She received the gift of God [Greek mythology]

At the beginning when Father God Zeus ruled the sky and the earth, he swallowed Metis and obtained infinite wisdom and strategies.

Years later, Zeus bestowed the power of foreknowledge on Apollo, and Phoebe, Leto's mother, transferred the power of promulgating oracles to her children and grandchildren.Apollo was thus able to preside over prophecy.Even today's arrogant human beings pay homage to his temple again and again, just to seek guidance on the direction of building a new city, or to know in advance the good or bad of the expedition.

However, Apollo rarely made prophecies on his own initiative.

Hermes restrained his smile, and asked politely after a long while: "He...?"

"He doesn't know yet." Apollo's expression became complicated. "Indeed, if he knew this prophecy, he would definitely order the destruction of Pandora and make a new gift. But—"

But Hermes' first reaction was not to care about his own situation in the prophecy, but whether Zeus knew about it?

Apollo stared at him in bewilderment: "That's not your style." He shook his head. "None of this is like what you would have done."

"Indeed," Hermes sneered, "I am indeed not in a normal state."

He pressed the heart, with a strange smile on his face: "Eros' golden arrow pierced here. When she came into my sight, the fierce flames reveled in my chest. And when I couldn't see her, another A flame takes its place, like a waterfowl nibbling at rotting driftwood, slowly but surely stripping me of the attention I should be focusing on other things."

Apollo's expression made Hermes laugh: "Generally speaking, you should be the one who speaks such nonsense. After discovering Eros' prank, I resisted and tried my best. Love is so stupid, and now I still Think so. But..."

"I actually found happiness in this foolishness. Although small, this may be the happiness I have never experienced so far. Apollo, I apologize for mocking your obsession with chasing the one you love before." Before Apollo could answer , Hermes asked in a soft tone:

"You chased love across the land, disappointed again and again, cursing yourself for lack of good luck, and only bringing bad luck to those you love, but never causing any catastrophe. And as an angel who spreads good luck, To bring disaster on Olympus just because of this little joy that has not even been realized? To make me fall into misfortune that you cannot even decipher? My beloved countrymen, I cannot help feeling suspicious."

Under the influence of the power of eloquence, Apollo couldn't find any words to refute for a while.

Hermes smiled slightly, and continued to persuade: "Besides, what happened in Ilysion is no different from a real dream, and it is impossible to trigger the vicious future you see. Apollo, you are overreacting, I--"

"Stop," Apollo lifted the reins, Pegasus neighed, and some invisible net broke open, "No one can resist your words, and I will be convinced by you. I will not argue with you. If you Insist on not letting me take Pandora—”

"Your powerful twin sister will give me an arrow?"

"I don't think you'll change your mind that way."

"So, you will tell everything to our great father?"

"Hermes, it's not that I don't understand your feelings. I...don't plan to tell Father God about this for now. You can continue to stay in Ilysion for a while, but dreams can only be dreams."

That last sentence stabbed Hermes.

Apollo emphasized his tone: "Son of Maia, who is proficient in deceit, you have no option other than to be honest in this matter. You must swear that you will finally send Pandora back to Olympos, and then, as the Father God wishes, Hand her over to Epimetheus and make sure Zeus' plans are carried out. Otherwise, I'll report everything at once and let Artemis destroy Pandora."

As the guardian of maidens, Artemis has another side: she can easily take the lives of young women.

Hermes replied, "Of course, I swear."

Apollo smiled tolerantly: "Not to swear to me. That has limited binding force on you."

Hermes understood something, and his pupils shrank suddenly.

"I speak, and I swear to the waters of Styx that flow from the palace of Styx."

There are five main rivers in the Underworld: Acheron the River of Misery, Cocytus the River of Lamentation, Piriphlegdon the River of Fire, Lethor the River of Oblivion, and Styx the Styx of the Sworn River.

The Styx is a deep blue river like molten lapis lazuli.

The palace of the Goddess of Styx stands at the source, with towering rocks as the eaves and rows of majestic silver pillars. The cold flashes are faintly visible even in the thick fog, like the dazzling stars underground.

"There is a rock in the palace, and the water flows out from the cracks in the rock, becoming the water of Styx that will never mix with other rivers." Charon propped up the boat, and the boat stopped at the blue-gray lake of Acheron. The edge of the waves.

The fog here is slightly lighter, and the color of the water surface can be clearly seen.As long as Charon stretches out the oar a little more, he will touch the rich dark blue river water.Strangely, as the boatman of the Styx said, although it is connected to Acheron, the water of Styx does not mix with it at all, as if there is a colorless soft barrier in between.

The deep blue water waves inexplicably made Pandora feel apprehensive, but she couldn't look away.

"The water of Styx has terrible power. Whenever there is a dispute between the gods who are insulated from death, if the oath agreement is required to mediate, Elis, the goddess of the rainbow, will come to draw water so that the gods can face the water of Styx. To swear, that is a poisonous oath to the goddess of Styx."

Swear?

She turned her head to look at Charon, and asked softly, "What will happen if you break your oath to Goddess Styx?"

"For a whole year the Oathbreaker was forbidden to drink honeydew or celestial wine, unable to speak, move a finger, or even breathe, but to sleep motionless, and a wicked stupor lay upon him. "

Pandora couldn't help swallowing a mouthful of saliva.

"And this year is just the beginning. For the next nine years, the gods who violated the oath will always be exiled, unable to attend any banquet or assembly in the sky and the earth, and lose the right to participate in the decision-making of the gods." Charon said frankly, " Therefore, the oath of Goddess Styx is especially effective, and no wayward god dares to break the promise to the water of Styx rashly."

It turns out that even gods have vows that cannot be easily broken.

Pandora lowered her head and hugged the amphora tightly.

Charon's gray-blue eyes staring into the distance suddenly narrowed.He immediately turned the direction of the bow: "It's about time, I'll take you back to the shore."

When the water bank full of golden spikes emerged from the thick fog again, Pandora's eyes immediately caught the familiar figure.

When the boat barely touched the shore, she stood up, causing the side of the boat to rock back and forth.Hermes couldn't help laughing, leaned over, put his arms around her waist and hugged her to the shore.

Charon raised an eyebrow almost invisibly.

Hermes met Charon's eyes without fluctuating expressions. He took the amphora from Pandora, and put the back of his hand against her cheek: "It took a little longer to finish, are you bored?"

She shook her head: "Charon took me around the lake and told me a lot about the underworld."

Hermes made a long "Oh" and teased with a smile: "When I was dealing with Apollo, it turned out that you were enjoying a cruise on Acheron."

Pandora raised her eyes and stared at him as if protesting, her eyes flickered, showing worry, and she was about to ask a question.

Hermes understood it, and explained lightly: "It's nothing, Apollo has left." Without giving her a chance to ask, he turned to Charon: "I owe you a favor."

Charon nodded expressionlessly.Then, he suddenly said to Pandora: "Tell me your name when we meet next time."

Pandora didn't have time to answer, the oars broke through the water with a soft sound, and the boatman on the Styx had already disappeared into the mist.

"He likes you very much, it's not common, not only that," Hermes raised Pandora's face, and scraped the cheek with his fingertips. The pause between sentences made his exclamation more indescribably complicated, " You also fooled Apollo. You did a great job."

He was complimenting her, but he didn't seem pleased.Something was bothering him.

Negotiations with Apollo are definitely not as simple as he said.

"You must have a lot of questions, but you shouldn't stay here for long," Hermes picked her up with ease, and asked her as if asking for advice, "I'll talk about it when I have something to say, okay?"

"Mmm." It might be at this moment that Pandora really felt at ease.A strong tiredness swept over her body, she closed her eyes, and rested her cheek on his chest.It seemed only for a moment, maybe a long time later, when they opened their eyes in a daze, they had already returned to the original place of happiness.

When they left, the car was hanging high, and they obviously stayed outside for a short time, but Ilysion seemed to have passed another day and night, which was the quietest time before dawn.

Hermes did not take her back to the temple at the southern end, but to the hill.

"Apollo made a mess in there, and it will take time to get back to normal."

Pandora responded, sitting on the edge of the bed in the stone house and rubbing her eyes, trying to cheer herself up.

Hermes untied her cloak, stroked her hair and whispered softly, "You need to rest well."

His gentle words made the drowsiness even heavier.

Pandora lay down obediently, barely opening her eyes.Hermes stood beside the bed, as if he didn't intend to stay for a long time.She couldn't help stretching out her hand, and hooked his fingertips, but her words were the opposite of the small gesture of retention: "You should also go back to the temple to rest."

"I will, after you fall asleep." Hermes said to perform a little magic to ensure a peaceful sleep without dreams.

Pandora was already familiar enough with this technique, she shook her head: "I... want to dream."

He was silent for a moment in surprise, and said slowly: "Then I wish you a sweet dream."

She closed her eyes, took a breath, opened them again, and asked worriedly, "Will you continue to teach me tomorrow?"

"of course."

Pandora wanted to say something else, but before the words could escape from her parted lips, she had already fallen into a deep sleep.

Hermes stood there for a long time, and he didn't know what he was thinking.Just as he didn't know what else he could teach Pandora.

Teaching is an excuse for self-deception, from the beginning, but then more than an excuse.He hopes that deceit and lies will help Pandora defend herself.He missed the chance to stop, the exception is only the first time and from now on.So it seems that it is not enough to give her a weapon to protect herself, if it is not for Apollo to intervene...

- Black snow fell from Olympus, and thunder fell from the seat of the sky.

Hermes raised his right hand and turned around to look at his palm and the back of his hand.Even at this moment, he is still dubious about Apollo's prophecy.He even suspected that Apollo deliberately exaggerated and distorted what he had foreseen in order to ensure that Zeus's plan was foolproof, so as to intimidate him so that he would not act rashly.

Yet with this hand he did draw water from the dark blue river, and filled the golden jar of the god of prophecy.Then he returned to Apollo, poured the water of Styx on the ground, and swore that he would not give Pandora eternal life, but would bring her back to Olympus, and then escort her and the rest of the gods' gifts to the world to ensure that Pro Mithes' brother held her hand and did not let go.He promised so to the goddess Styx.

There is no other way.Otherwise Pandora will die and the gods will re-prepare gifts.

In exchange, he could continue to dream in Ilythion.

It seemed only a little better than letting Apollo take her.

Before leaving, Apollo said that compared with their endless lives, any chapter of heartbreak, any mistake is only a moment after all.Hermes guessed that this was Apollo's unique way of comforting.Ironically, he also explained the other party in the same way, half mocking and half relieved.

On the first night, he also stood here watching the sleeping Pandora.At that time, he thought that if he filled the flame of love with the most simple and rude way, he might get tired of it soon and completely get rid of the influence of Eros' golden arrow.

But now Hermes wasn't so sure.

What's more, he has already vowed to hand over Pandora to Epimetheus.No matter what happened in Elythion, he would part with her eventually.But isn't it enough that something happens before you have to say goodbye?

At this moment, Pandora turned over and let out a sigh.

Then Hermes realized that he couldn't be satisfied with just dreaming.

It doesn't matter if you are in a dream without knowing it, but once you know it, you will always wake up, or even know how much time is left before the dream dissipates, it is better not to have such a dream.Why seek the illusion of possession if you will lose it eventually?

Then simply carry out the name of teaching to the end, and leave after drinking all the celestial delicacies and secret wine?Or simply send Pandora away in advance?

Neither option is reconciled.

Hermes sat down on the edge of the bed, staring at Pandora in a daze.

Elysion's night was warm and quiet, but she seemed to feel cold, and curled up inwards, only showing him a glimpse of his back in the hair.He couldn't help reaching out to brush away her loose honey-colored curly hair, holding her slender shoulders, and gently pulling her back towards him.

Pandora frowned in her sleep, and shrugged her shoulders as if avoiding his touch.

Hermes suddenly felt thirsty.Doubt and anxiety burn the mouthpiece.

Pandora is no longer ignorant and ignorant.Did the shyness and attachment she showed to him really belong to him?

Aphrodite's gift and his extra money gave her the ability to show this to anyone.She had already proved it once with Faol.Maybe she's just a serious and good student, dutifully doing what she was created to do.She was even able to make the harsh Charon look differently.Maybe she was just acting what he wanted to see, too.

The certainty falters and becomes unresolved.

The only thing that's certain is that he desires her to the point of absurdity because of the potency of a damned golden arrow.

Hermes thought in a trance, that day in his residence, under his gaze, she intentionally and slowly licked her fingertips stained with fruit juice.A poor but effective seduction.He barely restrained himself.

Perhaps one day she would do the same to Epimetheus.

Farther down the hill, in the woods, was a fruit tree laden with overripe apples.

He clearly heard the overwhelmed branches bend, break, and fall to the ground.

Hermes lowered himself and naturally found Pandora's lips.He was amazed at his proficiency.Probably because I have fantasized too many times, I will eventually lose to the long-awaited desire.

He didn't use the double snake staff to cast the spell of sleepiness, and Pandora might be awakened by his sucking and grinding at any time.

But maybe that's what he wanted.Hermes thought with a bit of resentment.If she woke up at this moment, the reaction at the moment of waking up would not be false.He would know exactly what she thought of him.