Skyler's POV:
I'm in Athena's form. I'm walking through a wasteland that I don't recognize. All around me is the rubble and ruins of buildings that were once standing tall.
"What happend to this place?"
It's my question but Athena's voice that speaks. What is happening?
I feel like I've been walking for ages. My feet hurt. My body feels heavy and I have open wounds pretty much everywhere. Since when do I bleed gold?
"What happened... To me?"
In the distance I see another person. The wind blows so hard I have to cover my face for a second. The moment I take my arms away I stand face to face with the person. They drop to their knees and wrap their arms around my legs. I can barely stay upright, but somehow manage.
"Please my lady. Help us. You are the only one that can. They have abandonded us all. But you... You are still here." The person begs.
I don't know what do to with this vague information. I try to take a step back, but since the person is holding my legs I can't.
"Please don't leave me. She used me."
They look up straight into my eyes. I'm horrified to see that this person has no eyes. Just empty black holes of nothing. With blood still dripping from the holes.
"Save me Athena!"
I bolt straight upright with a scream. I'm breathing rapidly and I'm sweating like crazy. Immeadiatly my head starts aching and the pain in my shoulder flairs up. I grab my head in pain. Not again.
"Another one?" Athena asks.
I nod. I get up from my bed and stumble towards the door. Before I can make it there though I trip over my own feet. The only reason I don't hit my head on the edge of my desk is because Athena manages to give my reflexes a jolt of energy. She makes me catch myself by grabbing onto the desk.
"Careful Skyler. Your energy is incredibly low." Athena warns me.
So I've noticed.
"I just need some water. That's all." I say.
"That is not all. Apollo needs to take a look at you. It's been an entire week and you're energy is as low as day one."
I could just be imagining it, but it sounds like Athena is concerned. The moment I make it to the door I lean on it for a moment.
"Athena?" I ask.
"Yes?"
"Why is my body not getting rested?"
"I don't know Skyler..." Athena says.
I stumble into the hallway. I sway from wall to wall, trying to make my way to the dining hall.
"Does it have anything to do with the dreams I'm having?"
"Likely."
I don't know how, but somehow I made it into the dining hall. My small victory doesn't last long though. Black spots dance in front of my eyes. This can't be good. Next thing I know everything makes a ninty degree turn and I feel something cold and hard underneath me.
Athena's POV:
Skyler faints. Again. Everybody looks up from what they were doing to the girl on the ground.
"Zayn and Janae with me. The rest continue." Raymond calls out.
Then he hesitates for a moment. He clenches and unclenches his fists.
"John you too."
The man named John gets up and joins him shortly. He stands right next to Raymond.
"Wise decision brother."
That voice however does not belong to any mortal. Only one has a voice so commanding. Only Zeus.
Zayn kneels next to Skyler. He looks at her.
"Athena, morph to your own body." The voice of Apollo sounds as his eyes light up.
"Isn't that only going to make it worse?" I ask.
"It's important we handle quickly here. Carrying her to the medbay would be way slower than you running there." He says.
No, I don't want to make Skyler's weak state worse. If she dies on me and I end up without a host, who knows how long it takes until I find a new one?!
"But..." I start.
"If you want her to live you do it now." Apollo said.
I sigh. Against better judgement I do what he says. I let her body melt with mine. Next thing I know I open my eyes on the ground. I pick myself up.
"Hurry! We're right behind you!" Apollo commands.
Without a second thought I run through the halls, straight to the medbay. Behind me I hear the vague footsteps of the others. Once I'm there I hesitate. Now what?
"Get her on one of the beds!" Raymond commands.
I do as told and lay down on the bed. Not wanting to stay in control of an unconscious body any longer let her body morph back to itself.
Everything after that happens in a rush. A seventeen year old kid just yelling orders at the people around him.
Once he's done he turns to look at a sleeping Skyler.
"Now she has to rest as good as possible. Hopefully she'll charge up fast with the ambrosia treatment." Apollo says.
"Someone should stay here and make sure she actually stays in bed this time." Janae joins in.
"I'll do it." John replies.
"Are you sure?" Raymond asks with a raised brow.
John nods as his eye light up for a brief moment.
"I'll keep an eye on her."
They all share a look of agreement. After checking the last things, Zayn, Janae and Raymond leave. I am left with an unconcious Skyler, a guy named John and my father Zeus. Lovely combination.
John sits in the chair next to Skyler's bed. He looks at her. Maybe trying to make up what she'd be like if she was awake.
Suddenly his eyes light up with a familiar golden rim.
"Athena, I know you can't reply, but meet me in between worlds. I'd like to have a word with you." Zeus' commaning voice speaks.
When Zeus asks for something you don't have much of a choice. So I let my spirit travel to the empty white space I met Skyler before. Yet now there stands my father in all his glory.
His long grey hair wavers down his back and at a certain point mingles with his beard in the front. His blue eyes spark with litteral lightning. Occasionly the sparks even fly of his body. He also wairs a greek robe in white with golden details. I could feel his power radiate through the air.
If you saw him standing there no one would ever dare question he's the king of the gods. Just the way he likes it. And just the way it is supposed to be.
"You wanted to speak to me father?" I ask.
Zeus' POV:
"You wanted to speak to me father?" Athena asks.
Before I answer I take a good look at my daughter. It has been so long and yet nothing has changed. Her dark hair still reaches right over her shoulders. Her stormy grey eyes ever calculating. Her clothing style simple, but elegant.
I clear my troath.
"Yes I did."
"Why?"
Ever curious.
"Your host." I reply.
Athena's eyebrows furrow together as the gears in her head start turning.
"What about her?"
The question is carefully asked. Almost as if she's afraid of the answer. But I know Athena is never afraid of knowledge.
"What happend to her?" I ask her.
"When?" Athena raises a brow.
"Before you found her. What is her story?"
My daughter remains quiet. Her eyes glide across my entire body.
"Forgive me father, but I'm afraid I don't understand. Why is this relevant to what is happening?" She asks.
"As you have noticed her body keeps melting with yours in her dreams. Thus she gets no rest, in turn making that she is so tired right now. In short her body has no rest from you. And as you know such things only happen when th-.."
"...-The mind of the host feels like it needs to protect itself." Athena finishes my sentence.
I nod at her.
"What happened to her that makes her mind feel like it has to protect itself all the time?" I ask.