As Zeni's eyes fluttered open, she discovered that her surroundings had transformed into a hazy, indistinct realm. As her vision cleared, she found herself no longer in the dungeon's chamber but in an ethereal place that seemed to exist somewhere between life and death. The space around her was an otherworldly tapestry of shifting colors, each hue more improbable than the last, while faint, ghostly whispers provided the backing track to this peculiar place.

Before her sat a figure she had never met but suddenly felt a strange connection to: an amphibious humanoid who appeared to be in the middle of hosting an elaborate tea party for a group of spectral frogs. The being sported a frog's head, complete with bulging eyes and a remarkably charming headband, which only served to accentuate the oddness.

"Who... who are you?" Zeni asked, her voice trembling with uncertainty.

The frog-headed creature (along with its froggy, toady companions) blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting to find Zeni in their midst. Recovering quickly, the being let out a laugh that sounded like a chorus of ribbets, causing the amphibian guests to croak in unison.

"Ah, I must admit, this is a tad unexpected," the frog-humanoid said, adjusting its headband. "I am Heket, your personal goddess extraordinaire and connoisseur of all things amphibian. And this," she gestured around her, "is my most esteemed Frog and Toad Appreciation Society. Who do I have the pleasure of encountering here in my realm?”

“Zeni,” Zeni said. “I think…I might be one of your Enchantresses?”

“Oh!” Heket said, standing up suddenly and knocking over her own chair in her haste. “Zeni! Lovely to meet you!”

She paused, considering.

“Actually, I think you might be the first of my Enchantresses, if memory serves. I haven’t ever put together something quite like that until recently—seems like a wad of nonsense if you ask me. But that Ptahnefer was so insistent, and I’m easily persuaded by handsome young deities with a dash of charisma.”

“I’m the first?” Zeni asked, confused. “So…uh, heh, guess I’m setting the bar pretty high, huh?”

Heket shrugged.

“Might be you are,” she said. “I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be tallying, and to be completely fair, I’ve had my hands full with this lot for a while…”

She gestured once more to her spectral frog party members, one of which let out a low croak.

“But, suffice to say,” Heket continued. “As long as you’re following the few tenets I have, you should be just fine.”

“And what are those?” Zeni asked.

“Oh, let’s see,” Heket said, waving her hand around lazily. “Seek out interesting ingredients…avail yourself of knowledge that will help make you stronger in your Ka…don’t harm any amphibians…that about covers it.”

Zeni's eyes widened, suddenly on guard as she recalled the numerous frog creatures she had slain in the dungeon not long ago. Her hands began to sweat, and she nervously shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

Heket seemed to pick up on Zeni's discomfort, and adopted a look of horror.

"Oh, my dear! I hope you haven't been violently dispatching my precious children down in that dungeon. That would be most upsetting."

Zeni's face turned a shade paler as she realized Heket had been watching her closer than she initially indicated. Zeni tried to explain, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I-I didn't know they were your children. I thought they were just... monsters. I'm sorry."

Anxiety wildly coursing through her, she wondered if she had been brought here to face some divine judgment for her actions. Heket, however, seemed barely able to contain her laughter any longer.

"Oh, my dear, you should see your face! I'm only jesting," she chortled, causing her amphibian guests to croak in amusement. "You didn't hurt any true offspring of mine. Those creatures in the dungeon weren't authentic Seba-ka-tet! They were merely aspects of the dungeon, created to mimic them and designed to attack intruders like yourself while guarding valuable treasures."

Zeni sighed with relief, her tense posture relaxing somewhat.

"So, I'm not in trouble for... you know, killing them?"

Heket waved a hand dismissively, still chuckling.

"No, no, not at all. It's all part of the dungeon's design. Just remember, next time you face a froggy foe, be sure to check whether they're one of my delightful Seba-ka-tet or just a dungeon's cheap imitation!"

Zeni blinked, seeing the fanciful table and the ethereal frogs all staring back at her as her mind raced to catch up with the bizarre situation.

"Wait. Am I dead?" She asked. “This seems like something that I’d see if I died.”

Heket wagged a rubbery finger at her.

"Eh…not quite. You're teetering on the edge, though! A precarious position, to be sure. Most people don't visit me until they've shuffled off their mortal coil entirely. I must say, your timing is rather inconvenient."

"I don't want to die!" Zeni blurted.

The goddess leaned in, her eyes narrowing in mock seriousness.

"Oh, really? Now that's a revelation. Most people don't, you see. But it's not exactly something you can just opt out of, like one of those pesky merchant advertisements."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Zeni frowned, trying to muster some semblance of dignity.

"Is there nothing I can do?"

Heket tapped a finger against her froggy chin, feigning deep thought.

“You could stand there and worry about it, or you could relax, realize that its entirely out of your hands at the moment and join us for a spot of tea.”

"Tea? Here? With you and... them?" Zeni gestured toward the ghostly frogs, still somewhat bewildered by the entire situation.

Heket nodded enthusiastically.

"Of course! Why not? You got somewhere else to be other than awaiting your mortal predicament?"

With a sigh of confusion, Zeni decided to accept the bizarre invitation.

"Alright. Yeah, I guess I could use a cup of tea."

Zeni approached the table, her eyes taking in the sight of the ghostly frogs, each clad in the finest garments. The male frogs donned tiny, exquisite shendyts, pleated with precision and held by ornate belts, while the female frogs wore delicate miniature kalasiris dresses, their straps as fine as gossamer. Each frog was adorned with intricate collars, bracelets, and anklets, their gold and precious stones gleaming like tiny suns amidst a sea of white linen.

The frogs croaked politely, nodding their heads in a regal manner as they sipped tea from delicate, translucent teacups. The table itself was a veritable work of art, a creation only possible in this ethereal realm. Its surface shimmered like a river at sunset, colors shifting and blending like the play of light on water.

Upon the table lay a banquet of the most peculiar and tantalizing delights: pyramids of jewel-toned fruit that sparkled as if dusted with gold, glistening pastries shaped like tiny crocodiles and ibises, and steaming dishes of what appeared to be... marshmallow frogs? The tea, an iridescent concoction, seemed to change flavor with each sip, a maddening and delightful ballet of tastes that danced upon the tongue.

The absurdity of the offerings only served to heighten the charm of the scene, as if the entire affair were a lavish, otherworldly parody of a fine Kemet-Aaru feast.

Heket gestured for Zeni to take a seat on a lily pad cushion that topped a rickety wooden chair. The moment Zeni hesitantly sat down, she realized that the cushion was more comfortable than it looked, as if it somehow adjusted to her every curve and contour.

The goddess then poured Zeni a cup of tea from a teapot that looked like it had been crafted from whimsical dreams. The tea itself was a swirling, iridescent concoction that emitted a gentle aroma, reminiscent of a fresh spring rain and dew-covered marsh grass.

Zeni took a tentative sip, and her eyes widened in surprise as the taste exceeded her wildest expectations – it was amazing! Eventually, Heket regarded her again with a froggy smirk, and laced her fingers under her chin, leaning forward interestedly.

“So, I’m sure you have questions, Zeni. Ask away.”

Zeni considered this, before posing the primary one she’d been wondering about since her arrival.

"Why was I transported here?”

Heket shrugged.

“Thought that was obvious,” she said. “You’re on the precipice of death. Keep up, dear.”

Zeni shook her head.

“No, I mean…this other world. From my own. A few months ago.”

Heket chuckled, shaking her head.

"Oh! Well, I’m sorry to say I don't know the answer to that. And even if I did know, I wouldn't be able to tell you. And even if I could tell you, you wouldn't understand. And even if you could understand, you'd understand the wrong things because, as I said, I don't actually know the answer. It's like trying to explain a joke to a brick wall."

Zeni sighed, her frustration growing.

"Well, that wasn’t as productive of an answer as I hoped. So, what do we do now?"

"Well," Heket mused, "we can discuss life, philosophical quandaries, men, women, whatever suits our fancy—including the finer points of amphibian husbandry, if you're so inclined. Or we can simply sit and wait to see if you live or die. Which seems…just as fun? The choice is yours."

Zeni tilted her head, still feeling somewhat bewildered.

"Is there a particular reason you decided to show up, Heket? Shouldn't it be…I dunno, Anubis, or something? He’s the god of the dead, right? I mean, I guess I’m not full-on dead, but, like, maybe a middle-man or something? What’s Thoth up to?

Heket raised an eyebrow, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh, I see. So now you're picky about which deity comes to visit you in your time of need? Fine, next time I'll just nail a greeting to your front door and leave you to Anubis's tender mercies. I'm sure he'd love to brood in the shadows with you, discussing the fleeting nature of life and the eternal darkness that awaits, all while wearing his favorite black eyeliner."

Zeni blushed, realizing the absurdity of her question.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I'm just trying to understand why you're here, of all the gods and goddesses."

Heket waved a hand dismissively.

"No offense taken, gal. But to answer your question, there is a reason I wanted to talk to you. Though, I’ll admit to being startled by when you arrived. Took me quite by surprise. But, I digress. It's not every day that one of my Enchantresses finds herself in such an…interesting situation, after all. And as I said, you’re the first one of my Enchantresses, so it’s even that much more auspicious. I have to take a special interest in my inaugural disciple. So, I thought I'd seize the opportunity to offer you some wisdom.”

She paused.

“Also, I suppose, it's a great excuse to take a break from this tea party."

Zeni leaned in, curious despite her lingering anxiety.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"Well, I've been observing your exploits in this new world, and I must say, I'm rather impressed,” the frog goddess said. “You've managed to get yourself into and out of more trouble than a dung beetle in a sandstorm.”

Zeni smiled at the bizarre compliment.

"Is that a good thing?"

Heket chuckled, her froggy eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Oh, absolutely. It's quite entertaining to watch. You have such a penchant for attracting chaos, you know. But more importantly, it means you have potential."

"Potential?" Zeni asked, her curiosity piqued. "For what?"

Heket leaned in, her voice low and conspiratorial.

"Why, for greatness, of course. Or, at the very least, for making a bit of a…mark in this world. But to do that, you'll need to survive this current predicament. And perhaps, just perhaps, I might have a little advice that could help you."

"You see, Zeni, the dungeon you find yourself in has taken quite an interest in you. It appears that your continued survival has become something of a personal affront to it. You and your companion are nearing the final chamber, and if you manage to live through this, well, let's just say things are about to get quite hairy."

The frog goddess paused, her eyes narrowing as if recalling a distant memory.

"Dungeons are proud creatures in their own right, and they don't take kindly to adventurers traipsing about, plundering their treasures, and generally making a mess of things. This one, in particular, has been rather...bored, shall we say, for quite some time. It hasn't had a visitor reach such depths since..."

She paused again, her froggy eyes glinting with mischief.

Zeni leaned forward, eager to hear the end of Heket's sentence.

"Since when?"

The goddess waved a hand dismissively, her croaky laughter filling the air.

"Oh, it's not important. What is important is that you've caught the dungeon's attention, and it's determined to throw its best—or, perhaps, its worst—at you."

Zeni swallowed nervously, her mind racing as she considered the implications of Heket's words.

“No,” she said.

Heket looked surprised.

“No?” She wondered. “No, what?”

Zeni frowned.

“Saying ‘it doesn’t matter’ isn’t good enough,” she said resolutely. “I apologize if it’s rude to say so, but I’m not the type to just be satisfied with ‘oh, no matter, it’s not really important,’ as an answer. Usually, from my experience, and most movie—er, stories, that knowledge usually turns out to be precisely the sort of information that is incredibly useful and would have made all the difference if information wasn’t held back in the first place. So…no.”

Zeni smiled, hoping she hadn’t just pissed off an incredibly powerful being with her insolence.

Heket regarded her with an odd expression.

“Well,” the frog woman said, sitting back as far as she could, as if to truly give Zeni a good look for the first time. “Look at you. Full of gall, aren’t you?”

Zeni nodded.

“I, uh, guess so,” she said.

“Fair enough,” Heket said, her lilt indicating she was quite pleased and impressed with Zeni’s forthright attitude. “In that case, it has been since the one called Omar entered. I believe you and he are acquainted?”

Zeni froze.

“Um…” she mumbled. She hadn’t expected anyone, especially a goddess, would have seen her visit the individual.

“As I said,” Heket intoned, smirking. “I have been watching your progress. I think that your encounter with Omar was, in fact, likely the reason you are pursued so strongly by the dungeon. It knows what you know, and it knows what Omar knows, and what you’re so intrigued to be doing inside of it. Even if it isn’t fully aware of your intentions. It can sense them.”

Zeni frowned, remembering the morning not long ago, when she encountered Omar…