AU
Nikkal and her friends were born earlier, and were recruited into the army to fight against Kengir. Alone, Nikkal ends up under the command of Enki's general. Her goal: to survive and regain control over her magic.
Nikkal paid half attention during the meeting. While the general explained the details about Eshnunna's layout and where the devices were stationed, Nikkal thought about what had happened that day. And, honestly, it put her in a sour mood. After the explanation was done, the general set out their tasks. Nikkal and Zakiti, of course, were ordered to make the explosives for the devices.
When they would infiltrate Eshnunna wasn't known yet.
With that done, the last announcement was that Shamash had planned an offensive attack in the following days. This meant that Zakiti's fire arrows would now again come into use.
Once the meeting was over, Nikkal left alongside the others, but mostly ignored their talk. Elulu was telling jokes that made the others chuckle, and that Nikkal ignored them wasn't left unnoticed.
"Nikki, did an utukku pay you a visit?" Elulu asked.
"Hm, what?"
"Are you alright?" he asked again.
The others were also looking at her with concern.
"It's nothing. Really," she dismissed.
"It doesn't look like nothing, Nikki," Rimush said.
Nikkal sighed. "Okay, so this happened today..." she started and told them what had happened in the morning.
It felt... freeing, to tell them.
"Nikkal?" Elulu spoke up after a second of silence. "Do you remember what those mages looked like? We can pay them a visit."
Zakiti nodded, a mad gleam in her eyes. "Hmm, and give them a present from me too."
"Guys, stop it." Nikkal shook her head. "I don't want you all to fight my fights."
But Elulu grinned. "But what if we want to fight your fights alongside you?"
Nikkal blinked and then stared at him incredulously. Her gaze went to each member of the group and she could see the same in all of them: agreement. They all agreed with Elulu.
"...Why would you?"
"We are a team." Rimush shrugged.
"Unity is what kept us alive until now," Hunzuu replied.
"You saved my life," Kurum reminded her.
"And we all are your friends," Zakiti added.
Nikkal stared at them all. They actually liked her. They chose to like her. And they reminded her of that again and again. It was so hard to believe each time, yet at the same time she always felt so relieved.
How was it possible complete strangers could support her, but her own parents couldn't?
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