Nidaba’s voice carried a note of hesitation as she asked, “What should we do for Isabeli?” Elpenor paused, considering the question. “We should probably find her parents and return her to them,” he suggested.

Nidaba’s gaze lowered before she broke the news softly. “Elpenor, her parents are dead.” The words hung heavy in the air. Elpenor frowned, his mind racing before he offered another solution. “Then how about we adopt her?” he proposed.

Nidaba hesitated. “But what will people think when they see that your child is a Nephilan and your wife is Gorgonkin? They’ll wonder...” Her words trailed off, her concerns evident.

Elpenor responded confidently, brushing aside her worries. “That shouldn’t be a problem. People often confuse me for a Nephilan anyway, and your skin tone is very similar to hers. She looks a lot like us.” He glanced at her with a reassuring smile. “No one will think you’ve cheated on me just because we adopt her.”

Nidaba sighed, her reluctance softening into acceptance. “I guess that’s okay,” she said quietly.

After a moment’s pause, Nidaba tilted her head and looked at him curiously. “Elpenor, I’ve always wondered... what are you?” Her tone was tentative, as though she had been waiting for the right moment to ask.

Elpenor met her gaze and answered, his voice steady. “I am Ἕλλην.”

Nidaba’s brows furrowed slightly. “What are the Ἕλλην?” she asked, her curiosity deepening.

Elpenor shook his head lightly, a touch of uncertainty in his expression. “I’m not sure. Some say we are the creation of the θεοί or Τιτάν, while others claim we are the product of a crazed king’s experiments.” He paused, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “I personally don’t believe any of those answers.”

Utu entered the chamber, his steps deliberate and his expression tense, clutching a letter bearing the seal of Ankhubek. Elpenor observed the paper with quiet anticipation as Utu extended the letter, bowing slightly in deference. Without hesitation, Elpenor took it, his gaze briefly flickering over the intricate owl and spear glyph adorning the seal—a symbol known far too well.

After receiving the letter, Elpenor spoke with a measured tone. “Utu, before you depart, inform Isabeli that Nidaba and I intend to formally adopt her. The arrangements must be clear.”

Utu nodded quickly, his brow furrowed, as if burdened with the weight of both the letter he bore. With a short bow, he turned and left, but not without stealing another glance at the ominous seal. The faint gleam of the glyph sent an unsettling ripple through him as he vanished down the hallway.

Elpenor broke the seal, his movements deliberate, and began to read. Nidaba, seated close by, observed him intently, her hands folded neatly in her lap.

Elpenor held the parchment tightly, his knuckles whitening as he read each line with mounting fury. Zaron's introduction was meticulously crafted, a delicate weave of flattery and formality that almost disguised the venomous intent beneath. "Your esteemed rule over the Stone Villa and your unparalleled wisdom are spoken of in hushed reverence across realms,It is not my place to question your noble intentions, but perhaps wisdom lies in cooperation—allowing Ankhubek to guide Utu to its destined glory, sparing you the burdens of resistance. The owl, majestic and patient, has no quarrel with the snake until it coils too close. And when the owl strikes, it is not with malice but necessity. A lesson from nature, young Elpenor."

Elpenor read the closing words twice, his grip tightening as his chest rose with a breath laced in rage. His eyes, once calm, now burned with a fire that rivaled the forge. His stance shifted; where once he stood assured, now his shoulders carried the weight of his indignation, his arms rigid as if bracing against unseen waves.

Nidaba rose gracefully from her seat and placed a steadying hand upon his arm. Her voice was soft but firm. “Elpenor, let not fury guide your actions. Zaron seeks to provoke; do not grant him the satisfaction.”

Elpenor turned to her, his jaw clenched, but her presence was a balm. He inhaled deeply, drawing strength from her calm. “You are right, Nidaba,” he said, his tone lower, tempered. “But it is a line drawn. A challenge I cannot ignore.”

She nodded, her eyes meeting his with quiet understanding. “Then you must act as ruler, not act off raged.”

Straightening his posture, Elpenor’s voice regained its regal authority. “Send word to gather the scribes. We shall compose a reply. If Ankhubek expects diplomacy, I shall give them diplomacy—but he will know the strength of the of are army if they chooses war.

Isabeli felt her pulse quicken as she made her way toward where Elpenor and Nidaba were supposed to be waiting. Utu's words still echoed in her mind—Elpenor and Nidaba wanted to adopt her. It was overwhelming, surreal even, but there was no time to truly process the news. Something about the way Utu had delivered it, a slight tension in his voice, stirred unease deep in her chest. She quickened her pace, her feet crunching against the dirt path as the air around her grew unsettlingly still.

When Isabeli finally reached them, her breath hitched. The sight froze her in her tracks. Elpenor and Nidaba were slumped together, heads resting limply against one another, their faces pallid and still. The faint rise and fall of their chests was the only sign they were still alive. Panic surged through her, stealing her breath. What happened? Why weren’t they moving? The sickly earthy, skunky scent that was somewhat sweet lingering in the air hit her then, sharp and unnatural. It made her stomach churn.

She dropped to her knees beside them, her hands trembling as she checked for any immediate wounds or signs of harm. “What could have done this?” she thought, her mind racing. As her gaze darted frantically around, she spotted a folded letter lying nearby, bearing the seal of the Ankhubek tribe. Carefully, she picked it up, her heart hammering harder. The stench of burning ether seemed stronger now. She sniffed the letter again, then the seal specifically—her stomach dropped. The scent wasn’t the letter itself. It was the seal.

Her instincts screamed at her to act. Isabeli tore the seal off the letter, her fingers working quickly. She spotted a basin of water nearby and rushed to it, splashing water over the seal to extinguish the trap. The moment the water hit, a hiss filled the air, and an iridescent shimmer erupted as the ether within the seal—woven with dynamis—burst out in a rush of light and energy. The trap had been neutralized, but Isabeli’s hands still shook from the intensity of it all.

Turning back to Elpenor and Nidaba, she knelt down again, cupping her hands to scoop the cool water from the basin. Gently, she poured it over Elpenor's face first, then Nidaba’s, whispering, "Wake up... please wake up. Don’t do this to me." Her voice was barely steady. She felt like she was clinging to the edge of a cliff herself, the fear of losing them crashing over her like waves.

Elpenor stirred, his eyes fluttering open with a groggy, confused look. Nidaba gasped softly moments later, her gaze unfocused but alive. Relief hit Isabeli like a tidal wave, and she felt her throat tighten with the need to cry, though she held it back. She explained quickly, her words tumbling over one another as she told them about the poisoned seal and the trap set within the letter. The Ankhubek tribe’s treachery could have cost them everything.

As they listened, the air in the room seemed lighter, the oppressive heaviness lifting. Around them, others who had been nearby looked more alert, as if they too had been freed from the subtle effects of the burning ether leafs. Isabeli breathed in deeply, her hands finally starting to still. They were alive. They were safe. And somehow, despite the chaos, it felt like a weight had been lifted—not just from her shoulders but from the entire space. 

Later Elpenor had seen Nidaba and Isabeli retire to their chambers. It left him with the weight of duty pressing heavy on his shoulders as he made his way to the meeting chamber. There, the captain, the queen, Utu, Lugal, Ziusudra, and Enkidu awaited him. Their expressions carried a shared unease that mirrored his own.

The discussion was grim. The letter Zaron had sent was not simply a taunt; it was a trap laden with cruel intent. The captain spoke first, his voice steady but grim. "I remember... they have the ability to clone objects and amplify reactions between them. If that's what Zaron plans to do, their strategy is clear—they aim to infiltrate the capital while we're helpless, incapacitated, and take over while we're asleep."

The room fell silent for a moment, the gravity of the situation weighing down on them all. The queen broke the silence, her tone almost yielding as she said, "Perhaps surrendering would spare us all unnecessary bloodshed."

Her words struck a nerve, prompting nearly everyone in the room to rebuke her suggestion. Yet, she did not falter. "You don't understand," she continued, her voice trembling but defiant. "They have taken the captain’s mother hostage."

Elpenor watched the captain’s reaction closely. Disbelief flashed across his face, hardening quickly into something more pained. The man whispered, almost to himself, "She’s alive?" The revelation struck him like a blade. Everyone in the room knew of the tragic loss of his mother after she had been sold by the Mertu brothers. To learn she was alive but held captive was a harsh twist of fate.

Knowing they had no room for error, Elpenor raised his hand to conclude the meeting. "Enough for tonight," he said firmly. "Utu, Enkidu, Captain—prepare to gather the scribes tomorrow. We will need to formulate a response with precision." With that, the weary council dispersed.

Elpenor treaded the dimly lit halls toward his chambers, exhaustion taking hold of him. As he passed, he saw Isabeli stepping out of her room, likely heading to the restroom. They exchanged a brief, warm greeting before parting ways. The sight of her was a fleeting moment of calm in a storm.

But peace shattered with the sound of breaking glass. The scream that followed—blood-curdling and primal—drove him into action. It came from where Isabeli had been just moments ago. Elpenor sprinted back, his heart pounding as he arrived to a horrifying scene.

A man stood over Isabeli, clad in fur armor and wielding a sword of obsidian and wood. The weapon's jagged edges gleamed ominously under the faint light. The intruder barked threats in a language Elpenor could not understand, his sword raised, ready to strike.

Without hesitation, Elpenor leapt forward, intercepting the blow with his own blade. The force reverberated through his arms, but he held firm. Fury roared through him as he bellowed, "Don’t you dare touch my daughter!" With a surge of raw strength, he gripped the man by the neck and hoisted him off the ground. The intruder clawed and choked, his obsidian sword clattering to the floor as Elpenor’s grip tightened. His rage blinded him momentarily, but the man’s struggling slowed screaming “Táan u kʼaj óolal teen; máak in baʼalaʼ a kʼaj óol?” and then stopped altogether.

The aftermath revealed the price of his intervention—a searing pain shot through his hand, blood trickling from a fresh gash where the obsidian blade had grazed him. Isabeli trembled on the ground, wide-eyed but alive. Relief mixed with the adrenaline surging through him.

The commotion brought Nidaba, Ziusudra, and Enkidu rushing to the scene. Their questions came quickly, but Elpenor held up a hand to steady them. "Get some tough rope," he ordered, his voice low and commanding. "We have a hostage of our own now, and he will be our leverage against Zaron."