"Giant?" He gasped in astonishment.

"But yes, they were the descendants of survivors from a time when this planet was still largely covered in ice. From the days of big animals. But they weren't the first either. They were called the Reds and came here to survive when their world, formerly green and full of life, turned to stone. He still shines red in the sky. ”He sighed. This creature was too curious and he was too tired. He didn't want to answer his questions. She didn't want to. On the one hand, it was tempting to talk to someone after such a long time, on the other hand, it was too painful.

Atrachasis was silent, looking at him. He was no longer afraid of him. Now he was afraid of what he would find out. He was the guardian of a shrine whose history dates back a long way. So far that even their ancestors did not know what it was for. They gradually died and they were the last to stay. No one sent a new priest. Maybe they forgot, maybe the world outside has changed. He didn't know. The temple stood far from the people, surrounded by desert. Sometimes he wondered if they were left alone in this world. Not forgotten, but last. Then He came.

"What am I supposed to call you, sir?" He asked, looking up at him. The one who appeared was half as big as himself, speaking a language they only used in ceremonies. Now he looked into his tired eyes and waited for an answer.

"Some call me Marduk. But it probably doesn't tell you anything, ”he replied to the little one. The country has changed. She was no longer what he knew her when he left her. The descendants of those "created" by his father looked miserable, poorer than those he had known in the past. Although…, so far he has seen only one. He was very tired and so disappointed.

"Son of a clean hill. Amar.Utuk - Tele sun, "Atrachasis remembered, looking at him carefully. Then he paused and grieved. God. Old God. He quickly dropped to his knees and put his head down.

The temple was laughing. It was like a storm. His mighty voice echoed from the walls, and Atrachasis feared that the sound would disturb the already noisy walls of the temple. Then the laughter subsided. Carefully he raised his head and looked up. His heart pounded and blood dripped in his temples until his head seemed to surge.

Marduk looked around. The temple of the temple was there. The little one was still lying on the ground. He helped him get up.

"I'm tired and I'm hungry," he told him. "Do you think you could find something to eat here?"

"Yes sir. We make sacrifices every day. Come with me, please. ”Atrachasis bowed and showed him the way. They went down the stairs. Atrachasis had once wondered why the stairs were so high, now he knew. He struggled to open the door to the shrine.

Marduk sat in a huge armchair and checked the room. Here it looked better than above. Atrachasis brought the liver. It was cold, but Marduk was hungry, so he refrained from commenting. He wondered where the others were. Temples were always full of people. Full of those who were to fulfill their orders. Now there is only that little man. Where the others are, he did not know. But the questions wait. The journey was strenuous, long, and he wanted to sleep.

Eat up. The cold mutton tasted bad, but at least it drove away hunger. He longed for bed - for sleep. But then he realized that a large part of what was once such a tall temple is now half covered with earth, or rather covered with sand. So the bedroom is down somewhere. Deep, unventilated, and the devil knows in what condition. He sighed and stood up. His body ached.

He walked to the mosaic wall and pushed. The entrance was free. Atrachasis looked at him with his mouth open. He didn't know about the entrance. Marduk motioned wearily to go with him, and so he went. Confused, astonished and scared. He did not dare to oppose God. He just took a beam from the wall to bring some light into the unfamiliar space.

Marduk laughed and pulled a strange object from the pocket of his cloak, then made a strange movement with his thumb, and light gradually lit up the underworld. He was silent. He ran his nose through the air. The ventilation shafts worked. At least something. There was dust everywhere. Lots of dust, deposited for hundreds of years when no one was here. The armrest sighed and looked around.

They walked silently down the hall. Long, straight, high and full of columns. They came to another staircase and descended slowly. The next corridor was the door. Doors high and heavy, with strange carvings. Atrachasis pondered where so much wood had come from. Marduk reached for the doorknob. Then he stopped and looked down at Atrachasis.

"Come back. I need to sleep. Do not disturb me! And he would like to clean up a little too. "He closed the door behind him, so Atrachas was not in.

He returned upstairs, confused by what he had experienced and seen. Disordered perceptions and thoughts. He shuddered. Not fear, rather amazement. His fathers told him about them. About the Gods who inhabited this land before and after the Flood. Big and powerful. But from their mouths it sounded more like a fairy tale. This is a fact. He ran upstairs. Tired by the high steps, he ran to the shrine and then out in front of the temple. He looked at the sky. The sun will set in a moment. The others return home from the fields. He sat on the steps in front of the temple entrance, his head in his hands, wondering what he would tell them.

They stood in front of the open entrance to the underground and were silent. Atrachasis's narration was unbelievable, but the corridor was there, as was the bluish light in it. They didn't know what to think about it. Eventually, they set to work. Hungry and tired after a hard day's work. It is not advisable to oppose God, even if they have not seen him before. Carefully and quietly, they began to clean the corridor and the artifacts in it. Quietly so they wouldn't wake him. Quietly not to make Him angry. So far, they've only cleaned the hallway. They did not have the courage to enter the rooms next door. It was dark there, and they weren't sure if they'd done anything wrong. Something He would not agree with was hastened because they did not know how long he would sleep.

The temple stood quite far from the oasis, and even that was almost depopulated today. The rest of the inhabitants who remained there could scarcely defend the existing fields from the sand of the desert that stretched all around. There were always twelve of what he remembered. After the eldest's death, they selected a successor from the villagers' boys and prepared him as best they could for his office. Atrachasis was the youngest here, but he knew not for long. Dudua was very old.

The work was done and they sat tired in the library. Embarrassment. Helpless. They consulted to let them know where, according to their grandfathers, the city was about the coming of God. No, they had no doubt that it was God. He was big and fell from the sky. No one else could be. In the end, they decided to wait. That they will wait for the command He will issue. Although tired to death, they split into groups so they could watch if he woke up. Ready to serve God.

Atrachasis went to the kitchen to prepare food and water. Akki, Usumgal and Dudua were hungry. He brought food, poured water into glasses and let them eat. He went to the shelves with the tables himself. He needed to find something more about Amar. Utukovi. He needed to know more than he knew, so he searched. Tables began to be bought on the table. Then the noise disturbed him. He turned to see Ushumgal trying to wake Duduu. He stopped him with his hand.

"Let him sleep," he said softly. "He had a hard day." He glanced at the two remaining. The eyelids that they tried to keep with all their might. "I need to watch alone. If it's needed, I'll wake you up. "

He went to the medicine depot and chose the one to keep him alert. He measured the dose into a glass of water and drank it. When he returned, the men slept at the table, their heads on their folded hands.

He needed more light, but then he realized it could wake them up. He took part of the tables and went down the hall with them. There was enough light. He began to read. He read, but what he was looking for not and not found. He read until they came to replace him. He read even then, but to no avail. He didn't know exactly what he was looking for, but he kept looking.

He was asleep the next day and there was a tense mood in the temple. Part began to question Atrachasis' words, part suggested to see if God was still where Atrachasis left him. He didn't know what to do. He tried to calm them down. It is not advisable to anger God, and Marduk himself explicitly asked that he not be disturbed. He also needed to be alone. He needed to calm his mind and capture the thoughts that ran through his head. So he let them do their daily work upstairs and went down to the corridor they had cleaned, where there was light and peace. He studied the paintings on the walls. Paintings whose color shone from under the deposits of dust he senses. A large woman d accompanied by leopards, a man sitting on a bull, strange animals and strange buildings. The font he could not read and the font he could read, so he began to read.

Akki gently laid his hand on his shoulder. He fell asleep.

"It's time to eat," he told him, smiling. He was a burly man with hands as big as shovels and black as ebony. He was no longer the youngest, but a smile gave his face the innocence of a child. Atrachasis liked his straightforwardness and affection. He smiled too.

"How long will he sleep?" Akki asked, his face heavy. "How long are the Gods sleeping?" What do you mean? "He paused and looked at Atrachasis. "Why do they sleep at all to watch over our lives?"

Atrachasis jumped on the goose's hands, but suppressed the thought. "I do not know," he said, preparing to go to the dining room.

They walked slowly down the long corridor. They were silent. Then Akki stopped. He stopped at a record that Atrachasís could not read and slowly read the text on the wall. The words he spoke sounded strange. Then he looked at Atrachasis and smiled again at his surprise. "My grandfather taught me to read this," he explained, pointing to the text on the wall. Akki was the seventh of the family to serve in the temple and had knowledge that had been passed from fathers to sons for many years.

"It does not make sense," he said, thinking. "It is written that fifty is seventh. And that fifty is Enlil. I do not understand. "He sighed and looked at Atrachasis.

"What else?" Asked Atrachasis. His heart exploded with excitement, his cheeks burning.

"Fifty knew about the Flood, but he did not say anything to the people, and forbade the rest of the people to inform them. Then they flew over Earth to survive the Flood ... "he thought, adding," How? Who has wings down there? "

"No, he doesn't," he replied, adding, "It's just big. Very big. It can't be human. I've never seen a man half the size of you or me. But otherwise he looks almost like us. Only his skin is whiter. ”Then the thought occurred to him again. He suppressed it quickly, but his heart pounded again and his palms were wet. "Let's eat," he said to Akki, "or we won't have time for the ceremony.

They ate in silence. They arrived late, so they stayed at the table two, the others preparing for daily sacrifice.

"Are we going to perform a ceremony, even asleep?" Akki asked suddenly, "or wait for him to wake up? That would be more logical, do not you think? "

Akki asked very annoying questions. Questions that upset him and undermined his inner peace. They discussed it with the elders in the evening, but eventually decided that the ceremonies would be performed as usual. Just like for centuries. He shrugged and continued eating.

"Can you teach me to read the script down there?" He asked instead of Akki's answer.

"Why not," he told him, smiling. His face took on the expression of a guileless child again. "It's not a hard cancer," he said, and began clearing empty dishes from the table. "You know, I thought that knowing the old script would be of no use to me. I was wrong. ”Atrachasis interrupted his further loud thoughts.

He entered the sanctuary at the moment of the ceremony. "Better time he could not choose," Atrachasis thought. They all fell on their knees and their forehead leaned against the ground.

"Get up," he said with a loud voice, and walked to the stone chair at the altar. He sat down and dropped into a prepared meal. This time it was hot.

Slowly they began to rise from the ground. Fear and astonishment in the horses. None of them have seen God yet. And God certainly was. He was great, sat down in a chair that had been prepared for God for centuries, and ate food that was meant for God. No, it couldn't have been anyone else.

Dudua recovered first. He walked up to the stairs, knelt. His hair was uncertain and his hands and voice trembled, but he would be the oldest of them, and therefore he felt obligated to address Him first. "Greetings, Lord. What are you asking of us? ”His voice trailed off. His throat was parched. Eyes lowered to the ground, fear in the heart. "I just hope we did nothing wrong. We performed the ceremonies regularly, as our fathers taught us and their grandfathers… "

"Now leave me alone, old man," he said over him. "I don't know if you were guilty or not - it's a matter of your conscience. I'm not here to punish you, but I'll need help. ”The second sentence didn't sound so aggressive anymore, so Dudua calmed down, handing the others to leave so as not to disturb Him while eating.

They sat in the library again. They were silent. They waited so long for the arrival of the one who had now come, and suddenly they did not know what to do next. No one taught them how to do it when God came. No one gave them instructions on how to behave in this situation.

Ushumgal stood up sharply and began pacing the room nervously. His cheeks burned, sweat rose on his forehead. He turned to the shelves with the tables, “What's all this for? What's the point ?! ”At that moment, he was almost shouting. "What should we do now?"

"Wait," Akki said calmly, smiling. "He'll tell us what he wants from us," he said, thinking, "I hope."

Dudua placed his wrinkled palm on Atrachasis' hand. "Go there, boy, look. He knows you. Maybe it won't make him angry, he'll tell you what to do next, and it will rid us of the excruciating uncertainty. ”Atrachasis rose from the table and thought. Even after years of being a mature man, Dudua still calls him a boy. It was nice. He saw the fear in the old man's eyes, so he smiled a little to reassure him. He came out. He walked slowly down the grand stairs to the shrine. Then he knocked carefully on the door and entered.

He sat at the table. His head was supported by his palm, and he stared absently at the door. The food was almost consumed. He was silent, but he handed his hand to Atrachasis to sit down. He picked up a small cup and poured his wine. He was still silent. Atrachas's heart was alert. He feared that his sound would disturb God. He tried to breathe quietly and evenly, to draw his attention to something else, to something that would calm the unrest inside, but he did not do much.

"Drink," Marduk told him, and drank himself. I Atrachasis drank. His hands shook a little, but he slowly began to calm down.

"Once upon a time, this landscape was full of trees and greenery," God said, sighing. "Even this temple was much taller and towered over the landscape in all its beauty. Once upon a time, there was plenty of water flowing through the canals, bringing with it fertile ground for the fields. Today there is only sand. A sea of ​​sand. ”He sighed. He would tell him about the people who used to live in this country. About people, their knowledge and skills, but when he looked at the man in front of him, he knew he wouldn't understand anyway. He drank once more, then asked, "Why did you come?"

Atrachasis smiled. He himself would like to ask him this question. "You know, sir, we're a little," he searched for the most appropriate expression, "uncertain." We will be happy to fulfill your tasks if it is within our human capabilities. We would like to know what you expect from us. What should we do? Should we send messengers to announce your arrival on earth? ”The answer exhausted him, and he drank his wine again. Vana, which was intended only for the sacrificial table. Wines of the Gods.

"No, no messengers. Not yet, "he said, shaking his head in disapproval. Then he thought. He understood that orders had to be issued to satisfy them. "Let them go after their work, as always. First I have to look around here and I will need at least two people on hand. Strong and fit. Look at it. ”He looked at Atrachasis and got up from the table. His face twisted in pain. "For now, let everything go as before. Don't mention my arrival. Do you understand? ”

Atrachasis nodded his approval. He had already noticed that Marduk was lying, but now he had the courage to look at his face. He noted the pain. "Are you wounded, sir?" He asked, and to overcome that intrusive thought, he continued, "Our pharmacy has different remedies for most injuries. I can treat you. "

"I need to wash thoroughly and there is no water flowing downstairs. Can you arrange it? ”He asked, adding,“ Take the medicine and the bandages with you. I'll need them. ”He walked slowly and laboriously to the door. From behind, his gait looked dignified. He turned in front of the door. "I'll be waiting for you downstairs in the bedroom." Then he stopped and motioned for Atrachasis to follow.

They descended the stairs again to the door that Atrachasis already knew. He was inside now. Inside a large room with a huge bed. There was something on the table that looked like a canvas, but it was much harder, and the white area was covered with long lines and intricate patterns. Marduk pointed to the next door. He opened them and entered the bath. Large bathtub. Both rooms were full of dust. It was necessary to clean up. He watched as Marduk carefully sat down on the bed and covered the injured leg with a pillow. He walked over to him and tried carefully to take off his big shoe. It was quite easy. Then he tried to roll up the part of the garment that looked like two pipes, but it wasn't that easy. Marduk gently pushed him away, his face contorted with pain. "Water first. Hot! ”He ordered. "Then the others."

He ran upstairs. Breathless, he ran into the library. Everyone's eyes were on him. He saw fear and apprehension in them. He couldn't catch his breath, so he just waved. They let him exhale and remained silent. They were waiting for God's orders.

"Water. Lots of warm water, ”he said, catching his breath. Some of them ran toward the kitchen to carry out the first order. Dudua sat at the table, waiting for Atrachasis to reach him.

"It simply came to our notice then. We should not mention that he is here yet. He will need two men. Strong men, "he added apologetically, realizing that the privilege of being by the side of God should fall to the eldest. He stopped. He could not decide whether to tell them that He was wounded. Unconfirmed doubts, suppressed questions. He didn't tell them anything.

First, they cleaned the bath and applied water. While Marduk was bathing, they cleaned the bedroom and prepared the medications they thought they would need. They worked quickly, making sure to put everything back where it had stood before. They laid new sheets on the bed. They had to use two because the bed was too big.

He came out of the bathroom. A pale, damp towel over his face. He sat on the bed again and stretched his leg. Atrachasis examined his leg. His ankle was swollen and there was a bleeding wound above him. Akki also leaned to his feet. With his big hands, he began to feel his ankle carefully. Marduk gritted his teeth. Atrachasis mixed the medicine to alleviate the pain and gave it to him. He doubled the dose to the size of God. "Drink it, sir. You'll be relieved. ”Akki carefully rubbed ankle with ointment. He deftly avoided the wound, which was still bleeding. Not much, but she was bleeding. They had to wait for the medicine to take over, so they waited and kept quiet.

Atrachasis looked at Akki's big hand. How massive and clumsy they seemed and how gentle they could be. He smiled at him. Akki returned the smile and glanced at his ankle. He relieved his swollen ankle. Marduk screamed. They were asleep. I was afraid to look at him. They nodded, instructing them to continue. They wrapped the wound and strengthened their ankles. They're done.

They packed the stuff and waited for more orders. Marduk was silent, his eyes closed. They also kept silent and waited patiently. Moving his hand, he indicated that they should leave. So they took to the door. Akki paused. He turned and asked, "If you do not have other commands, great, we will go after your work. When do we come? "

Atrachasis' heart began to sound the alarm. The sentence seemed too bold. He looked at Akki in astonishment, but his face was calm and a slight smile gave her that innocent expression again. Marduk opened his eyes and sounds came from his mouth, indicating that he was disturbed. He looked angrily at Akki, but the smile on his face drove him crazy. He calmed down and replied, "I'll find you."

They left. They quietly closed the door behind them and let God rest. They walked down the lighted corridor to the stairs, past a closed door. Akki stopped and turned to Atrachasis, "What's behind them?" He asked.

"I do not know," he answered honestly. The secret of the closed door attracted him.

Akki reached for the crank.

"No!" Atrachas tried to stop him.

"Why?" Akki asked, finishing the move. The door opened. It was dark inside. They could only see where the light from the corridor fell. "Too bad," Akki sighed, thinking. "Let's go for the lights," he said firmly, closing the door.

Atrachasis was amazed by his courage or audacity. Not knowing what to call it at the moment. But even his allure was lured by the space behind closed doors. He was unable to protest at this point, so he sped up to keep Akki walking. They hurried upstairs.

It was deserted upstairs. The priests went to the fields. Akki found two beams, handed one to Atrachasis, and hurried to the entrance.

"No." Atrachasis said more firmly now. "No. That's not a good idea. ”He was afraid. He feared that Marduk would be angry with this act. He was afraid of what he might learn. He was afraid of his doubts. Above all. The and everything unknown that Marduk brought with him.

"Why?" Akki asked in astonishment, His face calm. "We are the guardians of this temple. We are the ones who guard everything in it. We are the ones who should know, who should know… Why we couldn't… ”

"No." said Atrachasis again. He could not answer him, but he decided to insist on his opinion. Why-he did not know it himself.

"Look," Akki continued, walking slowly toward him. "Look at it this way. He needs us. He needs us and he knows it here. That is quite clear. We need to investigate. What if he needs something from places we don't know? ”

Atrachasis thought. Akki was right, but he was afraid. Akki's hand touched his shoulder and gently shoved him toward the entrance. "We will begin systematically," he told him. "We'll start downstairs and walk through everything we can go through. Do you agree? "Akki asked, but he did not expect the answer.

They walked slowly through the spaces below the shrine. First, they inspected everything that was adjacent to the corridor, everything that was still covered by the bluish light lit by Marduk. Then they moved on. They illuminated the path with beams and continued. They walked around the walls with strange scenes, bumped into strange things about their purpose, they had no idea.

Atrachasis's fear vanished. Attention was focused on all that. Strange maps on the walls. Big people moving through the air in something resembling birds. Huge cities full of big buildings, interwoven with canals full of water. Strange plants. He remembered Marduk's words there in the shrine as they drank wine together. He looked at the paintings on the walls and tried to understand.

Akki stood reading. There was a look of astonishment on his face. He was silent. Brak in hand things that stood around and tried to understand their function. He didn't succeed. He did not know many of the expressions written there. He didn't understand many of the things he read about. He sighed. He sighed at how little he knew. How little everyone knows about the past of this temple, what was before them. He reached the end of the room, the shelves full of tables. He carefully picked one up. Fortunately, they were burned, so they survived unscathed.

"We have to go back," Atrachasis heard behind him. "We've been here for a long time, and there's a job waiting for us." He was reluctant to ask his questions.

They were silent. They first stripped off their clothes and smudged the dust that had settled down there for centuries. They were silent. Silently prepared food for others and sacrificial food for Him.

"What's his name?" Akki asked, breaking the question of silence.

"Marduk. Amar.Utuk, ”Atrachasís replied, continuing to work.

"So he was born after the Flood," Akki said to himself. The sentence stopped Atrachasis. Everyone knew the myth of the Flood. He was part of the sacred texts. He was part of their teaching. But it did not occur to him to connect Marduk with the Flood.

"How did you find out?" He asked Akki in amazement.
"When the waters of the Flood sent down by the land of Enlil fell away, the first mountain came up from the waters, cleansed," Akki quoted a well-known text. "Amar.Utuk - son of a clean hill…" he added and fell silent.

They heard his footsteps. They noticed. Atrachasís checked the room to see if everything was in order. It was
and so he calmed down.

"Here we are," Akki called. Atrachasis looked at him with a furious glance. Akki's behavior was very bold. "Insolently bold," he thought.

Marduk entered. Body and clothing dirty. "Why did he bathe?" Akki thought, but he did not ask. He expected what the big one wanted.

He smelled the roast and was hungry. That was a good sign. He starts to get fit. His mood improved. The ankle did not hurt. He sat down on the table because the bench was too low for him. "It smells good," he said, smiling.

"There is not time for the ceremony, sir," Atrachasis said absently, adding, "If you are hungry ..."

He moved his hand to interrupt him. Akki went to the stove and took out the roast. The salad wasn't ready yet, but he didn't consider it such a big deal. He looked at Atrachasis, who was standing there, pale and embarrassed. He placed the roast on a tray and placed it next to Marduk. He handed him the knife and went for bread.

"When we eat, you go with me," he told them, slicing the liver. "I'll need you."

Akki nodded and broke the bread. Atrachasis was still standing in the middle of the room. Marduk cut the roast, took the broken bread from Akki, and served both to Atrachasis. He approached the table slowly. God's behavior stopped him. Akki's behavior also struck him. He was outraged at the way he handled the ceremonial food. How to explain this to others? What will be served during the ceremony? But he was afraid to oppose.

"We have to make our way down," Marduk said. "The bottom is full of sand. I do not know if we will need more people. How many are you? "

"A total of twelve," Akki replied, looking at Him, "but not everyone will be able to do the job. We can ask the people of the oasis, sir, if need be, but not much. It's sowing time. They all work in the fields.

He did not understand. He did not understand the courage of Akki, who wanted to desecrate this temple with the arrival of the unpolluted.
He did not understand that Marduk did not protest against this proposal. This was the Great House of God. His house. And no one except the priests and God had access to it, of course. He was outraged by their behavior, but he was silent. He did not have the courage to protest.

They did. They cleared the table and left the message to the others. They were leaving. Suddenly Marduk stopped.

"Light. We will need light, "he said, pointing to the torch.

Atrachasis took the beam. He didn't understand that either. "Why doesn't he make a light like he did in the hallway?" He thought, but then realized he was starting to have annoying questions, like Akki, and so he suppressed the others. He went.

They went down to the floor, where Marduk had a bedroom, and then two more floors. The lower they were, the more space was covered with sand.

"I need it down," Marduk told them. "There should be an entrance somewhere here." He pointed to the depths of space that had been covered. He turned to Akki and asked, "How long can it take in three?"

Akki was silent. He could not imagine the size of space. Here the light did not shine, and they were only reliant on the torches. The lower they were, the more spacious they were.

"I do not know," he said truthfully, "I do not know the size," he specified his problem. Marduk looked at him in amazement.

Akki registered the astonishment and displeasure on his face. "Look, sir," he tried to explain the problem, "this is our first time here. We had no idea about these spaces. It would like a plan of the whole building. Our ancestors left us only what they knew, and these are three levels, two of which are above the ground and one below. They probably didn't know about the space beneath them. "

Marduk nodded and motioned for them to return. He liked the little black one. He was smart and not as scared as the others. "Plans should be here somewhere," he told him, wondering where to look.

"Plans ..." he thought aloud. All of these structures had a similar structure, similar to the internal division. "Somewhere in the middle ..." he remembered, "... probably."

They returned to the hall under the sanctuary and began systematically scanning the premises. Marduk also illuminated those areas where darkness had previously been. "How does he do that?" Akki considered, but there was no time for questions. She asks later. Now he was walking through the room behind the room, looking for a drawing on the wall, which Marduk called the zikkurat. They parted to make the search faster. Dust bore into his eyes and nose, and he sneezed at each moment, but that did not matter. He had a lack of time. Lack of time to browse and feel all the stuff around. That was what attracted him. What attracted his attention.

"Here," he said backwards.

He ran after the voice. Marduk finished first and stood beside Atrachasis in front of a large drawing of a ziggurat. The whole wall was painted with floor plans of individual floors. Akki stepped closer, looking for spaces to get rid of the sand. He began to orient himself in the plan in front of him. Yes, he can imagine the size, he can determine the direction to the next entrance to the underground. He indicated the route with his finger. On the dust-free wall, a path loomed.

"If we were to prevent the sand from sliding down, it would not take so long," Marduk said. "Where you need to get it, it can also be covered," he added.

"No," he replied. "That's very unlikely. There were no windows and only that entrance. The walls were the strongest. If there is sand there, it could only get through the ventilation shafts, but it will not be a disaster. "

Akki nodded. He was looking for the best solution. Not the shortest way, but the most efficient way to get to the designated entrance as quickly as possible. Then it occurred to him.

"Look," he said, turning to Marduk, "we'll do restraints here. You keep the sand that we don't have to pick there to get where you want. We can use the door. We'll pick up and take away the rest of the sand. ”He pointed to the pillars he could see between which the door could wedge. Gradually. Gradually as they clear the way.

Marduk nodded to approve Akki's plan. The door was enough. When they consume all that is available, they will have to deal with it differently. But they will deal with it then.

"It has one catch," Akki continued, "we won't take them off the hinges. You will have to help us, sir, or we will have to invite others. Decide. "

Atrachasis's heart began to sound again. It is not possible to give orders to God, does Akki not know? Why He will like it. Maybe he is noble, very tolerant of their behavior, or…, but he preferred to suppress the idea again. He followed their conversation all the way to the "door floor" and his uneasiness increased. He couldn't define exactly why, and the truth is, he didn't even want to define it.

Marduk began to open the door and take it off. For him, too, it was strenuous work that also strained his ankle. He started to hurt again. Sweat dripped from him. They removed part of the door and carried it down. The forces were leaving them. Their eyes were full of dust.

"That's enough for today," Marduk said breathlessly. Take a break.

"Maybe he'll want to bathe again," Akki thought. The thought did not please him. It meant wearing the water again, warming her up and bringing her down to his bedrooms. Both of them were dusty and sweaty. But Jim will have enough of the tank.

Marduk followed them, silent. The ankle ached, but the wound did not bleed over him. He was tired to death. As tired as the two of you. Like him, they were dirty to misery.

"We have to wash," he told them, "and I need to treat my leg. It hurts, "he added.

"Do we need water?" Asked Atrachasis. It was obvious to him that the idea was disturbed. Everybody had more than enough to work today.

"Where are you sweating?" Asked Marduk.

They both relaxed. "In the big tank," Atrachasis said more calmly, "but the water is cold, sir."

Marduk nodded and walked in the direction they were pointing. They passed the kitchen and came to what they called a tank. Marduk laughed as he entered. Swimming pool. The exterior decoration was dilapidated, but the pool was still functional. He took off his clothes, untied the canvas with which his ankle was fixed, and entered the water.

Both of them looked horrified at him. They stayed on the edge and poured water on each other. They wrenched their bodies and saved it. Then he understood. They used the pool not to swim, but as a reservoir of water. He stopped. He will have to go with more caution, not to snoop.

Atrachasis was concerned. Tomorrow they will have to replace the water, but nothing can be done. God needed to purify his body. He did not look forward to it, but it did not concern him with this approach, just like the behavior of the two men down there.

They both completed the purge. They already felt better. They threw the sheets on top of each other, and Atrachasis went to the medicine room so they could treat the leg again. Akki stayed on the edge of the tank, waiting for Marduk to come out.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were using water for everything from here," he told Akki as he climbed out of the pool. It used to be a room for rest. It's all different today. ”He sat down and stretched his leg for Akki to examine. His ankle was still slightly swollen, but he looked better than in the morning. The wound almost healed.

"Never mind," Akki told him, "we'll apply water in the morning." He felt his ankle carefully. "He'll have to save more," he thought, "otherwise it won't heal." Atrachasis handed him the ointment and cloth. He took the ointment from his hands and rubbed his ankle. He returned the canvas.

"Let's leave it that night. We'll fix this in the morning. "He looked at Marduk and asked," Are you going downstairs? "He glanced at his ankle. Marduk nodded and smiled. He wrapped his sheet around his waist and went to his bedroom. The day is over.

[last update]

He lay on the bed, tired of all day work, but could not fall asleep. He was disturbed. Very disturbed. Nothing was like before. The earlier certainties, the order of the order - all was gone. And to all that, Akki's questions. He rather discarded his questions. He wished he would go back to the old tracks to make it all the way he was. That no God ever descended on Earth. The last thoughts were down.

In the morning, Akki shook them slightly. He had to sleep a long time.

"Get up, we have to go," he told him with that familiar smile on his face. He stood up. He did not want him down, in the corridors that hid secrets he could not decrypt, but he dressed and went.

He made his way toward the kitchen. Akki called him back with a slider to follow him. He was downstairs angry that work would begin without breakfast. They came to Marduka's bedroom.

"Oh, you're awake," he said to him, and laughed. That was disturbed by Atrachasíse. He looked around the room. There was food on the table. The two of them were after breakfast. "Let's get you and we, between that, get to know our plan," Marduk told him, bringing food and drink to him.

He went to the food, though he did not like it. He was worried that she was eating it for the ceremonies that she was eating for God. He was worried that he was not served as before, in the sanctuary and with all the rituals he had been used to, as they did for years and their predecessors before them. His attention was blurred, and with all his might he tried to concentrate on what Marduk and Akki said alternately. It was a lot of power.

Then they went to work. First, they had to remove the sand around the ventilation shafts, otherwise the air would soon be unbreakable. The work went slowly. They put the sand into the baskets and they then led out. They had to rest frequently, but then they felt a gust of wind. It was a new force that brought them to life. They properly wedged the door between the pillars so that the remaining sand could not be back. Part of the work was behind. Now it was just clearing the space leading to the underground entrance.

They were resting. Akki sat, his gaze fixed, and he was silent. Then he got up and went upstairs. When he returned, he had a table with a plan in his hand of part of the space he had to clear down. He was still silent, his gaze fixed on the table. Marduk knelt to him.

"Here and here ..." He showed him something on the table. "Look, letting out all the sand rests. If we did the proper barriers, higher, we could throw the sand, at least part of it, for them.

Atrachasis's heart began to sound alarms. "Does he so much talk to God? Will He tolerate this behavior indefinitely? Why are they actually removing sand in this way? The power of God is great ... The abilities of the Gods are unlimited, so it is written. "He quickly suppressed his thoughts, but the turmoil and restlessness remained.

"Why do not you actually need to get down, sir?" Akki asked, looking at Marduk.

"There are devices and parts to build more. I need them to report where I am. I need them to know where to look for me, "he replied, alternately looking at the table and the spaces to clear them. "The door is strong enough," he told him, "they should endure. That's not a bad idea, "he added.

They went back to work. Marduk brought down another door. He was still a little limp, and so they both knew it was only a matter of time when he would stop working. The two of them threw the sand behind the barriers. The work went faster than when they released the air to the ventilation shaft, but they too were tired.

"No more here," said Marduk, "I would not risk any more burdens," he added, looking at the doorbell. "It could also fill us if we overdid it."

They nodded silently, eyes and mouth full of fine sand. They waited until they decided to dare to stop their work.

"I'm hungry," he said, stretching himself. Even they were hungry, but they could not guess how much time they had spent here, and they did not know if ceremonial food was being prepared in the sanctuary. They just looked at each other. Marduk caught that gaze.

"What's going on?" He asked, uncomprehendingly.

Atrachasis was silent, his head low, and he wondered how to illuminate this situation.

"We're not sure if there's food in the sanctuary for you, sir." Time ... We do not know what time we spent here ... "Akki replied.

Marduk looked at his wrist: "It's after noon," he said, smiling. By now he had realized that he had to meet his expectations, but he did not enjoy it. It kept it from work. "Next time we get some food down here," he said to himself.

Atrachasis looked at Akki aside. "What to do now? Food is to be prepared and not serviced ... and God is hungry. "

"Let's go," Akki said, "maybe we'll find something in the kitchen." He was about to leave.

That familiar and unpleasant feeling came again. God did not respond. He did not punish him for inappropriate behavior, but just as Akki and He were leaving. He did not know what to think about. He did not know how to handle these situations further. They disrupted the order, brought chaos into steady rituals, causing confusion in his thinking. It was unpleasant, and who knows when it will end.

They stepped up the stairs. Everywhere was calm. They came to the pool - a large tank, as they called it - now he knew he had to pay more attention. He stood up as they did the two of those in the evening, and his body was being poured in a prepared container. He felt tied. Down there, at work, he has forgotten that he must also fulfill the role of God. He still did not know them.

They washed and walked into the kitchen. They found only bread, eggs, and vegetables. They were preparing food. The smell was hungry, so they forgot questions and doubts, and were looking forward to eating. The mood relaxed.

Now they were sitting at the table, Marduk on it, breaking the bread and giving it to him. They enjoyed a moment's rest, and they were gathering the strength to work down there.

"... gods," Marduk told him, and sighed, "you have a hard time. Nobody really knows who they are and why they are here. It is more convenient to expect from those whom we have given power than to fulfill their desire to seek the power in them ... "

It was a special sentence. The sentence he heard when he came back down with an empty basket. A sentence he did not understand, but which raised the unpleasant feelings. They had been working for many days, and the conversations of the two did not please him. He tried not to hear them. He tried not to think about what they were doing and why. He tried with all his might to hold on to what he knew, where he was brought up and what they had taught him. But it was hard, too heavy. Akki's questions troubled him, just like Marduka's answers, as well as interviews with the rest of the Temple staff. He did not know how to justify the absence of God in the sanctuary, he did not know how to explain why he was not eating the prescribed rituals as he had been doing for centuries. He did not know at this moment, but he felt that what was happening was not right.

They finally reached the entrance to the underground. The massive block turned and the way down was free. Relax. They were down now, fearlessly breathing. Marduk burst light like he did in the hallway above.

Atrachasis apologized and went to prepare food. The two of them walked through the corridors and the rooms below, looking for what Marduk needed. Like Akki, he was amazed at the things that were concentrated there. Unlike Akki, he was no longer worried about the confusion that prevailed in the temple.

"Will you eat in the sanctuary today, sir?" He asked as usual, hoping Marduk nodded. It did not happen.

"No," Marduk told him, and the glance did not pull away from the plate with a plan, "now is not the time. I have to get in touch with the others. If I miss the time, I would have to stay here for another year. "

Akki handed him the parts he showed on, and he constructed something. Something that was important to him. More important than those who have been doing everything for centuries for the Gods to be content. Now should there come another? Another ... it meant further confusion, further violation of the order worked, other unanswered questions, further work.

He climbed the stairs upstairs. His heart pounded. What will he say to the others above? How do they answer their questions?

What words is he going to have to calm down today?

He went to the entrance. He stood for a moment, then closed the door to the underground with a beating heart. He took the bin and began to break the barriers. The sand flooded the room like flood water.

He walked to the floor where the shrine was. He closed this door too. He had to sit down. He had to calm down. He closed his eyes and exhaled. "Now, now everything will go, just like before," he said, standing up.

"He left and took Akki with him," he told them.

They did not ask. Some of them envied Akki's honor, but they did not ask. It was God, and it is not their duty to give God questions or to doubt their intentions or actions.

Instead of Akki, they brought the boys out of the oasis and began to initiate him in his task. They did not know this was the last one.

"Everything will go now, as before," he told them at the time, but he was wrong. Nothing was the same as before. Nothing returned to the old dorms. He tried, he could, but it was little valid. He insisted that rituals be strictly adhered to. He was careful not to ask questions like Akki. He cared for no one ever to break the order he was accustomed to. He strictly insisted that everything should remain as it was before His coming. He tried to keep the conversations of others, to prevent them from speaking to Him, and so slowly to silence their talk in the temple.

The Atrachasías now questioned more often questions - questions as unpleasant as Akki once. But he did not know the answer. He did not know how to return things to the old dorms - until before His coming. He could not read the old script. The old script did not learn Akki's reading. Once he went down there, behind the mosaic entrance. The light in the corridors did not shine, and the dust settled on the walls.

Nothing was the same as before, and he guilted it. He carried her bravely and silently. Now he was old, and besides him and the little boy he had brought to Akki, there was no one else left. He lay on the bed, hand in the palm of the last of the priests who barely bewildered his face. His strength diminished, and his guilt blamed his soul: "I killed God ..." he said very quietly before he last exhaled.

But the last of the priests did not hear. He was in the thoughts of the caravan, which had reached the temple, and with the disturbing things she had brought. His thoughts were in those distant regions about which the shoppers had told him yesterday in cities full of people, channels full of water and fish. He was very far away in his thoughts. Far from the old temple that was almost covered with sand and the old man who knew his secret.