Chapter 15

Greek Gods

Zeus - King of the Greek gods
Hera - Queen of the Greek gods, sister and wife of Zeus
Hades - god of the underworld, brother of Zeus
Poseidon - god of the sea, brother of Zeu
Demeter - goddess of harvest and fertility of the earth, sister of Zeus
Aphrodite - Daughter of Zeus and Dione, Goddess of love, beauty and sexuality
Artemis - Daughter of Zeus and Leto, goddess of the hunt, the moon, and chastity
Athena - Daughter of Zeus and Metis, goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, strategic warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, and skill.
Ares - Son of Zeus and Hera, god of war
Apollo - Son of Zeus and Leto - god of the sun and light, music and poetry, healing and plagues, prophecy and knowledge, order and beauty, archery and agriculture.
Dionysus - Son of Zeus and Semele - God of the vine, grape-harvest, wine-making, wine, fertility, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, theatre
Hephaetus - Son of Zeus and Hera - god of fire, metalworking, stone masonry, forges and the art of sculpture.
Hermes - Son of Zeus and Maia - Messenger of the gods, god of trade, thieves, travelers, sports, athletes, border crossings, guide to the Underworld
Eris - Daughter of Zeus and Hera, sister of Ares - minor goddess of discord and strife
Deimos - son of Ares, twin of Phobos - god of dread
Phobos - son of Ares, twin of Deimos - god of fear
Dolos - Personification of trickery, cunning deception, craftiness, treachery and guile
Apate - Counterpart of Dolos, goddess of fraud and deception.

Ephus - the godling man with an unusual power.
Dr. Quinn Markov - human wife of Ephus

Egyptian Goddesses and wives to Ephus

Bast - Goddess of cats, protection, joy, dance, music, family, and love
Sekhmet- Goddess of fire, war, and dance
Hathor - Goddess of the sky, dance, love, beauty, joy, motherhood, foreign lands, mining, music and fertility.
Serket - Goddess of scorpions, medicine, magic, and healing venomous stings and bites
Maat - Goddess of Truth and Justice
Tefnut - Goddess of Rain, Air, Moisture, Weather, Dew, Fertility, and Water

Brothers of Bast and Sekhmet

Thoth - God of knowledge
Sobek - God of the Nile, the Army, military, fertility and of crocodiles
Anhur - God of war and the sky bearer - Full brother of Bast and Sekhmet
Horus - Ancient God of the sky and kingship
Min - God of fertility
Khonshu - God of the Moon
Apophis - God of Chaos and darkness
Shu - God of the wind and air

Dolos’s misshapen face twisted into a hideous smile. “Of course we have heard of, it. Especially after repowering the Egyptian god realm. Something none of the other realms saw coming. We both were about to make a move on them, as were a few others. Now there is no hope of taking them.”

Apate was vigorously nodding her head, hissing she added, “that one has pissed off more than a few of the other god realms. I am surprised it took as long as it did for any realm to reach out to him”

(Oh? Really, I was unaware that others were trying to take other realms.) Ares thoughts replied to the two of them.

Both Deimos and Phobos were still sitting nearby. They both knew better than to interfere with their father’s meetings. They both were doing their best to not turn away from the two hideous beings before them.

“I see that you got a taste of the god killer swords. I am surprised that the godling...” Dolos started.

(Hold your tongue Dolos, > Ares thought as he drew the black sword. <Unless you also would like a taste, sampling of their power?)

Dolos’s face showed surprise at Ares threat, so the heartless bastard was still like he had been. Smiling Dolos slowly held up his hands, a small smile on his face. It was good to know that Ares was still the detestable bastard he’d always been.

“So Ares, what scheme have you for us? Do you want him dead, his power then his death? How may we help you?” Dolos stated with a small bow to Ares.

(That’s more like it. I want him dead, disgraced and forgotten as the failure that he is.) Ares vicious thoughts stated.

“Um, sounds so delicious to us, does it not brother?” Apate said.

“Very much so, this one will indeed be a challenge. We need to plan before we make any moves on him. If I remember right he is being watched over by a good number of the Egyptian gods. I am sure they are also watching any humans he might have befriended also.” Dolos stated deep in thought.

“Brother? You think that we might have to go in as humans? It has been a very long time since we were here. As you said we will need to plan before we move.” Apate said.

Ephus turned to look at the five gods and goddesses that he’d left. Ephus felt his legs shake a moment, then he dropped in his chair with Eris in his arms.

Eris coughed a moment then her eyes flickered open. “Ephus? What, how? The last thing I remember Ares was strangling me again. Then, I felt the horrible pain in my neck, when...”

“I stopped him from doing any more to you. I also repaid the favor to him, for what he’d done to you.” Here he turned toward the others, “I also cut his tongue out with this,” Ephus told them as he drew the green sword. “I got tired of his boasting.”

Ephus heard a gasp as he turned toward Aphrodite, a look of shock on her face. Athena, was nodding her head agreeing with Ephus. “I am sure, that made him madder than we have ever seen. It also seems that, some small justice was served on him, glad it finally was.”

Ephus turned toward Artemis, he could see she was also agreeing though, she still had a look of anger in her eyes. “It appears that you are my equal at the hunt, remember your promise, then we will have no problem.”

Ephus nodded as he turned toward Zeus and Hera. “I think that it’s time we evened up the playing field. I know that even at where you are now the both of you would have trouble with him.”

Ephus then took one of their hands, they all watched as both Zeus and Hera’s skin and eyes started to glow. Releasing them he reached out taking one hand of all three female goddesses. All three of them were wide eyed as they felt their power almost completely return.

Ephus released them, then he turned to Eris, “I am sorry that I cannot power you up yet. I am afraid that I was only able to break ninety percent of the bonds that Ares has in you. “Til I can remove the rest; I am afraid I can’t power you more.”

Eris had quickly climbed out of Ephus’s lap as soon as she realized where she was. Falling to the floor, she bowed her head to him. “I never expected you to do that master. I can hardly feel anything of Ares within me, I thank you for freeing me as much as you have. It has been a very long time since my thoughts were my own.”

The other five at the table were staring at Ephus with their mouths wide open. “You ... you broke ninety percent of the bonds he had within her?” Zeus stated shocked. Here he turned toward Eris who was still prostrate before Ephus. “You are still alive? I had always heard that breaking the bonds killed the one who was bonded.”

“Eris!” Ephus stated louder than he intended, making Eris tremble. “I thought I told you that I did not want a slave.”

A slightly trembling Eris spoke never raising her head. “Master, I am sorry that I angered you!”

“I’m not angry, yet, though I will be if you continue to do this. Now get up please, I don’t like you groveling like a slave.” Ephus stated in a softer voice.

“Yes master,” Eris said as she got to her feet. She then sat next to Ephus when he indicated the seat.

“I thought that, what I told you before, meant that you would no longer do this. I do not nor will I ever see you as a slave. Now a possible wife yes, though a slave never. Remember what we spoke of before you left to aid me.” Ephus said seeing Eris, slightly turn toward him.

“Master, I thought that was only for that. I ... I am not sure if I can be like that all the time. I have been a servant, for so long, I’m not sure if I can be that way all the time.” Here, she looked up to see Ephus had a smile on his face. A smile dominated her features, if master wanted her like that, who was she to argue?

“So, I hope that I will see far less of this? It would make me far more happy if you do, ok?” Ephus said hoping it would curb her bowing all the time.

“Yes master, I will attempt to do it as little as I can. I live to serve you master.” Eris said a wide smile on her face.

“Now to finish what you asked,” Ephus stated to Zeus. “I thought it would damage her also, though when I started Ares was unconscious most of the time.” Zeus’s eyes were wide a moment as he thought about it.

“That might explain it, with him not in control, it made the bonding extremely weak. If you have removed all the major bonds, then the rest should be fairly easy.” Zeus explained.

Ephus nodded his head as he turned back toward the others. “As all of you can tell, I have powered all of you higher. As I said before, I think this will even the field. I have both Zeus and Hera powered almost all the way up.” Here he turned to the sisters. “I powered all three of you fully. I know that your power is less than Ares’s, though against all three of you, he is at a disadvantage.”

All of them thanked Ephus, who nodded then vanished with Eris. A moment later he appeared within his home. Anhur bowed to him then winked out.

A few moments later Quinn walked in holding their son. She quickly ran to him kissing his face. “I was worried when you were gone for so long, you usually let me know one way or another. Ephus I fear that this time you might have bitten off more than you can chew.”