Chapter 4

The small boy skillfully guided them in the cart toward the outskirts of the sprawling city of Athens. Ephus could only stare at the ancient appearing buildings within the city. My god he thought, most of them appeared to be new looking. What in the hell was going on?

Reaching out he felt what he could from those that were nearby. Ephus mouth dropped open, from what he felt no one knew of nor had ever heard of many of the things that he considered everyday things.

A further search revealed that there were no cars, only carts, wagons and what?! Chariots!? Ok, now he was really confused. Shaking his head a thought accrued to him, they had traveled back in time? From all he saw it seemed to be the only thing that made sense.

Ephus looked up as they appeared to have reached the destination that the small boy had spoken of.

“I was told to bring you here, then I was to leave.” The small boy said.

Ephus nodded as he reached into his pocket thinking of a coin like the one the boy already had. Smiling, he brought it out handing it to the boy. “You have done well.” The boy’s face lit up then he was gone in a flash.

Ephus looked at the two females that were with him, then nodded toward the building in front of them. He could feel godly power though, it felt more like his own. Nothing like the three sets of gods he’d already met.

The door to the building opened before them, then a man stepped out. Ephus, Freya and Göndul’s mouths all dropped agape. The man that stood before them could have been Ephus’s twin brother.

A smirk crossed the man’s face as he like Ephus, looked Ephus up and down, then nodded his approval.

“Ah! Where are my manners, please come in we have much to speak of Ephus. Yes, I know who you are, I believe you also know of me, do you not?” The male said to Ephus.

Ephus shook his head almost in disbelief, “Epaphus, my ancestor.”

“Thank the god’s you are far smarter than I hoped you would be. I have a few things to discuss with you. I wasn’t sure when you three would come, just that you and two others of power would appear.” Looking at the females he nodded his head, “judging by the dress and the weapons, they are from the Asgard realm.”

“I had thought that there was no contact between the realms ‘til almost my time.” Ephus said shocked.

“Oh, there is, though,” here Epaphus touched Ephus head.

Ephus eyes went wide as he saw Epaphus in the three realms he’d visited. Then he saw India, America, China, Japan then a myriad of other countries gods and their realms.

Ephus’s mouth dropped open, then he turned toward Epaphus. “You’ve been to them all?”

“I have not that much really, though you! Umph! You seemed to go about it the hard way. By the way, nice work with Ares he always was a pompous prick. For me, it was easy though I do seem to have a few more powers at the moment that you don’t. Then again, this recharging power, I do not, nor as the three sets you have met said, have I ever heard of.”

“So, why in the hell am I here besides to get Odin’s Gungnir?” Ephus said.

Epaphus could only shake his head, Odin without Gungnir it was a wonder Asgard hadn’t already fallen.

“Well,” Epaphus said, “I have known for some time that you and they would be here. I knew that it would be before I left for Egypt. It seems a year or so after you acquired you power, you had a very strong desire. A desire so strong that it transversed time. I watched as time changed here, changed to how it should be not as it was.”

“Wait you are telling me that my desire righted time?” An astounded Ephus said.

“Ummm, well, something along those lines. It was your desire to meet me, plus the fact that you are here now, that has corrected time. It appears that there is something I have to do for or to you before I can leave. I really wish to go; you know how the Egyptian goddesses are. Hmmm, six Egyptian, four Greek, already a possible one in the Norse and a human wife.” Here Epaphus shook his head, “and they called me a busy boy.”

“So, I have to ask, how in the world were you able to go to all the god realms, without them raising a stink?” A confused Ephus asked.

Epaphus sat there thinking a moment. “I have going through all the powers I have. As I said, I have a few more powers than you do at the moment. The best one I have found is the visual and energy masking power.”

Ephus’s brow furrowed as he thought about it. “No, can’t say that is a power that I have even begun to, let alone have. Being able to hide would help a hell of a lot.”

“Good, we should begin as soon as possible. At the moment we all four are hidden from all the realms. You need to learn this if you wish to avoid confrontation.” Epaphus said.

So for the next seven days, Epaphus slowly tried to have Ephus use his power in a certain way. For the first five days Ephus found only dismal failure. Epaphus gave Ephus part of the next day off.

Ephus and the two females were walking through an outdoor market, when Ephus felt an approaching power. Freya and Göndul’s power immediately disappeared. Ephus looked at the two of them not feeling anything of their god power.

Ephus thought of everything that Epaphus had tried to teach him. Almost in a near panic, Ephus felt something deep within him that he desperately reached for. It felt odd almost like a blanket that Ephus began to slowly wrap around his self.

To his amazement he felt the power stop, almost hovering far above the street. Ephus turned again toward Freya and Göndul pointing to the end of the street, the two followed him. A moment later they all felt the power land in a large building in the direction they were heading.

The moment they got to it, Ephus could only shake his head. There at the entrance, was written on a stone tablet proclaiming it to be a temple for Hera.

Ephus and the females kept walking toward the simple domicile of Epaphus. Upon entering Epaphus home, they thought that the male was gone. They went through every room finding him in the farthest room from the door.

“Ah! I see that you finally achieved it. I’m just glad that she did appear today. Hera, isn’t the most dependable goddess. I glad to see that you, like me, had an almost discovery, of you to get your ass in motion. Should be far easier for you from now on. Oh, a word of advice? I wouldn’t let any more than these two know.” Epaphus said.

“So, you’re about to leave?” Ephus asked, glad that he’d got to meet the man though sad that they’d never see each other again.

“Yes, though, don’t think this will be the last time. I have seen that we meet more than once. Also, when your future sight comes? Get alone as fast as possible. The absence of people will make your first time, a whole hell of a lot more pleasurable.” Epaphus told Ephus.

Future sight? Ephus thought what in the hell is that? What am I going to be like a psychic? Damn, Ephus thought as if I am not enough of a freak. Not a god not a human but something in-between.

Epaphus sighed seeing what appeared to be a war going on in Ephus mind. Damnit, he thought, wish there was more that I could do for him.

“Well, I guess I’ll have to do as you say. You’ve never led me wrong yet.” Ephus said, causing Epaphus to do a double take. “Yes, I believe I have a touch of it now. I just hope I can do as you said when the time comes.”

Epaphus nodded, “I can’t really tell you exactly where this weapon, you are looking for is. I can tell you it is near, so less chance of messing up time. I know you will have to meet a goddess, though if you use what you learned you should do well. A warning though, when you get the weapon? Leave as quick as you can.”

Ephus stared at Epaphus for a moment, then nodded his head filing away everything Epaphus had told him.

“I will do the best that I can. I’m just glad that I got a chance to meet you.” A slightly sad Ephus said.

“Fear not, it won’t be the last, not by a long shot. This building is mine; you may take refuge here as long as you need to. I also suggest that you also work on the hiding blanket. It will also be of great help to you.” Epaphus said then bowed to all three of them, with a flourish Epaphus smiled then winked out.

Ephus stood there a moment going over all that Epaphus had said. Hiding blanket? Was that what was hiding them? Was it going to fade now that Epaphus was gone? Damn, another mystery to solve, god I hate mysteries Ephus thought.

The first thing he was going to have to do, was locate Odin’s weapon Gungnir. With a sigh Ephus turned toward Freya and Göndul.

“Well,” Ephus started, “that was an unexpected experience. I learned a lot though, being able to do some of them, it’s going to take some time. First thing, Freya, I can feel Gungnir nearby, I can’t seem to actually pinpoint it.”

“Pinpoint?” Freya said.

“Ah! Tell or see exactly where it is.” Ephus explained.

“Oh, you are more familiar with how the energy of it is, is something blocking you?” Freya asked.

“I’m not really sure, it might be that you have been around it for far longer than I. As it is, I am feeling several places that seem to be emanating power, almost exactly like it.” Ephus said.

“Let me see,” Freya said as Ephus touched her head. “Ah! I see, yes, they are greatly similar to it. I think,” Freya said eliminating most of what he was feeling. “There I think that should help you a great deal.”

Ephus smiled greatly when he saw what she’d done. He went through the last few eliminating all but one. Ephus smile got larger then just as suddenly faded into a slightly worried look.

Freya noticed that his mood had suddenly dropped to one of concern.

“Lord Ephus,” Freya said, “what has you so concerned?”

“Did you by chance notice where the few were and what they were near?” Ephus asked.

When Freya shook her head, Ephus, again touched her head. For a moment she looked through all that Ephus was letting her see. A moment later her eyes flew wide.

“Seriously? That’s where it is located? Well, that seems to throw much in our way.” Freya said.

“Our way? No, I think not. This is something that I have to do alone, you and Göndul need to stay her in case I fail. If it is just me then history won’t change much.” Ephus said.

“I am afraid that you are wrong there, without you in the future? There really is nothing of history, if Loki gains control, he will change all that he can. I believe that the first thing he will do is come here.” Freya said.

“Can’t really see him doing much, from what I felt of Hera? She was at full power unlike in my time.” Ephus said.

“You have to remember, Loki is the trickster, he can assume the guise of any animal. In this was he can gain access to almost any of the gods while on earth. Not many are familiar with his energy so they are easily fooled. You lord Ephus have felt him a few times, I do not believe he can any longer fool you.” Freya said.