This Is Hareming

The plea

On his knees, Nefer screamed at the top of his lungs.

“Will you marry me?”

There was silence then mumbles. Nefer lifted his head to see creatures way taller than him. They were in white robes with gold accents. Gold pieces of jewelry on their wrist and around their necks. Nefer’s heart started to pound.

“Am I having a heart attack again.” he thought as he slowly got up. One of them walked towards him. He stepped back a couple of feet before stumbling.

“Mortal, did you just propose to us? The insolence, for your mockery I shall smite you where you stand.”

The 12-foot goddess raised her curved khopesh ready to strike Nefer.

“Sekhmet!” a commanding voice called and she stopped. Sekhmet growled then walked away.

“We are here to decide the fate of the mortal and it would be done without bloodshed,” Isis said with authority that calmed murmurs.

“Ma’at, let his heart bleed truth.“

A woman stepped forward and walked over to Nefer shrinking until she got to his height. She reached into his chest. Her hand phased right through. She tried again and had the same result. She frowned and tried for the third time. Nothing, she then turned around.

“Matron, he has no heart,” Ma’at said to Isis

“Impossible, no mortal walks heartless. He must surely have one.”

She waved Thoth over who urgently walked over and whispered in her ear.

Isis stayed calm but the others knew something was wrong. With a gesture, she summoned all the gods to her.

“It is not as it seems,” she said with composure.

All Nefer heard was murmuring. The Sekhmet yelled “Preposterous” She turned and looked at Nefer. They talked for a while before disbanding.

“Mortal Nefer, your reckless plea has bound your heart to us. Thus you stand outside Ma’at’s scale of judgement. In this predicament, you cannot be weighed only tested. You must prove yourself to each god you seek to claim. Else we would have no choice but to feed you to Ammit the devourer”

“This is a dream.” Nefer thought as he watched them.

He tried to walk away as he walked he looked down and saw clouds. He panicked and quickly sat down.

“Are we in the sky?” he asked looking at the world below.

“You are between worlds now.“ Isis gave a mysterious smile.

“Rest for your trial begins tomorrow. Prepare yourself for it would not be light-hearted.” Isis said and with a wave, he vanished. He immediately appeared on a bed in a room. Nefer touched his chest. He checked for a heartbeat.

“ The proposal was a mistake,” Nefer said as he lay on the bed.