Chapter 1

My name is…was Πανδωρα. ‘All-Gifts’ was what it meant. It was ironic as the sole purpose of my creation was to punish my fellow mankind.

I was the first mortal woman, created and gifted by the gods to the man who would be my husband, Epimetheus…and bring all evil with it.

I still remember the moment when Hephaestus, the god of smiths, breathed life into my clay body as it became flesh and blood. I still remember the gods of Olympus and many more standing around as they marveled my birth. Their expressions which only looked of awe, in retrospect I could see the pity in their eyes. The joyous laughter which echoed around was, in reality, the laughter of mockery.

As my name suggests, they endowed me with gifts mortals and immortals alike would most likely never lay their eyes, much less hands, upon. The various goddesses gave me Eternal beauty, charm and sorcery and the gods gave me their strength, wisdom and will. The servant gods of Olympus, too powerless to share their attribute, gave me the worldly goods of the Earth; mountains of gold and layers of dresses which would have surely earned the envy of all women should it have existed at that time.

Finally, at long last the King of the Gods, Zeus, came to me to offer his gift. I had kneeled before his majestic presence but I remember a small smile…or was it a smirk? A small slip from his perfect mask as he knew he would be getting his revenge on mankind.

For what sin did man commit for Zeus to order the creation of…me? It would only be later I find out the petty crimes of man in which the King brought down all evil upon them.

As he got down on one knee, the Lord of the Sky kissed my forehead as I felt a foreign entity enter my mind. One in which I got no explanation of…it was when I was brought to me husband that I would find out it was Curiosity and it’s true purpose.

As a parting gift, they gave me one final worldly item, a pithos or a Jar. A jar so large that it would have been impossible to have carried alone but thankfully the gods have enchanted it. Tied to my soul, it will always respond to my call and appear right next to me…and only I would be able to open and close it. I was the key.

As Hermes lowered me down to the mortal realm, he warned me to never open the pithos. I was a mere creation of the great gods, so who was I to disagree? Without a moment of hesitation, I agreed and swore my oath that I would never open the jar.

There isn’t much to share about my marriage life as for me it was a life with no love. To Epimetheus I was nothing but a trophy. A tool for pleasure and adoration, a decoration which no other man had. Something to show off to the other men as they congratulated him on his loyalty and reward. It’s a strange concept to think that none of the men had any bad feelings towards him in this day…of course it would be because none of those were with man just yet.

Years passed but I never aged. None of us did. Mortality was not yet a concept and it was only natural that man would live forever…except they didn’t. Day after day, year after year the small part of my mind that I had shut off grew louder and louder taking more and more of my will to keep quiet.

The courage of Ares and Poseidon’s iron will helped me keep the endless whispers quiet…but it grew stronger and louder. The sound demanded to be heard until I could not ignore it any longer.

The gift of Zeus pounded in my skull ordering….ordering me to open the jar but I held. It begged me to take just a small peak inside, it pleaded me to satisfy its need but I held on. After all I had made an oath with the Lord of Messengers after all, it was a bad omen to ignore advice from the gods.

I prayed to the gods to release me from the ever-increasing pain. I prayed to Hades to take me to his realm where all was silent. I tried to cut off the sounds by testing the borders of mortality but alas I could not die just yet. I pleaded Epimetheus to tell the gods to take away my gift…but alas nothing happened. Nothing worked.

I recall the night when it happened. When the screaming inside my head finally took over as I resisted it with all I could. My talents falling useless before curiosity as it broke through the shields I had built up, taking control of my arms and soon my legs as they jerked out of my control.

I grabbed at my hair to force pain to calm the parasite, to kill it with me…but I couldn’t. After all, who was I, a mere mortal woman, a tool of the gods, to resist the plan the King of the Gods made for me?

Curiosity called upon the pithos as it appeared before my eyes…tempting the first-evil within my head even further. I tried to scream for my husband to help but no sound came out as if a rag had been shoved inside my mouth. I fell onto my side and I attempted to stay-myself but my hands crawled, nails digging into the floor as it took me to the edge of the glorious jar.

Tears streamed down my face as I made silent prayers for forgiveness, for punishment, to stop me…but nothing happened except the inevitable.

My hands pulled me up to the side of the pithos and my neck, against my will, Ford me to look down as my hands pushed away the lid…and using my left eye I peaked inside.

Even if eternity passed there would be no words to describe what I had saw inside with words. No amount of words or pain could describe the evil inside…the evil of all humanity inside a jar. My right now, thankfully closed, was saved from the pain but my left eye burned.

It burned…it burned…it burned!!!!

I felt the crimson liquid drip down from my cheeks as I tried to close my eye…but it wouldn’t, I couldn’t. In the face of all darkness, evil, injustice, and cruelty I was forced to watch.

What felt like eternity was only a moment as the darkness began to bubble up before exploding outwards to plague humanity for the rest of its existence. I, who was caught right in the center, lost myself to darkness’ embrace as I collapsed.

It must have been hours later when I woke up again only to find that cursed jar again…still open. Strangely, the screaming plague inside my head was finally quiet, as if it was gone, gone having served its purpose. I stood up from the floor and went to the side of the jar as I dared myself to look in once again and hope that nothing was gone.

“Hah…ha…hahaha…heheheheh” Nothing but empty laughs came out. It was tragic…so tragic that nothing else excepts laughs came out.

No such luck…the jar which was once filled with all evil was empty…no. There was one little curse remained. Elpis, I was able to know instinctively, hope. Hope refused to leave mankind on its own. Looking at the little ball of darkness shudder, I put the lid back on the pithos and hoped that the gods wouldn’t come for me.

Then the plague hit me. For the first time for all of humanity, I felt anger…rage, betrayal. I felt the pain of realizing that this was the gods’ plan all along. I couldn’t recall much afterwards as a bloodcurdling scream came up from my throat as I began cursing the gods with all my heart.

“Hehehe” I chocked on my laughter

When I could think…remember again, the only thing I felt was emptiness. There was nothing left. My husband left, the neighbors fought each other to death or were killed by the plague. Disease, having been freed after eternity, consumed life after life making the earth barren.

Realizing the darkness, the lack of sight, from my left eye I opened my right eye to see the light. Looking at my shaking hand which turned an awful shade of blue I knew what had come for me. At this point, I had nothing left for me.

“Hehe, So be it…”

I could have prayed that death take me and drink from the Lethe to wipe away my memories or for my soul to be cast in the fields of Asphodel to never be remembered again but no prayer left my lips. There was no point anymore.

Sitting in the dirt as I watched the world burn around me as mankind killed, died, and fell…I closed my eyes as I felt the pain reach my heart to take my life.

I felt death resist me as he felt the blessing of Hades but as the reaper walk way, I held tight to his hand.

“You need not die. You, mortal, who hold the key to un-death”

I didn’t let go…there wasn’t a reason for me to suffer in life anymore. The god, understanding, began to take my soul.

I offered no resistance.

Should I have the power and chance I would use it to kill the gods who did this to me…but who was I to do such things? After all, who was I, a mere mortal woman, a tool of the gods, to resist the plan the King of the Gods made for me?

And so I, Πανδωρα, Pandora, All-Gifts, the first mortal woman, wife of Epimetheus, and bringer of all evil died.

How much time has passed?

“How could they do this to a poor child like you?”

Who…? Who was that?

“There is nothing to fear…just rest for now. Wake up when you are ready”

It probably wasn’t logical to listen to the voice but I was just so tired…tired like I had just ran across worlds. Listening to his soothing voice, I slipped back into the comfortable oblivion. Just a little more…just a while longer…let me ignore the world and forget my pain.

My awareness came back slowly, moments at a time. Waking up for longer and longer before I was able to open my eyes and see once again.

My first realization was that I was floating. My feet not touching the ground…my entire body not feeling the weight, or any weight, at all. Moving around slightly I found that while I kept my form, I no longer had a physical body. My arms, while I could see them, were translucent.

Perhaps it was due to my long sleep or my resignation or even my knowledge of my death but it didn’t frighten me nor did it shock me. I merely knew that this would be the case should Hermes not take my soul or Hades reject my entrance.

But where was I?

Above me were…stars. Not just the small dots above in the night sky but actual stars…directly above me. Millions, if not billions, of gigantic stars shined brightly lighting up the world…but why were the stars so close to the world?

“The Stars aren’t close to the world. It’s simply because we are high up that you can touch the stars now.”

But that was impossible…wasn’t it? I saw the stars on Mount Olympus, the highest point in the world, throw up their beloved belongings into the night to become star patterns, constellations, which were still nothing but small points in the sky.

“This isn’t Earth anymore. This is simply the ‘Outer World’.”

Finally acknowledging the voice I turned to see a living, physical, being. His presence reminding me too much of the gods to call him human. Instinctively my rage flared up before I calmed myself through the memory of his voice. The voice that had allowed me to rest.

His form…his appearance confused me. I couldn’t see him clearly, only feel him. I could tell he was tall, huge, and comforting? No doubt overwhelmingly powerful but I couldn’t see him.

“It is only natural for humans to not be able to see my figure. There is nothing to fear…as I was human myself once.”

I looked, or tried to look at him, shocked at this revelation. He was human…that meant he no longer was one anymore. Then what was he? A god? Something more? His presence surely did feel that way.

“Axis. Axion. Axel. Many names have been given to beings like me in this endless world. Personally, I think we are authors of our story. We are omnipotent in our little space. We weave and illustrate our little part of the world creating a story for ourselves.”

So he was something like a god then. A god of everything as long as the area was under his jurisdiction.

“I just happened to be blessed with more than others. Enough of it to create this Tower. An Endless Tower in an even endless world”

He breathed out…no, sighed…as he continued

“Those who are lost come to this world from all worlds. Dumped into this never-ending realm. Most are low creatures…humans, demons, animals. Sometimes gods, even more powerful beings, even mindless world-eaters from only Kara knows where.

Most of the time, they’re dropped off outside of our territories. Far far away from us usually…but you must have found your way here somehow. To my tower.

Not that I mind. It’s been so lonely up here writing my story. All alone on the top of this tower of mine with nothing but the stars. While I would appreciate your company, you came here for a reason didn’t you? Tell me…what was your last motive?”

I didn’t want to answer. I shouldn’t answer…and yet I couldn’t stop the sound from crawling up my throat. My heartfelt feelings.

“Revenge…” I choked out “Revenge against the Olympians and their followers. Revenge against those who made me.”

“I see”

The figure seemed to ponder for a while before turning back to me.

“Then why don’t we make a deal?”

Deal?

“Within this tower, there exists an opportunity to grow endlessly powerful. To become so powerful that you could step on those gods of yours as if they are mere ants.

Unfortunately, I am confined to this Tower as it’s creator…but you, you aren’t.”

I felt my breathe hitch as I pondered the possibility. Me, a mere mortal, earning power equal to or even beyond the gods. If…if only that was possible then my revenge…

“Enter the Tower and climb back here, to the top. Within the tower exists countless trials and tests but also rewards of equal measure. Inside the tower, you can get stronger, stronger than those gods you speak of…and once you reach here, the top…”

His hand reached out as he touched one of the stars

“As it’s creator and the last Administrator, I promise to grant you your wish…anything”

There had to be a fault. No one, not even God, should be this generous. No gods were…it just wasn’t how things worked.

So tell me Πανδώρα (Pandora)”

He…he knew my name all along

“Will you take this chance?”

With no doubt.

“Yes” I nodded without a moment of hesitation.

“What will you risk?”

I would offer everything, risk everything. Everything I had if I could have that chance…if I could slay the arrogant king’s throat and let the blood choke his family. What wouldn’t I risk…

The answer was rather simple. It was in my name after all…all the things I could offer to this man, this god, this Axis, my savior. To give him everything the blessed ones gave me.

“Pan-Doros (All Gifts)”