A Welcome Guest 13

Cast of Characters
 
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 
 
Mut – Queen of the goddesses and lady of heaven 
 
Isis – Goddess of health, marriage, and wisdom (wife of Ra) 
 
Ra – God of the Sun, the major god of Egypt 
 
Epaphus – Greek Mythology demi-god – Son of Zeus, Io, and a King of Egypt 
 
Ephus – the man, husband of Bast and all her sisters at present
 
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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
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Karen – neighbor of Ephus
 
Tina – Karen’s daughter.
 
Dr. Quinn Markov – Doctor of ancient Egyptology and Mythology

Ephus was slowly turning toward the loud voice, still with a grimace on his face. The same tall male, but the huge sun disk wrapped with a cobra was no longer on the man’s head, now laying beside him on a velvet like pillow. Ephus nodded then bowed low to Ra.
 
“Though I wish to have this over with I don’t feel it would be a fair test yet. I can still feel that this realm is weak and drained of the vital energy it needs.” Ephus told Ra.
 
Ra’s eyes went wide at Ephus’s words. “Such honor from a human is a rare thing indeed! What may I ask has brought you here then?”
 
Ephus waved his hand before him which was suddenly filled with the unconscious form of Bast. “As always it is about Bast. I am unsure if I brought her back far too quickly. Though she has more solid form, I didn’t finish with her. I am afraid that the shock was a little much for her. I am here to make sure she is still well, as her father you know far better than anyone else if she is in danger.”
 
Again Ra’s eyes went wide at the true concern that Ephus was showing for his daughter. “I will be but a moment.” As he watched Ra extended his hands over her unconscious form for a few moments. “Hmmm, yes, the shock was a bit for her but she is a strong Goddess she will be fine. That and the fact that she is three fourths of what she used to be. She can actually exist in the day light now.”
 
Ephus was nodding a lot at what Ra was saying he’d pretty much guessed. “I was afraid that I might lose her before I got her completely back to her old self. I am glad I wasn’t too hasty, bringing her all the way back at once. I have a favor sir.” Ephus suddenly stated.
 
“For all you have done so far, you can ask almost anything of the Gods and Goddesses.” Came Ra’s reply.
 
Ephus nodded then continued, “I am just starting to get a handle on what powers I have. I am sure you heard about the little meeting I had with all of the sisters?”
 
Ra’s face broke into a wide smile, “Oh yes! It was the first time I have ever seen Hathor actually silenced! I must say THAT in its self was far worth seeing!” Sighing Ra continued, “I think at times that she will never stop talking all the time!”
 
There was a whoosh then Hathor appeared. “I heard that father! I…” Hathor was suddenly quiet here eyes huge when she saw Ephus standing there! That plus he was talking to her father like they were the best of friends! Shaking her head she thought this wasn’t good. It was bad enough that she was going to possibly be denied of Ephus and his what was it he called it? Ah! Yes love making! She hadn’t experienced anything like that in a very, very long time.
 
“I’m sorry father I didn’t know you were engaged in business.” Then she did something that had Ra’s mouth dropping open. She sat and didn’t say another word!
 
Ra turned toward Ephus his mouth still hanging open then a huge smile lit up his features. Leaning close Ra whispered to Ephus, “Just for this I KNOW you will pass the test! That will be a glorious day when you are a part of this realm!”
 
Ephus looked at Ra as if he’d lost his mind, “A part of this realm? What are you talking about?”
 
“Why you would be here in this realm with Bast and the others.” Ra saw the look on Ephus’s face which caused him to suddenly become quiet. “I had thought… it was assumed…” Sighing Ra nodded. “I had forgotten that I was dealing with a human mind in the emerging body of a godling. Take as long as you need Ephus, we will all be here, though before all of that happens you must pass the test.”
 
Ephus nodded there were still a few things that needed to be done before he could ever think of being here. Shaking his head he’d thought that he and Bast would spend most of their time in the human realm. Now, he wasn’t all that sure. “As I said I want this test to be fair. Sobek found out that at the moment I cannot control one of my powers. He touched me when I didn’t want him to. You could say he was drained.”
 
“Yes I remember, you say you have no control over this?” Ra said backing up a bit.
 
“I didn’t, though I find having used it a few times I now have more than half control of it. I have to get more before I start the test. As I said I want this to be fair if the test has to be done. As you said I am an honorable human, what he didn’t realize when I touched him; Sobek got more of his power back than he had when he touched me. I intend to fully restore him and the others before this test takes place.” Ephus explained then walked up to Ra laying a hand on Ra’s arm.
 
For the third time Ra’s eyes went wide then he started to glow though not as intensely as Thoth. Even as Ra started to glow Ephus could feel the air start to warm more. Many of the cracks in the walls started to mend. Finally, only two minutes having passed the room looked almost new as Ephus took his hand off Ra.
 
“This is astounding!” Was all that Ra could say as he was able to see further beyond the chamber. Turning back toward Ephus Ra nodded. “I have almost complete control of the realm again! This is a truly amazing power you have! Thank you, I do not say that often, it is foreign to me but to you I can easily say it.”
 
“I am glad that I was able to restore as much as I did. I was afraid that what I had was inadequate. With you at almost full power I feel that no one will try to do anything to hamper the test. Now about the favor, I need you to keep Bast here for a time. I know she will be able to slip out. I need to have more control. I don’t want to hurt her, please keep her here as much as possible for the next two or three earth days.” Ephus stated.
 
Ra looked at Hathor as did Ephus, “if she finds out Hathor, you might be the next to be punished!” Ra said to her.
 
Bowing low to Ra then to Ephus she replied, “It will be as you say father, husband. She will not hear it from me.”
 
Ephus thought a moment then waved his hand in front of him. There was a rippling of the air then Sekhmet appeared before both of them. Looking over at Bast, she smirked, “What little cream puff couldn’t take it?”
 
Ephus reached out and touched Sekhmet’s arm. She looked at his hand then her mouth dropped open as she
began to moan and fell to her knees. Removing his hand he passed it again beside Sekhmet causing the rest of the sisters to appear.
 
Each of the Goddesses looked at Ra then Ephus. All fell to their knees. “I have asked your father to keep Bast here. I do not want to harm her. I am just starting to properly control the power I used on Sekhmet. I do not want Bast harmed; I do not want her to know either as she would try to help me.”
 
Sekhmet was laying on the floor moaning in a weakened state almost in pain. “Please,” came her weak whisper, “please husband it hurts! Please forgive Sekhmet.” More renewed moaning caused all of the Goddesses to agree.
 
“Good, I know your brothers won’t talk on their honor.” Looking down at Sekhmet, she had crawled to his leg and was trying to get his attention. “As for you,” Ephus touched Sekhmet for a mere ten seconds then released her. 
 
Taking a huge breath Sekhmet waved her hand but nothing happened! “NO!” She said as she backed away from Ephus. Waving her hand again her eyes went wide. “NO! What have you done! I have no powers! How could you be so cruel?” This time, real tears started to fall from her eyes. Falling at his feet she started to beg. “Please husband! I cannot live like this! I will die!”
 
“You will be fine.” Ephus told her, he really hated to block her the way he had, hell when he did it he wasn’t sure he had enough left to. “As I said I need two or three days. You are if you noticed, almost completely solid. You are also for the time being stuck here! Oh you still have your powers, most of them. You just can’t leave.”
 
Ra and the rest of the Goddesses were staring at Sekhmet. Then a few of them started to smile. She was stuck here. It was about time she got a taste of her own medicine! With that they all winked out a smile on all their faces.
 
Isis appeared a moment later and took the crying Sekhmet away. Looking back she mouthed a thank you to Ephus. “I have to go; I hope to see you in a few earth days.” Ephus said.
 
“As I do you Ephus, I do hope that you become a member of our family. You have strange ideas, rooted in humanity but they are still honorable. Be well Ephus!” Ra said then waved his hand as Ephus was suddenly standing in his home.
 
‘I think I should see Quinn,’ Ephus thought. ‘Perhaps she might be able to help me get a handle on these powers.’ Ringing her up, he was surprised when she picked up as fast she did. “Wasn’t sure you were going to answer after all that has happened,” Ephus stated.
 
“What?! And miss out on all the knowledge that I could gain? You have to be joking. Though I did give what you said a lot of thought. They just might think that I am an imposter if I was to go to the department looking as I do.” Sighing Quinn continued, “I’m not really sure what to do right now.”
 
“I need to see you; I need help with a few new developments. May I come over?” Ephus asked.
 
“Might as well I don’t…” Quinn stopped as Ephus appeared across the room from her. “Ok now THAT is a time saver!” Quinn said with a little chuckle.
 
Ephus sighed he really had to change his human way of thinking. “I actually went to the God realm.” He started.
 
“Oh my god! You have to tell me about it! Everything you saw.” An excited Quinn stated.
 
“I really didn’t see much as I was in the chamber with Ra for the whole time. Oh yeah Hathor was there also but she stayed quiet.” Ephus told her.
 
Quinn’s mouth hung open Hathor was quiet! Now that she’d liked to have seen! Because she was one of the most important and popular goddesses she had become a little full of herself. Well at least that was what Bast had revealed to her.
 
“So was your talk to Ra productive?” Quinn asked.
 
“I thought so; the thing is I found out why they need me so much. It seems that I have the power to resupply their power. You might say recharge them. I already fully powered Thoth. About half of Sobek, it was after that I thought Ra is the leader of all of them. If he was at full power he could make things fair. So I tried to power him back up. I actually got him up there about 90%,” Ephus said then a slight grimace passed over his face.
 
“Uh oh I know that look what have you done now Ephus?” Quinn asked.
 
With a long sigh Ephus said, “I asked Ra to keep Bast there for a few days ’til I get more of a handle on this power of draining and powering the gods. I don’t want to hurt her; I think it might kill me if I did.”
 
“Wait how, what?” Quinn asked confused.
 
Sighing Ephus said, “I forgot you don’t know. I was so tired of not being able to touch her Quinn. I got an idea and when she appeared faintly I started to power her. She was amazed as she became solid in the day time. I grabbed her and kissed her, she uh… passed out? So I took her to her father.”
 
“Ok, I’m with you so far.” Quinn replied, “Then what happened?”
 
“After I asked Ra I made Sekhmet appeared and uh….” Ephus hesitated.
 
“Crap what in the hell did you do Ephus?” Quinn asked a little afraid of what he was about to say.
 
“I touched Sekhmet, she started to moan weakly, and I realized I must have taken too much. She started to beg me saying that it hurt and she was in pain. So I touched her for ten seconds. She stopped, took a deep breath, and waved her arm but nothing happened. That’s when she started to actually cry saying it was cruel and she would die without her powers.” Ephus related.
 
“As far as I know she would die, did you really take all her powers?” Quinn said astonished.
 
“At first but I put them all back though…. I blocked some of them.” Ephus told her.
 
“Wait you… blocked them? I thought this power you had drained them not blocked. So what happened? I take it she is about as angry as she could be?” Quinn asked.
 
“No actually Isis appeared about that time and took Sekhmet away to another room. The strange thing is Isis was mouthing thank you when they left. That was the confusing part.” Ephus said.
 
“It appears that Isis is going to spend as much time with her daughter as she can. I think that’s why she said that. Wow this is amazing she actually said thank you Gods and Goddesses rarely say that.” Quinn revealed.
 
“Yeah at least for a few days Sekhmet won’t be able to leave the god realm. Plus she is also solid as much as Bast is now. By the way what you just said the gods and goddesses really don’t say thank you?” Ephus asked.
 
“No it isn’t written about that much, but why do you ask?” Quinn said staring at Ephus.
 
“Oh nothing Ra told me thank you, he said he doesn’t say it that often, it was foreign to him, but to me he could easily say it.” Ephus said as if it was an everyday thing.
 
Quinn’s mouth dropped open, this she had NEVER heard of happening. Ra was notorious for never asking for anything or EVER saying thank you! Quinn was about to relate this fact to Ephus when there was a knock at her door! Her mouth dropping open she had forgot she was supposed to have a short meeting with a few other Egyptologists!

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