Chapter 5

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.

Zeus - King of the Greek gods

Hera - Queen of the Greek gods, sister of Zeus

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 - minor goddess of discord and strife

Ephus - the godling man with an unusual power.

Dr. Quinn - 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

Ephus could only shake his head at the destruction his fight with the brothers had caused. Shit he thought, after the last time, Zeus was really going to be pissed!

Raising his arms Ephus ‘saw’ what the wall should look like and watched as it rapidly repaired its self. A thundering set of steps was heard from inside that stopped momentarily, then resumed their trek to where they were.

A moment later Zeus appeared at the opening of the building. Looking at the unconscious form of Hermes, Zeus could only shake his head.

“Didn’t even ask did he?” Zeus asked. “Always so quick, that was one of the reasons he became our messenger. Though in this one case he might have waited a bit.”

It was then that Zeus drew in a breath, slightly growled at the figure of Eris trying to hide behind Ephus.

“Though I know you have good reason for bringing THAT here.” Here Zeus indicated Eris. “I hope it is good enough to risk the revival that you have started to this realm, having her here.”

“I understood that she was another of your daughters. I thought all fathers loved their children, no matter what.” Ephus stated keeping Eris behind him.

“In most cases yes, though in her case, she tried to destroy me, her brothers and sisters. The present state of this realm has much to do with the treachery that she accomplished. So, try not to think too badly of us if we wish her nothing but ill will.” Zeus conveyed.

“As a clever human once said, there is more here to see than meets the eye. I did not bring her here for you to judge or destroy. She is under my protection, ‘til such time as she can defend herself.” Ephus boldly declared.

This of course had all those present, eyes raising quite a bit. Looking at Hermes and remembering what he’d done to Hephaetus, they all grimaced a bit. Even Eris was staring at Ephus with a look of complete shock on her face. No one had ever said such a thing to or about her.

Zeus took a deep breath, then let it out a little defeated. “Alright, I’ll listen though, if I don’t like what I hear I will want her removed from this realm as quickly as possible. That way we can minimize the damage.” Looking back toward the building Zeus was about to ask about Hephaetus, when they all heard a distant groan.

A moment later a slightly groggy Hephaetus stumbled out of the building. Athena walked over to him, stopping before him.

“As I tried to warn you brother, you didn’t even ask who he was before you started in.” Athena slightly scolded him.

Hephaetus shook his head then turned to stare at his almost smirking sister.

“Ok, ok, so you were right for the second time in two thousand years. I do have to say though he packs an astounding amount of power that he hides well.” Hephaetus stated, look of respect on his face as he looked Ephus over. “So now that it’s all over just who is he?”

Smirking more Athena thought a moment, “I ought to keep quiet and let him beat you again.” Here her smirk turned to a genuine smile when Hephaetus cringed a bit. “It would serve you right.” Athena let him stew a few more moments then went on. “You do remember that Aphrodite was going after the godling that we’d heard restored the Egyptian realm?”

“Yes,” Hephaetus replied sadly. “I had thought to never see her again when she left.”

Athena took hold of Hephaetus shoulders, turning him to look at Ephus, talking to Zeus a little ways off from the rest of them.

“You might say that she found him or rather he saved her, as she was falling out of the sky. You might not have noticed? Me, father, Artemis and Aphrodite are at half or almost half power now.”

Hephaetus jerked his head up to stare at all three of his sisters. By all the power in the realm! It was true, Aphrodite had more power than almost all of them. She was looking a whole lot better also, forget that, she was gorgeous again!

“So, you’re telling me he actually has the power that we all heard of?” Hephaetus stated shocked. “Then I am, as I am going to be, especially after what transpired just past.”

“Oh,” Athena said nonchalantly, “he might be convinced to help. Though you and Hermes might have to apologize to him.”

“APOLOGIZE!” Hephaetus shouted then immediately regretted when Ephus fixed him with a cold look. Hephaetus shivered a bit then turned toward his sister. “I ... I have never done that sister. I know not how, do you?”

“As a matter of fact, I do. Though like Artemis you might need to learn on your own quickly.” Athena stated trying her hide her smile.

“Learn on my own? Again, sister I have no basis to go on to do this learning. Surely you can show your brother?” Hephaetus stated giving his sister a sad look.

Athena could only shake her head she’d always been a weak fool when it came to him.

“Alright! Alright! I’ll try though, you will have to be real about it. Ephus can tell when you aren’t.” Athena told him.

Hephaetus got a wide smile on his face as he nodded rapidly. “I will do the absolute best that I can sister.”

Athena looked at her brother with doubt, why did it feel that she’d taken on more than she might be able to handle?

Deep within the building that he was using, Ares issued a groan. What the hell had hit him? He’d not even seen anyone then he was losing consciousness on the floor.

Thinking hard he remembered he’d been talking to Eris. Then, that bastard godling had jumped in while he was disciplining her. How dare he interfere with him punishing his slave!

The thing was he was protected, well protected. Then there was the fact that he’d felt his father’s power jump up a bit. Not enough to really be a real threat yet, though now there was really not much that he could do to oust his giant ass easily.

Getting off the floor he felt his anger flare, then heard the cries of several hundred humans that were his followers. Even as his power dropped a bit he cursed, damn it! He had try to not kill all of them. Unlike the other goody, goodies in Olympus realm, he had plenty of followers. War after all was always being sought one way or another.

Waving his hand, he decided it was about time he got more power, he felt he was going to need it. Ah! There it was, the absolute hate that he needed to draw the power from. Now he thought, as he rubbed his slightly bruised hands together, time to incite them to war so I can gain more.

Appearing in a desert area he felt the hatred for something or someone flowing heavily. Breathing Ares sighed, oh how he loved hate and fear in the morning. Quickly he started to whisper, making the words go to each of the thousands he was feeling the emotion from.

A few moments later he felt his power again rise as he heard almost all of them start to yell for war. Closing his eyes Ares reveled in the increase of power. Um it felt so delicious, then there was the visions of bloodshed that he was seeing from each of those he’d touched.

Appearing on a hill a ways off, a throne like chair appeared. Sitting with a large wicked smile on his face, he watched as the thousands engaged. Ummmm he thought, this was going to be particularly nasty. Just the kind he liked, waving his hand he watched as hundreds fell then got back up to slash away more.

I could watch this for a long time, though with that goody-goody godling on the loose, it wasn’t possible. Feeling his power start to creep higher he smiled again, ah! Now I have more power. Let that piece of crap do that to me again!

Thinking harder he was sure that Eris was going to help take him down. Though, why he was having such a hard time touching her mind was maddening. It must have to do with that ass godling. Again, the ass was interfering with his plans.

A small wicked smile lit up his face as he thought of breaking the godling’s body in half. He could almost hear the screaming terror as he ripped the limbs from him. Ah! His death would be a crowning moment in his life. Still like the other gods the godling had to have weaknesses.

Ares had been deep in thought a few more minutes when another idea hit him. “Deimos! Phobos!” Ares bellowed.

A few moments later a well-muscled male appeared before Ares. Nodding his head slightly the male stood tall before Ares.

Drumming his fingers Ares face started to slowly slip into a scowl. After a few minutes Ares growled. “Where in Hades is your brother?”