Chapter 7

Ephus - Demi-god

Quinn Markov - human wife of Ephus, blessed by multiple gods

Egyption Dieties

Bast - Goddess of cats, protection, joy, dance, music, family, and love

Serket - Goddess of scorpions, medicine, magic, and healing venomous stings and bites

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

Shuten-dōji - King of Japanese Demons

“The queen?” Bast said as her and Serket’s power started to diminish. Ephus was glad to see Hachiman’s grip on his bow start to loosen.

Amaterasu briefly touched Hachiman’s arm, causing him to withdraw. She walked past Ephus with a smile that Bast quickly returned.

“I am Amaterasu, Japanese Goddess of the sun, Queen of this realm,” she said with a bow. “I understand that you two are his wives, two of many.”

Bast and Serket both slightly bowed with wide smiles on their faces. “Actually, many of the three realms that are finally restored to almost completeness,” Bast said with a wide smile.

Amaterasu suddenly looked back at Ephus. “Been very busy haven’t you?” She turned back to Bast, “It appears that might be four realms, as my sister is with child.”

“What!? When, how,” Ephus just sighed, what the hell was going on? Was he destined to father children, new gods and goddesses across all the realms?

That’s when it hit him, he was going to be a father, again. Yeah, he thought these women were sneakier than he thought.

All five of the Goddesses stared at Ephus as he sunk to the couch behind him. Bast raised her eyebrows at him, “So, you are trying to repopulate all the realms.”

Ephus raised his hands in defense ‘til he saw the small smile on Bast’s face. “These jokes that you have grown fond of are not as funny as you think they are my Bast,” Ephus said.

Both Bast and Serket smiled then looked at the three Japanese goddesses. They, of course, had gotten the joke.

Ephus was still partly in shock, another child, why did he feel like he was being bred? He looked at the five goddesses and shook his head.

He then looked at Hachiman, whose face was nothing but confused. Ephus motioned him over, then whispered in his ear. At first, Hachiman was shocked, confused again, then he started to smirk.

“Ah, yeah, not really helping Hachiman,” whose face was now smiling ear to ear.

It also appeared that the five goddesses had also guessed what the two males had spoken of. They too, were grinning greatly.

“Now then,” started Amaterasu. “Though this isn’t your realm, I will allow you to stay.” She looked at the two Egyptian goddesses, wondering if her power could kick them out.

Both Bast and Serket smirked, almost as if they had thought the same thing. Then a thought occurred to them that if they did fight, it might piss Ephus off.

A moment later, Amaterasu stared at Bast and Serket, then Ephus. “Just how many wives do you have?”

Ephus thought a moment then said, “Uh, at the moment twenty.”

Amaterasu nodded, then asked, “Just how many children?”

“At the moment, ten with powers and one without, with my first wife,” Ephus said.

“So, she is human?” Amaterasu asked.

“Well, she was though, with all the god blessings, she is developing powers,” Ephus said.

“She’s a developing goddess then,” Amaterasu said.

“No, she’s also a Demi-god, though not as strong as I am,” Ephus said.

“I wouldn’t expect her to be. One day I would like to meet the female that first captured your heart. I believe that she is a force that no god nor goddess can overcome,” Amaterasu said.

Ephus thought a moment, then nodded his head in agreement. “She can be though. I love all of them equally. I also can not say that none are harder to love than any of the others.”

“Hmmmm,” Amaterasu said. “You appear to be far wiser than I had at first thought.” She turned to her sister then looked back. “I hope that what I have heard is true, for her sake.”

For a moment, the looks the five goddesses were giving him had a shiver go through him. He had thought of this very subject many times. He nodded, there was no one goddess he loved more than any other.

With a sigh, Ephus said, “I can not love one more than any other.” He looked toward Wakahiru-me who had a look of complete shock on her face.

“You ... you love me? No god, no being has ever said those words to me,” Wakahiru-me said as tears started to fall freely from her eyes.

Shocked for a moment, Ephus said,” How could I not? The sacrifices that you, and they have done and made for the world.” Here he looked at Amaterasu and Benten, “Actually, it was easy.”