Chapter 9

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 Zeus
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, the 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
Hephaestus - 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, the 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

Ephus - the godling man with 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

Quinn could only look at her husband Ephus as if he were crazy. “Have you lost your damn mind!” She shouted, even causing Anhur to back away slightly.

Ephus sighed, started to explain then was quiet a few moments longer. “I realize that you are scared, Quinn. I am nothing like I was when I first met you.” Looking at his young appearing wife, he stated. “As well you aren’t either, you young thing.”

Quinn blushed a moment then started to smile. Just as suddenly, the smile was gone from her face.

“Damn it Ephus! Don’t you dare think that you can charm your way out of this.” Here, she was shaking a finger in his face. A finger that he softly grabbed, slowly sucking it into his mouth. Snatching her finger and hand back, she slightly growled. “Stop that!”

A little defeated, Ephus nodded his head, “I know that you are worried, dear. I am too with the specter of war looming over us all.” Here he glanced back to an also nodding Anhur. “The thing is, they actually asked for help. Since I helped the Egyptian Realm, I can’t refuse to help the others.”

As she released a huge sigh, Quinn slowly nodded. “Ephus, I know all this, I have since it has all started. Damn it! I know, I understand, that still doesn’t mean that I have to be friggin happy about it!”

Ephus could only stand there as her tirade played out. He had to completely agree with her and like her, he wasn’t all that happy either.

Ephus, shook his head as he thought of the damn near idiots that, the Greek gods appeared to be. He swore that if they didn’t listen to him this time, he wasn’t sure just what he’d do. A slight growl, issued from him as he thought, ‘it damn sure wouldn’t be pretty, that was for sure.’

The thing was, now that Ares had, had his ass handed to him twice by Ephus, he was probably mad as hell. A small smirk played across Ephus’s lips, no, Ares was by far more than mad or pissed.

Quinn had gotten quiet, she quickly had learned when Ephus had that faraway look, he was lost in thought. Suddenly turning back toward her, he nodded.

“Sorry hon, was just thinking that now that I have hurt Ares twice, HE isn’t going to give up. So looks like I am in the thick of it again. Yes, I know, I will be as careful as I can. Why do you think I have had Anhur teaching me every moment I had? Ares loves weapons.” Ephus told Quinn.

“Yes, brother has learned far faster than anyone I have ever seen.” A moment later, Anhur reached into the thin air withdrawing a sleek, green-colored metal, double-edged sword. “I would be proud if you took this special weapon. It was made many of your centuries ago. I call it, the Eternal Nile Serpent, It will protect you even if your superb skills fail you.”

Ephus started to reach for the sword, then drew his hand back. What he had felt, was almost like a heavy hand slap across it and his arm.

“So, it doesn’t seem to like me,” Ephus stated, causing Anhur’s eyes to open wider.

“My apologies brother, it does have a temper.” Turning away, Anhur walked to the other side of the room talking soothingly to the sword. It was almost half an hour later when Anhur came back a slight look of anger on his face. “It does not believe that you are who you are. It says that you have no power, might I suggest that you take it, prove it wrong.”

Ephus narrowed his eyes as he stared at the sword. Powering up halfway, he again reached for the sword only to have his hand slapped back. At least this time, it didn’t hurt nearly as bad.

Ephus hadn’t noticed, that Anhur was no longer holding the sword, it floating still in the air. Growling Ephus powered up as high as he could, reaching out to grasp the handle of the sword.

A shrill wailing filled the air, almost causing Ephus to release the handle. Looking at the sword, he had to do a double-take. Before him stood a tall, long dark-haired woman of what appeared to be Egyptian lineage.

As he shook his head, Ephus saw that he had his hand around the wrist of the woman.

She snarled then lashed out at him. “Let me go you vile piece of filth. I will not yield to you nor any other!”

“Yield?” Ephus stated shocked. “Why would I want you to yield to me? Are you not the living aspect of the sword?”

“Bah! You really are an idiot and a fool; I am not an aspect as you call it. I AM the sword. Though you have the power godling, I cannot accept you.”

For some strange reason, Ephus thought better than to release the sword, as he thought a moment longer.

“I see, I do not wish to make you do something, that you may be afraid of. You are correct, I should draw upon a better sword that has no fear. Perhap...” Ephus started.

“A BETTER SWORD!” The female roared. “I should gut you now before you further insult us.”

“I don’t see how, as afraid as you are. No, you’re right, I should get another sword that, isn’t afraid to be my partner, for the battle, I feel that is coming.” Ephus said.

A small smile crossed Ephus’ lips as he saw that the female’s face, was starting to grow redder. Tsking, Ephus released his grip on the handle, not surprised when it wouldn’t leave his hand.

“You bastard! You dare to insult us, then attempt to cast us away like a used piece of fruit. No godling, you will not be rid of us that easily.” The female shouted then disappeared, the sword flowing from Ephus’s hand, into an intricate scabbard that appeared on Ephus belt.

Ephus blew out the breath he’d been partly holding. Looking over to Anhur, he could see the male had a wide smile on his face.

“That was truly wonderful, brother, you are now the master of...” Anhur started.

“NO!” Ephus almost shouted. “She is my partner, that is all, I will not abuse her like that.”

Anhur had a strange look on his face as he backed from Ephus. “It will be as you say, brother.”

Ephus looked at both Quinn and Anhur, kissed Quinn, then vanished.

A few moments later, Ephus appeared in front of the building he been to before. Taking a deep breath, Ephus pointed at the building, ok, here we go again.

Ares had been swinging the black sword, laughing with glee at the shrieking that it was making. Both Deimos and Phobos had appeared moments ago, both their mouths hanging open.

That was ‘til a minute later, all three of the males turned toward what was an obvious huge power.

“What was that?” Ares asked stopping in mid-swing.

“I believe it was the godling powering up,” Phobos stated, still feeling weak after the last encounter he had with Ephus.

“Ha! I do not believe, that he has that much power. Though it won’t really matter after I take all his power. This sword will give me all the advantage that I need.” Ares laughed as he swung the sword again.

Deimos was also reaching out, a shocked look on his face. “Really father, I can also feel his power, it is far beyond what I felt earlier. I don’t see how a sword can hope to defeat the godling.”

“Ah! Then you have never heard of the Caspian God Killer.” Ares sneered as he continued to practice with the sword.

Both Ares’ son’s gasped at the mention of the sword. “Yes father, we have. Please be careful, it is rumored to sometimes take the life of its wielder.” Deimos said.

“Of that, I am not afraid. With the added power, I am far stronger than I was. Nothing, I do mean nothing, is going to stop me this time. Especially some weak half-human godling. No, after I use this on him, I can kill him as slowly as I want.” Ares stated as an evil laugh issued from his lips.

Both Phobos and Deimos could only stare at each other. They remembered a story about the sword, driving its user mad. Looking at their father, they were hoping that he didn’t suffer the same fate.

Ephus was about to step up the stairs in the front of the building when he felt four powers heading his way.

Shit he thought, this time he’d hoped they would ignore him. A moment later, there were four whooshes. Then behind him, he saw Aphrodite, Athena, Artemis then Hera appear.

Ephus looked closer, seeing that Artemis had what appeared to be a very angry expression on her face.

Shit he thought, I have been so busy I haven’t had a chance to be with her. Damn it! I made her a promise also.

“We are here to let you know that we support you Ephus. Zeus is in for a big surprise if, he thinks that all of us are going to just step back and do nothing.” Hera stated, speaking for the four of them.