The whole of Olympus was panicking, letters arriving from the many prime ministers into Aetheria on a daily basis of the peoples fears.
Almost everything had stopped working, and they all had to rely on their powers now.
Even with the separation from Dogan, it was not supposed to happen.
They worried that the barrier would give in, and they would all perish.
Zeus knew that many expected him to find a solution since his parents had not given any instructions, and no one had heard from them, but he had no idea on how to go about it. He had not even began his training yet.
All that he knew of the continent and its security and power system workings was what the average Olymperian knew.
He tried thinking up several solutions.
'If they could inspect their reserve of divine essence, and send maintenance crew to the power stations to figure out the cause of the problem.'
But the Minister in charge of power had already submitted a report stating that there was no fault with the power grid, but it will not work.
Another report from another minister stated that not all countries in Olympus were facing such disaster. Only those that were near the divine state were in such a situation.
It was quite clear from everything that he had tried that the problem was from something hidden amongst them.
Someone or something was disturbing the flow of things, but he did not know if it was intentional or not.
He made arrangements to go and inspect their reserves, but an official arrived, informing him that the situation was being handled and that the lady would be arriving soon.
He had one of the ministers that came to palace Aetheria every morning spread the news to the people.
"Tell them to not panic. That the situation has been brought under control, and everything would soon begin working. Also add that this news is directly from the Lord and the Lady who will be arriving soon." He said pausing. "That will give them confidence enough."
The ministers nodded. "Yes sir, I will have it done with immediate effect." And then he left.
Zeus headed to the library. He would have loved to be of serious help to his people, but he was without the knowledge for now.
'The populace would have to wait until the Lord and Lady arrived.' He thought as he got into the library trying not to feel his disappointment in himself.
*** ***
Merva and Minerva had made it a habit now, and Serine always tagged along with them.
These were moments where Minerva was free to be human openly, apart from when they were in their chamber, or when she was in the abyss.
Merva laughed freely as they hovered just few feet's above the floor flying, because they did not want any unwanted attention.
Minerva cackled at Merva's crooked way of flying, and the silly faces she made while at it.
"Merva that's not how you do it." She said, flapping her wings with little effort now, and getting to Merva's side.
"When you fly..." She began, but paused halfway. "Remember when we were learning breaststroke, but you were scared and then I took over and told Alex to let me do it by myself, and I did?" Minerva asked.
"But I later did it." Merva added for clarification.
"Yes, you later did it." Minerva concurred, smiling in amusement.
"I remember." Merva answered sulkily. "But what does that have to do with flying?" She asked in puzzlement, her brows furrowed in confusion. "Are you just trying to sound philosophical?" She said looking at Minerva pointedly.
Minerva and Serine laughed together.
"Maybe?" Minerva replied between laughs.
"Anyway, what I am trying to say is that you should stop being scared about falling. I mean you've already shadow walked with Zeus, it shouldn't be that much of a problem." She said, her face serious.
Merva wanted to counter that she was not afraid, but they knew each other's emotions too well for her to deny it.
"It's different." She finally said out.
"No its not. Serine tell her." Minerva said turning to Serine.
Serine raised both her hands in surrender, slowly backing away. "I know anything about flying. I don't know if it's like being in the ocean, so I can't say."
"It is!" Minerva said to her, noting that if Serine ever came back and she was strong enough, she would take her flying into the sky.
She faced Minerva again. "Don't be afraid Merv" she said gently, calling Merva the way she always did when she was trying to boost her confidence. "All you have to do is spread out your wings," Minerva said, moving away from Merva so that she could illustrate it well. "And use it like you use your legs. Just let it do its work." She finished and she gently went up above the ground and then turned to face Merva and Serine while she was suspended in the sky.
Merva was suddenly sucked into a vision for a short while, her eyes widening in fear with each passing second.
She gasped as soon as she returned, spreading her wings immediately and flying to Minerva. She grabbed hold of Minerva's hand and tried pulling her down.
"Let's leave here, they are after you Minerva."
Minerva looked behind her, but saw nothing.
"I saw the high men coming. They are coming for us, they say we are at fault." Merva added urgently so that Minerva would leave with her.
"I know." Minerva said to Merva to assure her that she believed her. "I just want to see something." She finished, releasing Merva's grip on her hand.
She turned into her spirit form and flew high into the sky, to the height of the barrier, spinning slowly around to understand what it was that she had sensed when Merva told her that they were after her.
There was a strange thrum in the atmosphere that made her feel uncomfortable.
She zoomed in with her eyes, and saw a golden wave swallowing everything like a flood.
"Is that divine essence?" She asked herself, wondering if her suspicion was right.
Why would they flood all of Olympus with such amount of power?
Was it not from the reserve?
She felt it was excessive, and foolish.
The air felt suppressive, almost like it was trying to be rid of her, but she refused to think too much about it.
'When did the air not feel suppressive?' She thought to herself.
It suddenly clicked in her mind.
The air and the feel of the power felt familiar to the one that had attacked her when she and Merva had first separated.
The power was covering everywhere quickly.
She flew back to the ground quickly. "Power has been released." She announced to the two of them as soon as her feet touched the ground. "They released it for all of Olympus, and it is getting here fast."
Merva understood and walked to Minerva's side, waiting for Merva to execute whatever solution she had in mind.
"What do you mean?" Serine asked in agitation. "Are they trying to harm us?"
She swore that Atlantis would come for Olympus if anything happened to any of their citizens, and moved around to check.
"I don't see anything." She said finally.
"I saw it from up the sky in my spirit form, I don't think anyone else can see it." She replied to Serine's observation.
"I don't think it will harm you though, but I think it would be bad for me and Merva." She continued as she grabbed Merva's hands. "They seem to be after us.
You should go back to the quarters, I don't know if it has any bad side effects that may cause you harm.
If It safe or not, I will come and find you." She finished, disappearing with Merva as soon as Serine nodded in understanding.
They were in the abyss.
Merva did not feel comfortable inside of the abyss, her chest felt tight and stuffed.
She felt sad at the realization that she did not belong here, while Minerva could be in the abyss and in their realm.
"My chest hurts." She told Minerva, leaning against her as her face contorted in pain.
Minerva held her, hoping that the pain would ease with time, but it did not.
"Does it still hurt?" She asked.
"It's worse now." Merva forced the words out.
"I had hoped that this would be our hideout. That with time you would get to the point where you could come here. That you would catch up like you always did."
Minerva had always shared everything with Merva since they were born, and even though she had always known that Merva was more Olymperian,she had hoped that they would continue sharing paths and hideouts.
She felt her heart break as she straightened Merva slightly, and began locking the little abyssal power inside of her.
This way she would be safe, and she could always use shadows if she wanted but she would no longer have any connection to the abyss.
She locked it up, and then drew out Merva's abyssal aura, pouring it into the atmosphere and then she disappeared with Merva once she was done.
They found themselves hanging above the open sea, the horizon a mixture of orange-yellow, and blue as the sun set.
Merva was behind her, holding her tightly while she struggled to regain her bearing.
"Who are you?" She asked, her voice echoing above the waters.
There hidden in the colors of the sky, and the sea was the unmistakable silhouette of a giant holding a war hammer.
He was the size one would imagine the supremes were, but Minerva did not think he was one.
Minerva covered Merva with her back, then manifested her spear and brandished it, ready for attack.
A strong wind started blowing and the water grew rough.
This was the giants response.
Merva gasped behind Minerva, her hold on her tightening suddenly. "It is Dogan." She whispered in fear.
Minerva heightened her sight, she wanted to see him and commit to memory, but she saw nothing, only the colors of the fading daylight.