The colossal boulder concealing the chariot sat atop the cliff's summit. Deucalion, having trekked through mountains and waded across rivers to reach the cliff base, was unable to find a path leading to the top.
With no other option, the helpless Deucalion gritted his teeth and began to climb the sheer cliff face. After much effort, he finally reached the top, only to be faced with the dilemma of how to break open the massive boulder.
Guided by the wisdom passed down from the prophet, he noticed an arrow glinting on the boulder. A sudden inspiration struck Deucalion, and he reached out to pluck the arrow from its resting place.
As expected, the moment the arrow was removed, the boulder shattered with a thunderous crash, revealing a radiant bronze chariot amidst the rubble.
A spring of water gushed forth from the ground, seizing the chariot's hubs and carrying Deucalion back to the presence of Epimetheus and the ark.
The son-in-law and father-in-law, with no time to celebrate, hurriedly set about completing the ark.
Pandora and her daughter Pyrrha packed their belongings, preparing to move onto the ark to join their husbands. As Pandora sorted through her things, she caught sight of the exquisite box. This magical box seemed to possess an irresistible allure, with its faint and peculiar call often rousing Pandora from her slumber. Her long-repressed curiosity surged anew at the prospect of exploring the unknown. This time, Pandora's reason failed to overcome her curiosity, and she was eager to discover the secrets hidden within the box that had appeared alongside her.
Thinking about leaving this dwelling behind and never being able to uncover the box's secrets, Pandora's fair hands subconsciously reached for the magical box. Although reason continuously tugged at and warned her, she couldn't resist opening it. A multitude of calamities flew out from the box, swiftly spreading across the entire human world—famine, plague, disease, madness, jealousy, greed. These intangible shadows plunged the Iron Age humans into an irreversible chaos.
Mysterious wails echoed in Pandora's ears. Panicked, she staggered and knocked over the box, allowing the light of evolution and hope to silently seep into the earth.
Greed and the longing for wealth consumed the human heart. Diseases and famine pierced the bodies of beasts and the Iron Age humans like blades. Father and son, blood relatives, slaughtered each other for food and property. Greed drove them to loot magnificent temples, shatter exquisite statues, and fill the air with vile curses that angered the gods, prompting them to rain down more curses.
Epimetheus rushed home to find his wife huddled in a corner and the magical box on the ground. Instantly understanding what had transpired, he did not blame his wife but quickly transferred Pandora and their daughter to the ark in the mountains. Pandora, leaning against her husband, cried out loudly, urging neighbors to seek refuge in the ark, but the crazed humans ignored her pleas.
The slow-witted Epimetheus handed his wife and daughter over to Deucalion and hurried to Mount Caucasus to seek advice from Prometheus.
Upon seeing his brother's panicked appearance, the prophet immediately guessed what had happened. After Epimetheus finished recounting the events, Prometheus sighed and said, "My brother, take Pandora back to Mount Olympus. The gods will accept you. However, my son Deucalion and your daughter Pyrrha cannot enter the sacred mountain, as the divinity in their blood will keep them pure and unaffected by the curse. As long as they survive, there is hope for the continuation of the human race."
Epimetheus immediately returned to the ark to inform his daughter and son-in-law of everything and then set off with his wife, who was crying uncontrollably, towards Mount Olympus.
Humans continuously consumed everything on the earth, burning forests and taking pleasure in murder, becoming mad and depraved.
The animals in the forest seemed to hear some command, entering the ark in an orderly fashion. Carnivores and herbivores coexisted peacefully.
The old woman watched the figure of the slow-witted one disappear into the distance and continued towards the next village.
The village leader, Lycaon, was a conceited and ignorant man who degraded defeated tribesmen to slavery, exploiting their strength and sweat for a comfortable life.
The old woman's bare feet touched the land, and the process of growth, flowering, and fruiting was compressed into an instant, banishing illness from all villagers.
The brutal Lycaon was attracted by the crops growing from the ground. He approached with the demeanor of a leader, welcoming the stranger. He whipped the slaves, ordering them to prepare a sumptuous banquet for the guest.
The old woman did not anger at Lycaon's arrogance but demonstrated her power, gently healing the slaves' wounds. She offered Lycaon many gold and jewels, hoping to exchange them for the slaves' freedom.
The endless stream of gold coins falling from the old woman's hands made everyone realize that the ragged old man before them was a member of the eternal gods. But the greedy Lycaon wanted more, threatening the old woman with the lives of the slaves to force her to reveal the secrets of the gods, his murky eyes filled with ugly desires.
He asked if Aphrodite's body was the most voluptuous among the goddesses and about the chastity that Hestia swore to uphold—questions too vulgar and obscene. Yet, the old woman remained indifferent, responding to Lycaon's inquiries with silence and sorrow.
Perhaps the old woman's lenient attitude caused Lycaon to lose his reverence, and he decided to imitate Prometheus, playing tricks on the gods during sacrificial offerings to embarrass them. Secretly, he ordered a slave to be killed, roasted on the fire, and his entrails boiled in a pot to entertain the guest.
The old woman reassembled the meat on the table, reviving the dead slave; however, the tormented soul struggled to return to the body, and the old woman had no choice but to transform him into a white wax tree planted in the courtyard.
She scolded Lycaon with grief and anger, "Has no one ever taught you that cannibalism is an unforgivable sin? Even ferocious beasts would not do such a thing! Your beastly nature surpasses theirs, beyond redemption!"
The goddess revealed her true form amidst a brilliant light, casting an irreversible curse upon Lycaon.
Lycaon screamed in terror, but to the attendants beside him, it sounded like a wolf's howl. The brutal Lycaon grew beastly claws and fur, transforming into a monster forever tormented by hunger! The half-wolf, half-human Lycaon fled in panic, disappearing into the forest.
The sun hid its brilliance, plunging the earth into darkness; the blood-red moon drove the beasts mad, and coldness and oppression hung over humanity like a guillotine, ready to fall at any moment.
Deucalion raised his torch and continued working, finally completing the massive ship.
After the ark was finished, rain began to fall from the sky; day after day, the rainfall intensified. An inexplicable sense of crisis pricked at the couple like silver needles. Deucalion held his wife in his arms, comforting her softly.
The rivers no longer carried rainwater to the sea; the accumulated water flooded the lower plains and valleys. Amidst thunderous roars, Poseidon unleashed a massive tsunami that submerged the earth.
The earth trembled and emitted a deep rumble. The terrified humans offered sacrifices and faith to Poseidon, hoping that the god of the tsunami could calm his wrath. Poseidon's actions earned him the domain of earthquakes and the title of the God who Shakes the Earth. Cronus did not prevent Poseidon from claiming a part of the earthquake domain for himself. In this great flood, the God of Disasters reaped far more than Poseidon.
In the chaotic world, the laws of disaster were unprecedentedly active. With this power, Cronus took the first step towards becoming a primordial god.
Thanks to the presence of the bronze chariot, the ark was unharmed in the tsunami. The blessings of the sea gods extended to the ark, allowing this life - filled vessel to sail smoothly through the waves.
The torrential rain lasted for seven days and seven nights, and the earth turned into a vast ocean. Those who perished in this disaster included not only the arrogant Iron Age humans but also the demons hiding in every corner. This great cleansing stopped as the clouds dispersed.
The children of the Ocean God came to the flooded earth to drain the water and also carved out more rivers and lakes as their habitats.
A desolate land without a trace of green. As the sun brought warmth again, the roots and seeds buried deep underground regained their vitality. All things began to recover under the divine power of Zeus. The power of growth made flowers, plants, and trees return to the earth once more.
The tide receded, and the unscathed ark landed at the foot of a plateau in the highlands. The surviving animals on land, under the influence of reproductive power, began to conceive offspring. Soon, the silent world was once again filled with the cries of animals.
Deucalion and Pyrrha built houses on the plateau and settled down. The surviving couple began to feel lonely. They erected an altar and prayed for the gods' protection and mercy.
Zeus responded to their prayers. Thunder roared across the world. "Deucalion, the descendant of the prophet Prometheus! Mix your blood with the hope - stained soil and throw it behind you. New humans will be born from you and the daughter of all gifts."
Deucalion and Pyrrha followed the instructions of the king of gods. They mixed their blood with the soil and threw it behind them. The mud balls thrown by Deucalion turned into men, and those thrown by Pyrrha turned into women. These humans created by mixing the blood of the godly descendants with soil had short lifespans but were stronger and more hard - working than the previous generation of Iron Age humans. All the good qualities retained from Pandora's bloodline made them resistant to the various evil thoughts wandering in the outside world.
The new humans faithfully worshipped the gods and offered sacrifices according to the will of the gods. Deucalion became the first king. He led the new generation of humans to reproduce and spread human footprints to every corner of the earth once again.
Human development came to a temporary halt, and disputes that were impossible to untangle arose on Mount Olympus again.
Aphrodite had not forgotten her purpose of ascending to great divine power. Which one of Hera and Menoetius' two sons was the god worthy of her whole - hearted trust? Hephaestus was highly skilled in craftsmanship. The jewelry he made was always sought after by the goddesses. Aphrodite had to admit that these things that added to her charm made her feel happy and joyful. Adorned with gorgeous clothes and gem - studded ornaments, Aphrodite was even more dazzling.
However, Hephaestus was addicted to forging and had a rather dull personality, which made it impossible for Aphrodite to develop feelings of love for him.
Similarly being Hera's son, the handsome and strong god of war Ares could arouse Aphrodite's lust. Ares often came to Hephaestus' temple to forge various weapons. Compared with the imposing Ares, Hephaestus seemed even more insignificant.
Aphrodite subconsciously thought that Ares was the god who could make her entrust her whole heart. She quietly came to the earth and used her charming figure and joyful laughter to arouse the lust of the god of war Ares.
But to the surprise of the goddess of love, the god of war was actually free from the influence of the power of lust. The young Ares' desire for war in his heart suppressed the power of lust. He just wanted to pick up his sword and fight against his opponents. For the god of war, only war was meaningful, and lust weighed nothing in his eyes.
Among the humans and gods participating in the fighting, there were few women. Therefore, in Ares' view, Aphrodite's teasing was just an annoying interference factor. If it weren't for the fact that Aphrodite was a noble chief goddess, Ares would have been impolite long ago.
Instead, the goddess of love became interested in this unyielding god. Her several attempts at seduction all ended in failure, which made the incarnation of love and beauty start to doubt her own charm and further strengthened her determination to make Ares fall in love with her.
The endless banquets on Mount Olympus made Aphrodite linger. The three Graces danced gracefully to the music of the Muses and Apollo. The Graces, representing elegance, charm, and inspiration, were the daughters of Eurynome and Poseidon. Although Eurynome did not have romantic feelings for Poseidon, she still had affection for her daughters. The master of the waves brought his daughters to Mount Olympus and asked Queen Leto to take care of her beautiful daughters.
Leto, the goddess of luck, was a gentle deity. At Eurynome's request, she took the three Graces under her wing for protection without controlling them in the name of a subordinate god.
Aglaia, Thalia, and Euphrosyne danced merrily, attracting the attention of all the gods. They were all the good things in life, the personification of the most colorful life, symbolizing reward and gift, in contrast to the Furies.
The three sisters were inseparable from birth. Wherever they went, they would bring a breath of joy. Their innate temperament and divinity kept all unpleasant things away from them. This was extremely in line with the joy and beauty domains of the goddess of love Aphrodite. The four goddesses quickly became close friends and brought joy to the gods together.
The Muses did not want the Graces to enjoy this attention alone. Terpsichore, who controlled the dance domain, stood up and joined the Graces, starting a competition with them. Each goddess's dance had its own characteristics, making the gods unable to help but applaud their superb skills.
Under the influence of the goddess of love, all the gods joined them and danced together in the courtyard. Ares sat motionless by the spring, constantly pouring wine into his golden cup. The charm of the goddess of love soon replaced the Muses and the Graces as the focus, but Ares didn't even have the thought of glancing at Aphrodite. He only thought about when humans could start another war to amuse himself.
The goddess of love changed her previous enthusiasm for Ares and did not pay attention to the cold - faced god of war. The goddess who controlled love clearly knew that for a male god, lust was not the most important thing in the world. If she wanted love to take root in a man's heart, the best time was when he was satisfied and complacent after achieving a sense of achievement. She would strike when the god of war Ares was satisfied with his desire to fight and had achieved victory, planting the seed of lust in the god of war's heart.