The Next Guest
Copyright© 2025 by Pars001
Chapter 5
Japanese Dietes
Amaterasu - Japanese Goddess of the sun (head goddess)
Wakahiru-me - younger sister of Amaterasu, goddess of the rising sun
Benten - Japanese Goddess of love
Hachiman - Japanese God of War
Takemikazuchi - god of thunder and swords
Takeminakata - god of wind, water, agriculture
Egyption Diety
Thoth - God of knowledge
Shuten-dōji - King of Japanese Demons
Yuki-Onna, The Snow Woman - a pale, beautiful and malevolent spirit
Nure-onna, the snake woman - a reptilian creature with the head of a woman and the body of a snake.
For the next hour there was the clanging sound of swords as they battled for supremacy. The four goblins and the raccoon dogs were the first defeated.
Ephus was surprised that the mountain woman lasted as long as she did. He noticed that the other four spirit/demons were lasting as well.
Ephus kept at it, nearly having been sliced several times. He finally managed to get a hit in on the mountain woman’s arm, who screamed and vanished.
The other three saw that Ephus was moving in their direction and vanished just as fast. Ephus shook his head as the other three gods smiled.
“A wonderful display of swordsmanship,” Hachiman said, then quieted as Ephus had a look of concern on his face. “What is the problem we beat them?”
“That’s the problem, we beat them, we should have destroyed them. Something is going on, and I plan to find out just what it is,” Ephus said, the look of concern on his face.
It was a look that also had Hachiman concerned as well. If he was this concerned, then they truly needed to plan even harder.
Hachiman looked at both Takemikazuchi and Takeminakata conveying his concern. He then thought about all that had happened, it was strange how hard mere spirits had been to defeat.
The more that he thought about it, the more he was convinced these weren’t spirits. “You are thinking that they weren’t spirits then?” Hachiman asked.
Ephus shook his head, “No, they were a lot more powerful than mere spirits. I’m starting to think they were demons in disguise.”
Hachiman thought for a moment, then quickly came to almost the same conclusion. “Obviously then, we are dealing with straight demons rather than a mix. Shuten-dōji is more deceptive than we thought.”
Ephus just nodded as he thought that this time was going to be by far more difficult. “We should return to Takamagahara and inform Amaterasu about what we have found.”
A moment later they were all back within the boundaries of Takamagahara. Amaterasu, Wakahiru-me and Benten all snapped their heads around as soon as the four appeared.
A moment later they all started to stare at Ephus. Again, as before, Ephus felt like a rare piece of meat they were starving for.
Ephus shook his head, as did Amaterasu when Ephus started to tell her what they had discovered. “It appears that I am not immune to this. I can almost pierce the veil, though not quite.”
Ephus then calmed as he started to concentrate, the area around his eyes glowing. A mere two minutes later, he opened them, nodding to those there.
All three of the goddesses there started illusion spells that he somewhat saw through. “I can see through those though, I am unsure just how well I can do against him,” Ephus said.
“You’re going to have to go against him soon then, I guess,” Amaterasu said. “Though I fear that it might be more perilous than we all think. Even with Shuten-dōji weaker than he was, he still has significant power.”
Ephus nodded as he thought a few moments. “I am well aware of this, though we need to know.” He then turned to look at Hachiman, Takemikazuchi and Takeminakata, “I need the three of you near in case.”
Hachiman nodded as Ephus stretched out his arms, feeling in the direction of where they had seen their enemies. “Hmmm, it appears that they are still in the area that they were. Well hidden though, they are still there.”
They all nodded as Ephus described in detail, what they were going to do. Less than a minute later, Ephus appeared not far from where they had met and battled before.
“Shuten-dōji, you pitiful coward! Too weak to face me, you have to send out lackeys,” Ephus yelled.
A voice that seemed to come from nowhere shouted back, “So you think I am an idiot as well as a fool? “I am far smarter than you’ll ever be.”
“Well, though I am not the one who has needlessly sacrificed my lackeys to no end. You know that they are weak against me, seems a waste,” Ephus said, slightly adjusting his position.
“Not a waste just seeing how strong you are,” Shuten-dōji sneered.
“Ha! As if you didn’t know, especially after I took an arm. You should know that you can’t defeat me or the rest of the gods,” Ephus said, adjusting again.
“As I said,” a calm-voiced Shuten-dōji said, “I am far smarter than you.”
Ephus immediately shot a huge bolt of energy that the snow woman caught, causing her to scream then vanish. “Tsk, tsk, loyal and stupid to the end.”
A sudden scream behind him caused him to turn his sword up. The snake woman appeared as she rapidly started to wrap around Ephus. Ephus smiled as his sword started to slice through her like she wasn’t there.
“Too bad you’re not that smart,” he whispered as her lower body started to fall from the front.
“That is impossible, nothing can cut me!” she screamed in pain, blood exiting her mouth. Freed, Ephus swung and cut her head in two pieces, she gasped and was done.
A shocked Shuten-dōji growled then appeared as he started to attack Ephus. Caught by surprise at the ferocity, Ephus deflected a blow that barely cut his arm.
With a curse, Ephus returned his own ferocious attack that caused a smile to cover Shuten-dōji’s face. “So you aren’t the goody goody that you claim to be.”
This time, it was Ephus’ face that smiled, causing Shuten-dōji’s smile to fade. “I never claimed to be that. I am just here to bring justice to your kind.”
Shuten-dōji screamed as Ephus caught his leg, then he vanished. The other five there started to turn toward Ephus ‘til the three hidden gods appeared.
“It appears that he lost another two of his help,” Hachiman said with a small smile on his face. “Might be easier to fight now.”
Ephus shook his head, “I think that these are his strongest. No, I think that he’s about to change tactics. For the moment, he has a shortage of troops, though I feel that may change soon. Remember we defeated all those before we didn’t destroy them, they’ll be back.”
Hachiman nodded as he remembered the first battle that he and Ephus had been in. “I remember, I think that we should speak to Amaterasu. If any know how to destroy them, it is her.”
All four of them nodded as they all vanished, appearing back within the confines of Takamagahara. Hachiman and Ephus sat to talk to Amaterasu while Takemikazuchi and Takeminakata left for their areas.
Several hours later Ephus yawned, suddenly looking surprised at Amaterasu. “Sorry Amaterasu, far more tired than I thought.”
A small smirk came to her lips, “even gods can tire after a time. We are gods, not an engine that keeps the same all the time.”
This time it was Ephus’ turn to smirk, “I am aware of that. Even with the huge amount of energy that I have, I am well aware of that.
“So, in what way do you think he’ll change his tactics?” Amaterasu asked.
“Up ‘til now, he has tried to overwhelm in one area. I think he might now try more misdirection,” Ephus said, though you could tell he was still in thought.
Amaterasu thought for a moment, then she said, “I have never known Shuten-dōji to be that thoughtful. Obviously, he has outside influences that have caused him to act as he has.”
Ephus nodded his agreement as he thought more about this. There were a few that he knew of that could be influencing him. He also knew that many of them were unable to do much. Then again, he thought there were a few.
Ephus nodded his head, he’d have to leave for a bit to check, if he could. He then sat as he had to plan more with Hachiman and Amaterasu before he acted.
Quite a way from Takamagahara, even further back into the mountains, Shuten-dōji raged. “What is this demi? He appears to be more of a god than a Demi.”
“Take care how you complain Shuten-dōji. Do not incur my wrath,” the disembodied voice said.
“Or you’ll do what? I am the ultimate power here, not you! You’re not even here!” Shuten-dōji was shouting into the air when he suddenly doubled over.
“Hold your tongue dog! You forget your place or who is really in charge,” the voice said.
Shuten-dōji cringed a bit at the force of the voice. “I don’t care what you think of me, but you need me more than you say. I suggest that you adjust,” Shuten-dōji started, then was interrupted.
“You are not as needed as you think. We have several that we can also use. Do not think that you are more important than you are,” the voice growled.
Shuten-dōji smirked, “You might, but there is no other that commands the power that I do. None that believe in what you do as I do.”
“In that you are only partially correct. We have been doing this for far longer than you think. I suggest that you stop questioning what we tell you and just follow instructions,” the voice said.
“Who are you? I have a right to know who I am working for,” Shuten-dōji said.
“For now you don’t need to know. When it is relevant, you’ll know,” the voice said. “Do not press more, or you may find that we withdraw our support.”
Shuten-dōji started to say something, snapped his mouth closed, sighed, then nodded.