(Inanna)

I guide the scout ship over the bustling city of Gomorrah, my heart a mix of pride and longing. The cloaking device that Ninki’s team crafted works flawlessly, wrapping us in a veil of invisibility, allowing me to observe the lively humans below without their knowledge. As I take in the vibrant streets filled with laughter, I can remember and almost feel the aroma of street food wafting through the air… a bittersweet feeling swells within me. I can’t help but marvel at their resilience and creativity, yet I am painfully aware that I must refrain from interfering directly in their lives. It’s a constant battle between my desire to help and my duty to remain a silent guardian, watching over them from afar.

I can’t shake the feeling that these humans belong to me… After all, I gave life to Adamu, the first of their kind, from my own body. His offspring now fill every corner of Earth… Still, I must obey Ninki’s command to stay hidden, or risk destroying the fragile harmony we’ve struggled to maintain. These past few years of concealment have torn at my heart.

Still, the urge to reach out and guide my human kin is overwhelming. I long to offer them my wisdom, to protect them from the darkness that threatens to consume them. But I must resist, for Ninki has impressed upon me the importance of letting them forge their own path, to grow and evolve without the constant meddling of the Anunnaki.

A faint smile graces my lips as I reflect on Marduk, my beloved brother, and his human spouse, Sarpanitu. Ninki has permitted him to keep in touch, acting as our eyes and ears in the human world. While I cannot be present myself, I find comfort in the knowledge that Marduk will watch over our offspring from the dim corners of the temple of Ba’al, safeguarding their welfare and steering them toward a more promising future with Sarpanitu as his forefront and leader.

The pain of Dumuzi’s absence burns like a searing brand across my heart. I trace my fingers along the intricate feathered amulet, remembering how he would look at me – not with awe or fear, but with pure, unfiltered love. A love that Enlil’s murderous guards had brutally extinguished.

My fingers clench into fists. Dumuzi was no ordinary human. He was a linen maker, an artist who wove threads with the same delicate precision I used in my genetic research. His hands were strong yet gentle, his eyes deep pools of compassion that saw me not as a divine being, but as a woman.

Oh, the cave details where we secretly met… it still replays in my memory every single day. The way he smiled, how he offered me a perfectly woven cloth… this amulet… In that moment, I wasn’t an Anunnaki princess – I was simply Inanna, a woman captivated by human emotion.

Now, I am alone. Deliberately, intentionally alone.

Each breath I take is a memorial to Dumuzi. No other human or Anunnaki will ever replace him. No other consort will ever know the depth of my heart. His memory is sacred, carved into my very genetic structure, a wound that will never fully heal.

I continue to pilot the scout ship, my eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of Enlil’s presence. The cloaking device hides me from view, but I know he has eyes and ears everywhere. I must be cautious, for his treachery knows no bounds.

The people of Gomorrah go about their daily lives, unaware of the forces that shape their world. As I observe the bustling streets, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride. These are my children, my descendants, and they have thrived despite the challenges they have faced.

But then… A sudden movement catches my eye… suspicious movements detected by the ship’s AI… and I focus the ship’s sensors on a group of men gathered in a shadowy alleyway. Zooming to try to isolate their hushed tones. I listen intently as the men in the alley speak in hushed tones, their words laced with a hint of desperation. Their body language and the furtive glances they exchange suggest they are plotting something sinister. My heart races, and I grip the controls of the scout ship tightly, torn between my desire to intervene and Ninki’s decree to remain in the shadows.

As I strain to make out their conversation, a familiar symbol catches my eye – the serpent sigil that Nabu had warned me about. My blood runs cold, for I know this is the mark of Enlil’s followers, the ones who seek to sow discord and chaos among the humans.

I must act, but I promised Ninki I would not interfere directly. Conflict rages within me, the urge to protect my children warring with the need to honor my mother’s wishes. Gritting my teeth, I make a decision. I will not stand idly by while Enlil’s minions threaten the lives of those I hold dear.

I activate the encrypted communication channel, my fingers dancing across the control panel with practiced precision. Sarpanitu’s face flickers into view, her eyes questioning.

“I’m tracking a group of Enlil’s followers in the southern quadrant of the main plaza,” I speak quickly, my voice low and urgent. “They’re gathering near the old market’s west corner, just past the linen shops. Specifically, the third alleyway between the spice merchant and the copper worker.”

Sarpanitu’s eyebrows furrow. “How are you transmitting? I can’t detect any ship signature. You’re practically invisible.”

I allow myself a slight smile. “Ninki’s latest cloaking technology. Not even Enlil could trace this signal.”

“Precise locations?” she asks, already reaching for something off-screen.

“Coordinates are uploading now. Exact markers. Three men, all bearing the serpent sigil. They’re planning something – I can feel it.” My fingers tap rapidly, sending the encrypted data.

Sarpanitu’s expression hardens. “I’ll alert the city guards immediately. Ba’al  Troops will not fall to Enlil’s schemes.”

“Be careful,” I warn. “These aren’t ordinary troublemakers.”

She nods, her resolve clear. “I’ll take care of it.”

(Nanaya)

I scanned the bustling plaza of Gomorrah, my hand instinctively brushing against the dagger hidden within my robes. The small contingent of guards moved with me, their eyes darting between the crowds and potential threats. My mission was singular: find Inanna or Marduk and warn them of the impending destruction that threatened these cities.

Years had passed since I’d last seen them, but intelligence suggested they were somewhere in the shadows of Sodom and Gomorrah. The weight of my responsibility pressed heavily upon me.

A flash of familiar fabric caught my eye – a priestess of Ba’al, her robes flowing elegantly through the marketplace. Something about her movement, her posture struck a chord deep within my memory.

And then I saw her face.

Sarpanitu.

My mother-in-law, Marduk’s wife, stood mere paces away. Her presence here, adorned in the robes of a Ba’al priestess, was unexpected and electrifying. I signaled my guards to follow, my heart racing with the possibility of finally finding a connection to Marduk and Inanna.

I moved swiftly through the crowded marketplace, my hand resting on the hilt of my curved dagger. Sarpanitu stood just ahead, her Ba’al priestess robes swirling with an unexpected tension.

Suddenly, chaos erupted.

Three massive brutes with serpent tattoos burst from a nearby alleyway, their bronze sabers glinting in the sunlight. Sarpanitu’s guards moved to intercept, but the attackers were lightning-fast. One guard went down with a brutal shoulder strike, another was kicked viciously into a market stall, splintering wooden displays and sending fruits scattering across the ground.

“Protect the priestess!” I shouted, signaling my own warriors.

My guards charged forward, their leather armor catching the midday light. The marketplace dissolved into a hurricane of motion – merchants screaming, people scattering, market goods tumbling everywhere.

The lead brute spun, his blade arcing through the air. My lead guard blocked with a bronze shield, the clash of metal ringing out like a war drum. Another of my warriors lunged, tackling one of the attackers into a water barrel. Splash and struggle erupted.

Sarpanitu stood frozen, her hands raised defensively. The third brute was making a direct line toward her, murder in his eyes.

I drew my ceremonial dagger from its sheath, its golden handle glinting as I lunged forward. With practiced precision learned from years of training, I attacked the brute from behind while two of my most trusted guards pinned his massive arms, their muscles straining against his savage strength. The marketplace dirt kicked up beneath our feet as we struggled, my heart pounding in my ears.

The last brute collapsed, his face pressed against the dusty marketplace ground. My warriors bound his hands with leather straps, their movements efficient and practiced. Dust swirled around us, mixing with the metallic scent of blood and sweat.

I turned gradually, locking eyes with Sarpanitu. Her Ba’al priestess robes were now marred with dirt, her poised demeanor shattered by the abrupt chaos.

“Who are you?” she demanded, her tone wavering between fury and disbelief.

I stepped nearer, my grip on the dagger unyielding. “Nanaya. Wife of Nabu, King of Babylon… my mother Sarpanitu.”

Her gaze sharpened. Recognition sparked, followed by astonishment.

“Nanaya? What are you doing here?!”

“I’m searching for something. Or someone,” I replied, each syllable intentional. Not a query. A declaration.

Sarpanitu’s hand instinctively grasped a small amulet at her throat. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I leaned closer, my voice dropping to a cutting whisper. “Marduk. Inanna. They’re here. And I must speak with them. Immediately.”

The marketplace around us was beginning to return to normal. My warriors were offering aid to the injured.

“Why?” she exhaled.

“Because everything is about to shift.”