Akitu is a ritual festival held outside Uruk in Vala Cristalis, concealing a political mechanism: the substitute king.
| Type | Event (chronicle vtc) |
| Spanish entry | Akitu |
Beyond the great gate a pavilion is raised: the Parade of the Gods (Parada de los Dioses), in the local language the Bit Akitu, where the ritual’s participants are received.
The substitute king
- The king’s last confidence is that an attempt on his life is likely tonight. The substitute takes his place at once and spends the night in the Bit Akitu while the true king shelters.
- The substitute is the gardener Enlil-Bani: old, good-natured, learned in plants and hanging gardens, and someone who practiced telling the truth. That is why he was chosen.
- The Wordbreakers accept the commission to rescue him.
The notebook marks these days as “especially intense”: if days pass, on returning (if they return) they might find Vala devastated. Notes also mention a Dual King and a rebellious Queen who wants to be rescued.