Chapter 12

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.
Vali - son of the god Odin, the god of eternal light

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.
Hyperion - the Titan god of watchfulness and heavenly light.

A NOT so Welcomed Guest 12

Ephus - A demigod possessing the power to repower the gods
Quinn Markov - human wife of Ephus
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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.
Vali - son of the god Odin, the god of eternal light

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.
Hyperion - the Titan god of watchfulness and heavenly light.

Thor looked back at Ephus when he fell to the floor, “Ephus! Can you move us?”

Ephus held up a hand as he reached deep within. Closing his eyes, he thought of Freya’s home. It seemed slow as they vanished, then it seemed a few minutes before they appeared.

The other four were wide-eyed as they turned and watched Ephus as he slid to the floor.

Several of the females were rushing to Ephus as he laid, slightly gasping, on the floor. “I think,” Ephus started, “that I overdid it a bit,” he then embraced the darkness, as it took him.

Freya looked at the others then placed a hand on Ephus. She started to glow for a few minutes, then she too slid to the floor.

Odin ran to Freya, as did Frigg. Both placed a hand on Freya, then Odin shook his head. “It appears she sacrificed most of her power to keep Ephus from depleting himself further,” Odin said.

Here both of them replaced their hands on Freya, watching as she started to glow, then they released her. With a groan, the goddess’s eyes opened, though at first, she didn’t move.

“I thought you knew that trying to power a more powerful being would drain you greatly,” Frigg said.

Freya’s went wide, then she slowly nodded. “I figured that out when I was at full power and his power barely moved. Not sure I want to do that again,” Freya said.

“Good idea,” Frigg said with a smile. She then looked at Odin as she nodded. They both touched Ephus a moment later, though both their eyes opened wide at how high Ephus’ power was.

Less than a moment later, Ephus’ eyes snapped open as he pushed both of their hands away. “I think that’s enough, still can’t completely control how much I take yet,” Ephus said.

Both Odin and Frigg snatched their hands further away, a look of surprise on their faces.

“I had thought that after all this time you...” Frigg started.

“I have control over a great number of them, though a few I am still learning,” Ephus said.

Odin and Frigg looked at each other with their mouths open. Well, they thought this was going to be different.

Quinn tried for the tenth time to make something appear. Bast and Serket could feel Quinn’s frustration growing, plus her anger was starting to kick in also.

“Sister wife,” Bast said softly, “you are trying too hard, try...”

“I am trying!” Quinn shouted, blowing Bast back over a hundred yards. Luckily, Bast had gotten her protection up, though I was surprised at just how powerful Quinn had grown.

Reappearing, Bast thought Ephus, husband, come home soon. She needs you greatly, as I am afraid we all do.

Quinn could only stare at Bast, “I am sorry sister. I still can’t seem to control what is in me, that much.”

Bast smiled, “it is like with anything, you have to get used to them as you use them. Besides, I am tougher than I look.”

“I am just afraid of hurting the babies, I’d never forgive myself if I did,” Quinn said.

A broad smile came to Bast’s lips. “It would take far more than that to harm me and the babies,” Bast said. Though Bast thought as fast as her power was growing, that might be the case after a while.

A look at Serket, had her immediately passing her hands over Bast’s stomach. “I’m feeling no harm to them at all, though I am still afraid of what father and the others might do.”

“Do you really think that Ephus will allow any harm to befall them? Do you really think that he’d allow anything to happen to any of us? I truly believe that, if he lost his temper, all of them together couldn’t stop him. No, I think that father and the others don’t want our husband mad. I know they don’t want to see his anger neither,” Bast said.

Both of them shook, remembering the one time they saw Ephus lose his temper almost completely. No, both of them thought, they didn’t want that again.

Thoth had backed away, watching the war of emotions that played across the faces of his sisters. This wasn’t the time to try and poke his nose into what they were worried about. Then there was Quinn, someone needed to watch her while they were coming to grips with what was bothering them.

It was at that moment that Thoth noticed that both of his sisters and their sister wife were staring at him. The looks they all had on their faces, had him trying to beat a hasty retreat.

He’d already tried to vanish, finding that the way out was blocked. Not by one, but at least three or four.

Thoth held up his hands, “No! Whatever is on your devious minds I want no part of,” Thoth said.

It seemed even further worse, when both Bast and Serket advanced upon him. That and the fact that they both had an almost evil smile on their lips.

“What Brother? We only need a favor from you. Why are you afraid?” Bast said, her voice thick with beguile.

“Yes brother, it is only a small thing we ask,” Serket said sweetly.

“The last time you did this I was nearly exiled from the realm. Its bad enough that with both of you carrying Ephus’ children, I am almost blind to events. I can feel nothing but ill will from what I feel you are about to ask me,” Thoth said.

“What!?” Bast said, feigning shock.

Thoth’s eyes narrowed then flew wide in surprise. “Sister Bast?” Here Thoth looked hard at Bast, “two? Father and the others haven’t said anything, have they?”

Bast looked unaffected as she answered, “No, when Serket and I went to them, they said they had to have council. She and I are afraid of what Ephus might do if they decide against us. We are both certain that his anger would pale compared to last time.”

“Last time?” Thoth asked, though he was almost afraid of the answer to that question.

“Yes, last time,” Bast started. “He had grown extremely angry, he then vanished appearing out past the moon.” Here Bast, shocked a bit, “he only snapped his fingers, then the moon and all the planets exploded. I also noticed that everything was frozen, time frozen except me. I ... I think the only thing that snapped him partly out of it was when I cried out in fear. He appeared beside me in a second, the look of rage on his face had me backing away from him. That, I think, was what brought him back to me. When I told the others, they checked. They do not want him that angry again.”

“Why was I not told of this? Surely, I could have helped,” Thoth said.

“No, it was decided by the council to leave all out that they could. The thing is, Ephus fixed all of it almost as fast as when he destroyed everything. Ephus has far greater power than he knows, father thinks he is using just below half,” Bast said, shuddering.

Thoth tried to speak, not even at half?! Here he was as strong as he was. Thoth shook his head, he was damn sure glad that Ephus was his brother AND on their side.

Taking a deep breath, Thoth decided that he’d help, though he was sure he really wasn’t going to like it.

“Alright, what is it the two of you want?” Thoth asked.

Both Serket and Bast looked at each other with huge smiles, then turned toward Thoth. “Nothing too bad, we just want you to tell us what the council is speaking of.”

Again, Thoth’s mouth dropped open, “you most certainly wish for me to be banished from the realm. Alright, if I do this and am banned, it will take Ephus to get me back in the realm. If not? Remember, I helped you and am banned, OK?”

Both Bast and Serket’s mouths dropped open. “Father wouldn’t do that would he?” Bast said.

A smirk came to Thoth’s face, “to use a earth saying? You wanna bet? In a heartbeat.”

A sly smile came to Bast’s, then Serket’s faces, “then we’ll just have to make sure father doesn’t find out.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” A ‘til now quiet Quinn said.

“I wish that there was,” Serket said. “For the moment, we need to work on your control. I am hoping that whatever Ephus did helps you.”

Quinn was nodding her agreement. I hope it also did Serket, I hope so too.

Not even thinking about anything, Quinn had waved a hand. Her eyes grew wide when she suddenly was outside her and Ephus’ home. Shit, she thought I wasn’t even thinking about anything. Another wave, thinking about being inside, had her appear in front of Bast, Serket and Thoth.