Chapter 11

Ephus - A demigod possessing the power to repower the gods
Quinn Markov - human wife of Ephus

Norse Deities

Odin - War god, main god of the Norse gods
Frigg - Wife of Odin, promoter of marriage and fertility
Freya - a goddess associated with love, beauty, fertility, sex, war, gold, and seiðr.
Thor - a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of mankind, hallowing, and fertility
Loki - a mischievous god who can shape-shift and can take up animalistic forms.

Valkyries

Göndul - War Valkyrie
Guðr - War or battle

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
Thoth - God of knowledge

Titans

Cronus - The King of the Titan, and the god of destructive time--time which devours all.
Iapetus - The Titan god of mortality and the allotment of the mortal lifespan.

Ephus, looked as Guðr bowed before him. He then tried to get the Valkryie off her knees.

“I am not a god Guðr, you do not need to bow to me,” Ephus said.

“Lord Ephus, I am only showing you the respect that you deserve,” Guðr said, visibly shaking. The one before her may not be a god, he was powerful, plus, was also more human. There was no telling what he could do to punish her.

Ephus could see and feel this from the female, sighing again, why in the hell was everyone thinking he was going to punish them? Looking at the Asgardian gods, he thought back to the other two sets of gods he’d met.

Damn, he thought, they really were that bad, why was all the pain so necessary? A thought came to him, fear and respect through fear and pain. Though, as he thought about it, they could more times than not backfire in most hellish ways.

So, again he tried to get the Valkryie to rise off the floor. Almost to no avail, then Guðr started to rise, a look of near awe and fear etched on her face.

Ephus was about to open his mouth when a stray voice came to him. “Ephus, ------ need of--- your wife ---, then there was nothing.

He stretched his arms out feeling the thoughts, they were almost completely blocked. As the anger started to build, Ephus could feel strong interference. Reaching, he felt a god or rather Titan.

Ephus put all his power into the strike that he let loose. A shrill scream sounded in the air.

“You should really make sure who it is you piss off before you do,” growled Ephus as he applied even more pressure.

No one does this to Iapetus! You will pay dearly for ... Iapetus started to think. Ephus started to apply even more pressure interspaced with even more brutal hits.

“I believe that I will enjoy destroying you, you useless little shit. If not, then you won’t be doing too much for a while,” Ephus said as he felt an arm, then both legs start to snap in several places.

A moment later, Ephus felt three powerful powers hit him. To their surprise, they bounced off him as if they were nothing.

A fourth and fifth, then a sixth added their power, barely breaking Ephus’ hold on Iapetus.

Thankfully, Iapetus had gone quiet, actually calming Ephus for a moment.

What felt like a solid wall formed between Ephus and Iapetus. This Ephus hit, knocking the Titans there out of the way, going straight to Iapetus, he commenced to beat the hell out of more.

Ephus stop! Came the thoughts of Cronus.

“I suggest that you keep that THING as far away from me as you can. Next time I will not stop nor will any of you stop me from destroying him. It was blocking the thoughts I just barely received. If this delayed me helping my family,” here Ephus growled at Iapetus. “Then I will return and finish the job.”

With a wave of his hand, Ephus blew the Titans deep into their prison, nodded to Odon and the rest then vanished.

Less than a few seconds later, Bast, Serket and Thoth felt an enormous power approaching them. Then, in a plume of smoke and fire, Ephus appeared not looking too happy.

A look around the room showed two of his Egyptian goddess wives, his Egyptian god brother Thoth. Though, the thing that got him moving the most was his prone, human wife, Quinn.

At her side, Ephus looked at her, then his other wives. “How long has she had this much power?” Ephus asked.

“Not long after you left,” Bast said. “At first we were trying to help train her. I am afraid that we, no I pushed her too much. Her power was growing so fast we were afraid she might be hurt without more control. I failed my husband.” Lowering her head, she waited for Ephus’ anger.

Bast was surprised a moment later when Ephus’ hand gently guided her head upward. “You didn’t fail my Bast, I did. I didn’t think that her power would grow as fast as it did.”

“I have determined that her power is much like yours. I believe it was triggered by the many blessings of power several of my realm bestowed on her,” A relieved Thoth said.

“I have attempted to heal her to no avail. I feel that I have also failed my husband,” a sad-looking Serket said.

A now concerned Ephus pulled both goddesses to him, holding them close. “Know, neither of you failed, her power, much like mine, is far different than any either of you have ever felt. Really, it is a wonder you were able to do anything. Remember mine? There was really nothing any of you could do to help me remember?” Ephus said.

Bast looked at Serket then spoke, “We remember husband. We weren’t happy, but we remember. So, is there anything that you can do to help?”

“No, I’m afraid that I am the only one that can, though I need to be here to do that. With the threat of Loki, his followers, then the Titans that are starting to rear their heads. I am stretched thin at the moment,” Ephus said.

With a pass of his hand over her, Quinn’s eyes fluttered open. “EPHUS!” She said, flinging herself at him, holding him tight against herself.

“I am so glad you are here. I can’t control them. They had me out there. After all that, I got so weak, I was scared no one could see you,” Quinn suddenly stopped staring into Ephus’ eyes. With a sigh she tried to hold him closer, allowing the tears to fall.

“I am here now, hon,” Ephus said, calming her. “I might be able to help you. What can you, no, let me see.” Again, passing his hand over her, he saw her teleportation was good, energy bolts, hmmm not much else. “I think I can help. Do you mind if I limit what you can use?”

Quinn’s eyes went wide as she whispered, “you can do that?” A shake of her head she said, “of course you can, probably the only one that can. Please, though you said limit? What did you mean?”

“Well, you seem to have most of your control over your teleportation, moving with a thought. Also, your destructive bolts, so, I thought I’d leave them,” Ephus said.

“So, I won’t hurt Ephus Jr.?” Quinn said.

“No, I set something up for that if you want me to,” Ephus said. This would actually help him as he wouldn’t have to worry about her as much, he hoped.

Quinn was biting her lip as she looked at Ephus, should she tell him now while he was here?

“Uh,” Quinn started, I might have news for you. Though uh...”

Ephus looked at her with a lightly confused look, “what is wrong? Are you this worried about your power?”

“No, it’s not that as much as uh...” Quinn hesitated.

“Tell him or we will,” hissed both Bast and Serket.

Ephus turned to stare at both of them, his confusion growing more. “Yes,” he started hesitatingly, “tell me.”

“I have been afraid of saying anything,” Quinn started.

“About what...” Ephus stopped with his mouth open. “What!? I can feel it, oh my! How long have you known? This is the most wonderful news.”

Bast leaned over, “see? I told you he’d be happy.” This, of course, had Quinn smirking.

“Yeah, your definition of happy and mine are two completely different things,” Quinn told a now also smirking Bast.

“Quinn? “ A now worried Ephus said. “You were afraid that I would be upset? Why? I thought you knew that I was happy with the children.”

“Ephus, you have so much on you besides the fact that you have children, all your wives from both realms are pregnant. My dear, you have so much on your shoulders right now. I didn’t want to become a burden, plus the fact that I didn’t have powers that are almost out of control,” Quinn said with quivering lips.

“My god Quinn, I am so sorry that I haven’t had much time to help you, let alone be with you. What I did will help you, though if you get extremely upset it might not help,” Ephus said.

“We will endeavor to keep her and your son safe,” Thoth said as he felt around Quinn. “What you have placed within her in unfamiliar, as are many things about you. I will keep a thought line open to you in case.”

“I thank all of you,” Ephus said as all his Egyptian wives, brothers plus his Greek wives appeared with their brothers. A smirk appeared on his face as he thought let them try to attack his human family.

A sudden thought came to Quinn as she turned toward Serket. “Oh my god! Serket! Will these powers that I am getting, will they harm the baby?!”

A now concerned Serket turned to Quinn as she started to pass her hands over the baby within Quinn. The room was silent as Serket went over her once then again. A third pass had Quinn nearly in tears. If Serket was this unsure, she was fearful for the baby.

To make things worse, Serket was concentrating far harder than Quinn had ever seen. Also concerned, Ephus started to pass his hands over Quinn.

Serket looked at Ephus a moment, then allowed him to finish. “I am sorry husband; I wasn’t able to detect anything. It is much like you, I cannot if you do not let me. I am afraid that, at the moment, she knows not how to allow me in.”

Ephus nodded as he finished with what he thought Serket might want. ““Here,” Ephus said as he stopped, then touched Serket’s forehead. “Perhaps this will help.”