was an ordinary wooden table and three rough stools, and around this table sat the continent’s mightiest figures. The table was set with the world’s best wine, and the three sitting there were Amon, Golier, and Gilgamesh. Amon was not here as a god, and if one ignored the other two, it was like entering another time and space, in which Amon grew up, but was still a miner in the town of Duc.
It was on the battlefield where Amon had made his achievements and obtained fame and glory when he led his army to fight continuously with the Hittite army and the powerful Uruk Legion, and the commanders of these two armies had been Golier and Gilgamesh. Once enemies on the battlefield, they were now sitting together drinking wine. Golier was still Golier, while Gilgamesh was no longer the lord of the city of Uruk, and as for Amon, he had become a god.
Amon behaved like a host who invited guests to his own home, and he first gave a toast to the two guests to express his gratitude. If not for the help of Golier and Gilgamesh, the Salem Legion would not have achieved a great victory, and before these two people went to the battlefield, they did not know that Amon would appear as a god. In other words, they didn’t know that the Salem Legion would win, but they came anyway.
Amon was not surprised that Golier would come, but Gilgamesh’s appearance was not expected by anyone. Amon wanted to ask after the toast, but a silent wave of Gilgamesh’s hand had answered Amon’s doubts.
Gone were the pomp and splendor that he used to carry himself with in the past, Gilgamesh now looked slightly slimmer, and he wore an archer’s coarse attire. As a supreme mage, he did not carry a single magical artifact with him, and there was certainly no staff either. Using message magic, he demonstrated a scene that contained the voice of speech –
A miserable scene of corpses, the ruins of villages and towns smoldering with smoke, interspersed with the cries of women and children. There were many skinned corpses hanging on stakes, exposed to the scorching sun in the form of horrible dried meat. Looking from afar, it was more horrible than the Underworld where Amon had been.
This was the scene of the Assyrian emperor Sennachi plundering and slaughtering the kingdom of Bablon, and the voice of Gilgamesh came from the light: “I learned of the kingdom’s defeat in my disheartened wanderings, and rushed there to see the scene with my own eyes, then heard that the Uruk Legion was defeated by the Hittite kingdom. Thousands of my people in the city where I have lived since childhood became prisoners of war in the city of Meso.”
Gilgamesh made a request as soon as he opened his mouth, not only to Amon but also to Golier. He wanted to save these prisoners of war and did not want them to become slaves of the Hittites. The current Bablon Kingdom as well as the city of Uruk were no longer able to save these people, except for individual nobles, and they had given up the intention of redeeming so many slaves.
Golier looked at Amon, who nodded, and Golier said, “I will try my best to help them come to Salem, and the city of Salem will give them land and freedom. After that, let them choose whether to return to Uruk or not.”
Amon sighed and said: “Who led the Uruk Legion to such a great defeat?”
Gilgamesh shook his head. “Can’t really say that they were incompetent. The eastern front of the Bablon Kingdom was defeated, so the army was urgently recalled back to the capital. During the retreat, they were pursued by the Hittite army, and the Uruk Legion stayed back to cover the retreat of the army across the river, suffering the heaviest losses as a result. The Head of Legion is my distant nephew, and as for the Chief Priest…hmph!”
Speaking to this point, Gilgamesh snorted coldly. Raising his head, he looked at Amon and said: “You have become a god, and although we were once enemies, I have always admired you very much, and you also guided a lot of geniuses. But this one is not at all like his teacher!”
Amon frowned. “Could it be one of my students?”
Gilgamesh nodded: “His name is Qayin, and he is now a supreme mage. Back then, when he was under my command, he also practiced body arts. But I thoroughly investigated your whereabouts in the city of Uruk, as many of his performances exceeded my expectations, and only later did I understand that it was a student you instructed!”
Hevel died on the battlefield that year, and Qayin followed the Uruk Legion back to the city. After Gilgamesh left the city of Uruk, Qayin, without further guidance from Amon, was able to find his own way through the various texts, and broke through to the higher levels of achievement, becoming a seventh-level supreme mage.
When the Uruk Legion went on another expedition, Qayin’s position was that of a Chief Priest. Prince Benut led his army to the royal capital, and the Uruk Legion suffered heavy losses during the retreat, while Qayin led the remnants of the legion back to the royal capital as well. The kingdom of Bablon was in danger, so of course, all the forces had to be concentrated on defending Bablon City, and Qayin was put into heavy use and was now a high priest of the kingdom.
