Thunder did not strike.
That was what terrified Olympus.
Lightning always struck when Zeus was angry. Mountains shattered. Seas boiled. Mortals died by the thousands just to remind the world who ruled the sky.
But this time—
The clouds above Olympus merely stopped moving.
Zeus sat on his throne, fingers tightening around the armrest carved from the bones of Titans. His eyes burned, not with rage—but calculation.
"A bond has been formed," he said slowly.
Hera looked up. "Another demigod affair?"
"No." His voice hardened. "A foundation-level authority."
The hall fell silent.
Athena's eyes narrowed. "Impossible. Hestia's domain is passive. It cannot be weaponized."
Zeus stood.
And when the King of Gods stood, the sky bent.
"Someone outside Fate has touched her flame."
🌩️ Meanwhile — At the Ruined Hearth
I felt it before I saw it.
The air pressure changed, like the world inhaling.
Hestia stepped closer to me, her flame flickering—not in fear, but warning.
"He has noticed," she said quietly.
"I know," I replied.
⚙️ [System Alert]
⚠️ DIVINE OBSERVATION DETECTED ⚠️
Source: Olympian Throne
Observer: ZEUS
Threat Level: EXTREME
Direct Attack: Restricted
Indirect Action: IMMINENT
The system didn't need to explain what indirect meant.
Messengers. Tests. Assassinations disguised as "trials".
Olympian tradition.
The sky split open.
A figure descended in golden light, sandals barely touching the air.
Blonde hair. Calm smile. A caduceus spinning lazily between his fingers.
Hermes.
Messenger of the gods.
Problem-solver.
Executioner when needed.
"Well," he said cheerfully, clapping his hands, "this place still smells like ash and nostalgia."
His eyes flicked to Hestia, then back to me.
"And you must be the problem."
⚙️ [Entity Identified]
Name: Hermes
Rank: Olympian God
Domains: Travel, Messages, Boundaries, Theft
Intent: Evaluation
Hermes tilted his head. "You don't look impressive."
"I'm not here to," I answered.
Hestia's flame pulsed.
Hermes raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?" He smiled wider. "That's new."
He snapped his fingers.
The ground beneath me vanished.
I fell—not down, but sideways, space folding like paper.
A thousand miles in a heartbeat.
I landed hard, skidding across marble.
Before me stood a gate made of light and law.
The Boundary Gate.
Hermes' voice echoed everywhere.
"Simple test. Cross the gate."
"Mortals can't."
"Heroes die trying."
"And gods?" I asked.
He laughed. "Gods don't need permission."
⚙️ [System Prompt]
Trial Initiated: Olympian Evaluation
Condition: Boundary Transgression
Failure Result: Spatial Erasure
Hestia's flame appeared beside me, small—but steady.
"This gate decides who belongs," she said.
I stepped forward.
The gate pushed back.
Not physically.
Conceptually.
You do not belong.
⚙️ [Passive Domain Triggered]
DOMAIN: FOUNDATION
Effect: Existence Stabilization
I took another step.
The pressure cracked.
Not the gate—
Reality around it.
The law screamed as something ancient rejected it.
Hermes' smile vanished.
"…That's not possible."
I placed my hand on the gate.
"I don't belong," I agreed.
The flame behind me flared.
"But neither does this law."
I pushed.
The gate shattered into fragments of light.
Silence.
Then—
Hermes slowly clapped.
Once.
Twice.
Zeus' laughter thundered faintly across the sky—not amused, but dangerous.
"Well," Hermes said softly, eyes sharp now, "that complicates things."
⚙️ [Trial Result]
SUCCESS
Olympian Authority Resistance: CONFIRMED
Threat Classification: ANOMALY (UNSTABLE)
Hermes leaned close.
"Off the record?" he whispered.
"You should run."
Then he vanished.
The sky darkened.
And somewhere far above—
Athena opened her eyes.