Deity

Thanks for reading my story. this chapter is shorter. :3

***

"How are you still alive? I watched her turn you into sand!"

I was on my knees, holding Nathan's forearms, his smile almost hidden beneath the shock. Hathor had killed him, I was certain of it! As he fumbled for words, the smell of rosemary and lavender filled my nostrils. There was also a deep earthy smell that I couldn't place, like a graveyard but... fresher, somehow? Behind him, I could feel the eyes of the falcon headed Deity, Ra, focused intently on us. I couldn't feel anything from her, unlike Sekhmet's emotions. His obvious discomfort made it clear that he could. Anubis, the Deity behind Akina, picked his slender jackal nose, almost as if it was a real part of his physique.

"I... don't know. I was with you. Then I just wasn't."

I gripped his forearms with more insistence, scared to release him. I felt like he would disappear if I did. Not that my desire to keep him safe had any bearing on the will of a Deity, but I could hope.

"Where did you go?"

He shook his head, eyes closed. His hands mirrored mine, the lines in his face etched deep in his forehead and around his eyes. He was still trying to find the words. I squeezed softly, reassuringly. He revealed to me eyes that pierced the veil his words couldn't.

"I just... wasn't anymore; but Ra was. I can't make it more clear than that."

He took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to soothe himself. His normally tall and proud stature was now shrunken and defeated. There was still warmth in his eyes, but he didn't feel warm. I peered up at Ra, who stood with her arms crossed. I could sense Sekhmet looming over me, like she was glaring at us... glaring at Nathan in particular. I scooted closer to him, cupping his face. He wouldn't look me in my eye.

"He's fine," Ra spoke, waving her hand nonchalantly at the wrist, "death is no easy path to traverse, in either direction."

Nathan shivered. I glared at Ra, my concern giving way to hatred. She tapped her foot, jutting out her hip with impatience. Sekhmet and Hathor rounded us, lining up in front of the pedestals they'd once rested upon. Anubis kept picking with his headdress as if he, too, had no interest in us.

"You sit within the Court of Tuwor," Hathor gestured behind her at the large, ornate door, "when this opens, your first trial will begin."

I rose to my feet in defiance, prompting an immense pressure to descend upon me without warning. My mouth went slack, drool immediately accumulating as I was pressed flat against the grass. No one else moved to assist me, but I could see Nathan's eyes, wide as saucer plates. I tried to speak, to apologize but I could barely pull in enough air. Panic set in, trailed only by fear and regret. The pressure was gone just as quickly as it had come and I drew in breath so violently that my stomach decided to empty its tank. I clenched the grass as I retched, though, nothing came out. I felt that familiar, frigid cold against the nape of my neck. I forced myself to return to a seated position, ignoring the acid in my throat and the spasms in my stomach.

"You've entered our realm, our home," she pointed at Seria, "you've shown your intellectual aptitude, but you've yet to lay bare your heart. You hide behind books; walls made of concepts. What lies within the chamber of your Source?"

Seria opened her mouth to speak, pausing when we didn't react.. She raised her hand to her mouth, eyes darting around for confirmation. Hathor gave a slight nod, prodding Seria to continue speaking. A few tears fell from her eyes as she continued, wiping them away with her sleeves. She buried her face in her hands as Akina rubbed her back. Whatever she said, only the Deities could hear her.

"You speak with honesty and resolution," Hathor stated, stepping aside, sweeping her arm towards the door, "rise and accept our decree. Enter The Void. Emerge victorious."

Without hesitation she rose, approaching the door with her head hung low. The solid black recessed surface split down the middle. It was covered with carved depictions of every Deity in the Pantheon. At the very center, closest to the ground was a figure I did not recognize. She wore a sheathed dress, her shoulders draped in a shawl and her face hidden behind a veil. She stood with her hands outstretched, images of the cosmos splayed between them. Where the door split, a bright purple light shone through, intensifying only as Seria approached it. She paused as she approached the Deities, who had not yet moved. Hathor lowered her extended hand to Seria.

"Raise your head with pride, child. You will soon become worthy of my respect, of my full power. I have no doubt your mind will prevail against the Trial of The Void. You are my Vassal, the conduit for my Source. You have been chosen by a Deity. Show me your resolve, your commitment to me, to your goals. SHOW ME!"

Was she taller now? She hadn't moved an inch. All she did was extend her hand from a considerable distance away. I hadn't blinked the entire exchange. Seria raised her head, with painstaking effort. She was shaking like a leaf. Hathor's jewelry slightly jingled in response. Seria reflexively took one step back as she saw what lay beyond the door. Hathor's muscles flexed as she clamped down on Seria's shoulder.

"There is nothing back there." Hathor's command was final. We would either go willingly... or they would exert their will with overwhelming success. Without so much as a glance, she marched forward and disappeared into the light. The door closed in utter silence, adding more broth to the brew of horror stewing within me.

"Is this wise, sister?" Anubis finally spoke, his voice coarse like sand. He stuck his finger into his nose, clearly unashamed. Ra waved him off and he sighed disinterestedly, no doubt bored with the pompous ceremony. Hathor extended her hand to Akina, who stood and followed in her sister's steps. She was calm, considering the circumstances. I could see her trying to form the gauntlet, air shimmering around her forearm, trying to solidify before being dispersed. Anubis smiled menacingly.

"Your Source holds no power here. Defer to me as it does. You are not in danger... yet, though, if you continue to resist my will, I can ensure that you will be," he extended his arm as Hathor had, "Face The Void and return renewed. Do not fail me."

Akina looked over her shoulder at me and rolled her eyes, eliciting a smile I wish I had kept hidden. Sekhmet was upon me, her stature and presence weighted with terrifying purpose. The smile died on my lips and I averted my gaze. She smiled with perverse glee, her warmth evidence of her satisfaction. I felt like a child with no agency, unable to defend or express myself without garnering the ire of my elders. I kept my head down, focusing on my hands and how many ways I could move my fingers until I got bored. The door closed as silently as the first time, to which no growing adaptation to its eerie nature could rear its head. Even now, staring at these phenomenal specimens known as Deities, I still couldn't fathom the impossibility of our predicament. They were separating us from one another, to force us into some insane game of life or death in a structure that shouldn't be real in a realm that's not supposed to exist! How in The Void was I, a mortal child to them, supposed to pass a test made by Deities that so clearly wished to break or even...

"Little One," Sekhmet cooed, snatching me from the unending abyss of my intrusive and overwhelming thoughts. She stood in front of me, her massive arms folded across her chest. Her unrelenting, predatory smile made me want to flee the temple, down the stairs and into The Verdant Ocean, death be damned. That same smile, however, held me ensconced in its surreality. Her mouth alone was as wide as my forearm was long. Her teeth were sharp and ferocious like a lioness, yet also flat like my own. How two things could exist in the same space or layered atop one another was beyond my understanding, no, my plane of existence. I could only stare in fear, her hand slowly rising and falling palm down, beckoning me.

I rose to my feet and cast my sight to Nathan. He was sitting quietly now, staring at Ra in utter rapture. I frowned at him, at the situation, at what horrors lay beyond the doorway I now faced. Sekhmet took a step forward and slowly folded at the waist until we were face to nose. The headdress was so massive, I could see little more than its nose and whiskers!

"Can you smell me, Little One? Feel me? Pressed against your pores, your epidermis? Can you feel my fingers dancing along your locs like ants? Like wind? Like... death?"

The growl of her voice rattled my bones, causing me to flinch. I folded my arms across my midriff, cupping my elbows. I couldn't stop shivering. I could feel the weight of her paws guiding me towards the door. The first step I took sent my Source into a panic! Nothing had changed at all. The door was still insanely tall, intricately designed, and made of pristine, unblemished Star Marble. Black as obsidian. Architecture of perfection; smooth, swooping lines and precise carvings of immaculate details. Between that and her presence, the only clear option was doing as I was instructed. We were no longer on my Earth and I was at her will. Whatever I was about to face... I had to overcome it.

An almost imperceptive *snickt* vibrated through the atmosphere, alerting me to the door's intended separation. Facing it, I could feel a small flicker of warmth inside from the beautiful purple light in the far distance. Between the light and I was a paved street, a cobblestone amalgamation that always made me irrationally angry. Is it seriously that hard to find evenly shaped bricks to set in equally evenly spaced patterns? I approached the door, my mind screaming repeatedly to remember that this is not real. I was about to enter an unknown building in an unknown world and the only people who know where I am are stuck here with me. Would Zephyr be able to find me? Would she be in danger too? A massive but gentle hand settled on my neck and shoulder, the thumb uncomfortably close to the notch where my clavicles met.

"Wisdom or Death?"

I hesitated for a second, thoughts trailing off to what that could possibly mean, but the movement of her thumb was all I needed to make a choice.

"Wisdom!" I cried out. She released me, a more genuine smile painted on her visage. It was paradoxical; filled with love but somehow still reticent. I couldn't help but think I was projecting myself onto her. Maybe smiles were different for Deities. I strode towards the door, expecting to feel something, anything, but there was nothing. There was no resistance, no disturbance, no interference. Behind me, the light was gone in an instant, plunging me into absolute darkness. I remained still and took a deep, focused breath. In the center of my chest I could feel my Source, the very seat of my power. I still had access to it! Maybe I could...

"I wouldn't be so uncouth. A trial is not a path of violence or peace; it is a path of resistance. What I need from you is more than just the sum of your parts; I need your unwavering Source, your indomitable human spirit!"

I'm certain that she meant that as a pep talk. What she doesn't understand is that as an apex predator, most of what she might ever say to me is going to sound like a threat or a command. In this empty space, where her voice was everywhere and nowhere at the same time, it sounded like an invitation to my soul being consumed. Whether I agreed or not was irrelevant and would only serve to ease my transition into death at this point. I connected to my source, feeling it flow through my body, centering the bulk of my power into my legs. The darkness wasn't an issue, my electricity could light the way. Until I could be certain of just how much Sekhmet knew about my Source, I would have to save my best skills for last. Distance, safety were the utmost priorities. Nothing she said could be trusted. Possibilities raced through my mind as I waited for something to react to.

"I suppose you're waiting for something to happen," she mused, her annoyance felt in both sound and sensation, "there seems to be a large piece of you that continues to fuel your refusal to believe. Do you think I desire unwilling servitude? Not at all. I would see people freed from such inequality!"

The space lit up around me in a soft blue hue, the air around me grew thick with heat as electricity came to life, arcing along my body. The ebony accessories tied to my hair collided as I took a few steps forward. They were a gift from Zephyr six years ago, on my twentieth birthday, the day before I was scheduled to go on my first hunt. Across the land of Atmire were monsters to be found and dispatched. From goblins to chimera, there were many that stray too close to human settlements. The trinkets were made to detect threats from behind me. If I were to further dedicate my Source to it, I could even see through them, effectively giving me eyes in the back of my head.

"Something feels... disconcerting, doesn't it? Does it elicit anything visceral? What is it about this darkness that makes you feel so uneasy? Do you humans still fear the unknown? You have so much power at your disposal, Little One; if you get hit, you reflect it tenfold. The more you move, the stronger you become. With me, you could become the unstoppable force. With me, there will never be an immovable object. This space belongs to me and me alone... that is, unless you join me--"

As if to prove her power, she materialized in front of me, stepping out of the darkness as though some spotlight was suddenly alive and only had eyes for her. I was finally able to see myself and nothing felt amiss, so I humored her.

"What is this place that belongs to you? Some sort of secret room in Tuwor? How much of this is real?"

The rush of wind caught me off guard as the darkness around me lifted like a curtain. Everything in the background was blurry, moving by so quickly that I had to close my eyes to prevent myself from puking and falling into it. The wind died as quickly as it had lived, prompting my attention. We were once more standing outside of Tuwor, but it was markedly different, far larger and more detailed. Greater and more distinct murals were carved into the walls, depicting the stories of scores of different Deities. Some were dressed in odd cuirasses shaped like a man's muscular torso with feathered pleatings,, others wore layered plating and wielded weapons that defied logic. There was even a fierce looking woman with six arms and blue skin. The rage in her image sent a shiver of fear down my spine. At the center of the outer plaza, there were two Deities standing opposite each other, a woman and a man. The woman was easily discernible as Ra, given her falcon headdress and clothing. I was uncertain of who this man was, though I could sense how dangerous he was from here. Sekhmet tapped my arm as she passed, beckoning me. I acquiesced.

"The Deities were never "aligned". We simply worked towards a common goal; subduing The Void Walker."

My hackles rose at the mention of his name. I didn't speak, or try to register what she said. Seeing these two Deities standing in what looked like the end of a heated debate had my rapt attention.

"You think that they deserve peace? They wage war amongst themselves over the most foolish reasons! Why not let them have the war they so desperately wade into? I don't understand your fixation on protecting those," he grasped violently for the word, one he would almost vomit, "humans from their own nature. I just saw one kill his traveling partner at my altar to appease me," he bellowed, raising his heavily armored arm, "and yes, it pleased me, but the point still stands! I will usher in the world they desire. You can enact whatever Ritual you like. It won't change the fact that I will crush you beneath my boot!"

Ra tilted her head, her mouth as blank as stone. She took a few steps back before taking a low stance, her arms behind her back. Her expression morphed into rage. The man removed his helmet, revealing his face to be alabaster pale, his hair just as white. His armor was black and rounded, the edges highlighted by engravings and red paint. He pointed the helmet at her and in seconds, it was being stretched and molded like clay into a massive sword that matched his armor. Upon taking form, the air around it pulsed in rhythm with its heartbeat.

"Ares was never fond of humanity. The sheer paradox of your existence was something to be controlled and weaponized, not understood and accepted. I don't wholly disagree, given that justice and punishment are given out equally and without bias, but that's a different topic altogether. Ra did not want to force humanity to be any more or less than what it was. Instead, she enjoyed interfering with the day to day of the commoners. Those who visited her shrine with genuine hearts and presence of mind would sometimes have their wishes granted."

Ra launched herself at Ares, determined to loosen up his torso with each blow she threw. Despite shaking the very ground with each connecting strike, he seemed to be shrugging it off! After weathering her fierce combination attacks, Ares swung his blade horizontally with a speed that made his movements seem like flipping through... well, a flipbook. Ra was already ahead of him, now in the air having gathered the momentum from her previous attack to counter his attacks. She knew he stopped for a split second between each swing. She pushed off the blade mid-air and finished her flip, turning and tucking her right elbow in deep. I saw the blade pulse brighter, the force of its exertion pushed air away from it in all directions. When it hit Ra, the bubble simply broke against her coming blow! The sound of her bare fist striking him set my chest ablaze with fear and excitement.

Ares stumbled back reaching for his jaw. Ra was on top of him again, that arm primed to shatter. Ares removed his hand, smiling with crazed exuberance. Blood splashed across the arena and Ra hit the ground like meat. It was only for a moment but I saw her feel that pain. They began to melt into blurs and shapes I could barely make out. The only proof of their battle was the blood, percussive explosions, and the sand that erupted from them. It wasn't until I could see Ra deflecting his blows with her accessory laden forearms that Sekhmet spoke, revealing something to me that I hadn't even considered.

"Sometimes, it's best to accept wisdom and humility instead of honoring one's ego with an ass beating," her viciously sharp smile emerged as she pointed upwards. I followed her gaze, taking in the large rainbow colored sigil tracing itself across the sky. I couldn't make out the symbol created by all the swooping lines and flourishes. It didn't look like anything I could draw from memory. The way the lines danced within their container formed every shape at once... and none at all. Being unable to focus on and make sense of it filled me with nausea, trailed closely by a visceral panic that comes only from the unknown. I turned my head to face Sekhmet so slowly I could hear the tendons in my neck creak and whine. She did nothing but continue to smile, her eyes focused on both me and the climax of the short battle.

"Ra is second to none," Sekhmet continued, her words unnaturally synchronized with the scene, "her hands alone helped shape this world. The Nepthys Valley to the West, carved by the weight of her talons. Each tree of The Verdant Ocean sowed by her command, nurtured by her own hand."

Ra took a shot from the back of his weapon that sent her airborne, but thanks to her skill, she was able to withstand the blow, redirect her momentum and rebound. Landing outside of the clear splashes of her blood across the marble floor, she raised her hands to the heavens. The way her lips parted to reveal rows of sharp and jagged teeth filled me with horror and disgust. Her head snapped to me for a split second, freezing the blood in my veins. She couldn't know I was here... this wasn't even real. It was just an illusion that-