Pandora Unchained - a Cultivation Progression Fantasy

The Administrator's Manor was in the heart of Delphi and surrounded by a stretch of greenery called Serpentine Park. Legends spoke of a mighty creature whose corpse sat below the park and nourished its greenery, though this was only hearsay, a legend perpetuated with nursery rhymes by children who knew nothing of consequence.

Nine arrow-like bridges pierced through the public park towards a sprawling complex. Despite consisting of dozens of buildings and occupying a full three square miles of real estate, this complex was officially known as the Administrator's Manor and handled legal and administrative matters concerning the entire province of Parnassus.

The Administrator's Manor was a public location; on paper, any citizen of Parnassus had a right to access it. In practice, a curtain of guards prevented anyone without sufficient status from entering the government complex, as without such measures, the administrative staff would be swamped and unable to perform their duties.

It was not Sorin's first time entering the Administrator's Manor, but it was his first time entering the residence of the city's guardian demigod, which began with a steep stone staircase that seemed like it had been ripped out from its original location. Only a small number of attendants staffed the small yet frighteningly expensive house located at the center of the government complex. Each of them had a Flesh-Sanctification cultivation base, something Sorin suspected had less to do with vanity and more to do with survivability in case of an unexpected release of demigod power.

Unlike most buildings in Delphi, the demigod's residence was supported by ribbed pillars. Sorin had only ever seen such pillars in Daedalus' Labyrinth; according to Astley, they were all but impossible to find in modern constructions.

"It said that this residence is all that remains of the Temple of Apollo, the ancient Patron of Delphi," whispered Elder Marik. "Our Kepler Clan's theory is that it's at least indirectly related, if not directly responsible, for the prevalence of God Seeds in the Pollen Clan."

To Sorin, this made a great deal of sense. "A friend of mine has a theory, Elder Marik. It's related to names and how they've drastically changed since ancient times."

"It's been brought up many times in the past," said Elder Marik. "But it has never resulted in anything substantial. Alas, the past is covered in a mysterious fog. Only demigods are privy to Pandora's true history."

Sorin shrugged. "According to her hypothesis, the Kepler Clan was once called the Asclepius Clan."

"Who can know for sure," mused Elder Marik. "Perhaps only the Grand Elder and the Clan Leader would know for sure. Now, let's keep our conversation to a minimum and refrain from offensive behavior. Everything in this place is the domain of Administrator Pollen. In here, he is practically omniscient."

Sorin felt a thousand eyes close in on his position the moment he crossed the threshold. No one came to greet them, no one came to show them the way. And yet, they knew exactly where they were supposed to go and that they still had time before the administrator was ready for them.

No sooner did Sorin wonder what they were supposed to do while they waited did an invisible hand guide them to a secluded hallway. Both Sorin and Elder Marik took their time going through what appeared to be a collection of ancient artifacts, including urns and vases that displayed mythological scenes that were lost to memory.

Having been empowered by four forgings and four temperings, Sorin was now much more sensitive to historical amnesia. A force infiltrated his mind with the intention of robbing him of his recent memories—using the power of his divinity and corruption, he promptly destroyed that force and greedily devoured all available information.

Sorin's knowledge of ancient history increased exponentially. The writings on the items, no longer bound by disruptive forces, engraved themselves into his memory.

It was only a few dozen words. No more than three sentences. And yet, Sorin could intuit what they meant and knew that, should he acquire more of this sort of writing, he would eventually be able to decode the language.

These artifacts are all telling a single story, thought Sorin, watching scene after scene of a bow-wielding warrior walking the land. Sometimes, he slew villains. Other times, he healed. He was a master of music and could charm anyone with but a song.

Eventually, the warrior arrived at Delphi, whose outskirts were terrorized by a giant serpent. Apollo slew the serpent and became the protector of Delphi. A shrine was built on the outskirts of the city and would serve as a residence for the oracles who served him.

Historical documents aside, one item immediately attracted Sorin's attention: an ancient stele depicting a sun, a lyre, and a bow. Beneath these three items were names ordered according to a family tree, several of which were golden.

Sorin's mind reeled as the obelisk drew him in. The names, only a few of which were visible on the surface of the stele, suddenly expanded hundreds of times. The result was a family tree with living members numbering in the tens of thousands.

The prosperous family's potential seemed limitless, yet catastrophe struck without warning. It was like someone took a machete to the glorious tree and cut off all but a few scattered branches.

The few surviving individuals worked hard to sustain the tree, but the damage was too grievous. Its vitality continued to wane, and to date, the mighty clan had only produced a thousand living members. Every generation only produced a single golden name, with the luster of that name growing increasingly dim with every generation.

"Sorin!" Sorin gasped as he was yanked out of the vision by Elder Marik's touch. He scrambled to remember as much as he could but only managed to hold on to around a dozen or so names at the beginning and a few dozen more at the end. "Are you alright? The Administrator has signaled that he is ready to meet us."

"I'm fine," said Sorin, catching his breath. "I just saw something that was too much for me to handle." He resolved to let Astley know about his discovery at the earliest opportunity; he could feel the memories fading as the second passed.

"Now you'll do well to remember that the Administrator is a demigod," cautioned Elder Marik. "Disrespect will not be tolerated, and he has the authority to slay even God Seeds outright. This is because demigods are the true powerhouses of humanity. As for God Seeds, they're only potential powerhouses; few become Flesh-Sanctification cultivators, and even fewer become demigods."

"Relax," said Sorin. "I know how to behave in front of powerhouses. I have a lot of practice."

"Yes," Elder Marik said wryly. "And that's exactly what concerns me."

They followed the corridor into what appeared to be a quaint sitting room. It was a mixture of old stone and modern decorations filled with golden-plumed birds and many priceless artifacts. Of note, the back wall was made of carved marble that was clearly different than the rest of the building's stonework.

What drew Sorin's attention, however, was a cage at the back of the room. Inside it sat Lawrence alongside a feeding bowl and water-dripping mechanism. He was clearly having a miserable time.

"I nearly didn't notice this little bird," said a soft yet familiar voice. Sorin's gaze was yanked away from Lawrence and towards Administrator Pollen, who was currently wearing relaxed robes and feasting on a platter of grapes. Elder Marik bowed, but Sorin, enraged at his friend's treatment, glared daggers at the demigod.

"I would have missed him too if not for the fact that he triggered one of the runes I'd painstakingly inscribed around the quarters of the relatives I dote on. I found him sneaking about my favorite granddaughter's chambers just as she was bathing.

"Fortunately, he didn't see anything of substance. Otherwise, I would have gouged out his eyes and fed them to the dogs. Instead, I decided to keep him here with the rest of my pets for other people to gawk at. A fitting punishment, don't you think?"

The administrator then turned to Sorin and Elder Marik. "Tell me why you've come, Fang of the Kepler Clan. What great concerns do you have, God Seed of Asclepius?"

Elder Marik took the lead before Sorin could speak. "Administrator Pollen, we've come to secure the release of Mr. Holt. He is a free-spirited individual who sometimes crosses lines we shouldn't. I sincerely apologize for any issues he might have caused."

"Mr. Holt?" said Administrator Pollen with a look of surprise. "I wasn't aware this creature had a name. Alas, I can't bear to part with such a fine addition to my collection, as his voice is something else. Sing, little bird! Sing for our guests!"

Lawrence immediately stood up and began screeching loudly. His eyes were glazed, and his movements were uncoordinated.

As for the Administrator himself, he doesn't seem to bear much ill will towards me, thought Sorin, repressing his rage. Which is surprising, given our interaction when we first met at the temple. He also doesn't seem to have insurmountable enmity with Lawrence. He must have other reasons for keeping him prisoner and keeping him on display.

"I think that's quite enough," said Sorin, satisfied that Lawrence was still in good health but unable to stand his friend's treatment. "What do you want, Administrator Pollen."

"Oh my," said the demigod, leaning towards Sorin. " Such a poisonous gaze for one so young. You know, I never did sense your divinity the first time I saw you. Likely by design, judging by the pendant you wear. But there was something—pendant aside—that struck me as off about you. There still is, in fact, and I have half a mind to dissect you and find out what exactly is bothering me."

"I'm sure that if you insist on dissecting me, no one in the city could stop you," said Sorin, throwing caution to the wind. "But do you dare to do so?"

Elder Marik hissed and tried to interpose himself between Sorin and the Administrator, but the demigod pressed down on the elder with his aura and held him firmly in place.

"It's been quite some time since I met such a bold mortal. Please explain your reasoning, Sorin Abberjay Kepler, and if it satisfies me, I might spare your life."

"There are three reasons supporting my guess," answered Sorin. "The first reason being Lawrence's presence in this chamber. You placed him there to infuriate me; congratulations, it worked.

"The second reason you are unlikely to harm me is that you are a man of duty. Everything you do is to protect Delphi and its citizens. While ordinary citizens matter little in the grand scheme of things, all available God Seeds are required to ensure a successful Shrine Descent.

"The third reason has to do with our first interaction. The Chief Oracle displayed a strange reaction to me and not the other God Seeds. This means that, in her estimation, I'm in some way important. Your hostility at the time was likely because you deemed me a potential threat. Your continued tolerance of my presence hints that you've assessed me as a potential wildcard that might be used to solve one or more of your current problems."

"And what exactly would a demigod like me require your help with?" asked Administrator Pollen.

"I haven't the faintest idea," said Sorin. "But my guess is that it has to do with the third-level catacombs, which can't be accessed except by cultivators with sufficiently low strength that have slowly acclimatized themselves to the corruption beneath the city."

"Not bad," said Administrator Pollen. "I like dealing with smart individuals." He flicked his finger at the golden cage, and Lawrence came tumbling out.

"Where… where am I?" Lawrence said as he regained consciousness. "Sorin, what are you doing here? And is that… is that…" he turned pale as a sheet. "Run!"

The rogue walked a total of three steps before he fell to the ground, paralyzed. "My apologies for the unsightly display," said Sorin, retrieving three golden needles from Lawrence's body. He brushed off the rogue as he pulled him up. "My friend Lawrence was about to apologize to you. Lawrence?"

"Y—yes!" said Lawrence, bowing deeply. "I apologize for sneaking into your manor, Administrator!"

"Elder Marik, would you be so kind as to see Lawrence out?" said Sorin, handing Lawrence over to the shocked swordsman. "There's something I'd like to discuss with the Administrator."

A little embarrassed by how powerless he was in such a situation and how little the Administrator seemed to care about his presence, Elder Marik dragged Lawrence away.

The Administrator wasn't in a hurry to talk. He first took out a bag of seeds and threw a handful to each of the birds in the room. It didn't take a genius to see that these weren't normal birds; each one was a three-star demon and seemed to possess an extraordinary bloodline.

"I sometimes envy these birds," Administrator Pollen said finally. "They're prisoners, yet their worries are negligible. They don't need to worry about their next meal. Their advancement is taken care of. They know that as long as I am alive and well, I won't allow anything to happen to them.

"It's the same for the people of this city. Though the occasional scuffle and disaster will decimate them, for the most part, the common people are unaffected. As long as they don't commit any grievous offenses, they know that I'll do my best to hold up the sky for them."

"It must be lonely," Sorin remarked. "And frightening. They have you to rely on, but you have no one to rely on in turn."

"The Pandora Government occasionally assists me, but for the most part, I'm on my own," agreed Administrator Pollen. "I've been trying to teach my grandson independence, but some things simply can't be accomplished alone."

Sorin raised an eyebrow. "I take it the price for Lawrence's release involves Michael?"

"Indeed," said the Administrator. "Though, to be fair, you'd probably need to do as I ask regardless. And as you may have suspected, your mission is related to scenes depicted in the hallway I led you to."

The demigod rose from his seat and walked over to a painting on the wall. It depicted the same scene as before—that of the god Apollo slaying a giant serpent. Except now that Sorin looked at it, the serpent looked familiar."

"Python," Sorin muttered. "Its name is Python." The same Python as Python Coil.

Administrator Pollen shot him a surprised look. "That's right. The creature's name is Python. As the legends suggest, Serpentine Park was built on its corpse. The Administrator's Manor was built on its head. In fact, this building used to be a temple. The temple used to span all of python's body, but now, only this part remains.

"As you might have guessed, our clan's inheritance is related to these ruins. We regularly churn out God Seeds of Apollo, and some of them grow to be decently strong."

"Your request involves Michael's divine mission," guessed Sorin.

"Right again," said Administrator Pollen. "All God Seeds have one thing in common: their divine missions. Inheriting a god's power requires one to walk in their footsteps and achieve impressive feats that are befitting of a God.

"Divine Missions are notoriously difficult to finish. That applies doubly to the ones pertaining to Olympians. In fact, it's only been done twice in the history of our Pollen Clan. This is because our mission is intricately linked to the Shrine Descent."

Sorin frowned. "If all you want is for me to do my best during the Shrine Descent, there's no need to take Lawrence hostage. I'm already obligated to do my best."

"It's a bit more complicated than that, I'm afraid," said Administrator Pollen. "The first Divine Mission for God Seeds of Apollo vary, but the second mission always remains the same." He pointed to the painting in the room. "Slay the legendary mythical creature. Python."

Sorin massaged his glabella. "You're telling me Python is still alive?"

"In a way," said Administrator Pollen. "Specifically, Python's spirit has endured. It's tightly bound to the Shrine of Delphi and has been enslaved by the Core of Corruption. The third phase of the Shrine Descent will always feature Python as a guardian."

"Slaying Python isn't strictly required to complete the Shrine Descent. Evading Python, bewitching, and distracting Python—all these are legitimate ways to deal with the creature. Slaying Python, however, is extremely difficult; few God Seeds of Apollo dare attempt it, and the support of other God Seeds is a basic requirement.

"Michael is one of the greatest geniuses our clan has produced in the past two hundred years. As fortune would have it, the Evils are stirring, and the Pandoran Government has committed three God Seeds—now four—to resealing the ruins of Delphi."

"You want me to support Michael's proposal to fight Python directly instead of evading it," Sorin realized. "Charles and Melinoë will likely oppose his request in favor of completing the mission, but my presence complicates things. Moreover, a God Seed of Asclepius is well-suited to facing Python in battle. Not just because of our dominion over snakes, but also our mastery over poison."

"If you side with Michael, the majority of the God Seeds in your party will be in favor of facing Python directly," said Administrator Pollen.

"Only if Charles and Melinoë don't oppose us," said Sorin. "And forgive me for being blunt, but that's exactly what I see them doing."

"I wouldn't worry too much about that," said Administrator Pollen. "Just do as I ask and support Michael, and there won't be any difficulties. I will no longer trouble Lawrence about his escapades—though if my granddaughter wishes to attain personal vengeance, he's on his own."

Sorin nodded slowly. "I'll see what I can do. But if both Charles and Melinoë disagree, I'll have no choice but to prioritize the mission."

"Wonderful," said Administrator Pollen. "I'm glad we could reach an agreement. Though I'm greatly saddened at losing a songbird, it's a small sacrifice to pay if it means Michael is completing his divine mission."