[3rd person pov:???]
Over 5,000 years ago, in an age where gods and mortals coexisted, He was born.
His birth was the result of a sacred union between Lugalbanda, the King of Uruk, and the goddess Riamat Ninsun.
He was a being of two worlds, with two parts god and one part human, embodying both the divine and the mortal. The blood of those who had ruled coursed through his veins, as did the blood of those destined to rule thereafter.
Created to serve as the bridge between heaven and earth, he was seen as a link between gods and men, a "wedge" that bound the realms together.
Even as a child, he was simply extraordinary, gifted with boundless intelligence and a compassionate heart. Unlike other rulers who took power with iron fists, he led with understanding and grace. His curiosity was insatiable and he took "joy" in collecting treasures that spoke of the world's wonders.
When he ascended to the throne at a very young age, the people of Uruk praised him as a wise and just king. His judgments were fair and his words filled with kindness that moved the masses. Under his rule, prosperity flourished, and the city was a beacon of light and wonder.
He "loved" and "cared" for his people, he "loved" and "respected" the gods.
Yet, despite his reverence, he could not submit to the gods who had created him. How could a king ever be a puppet? To bow without question would be to deny his very essence as the king.
He might have "loved" them, offered prayers in their names, and laid sacrifices at their altars, yet his devotion was never blind as he wouldn't mindlessly serve them. And that wasn't a way of rebelling against them but simply his method of respecting them.
But the gods, in their "pride", would never let such defiance go unpunished.
And so, the first seeds of conflict were slowly being sown.
***
FLINCH
'What was that!?'
The boy woke up drenched in sweat as if he had run a marathon.
THUMP THUMP THUMP
His heart raced, pounding against his chest.
'What happened? What were those visions and those things I felt?'
For the boy the dream' experience was so overwhelming he couldn't forget it even if he tried. In fact the boy could hardly register his surroundings, his breaths came in short, ragged gasps.
"So you finally woke up. You sure made me wait quite a while, child."
An impetus voice cut through the haze clouding the boy's mind. He turned his eyes and found himself staring at the man from the rooftop.
Golden armor gleamed in the dim light, and a crimson cape draped over the back of a magnificent golden throne. The man's crimson eyes glinted in amusement as he was busy looking at his glass of wine.
But the boy looking at him had the strange feeling of having seen this man somewhere else other than the rooftop but couldn't quite connect where.
And also.
"Why am I still alive?"
The boy had no delusion of being in the afterlife after all if he was why would he still be breathing and have a heartbeat.
"Hmph. Of course it's because I decided to grant you an audience to my presence, brat. You should be grateful, being graced by my presence is a privilege beyond your comprehension." Without even looking at the kid the man said in an arrogant attitude.
The boy blinked. "Oh. Thank you."
Not really understanding what he was saying he still thanked the man, after all the man said he should be grateful.
Resting his head on his hand the man released a small chuckle. "As you should."
"So tell me boy, why did you jump?"
"…Because I had no reason not to." said the kid.
The man titled his head as he raised an eyebrow. "No reason… not to?"
The boy's voice was flat as he answered. "I just came to the conclusion that I had no reason to stay alive. That's all."
A silence stretched, heavy and suffocating, until Gilgamesh chuckled.
"I see," he said. "Hollow and stupid, aren't you? How utterly empty and revolting."
Suddenly the man paused and locked eyes with the kid properly for the very first time.
It was simply a moment where their gazes met each other, there was nothing particularly special about it, but the boy could feel it, he could tell that the man standing before him was diametrically opposite to him the moment they were eye to eye.
He did not know where this intuition came from but he could tell that this figure seated in front of him is everything he could never be and never understand. He was the very culmination of what he spent his entire life trying to understand but never could.
"What an unpleasant look you have. It's pathetic. Especially for a child."
The man scoffed with a smirk curling at the edge of his mouth.
"Tell me, do you even know who stands before you?"
The boy shook his head slowly.
The man was not truly surprised and told the child. "Hmph. Then listen well, for I shall not repeat myself. I am Gilgamesh, King of Heroes. The one true king who commands all creation. You, boy, have the honor of becoming my subject. You are welcome."
"...Subject?" The boy tilted his head in confusion.
"Indeed. I did not go through the trouble of saving you just to watch you squander your existence again. Consider this a fact as your life is mine now. After all, I already wasted one of my treasures on you."
Declared the man, no Gilgamesh, as he drank a sip from his glass of wine.
'My life… is his?'
It was a strange thought for many, but it made a certain kind of sense. He had thrown it away, after all, his life was worth nothing to him.
But if this man used something valuable to save him… then it was no longer his life, was it?
The boy stared at him, the confusion still evident on his face.
Gilgamesh's eyes narrowed slightly, a glint of suspicion within. "Hmph. It seems you truly have no idea, do you? Let me enlighten you. I was summoned to this world through a magical ritual, one that binds heroic spirits from all ages to the present. Such rituals are usually tied to what some call a 'Holy Grail War,' though I cannot be certain if that is truly the case here."
The boy blinked slowly. "Magic rituals…?"
Gilgamesh clicked his tongue, a mix of irritation and genuine disbelief. "Hah, of course, you wouldn't know. Let me simplify it for you: a Servant is a heroic spirit, a legend given form from famous figures troughout myths and history to fight at the behest of a Master who summoned them. I am one such spirit, though far above the rabble that usually answers such calls."
The boy's eyes drifted to his right hand, where three strange red markings that were not there before caught his attention. His eyes widened slightly.
"These…?"
Gilgamesh scoffed but did not dismiss the question entirely. "Those are Command Spells, symbols of authority over a Servant. They allow a Master to issue absolute orders a Servant cannot refuse, no matter how foolish." His tone was dismissive. "I will explain more when the time comes. For now, accept it and hold your tongue."
The boy just nodded as an answer, his gaze lingering on the red markings etched into his hand. The idea that he could command someone, especially this man, felt absurd, especially when he had nothing to demand from anyone.
Gilgamesh leaned back slightly, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Good. At least you understand that much. Now then, boy, I have one more question for you."
"...What is it?"
The golden king's red eyes narrowed. "Are you prepared to serve me?" he asked. "To accept that your life no longer belongs to you and follow me without question?"
Serve him?
He once again could find nothing wrong with it. After all, If it didn't belong to him anymore, then it made sense to give it to someone else, especially to the man who had used something valuable to save him.
"I… understand." The boy said slowly. "If my life belongs to you now… then I'll follow you."
Gilgamesh watched him for a moment longer before letting out a soft chuckle. "Then it's settled," he declared, his tone imperious and final. "From this moment forth, you are my subject and property. See that you do not forget it."
And so, without any purpose or desire of his own, the boy accepted the golden king's command.