The Pandora Curse (Greek Myth Series Book 4)
Read The Pandora Curse (Greek Myth Series Book 4) Online
Authors: Elizabeth Rose
The Pandora Curse
By
Elizabeth Rose
Copyright © 2003 & 2013 by Elizabeth Rose Krejcik
This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, places and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarities to actual organizations or persons living or deceased is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without the author’s written permission.
Cover created by Elizabeth Rose Krejcik
Books by Elizabeth Rose:
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(Legacy of the Blade Series)
♛
(Daughters of the Dagger Series)
♛
Ruby
♖
(Madman MacKeefe Series)
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Onyx
♖
Ian
♗
(Barons of the Cinque Ports Series)
♗
The Baron’s Destiny
(New)
☀
(Elemental Series)
☀
The Dragon and the Dreamwalker
✛
(Tarnished Saints Series)
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Tarnished Saints’ Christmas (Prequel)
✛
Loving John (Winter)
✭
(Greek Myth Fantasy Series)
♡
(Short stories)
♘
(Cowboys of the Old West Series)
❤
(Tangled Tales Series)
❤
Just A Kiss
(New)
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Beast Lord (coming soon)
☂
(Single Title)
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The Caretaker of Showman’s Hill
(Gnarled Nursery Rhymes)
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Muffet (coming soon)
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Table of Contents
Prologue
In The Beginning
Fire burned on earth, and with it, so burned Zeus’s heart
Prometheus, Titan of foresight had no chance from the start
Now by the power of Zeus, he lay punished, chained atop a stone
A vicious eagle reminding him, he should have left the gods’ fire alone.
Still, the supreme god of Olympus wanted the Titan’s humans to pay
So he created Pandora to cause trouble, and sent her on her way
To the Titan’s brother of hindsight, Zeus gave this gift of pleasure
And now Zeus’s plan sets to motion, as Pandora looks for treasure.
Pandora reached out and caressed the etched metal that encased the wooden box. By the gods, it was beautiful. So solid. So secretive. So tempting.
She’d been warned not to touch it, but curiosity swelled within her. She looked over her shoulder. Her husband, Epimetheus, lay still, asleep. Her fingers fumbled with the lock anxiously. To her surprise, it was not secure.
Desire burned within her to see its contents. What was so important that it needed to be hidden from mankind?
Curiously, she lifted the lid, her wide eyes drinking in the essence of the surprise waiting within. But the treasure she’d hope to find was not there. Dark tendrils of mist escaped from the box one by one. Evil, hissing, transparent figures flew out in all directions, filling the entire sky: the angry face of a war lord, the sultry body of a temptress, the image of a king hoarding coin and treasure, a thief in the night ready to steal it, and a gluttonous soldier gorging himself with food.
Woe was mankind now that these evils had been released upon the earth. They were destined to live a life with more than just goodness, kindness, and love. Now they would be petty tyrants, just like the gods.
One by one the images shrieked and dove to the ground, and then up and around Pandora’s head. All the while they spoke in deceptive tones, filling her mind with empty promises. The evil forms separated, then multiplied, and traveled across the land to fill the heads of the race that Prometheus had created.
“No!” shouted Prometheus, as the eagle tore at his liver. The mountains rumbled as the Titan pulled at his constricting chains. Dark clouds covered the land, and Pandora felt a heaviness encompass her body. Hail pelted down to the earth, waking the giant Epimetheus from his dormant slumber.
Pandora screamed and covered her ears and head, as the entities swarmed around her in a frenzy. Epimetheus stood motionless, his mouth gaping wide when he saw what she had done.
A loud deep laugh shook the mountains and thunderbolts filled the sky. Zeus watched on in vengeful elation.
“Close the box,” shouted Prometheus from atop the rock, but Pandora could not move. A stiffness pulled at her muscles, and she fell to the ground screaming in terror, and clutching her abdomen as one by one the forms entered her belly.
Epimetheus dove for the box, cracking and shaking the earth in the process. He slammed the lid shut as the last of the forms rose to the top. Already, greed, lust, anger, gluttony, and jealousy had been released. Inside now, was the last of the contents - foresight. The ability to see the future was still trapped within. Epimetheus used his mighty fist to secure the lock, but it was much too late.
The forms of evil disappeared into Pandora and branched out over the horizon. The skies slowly cleared. Epimetheus’s jaw slowly closed. Pandora pushed up to a sitting position on the ground, clutching her stomach.
“What have I done?” she cried.
“You have been tricked by the gods, and let the vices out of the box,” Epimetheus said sadly. “We have been tricked as well.”
Prometheus let out a loud wail, swatting at the eagle tearing at his flesh.
“My brother’s wail is not for himself, but for the human race,” Epimetheus explained. “I see now that I never should have accepted you as a gift from a god who could not be trusted.”
“Zeus knew I would open the box?” she asked innocently.
“He knew,” shouted Prometheus from afar. “The gods gave you gifts and beauty, but they also gave you curiosity. My foresight is disturbing, Pandora.” He let out another cry of pain. “I see that not only your child, but each generation afterwards will carry the curse of the vices brought upon them. Not only that, but the whole human race will be affected as well.”
Darkness of night set in. The tormenting eagle left Prometheus bloodied and torn, but instantly his body healed itself once again, abiding with the curse of Zeus. The giant looked sadly down at his brother and Pandora, and the near empty box of vices.
Hopefully, like his body renewing itself, all would not be lost. As long as one vice remained in the box, there was still hope for the human race. With foresight trapped within the chest, mankind would never know its future. To that regard, hope was the gift left that would see them through.
Still, it would be years before a man came to try to undo what had been done. It would not be for generations until one man sought out this evil - and tried to find a way to break
The Pandora Curse
.