Chapter 1

Norse Deities

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

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
Sekhmet- Goddess of fire, war, and dance
Anhur - God of war and the sky bearer - Full brother of Bast and Sekhmet

Greek Deities

Artemis - Daughter of Zeus and Leto, goddess of the hunt, the moon, and chastity
Enyo - Daughter of Zeus and Hera, goddess of war and destruction, sister of Ares

Finally, Ephus thought, a chance to rest, which he’d been at the whole time. He was starting on his fourth week when he felt titanic disturbance a few miles away.

Ephus reaching out could only shake his head, ah f•©k! Again? Sighing Ephus parted the clouds as he felt another body fall through a rift. Shaking his head, he thought of the body appearing before him.

Almost Immediately a tall, long, blonde haired, female appeared before him. Her clothes were almost rags seemingly to have been almost buffeted from her body.

Her eyes were huge as she stared at Ephus, bending on her knee she said, “Þú, þú ert Efus vinsamlegast hjálpaðu.” (You, you are Ephus please help.” Ephus was about to ask her who she was when she promptly passed out.

Shit Ephus thought once more, not again. “BAST!”

Less than a moment later Bast appeared a look of worry on her face. “Husband is all well?” Bast Asked then followed Ephus gaze behind her. A hiss issued from her throat. “Nuras! It is the one called Faria, also known as Freya. The Nuras Goddess of love. Has she touched you husband? has she made demands? Shall I end her?”

Ephus eyes were wide, damn but Bast was more jealous than he had ever seen her.

“No Bast, wait you said Freya? As in the Norse goddess of love?” Ephus sighed, it was starting out a lot like with the Greek gods. Bad enough, he could swear that the Titans he had met, were trying to come back also.

“With all that has happened recently, you are just yourself again. I do not wish to risk being as close to losing you as I was. I promise you husband, NOTHING will hold me back, if this happens again. May I suggest that you, send her away before she awakes.” Came Bast’s scathing response.

“Bast,” Ephus said watching as Bast’s fierce look softened at his voice. “She asked for my help, you know I can’t refuse, when I am asked sincerely.”

Bast let out a long sigh, “I know husband, though this, is what started the trouble last time. I warned you many times that the Helenes gods were as they were. The Nuras gods are even more war-like than the Hellenes gods. If you are to help them, you will need far more training than you have so far.”

Ephus head jerked back in shock, this was the first time that Bast had suggested anything like this. “I will do all that I can to be far better than I am.”

A sly smile crept onto Bast’s lips. “I can guarantee, things will be much, much harder for you this time around. You not only have all your wives from the Egyptian realm, but the four from the Hellenes realm.” Ephus stared at Bast with a confused look, Bast shook her head at her husband, at times he was almost clueless. “All four of them are now with a child.”

“Four? I thought...” Ephus started.

“We were informed today that Artemis is also.” Bast informed Ephus whose look of confusion, rapidly changed to shock, then pride. “She made it a point to inform all of us herself.”

“Shit, I guess I am going to have to be at my best before I go into this. You think we could have Serket look at her? I don’t want to put stress on her now that she is with child also.” Ephus told Bast.

“I don’t think it will, in fact it might relieve a little stress for her. She has been feeling a little useless now that she is, no-one wants to upset her. This is though, in fact, really upsetting her.” Bast said as she shrugged.

Ephus thought a moment then nodded. Only a moment later Serket appeared a huge smile on her face.

“Ah husband, finally one who won’t treat me as if I am fragile. I...” Serket was saying then stopped as she espied the prone form of the almost naked blonde female. Walking to the female Serket walked around touching and observing.

“Is there need to...” Ephus started then quieted when Serket held up a hand.

A few minutes later Serket shook her head. “Husband, she is extremely weak, I am afraid that there’s not much I can do. She needs energy or I fear that she will fade to nothing. It is a fate most horrible for a god.”

Ephus nodded then stood, walking to the unconscious female. Laying a hand on the female, Ephus waited a full minute watching as the female’s skin started to glow a moment. With a nod Ephus removed his hand then stood back as the female started to stir.

A moment later the females blue eyes snapped open. Taking a deep breath, the female’s eyes opened wider. Looking around her eyes settled on Ephus then quickly dropped downward. “I ... I am sorry Lord Ephus I did not mean insult looking at you.”

Ephus could only shake his head what in the hell was going on with all of them. He does a few good things then he is suddenly feared, revered, almost worshiped? Oh, hell no!

With a slight sigh Ephus placed a hand under Freya’s chin, gently lifting her head. “I am no Lord I am just Ephus, which I would be happy if you called me that.”

Freya’s eyes went wide as she started to shake her head no. “Lord sir, tales of your daring and deeds have reached even us in the Asgard realm. I was sent in the hope that I could find you, then, somehow convince you to return with me. All is not well in the realm, nor with the others. I...” Freya stopped to stare at her hand which was glowing slightly with power.

“Yes,” Ephus spoke up, “you have almost half your power back. I was informed it was the only way to preserve you.”

Freya’s mouth dropped open as she waved her hand making her clothes appear new. She stared a moment at the clothes, then launched herself at Ephus, knocking him to the ground, where she covered his face with kisses. A moment later Freya withdrew her self-back from Ephus as Bast was slightly growling.

“I ... I apologize Lord Ephus, I forgot myself and who you are,” Freya stated. Freya’s head was once again looking at the floor. Several severe trembling’s shook her body. “Please lord sir, please don’t punish my people because of my stupidity.”

This of course made Ephus growl, making Freya cringe and seem to try to shrink smaller.

A sigh escaped Ephus mouth as he calmed then said. “I am not angry with you or your people Freya. I am mad at myself that I have made you fear me, it was not my intention.”

“Lord sir, we have heard of the strange power that you possess. Many in my realm know that you can turn off almost all power, no one wishes that.” Freya said this last said in a whisper.

“Alright, just let me know what is happening in your realm, that way I can plan, not go in knowing nothing.” Ephus replied.

Freya’s eyes were wide a moment, then she nodded as she related all that was happening in her home realm.

The further Freya got into her tale, the grimmer faced Ephus got. “So, you are telling me that, this Loki is at the heart of much that is wrong in your realm?” Ephus was starting to have a really bad feeling about this.

“Husband,” Bast spoke up, “this has much the same ear marks as that trouble you had with Ares. I am starting to have misgivings about this mission.”

Freya’s head snapped toward Bast, a look of concern and worry on her face at Bast’s words. Was it possible that Ephus might refuse her request? By Odin’s power she hoped not, especially after Ephus had brought her back as far as he had.

Both Ephus and Bast turned toward Freya when they both heard a gasp. Freya’s head had dropped further as a few tears had escaped her eyes. A look of concern was now etched on Ephus face at this new development. Bast’s face on the other hand, had a small smirk as she was staring hard at Freya.

“Do not be deceived husband, she is willing to do almost anything to save her realm.” Bast whispered snidely.

Ephus turned to stare at Bast incredulously, “almost the same as you when I helped your realm? As I remember you came to me, never forget that!”

Bast’s face immediately dropped as she realized what she had said. In a low voice Bast said, “I am sorry husband, this time with this child is harder than any before.”

Ephus was about to speak when Serket gently laid a hand on Bast’s stomach. Ephus and Bast looked at each other as Serket moved around touching many places nodding her head.

“It is harder as it should be,” Serket said drawing a curious and concerned look from both of them. Shaking her head with a sigh Serket continued. “I am surprised that you didn’t feel it sister. You are not with one but TWO little ones.” Serket started to laugh at the look of shock on both Ephus and Bast’s faces.

“T ... T ... TWO!” Bast said in an almost silent whisper.

Ephus was also in shock what in the hell was going on? As far as he knew, there was no history of ANY twins in his family.

Serket started to laugh harder when the both of them were still in shock. “Twin gods or goddesses? Are you sure?”

This comment of course had Serket’s face tensing up a moment, then it relaxed. “You are with child so I can forgive you that comment, when dear sister have you EVER known me to be wrong?”

Still slightly in shock Bast looked at Serket, “in well over six thousand years? Never does an instance of you being wrong come to mind.”

“If that is so, then why do you have cause to doubt me now?” Serket said, slight irritation in her voice.

“Sister,” Bast started, “it is just that there have been no twins in a very, very long time. You know what happened last time. Do you think the others would allow it?” A now seemingly scared Bast said.

Serket’s face took on an angry look as she thought about it. The longer she thought the angrier she got. “Considering that they are Ephus children, plus Ephus is their father, how can they not? We need to talk to our brothers and sisters.”

“Perhaps I could...” Ephus started.

“NO!” Both females almost shouted scaring not only Ephus, it also had Freya taken aback. She’d been trying not to interject any comment, the whole time the discussion had been going on.

“If you go to their realm, I suggest you take another full day to train with brother Anhur. It might also help to have Sekhmet in on the training also.” Bast said as both sisters turned to go, then Bast turned back. “You also might want to get Enyo involved. They are all war god’s; it might increase your chances when you go. Though I suggest you get no less than a day before you go, if not then that would get ME involved!” Bast growled.