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Greeting her daughter with a wry smirk, Elinor’s emerald irises drifted between the mortals lying on the luxurious beds that had been moved to accommodate them; all four had survived, yet they would likely be out cold for another day when they returned.

Nungal was already dressed in divine armor with her favorite violet blade in her hand and a scowl on her lovely face; Elinor’s daughter’s lilac irises were alight with rage.  “Allow me to go after those traitors, Mother!  I’ll bring them back for punishment!”

“Haaa… you have so much to learn, Nungal,” Elinor chuckled, catching Thor’s hearty laugh at her vigil; her daughter certainly did have a temper and hot blood that an Asgardian would love.  “I left you to study the finer details of ruling under your eldest brothers, but you seem to be slacking on that end.”

Namtar forced a smile.  “To be fair, she is excellent in her studies and the quizzes I give… just not in practice, which is the exact opposite of her combat prowess.”

“It’s better to learn by experience,” Nungal huffed.  “Mother… I’m just…”

Elinor caught the look Namtar’s wife gave her, having returned to his side in the conflict; she understood that Irkalla was vulnerable given the nature of the enemies that had chosen to side with Marduk.

All of the elder gods and goddesses knew the younger deities very well, so it stood to reason that if any of the deserters were captured—by another pantheon or interested party—they could learn critical information regarding Irkalla and Heaven’s structure.

Unfortunately, that weakness was only touching the tip of the iceberg of the dangers this split in Heaven had created, and her sister blamed herself for not being able to inspire more to believe in her name.

On the other hand, the fact that she—The Undefeated Jailor of the Eternities—had allowed them to leave her claws without engaging them came with its own questions that needed to be addressed; her daughter’s flustered confusion made that more than evident.

Elinor moved forward to start plucking the armor pieces from her daughter’s outfit, making the girl give her a pleading look to show she could be her holy avenger; Nungal’s every motivation was highlighted by the desire to show she was the daughter of the Queen of the Great Earth and not a failure.

“You’re confused as to why I would allow the guilty to slip through my fingers?”

Nungal’s jaw tightened, vision falling to Elinor’s bust as her thumb rubbed her sword guard.  “You’ve never let anyone escape your chains, Mom…  It’s just… not normal…  Not that I doubt you!  He spat on your feet—said Irkalla wasn’t even worth fighting for!”

Thor’s hums drew their gaze as he moved to sit at a table where alcohol had already been set up.  “I reflect thy heart, child, yet thy mother and thy aunt were forced to make a tough decision in the web those cowards put thy family in.”

“What does he mean, Mom?”  she whispered, returning her sword to the vault of Irkalla once understanding she wouldn’t be allowed to pursue, and Birtum—the first shackle Elinor had given her—appeared in her hand.

A sad puff of air shot through Elinor’s lips as she watched her princess’ fingers fiddle with the metal; it was the girl’s first adolescent gift and comfort item.

You have so much to learn, but you have the potential to be stronger than I was, Nungal; maybe just giving you the responsibility of a jailor isn’t enough to instill the lessons you need.

Elinor’s focus shifted from her disarmed daughter to her middle child.  “Ninazu, do you feel the same?”

Her more reserved child shook his head while opening a gateway for Mušḫuššu, his reddish-scaled draconic divine beast—a creature from time immaterial he’d tamed—to exit and whisper in his ear; it had shrunk significantly from its original titanic size to fit in the space.

“I believe I understand your reasons…  My snakes have been observing every god and goddess during Aunt Inanna’s conflict, and I believe there are a few that were tempted to join that did not.  Should I keep watch over their actions in the foreseeable future?”

“What!”  Nungal’s hands began to shake with anger around her shackle.  “How can they even think of turning their back on their queen; did they ever think of Mother as their ruler?”

Elinor pulled her daughter into an embrace that startled the young princess of Irkalla; she was of the newer generation.

“Nungal, the last battle wasn’t a loss but a stalemate.  Don’t underestimate your opponent by virtue of your powerful birthright.  Always remain vigilant and know there will always be those stronger than you.  Observe, and adapt, even if the taste is bitter.”

She felt the lump drop down her daughter’s throat.  “But… you could beat them, Mother.”

“Price versus reward, Little Chain,” Elinor softly returned, kissing the side of her head; she didn’t have much longer with the girl.  “Play the long game over short victories that will lead to ruin.”

“The long game?”  her daughter repeated, arms tightening around her back.  “Okay, Mom, I’ll rethink everything you’ve taught me…  Do you think I could beat Aunt Inanna?”

Elinor pulled away with a dubious smile; the girl was obsessed with proving herself in their family as the youngest.  “You’ll learn a lot from your experiences as a patron for your God Touched; whisper in her ear and guide her, but there’s something far more valuable you can gain from Valentina.”

“From a mortal?”

Namtar closed in to put a hand on his little sister’s shoulder, drawing her back.  “You recall your fight with Mother when she first returned?”

Her eyes lit up.  “Not relying on our inherited powers?”

Elinor nodded.  “It’s one of many areas in which you can learn to grow, Little Chain.  Few gods understand the true benefits of mortality; why do you suppose I proposed your aunt and I settle our differences on the Mortal Plane?  Think about it.”

A bright grin flashed her daughter’s pearly teeth.  “Thank you, Mom!  I’ll be able to join you when fighting, right—I can possess Valentina?”

Thor set down his first empty mug and shot a lifted eyebrow at her eagerness to join her on the battlefield; of course, the girl had waited all her life to prove herself to Elinor.  “Is that what this God Touched business is about?”

Hands returning to her back, Elinor’s gaze didn’t leave Adoncia’s resting face as her spiritual essence went through a restructuring that made her frown, and she addressed her son’s wife to cut off all doubt from the other deities that served her.

“Hušbišag, meet with Geshtinanna; have her list all the deities from her time as an elder goddess.  Give the list to your husband and consult with Ninazu and Nungal on how to conduct a thorough investigation; we must know who knew the truth and who didn’t.”

The woman bowed and left through a portal to meet with Irkalla’s Head Scribe; it irked Elinor that she wouldn’t be able to oversee it herself, yet she also had to allow her family to grow and expand in their own areas.

Nungal was probably beaming at being included in the topic of an investigation, and it would stop her from trying to rush out on her own; she was a strong-headed girl—just like her mother.

Elinor ran her fingers through her hair.  “How long do I have left?”

Ninazu answered as his pet returned to the void.  “Twenty minutes at most, Mother.  Also… Mušḫuššu has heard a familiar whisper from the depth of Irkalla.”

Thor choked before redoubling his efforts in downing the alcohol and food he’d been brought.

Oh?  Elinor mused as her focus shifted to the vanishing dragon before scanning one of the nearly infinite gathering halls of Irkalla.  Was he among the monsters of the ancient past?  Hold on… we’re missing a person.

“I have a task for you, Ninazu…  And where has Apate gone?”

He bowed his head, shooting a sidelong look at her little sister, who gave a helpless shrug.  “Yes, Mother?  As for your other guest… Nungal caught her attempting to sneak away, so…”

“I wrapped her up tight and threw her in a cell!”  the girl chimed.  “I figured it didn’t hurt to be ‘extra tight’ considering she is a trickster personification.”

More choking laughter came from the flame-haired man from the table, pounding his chest at the news.

“Haaa.  Typical.  I bet she simply wished to be able to explore and taste a bit more freedom rather than pushing boundaries for any nefarious purpose, but I suppose it couldn’t be helped.  Could you fetch her?”

“Sure thing!  Uh… are you sure she’s supposed to be some bigshot, though?”  Nungal mumbled while smirking to the side as a gateway opened to display the stiff trickster, unable to move a finger, nor would she wish to; her wine-colored eyes pleaded for rescue upon seeing her.  “She’s really quite weak.”

Unable to restrain himself, Thor lifted a grin and a cup at the chained woman.  “A prison fit for one of thy name, Apate!”

“ ‘elp!”  she cried, tears in her eyes.

Chains were latched to every digit of her spirit, forcing her to be perfectly still as thousands of tiny spiritual scorpions—each having enough poison to cause unimaginable, deathless, eternal pain—alternated positions with the other creature keeping her caged.

Sweat slicked the woman’s body as the hellfire worm slid over her skin like an eel, delighting in the torture of any creature that tried to escape its feelers; of course, if no escape was made, it was a harmless snuggle buddy.

“She’s a mortal; you didn’t have to lock her in a Fiend Pit,” Elinor sighed, snapping her fingers for the creatures to vanish and the trickster’s shackles to break away; she gave a short cry while following through a second gateway to land beside her.

“M-Mistress!”  she blubbered, latching onto her shins.  “I’m sorry!  I—I just wanted some fresh air… please forgive me!”

“No need for the act, Apate,” she hissed, crossing her arms.  “Be more vocal about what you want rather than trying to trick your way into something… which, I know, is against your nature, but having a grown woman cry on my feet is uncomfortable.”

Her illusionary, fearful expression disintegrated to be replaced by a sly smile.  “Hehe.  I had to know how much I could push your children—your daughter is quite strict.”

Nungal’s long, lilac locks shifted against her shoulder.  “Hmm?  I was being nice.  You are Mom’s guest, after all.  I just didn’t need you scampering off to cause trouble.”

Her brothers grimaced and nodded in confirmation.

“If you had disrespected our mother by attempting some trickery in our Realm…”  Namtar commented, letting the statement trail off to allow the trickster to imagine what might have happened to her.

“Nungal…”

“Was I too lenient?”  she asked, making Apate shiver.

“Hehe.  I’m beyond that topic.  No, with the last of my time, I’d like to introduce you to Tiamat with your brothers…  Study her chains; you may learn something valuable from them.”

The girl’s breath caught at the implication—the possibility of gaining something her mother did not—which was the sweetest temptation anyone could give her daughter.  “What if I can break them—should I try?”

Elinor shook her head, narrowed vision falling to the polished floor.  “You will not be able to, but it will be a valuable learning experience, and… be careful—this is unknown territory.”

She eagerly nodded, and Elinor created a gateway to the lowest realm of Irkalla.  Her three children joined her as she strode forward, leaving Apate and Thor with the teens, sealing the gateway behind them.

Her children came to a dead stop the moment they entered the hallway, experiencing the pulsating waves of the titanic entity in the darkness below.

The sound of enormous, shifting chains echoed from an indescribable distance as the shadowy, feminine figure took shape in the abyss; she remained distant enough to just barely be seen as an obscured mass in the darkness.

“So you return, Embodiment Of My Flesh…  My children have run from your walls?  I did not expect them to leave so willingly before finishing the war they started.”

The corner of Elinor’s lip curled.  “As you said, they were within me—within Irkalla—and my sister, the embodiment of Heaven.  Trapped to the combative realm of mortality—a condition we set when returning—they were not confident in their rusty skills to fight Ishtar, Thor, and me—who has an unusual Seed of power that grants me strange abilities—together when they only just woke from their slumber.  Even if they did outnumber us.”

“Hmm-hmm-hmm…”  Tiamat folded her arms under her shadowy chest while looking past her at the three young deities that stiffly joined her, causing a tremendous surge of force from below to blow back their hair.  “Your children, I presume… they also share a potent relation to me.”

“Heh-hmm.  Whatever my children did to you and your sister has made you more my children than they could ever be…  You have very little of the essence of Existence mixed into you… far less than that of my children, and… there is a familiar spark within you I have not felt in… eternities,” she slowly relayed, carefully examining every bit of Elinor’s being.

Elinor took that as meaning she had some kind of inside information on the Greater Seed, yet such a discussion would, unfortunately, have to wait because it was nearing the time she’d be forced out of her domain.

“A story you’ll have to share with my children when I am gone.”

Snickering amusement came from the Celestial.  “Who said I would share such information?  Perhaps I will be more trusting of you with each of my shackles removed.”

Laughing at the telling comment, Elinor knew her ‘mother’ would be a handful; plus, she had a sneaking suspicion that if she released Tiamat, all of Irkalla would fall apart.  She needed to learn the details about how this realm was constructed and why such a powerful sphere—one that could counter the creeping chaos outside—was worth abandoning to Marduk.

“I look forward to listening to your conversations through Adoncia.  We will speak again.”

Turning to nudge her head for her children to engage the bone-chilling entity trapped underneath their home, Elinor left them to acquaint themselves when she felt Ishtar request access to her palace.

It was so ironic; before, the very thought of her sister even so much as asking for a direct line to her palace would have made her want to reach for Ishtar’s neck, yet circumstances had a funny way of changing one’s opinion of someone.

She allowed a bridge to be set by her little sister to the room Thor and the teens waited, stepping through to meet them; since she now was inside her palace, her security protocols had been met.

A questioning, toothy grin lifted Elinor’s cheeks when Ninshubur—her sister’s former sukkal and motherly figure—stepped through with the twin goddesses of song and Ishtar.

The former Queen of Servants had a hollow expression, cheeks flushed and puffy from the tears that touched it, a fary cry from the haughty defiance she’d held before.

“She didn’t choose to leave?”

Ishtar allowed the former sukkal to answer in a broken tone, vision refusing to leave the golden sash binding her wrist.  “I… am the Servant of Heaven, and if Marduk has no wish to associate with Heaven… I am rejected by extension.”

Kulitta—the younger twin—gave the elder servant goddess a venomous leer.  “Tricked into believing she was of use and was needed by the old pantheon, she turned her back on her standing Queen.”

In contrast, Ninatta had pity in her gaze.  “Torn between an old master and mistress, she was forced to select a victor, and thus, she chose the wrong path…  It was her lack of faith in our queen that damned her.”

Ishtar closed the gates to Heaven, and once the golden doors sealed, Elinor knew what her sister would ask by her tight mouth and downcast glare.

“Huu-haaa…”  A low hiss passed through Elinor’s teeth; they were opposites in so many ways yet similar in many others that it was sometimes aggravating.  “Fine… she may serve my children in the 7th Gate while your loyalists believe her to be receiving punishment in Irkalla.”

Ninshubur’s light-blue irises creased as Ishtar removed the restraints, breathing a sigh of relief that Elinor had interpreted her wish correctly.  It wasn’t that difficult since she’d brought the woman to the depths of Irkalla.

“My Queen, I… should be punished for breaking my oath?”

“And so you have,” Ishtar bitterly whispered.  “You can no longer return to Heaven, yet it would be a waste for you to rot inside Irkalla’s prison.  Use your talents as they were intended and serve your new charges more faithfully than you did to me.”

Kulitta’s eyes tightened as her twin’s brightened; the younger was far more aligned with Elinor’s way of thinking.  It was a curious duality that made Elinor reflect on Ishtar and her relationship as twins themselves.

Elinor understood her sister’s softer nature, being a deity of the more positive side of creation, on the chaotic spectrum rather than Elinor’s lawful, and, in a way, these songstresses mirrored them.

Thor finished downing the second keg beside his table—impressive for only 10 minutes worth of drinking—and puffed out a hot breath as Apate joined him—earning her a glare; she didn’t get to indulge in the feast quite like the Asgardian, due to his scornful gaze keeping her at the far less decorated end of the long table.

Ishtar nudged her former sukkal forward, and, after a thankful, low bow, she offered the same gesture to Elinor.  “I will serve as your servant’s servant, My Queen.”

A devilish gleam lit in Elinor’s eyes, bringing her sister’s questioning glare; the moment she realized her sister was going to give the fallen goddess to her, she instantly recognized a way for justice to be met and show her sister how one could operate within a system of law.

“What are you planning, Elinor?  I don’t like that look.”

Apate and Thor glanced between them as if entertained by their constant back and forth.

Elinor gave her sister a sly wink and lifted the confused heavenly sukkal to turn Ninshubur to face her new mistress.  “As my first act as your Queen and an upholder of Godly Law, I hereby sentence you to live as a mortal.”

Thor, Apate, the twins, and her sister’s eyes widened in sudden shock.

“You know what you must do to become my Empire’s Head of State… to serve Nethermore and its new Regent… your new Queen.  You are reborn, and your new name will be Neara; you will never be far from your new mistress.

“Infuse your body’s essence into the sealed Core of the mortal vessel you create so it will reshape it through your mortal sojourn; there will be trials to be welcomed back into Heaven a new woman when Ishtar once again ascends to her station.  Hehe.  I suggest you select a more appropriate dress for your fall.”

Overcome by emotion, Ninshubur—now Neara—dropped to her knees in front of Ishtar, already weaving her restrictions and creating a mortal vessel to use beside her immortal body.

Taking on a shoulderless, black dress with a floral pattern on the bust and small, simple decorations on the sleeves while adding jewelry and a flavorful, elegant, crown-like halo to illustrate her given position.

Taking on a slim, more regal appearance with thick, black locks and almond-shaped eyes, Neara’s two bodies illuminated before fusing together, and Elinor released a flurry of butterflies to land on her bare shoulders.

Revealing her now light-gray irises and rosy lips, she changed her speech patterns entirely, whispering, “I will serve thee to the end of all I am, My Queen.”

With those last words, she struck herself dead, yet before falling to the ground, Elinor called her back, using the infinite wealth of Death Energy available to her in her own Realm.

“Sister…”  Ishtar mumbled in shock as Neara smoothly rose to her feet to move off to the side, not wishing to draw attention to herself now that she’d been given a position to fill.

Before the twins could react to the outcome, Elinor turned her sparkling emerald irises to the stiff twin goddesses of song.  “Hehe.  I can already guess your two loyal songbirds will wish to do the same…  Where is Sari’aél?” she asked, suddenly realizing the Seraph had been absent for some time.

Apate giggled and shrugged.  “Apparently, the bath felt so divine and lovely that she sort of… floated away in total bliss.  Nungal said she’d be fine.  In my humble opinion, she passed out while enjoying it a bit, heh, too much.  As for me, eh… it wasn’t really my flavor.”

“No one asked for thy opinion, Harlot of Hera,” Thor grunted, drawing the trickster’s huff.

“Again, with the harlot name-calling!”  Apate snarled, wine-hued eyes staring daggers at the unapologetic warrior.

Elinor wondered how Thor would take what was coming; she honestly hadn’t planned this part through.  “Hmm.  I suppose Sari’aél will be forcefully transported out when I can no longer maintain everyone’s place in this sphere.  Now, what of your twins?”

It seemed their purpose for being allowed to accompany their queen into the most sacred place of Irkalla had only just dawned on the pair.

After seeing that her motherly figure wouldn’t cause further division in her host, and that they’d remain by her side, Ishtar’s depression lifted.  “I did wonder if it would be possible…  Ever the strategist, Sister.  Ninatta, Kulitta?”

The twins swiftly parted their dresses in a low curtsy.

““We will serve you in any plane of Existence, Mistress.””

Their acceptance given, Elinor butted in again, wanting to have her own little touch on these new members of her empire.  Part of her curiosity was to see how these twins would differentiate themselves when given the option, considering their wildly divergent personalities they typically kept well-hidden.  The two’s twin-like nature also made her plot to manipulate this System’s limitation on the Transcendent position.

“Sister, I’d like to suggest something for their position within my Royal Court.”

Dubious gaze centered on her, Ishtar seemed to connect the dots shockingly fast after spending some time studying their shared connection.

“You wish for them to use the loophole of a unified soul—such as what you and I share—to allow each to be the head over your Songweaver Court?”

Elinor nodded, licking her lips with a slight grin when the pair understood it themselves; the younger discovered it first, tightening her mouth.

“One of us is to serve each queen?”

“A specific one,” Ishtar sighed.  “My sister wants you, Kulitta…  Your personality is more aligned with hers, after all.”

“I may still serve you, My Queen?”

Elinor tilted her body to the side to draw the twin’s attention.  “Of course!  I wouldn’t keep you forever!  Just… for a bit, hehe.  Additionally, one twin will be the dominant one—as Ishtar is a Queen of Nethermore, yet I am the Empress—but you both will share the same station within the court.  One will be with me, the other Ishtar.  Hehe.  I expect I know who it will be.”

To no one’s surprise, Ninatta giggled at the statement.  “Obviously, my little sister will be the dominant of us.  I am ready for whatever is to come so long as I can continue serving my mistress!”

“Easy for you to say,” Kulitta grumbled, arms crossing under her chest as she glared at the floor, showing more of the shadowy, domineering side she tended to hide.  “Humph…  If that’s what you want, I suppose we don’t need to put on an act when no one is looking.”

“Naturally,” Elinor laughed.  “It must have been challenging growing up as goddesses of song and attracting so much attention.  Fortunately, you could cling to Ishtar’s influence to keep the other pesky gods and goddesses away from you—Kulitta’s plan, no doubt.”

The younger twin’s tight expression lifted to her.  “Maybe at the beginning, it was a means of survival.”

“No need to defend your initial motivations,” Ishtar mused.  “I knew as much then and grew fond of your companionship over the ages.  We all know it is rough for young goddesses in a well-established pantheon.  I am just happy to have you with me once again.”

“We need to make this happen quickly,” Elinor muttered, feeling the gap in the heavens beginning to slip; it had actually been quite lucky it was contained within Irkalla since she’d expected to have to use Heaven as a stepping stone to get to her Realm.

“Welcome to the team!”  Apate chimed, jumping forward with a friendly smile as she reached out to shake Kulitta’s hand.

The younger songstress gave her a small smile while taking it.  “Sure…”

“Eh-heh, firm grip!”  the trickster chuckled, releasing it to shake out her hand.

Not wasting any time, the pair created their avatars that would become the Transcendent Twin Songstresses of the Royal Court, locking themselves to the relative power scale of her current Court Members to not cause an imbalance in the delicate system.

Ninatta’s golden hair flared in a broad pattern as she donned an elegant, white, A-line-style dress that was form-fitted to accentuate her curves with a host of pearls that decorated the piece.

She was a radiant spectacle—the typical heavenly vision of an enchantress.

On the other hand, her twin took on a more twisted version of the title, further illustrating what she’d hidden throughout their lives to not draw attention to her older sister.

Rather than the flowy, silken dress of her twin, Kulitta crafted a design Elinor suspected she’d dreamed of for quite some time by the detail involved.

Themed by tight, white leather and brass, her dress was slit on the left side up to her hip, and the woman’s chest was half-exposed in a bent teardrop shape that bowed toward her left breast.

A knife-like zipper could be used to pull the front up in a more modest display, yet she wore it open, revealing a cross-string bra underneath that kept her bust from popping out; it was all a part of the outfit’s enticing appeal to captivate.

Wearing a high collar held by a metal choker, thigh-high boots, and white gloves, she was the picturesque beauty of a high-class military dominatrix.

There was a new, unreserved gleam in her light-green eyes and plump pink lips; the songstress’ hair was bound, unlike her sister’s, yet just as long.  Elinor had known she was more suited to Irkalla than Heaven; she half wondered if she could entice the woman to act as a warden when they returned.

Butterflies landed on their bodies, and the two killed their avatars for Elinor to resurrect, binding the pair to her System, and a wave of amusement came to her as Thor straightened at their new companion’s appearance.

Poor man… He really is surrounded by vipers.  I can picture how he views these halls now, coiled with serpents waiting to strike.

She cleared her throat while turning to the God of Thunder.  “You know I mean nothing by this…”

“No?”  he hissed as Kulitta gave them a testing smile while using her newfound powers in the System to craft a white-tailed whip, smacking it against her gloved hand in testing.

“Not a bad fit,” she smirked.  “I’ve waited… mmh-hmm, since I was born to smite someone.”

The twins mirrored each other in appearance only, and their expressions couldn’t be further apart now.

“Eh-hehe… you’ve been holding back for such a long time for my sake; I’m glad you finally get to be yourself, Kulitta.”

“Indeed… now I must find appropriate servants to whip into musical shape for my symphonies.  I hope we can find some useful slaves along our journey who will give themselves to me.”

Elinor was about to respond when she felt the hole in heaven mending, and just before they were yanked back to the mortal sphere, she sent a storm of butterflies to resurrect her sister—only in spirit—it would be the faith of those that followed her that gave power to Ishtar to manifest a corporeal body.

Their trip to the Divine Realms had come to an end, and Elinor could only hope her husband hadn’t been caught up in some other pantheon’s plots, no matter how naive it was to believe the disappearance wasn’t some plot by her cowardly version of Nergal.

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