Pandora's Curse
Chapter 14

Dionysus

Good God, I’m back here really.

Was the first thought to take place before he even bothered to open his eyes. Cracking his eyelids a smidge to take in and observe the surroundings with a bleariness that was often accompanied after a long deep sleep while the body regenerated from the assault that took place.

Jaw gritting, aching at the reminder, eyes squeezed shut as an ache quivered through the chest. I can still feel it. His hand rested against his chest where a heart thundered lowly, safe like steel vault wrapped around. But I could feel those blasted talons! The talons that tore past my clothes, turning my skin and muscle into ragged flesh and pulp and grinding away the bones...I can hear and feel it still.

Closing his eyes at the physical reminder, the memory of that moment split second. His divinity couldn’t take the assault, not fear of his life being taken. Not even Aello would have the guts to do such a thing. It was merely for the sake of not wanting to slumber longer than he really wanted to. He much preferred to slumber after a weekend binge of women, men and alcohol beside Pan.

Blasted Harpy!

Even though it was only a make-shift mortal body that had been destroyed, it was still a suit that in a way covered his Divinity to normal proportions. Like being in a car accident. The car was a wreckage but he was okay with some aches and bruises and a terrible mood.

I need some wine. Maybe a beer today.

A heavy sigh escaping as he ran a hand over his jaw.

Dionysus was in his chambers and Christ, how he felt much like a baby swaddled beneath silk and clouds which he swatted away irritably until it faded like a mist over his hands. He threw his legs over the side of the bed, bare feet touching cold marble that burned icily up his legs until it faded quickly and he stared at around him, his chambers with the scowl of someone who felt he had been dragged kicking and screaming to a place he had no desire to return to for as long as he could help it.

Eerie peace surrounded him.

He didn’t like that.

It’s mostly why he enjoyed the chaotic fun he inhibited himself with alongside Pan. There was something real and peaceful with his adventures with the faun unlike the eerie quiet that he had grown up with on Olympus. The open arches of his chamber stared into lush gardens and fruits and flowers that smelled of a perfectly made bouquet. Twitters of birds followed as they fluttered past in a blur and twist of whites and blues, landing on branches whistling in perfection and joy and peace. Beyond that, columns of pure marble white and gold rose and fell between thick blankets of white clouds, like rounded wispy grass. The skies were a luminous ethereal pale blue with its silvery clouds, and marble and stone buildings amongst lush green and glimmering white.

Nothing had changed since he’d last been here. It was still too damn perfect here.

Standing slowly, he twisted his body slightly, muscles and bones cracking at the joints but relieving at the feel of movement and that posed his next question.

How long have I been out?

He didn’t have much of answer but hopefully from someone who could give him one and quite frankly, he had questions to ask.

Not caring to be dressed or caring for mannerisms that his siblings graciously took upon, for he was Dionysus; the God of Wine, Ecstasy and parties. He never needed to look presentable. Especially with the catastrophe that had just taken place. Ignoring the lush lands of heaven, he took foot to the temple that stood before all. Its monumental size, that would cast the first shadow every dawn over Olympus, made even Dionysus take a nervous breath before he laid his first step on the marble staircase. The air cool and crisp as he climbed the steps to his place of Divinity, every step closer bringing a sense of tingling of nerves. Maybe that had to do with being here after at least a decade or the questions he would have to demand of his father and the stupidity he and his siblings had been a part of millenniums ago.

Making that box in the first place was pure idiocy. A stupid idea if we could have one, and boy have we not had many stupid ideas in the past before. But a key...to take in all those within that wretched box? Would father really go that much further? But...

Dionysus faltered once he reached the top, momentarily distracted at the unbidden thought in his head that darkened his mood further.

“Is making the key going too far when we made that box? Did our making that box not just cross that forbidden line our father drew for us...but break it?” It was a question he asked but Dionysus could see it more as a reckless statement. “We crossed the lines far too many times. And blaming our father was reasonable but...it all came down to our own actions. No wonder other Ethereal’s think of us as reckless and dangerous.”

Storming through the open halls of the temple, the walls of pure white marble with rivers and cracks of gold shimmering and shifting around, his reflection following him through the glassy surroundings. Storming through in this manner would most likely press his father to wave him off but Dionysus needed to make clear such questions he had persisting.

A lot of things had made him question things of late. Why would he allow that box to be take in the first place? If Zeus didn’t want anyone to have it and would bring Pandora back, why not just destroy it and its contents that leave it on the mortal plane? What was the point?

“O aderfós mou.”

Dionysus halted in place, glancing over his shoulder. Artemis striding towards him, the chandeliers and sunlight catching the flakes of gold dusted upon her ethereal body. She stopped short before him, catching her breath as she stared up at him, the hem of short white and blue gown fluttering around her knees. She bowed graciously, her dark hair pulled back tightly on the top of her head, decorated with pieces of bone and ivory, the thick curls and waves falling elegantly over her shoulders as she bowed. She straightened as Dionysus returned the bow with his hand crossed over his chest and a bow of his head before he was thrown off by the embrace that had him caught off guard momentarily.

“Ártemis, échei perásei lígi óra.” He sighs, patting her back until the huntress pulls away slowly, eying over him with a quick flicker of worry. She smiles a golden smile but a steely glazes over her molten eyes and she suddenly slams her fist on his chest.

He grunts at the sudden force, a step back to cover his off balance and he glares at Artemis. “Aimatirí kólasi, mágissa!” Dionysus grumbles, a dull ache once again throbbing over his chest where he had been wounded. He rubbed his chest like it was but a mere bruise. “Must you really-”

“I must. You leave me without so much as a goodbye. I told you before, I told you time and time again, that you in a drunken mortal body, on the mortal plane is but a recipe for disaster. That faun has you blindsided, I do not know where to begin or understand how you got caught up in such frivolous-”

“I am the God of wild delights, adelfí.” Dionysus cuts her off, irritation peeking at his sister’s irritating actions and her talk of self-righteousness. “It is my calling. I just found kinship amongst another. In fact, I converted that poor faun-”

“Yes. Poor adulterous faun. I do not understand how you can bother to engage in such acts-”

“Much as I love conversations with you, agapití mou aderfí, discussions of sensual acts are not at the top with you and your pure sense.” Artemis glowered up at him, hands on her hips as she sniffed, raising her chin.

“That is a good point but adelfós, such situations can not happen like this. Even Father would-”

“I am a God, adelfí.” His frustration growing as his gaze glowered down at her. “An Olympian. Even my mortal useless body can be so easily broken on simplistic human activities. And I cannot believe I need be clear about that. That I would be so easily harmed by a bump from a car, stumbling like a drunken buffoon...”

“Then how are you here?” Dionysus sighed heavily and glancing around briefly as he questioned speaking about this but Artemis was one of his few siblings that was as honorable as they came. She was smart and she was good at listening and she barely left Olympus. If she heard anything...

“Artemis, maybe it is best if we walk. I could do with it. ” He shook his head and started walking towards the temple gardens, aware it would be empty with Artemis beside him.

“Dionysus...that’s...Aello? Really?”

“Did I stutter?” Dionysus growled, scowling up at the arched ceiling and its streams of gold amongst a sea of white. “And while being easily defeated even in a mortal state by Aello is disturbing and highly ridiculous, that is the least of our worries.” Artemis’s eyes widen at his words and he glowers at his sister. “Skáse. Do you not hear me when I say Pandora’s box is in the hands of that stupid bird?”

“I heard you. I hear you loud and clear, adelfós.” Artemis’s eyes glower darkly as she glances at him warily. “I was not even aware of Pandora’s revival. Or she was with the War Horseman! Wow, that’s quite a turn there. Is there something going on between those two because your tone implied something there.”

“Does that really matter-”

“All things matter. You're tone says yes something grows there, and I think that is adorable and intriguing. A turn indeed,” Artemis waves her hand at him. He groans rolling his eyes, regretting talking to her about this now. “But surely, Zeus would’ve told us about Pandora-”

“He’s not the most sharing and open person, Art. Never has been.” Artemis shakes her head, hands on her hips as she gazes unseeingly on the floor as if she reading something I could not.

“Alright,” She starts, her eyes narrowing deeply as she looks back up at him. “So, Aello tried to kill Pandora. Unfortunately got you but, what is the worry? Pandora was the only one made to open the box anyway. That was just another trick father decided to add. Granted, I can understand not wanting something dangerous out of sight, but Aello cannot open it. Even we might not be able to open it anyway-”

“Aello can open the box, Artemis.” At Artemis’s silence, Dionysus continued. “Someone made a key, Art. A key to take in all those that live within the box-”

“Possession!” Her eyes widened, her golden eyes blanking out in horror and her skin fades from pale gold to ashen. “Dionysus, a possession from that kind of magnitude-”

“Would make such things like Annabelle and the Conjuring seem like child’s play.” Artemis glared at him confused and Dionysus shook his head, waving off the question. “But I know. There are thousands of things, inhabitants, including the rest of the Horseman, within that box and mortals have died trying to use that box with that key. Pandora expressed it so. And Aello has both box and key.”

“Dionysus,” Artemis stared at him silently a strange expression crossing her face. “I remember that creation clear as day. No one made a key. Not even Hephaestus would create such a thing-”

“Unless, Zeus asked.” Dionysus finished off coolly, glaring nervously out into the hallway as if daring his own father to ream down upon him. Artemis shook her head in horror.

“No, no. Making the box was one thing but-”

“But what Artemis? Making the box didn’t cross a line. It broke that line. What difference would making a key do?”

“But father...”

’He’s not an open, sharing person, adelfí. And he sent that box down, no one would see the key. Hephaestus is loyal to father, he would not dare speak out or open his mouth against Zeus.” As the two Olympians stand before each other, confusion and disbelief warping Artemis’s thoughts while Dionysus prepares for what he may or who may be facing up against. But he felt a slight twinge of relief. Artemis was unaware of a key, he wasn’t alone there and he had a slight idea that most of the Olympians, except for his uncles, would be unaware of such a thing. Maybe Hera would know, she was always intervening into father’s affairs one way or another.

“Dion,” Art mutters ignoring my quick glare at the ridiculous nickname. “Are you sure, Pandora is telling the truth?”

“Without a shadow of doubt. That girl is incapable of lying. Too naïve, an open book and she lives with her guilt from the past. A past that we created for her.” Guilt swamps Artemis’s eyes as her gaze lowers. “It is too late to be guilty, adelfí. Unfortunately, being a God is just us merely playing with dolls for we are naught but children to others.”

“Understood.” Dionysus takes a deep uneven breath and stands straighter, squaring his shoulders as he grimaces, preparing for a stance against such a being. “Zeus has some answers we need.”

“Dion!” Artemis suddenly throws herself in front of me, hand against my chest, her eyes wide and fearful and angry. “You cannot go up to Zeus and just accuse him of such things! He may be your father, but he will gladly smite you until you crawl back to your chambers unable to continue. You must tread carefully!” Dionysus stared over the top of his sisters head to the door leading out into the temple hallway, his frown darkening as he avoids looking down at his sister.

“What you rather I not question our Father for what he is playing at? I understand the sentiment, playing God. But I know better than I did those years ago. If Father is still playing this game-”

“I’m not against you, adelfós.” Artemis glared back, chin raised defiantly at him. “I do not like this anymore than you do. But, Zeus, our father, I repeat...you need to be careful. Most of our siblings would not be aware of this, unlikely. We need to question father, but” Artemis steps back from Dionysus, arms outstretched and a challenging smile on her face that barely hides the slight worry and discomfort. “You cannot do it alone.” Dionysus’s eyes widened slightly as he gazed his sister stunned and she smiled softly. “Zeus will have to answer all of us at least, not just two of us. He won’t ignore the rest of us Olympians. And maybe, some justice can be fixed.”

A relieved smile crosses Dionysus’s face and he relaxes faintly and lowers his head respectfully to her.

“Efcharistó aderfí.” Artemis returns the nod and Dionysus walks past her, thoughts ahead and questions in mind. The conversation to come with the rest of the Olympians would not be an easy one.

“Dionysus.” Dionysus halted as Artemis called back to him and he slowed his step to look back at her. Her gaze eyed him strangely and Dionysus spoke up before she had a chance to speak.

“Artemis, if justice is to be fixed, there are a few that need. Not a lot. If the stories are to go by,” Artemis nods vaguely.

“Prometheus. Yes. I’ve never felt good about his punishment.” Dionysus frowned. “His brother remains unknown.”

“I see.” Dionysus mutters, turning back.

“Dionysus, if Pandora was brought back to retrieve the box,” Dionysus faced Artemis, a wry expression crossing on his face as he nodded slowly with a heavy sigh.

“I know. Once Pandora retrieves her box, Zeus will have no need for her anymore.”