The boulder containing the war chariot was located at the peak of the cliff. Deucalion traveled a great distance to reach the base of the precipice, but he could not find any path leading to the summit.
With no other recourse, Deucalion gritted his teeth and began to climb the cliff. Upon finally reaching the top, he was again troubled by how to break open the massive stone.
The wisdom passed down from the prophets allowed him to notice an arrow glinting on the boulder. A flash of inspiration struck Deucalion, and he reached out to pull the arrow free.
Indeed, as the arrow was pulled out, the boulder shattered with a roar, and a gleaming bronze war chariot appeared amidst the crumbling stones.
Springwater from beneath the earth held the chariot's wheels, carrying Deucalion back to Epimetheus and the ark.
The father and son-in-law had no time to celebrate and rushed to complete the ark.
Pandora and Pyrrha, mother and daughter, packed their belongings, preparing to move onto the ark to live with their husbands. While packing, Pandora saw the exquisite box. This magic box seemed to possess an irresistible allure, and vague, strange calls often woke Pandora from her sleep. The exploration of the unknown reignited her long-suppressed curiosity. This time, Pandora's reason did not triumph over her curiosity; she was desperate to know what secrets this box, which had appeared with her, truly held.
Thinking that she was about to leave this dwelling and would thus never know the box's secrets, Pandora's fair hands subconsciously brushed against the magic box. Reason continuously pulled and warned her, but she could not resist opening the box. The various calamities that flew out of the box quickly spread throughout the entire human world: famine, plague, disease, madness, envy, and greed. These invisible shadows rapidly plunged the Black Iron humans into irreversible chaos.
A strange wail echoed in Pandora's ears. Panicked, Pandora stumbled and knocked over the box. The light of evolution and hope silently seeped into the earth.
Greed and desire for wealth consumed human hearts. Disease and hunger pierced the bodies of beasts and Black Iron humans like blades. Father and son fought each other for food and property. Greed drove them to plunder the magnificent temples, smashing exquisite statues. Their vile words angered the gods, who descended with more curses.
Epimetheus rushed home and saw his wife curled in a corner with the magic box on the ground, instantly understanding everything. He did not blame his wife but quickly moved Pandora and their daughter to the ark in the mountains. Pandora, leaning into her husband's embrace, cried out loudly, urging their neighbors to seek refuge in the ark, but the frenzied humans paid no heed to her cries.
The wise man entrusted his wife and daughter to Deucalion and hurried to Mount Caucasus to seek Prometheus's advice.
Seeing his brother's panicked expression, the prophet guessed what had happened. After Epimetheus recounted the events, Prometheus sighed and said, "My brother, take Pandora back to Mount Olympus. The gods will accept you. But my son Deucalion and your daughter Pyrrha cannot enter the divine mountain. The divinity in their bloodline will keep them pure and unaffected by the curses. As long as they survive, humanity has hope for the continuation of the race."
Epimetheus immediately returned to the ark, informed his daughter and son-in-law of everything, and then left with his wife, who was weeping uncontrollably, for Mount Olympus.
Humans continuously consumed everything on the earth. They burned forests, found pleasure in murder, and became mad and degenerate.
The animals in the forest seemed to have received some command and entered the ark in an orderly fashion. Carnivores and herbivores coexisted peacefully.
The old woman watched the wise man depart and continued on her way to the next village.
The village chief, Lycaon, was a conceited and foolish man. He reduced his defeated kin to slaves, exploiting their strength and sweat for a comfortable life.
The old woman's bare feet touched the land, and all things rapidly grew. The process of blooming and bearing fruit was compressed into an instant, and illness vanished from the villagers.
The brutal Lycaon was drawn by the crops growing from the ground. He stepped forward, greeting the stranger with the demeanor of a leader. He whipped his slaves, ordering them to prepare a lavish banquet for the guest.
The old woman did not become angry at Lycaon's arrogance. She displayed her power, gently healing the slaves' wounds. She presented Lycaon with much gold and jewelry, hoping to exchange them for the slaves' freedom.
The coins that continuously fell from the old woman's hands made everyone realize that this ragged old person before them was a member of the eternal gods. However, the greedy Lycaon desired more. He threatened the old woman with the lives of the slaves, demanding that she reveal the secrets of the gods. His clouded eyes were filled with ugly lust.
He asked if Aphrodite's body was the most voluptuous among the goddesses and about Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, who had sworn to maintain her chastity—questions that were crude and lewd. Yet, the old woman paid them no mind. She answered Lycaon's questions with silence and sorrow.
Perhaps it was the old woman's magnanimous attitude that caused Lycaon to lose his reverence. He intended to imitate Prometheus by playing a trick with the offerings to the gods to make them look foolish. He secretly ordered a slave to be killed, roasted the body, and stewed the organs, serving them to the guest who had traveled from afar.
The old woman pieced together the pieces of meat on the table and resurrected the dead slave. However, the tormented soul struggled, unwilling to return to its body. The old woman could only transform him into a white poplar tree and plant him in the courtyard.
She reprimanded Lycaon with sorrow and anger, "Has no one ever taught you that cannibalism is an unforgivable sin? Even ferocious beasts do not do such things! Your bestiality surpasses theirs and cannot be turned around!"
The goddess revealed her true form amidst a radiant glow and imposed an irreversible curse upon Lycaon.
Lycaon screamed in terror, but to the ears of his attendants, Lycaon's cries were wolf howls. The brutal Lycaon grew beastly claws, teeth, and fur, transforming into a monster forever tormented by hunger! The half-wolf, half-man Lycaon fled in panic, disappearing into the forest.
The sun hid its brilliance, and the earth was plunged into darkness. The blood-red moon drove the beasts into a frenzy. Coldness and oppression hung over humanity like a guillotine, threatening to fall at any moment.
Deucalion raised his torch and continued his work, finally completing the massive vessel.
After the ark was finished, it began to rain from the sky. For several days, the rain intensified. An inexplicable sense of crisis pricked the couple like silver needles. Deucalion held his wife in his arms, comforting her in a low voice.
The rivers no longer flowed into the sea. The accumulated rainwater had submerged the lower plains and valleys. Amidst the thunderous roars, Poseidon unleashed colossal tsunamis that drowned the land.