Volataire Olympus Institute
The divine state
Merva had learned very early that silence was safer than questions.
The first time she understood it, she had been small, small enough that her feet barely touched the cold marble floor when she sat at the edge of the tower steps. The High gods, and High men above her had spoken in hushed and careful tones, their silver and golden robes shone as the hems swept the floor, their shadows long and sharp against the white stone.
She did not know what it meant to seal one at the core then.
She only knew that when the gold vein like strings had consumed her, they had suppressed something inside of her, causing the insides of her to scream.
It was not like the pain of broken bones. It was deeper. Quieter.
Merva had opened her mouth to cry out, but nothing came out.
"This world does not forgive what it cannot understand. And it fears you because you are beyond its understanding." The witch had told her, and she had held onto it for all the years that came after that day.
Even after the changes, the way conversations were paused when she walked in. The way instructors disciplined her more than the others. The way gift meant for children her age never reached her hands, as if she had been forgotten intentionally.
She held onto it, even when the looks of fear, hate and discomfort came.
And she bore it all in silence, till it became like a second skin.
She learned to lower her head when walking through the inner halls.
Learned which paths were quieter, which staircases were less used, which places were great as escape routes. She memorized the times when the courtyards were usually filled with laughter, and the times when they were empty, so she could avoid them all.
The children of the High gods were not cruel at first, they were curious.
"Why do you seem empty?"
"Why doesn't your aura show?"
"Are you a lower god, or a higher one?"
She had never answered. Because she had no answer.
Eventually the curiosity faded, and cruelty and mockery replaced it.
It was afternoon, the sun hung low over the sacred spires, spreading its red light all over Volataire. Merva walked briskly through the courtyards, when she was blocked by a group of High gods children near the mother of pearl fountain. Their robes shimmered with divine threads, their laughter light and careless.
"Move", Adonis said wrinkling his nose. "You're defiling the air"
Ava tilted her head, her eyes sharp.
"Is it true? That you've been sealed?" The authoritative tilt of her head betraying her power as the granddaughter of one of the oldest High god.
The word spread through them like fire causing a buzz among them.
Sealed.
Merva felt her chest squeeze at the mention of the word.
" I heard it's because she is dangerous" Daisy whispered loudly.
"I head it's because she is useless" Tulip chipped in. "Ooo, that one's good, but I heard it's because she is clueless" Lily said eagerly slapping Merva on the base of her head. "See"
They all laughed.
She stood there looking down at the floor her hands clenched at her side, her nails biting into her skin. Her throat burned with so many comebacks, but she couldn't seem to get them past her throat. She knew better than to do that.
A stone struck her shoulder lightly. "Say something" they urged her.
"Or have your lips been sealed too"
But she did nothing, and that alone infuriated them.
"Leave her."
The voice was calm, bored.
The laughter stopped abruptly.
Merva looked up for the first time.
A young man stood a short distance away, leaning against one of the pillars as if the whole world bored him.
His black robes was plain looking compared to theirs, without any symbol of high lineage. His hair was golden brown, his expression unreadable.
It was Zeus, the bastard son of the High god Zoran, the ruler of their continent and a slave woman. He was going to complete his rites of passage this year and could ignore them, but he always helped her.
"This doesn't concern you" Odin, Ava's cousin scoffed.
Zeus shrugged flexing his muscles subtly "neither does she concern you." The words made her relax.
"Surely she is not worth this much of your time" he continued lazily "if you want to feel powerful, find someone who can fight back"
They all glanced at each other. There was no insult they could throw now that would not make them seem petty.
Finally Daisy snorted " disgusting" she muttered.
Ava turned away, the whole group making way for her, leaving one after the other.
Merva remained where she was, heart pounding, hands sweaty, her breathing shallow.
She had escaped because of him. Again.
Zeus straightened and walked past her without looking back.
"Thank you" the timid words slipped out before she could stop them. She dropped her eyes, a mix of gratitude and embarrassment flooding her.
He paused.
Just for a moment.
Then without turning around he said "don't misunderstand, I didn't help you, I was only doing what should be done."
And walked away.
That evening, Merva lay on her bed, her hands stretched out trying to reach the opposite ends of her it. "I wish Lena or Alex was here." her cousins Lena and Alex were the only ones who she could rely on, the only one who met the fierce gaze of others and stood up for her.
She kept staring at the paintings on the ceiling of her chamber as though they would come out of it.
The bells tolled, calling on them all to return to the main hall.
It was time for a joint lecture on divine order, and then meditation which were both mandatory.
Merva sat near the back as usual, her back hunched, her eyes lowered listening without truly hearing.
A presence settled beside her.
"You always sit like you are waiting to disappear"
Her breath caught.
She turned her head slightly. It was Zeus.
"I didn't ask for company" she replied, her voice low. He smiled faintly. "Good. I am not here to be."
She shouldn't have moved.
She did and he sat.
"My name is Zeus" he said as if that explained everything. She nodded her head in acknowledgement, almost laughing at the absurdity of someone named after one of the supremes sitting beside her at the back.
"I'm Merva Pollo." she replied.
He nodded once. "I know"
That unsettled her more than it should have.
Merva sat up straight suddenly deciding to pay attention to the ongoing lecture. She felt his gaze on her, her mind spiraling, wondering what she might have done.
She kept her eyes fixed on the words appearing on the walls in front of the hall as the High man spoke, but her peripheral vision betrayed her.
His chin resting on his palm as he listened carefully to the teachings.
Her cheeks began to warm.
She bit the inside of her lips forcing herself to concentrate. 'Focus Merva' but her eyes wandered to his face. A hint of smile played on his lips, his gaze meeting hers as he caught her staring.
She whipped her gaze back to the wall forcing herself to focus on the words that appeared, her face flushing hotter, heart racing like she had run a mile.
'Why did he smile at me like that?'
She felt a pointed stare from in front of her and looked around to see who it was.
Ava watched her, waiting to see her reaction to Zeus. Her face froze, her head bowing, watching her desk like something interesting lay there.
Merva's mind was a whirlwind, but she forced her breath to steady, trying to calm her heart. Her feet though had a mind of its own, tapping an anxious rhythm on the floor. She began a countdown in her mind, willing the minutes to go by. The bells would go off and she would be free. But time moved painfully slow.
Finally the sharp chime cut through the air.
'Saved'
Merva bolted, her feet barely touching the ground as she made for the exit.
She burst into her private changing room and shut the door behind her.
Her chest heaving as she let out a large sigh of relief.
"Phew"
She leaned against the door trying to catch her breath and calm her racing heart.
Squeezing her meditation outfit in her hands, she took a deep breath, letting the soft fabric bunch in her fingers, then she went to change into it.
The hall was far too loud for meditation.
Voices collided in careless waves, laughter and idle chatter echoing off stone walls. Merva sat crossed legged among the others, eyes closed, breath steady forcing the noise into the background.
Concentrating as they had been taught.
Beneath the surface of her mind, she felt it. An intricate lattice wrapped around something vast and restless .
Power surged, pressing against its confines, heavy, impatient.
The seal had always been there, unmoving.
Tonight it responded.
Merva reached for it carefully. Its resistance was familiar but... Weaker.
She pulled at it, testing its limit.
It moved.
Barely, but enough.
Her heart stuttered
"Shiv did you hear?" Adonis's voice cut through the moment as he dropped beside him.
"My father says a festival is coming soon"
"Really?" Shiv replied. "Then why haven't I heard about it?"
The seal snapped shut.
Merva sighed quietly, opening her eyes as the hall rushed back in around her.
What she had felt was real.
That night, she stayed up late.
Alone in the dark and quiet, she returned inward. The seal greeted her immediately. It pulsed faintly, not breaking, only weakening, reacting as something began to stir.
Her face contorted, her breath trembled as a dark aura emanated from her leaking from the seal.
The power inside her had answered.
Years of waiting, years of restraint.
Now the seal strained.
An accomplished smile curved on her lips.