Pandora's Curse

Bathed in darkness and the frenzied screams of terror and panic as the crowd of people still left hanging on the bridge ran away in terror from the shadow of the beast.

It’s body glistened like water being caught with light; a murky purple and black like a snake caught deep in the swamp. The stench reeking off it, a musky putrid stench that I recognized back at the Underground market. The massive body sinking over the tall block in the middle of the bridge, debris and water falling over like a putrid waterfall. The tail entangling within the cables broken and twanging violently into the air, the spines vibrating like rattles. My blood was cold like my skin and my heart was no longer there as I faced up into the darkness. With a crackle of thunder, lightning clapped its jagged relinquishment, outlining the seven serpentine necks that arched upwards and tattered veined wings splayed out as if trying to prove its immense terror and destruction upon as soon it desired.

Its roar of almighty triumph followed cut off the screams echoing, silencing the terror and giving death of fright a new meaning.

I was running faster than I ever had before.

War ahead of me, my hand in his and despite the painful grip he had on my hand I didn’t dare let go as he ran faster than me, running with the crowd, dodging between the cars and people tripping over themselves to get away in desperation. “W-War-” Sweat trickling my hand and body despite my clothes which were soaked, there was only the silent thundering thump-thump in my chest that ran rampant in my ears as I panted and gasped, running with Warren.

“KEEP RUNNING!” Warren shouted over the din. I flinched, stumbling over my feet when the sound of hundreds of sharp bangs came from ahead. Workers and officers in uniform, stumbling back in panic but guns raised at the Hydra. But a brief glance back, not a hundred bullets could slow it down.

Because the heads, with their fearsome, terrifying yellow eyes were down upon us and suddenly charged forward, leaping onto the bridge. I barely had time to brace myself as the Hydra landed on the bridge. The bridge tremored beneath us and I felt the shockwave, rock my legs awkwardly as I tripped forward, grazing over my knees as Warren slammed against the side of a car, dropping to his knees. Bloodcurdling screams of fear prickled my skin as I glanced back and my I gaped in horror, my blood turning to ice and my stomach curdling in horror.

And the eyes of the beast had found me.

Clutching the box tightly to my chest as I stumbled back, reaching for Warren’s hand as we started up to our feet. The bridge rocked beneath us, spiderweb cracks creeping all over and starting to twist a little like a loose rickety bridge on ropes. “Warren...” I whisper, panting in terror as my nails dig in his arms. Pulling my hand, Warren pulled me forward as the Hydra charged forwards with a horrible scream that could be heard to the other side of the city. The jaw of one head open, revealing a black abyss and thousands of jagged fangs reaching for our backs as we ran, I could feel it’s hot, putrid breath stenching behind our escape-

When Warren yanked me aside, out of the way and with a sharp glint of steel and pale crimson fire, with a roar, Warren spun out his arm, swiping across with a sharp hiss and silent splatter of dark liquid. People continued to run desperately avoiding the large bulbous body with the writhing spiny tail and numerous heads that lurched back in agony. “RUN, PAN! RUN! GET OUT OF HERE NOW!” Warren roared at me, not even facing me, sword in hand, over half the length of his body, pale silver but a hue of red glinted deep within the blade that I had no doubt would match the burning fury in his eyes. I didn’t have a choice. I was no use in this fight and Warren would be okay. He had to be but as I started running away, I couldn’t help glancing back. One Hydra head was shaken, eyes closed and partially blinded as it screeched its fury alongside the other heads as they snaked down to him.

All six hydra heads!

The beast on its body with its heads towering over us people, was taller than the highest part of the bridge here. And with the way the bridge was, it was going to break soon. And Warren-

“HELP! HELP ME!”

I stumbled slowly, slowing down as I passed two upturned cars to see a woman half out of the drivers side, trying to crawl out. Pushing past the crowd still running past, I skid to a halt beside her, grabbing her arm and helping her crawl through at a slow pace. The tears on her face, arms and front had me swallowing back in horror. “My-my leg, it’s caught-” She sobbed, frantically trying to pull her right ankle out of the window but it was caught in the seatbelt, tangled up tight somehow.

“Stop moving!” I snap at her, ducking in and trying to pull and unwind the seatbelt from around her ankle but that was easier said than done. Because as I pulled and tried to yank it, cracks started to form around the car. The woman cried in a panic, sobbing hysterically. “We’re going to be okay! Just stop moving!” I snap at her again, trying to keep calm but my hands were sweating and her foot shaking and trembling did little to help. Snarling in frustration, I just grab a large shard of glass, big enough to cut through the seatbelt even just a little bit. With decent tear, I start pulling. “PULL YOUR FOOT HARD!” She did, frantically, desperately like a wild animal as the ground beneath us trembled and the screams of the Hydra roaring a few yards from us. The car rocked and the woman screamed but I grabbed her wrist and pulling back, I slid her out of the car window as part of the bridge collapsed and the car followed with, down into the ocean where it crashed and disappeared. Sobbing and wounded and frantic, the woman clung to me terrified while I sat panting and heart thundering like crazy. So close. So close. “W...we gotta go, now.” I stammer, feeling numb and cold and pull the lady to her feet who is already off in a run without care while I grab my box and start running after her.

The sounds of cars being crushed beneath a sudden weight and the distant battlecries pulled my heart and body like string and I whipped around, hair flying around my face. The hydra screamed, slamming its front paw and talons down on the sprawled figure, who only rolled around to see it coming and I felt a scream hinder in my throat-

And he raised his arms, crossed over his chest, halting the Hydra from crushing his body and somehow managing to hold up the tremendous weight of the beast. Oh dear God! Zeus! Hera! Anyone! Help him! I can’t! I can’t help him-

Help him.

My heart tremored and chest quaked at watching him die - again. I wouldn’t let him go through that again! But I couldn’t help him... But, there were others who could. I wasn’t thinking properly and gripping the box tightly in hand, I stare at it like I would a venomous snake and breathing heavily my nerves of terror running in rampant, I turned the box around so the latch was facing Warren and the Hydra. “Sas parakaloúme. I need the Horsemen; Conquest, Famine and Death, please! Your brother needs you!” I stammer my words as I whisper loud and clearly to the box, praying to all who were listening, I flip the latch that opens only for me and feel a sudden icy sensation in my fingertips. And I squeeze my eyes shut as my heart thunders in my chest.

And I open the box.

There’s a brush of overbearing heat that runs through my palms from the box and brush of air as I hold out the now open box at Hydra, eyes shut waiting for the instant terror and cold to run through my body, a remembrance of when Aello opened it a mere several hours ago. For the cacophony and stream of fury and delight of thousands of inhabitants...

But I opened my eyes...and nothing happened. Or no one appeared. Either it didn’t work for some reason and I hope that was at least it other than me releasing thousands of evils from inside my Box.

An animalistic roar of fury screeched overhead, making my ears bleed and throb painfully as I clasp my head, dropping to my knees in agony. The Hydra shrieks at Warren whose body is thrown against the side of the bridge. My heart stops. But his hand reaches out, grasping on the edge before dropping over. Only for the creature to slam him aside with one of their heads.

And I’m running.

Running towards Warren who was holding the paw up, either hand gripping a giant claw while the heads writhed in excitement, snarling and shrieking, pushing down harder as the concrete cracked beneath them. Such a big monster with many eyes and heads and they never saw me until I skidded beside the car and despite Warren’s roar of fury at me, I grasped the hilt, ignoring the heaviness and saw the smaller head of the beast lurch down at me and I swung the sword against the wrist of the arm that held down Warren. I must’ve hit something right because a hot spray of dark liquid rushed out and the hand jolted off Warren as the creature screamed in fury. Warren rolled away, up on his feet and suddenly grasped my shoulder, pulling me away and grabbing his sword back and we ran. The bridge tremored with each thundering step of the Hydra behind us as it tailed after us and the bridge beneath our feet started to loosen and fade away. And there was the end. Warren panting heavily as he dragged me forwards and the thundering grew louder and louder and the bridge rocked beneath us. Ten steps.

Eight steps.

Six steps.

Five more steps.

So close!

Screaming at my muscles to move faster and harder and with a cry, I leapt just as the bridge disappeared beneath my feet in a sudden burst of dust and ash and landed hard on my feet, feeling my feet slip and coming to a roll on the ground and Warren grunting beside me. Panting hard, desperate to catch my breath despite my heart wringing and aching from exertion as I quickly sit up...

And watch the bridge tear apart and drop into the dark writhing ocean with the screams and cries of people still left on it.

No...No. No, what...what...

And the Hydra gone. Most likely dropped into the ocean to swim away for now but I stared in horror at the now open, empty space before and writhing white foam as the ocean moulded over the concrete, cars and bodies dropped into the ocean and my heart gave a slow, agonizing thump.

I did that. I-I did this...This box...

My arm was suddenly wrenched up along with me and Warren huffing and panting, as he pulled me away from the edge. I was unable to look away. It wasn’t right to look away. To run away now. “N-No! We have to help, help them! I can’t-I did that-”

“Pan. Pan! PAN! NO! Look at me!” My head was turned away, Warren forcing me to look at him. I pulled against his grip but he shook me slightly, his eyes a dangerous crimson inside onyx as he glowered down at me. “Look at me, dammit! You didn’t do that! It’s not your fault! We need to go now! Okay, we need to get out of here, Pandora!”

Oh God, oh God, oh God, why, why? Just, why...

Without waiting for a reply, Warren gripping his sword still and he took my box from my numb, shaking hands and grasping my other hand, was pulling me down the streets, ignoring the crowd of people that we passed by. But I barely noticed them. All I could see was the white foam and the distant cries as people sunk down beneath the surface with no help coming in time to save them. My heart lurched and my eyes stung hotly but no tears dropped. Not yet.

Warren found a car on an empty street and slamming his already bleeding elbow against the backseat passenger window, he reached in and unlocked the car and climbed in and opened my side which I did numbly, unable to focus or process much at all right. I felt the rumble of the car as Warren managed to start it without the keys somehow and suddenly we were driving down the streets in a horrified silence unable to speak. Warren had dropped the box on the car floor at my feet and looking at it, I wanted nothing more than to just throw it out the window and be rid of it and hope no more calamity follows if they got what they wanted.

I wasn’t aware of where we were but in the dark, everything was unfamiliar and when Warren drove through another bridge and out of the city which now seemed bright but lifeless, I felt my body grow tense and my breathing grow ragged and heavy-

“I’m here, Pan. I’m here.” Something warm was placed over my hand and looking down I realized it was Warren’s hand. He held my hand on my lap as they trembled violently and I remained shaken. “I’m here. We’re gonna go back to the cabin. It’s the safest place I know.” But his voice was tight and heavy and I could barely get my words out to speak.

“War....t-the hydra just...it just revealed itself to-”

“I know.” Warren’s voice tightened, his brows deeply furrowed and his grip on the wheel gone white and steely. “That, I did not see that coming nor what exactly we were completely up against.” I stared at him uncomprehending and I asked as such.

“What do you mean?” He let out a breath, obviously shaken which was a shock to see because he didn’t see the type to be shaken.

“Pan, that wasn’t just a Hydra, that was A Lernaean Hydra.” He let his voice fade off from there leaving me in my wallowing shock and horror as I took in this information. “I didn’t know...The ones we encountered back at the Church, I...I didn’t know it was one of those...” He stammered.

Lernaean Hydra. I knew very little about Hydra’s but what I did know was a Lernaean Hydra was basically the God of the Hydra’s. And long ago, I knew there was only one. But Warren just implied there are more.

“That was one of the Lernaean’s...does that mean there are more of those?”

“Very few, difficult to tell because they are secretive and well hidden. But...I’ve seen and faced Hydra’s before. They were- Are, nothing like that one. That size.” He went silent. And I just stared out the window, the numbness remaining as I realized just how how of depth we were.

A couple hours had passed and despite being quite warm due to the heater, I felt cold and numb, staring blankly out the window, unable to get the screams and faces of people out of my head. People screaming as they run in terror and panic. Picked off one by one. Torn to shreds in the sky or on the ground. The sky red with spilt blood and black clouds like death approaching in immensity. The monsters shrieking and cackling in bloodlust and hunger and delight.

And I was thinking of the past but it was just the same. I did this. I did this again. Because of me, because of the box-This stupid...evil...horrible...HORRIBLE...EVIL...WICKED...

“Pan! Stop it! Stop now!”

My breathing was heavy, everything ached a hundred times worse especially my hands and fists and feet as I slammed my hands over the car window. The need to hit something, to hurt something-

“Shit!” Warren suddenly cursed when the car suddenly groaned and started to falter and I froze. Warren was glaring at the glass planes with the dials and numbers, shaking his head and groaning. “Come on dammit! Dammit! No!” He snarled when the car rolled to a halt and stopped moving. With a groan, Warren slammed his fists against the wheel, and slumped in his seat.

“What happened?”

“We’re out of fuel. We’ll have to walk the rest of the way.” Walk. In the dark. Before me was the shadows of hundreds of trees and god knows what hid within the shadows. What could’ve hunted us down. “Come on, let’s start moving.”

“We- we can’t...it’s too dark-”

“We don’t have a choice, Pan.” Warren sighed tiredly. “And we need to get somewhere safe now because I’m just...” He trailed off, slowly climbing out of the car and I stared after him confused and shocked, snapping out of my blank stupor. Just what? Just what? I snap off the seatbelt and quickly jump out of the car and hurry to him, worry trickling my chest as I hurry around the side where Warren is reaching in the back for his sword and items he barely saved. When he turns around I really look at him and I felt guilt lashing out so painfully I want to finally scream in agony and despair. I reach out to him, despite his mutters of confusion, I pull his sword out of his hand, leaving it leaning against the side of the car and look at him.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry, I focus on me and it’s selfish but I don’t mean to. I’m just scared and if you’re hurt and tired we can rest for a bit, I don’t want you to overdo it-” Warren sighs, his eyes closing, taking away the red but when he opens his eyes, the violent crimson is still there, burning dangerously in his depths surrounded by an onyx stone as he gazes down at me with a dark look.

“I know what you’re doing and thinking. I’m not tired or hurt because of you, Pandora.” He groans, shaking his head as he purses his lips. “I’m gonna make it clear, that’s not gonna happen now.” I stammer, trying to answer but he pushes on forcefully. “I’m tired and sore. That’s all. And I’m furious with those seven-fucking shitheads and when I see them again, I’m gonna be in a better location to tear their organs out one by one as they watch.” The violent descriptions make my heart lurch. Oh War.

“I did this. I caused this and I-”

“Don’t look at me like that and don’t say shit like that!” Warren snaps, suddenly grabbing my shoulders and gripping me tightly. “It. Is. Not. Your. Fault!” I stare at him wide eyed and unable to fully understand anything except my own fault. “And you did make me angry! You put yourself in danger! Stop that!” My eyes widen in shock, a shock of pain running through me.

“B-But you were in danger and I wanted to help!”

“You almost got killed! And I can survive!” My face darkens.

“But you already got killed today! You promised you wouldn’t let yourself get killed again!” I smack away his hands, scowling furiously up at him. His eyes burn brighter crimson.

“I promised not to get blown up-”

“DOESN’T MATTER!” I snarl at him. “I helped you dammit and I-”

“I CAN’T LOSE YOU AGAIN!”

What?

“What?” Warren falters, eyes flickering briefly away as he grasps my shoulders and hauls me to him and shakes his head against the top of my head.

“I told you before, I let you live because...I looked into your eyes and in my dark, hellish long life I had experienced in and out of the box, your eyes were first genuine, real beauty and I let you go. And I regret letting you go because your eyes haunted me until I saw you on the roads those months ago.”

Oh. My heart thunders down slowly, taking in his words and I lean in heavily into his embrace, gripping onto him tightly as he does the same.

“But I never really...truly understood my...regret. Not because I understood it but maybe...I didn’t want to believe it. But I won’t let you go again.” His voice hardens as does his arms around me.

“Warren...” My voice weakens, growing wobbly.

“Don’t say anything. Just...just let out your anger and pain because deep now, you know that everything that just happened, it’s not your fault, Pandora. It was never your fault. And you know it isn’t your fault but it’s okay to cry and weep for them. I...I’ll cry with you, okay?” Warren’s voice was wet and wobbly and I couldn’t hold back the tears and the choked sobs as they wracked through me painfully and Warren and I stood in the middle of the road, sobbing for the lives lost. Lives I couldn’t save but I’ll never forget.

I wasn’t sure how long we stood there but I felt...okay. Okay enough to move on with Warren and towards the cabin somewhere in the woods. He thankfully said it shouldn’t be far but it didn’t make me feel so great. Just nervous and on edge. His words were a repetitive trickle in my head over and over again.

Not your fault. Not your fault. And I know it. Stop blaming yourself. He was right. He was but it was hard to not feel responsible for everything...But right now, it would be best to just get home and...sleep on it all and go from there.

“War.” Warren hums in response, quietly treading ahead of me slightly. The moon was a thin crescent in the sky with murky black and midnight clouds, allowing me to see Warren partially. “What happens now that, people have seen the Hydra?”

“Nothing will happen except people will forget.” I trip over a root as he answers.

“W-wait, how-what?” Warren reaches back and takes my hand in his and pulls me along.

“This will be a heavy task but generally big...interventions are made. The God’s don’t like...big attractions. About fifty or so years ago, some God’s in the Mediterranean took intervention when some beasts decided to make play for land and reveal upon themselves. Tiamat was sent to dispose of those involved while the God’s fixed it up and made it seem as though it was just trick of mind or something else to explain it all. The Olympians will get someone to do the same, probably the Titaness, Mnemosyne,"

"The Goddess of Memory." I finish off and Warren nods.

"Yeah. People will forget that a mythological creature created a huge wave and destroyed the Verrazzano bridge. Instead something else will explain it all, probably faults in the work, Mother Nature, I don't know."

"Oh. But we won't forget."

"No. I don't know how it works but we at least don't want to forget that a seven-hundred foot, seven headed beast is after us." True that. Warren sighs suddenly in relief and stops before bunch off irregular curved trees and with our clasped hands gestures to them. "I go by these trees when I'm on a long walk or camping out here. We aren't far. Adam might be near as well." He glances around. "Let's go, the weather's picking up a bit-" No sooner had he said those words than he froze as I did and pulled me in close. The wind grew stronger and stronger until it was suddenly pulling at our clothes and hair and Warren's turned to brightly lit ruby lights in the darkness as he tensed dangerously. The trees shook violently and suddenly a sickening waft reached us. A musky, rancid stench that had my stomach churning and the thunderous beats of what could only be giant wings. Warren cursed in another language, fury and terror all in his eyes as he looked down at me as I looked up at him, my skin growing cold and numb as my breathing growing shallow.

"I'm not going anywhere, War. We're in this together." His face tightened painfully and with gritted teeth, we could listen as the thunderous beats faded suddenly and the wind dropped as quickly as it came. But the stench remained and we knew without a shadow of a doubt we weren't alone. But there was no thunderous steps or giant body slinking through the canopies and breaking apart the trees to get to us. Where Warren and I stood in the middle of a small clearing with a creek nearby and trees surrounding us and opening from the trees above with a slight hill further ahead like a rising wave, tearing apart the trees.

And through the trees, seven shapes shifted through the dark towards us.

I saw their golden eyes long before their bodies and my heart lurched in horror and...Fury. Warren's sword glinted starkly in the dim moonlight as he faced the seven figures that slinked through the trees towards us. The Hydra was no longer in it's formidable body but instead human bodies.

Even worse, they were 'dressed' as the Nuns and Father Marios who had died for me at their hands.

I wanted to scream at them and tear their faces for this sick joke but the one disguised as Marios, obviously the 'Big Head', the smirk was terrifying and haunting.

"It was quite a show back there. If the God's catch you, you're done for." Warren held up his sword, pointing at them. "And I'm more than happy to help them for once." Marios sneered, laughing mockingly.

"It was indeed a spectacle but we needed to make it clear. We are not made to be hidden. We were Gods on the Land long before this time and we will reign once again. I can ask for what i want and promise a quick death but why bother?"

"Yes." Warren hummed, and my heart stuttered in terror at the thought of him facing up against seven hydras, separated but still lethal and not tired after a long fight earlier. "Why bother indeed." Warren's eyes flashed with violence and my heart jumped. Warren acted as though exhaustion was far from him. The hydra's snarled, the golden eyes glinting terribly as they eyed me and Warren hungrily, crouching low and ready to lunge forwards and I held my breath.

I have to keep the box and key safe!

Warren met my gaze once more and he instantly understood.

At all costs.