The Next Guest
Copyright© 2025 by Pars001
Chapter 9
Ephus - Demi-god
Quinn Markov - human wife of Ephus, blessed by multiple gods
Egyptian Deities
Bast - Goddess of cats, protection, joy, dance, music, family, and love
Serket - Goddess of scorpions, medicine, magic, and healing venomous stings and bites
Anhur - God of war and the sky bearer - Full brother of Bast and Sekhmet
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
Shuten-dōji - King of Japanese Demons
Oiwa - disfigured and vengeful female spirit
Jorōgumo - spider that can shape shift into a woman
Gashadokuro - a female spirit that takes the form of a giant skeleton
“We have to find him as fast as possible, he was nearly self-destructive back then. It might be because no one was with him when he awoke,” a worried Quinn said.
“How can he feel like that?” Amaterasu asked as she was worried also.
Bast explained how everyone dear to him had died or left him alone. It had been so long, that he started to believe that he wasn’t wanted. We’ve never been able to heal his mind of this yet,” Bast said.
An extremely worried Serket was about to vanish when Bast grabbed her arm. “Not yet, we need to go in force to guard against the demon and to show we are with him.”
Serket nodded,” I hope so, we need our husband as badly as he needs us.”
All the females there waited as Quinn and Bast felt for Ephus. They then nodded as they all vanished.
Ephus was sitting in the hut of Hachiman feeling lower than he had in years. He felt stupid about the fears he was feeling, needing to get his thoughts straight.
He’d been there a few hours, Hachiman not saying much, letting him think. He’d felt them approaching, though he really didn’t care. A moment later, six females appeared on their knees before him.
Ephus’ eyes went large as they didn’t move waiting on him. He nodded as he looked at them, especially the queen.
“I am surprised that any of you stayed with me as messed up in the head as I am,” Ephus said.
“You are our life, please never forget that,” Bast said as they all kissed him, then hugged him.
“When I awoke and none of you were there, I thought that you all had abandoned me. This has happened so often in my life. Oh, I saw a copy of you, Bast, not that good as she wasn’t nearly as sexy as you,” Ephus said, seeing Bast’s face suddenly redden in anger.
“Obviously, the ultra ugly demons here are desperate,” Bast said with a wicked smile.
Ephus smiled as he looked at Hachiman, he was also smiling at the words of Bast. “You and your wives are right they are desperate and ugly.”
It took all that Ephus had not to drop on the floor laughing. Hachiman looked at Ephus completely serious, which caused Ephus to start laughing harder.
All the females stared at him as if he had lost his mind. Then Bast smirked and nodded her head.
“Well, we might have a reprieve for a bit. After I took part of him, I am hoping. I was close this time, so close I could taste it,” Ephus said.
Hachiman nodded as he had thought non-stop of a plan to help Ephus end this. So far they had rescued all the minor gods and goddesses, plus the barrier was back to full strength.
For now, they were in good shape, though as soon as Shuten-dōji was healed, that would change. He looked at Ephus trying to help the Demi-god who had saved the realm.
He thought of the copy of his wife that Ephus had seen. There were still a few of the full female demons left, they obviously still had work to do.
“Ephus, do you think that the demon copying your wife will be a problem?” Hachiman asked.
Ephus thought a moment then shook hid head. “I don’t think so as long as I can feel them. If they are here, then I’m not that worried. Not much is getting through Amaterasu’s shield. There aren’t that many as powerful as my wives,” Ephus said with a wide smile on his face.
Both Bast and Serket blushed as he looked at them. “Husband is more than worth the effort,” Serket said, surprising both Ephus and Bast. For her to speak as confidently as she did showed her conviction.
Ephus smiled, glad that the shy goddess was more confident now. He remembered when she could barely speak, Now? She was becoming a force to reckon with.
Ephus went to sit with Hachiman, he’d like to get another chance to end Shuten-dōji. The last one had probably been his best bet, and he didn’t see that happening again.
No, they had to come up with something that was far outside their comfort zone. He was sure that the demon was mad as could be having lost limbs a few times.
Ephus smiled as he thought of the law of power. In order to heal fast, the healer had to be of or more strength than the one that caused the injury.
Ephus knew that there was no one that had the strength that he had. No, it would take quite a while to heal Shuten-dōji. Even with more than one healer which Ephus doubted Shuten-dōji had, it would take a long time. As injured as he was, Ephus knew that his self-healing was hampered.
Not far from where Shuten-dōji was hiding deep within a mountain, the three female demons plotted. They had stayed as still as they could so that didn’t attract any undo attention.
They had a plan for Ephus, though their first try hadn’t worked, they still thought it was a good idea. They knew that both of his wives here, were with child, perfect, they thought.
The one that was due in a few months would be the one that they would target. She seemed shyer than the others, yes she would be an easy target.
Jorōgumo, the now impromptu leader, had thought the plan through thousands of times. All they needed was Ephus to be on their side to ensure their survival.
After all, Ephus was a male, as they saw it, all males only thought about having sex in mind. Then again, him hardly noticing them had been a bit disconcerting.
They needed to plan accordingly, in case the first plan that Ephus made didn’t go as well. The only thing that was stopping them, was the fact that they only had so much information.
It was more than a few hours later that an idea hit Ephus. He started to question Amaterasu, her sister Wakahiru-me and Benten. He didn’t want to step on any toes if this worked.
As he listened to all their answers, he started to get a gist of everything. He could see why he had lost the way he had, the rules of this realm were far different than the first three.
Finally, he had what he needed, though having the power to instigate it was another thing. He had increased his power, though for some reason he felt it wasn’t enough.
Why in the hell was he starting to doubt himself? Hmmm he thought, it could have to do with those three female demons still out there.
Perhaps he thought they might have an agenda of their own that was far different than the demon king. Ephus nodded as he thought about it, the demon king had treated them as if they were really nothing.
They also might be trying to rid the realm of Shuten-dōji. A sly smile crossed Ephus’ features as he nodded that, he could most definitely use.
Then again, whether to tell Hachiman was a hard decision. Ephus still felt that there was a spy for the demon king and had been from the first.
Ephus still hadn’t discovered whom it was, though he was close. He knew that it wasn’t the four here with him, but there was always a minor god or goddess near them.
He sighed at least he had eliminated a good many. He was just afraid that it was more than one, and they weren’t even aware of it.
He’d managed to narrow it down to a group of ten, as they were the only ones that were always near. He was working on learning to read them and see if they had any orders within them.
He had recently started to detect one though he was very sure that there were at least two. There might be three which, in a way, made sense as that would cover most bases.
Ephus sighed, why in the hell was this realm as difficult as it was? God, even the Greek realm, with the titans, wasn’t this unruly and disjointed.
Ephus thought about it for a longer time, then, as if a light bulb went off, he nodded. It had to be everything had gone to shit after they had started to interfere.
He had to talk to a few gods before he did anything else. If what he thought was happening, then all three realms needed to be on guard.
Deep within his new hideaway, Shuten-dōji still only had one arm. The pain was still beyond what he was used to though he was growing used to it.
A shadowy mist appeared near him that Shuten-dōji growled at. “What in the hell do you want!” he snapped, the pain clouding his mind.
“My, my, so touchy, I see that the plan is proceeding, as,” a disembodied voice started.
“PLAN! This was not the plan to be sliced and diced as many times as I have been. I am the king of,” Shuten-dōji started, then started to choke as he was lifted off his seat.
“You are a dog, our dog! You will continue as you have and not deviate, do. You. Understand?!” Shuten-dōji was strangling, trying to talk, to yell, to do anything as he hung in the air.
He was summarily dropped like a piece of filth on the floor. Gagging, he tried to speak, finding his throat had been slightly crushed.
“Now continue on as you have, we will help you find the three female demons, who seem to have plans of their own. Tsk, Tsk, to treat one’s soldiers as you have. No wonder you have no loyalty,” the voice said.