Chapter 2

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.
Loki - a mischievous god who can shape-shift and can take up animalistic forms.

Valkyries

Prima - Name means fight
Geirahöð - names means spear - fight
Göndul - War Valkyrie

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

Greek Deities

Enyo - Daughter of Zeus and Hera, goddess of war and destruction, sister of Ares

Again, Freya tried to get Ephus to move. “We must depart here; they are under orders from Loki. He has somehow bewitched and muddled their minds. I fear that even your powers won’t be able to break through.”

Ephus, tried to shake his head to break whatever spell the beautiful females were having on him.

“I don’t remember them having the power to hold a male like they are me.” Ephus said almost in a whisper.

“It is I fear, something that Loki has done to them. You can break this power Ephus, you are far stronger than this spell is.” Freya said a look of concern on her face. “Not even I can get through to them anymore.”

This seemed to snap Ephus out of whatever hold the Valkyries had on him. “Do you have somewhere we can go, somwhere they can’t get to?” Ephus asked.

“I do though, as weak as I still am, I am not sure if I can.” Freya said.

Ephus reached out lightly touching Freya’s head. “Ah I see,” Ephus said as they both vanished. Less than a moment later they appeared in what appeared to have once been an opulent building. Ephus waved a hand making it look brand new, which seemed to shock Freya. “There that should help.”

“You do realize that this room, this building, will draw attention? With the amount of power,” Freya was saying then stopped as she felt the shield cover the building. Her mouth hanging open she said, “by my sword I doubt any could break that. Even all the Valkyries together, would have very great difficulty breaking this. I didn’t realize that your power was that great.”

A smile came to Ephus mouth as he slightly shook his head. “As I have learned, it’s not the amount of power one has. It’s more how you use it, I have learned the hard way, how to use mine to maximin effect.”

Freya dropped to her knees, “Lord Ephus you are indeed far wiser than I at first thought.”

Ephus was about to speak when, the building shook when a titanic force struck the shield. Ephus looked at the wall the concentrated a bit. Less than a moment later a beautiful, dark haired, winged female appeared a few feet from Ephus.

The female’s eyes went wide, then a roar came from her throat as she unsheathed her sword. She brought the sword forward then stopped inches from Ephus, a look of extreme confusion on her face.

Kill him! A voice was almost yelling from the air. KILL HIM! I will reward you greatly! Still the female was staring at Ephus eyes, a compulsion she’d never felt before was pulling at her mind. Slowly ever so slowly the females face and eyes cleared ‘til she too was kneeling to Ephus.

Ephus had immediately followed the voice back to where it was coming from. Drawing back a fist Ephus punched Loki in the gut, damn Ephus thought what the hell? It was like punching a wall when he was still just human, though he saw Loki grimace as the hit drove him back into the wall. Ephus smiled when he saw Loki suddenly loose his lunch.

A full host of beings jumped to help Loki, only to bounce off the energy around him.

So, you are here, you wish to challenge me for Asgard? Bring it on, I welcome a true challenge, a chance to truly crush a warrior. Here Ephus, saw Loki point to another male in the room, chained to a wall. Not a weak fool like this one, Odin looks good where he is chained, humiliated like the useless THING that he is. I should ... what is happening!? STOP! Loki was almost screaming reaching out as Odin had started to vanish, then was gone, the shackles and chains dropping to the floor.

You know what Loki? You have a big damn mouth, like another boasting, moron god I knew. Laughing as hard as he could Ephus broke the contact.

Freya looked up a moment later gasping when she saw Odin slumped on the floor. The Valkyrie was also gasping as she and Freya both ran to Odin. With a groan the male opened his eyes seeing Freya and the Valkyrie. “Ah,” he said weakly. “you were able to free me.”

Both females looked at each other then shook their heads, “Lord Odin it was not us; it was the halvgud Ephus.”

Odin slowly nodded as he looked at Ephus, then back to Freya. “I see you were successful; I can feel more than half your power returned.” Freya nodded, then gasp as Odin’s eyes closed.

Freya turned to Ephus. “Lord Ephus, please help him, he is very weak, please don’t let him fade.”

The Valkyrie also said, “you broke a spell I thought to never get free from, if you can do that, I know you can save Odin.”

Ephus eyes went wide, he remembered what the war gods and his wives had said about this. His hand went to Odin’s chest as, he again concentrated. A minute later, he let go, Odin’s skin was starting to glow. Leaning back against the wall he could feel a great drain on him. Hell, he thought, here he thought that the Greek gods had been weak.

Even though he could feel his power rapidly rebuilding, he was still weaker than he wanted to be. He could tell that if he was going to save the Norse gods it was going to take a hell of a lot more energy. More than he’d done before, strange though he could swear he could feel an outside influence.

Sitting up a few moments later Ephus nodded his head, yes, there was a definite outside force at play. Damnit! Why in the hell did this power feel familiar, it felt a lot like Ares had, when he had been battling him. Again, Ephus shook his head, reaching out he could feel a very weak Ares where he’d been exiled to.

Ephus ran everything that had happened through his head. An idea struck him then was lost as there was another shake of the building. With a sigh Ephus looked at the wall again, drawing his own sword. He needed to weaken Loki’s hold on as many of the Valkyries as he could. Having them to aid him might be a boon indeed.

Both Freya and the dark-haired Valkyrie gasp as not one but two extremely beautiful, blonde haired, winged females, appeared. One held a long dangerous spear, the other a spiked wand with a sword at her back and a shorter spear.

Both of their eyes went wide as they stared at first Odin, Freya, then the Valkyrie who was attending Odin.

“So, Prima, you have betrayed our Lord Loki,” the blonde stated though to Ephus it sounded strained.

“Let me take care of them Göndul, the male in front is nothing but a mere human I,” the spear bearer started. Both of the females backed up a bit as Ephus started to power up. He was at three fourths his power when the spear bearer stepped forward.

“A wise move hiding your true power though it will do you no good.” She spoke.

“Tread wisely Geirahöð, this one has already done harm to Lord Loki.” Göndul said to Geirahöð.

With a nod of her head Geirahöð advanced then stopped a few feet from Ephus. “I know not what spell or magic you are using but you will fail!” The blonde shouted as she again tried to advanced, though her eyes were locked on Ephus eyes, the confusion going more by the second on her face.

“Why do you hesitate Geirahöð? The Lord Loki has ordered us to destroy him.” Göndul said through clenched teeth. Then to her utter disbelief, Geirahöð dropped her spear then bowed to Ephus.

“What are you doing?” Göndul shouted as she drew her sword advancing toward the first blonde Valkyrie. Raising her sword, she swung with all her might towards the bowing Valkyrie’s neck, only to be shocked when her sword was blocked then knocked away.

“I will not allow you to harm her!” Ephus growled as he stepped in front of the bowed female.

“You dare to interfere in the punishment of a disobedient, betraying Valkyrie? It will indeed be a pleasure to show you the error of your actions.” The blond female said as she struck out with both sword and spear.

Shit Ephus thought, when she started to press him back. Luckily, he recognized many of the sword moves she used. Damn he thought, she is far more powerful that I thought. Starting out in the Egyptian style, Ephus saw that he wouldn’t last long.

Göndul was shaking her head, this human/god was obviously using magic to try and defeat her. She was far stronger than that, no one had overtaken her senses, with a roar she thought that wasn’t going to either!

Ephus could see that the female was far different than any he’d met before. The only one he faced before that resisted this long was Enyo. Shaking his head Ephus thought he had an idea, now just to survive to see it through.

When he changed his style to the Greek style, he saw Göndul falter a moment, Ephus took advantage to stare right into her eyes.

Again Göndul, shook her head, what was this strange power that this human/God was using? Thrusting with her sword she was surprised she almost pierced the male’s side. Then the male changed the style of his sword. A thin smile came to her lips, this was a far more aggressive style. More aggressive, less predictable than the first style, though she could start to see holes in his defense.

Damnit, she thought, the longer this goes on the more I want to stop it. Don’t you dare! A voice ripped through her mind. You have to pay this upstart back for the insult he gave me.

This almost made Göndul stop, though she could also feel Loki, pushing her to finish. Something she was finding harder and harder to do.

Ephus started to smile, he could see that Göndul was starting to fight less aggressively. Hopefully, she can break whatever hold Loki has on her.

I was far to easy on you halvgud. Not to worry I will destroy you when we meet again. Came the thoughts of Loki. Göndul stopped completely looking around, now a look of confusion dominated her features. Bah! What can you do? You have two of the weakest Valkyries, plus the war Valkyrie. Even with Odin and Freya you have no hope to win. Loki’s thoughts said. I know their power is low what can they do?

Ephus growled as he reached out again punching Loki in the face, though this time he put all he had into it. Loki shocked, was propelled through the wall into the next room. Colliding with that wall he slowly slid down it a smile on his face. A smile that faded as surprise came to Loki’s face then he passed out.