Chapter 13

Cast of Characters

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
Mut - Queen of the goddesses and lady of heaven

Isis - Goddess of health, marriage, and wisdom (wife of Ra)
Ra - God of the Sun, the major god of Egypt

Epaphus - Greek Mythology demi-god - Son of Zeus, Io, and a King of Egypt
Ephus - the man, husband of Bast and all her sisters at present

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

Karen - neighbor of Ephus
Tina - Karen’s daughter.
Dr. Quinn Markov - Doctor of ancient Egyptology and Mythology

Ephus was slowly turning toward the loud voice, still with a grimace on his face. The same tall male, but the huge sun disk wrapped with a cobra was no longer on the man’s head, now laying beside him on a velvet like pillow. Ephus nodded then bowed low to Ra.

“Though I wish to have this over with I don’t feel it would be a fair test yet. I can still feel that this realm is weak and drained of the vital energy it needs.” Ephus told Ra.

Ra’s eyes went wide at Ephus’s words. “Such honor from a human is a rare thing indeed! What may I ask has brought you here then?”

Ephus waved his hand before him which was suddenly filled with the unconscious form of Bast. “As always it is about Bast. I am unsure if I brought her back far too quickly. Though she has more solid form, I didn’t finish with her. I am afraid that the shock was a little much for her. I am here to make sure she is still well, as her father you know far better than anyone else if she is in danger.”

Again Ra’s eyes went wide at the true concern that Ephus was showing for his daughter. “I will be but a moment.” As he watched Ra extended his hands over her unconscious form for a few moments. “Hmmm, yes, the shock was a bit for her but she is a strong Goddess she will be fine. That and the fact that she is three fourths of what she used to be. She can actually exist in the day light now.”

Ephus was nodding a lot at what Ra was saying he’d pretty much guessed. “I was afraid that I might lose her before I got her completely back to her old self. I am glad I wasn’t too hasty, bringing her all the way back at once. I have a favor sir.” Ephus suddenly stated.

“For all you have done so far, you can ask almost anything of the Gods and Goddesses.” Came Ra’s reply.

Ephus nodded then continued, “I am just starting to get a handle on what powers I have. I am sure you heard about the little meeting I had with all of the sisters?”

Ra’s face broke into a wide smile, “Oh yes! It was the first time I have ever seen Hathor actually silenced! I must say THAT in its self was far worth seeing!” Sighing Ra continued, “I think at times that she will never stop talking all the time!”

There was a whoosh then Hathor appeared. “I heard that father! I...” Hathor was suddenly quiet here eyes huge when she saw Ephus standing there! That plus he was talking to her father like they were the best of friends! Shaking her head she thought this wasn’t good. It was bad enough that she was going to possibly be denied of Ephus and his what was it he called it? Ah! Yes love making! She hadn’t experienced anything like that in a very, very long time.

“I’m sorry father I didn’t know you were engaged in business.” Then she did something that had Ra’s mouth dropping open. She sat and didn’t say another word!

Ra turned toward Ephus his mouth still hanging open then a huge smile lit up his features. Leaning close Ra whispered to Ephus, “Just for this I KNOW you will pass the test! That will be a glorious day when you are a part of this realm!”

Ephus looked at Ra as if he’d lost his mind, “A part of this realm? What are you talking about?”

“Why you would be here in this realm with Bast and the others.” Ra saw the look on Ephus’s face which caused him to suddenly become quiet. “I had thought ... it was assumed...” Sighing Ra nodded. “I had forgotten that I was dealing with a human mind in the emerging body of a godling. Take as long as you need Ephus, we will all be here, though before all of that happens you must pass the test.”

Ephus nodded there were still a few things that needed to be done before he could ever think of being here. Shaking his head he’d thought that he and Bast would spend most of their time in the human realm. Now, he wasn’t all that sure. “As I said I want this test to be fair. Sobek found out that at the moment I cannot control one of my powers. He touched me when I didn’t want him to. You could say he was drained.”

“Yes I remember, you say you have no control over this?” Ra said backing up a bit.

“I didn’t, though I find having used it a few times I now have more than half control of it. I have to get more before I start the test. As I said I want this to be fair if the test has to be done. As you said I am an honorable human, what he didn’t realize when I touched him; Sobek got more of his power back than he had when he touched me. I intend to fully restore him and the others before this test takes place.” Ephus explained then walked up to Ra laying a hand on Ra’s arm.

For the third time Ra’s eyes went wide then he started to glow though not as intensely as Thoth. Even as Ra started to glow Ephus could feel the air start to warm more. Many of the cracks in the walls started to mend. Finally, only two minutes having passed the room looked almost new as Ephus took his hand off Ra.

“This is astounding!” Was all that Ra could say as he was able to see further beyond the chamber. Turning back toward Ephus, Ra nodded. “I have almost complete control of the realm again! This is a truly amazing power you have! Thank you, I do not say that often, it is foreign to me but to you I can easily say it.”

“I am glad that I was able to restore as much as I did. I was afraid that what I had was inadequate. With you at almost full power I feel that no one will try to do anything to hamper the test. Now about the favor, I need you to keep Bast here for a time. I know she will be able to slip out. I need to have more control. I don’t want to hurt her, please keep her here as much as possible for the next two or three earth days.” Ephus stated.

Ra looked at Hathor as did Ephus, “if she finds out Hathor, you might be the next to be punished!” Ra said to her.

Bowing low to Ra then to Ephus she replied, “It will be as you say father, husband. She will not hear it from me.”

Ephus thought a moment then waved his hand in front of him. There was a rippling of the air then Sekhmet appeared before both of them. Looking over at Bast, she smirked, “What little cream puff couldn’t take it?”