The Atonement of Prometheus

Chapter 4: The Epitome of Humanity

Kassandra was an intriguing human.

She spent the better part of the afternoon leading Prometheus around the dig site. She chattered incessantly, but not unpleasantly, sharing her theories on the uses of the more 'obscure' items her team had unearthed. As the day started to cool, the sun casting long, wavering shadows over the open site, she led him to the side and unlocked one of the artefact storage vaults. She walked inside, opening this locker and that until she let out a triumphant 'Aha!' and pulled out a small, earthenware cup.

"So, household items are your specialty. What do you think?" Kassandra asked, her lovely brown eyes sparkling in the afternoon light. She walked back over to him and handed the cup over gingerly.

"Of what?" Prometheus turned the cup around in his palm and took in the remaining lines of decorative etching on the outside.

"The cup! It's much smaller than all the other ones we've found. Smaller than any on record. Ryan thinks it was most likely made to hold spices, as an alternative to a jar, but here"—she reached out, brushing her fingers over the etching—"the symbolism here implies that it held wine. Perhaps it was part of a miniature ritual offering set for Dionysus."

Prometheus let out a dignified laugh at her fanciful analysis. Kassandra's brows furrowed in confusion and hurt as she looked at him. He carefully schooled his face into apologetically neutrality and cleared his throat. "Sorry, I had a tickle in my throat," Prometheus lied, handing the cup back. Her warm skin brushed against his; it was surprisingly rough from the physical rigours of her work. "It certainly is an interesting piece, although I would dare say it is just a cup. Not all of these items have unique purposes."

He intended to say it gently, but Kassandra looked crestfallen. Still, she shook it off and gently set the cup back in its locker. "We should still look into it, just in case." Kassandra's voice was firm, undeterred.

And in that moment, Prometheus realised that Kassandra was the epitome of humanity. She was curious, persistent, bold, thoughtful, and good-natured. She had an innate ability to notice extraordinary details on ordinary items, and her imagination was... well, it was well-developed. Her fantastical idea about the cup, and several other items she had shown him, introduced him to her strong creative spirit. She must have been favoured by at least one of the muses. Potentially more. However, that did not make her assumptions correct, because as much as Prometheus hated to be the bearer of disappointing news, sometimes a cup really was just a cup.

Prometheus was about to ask about the others wonders they discovered, when Kassandra's name echoed across the site. He turned at the same time she did, looking across the pit to see her supervisor standing and waving at her.

"We're having a wrap-up and debrief in ten!" Nickolas called out.

Prometheus did not need to spend much time convincing the man that he really was Doctor Theo Demetriou, researcher for the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki. Nickolas seemed like a good human. A lot of Gods and Titans would not have bothered themselves with something as trivial as remembering his name. Humans were, after all, so very short-lived. Prometheus, on the other hand, created the first specimens of mankind out of clay. He gave them life, and culture, and fire. He was rather fond of his creations and how they had evolved, so he had more patience for them than all the other immortals put together.

"Oh, right, sure!" Kass called back, interrupting Prometheus' thoughts. She turned and gave him that pretty, awkward smile of hers. "I, uh, I guess this is where we wrap it up for the day, huh?" She shrugged and tried to look cavalier about it, but Prometheus could taste the disappointment on the charged air between them.

"Of course," Prometheus said with a bow of his head. "Thank you ever so much for your tour Κυρία Anasta—"

"Kass is fine."

"Kassandra," Prometheus conceded. "It has been... enlightening." Prometheus was just about to turn around when a warm summer breeze stirred the grounds, sending a splattering of leaves swirling around Kassandra's feet and dancing over to the ruins of beneath the amphitheatre. They settled in the doorway of a small, dark chamber that looked like it was freshly unearthed. The moment that Prometheus' eyes settled on it, the building resonated with a deeper part of his being.

"Uh, Doctor Demetriou?" Kassandra waved her hand a little and bit her lip as she tried to catch his attention.

"Sorry, Kassandra. I was distracted by that chamber." He nodded towards it. "Is there any chance I could take a quick look in there before I walk you to your meeting?" Prometheus asked.

Kassandra looked over her shoulder and make a choking sound. "Oh, that chamber's uh, well.. It's empty. Nothing to see there. I had hoped it would hold something exciting, but no! Zip, nada, nothing. Totally and completely devoid of anything that could even be considered remotely interesting!" Kassandra rocked back and forth on her feet in a most suspicious manner.

"All the same. I would still like to look." Prometheus turned and used his long strides to outpace her before she could attempt to stop him. After the moment it took for Kassandra to register her shock, her footsteps scuffled in the dirt as she shuffled to catch up to him. "You know, rooms like this were usually used as an addendum to the main Amphitheatre to hold items like trophies, laurels, and other ritual presentation items. It has the potential to be an interesting space."

Behind his back, Kassandra muttered to herself, "I knew it!".

When Prometheus crossed from the waning afternoon light into the dark antechamber, he sensed a resonant power immediately. It thrummed in time with the world around it, with the pace of the Fates' tapestry; a ghost of a pulse of creation-giving energy. Only items of epic power would leave a trace like that behind. It had to be here.

"Kassandra, do you have a shovel?" Prometheus removed the cufflinks from his shirt, tucked them into his pocket, and rolled up his sleeves.

Kassandra gulped. "A shovel?"

When Prometheus turned to look at her, her eyes were as wide as teacup saucers. He could see that familiar glint of lustful appreciation in her eyes as she took in his perfectly fitted shirt and toned forearms.

"Yes, I believe there is an important item in here that I must recover before I go."
Kassandra's eyes narrowed and she rested her hip against the archway, inspecting her nails and trying to act casual as she asked, "What kind of item?"

"An item for my research," Prometheus lied with astounding ease.

"Some random household item that is the missing link in your thesis?" The faked indifference continued.

Prometheus nodded.

Kassandra cleared her throat. "There is nothing in this chamber."

Prometheus could taste the lie on the air between them, sharp and tangy. "Not now, perhaps, but was there anything in here when the chamber was first opened?"

Kassandra's shoulders stiffened and she narrowed her eyes. "Doctor Demetriou, what exactly is it you're looking for?" Kassandra straightened up, shoving her hands into her pockets and balling them into fists.

She may believe she was being successfully deceptive, but Prometheus could read the poor woman like an open book. Humans were terrible at such trickery. At least, they were when compared to Gods and Titans.

"Kass! Meeting! Now!" A male Australian accented voice called out.

Kass deflated, shoulders sagging as she looked past Prometheus. She reached behind back, scratching the back of her neck as she looked at him apologetically.

"Kassandra, I understand that what you find on this site is the business of the university, but there is an item that I must find to save—" Prometheus stopped, realising that he had almost given her more information than he intended. "Save my research. Countless years of work will be worthless if I do not find it."

Kassandra frowned as she looked into his eyes again. She blushed in that pretty, demure way that humans did when they liked what they saw. She had to have been at war with herself; torn by the rules of her job and her desire to help a man she found attractive.

Prometheus sighed, knowing he could not push the issue any further or he may scare her off. "Kassandra, if you think of anything please call me, I very much require the pithos that was in this room. If you can tell me anything, anything at all about it, please come and see me before I depart. I am dining at the local taverna tonight at eight o'clock." Prometheus reached out and took Kassandra's hand, looking deep into her eyes in a way that he knew would make her loins heat with desire. "I hope to see you there."

Then, without further delay or explanation, Prometheus turned and showed himself off site.