[ The memories cannot be interacted with, they’re view-only. They’re narrated by Ereshkigal’s subconscious thoughts and feelings - projected directly into the mind of the viewer. You can interact with her in prompt b) or c) after having seen one or more memories if you want. Your character can also see the memories and decide not to interact with her in that thread! ]

1. The Genesis

[ The memory opens on a dark and empty place. A cave that goes deep within the planet, where is no light anywhere save for pale reflections on the rocky walls. Ereshkigal is there and she looks fairly different – the goddess is wearing simple white robes, her hair is short and her facial features are the slightest bit off. It’s as if she’s both the same person and yet someone else. She is recognizable enough for anyone who knows her, but it is clear she is not using Rin as a vessel in this memory. She is accompanied by a bearded man dressed in an ancient royal attire, who is talking to her. The words are unintelligible, but it appears their conversation is important. ]

My earliest memory... is of Father taking me down to the Underworld.

[ There is no one speaking, and yet Ereshkigal’s thoughts and feelings can be felt. It’s like being in a dream – her inner words and emotions are given form through unknowable means. The observer will feel a sense of confusion, fear and apprehension grow within them as she speaks. ]

It wasn't important for me to know of the heavenly realm, of my sister or of anything besides my duties.

[ Eventually when he is done speaking, the bearded man turns around and leaves. Ereshkigal stands still, looking in the direction the man took, the fear turning into dread and soon into sorrow. ]

He gave me my instruction and left. Gods are born to fulfill a duty, not to live, so this was perfectly normal. And yet, sometimes I wonder... Did he not tell me anything because he was afraid I'd protest if I knew?

[ Ereshkigal raises her hand, as if reaching out towards the figure who had left her there. ]

Does he know how much I hurt? Does he care? I wondered those things, sometimes.

[ Eventually, she lowers her hand and turns around. ]

But I tried not to. Because…

[ She walks into the darkness, eventually fading into it as the memory ends with a few final words: ]

I didn't like the answer I always came to.

2. The Underworld

The Underworld is vast, cold and empty. I explored every inches of those caves, wondering if I'd find someone or something. The task I had to fulfill was too much for a lone deity, I thought. Even Father had seemed to agreed.

[ When the memory takes form, Ereshkigal can be seen walking in the Underworld. She has changed quite a bit when compared to the previous memory: her hair is as long as that of her current self, and she is wearing the same style of clothes that she has been seen wearing for the past year. Her cloak is pulled up as a hood though, slightly obscuring her face. Solitude and loneliness can be increasingly felt as the memory goes on. ]

He told me to ask those who built the Underworld for help if needed – the ancient Anunnaki deities. I searched and I searched... But they had already lost their divinity and faded.

[ Eventually, she stops as she comes by floating semi-skeletons, with long veils flying behind them. ]

In the end, I found demonic entities, the Gallû Spirits. They have no will of their own and can’t hold me company… But they obey me and help with my duties.

[ The dream gets blurry and tall spear cages start appearing all around, planted into the ground. There are small floating blue-ish balls of light within each of them. Ereshkigal is sitting in a corner, crafting one of those cages with her bare hands. She generates golden threads with her magic and weaves them together into solid metal – only to then shape those golden metallic bars into spear cages. ]

Human civilization is expanding, every day my work gets harder. But the souls can’t depend on anyone else. If I’m not there to help them… They’ll fade into nothingness.

[ The scene shifts and Ereshkigal can be seen overlooking a vast empty field in the Underworld. There’s the ghostly – dreamy – image of a grand city in the field appearing as she smiles. For the first time, there is a positive emotion the observer can feel: hope. ]

At first, I had planned to build a city that would rival those on the surface, one where the souls would be able to find peace before moving on.

[ The ghostly image of the city fades and with it, so does Ereshkigal’s smile and the feeling of hope. ]

After a thousand years, I gave up on the idea.

[ Soon, more spear cages start appearing, planted in the ground and populating the field. A new sensation can be felt though it is unclear what it is… But those familiar with it will recognize despair. ]

I started out with lots of dreams. I had so many plans on what I wanted to do with the Underworld. I had so many ideas to make the dead’s rest better.

But the more time passed, the more I gave up on my dreams.

[ More and more cages appear, and Ereshkigal turns away, walking towards her “temple.” A bunch of half-built columns and a vaguely chair-shaped rock serving as her throne. ]

All I could do was make cages. I never even found time to build myself a temple or a proper place to rest.

[ She sits down on the “throne.” ]

And eventually,

[ She buries her head in her hands and starts crying as the memory ends. ]

I had no dreams left to give up on.

3. The Sister [CW: Death / Corpse]

I should be happy.

[ There is the body of a woman on the ground. Mangled by the relentless attacks of a spear. This woman looks identical to Ereshkigal, except her hair is black. The Goddess of Death is kneeling next to her, bloodied spear in hand, her face covered by her hood and a mask. ]

That’s what people feel when… When they take revenge against those who hurt them, right?

[ Though faint, the very clear sounds of someone crying can be heard behind the mask. The emotions are mixed and confused. Anger. Sorrow. Hatred. Regrets. Confusion. Remorse. ]

All my life, I have wanted for someone… To acknowledge I exist. To come see me… T-To save me...

[ The memory gets shaky. Ghostly images of the dead woman appear all around Ereshkigal. Some of those images are laughing. Some are saying cruel, hurtful things. Others are floating and parading all of the gifts those who love her gave her. But there is one who is kneeling in parallel to Ereshkigal, and her voice can be heard more clearly than the others:

“You should just leave the Underworld… And go outside.” ]

So why does it hurt? Why am I crying so much?

[ More and more fake Ishtar appear in her mind, drowning out the words her sister truly told her. ]

Why did I… Why did she…?

[ Ereshkigal screams in pain and the memory abruptly ends. ]

4. The Seven Loves

[ This memory is different from the others. Rather than watching the memory from the outside, the observer sees things from Ereshkigal’s perspective. They can see Tsurumaru talking to them, looking positively radiant and happy. ]

“... I've never been a spousal sword before.”

[ The memory shifts, now they are looking at the network interface. They can recognize the user name and avatar as belonging to Yzak. ]

“Hell, I already lost Dearka once. He was missing and presumed dead, so that was something I had to accept, and lived with for months. It's something I never want to repeat, either.”

[ With the next shift, the observer find themselves sitting on a bed in one of LILITH’s headquarter’s rooms. Hiyori is talking to them, sounding fairly excited. ]

“Ah, actually, Yato can sew.... and he made me a wedding dress when I was a teenager...”

[ The next shift brings the observer back to the network, the user name and avatar belonging to Godzilla this time. ]

“The absence is a wound of the heart for Kaede-hime regardless, one that runs deep.”

[ Once the message read, Dr Ratio is standing in front of the observer, eyes closed yet barely containing his happiness as he reveals: ]

“I hadn't intended on revealing our engagement, but yes, we are now betrothed.”

[ The network interface comes into view once again, with Kabru’s user name and avatar replacing the previous one. ]

“Laios Touden. He's in Everlight. His tastes aside, he's a good man.”

[ Finally, the memory shifts to the place where the Valentine Event took place. The observer is watching Silco who is sitting at a table and talking with Vergilius. When the observer speaks, they’ll find it is Ereshkigal’s voice and words that comes out of their mouth. ]

“... What is wrong with you, Ereshkigal? Why is it the most evil and sociopathic man alive can find love and yet no one in thousand of years has looked your way? Am I so--”

[ With a final shift, the observer finds themselves sitting against a pile of pillow on Ereshkigal’s bed. Their vision is blurry as the goddess cries silently, holding a cute little plushie depicting a red-haired woman. After a while, she gets up from her bed, goes to the window and throws the plushie outside.

The memory ends as the plushie hits the ground and disappears from view. ]

5. The Abyss [CW: Attempted Suicide]

Gods cannot die as easily as mortals. We are aspects of nature. We cease existing when humans no longer need us or when we are forgotten. And even then, sometimes gods can cling onto their divinity…

[ For the first time, Ereshkigal looks exactly as she does today. She is using the same vessel than she has during her stay in Neo Tokyo, so this has to be a fairly recent memory. She is standing next to her “throne,” the place where she once killed Ishtar. Nothing has changed in spite of the millennia that have passed. She is looking down at a sea of black water and behind her there is a cloaked, shadowy entity. It’s unsettling just looking at it – as if it is made of pure hatred and malice. ]

But here in the Underworld, there is a way.

[ The memory gets blurry, and the shadowy entity disappears. All the emotions previous felt are amplified, but sorrow and pain most of all, along with a desperate desire for someone – anyone – to come and save her. ]

The Abyss. The frontier between the realm of the dead and the root of everything. The final destination of the soul. All eventually sink into the abyss to reach the root and be reborn. It’s like a barrier. It prevents any living or conscious entity to reach the root as is. It dissolves everything to its base components.

[ The memory abruptly shifts and the observer find themselves in the Abyss, floating amidst darkest water. ]

It dissolves even gods.

[ Another shift in the memory, and Ereshkigal can now be seen within the dark waters, sinking in the depths of the abyss. Her golden hair floating around her makes it hard to see her face... ]

Honestly, this sin of mine... It's just an excuse.

I think I've been waiting for one since Father brought me here.

I could never abandon the souls. But if I am no longer fit for my role, then finally…

[ … But her face be finally seen. Parts of her face have rotten away and one of her eyes is gone, the primordial waters of the abyss slowly eating away at her flesh and dissolving her very body. Her remaining eye is closed, her features seemingly peaceful as she continues sinking in. ]

I hate myself. I hate that I never fought against this.

But I don’t regret my choices. If I had to do it all over again… I wouldn’t change a thing.

The souls deserve as much.

[ Slowly, she opens her remaining eye, as if she’s heard or seen something. ]

I wonder what I'll be reborn as.

Will I even be reborn? I don't know…

[ With her hand, she reaches out towards something that cannot be seen. ]

But it would be nice...

[ The memory abruptly ends with two final words being heard: ]

To live.

[ This goddess is absolutely aware someone just peeked into her memories, for she experienced her own memory herself. And that’s a big nope nope nope. Because those specific memories – and the last one in particular – she has no desire to talk about, especially right now.

So she very discreetly tries to hide and walk away. It’s a stealth mission!

… And she’s really bad at it. ]

[ This goddess has no idea whatsoever someone just peeked into her memories. So she goes to check on the outsider nearby who is looking disorientated, placing a hand on their shoulder. ]

Are you alright?