Legacies: The Champion of Olympus

23- Pandora's Box

Giant stone statues lined the walls of the room. There were seventeen stone statues total.

I recognized them instantly.

"What are these?" Olivia asked in awe.

"They're the Titans. The ones who ruled before the gods." I said as we looked at the statues. "There are supposed to be eighteen."

"You are smart for a son of Zeus." A voice boomed from the front of the room.

An old frail man sat at the back of the room. He had long white hair with a long white beard with pure white eyes.

"Epimetheus, the Titan of Afterthought." I said to him which resulted in a receiving nod.

That's when I saw it.

The glowing golden box sitting nicely on a pedestal directly in front of the man.

"Come forward Achilles." He croaked out. The voice was the same that had been following me throughout the temple.

Olivia and I slowly walked forward. "I have been waiting for you, for a very long time."

"Why me?" I asked him as I examined the cave.

"You are special."

"Well yeah, I'm a demigod." I said to him.

"Son of Olympus. You are so much more than that."

I looked at him suspiciously.

"Then tell me." I said as he stared off into space.

He shook his head. "Alas, I cannot. That is for you to figure out."

I groaned in frustration. No one ever told me anything it. It was always figuring it out for myself.

He stood weakly. "Come with me."

We walked to the far side of the room and stopped in front of a Titan. They stood at about ten feet tall and each and every one of them held a different weapon.

"This is Atlas, the Titan of Endurance." He said to me.

The Titan was on one knee with his arms out stretched as he held the world above his head.

We followed him as he walked to each Titan telling us who they are.

"Eos, the Titaness of Dawn."

"My brother Prometheus, the Titan of Forethought."

"Helios, the Titan of the Sun."

"Leto, the Titaness of Modesty. Also the mother of your brother, Apollo, and sister, Artemis."

"Coeus, the Titan of Intelligence and Farsight."

"Hyperion, the Titan of Light."

"Oceanus, the Titan of the Ocean."

"Tethys, the Titaness of freshwater."

"Theia, the Titaness of Shining."

"Phoebe, Titaness of Prophetic Radiation."

"Crius, Titan of Heavenly Constellations."

"Iapetus, Titan of Mortal Life Span."

"Mnemosyne, Titaness of Memory and Remembrance."

"Rhea, Titaness of Fertility and Motherhood."

And "Themis, Titaness of Divine Law and Order."

We stopped at the statue that stood tall and mighty directly behind the large black stone that Epimetheus had been sitting on.

"Do you know who this is?" He asked me.

I knew exactly who it was, the dark power radiating off of the statue was enough to give me nightmares. The Scythe the giant statue held onto seemed to draw the heat right out of the room.

"It's Cronus, the Titan of Time. My grandfather." I said to him.

"Correct." He said to me.

I glanced at the pile of rocks where there had once been a statue.

"These aren't just statues are they?" Olivia asked him thinking the same thing that I was.

Epimetheus shook his head. He seemed stronger now.

"The Titans are still very much alive." He said to me taking a seat in what I realized was Cronus's old throne.

"But how?" I asked.

"As the Olympians grew stronger our powers began to disappear, we had begun to fade. In order to survive we called upon Hecate, the Goddess of Magic to preserve our bodies and our abilities in a dormant like state. In these statues." Epimetheus said.

"Like cryogenic sleep." I said in realization.

He nodded. "Years ago I was awoken, by the birth of you. As the rocks crumbled around me I took up my mantle of protecting Pandora's Box knowing that one day you would come for it."

"I thought Cronus was chopped into piece in Tartarus?"

"His body, yes but his essence has been preserved in that statue."

I took a step back.

"Achilles, there are many Titans who are not fond of the Gods."

"And you?"

"My brother and I will remain on the side of humanity. Even with his body being tortured on that mountain by your fathers bloody eagle. His essence remains pure."

I nodded.

"Can I take the box?"

Epimetheus rose his hand towards the box. "It is yours."

I turned and walked to the box. Picking up the glowing gold plated chest in my hands. The amount of power radiating through the box was immense, dangerous.

"Son of Zeus, I must warn you." Epimetheus said.

I turned to face him.

"I will not be the only Titan to wake." The Titan once again looked into space. "A War is brewing."

He said before closing his eyes and becoming silent once more.

I was used to threats but this one, it sounded more like a promise.

"What does that mean?" Olivia asked.

I shrugged. "I'm not sure but we need to get back to Salvatore as soon as possible."

I handed Olivia the box.

She took a good long look at it before slipping it into her bag.

That was strange.

We took the the door that was located on the East side of the room and began our journey back.

It was an easy journey this time.

We walked until we came to a locked metal door in front of us.

I turned the locks and pulled the door open.

Two bodies were lying on the ground, the fire was slowly dying only illuminating the cave walls and the bodies on the floor.

"That was a lot easier than the way there." Olivia said.

I kicked Landon and Hope awake.

"Holy crap. What happened to you?" Landon asked me. He was talking about my charred shirt and my bruised face and arms.

"We have to box, we'll explain everything on the way home." I said rushing them.

"Why are we in such a hurry?" Hope asked.

"I have a feeling Salvatore is about to be in a lot of trouble."