Pivot of the Sky – Chapter 100, The Greatest Temptation

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Translator, Editor and Proofread: theunfetteredsalmon

 

Inanna, naturally and intimately wrapped her arms around one of Amon’s, just like when they were walking on the grassland. Half of her body tenderly clung to him. She smiled and said, “My Amon, if you have something to say I’d love to listen.”

 

Amon cleared his throat and said, “What the both of you said was very reasonable. Although I did not understand some parts of your conversation, I know what you meant. Goddess Mourrin wanted to punish Dumuzid for personal reasons, and she has done so. And Goddess Persephoni, you want to save Dumuzid from his punishment in the Underworld. You should go to the Queen of the Underworld.

 

I did not know of this incident before today but I also escaped from the Underworld on my own. It would be counterproductive for you to capture me for Dumuzid because Queen Kella’s condition is to exchange someone like Dumuzid for someone like me. If I am not present, no exchange will happen but if I go, it will be nothing more than my second time fleeing from the Underworld, leaving Dumuzid in the mercy of the Goddess of Death.

 

Since I fled from the Underworld, you can find Queen Kella and persuade her to let Dumuzid go without the condition of exchange. I know that she is difficult to talk to, but things can always be discussed. You are all gods. Goddess Persephoni, it would be best if you went to the Underworld alone. I can see that the relationship between Goddess Mourrin and her sister are heavily strained.”

 

Inanna said with a delicate smile, “Amon, you said everything clearly. We digressed from the initial conversation. But don’t call me Mourrin, call me Inanna like you agreed before, yes?”

 

Amon simpered bitterly. “I am more used to calling you Mourrin when I address you as Goddess.”

 

Persephoni was unhappy with the intimate manner between the two. She said lightly, “Amon, your words have much reason, you even dared to advise the gods!”

 

Amon took Inanna and bluntly responded, “I am merely speaking my mind. I am not advising anything.”

 

Persephoni turned around. “You two continue being as intimate as you want… I’m going to the Underworld to find Kella.” With that said, her figure slowly disappeared into the fog over the swamp.

 

Inanna breathed warmly as she softly said in Amon’s ear, “The Goddess Persephoni told us to remain intimate… this must be her oracle!” When she said the word ‘oracle’, there were clear elements of teasing but her tone and movement are distinctly full of temptation, making Amon’s ears and half his body twitch.

 

Right at that moment, Persephoni suddenly reappeared, a smile on her face. She said, “Young mortal, I want to remind you that whether or not you believe Goddess Mourrin’s tragic fate, look upon the result of the men she has loved.

 

A few years ago, her advances on Gilgamesh were rebuffed, I think you know why? However, Enkidu took a liking to her and always wanted to pursue the Goddess of youth and love. If nothing else, think about what would happen should you face Enkidu. I thank you for your advice, so this is my own in gracious return.”

 

Once again, Persephoni disappeared. Amon couldn’t help but feel tightness in his body. Inanna was indeed not an oil-conserving lamp. Without doing anything, he provoked Enkidu, one of the most powerful warriors on the mainland. He remembered that the last time in the outskirts of Uruk City, Enkidu had personally warned him that should they meet again, he would kill him. His tone was certainly not one of humour.

 

Inanna was keenly aware of the subtle changes in Amon’s body language. She loosened her grip around Amon and looked at him faintly to say, “Amon, are you afraid of Enkidu? No matter how strong he is, he cannot be an opponent of a goddess. I am your protector.”

 

Amon shook his head and stated, “There is no point in talking about fear. I have seen the Underworld, let alone a powerful warrior. So what if I am not his match? Who he likes is his own right. There is no grudge between both of us and I have no intention in provoking him.”

 

“Are you afraid of me?” Inanna asked with a miserable look on her face.

 

Amon shook his head again. “I’ve never been afraid of you. When we first met I mistook you for nothing more than a shepherd slave, who gave me the best pancake I’ve ever had and then led me to a strange town afterwards. I just wanted to help you.”

 

Inanna laughed. “You mistook Princess Sissila for me and went with so many people to my rescue. As a result, you were all cheated by her!”

 

Amon laughed along with Inanna. “Only after that incident did I realise who you are. I am also very grateful that you were able to fulfil my wish to take me to the Underworld to say goodbye to my father. I will keep my promise and do my best to repay you. I forgot to tell you, I found the descendants of Duc in Mount Horeb in Ejypt. I stayed there for a while too. Why hadn’t I heard from you then?”

 

Inanna gently stroked the back of Amon’s hand with her finger and said, “In Ejypt are nine joint god territories, it would be highly inconvenient for me to go there, not to mention you were hiding in the Temple of Isis where it would be far worse for me to visit… I want to thank you too for finding people for Duc town. With that, I can return here smoothly and look forward to rebuilding my domain.”

 

Amon nodded with understanding and asked, “Is it because I am back that you can return? Today, in addition to persuading Goddess Persephoni to turn back, do you have anything else to do?”

 

Inanna looked at him with her small cherry mouth. “You are resourceful, leading the savage mountain cave tribe to descend and settle down here first. But you forgot something; you promised me you would direct them to rebuild my temple.”

 

Amon smiled and said, “Inanna, rebuilding the temple is no problem but it has to be magnificent, with a courtyard. I can pass down the order to build it when the settlers have the time and stability to do so. Although I am not a god, I vaguely understand that a temple does not directly translate into ownership of a realm. The original town of Duc also housed a temple for Horus, which was only there to show obedience to the Kingdom of Ejypt despite the lack of belief in Horus. The cave-dwellers have never even heard of the goddess Mourrin, nor have you given them any real help or shelter. Even if I were to order the temple to be built, I’m afraid there would be no faith in their hearts as they do not understand the true spirit of divinity.”

 

Inanna shook Amon’s arm like a coquettish little girl, “I know all this better than you! When I was on the Assyrian Plateau and heard that Persephoni was coming for you, I came immediately, not only for my business with her but also for my business with you. As a goddess, I want to show the people of Duc a miracle and bestow upon them a gracious gift. This will begin the reconstruction of my realm.”

 

Amon asked with surprise, “What miracle would you want to show, and what gifts would like to be presented to the cave-dwellers?”

 

Inanna answered, “Fortune… magical, amazing and impossible fortune! The only relic in the town of Duc is the foundation under which my temple is buried deep. There is a hidden cellar in the temple that I personally put under the guardianship of magic. For hundreds of years, every leading chief priest has been guided by me before his death. I teach them how to free their dead souls from the shackles of the Underworld. They would also deposit precious parangons in the cellar as an offering, which cannot be removed once placed. Mayor Dusti is the only exception to this, so he did not know. I will descend as a goddess to guide the people to my buried temple, then have them offer a sacrifice for me so that the cellar can be opened.”

 

“That’s a good idea,” Amon praised thoughtfully. “You seem to already have prepared for it, but in the isolated wilderness, wealth is of little significance and money certainly cannot buy them anything yet.”

 

Inanna chuckled. “Who says wealth means little? They will not be isolated from the world for long. Soon, this land will become a stretch of fertile soil and the first to arrive after you would be numerous explorers, mostly in pursuit of mysterious, unknown wealth. With such riches in the cellar, not only can we hire wandering warriors, but we can also recruit craftsmen and artificers from all over the continent. We will have caravans deliver to us a steady stream of materials. Otherwise, we could only depend on the hard work of hundreds of people, so when will we finish building a magnificent city-state?”

 

Amon murmured, “This wealth should be used slowly and with caution. It can’t be all revealed at once. Otherwise, we will attract predators and robbers.”

 

Inanna smiled and exclaimed, “With a supreme mage like you at the head of the efforts to rebuild, what kind of robbers would be stupid enough to seek trouble with us? This wealth will be given to believers by the gods to help them rebuild their homeland. Any plunderers seeking to plunder Duc will offend me and I do not mind handing down punishment personally, but it would be better to be careful.”

 

Amon thought about it and asked, “Inanna, you have so much personal wealth! If what you said was true, that the offering to you in the temple was given by every chief priest since centuries ago, wouldn’t it mean that it is the heritage of the descendants of Duc as well?”

 

Inanna shook her head and giggled, “Yes and no. The parangons were dedicated to the gods, hence it is mine. But I will use it to rebuild the domain, and for those who live here, rebuild their homes. The descendants of Duc will also live here, no? The wealth of the world is meaningless to the gods.”

 

Amon nodded. “Fair enough, we will do as you say. It will be good for everyone and it is something you want, at least.”

 

Inanna’s body moved closer to Amon again. She took his arm in hers and said intimately, “Amon, I have a surprise for you.”

 

“What’s the surprise?” Amon wondered aloud. “You have done a lot for me, I do not need any more than you have already given.”

 

Inanna replied, “When I arrived, I saw you leave the tribe atop the mountain with the cave-dwellers, including the warrior named Metatro. They all call you God Amon and they respect and worship you with sincerity. It seems that you do more for them than the real gods. Since that is the case, we can have your figure chiselled in my temple, too. We can accept sacrifices and offerings together.”

 

Amon was shocked beyond belief. “How can we do that?! I am not a real god!”

 

Inanna smiled mysteriously. “Many gods in the world were not gods either when they first accepted sacrifices. They were only mortal heroes.”

 

Amon’s expression turned serious. “Inanna, are you telling me that mortals can also become gods?” He had finally asked a goddess the question that Crazy’Ole had dedicated his life to trying to prove. He listened closely to her answer.

 

This puzzling phenomenon that makes people contemplate the meaning of life can be simply thrown aside with the right answer. Inanna put her cheek on Amon’s shoulder and whispered, “Yes, ordinary people can also become gods. This is a secret… you cannot tell anyone about this or you will invoke the wrath of the gods.”

 

Amon frowned. “Wrath of the gods? But you told me.”

 

Inanna raised her head to look at him affectionately. “Because you have the opportunity to achieve this qualification, I can help you enter the Anunnaki. However, it is up to you and you alone whether you can pass the test or not. You may be a miner in Duc, but now, not only are you a supreme mage, but you are also an advanced warrior at your young age. You show promise.”

 

The answer to becoming a god was now right in front of Amon. He didn’t expect it to come so suddenly. Although Amon already had an idea of how to become a god, he hadn’t yet explored the road to follow. To have the guidance of a real goddess was most convenient for him. However, Amon coughed and asked, “What do I need to do to become a real god?”

 

Inanna stretched her hand out to give Amon a gentle shove on his chest. “My Amon, don’t be impatient. These are matters of the future; being eligible to join the Anunnaki, knowing how to become a god, requiring the recognition of the gods and making a vow, I will tell you on that day.”

 

She blinked wittily and continued, “Amon, if there ever is such a day where I extradite you to the Anunnaki, perhaps you may be my son or husband in the commoner’s mythology.”

 

Amon’s back was a little tight. He couldn’t help but think of Inanna’s ‘ex-husband’ Dumuzid, who was still suffering in the Underworld. Inanna subconsciously reached out and gasped with a smirk, “I know a little bit about the relationships between the gods. The myth of the common world is only interpreted in a way that ordinary people would understand.”

 

Inanna seemed to know what Amon was thinking. She reached out again to caress his chest before saying, “My Amon, we just heard Persephoni speak of my destiny. I look forward to your help to break this curse to make me a goddess worthy of youth of love. Perhaps then you will also find the secret to becoming a god.”

 

Her hand rested on his chest and her body exuded indescribable charm, but for Amon, the real irresistible temptation was not wealth and beauty but the secret of becoming a god. This was the goal he had long sought as well as the doubts he can solve.

 

Amon grasped Inanna’s hand softly and asked, “What do you need me to do?”

 

Inanna muttered, “You have already done what I need. If you can help me rebuild my divine realm, you will be eligible to be introduced to the Anunnaki, at which time you will only have to make an oath to the gods and learn the secret of the gods and finally accept sacrifices with me in the temple. I am looking forward to our bright future and of course, my liberation.”

 

Amon squeezed Inanna’s hand and probed, “I don’t quite understand what you mean by liberation, but I will do my best to help you. Should the day come and I do not want to make the vow, I hope you will be understanding of me.”

 

Inanna rubbed her head on his shoulder. “No one will refuse the hope and power of eternal life. It’s too early to speak of it; you will understand when the time comes.”

 

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Silavin: Hoped you guys enjoyed the chapter. That’s it for this week but we will resume posting 3 chapters each week. I posted the previous two chapters on the same day, which I didn’t mean to.

 

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