Chapter 19

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
Hestia - the virgin goddess, ordering of domesticity, the family, the home, and the state. 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.
Enyo - Daughter of Zeus and Hera, goddess of war and destruction, another sister of Ares

Ephus - the godling man with an unsual power.
Dr. Quinn Markov - human wife of Ephus
Aniketos - Human who is the Caspian god killer
Amaunet - sister of Aniketos, the Eternal Nile Serpent

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

Ephus shook his head at three beautiful goddesses that were before him. He could also see the extreme worry that was etched on their faces.

Aphrodite, Artemis and Athena seemed even more concerned, after Ephus had issued the challenge that he had to Ares.

Even as he was standing there, he felt Thoth suddenly reappear. “Brother? Are you looking to get defeated? To make Ares as angry as you have, will only lead to his benefit.” Thoth let out a sigh as he nodded. “I have as of yet to see you make a mistake when it concerns any of the gods. Remember though, all your brothers and wives are ready to defend you.”

Ephus stared at Thoth a moment, then the god’s mouth dropped open, then he nodded. “I wish for that to happen if you can make it happen. I thought that as much as you know, it would be possible.”

Thoth’s head slowly nodded, “it will be as you wish, brother. Though I must speak to Ra if it is to come to pass.” With that Thoth vanished leaving the three Greek goddesses confused.

“I take it you are not about to discuss with us what transpired?” Athena asked as soon as she gained her confused senses.

“No, I am afraid I can’t, even though it concerns you three more than most.” Ephus said.

All three of the goddesses had an almost pouting look on their faces as Ephus waved at them. With a quick turn he went back to Anhur.

“We should continue, if I am to put this plan into action, I need to be as good as I can be.” Ephus told Anhur.

Anhur nodded, “as I stated before,” Anhur said with a slight bow to Ephus. “You are to a point that you are almost a challenge to me. I have watched the battles you and Ares have had. It would be prudent, if you also learned his moves. I am sure that you going at him in his style might give you the edge to defeat him.”

“I have to say that is an excellent idea.” Ephus said with a wide smile on his face.

“Good,” Anhur said, “we have a day left, more than enough time as fast as you learn.”

It was almost twelve hours later that both Anhur and Ephus stopped. It wasn’t fatigue, hunger nor thirst that stopped them, no, it was seven pairs of angry eyes.

Anhur pointed to behind them, “I am afraid that we are finished brother.” Anhur almost whispered. “I’d rather face millions of enemies than the wrath that will befall us if we continue.” With a bow Anhur said, “I have trained you well brother, you are almost as good as I am, after only a few days, fare well.” With that Anhur vanished.

Bast stepped forward poking Ephus in the chest. “you have been ignoring your wives.” Here Bast turned back to look at Quinn Markov, with her arms crossed on her chest, “ALL of your wives.”

Ephus nodded as he looked at each of his wives, then turned back to Bast. “My Bast, I have had no choice, I had to be as ready as I could be. As angry as I have made Ares, I know he will bring everything that he can against me.”

“Husband,” Bast started then gasp. Ephus grabbed her, kissing her with a hot, searing kiss that they both felt deep within their essence.

Momentarily stunned, Bast swayed as Ephus quickly kissed all his wives the same way. A smirk came to his lips as they all reacted the same, Ephus then started into his home. A body was suddenly blocking his way as he was staring into Bast’s eyes.

“Not this time husband, this is far more important for us to just brush it aside. If you are harmed in this battle, it could spell the end of the Hellenes realm.” Bast said trying to sound as stern as she could.

Ephus felt movement as he noticed that all his wives were around him.

“You know that they are all right,” came another voice that made him groan.

“I think he does, though like most human thinking, he is refusing to acknowledge it.” Came another voice that made him groan even more.

With a turn he was shocked to see that not only was Isis there, so was Hera. Then of course so were the three Greek goddesses, Aphrodite, Artemis and Athena.

“WHAT, in the hell is going on?” Ephus said as he stared at the twelve females that were staring at him warily.

Isis and Hera smirked as they both came forward. “For the first time ever, both of our realms have a common thread that has united us.” Isis said.

“A common thread? What pray tell is that?” Ephus asked feeling a little foolish that he couldn’t think of it.

Hera shook her head as she looked at Isis, “you really are stuck in your human thinking, aren’t you? You, are the common thread, you saved the Egyptian realm. You have done more in a few weeks to heal the Greek realm, than has ever been done. You have united the realms, a first ever.”

“Me?” A shocked Ephus said. “No, I am...”

“NO!” Bast almost shouted. “I have felt what you were for many years. It took so long to bring your power out, for you to free me and my sister. You are not common, not a human, not a god, no, you seem to be the best of both worlds.”

Ephus looked around at all the female faces that were looking at him. All were nodding their agreement, especially his human wife, Quinn.

“I have never felt that I was...” Ephus started.

“As I said,” Bast interrupted him. “You are far more than you think you are.”

Ephus could only stand there staring at all the females. Everything that they had revealed was running through his mind. It was just so strange that they thought that he was so important, all he was doing was what he thought was right, necessary, im ... Damn! They were right, it was just that he’d never seen himself that way.

Momentarily lost in his thoughts, he didn’t see all the females as they rushed to keep him there. His first indication was the fact that he was held fast, unable to move at all.

Ephus eyes were wide when he couldn’t vanish either. “As you can see,” Isis said next to his ear,” if we are touching you, and don’t want to leave, neither will you.”

Ephus nodded his head, “You’ll still have to let me go though. I have to stop Ares, the only way to accomplish that, is this battle with him.” Ephus said as he looked into the eyes of all of them.

“We know that, unfortunately I know my son far better than you do.” Hera told Ephus. “You do know that, you will have to totally defeat him in order to finish this.”

“I have come to that realization,” Ephus said. “Look, I know I haven’t spent much time with you as I should.” Here he turned toward Hera, “I am afraid I know him quite well too. Though, I do have a plan in place to that end.”

“It isn’t that we do not believe you, as your wives and potential wives.” Bast said looking at Artemis, Aphrodite and Athena. Ephus almost had to do a double take as he was sure all three were blushing. “We do need assurances, that you will be around in the coming years.”

Ephus started to open his mouth then snapped it shut. “I can only promise you that, I will not go into anything without planning. I will not do anything that might cause my end, or any of yours. I’m sorry, that’s the best I can do, especially with one as dangerous as Ares.”

Bast and the rest of his wives sighed as they nodded their agreement. A movement towards the back of the females caught Ephus’s attention. The rest parted to allow Serket to come forward.

“Husband,” she started a slight blush on her face. Placing his hands on her stomach, she continued, “I do not wish to raise this little one alone, plus, you promised that we would again. I am holding you to that.”

Serket blushed even more as all her sister’s had large smiles on their faces.

“Husband,” Bast said, a serious look on her face. “Do not force my hand, I will go to Osiris to bring you back.”

“I am sure my brother Hades, would help in that respect, he owes me many favors.” Hera said eyeing Ephus. “I am sure all of your wives and possible wives would wish to punish you.” This last Hera said a strange smile on her lips.

Ephus nodded his head, he was sure that all of them would indeed punish him in some way.