Pandora's Curse -
Chapter 18
Then I could hear the screams. And it was silently loud.
The bloodlust was different. It felt and sounded different. More violent, excited, eager.
Free.
An invisible army of monsters swarming around unseen ready to taste flesh and blood and life and light. The harpies around clutched their heads and flittered nervously around the hall as the surge ran rampant around like the storm that Warren brought along. A wind pulling at my hair that stank of death, fear and the freezing cold and overbearing heat, unable to work in unison. Aello and her sisters gripping onto each as the box emptied within the sisters, their shoulders rising and falling fast as they were struggling to contain it all. Aello was hunched over slightly, her face screwed up tightly. Celaeno on her knee as she struggled to hold herself, her free arm still wrapped around her bleeding abdomen. I could almost see it. Glimmering green veins of eerie light moving beneath their feathers, vibrating as their bodies struggled to adjust to it.
No! Not this, anything but this! Have to get it back! No matter what! While they were distracted, I could take the box and return them all back inside the box and it didn't matter if they had the key, as long as I could close it up hopefully. My steps thundered up the steps I used and I heard an animalistic roar behind me and the sound of fighting as everything moved into motion once again. The harpy sisters were not focused on anything as their bodies tremored and shook violently and I ran around them, hand swiping for the key and reaching down for the box-
"NO!"
The screams of three voices at once penetrated the room but shook my body to its very core and suddenly with a crack, a foot struck out, kicking the box out of reach and off the stage into the crowd, leaving me there frozen.
And facing now three extremely powerful harpies. And it was getting worse.
"YOU WON'T TAKE IT FROM US!" Their voices echoed together in sync as they stepped towards me and in my horror I watched the power change them horrifically. "We work hard for this. We are now one."
"We are together."
"We are almighty now."
Aello stuck in the middle between her sisters as they seemed to grow taller the closer they approached me, their bodies were pulling in closer to each other, molding together until they stood before me as one huge body with six enormous wings and one arm on each side and six legs.
Oh sweet lord in heaven!
"Your God brought this upon yourself."
"Only one to blame now, is your Golden Gods."
"Wish you were never even born, little gift of God." They cackled together, their voices thrumming darkly around me and I stumbled back, unable to look away eve though my feet met the edge of nothing.
"You know nothing, Aello." I stammer, glowering up at the three harpies. "You think you have power and guess what? You do now. But it won't last forever. Those hundreds of beings within will tear you apart." The harpies only grinned wickedly at me.
"That does not faze us in the slightest." They cackled together and I struggled to regain my balance as a hand shot out, grasping my collar and holding me aloft. "At least we have power now. And you'll be gone before you see the extent of how far we reach. Unfortunately, your horseman will forever be forced to remember."
The horsemen? Maybe I can reach out to them?!
"Not if he stops you first. Because he did before." I smirk and grabbing the hidden smaller knife from my back pocket, I swipe it out and across Celaeno's face. The harpy shrieks in fury and anger, the grip on my collar loosening and I feel myself drop. But I don't fear. I felt someone grab me, landing my feet on the ground and pulled back harshly as something sharp swipes towards me, cutting through Warren's shirt instead. Warren retaliates by cutting his sword across the harpies neck, dropping them instantly and I suddenly face an entire room of harpies circled around me. Warren stands next to me, sword in hand and Cupid stands with his back to us, facing the other half of the room. We were three people against an army of harpies and strix, some of which were struggling in the crowd against creatures that lurked within the hidden parts of the basement.
"You did well," Aello cackles loudly, their wings expanding and shadowing over us. "You can go to your deaths knowing you tried. But it was a fight you would never win."
"Don't count on it." Cupid snorted. I gripped my knife, shakily facing the crowd of harpies that leered at us like hungry canines that could smell fear and they were hungry.
"Warren," I whisper, glancing at Warren briefly who meets my terrified gaze and his burning crimson eyes flash darkly but his face hardens even more and he glowers cruelly at the crowd in front of us. "We're trapped." I eye the glowering hungry mob around us, my heart thundering inside my chest. Leering hungry scowls face me, hundreds of bird eyes glimmer with bloodlust and talons curling eagerly and wings trembling with excitement.
No, we can't let it be the end.
I grip my long knife in hand tightly, shaking and trembling before the crowd and the Harpy sisters cackle loudly together, watching us from atop of the stage.
"War Horseman, Pandora, and Cupid...you tried. But this is the end of your temporary road. I look forward to next time War Horseman."
"Don't bet on it." Cupid muttered and suddenly a loud piercing whistle blared beside my ear making me flinch. The whistle echoed loudly through the basement and quietened the harpies and strix who frowned as did I. Warren cursed quietly, shifting around tensely, sword at the ready, his eyes lighting up suddenly.
"You didn't-"
"I didn't but I figured it would be a matter of time because a God is not so forgiving."
Dionysus!? Before I could ask, a loud rumbling came from behind the wall entrance and suddenly a thunderous boom broke through the crumbled balcony. I heard Warren yell my name and felt my body wrenched aside by him as the crowd of harpies were pushed back by the softer blow of air and rocks. Dust and smoke fell around heavily, fogging the room but through the screeching harpies came the shouts and war cries of many others and shadows pouring through the entrance. The sound of steel and metal and through the smoke and falling debris, many in armour and suits poured through the hole running straight at the harpies and strix and a battle began. Through the smoldering cloudy dust and debris was the glint of golden armour and the silvery glint of steel weapons as hundreds of figures dove through and around myself and War. Cupid yelled with delight but throwing himself into the fury. The soldiers were the same ones that fought against the attack at the hotel along with other creatures.
"PAN!" Warren shouted beside me, pulling me away as a harpy dove straight where I just been on the floor, the floor cracking under their talons. The harpy snarled, its wings suddenly slapped Warren's sword aside and I quickly dove to its side, grasping its arm from throwing its talons at Warren. The harpy snarled, batting me off with a toss over its shoulders. "PAN, GET OUT OF THE WAY!" I heard Warren snap.
"NO!" I snapped and jumping up, I ran straight back at the harpy as it towered towards me and spun under its wing as it swiped straight for my head. I evaded the talons swinging for my head, as it was so consumed with coming for me it forgot about Warren who dove away for his sword, briefly disappearing from sight. With a ferocious snarl, the harpy swiped its foot at my legs. In an effort to avoid her hit but I lost my footing, stumbling backwards, my back slamming against a crate. The harpy stormed for me as I readied to jump aside, keeping my eyes on its beady eyes. I twisted out of the way, hearing it slam against the crate I had my back turned to and ducking between crates quickly, avoiding the massive conflict within the room. Jumping out from between the crates, I skid to a sudden stop at the sight before me, my skin tensing as it grew cold in horror. With a low rumble, the massive four legged creature turned around from where it had its head buried in a body of flesh and feathers. Its tail swiping aggressively as it turned to face me, revealing the head of a large feline, its snout dripping crimson and its burning ember eyes viewing me hungrily. Its second head, that of a ram with massive horns, its head white like the entirety of the creatures body, snout stained crimson. A low rumbled from within their throats and from behind the tail whipped eagerly.
Christ!
Before I could run, a sudden flicker of heat and light burned from above and dropped to the ground between myself and the Chimera, spooking it as it reared back with a high pitched snarl. Before I could move, something grabbed my collar, hauling me up onto the crate which I fell back onto with a thump, just before the Chimera could turn me into chow.
"I find anywhere I turn, you just run into trouble don't you?" A familiar voice snorted above and I glanced up to see-
"You?"
"The one and only." The woman I had encountered recently at Dionysus and Pan's adult party several days ago stood above me, a wicked smirk on her face as she sneered at the beast. "It's best you get moving, Pandora and get the box back before it's too late." She helped me to my feet and-
"SHIT!" She snarled, pulling me back just as a large shadow landed before us, and the lady used her forearms to block Aello's strike at my back. With a smooth twist, Aello was yanked aside and allowing me a clear path towards the platform where the box will be. With a shriek, the mutated Harpy sisters slammed into the woman who easily fought back against her, meeting each strike as well as she could. "GET THE BOX, PAN! YOU KNOW WHAT YOU NEED TO DO!"
"NO!" The harpies snarled together, slamming up against the woman who strained back, keeping Aello from coming after me as I turned and start to run over the crates, until I reached the platform. Jumping down from the top and lunging for the box that sat chucked aside and open and the key in no sight. "DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!"
My body chilled as the snarl hissed behind me and I dove forward, hand outstretched for the box only for a blast of air to hit from behind, knocking aside anyone or anything around us. Including the box, which disappeared into the fighting squirming fray. Crawling aside, I see a brief flash of light before its shuttered above me as the Harpies raise now one of their two legs above my head and slamming it down to me. My heart tremored as I raised my hands, catching her large taloned foot and-
Straining against her from crushing my head into nothing.
What?
With a confused snarl, Aello glowers down at me, leaning forward, adding more pressure. My arm trembled as I struggled to hold her foot away from me, my mind in a flurry. How was I doing this? This is impossible!
Impossible but I'm doing it and don't stop!
Gritting my teeth, I glare up at Aello whose body had fully merged with her sisters into one larger harpy body of all three colours. The three of them glowered in fury and frustration at me.
"You-" I gasp through gritted teeth as I continue to strain against her foot. "You're stronger than this! If you can hear me...from within..." I gasp gritting my teeth, I raise my hips up slightly and pull back both my legs and threw them forward, slamming them against her stomach as hard as I could. With a howl and heavy thump, Aello was thrown back violently, crashing against the crate. With a gasp, I stumbled to my feet, shaking and trembling, my blood pumping heavily and wildly. Holy crap! Standing and facing Aello as she snarls, slamming back through the crate and standing before me. Her head now had a huge of grey feathers that faded into black at the top and had eyes within them, along with the feather wings that were stretched tersely out of her face. The many several eyes glowered horribly at me and her mouth split widely into a grin.
"Look who got strong, even for just a brief second." Gripping my knife, Aello lunged towards me and I followed suit. Aello bent forward and her wing swopped across over her back straight for me. The speed of it I hadn't been prepared for and barely dodged under but felt the force of it hit my shoulder. Slipping and skidding over my knees and quickly as I could despite my throbbing shoulders, I pushed back, turning around, and slammed my knife into her lower back as hard as I could, yanking it out and jumping up as she tensed in agony and wrapping an arm around under her chin and slamming the knife into the back of her shoulder. Shrieking in fury and pain, her wings flaring wildly beside me as she tried to shake me off. With a snarl, feeling me twist the knife in as I gripped onto her for dear life until I felt her grab my arm under chin and pull it away, twisting it painfully and I yelled in surprise as I felt my body yanked over and flying until I my jolted, caught in someone's arms and body with a grunt. Quickly, Warren clutching me tightly rolled us aside as Aello slammed her talons down on. I stumbled from Warren's arms standing upright alongside him as we faced Aello.
Aello sneered widely, her wings arching up behind her as she clacked her teeth at us. Warren tensed beside me, his eyes pitch black with a swirling crimson vortex within. His clothes and skin were cut up and had bloodied red stains decorating his self. He met my gaze through blood dripping dripping from the cut on his forehead. Silence took over as we turned back to Aello who sneered in disgust.
"Gladly!" She snarled, gritting her teeth as she reached behind her and shaking, she tore out the knife from her shoulder with a wet tearing sound and heavy grunt. Her wing flittered awkwardly as she rolled her shoulders and twirled the knife easily between her talons.
"Warren, you have to stop them." Warren frowned, not glancing at me. "They can hear us, I'm certain." I whisper quietly, knowing Warren and probably Aello could hear me despite the chaos around us. Warren didn't answer but held his sword at the ready.
"Let's end this." Warren snarled, sword twisting upwards as he lunged towards Aello and catching the knife she swung downwards. Backing up as Warren and Aello danced mightily around the platform, steel clanging sharply and biting my eardrums. With a grunt, War caught Aello's arm and for a move that seemed stupid, he wound her arm his neck from behind, his sword arm elbowing inside her sword arm, making the knife drop from her hand with a clatter.
NOW!
I lunged for the knife as War bent forwards, yanking Aello violently over his shoulder. Aello screamed in fury and agony, his wings fluttering awkwardly as she landed with a thump on the floor and I grabbed the knife. War leaned down with his sword, cutting through Aello's wings towards her chest-
Aello's talons cut though the back of my leg and Warren jerked back suddenly as Aello twisted away, pulling the sword from Warren and her nails slashed upwards, releasing a splash of red and Warren stumbling back, his shirt torn to shreds. With a thud, Warren, fell back but I Aello lunge at me as I crawled backwards in terror at the manic look on her face.
"I'll tear you apart and you can watch!" She squealed, her voice ringing in my head painfully and grasping my neck as she slammed me against the crate. My feet hung off the ground, kicking at her and clawing at her hand, gasping for air. With a low growl, her jaw parted all the way to her ears, revealing the rows of sharp, needle teeth and the black hole that she would devour me. I could barely scream in terror.
"N-NO! NO-Don't...stop...Horsemen! You're brother-" I gasp, squirming violently, desperately. Aello halted, frowning at me and her eyes shuddered oddly. "Beat-beat Aello...War...he needs, you..." With a snarl, Aello sneers viciously and her jaw parts and I suddenly feel her teeth tear into my shoulder.
I scream, feeling her jaw tighten deeper, her teeth digging in tighter. But a thump from behind her and suddenly Aello pulls away, bringing me with her and holding my body tightly against her as a shield as she faces Warren, her jaw parted and blood dripping onto my shoulder which burns horribly. My eyes watering and my body aching all over. Warren's eyes burn a violent crimson within the black of his eyes as he glowers at Aello.
"Whatever you do, Horseman she dies. And I will relish it. However she goes is up to you-"
"My brothers are stronger than even you!" Warren snarled and Aello faltered. "Death, Famine and Conquest...my brothers! Don't let yourself be conquered! You're too strong to be controlled! I need your help!" Warren raised his sword, his lips curling into a vicious smirk. "I know you can hear me, my brothers!"
Conquest, Famine, Death...please! For your freedom!
Aello screamed in fury, shaking violently and Warren lunged forwards as I bit down on Aello's arm, loosening her grip on me and ducking away. Except she gripped my collar and threw me aside and I felt my body roll over the wooden crates and slip over the side. Stumbling upwards, evading the chaos and fury around me as soldiers battled against the Harpies and Strix.
We are strong
I froze, my body tensing.
We will fight back.
The disembodied voice was much a blast of cold air, the kind that could freeze blood. A voice I've heard only a couple times. Voices from within the box.
A scream suddenly broke through my frozen reverie and most turned to see Aello clutching her head on the platform and beneath her feathers, an eerie horrible green glow emanated, squirming through her monstrous body like a hundred worms. She stumbled backwards as Warren stared after her, sword at the ready but stepping back as her body started to glow eerily within. With a pained furious shriek, writhing in agony and her wings flapping frantically. A sudden blast of air exploded outwards, throwing all back and with a ghostly howl, through the flurry of wings and feathers, hundreds, thousands of eerie green streams of light writhed through the air violently, all of them arching down through the crowd in the same place.
THE BOX!
A scream of fury in more than one voice and I glanced back to see Aello on her feet and fighting against Warren who struggled against her. But she not as monstrous as she had been when she was merged.
Her sisters are freed!
And Celaeno was in my way!
Her back to me briefly as she slammed on the ground before me as I shoved through the crowd and was reaching down for something. With a scream of anger, I ran at her, slamming into her from behind. Celaeno snarled furiously, slamming onto her front on the marble floor and I slammed down on her as she rolled over and caught me, throwing me aside. I skid backwards on my back and sat up quickly, as Celaeno rose up slowly, her ominous black form shadowing over me. Stumbling to my feet, ready to fight my way out of this until a flash of green streamed between us, shocking us both. But the stream of green, slammed against Celaeno, knocking her aside and off balance. Shaking her head with a growl she rose up, her eyes glowering violently. The stream of green suddenly circled around me before disappearing in a flash towards Celaeno and then disappearing into the open crate behind Celaeno. And waking up the creature which lingered inside. With a howl, Celaeno lunged towards but something long and thick and slimy lunged out towards Celaeno, wrapping themselves around her legs and then body, squeezing violently as Celaeno screamed and howled in fury. Still struggling, she tore into the snake creature that wrapped around her, reaching out her talons and tearing into it as much as she could. I only watched in terror and even a little pity as Celaeno was still slowly dragged back into the crate as she continued to scream and howl in fury and panic, until she disappeared within. I ran away, in case I heard her screams stop. I didn't want to face whatever that was.
Stumbling backwards, I turned around only to face a snarling face and Ocypete lunging for me, her face bloodied and broken and cut as she ran towards me frantically. I swiped out with my fist, slamming it against her nose and earning a pained howl from her as she twitched. Ignoring the pain in my fists, I threw another punch at her head. She fell aside, her head shaking back and forth as she knelt, struggling to climb to her feet. Reaching for a broken piece of rock from the wall, I raised it above her head and slamming it down on her head. My heart lurched painfully as she crumbled awkwardly with a crack and my stomach churned.
No! Not net yet, not safe yet. Be sick later!
Swallowing back the bile and the guilt that churned in disgust as I backed away from Ocypete's body, turning back to the crowd that was less fighting and there were barely any harpies around.
Did we-
"AAH!" I yelped, feeling my foot yanked back and falling forwards onto my stomach with a grunt and suddenly being yanked back over the dirtied floor. Gasping in terror, I rolled over to meet Ocypete glaring at me, blood oozing down her head. With a frenzied shriek, she climbed over me, hands gripping and tearing into my clothes.
"KILL YOU! KILL YOU! YOU KILLED MY SISTER!"
I grabbed her hands to stop her from clawing at me, squirming in desperation but her body crushed mine down and I was unable to break through, crying out for help. Ocypete's jaw parted ominously as she reared her head back, roaring in fury and lurching down just as a shadow loomed over us. I closed my eyes, waiting for the pain and death and a choked grunt was all I heard, followed by warm wet splatters dripping down my face and chest. Opening my eyes a crack, Ocypete stared down at me with a frozen sneer and blood dripping from her jaw and her chest which had red blooming through it. With a jerk, her body shuddered and I pushed against her, gasping in terror and crawling away as she landed on the floor, her eyes sightless and blood bubbling from her jaw and wound. Gasping heavily, sweat pooling over me until a shadow loomed over me, and a hand appeared before my eyes and I raised my gaze to meet-
"Di-Dionysus! You're-" I babbled in shock, grabbing his hand as the God easily helps me to my feet. His green eyes glowering wickedly and intensely as he gazes coolly down at Ocypete and smirks.
"And that is the end of Ocypete and Celaeno." Dionysus muttered, crossing his chest. "Soon, the three shall be united." My eyes widened slightly as I gazed up at him, stunned and hopeful. "It is done."
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