Chapter 9

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
Freya - a goddess associated with love, beauty, fertility, sex, war, gold, and seiðr.
Frigg - Wife of Odin, promoter of marriage and fertility
Loki - a mischievous god who can shape-shift and can take up animalistic forms.

Thor - a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of mankind, hallowing, and fertility.

Valkyries

Göndul - War Valkyrie
Göll - Wand-wielder
Kára - the wild, stormy one
Mist - Cloud or Mist

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

Greek Deities

Zeus - King of the Greek gods
Hades - god of the underworld, brother of Zeus
Hera - Queen of the Greek gods, sister and wife 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.

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 again reached out, trying to feel if Zeus was in deed gone or hidden within his home. Again Ephus shook his head, again thinking great, there was no telling where in the world or realm they were. As usual, Ephus sighed. Nothing was going his way.

He was about to leave when he felt a familiar godly power approaching. A moment later, Hrra appeared before him.

“Godling, I thought that it was you. Is there anything I can help you with?” Hera said, hurt sounding in her voice. No human or god had ever refused her, though when Zeus had appeared she had been more than surprised by his actions.

Never had Zeus ever done the things he had to her. If this was what her daughters and other children of Zeus had felt, she could understand now. It was a wonder that they hadn’t pledged themselves to him.

Then again, she thought, they just might have. To say the least, their realm, thanks to Ephus, was going to change for the better.

“Yes,” Ephus said, breaking her out of her thoughts. “I am seeking Zeus and answers to questions I have about the Titans.

“Ah I see. Perhaps you are in luck then, he is attending to their prison. I could take you there if you wish,” Hera said with a deceptive smile, reaching out to him.

Ephus grasped her arm before she touched him, “I think not Hera. You think I don’t know about your powers?”

Hera gasped as she started to fall to her knees, “I didn’t mean...” Hera shakily said.

“Yeah right, you are still needed in this realm,” Ephus said as Hera started to gasp, then real tears started to fall from her eyes. “I know you, all of you, all of the gods and goddesses here. You can not trick me, I know.

At his feet, now sobbing and shaking, Hera started to plead. “Please Godling, please restore me.”

There were three whooshes of power. Athena, Aphrodite and Artemis appeared. Aphrodite smirked at Hera.

“You know, one would think that with as much knowledge as you have, you would have learned. He is immune to almost all our powers. Really Hera, after last time, I’d have thought you wouldn’t try this again,” Aphrodite said.

Hera, of course, was still trying to make the pain stop. Ephus took pity, slowly restoring her power.

Ephus looked at the three very pregnant goddesses, each looking at him with an almost frightening hunger.

Ephus could only shake his head. Even with all that had happened, they were still as vindictive as they were. That plus the fact that they were still more self-centered than much else.

“That was a warning Hera, your daughters learned, here I thought you had,”Ephus said.

“Oh, she’ll learn eventually, that’s the problem. She is slow. Now, you were looking for father?” Artemis said.

Ephus turned to her, nodding, she touched Ephus’ head, showing him. “I see, that might be why I am having problems with them, thank you,” Ephus said as he bowed to the three sisters, then vanished.

A dark, empty feeling area seemed to rush at Ephus as he appeared a few feet from Zeus and Hades. He’d been to the underworld, though it hadn’t felt like this.From what he could see, they were far deeper than they had been before.

“Ah Ephus, good to see you, I heard of your recent adventure. What brings you to this forsaken place?” Zeus asked.

There was a sudden rush of power, then a snarling voice shouted, “You! No one hurts Iapetus and survives long! Iapetus will rend your mind and spirit with pain that he will not let end.

“Now, now Iapetus,” came another voice, out of sight. “The more you do this the weaker you get. I need you and the others at full strength when we break out of here.”

Another visage moved in sight next to Iapetus. “Hello Cronus,” Ephus smiled, “I thought you’d be holding his leash.”

Iapetus started to sputter, then growl. Cronus put a hand on him, calming him. “Have no doubt, godling, your unique power will lead us from this prison. Here Cronus turned to Zeus, “nothing, no one will escape our wrath when we do. You will be the first Zeus, then this world will know true suffering.”

Ephus smirked as he suddenly altered his power to mimic Zeus. “You might find that harder than you think, Cronus.”

Cronus’s eyes narrowed, then he nodded. “So, you met your ancestor, it will be a sweeter revenge then. Like him, I will break you, I...”

Cronus’s eyes went wide, then he started to scream, Iapetus started to growl, then he too let out a scream.

“I am not the weak, unknowing godling you met before.” Ephus hissed, a look of menace on his face. “In fact,” the two Titans started to scream more, then suddenly dropped.

A glaring look came from both of them, Iapetus started to open his mouth, “I will...” then screamed again.

“I see that the Titans are as unteachable as the gods,” Ephus calmly said.

“We...” Cronus started, then snapped his mouth shut when Ephus turned to focus on him. “We can be slow, I admit, we do learn though. As with Zeus, now with you, we have learned this won’t happen again.” The area in front of them was suddenly empty as the Titans vanished.

Zeus and Hades’ mouths were hanging open, both staring at Ephus. “Again, I have to say, I am glad that you are on our side,” Zeus said.

“I am not the same as I was, your son, showed me a great many things that have helped. I need to go, the Asgard realm still has a lot of trouble. As bad as here, when Ares was trying to rule,” Ephus said.

Both Zeus and Hades nodded, then Ephus vanished.

There was a collective gasp from Odin and the others within the domicile of Freya, when Ephus appeared.

“So I have been to see Zeus. It appears that even with them imprisoned, the Titans are still trying to influence the outside world. It appears that my power is the only thing that can release them. That isn’t going to happen.” Ephus said.

“Are they not an older power?” Odin asked.

“We should take them, we have numbers,” Göndul said the was shocked when Ephus shook his head no.

“They have as much power as all of you put together,” Ephus said, shocking all there.

“Surely Odin and Gungnir can...” Frigg started.

“No, even with his power, I am afraid not even Thor would have much chance. These Titans have a more ancient power, we have to out think them as Zeus did,” Ephus said.

“Well, that shouldn’t be too hard considering the stories we have heard about them,” Frigg said.

A small smile came to Ephus’s lips, then he shook his head. “I’m afraid that, given the amount of time that they have been, it won’t be that easy. I’ve seen just how shrewd they can be, they also have a lot of illusion trickery.”

“So you think that they may have an advantage over all of us?” Frya asked.

“I’m afraid so, though as strong as all of you are now, that power of theirs might not affect you at all,” Ephus said.

“So, we can’t defeat them with strength, nor with trickery. Are you sure that you can?” Thor asked.

“Oh yes, after all, I am the one that they want, no, need. I have seen many lose when they are more focused on something other than what is going on around them. Now, I have a plan, here’s what we need to do...” Ephus started.

Quinn was starting to pace, she was far more worried about Ephus than she’d let on. Bast, Serket and Thoth had stayed after Freya and Göndul had left.

Bast was still expecting a message from one of them. She, too, was worried, she’d seen Ephus become preoccupied and single-minded like this before. It was good though she knew he would keep going to the point of death.

Almost as if she had heard Bast’s thoughts, Freya contacted her. Bast, it is as you said he is indeed focused deeply on this.

You and the others need to protect him, he can forget quite a bit if you allow it, came Bast’s thoughts.

I have done as you asked. I have not told him that we are watching him. I will endeavor to keep him as safe as I can, Freya’s thoughts said.

Thank you Freya, now I just hope that this doesn’t incite his anger, Bast thought.

A gasp drew her out of her thoughts, turning her toward Serket and Quinn. Bast’s eyes opened wide when she saw the glow coming from around Quinn.

Bast took a deep breath,” Sister wife, I know you’re worried. You have to calm down before something happens that we can not help with.”

Quinn’s glow started to fade when she asked, “something you can’t help with?”

“Yes, sister wife,” Bast answered. “Though you haven’t shown it yet, you could transport to a place we can’t go.”

Only for a moment Quinn’s face held confusion, then it dawned on her. “Oh! I hadn’t thought of that. Do you really think I might develop that?”

“I can’t be certain, not with the way your power seems to be multiplying. Might I suggest?” Bast asked, to which Quinn nodded. “Try not to think of anywhere else. We have found that unless we have been there? Where you can land, might not be to your advantage.”