Olympia

The lord of the sky watched the chaos from above, stormy grey eyes lighting up with each flash of lightning that broke through the thick blanket of dark clouds. Temples were ravaged, the gilded offerings looted and pillars cracking from the force they were struck with tools. Statues were being pulled down, breaking in half, the crashes as they hit the floors of their homes as loud as the thunder that cracked through the sky. Around him he could see his family; sons, daughters, brothers and sisters. All of them were present to watch as the mortals below began the first acts of war against the gods. With only a handful of lightning bolts in his clenched fist, Zeus could have easily laid to waste all of the mortals brave enough to carry on, yet he stood as still as his statue had been before it had been broken, his eyes never leaving the mortals. “How long must we allow this madness?” Contained rage made the feminine voice strain as Athena stepped closer to her father, spear ready and poised. The anger she felt was evident in her grey eyes, full of knowledge and rage, as her own temple was ripped apart in another part of the land below them. Zeus knew that once given the chance, Athena would punish each and every mortal that desecrated her temple, especially since most of the mortals that were currently smashing it into rubble had been mortals Athena had helped with each prayer and offering that was given to her. She had agreed to help them in each battle they sought her wisdom and help with. It was the biggest insult given to not just her but to every god and goddess that stood around the pool of water that allowed them to watch the chaos that was happening below their paradise. Each one that was present had helped these mortals when the favour was asked of, and now they were watching as the mortals they once helped destroy their temples, burned their offerings and one by one turned their backs on the gods that had helped create their way of life. “We are not to intervene and anyone caught doing so will be sent to the depths of Tartarus by my hands. Let the mortals carry on. Let them live a life without divine intervention, they will learn very quickly that it was a poor decision.” “You will learn quickly that this is a poor decision, Zeus! Without mortals we would cease to exist ourselves. You will doom us all by allowing this sacrilege! Without the faith and worship of mortals we are nothing, see reason!” Zeus didn’t respond, instead he turned away from the pool of water and walked away from his family and into the grand, white structure that towered over the courtyard he had been standing in with the others. Zeus had known this day would come thanks to his son Apollo coming to him months before and had taken action. Standing in the foyer of the building he had entered was Hermes, holding a bundle of cloth which was wriggling in his grasp, small cries filling the room. Taking the bundle from him, Zeus cast his eyes down to the innocent face of the newborn girl, watching her face scrunch up as she continued crying. “Take her to the family we agreed on. They will make sure she survives until the day I come back for her.” “Does she have a name, Lord Zeus?” Hermes asked as he held the bundle close to his chest. “Yes. I decided to name her Olympia, named after her birth place and the home she will one day return to.”