Danmachi: Westward Cloud [Complete]

[Vol.3] Quest 263- What’s Left

October 21st, 2 days after the raid on the Knossos.

Room of Prayer.

“Dionysus, are you ready to talk?” said Ouranos, with Artemis, Loki, and Hermes in the room.

“Yes… I have sorted out my thoughts, but I have one condition for my cooperation.”

“You don’t seem to know the situation you are in,” Loki said with her eyes open. “We have you in the palm of our hands and we still have that spirit Beta caught for answers as well.” Loki looked at Artemis. “She is still alive, right? That look in Cirrus’s eyes gave me Hera/Odin vibes.”

“She is fine,” Artemis assures them. “But currently she is being… used for research into Corrupted and Demi-Spirits.”

“Anyway,” Hermes said, getting back to the subject at hand. “Dionysus. I hope you have something. Or else there isn’t much to keep you here in Gekai.”

“Please… can you at least consider what my condition is?”

“Fine,” said Artemis. “What is it? Does it have to do with your only child?”

“Yes… she was turned into a Creature during the Nightmare of the 27th floor against her own will. I did my best to help her, but… nothing worked.”

“So you made a special fabric to further hide her nature?” said Hermes.

“Yes… so my condition is that you help her, more specifically your child, Artemis.” He looked at her with sympathy in his eyes.

“… Fine, but if we say jump, you say how high got it,” Artemis said sternly.

“You’re lucky you aren’t Thanatos,” Hermes said. “Ganesha got what he could and sent him back up to him.”

“Yes… thank you for accepting my condition.” He bows his head.

‘Lucky for us, Cirrus and Circe are already working on it.’ Artemis thought.

Miach’s clinic.

“That’s everything.” Said Miach, finishing examining Filvis.

“You can roll down your sleeves now.” Said Naaza.

“Lefiya, don’t forget to push the button in case… well you aren’t going to try anything are you?” Cirrus says, looking at Filvis.

“I…won’t…”

“Uh-huh. Lefiya, escort her to her room. I should have the magic tool ready in 2 days.” Cirrus gets up and leaves the room.

“let’s go…” she said sadly.

She nods her head and follows her.

The walk to her room was awkward, much like the previous times she had escorted Filvis. They arrive in a closed-off area in the ward where Lefiya is watching over Filvis since her capture.

“…”

“…”

Both don’t know what to say and Filvis simply lays in bed in deep contemplation.

“You know… you were the first friend I made on my own. I could call you a close friend.” Lefiya broke the silence first.

Filvis had a painful expression on.

“I’m… I’m sorry for ruining that relationship.”

“Yes… it was crushing… but remembering the look on his face… I am lucky you are still alive, so we can at least try and rebuild the bridge that burned between us that day.”

“… Even if I’m no longer a… when I’m this… Creature?” she looks down as tears swell up.

Lefiya comes and placed her hand on Filvis’ hand.

“You are still you; you may look different but…”

Filvis raises her head and looks at Lefiya, and their eyes meet.

“You are still my friend, no matter how you look.” She made a sweet smile that broke Filvis into tears.

Filvis gripped her hand, and tears rolled.

“I… I don’t deserve a friend like you…” she said softly, crying.

Walking back home, Cirrus is met by Ryuu and Asfi.

“So how was it?”

“They took Alise, Kaguya, and Lyra’s weapons,” Ryuu said with a disgruntled expression.

“Tch… Asfi, how goes the Knossos?”

“We have mapped out a majority, but there is still more to go. The Xeno have settled down rather well, but they request you come and bring one of their kind, who they say is rather ‘Aggressive’.” Asfi said, a bit exhausted.

“I’ll be going down in 2 days. I just checked Filvis’ condition, so I’m going to make the magic tools to hide her appearance,” Cirrus said, taking out a stamina potion. “Here Asfi.”

“Ah thank.” She took it and took a sip.

“What of her… physical condition?” Ryuu asked.

“That will take a while to fully grasp.” Cirrus rubbed his chin. “From what you said on Olivas, we have to be careful on her magic stone and try to see if we can reverse her forced upon condition.”

“I will be returning back to the pub… I have been away for too long.” Ryuu said, not excited about what Mia had in store for her.

“Hm, should anything arise I will contact you and here?” Cirrus reaches into his sleeves and hands Ryuu a pouch of Valis. “So Mia will be easy on you.”

“Thank you.” She took it graciously. “I will repay this one day.”

“Didn’t Mia essentially rented you out?” Asfi said. “I remember you talking with her?” Asfi said, looking at Cirrus.

“!!” Ryuu shook a bit. “S-she did…”

“Ah yeah. You keep being taken, so she just has a rental price.” Cirrus said, putting a hand on Ryuu’s shoulder. “I am sorry.”

“I…” Ryuu was at a loss for words.

“Is she at least expensive?” Asfi asked, taking a sip.

“Yeah, she’s worth the same as her bounty. I paid about 75% of it. The rest is in your hands, Ryuu.”

Ryuu looks at the bag of Valis and feels how heavy that is.

“… I… I’m just gonna go.” She puts the money away. “And Cirrus should… you know you need someone to talk to you or they appear again. You know where I am.”

“Yeah, I’ll contact you.” Cirrus goes and hugs her. “Take care.”

She hugs him back.

“Hm, you as well.”

They part ways.

“So,” Asfi said, walking beside Cirrus. “Could I get the recipe for the stamina potion?”

“I would give it to you, but I fear you're gonna work yourself to the bone and die of exhaustion. I also don’t want Hermes to get his grubby hands on it.”

“Yeah… Okay, I see it. Take care Cirrus.” She pats his back, and she took her to leave.

Returning home, Cirrus went to his workshop in the Moonlight Tower and got to work on the magic tool.

He didn’t want to think about anything else but the magic tool before him.

Poke!

“Hm?”

He turned to Ai with some food in hand.

“Are you okay?” she asked, putting the food to the side. “I know you’ve been dealing with… you know.” She sat down next to him.

“… I’m fine… just a bit angry they took their bodies, but… I’ll get them back even if I must hurt them.”

“… I’ll let you get to work. Just eat alright and if you wanna talk, you have people alright.”

“I understand.”

Down in the Knossos.

“So, how are the accommodations?” Bell asked.

“They're good! Kalion is helping with the arrangements and the like.” Said Lyd. “And for the first time having an actual home… it’s nice! We even have our own rooms! And with a place like this, we can start to really extend our reach in finding our brethren!”

“That's good to hear. I also heard you brought in some stragglers?”

“We did. They were really in the nook and crannies of this place, but we found them.”

“We gained the trust of the Loki Familia, so that’s a plus! Oh, Wiene wanted to show you her room but…” Said Ray, looking around. “I can’t seem to find her?”

“I’m sure she’s with Haruhime.” Said Bell happily that they found a home.

“Oh yeah, it almost slipped my mind, but Asterius asked me to tell you this, Bell,” Lyd said. “Ahem! He said, ‘I am angry you did not ask me to join in the fight. Thank you for helping my people. I still want a rematch.’. Very nice of him, if I say so myself!”

“I am surprised he didn’t get angry and come looking for me?”

“Well, I mentioned to him that um… Cirrus would come and fight him. I asked Kalion if he could tell Cirrus and they are supposed to meet in two days.”

“… Lyd, what have you done?”

Northeast of Orario in the middle of mountains and hidden by mist, a girl in her teens stands above a small community.

“… I can smell it. It’s a poison that’s rich in potency.” Said Wu.

‘The ashes of the black desert were far too scattered to be properly absorbed, but this… this I can refine it into a liquid!’

A smile breaks on her face as she jumps down.

“Soon I will make a poison that will kill you, Cirrus!!”

Somewhere in the Frontier.

“So… the Flame of Heaven has become corrupted huh?” Aphrodite said with 2 people in red armor charmed and on all fours.

“Yes, my goddess!!”

“… Tch… and I just heard Hestia has made a name for herself… Hera, shall we go to Olympia? You found your last child.”

Hera looks out to the horizon as the sun rose, the surrounding area was destroyed by monsters with only a single build left intact.

“… Lets. We shall examine it, and should we find it if need of Vesta… well, we will see if Nox is capable of purifying it first. Malion!”

The High Dark Elf turns her head to her goddess and jumped down. Her hair was as black as the night sky, but her eyes were a dim yet shimmering gold. With a voluptuous body and beautiful face. Her attire was simple, elegant, and lightly erotic, of a white, black, and gold attire with a white cloak.

 

“Hera, are you finally going to bring me to the ‘Perfect White’?” she asked in a slightly cold and monotone voice.

“Should it be necessary, yes, but you should know she is paired with Nephele’s son, who is just one level shy from her level.”

“And I am a level 8 as well, the same as him.”

“Yeah, barely after the Black Dragon raid, but he is a cut above you or any of my children,” Hera said with conviction.

“We will see, but I will have the ‘Perfect White’ one way or another.”

“Geez, you really live up to your name, huh Galatea,” Aphrodite said, looking at the elegant pure white bow on her.

“You’re not interested in Cirrus?” Hera said.

“Somewhat. I am intrigued to know of Nephele’s son.” Malion walked past Hera. “If what you say is true, I look forward to meeting him.”

“You don’t trust my words?” Hera followed her last child.

“No. I trust you as much as you are kind.”

“Oof. That low, huh?” Aphrodite said.

“Let us be off.” Malion gets on her horse. “I wish to spend as little time with you as I can.”

“Hera, what did you do to make her this aggressive?” Aphrodite asked Hera as she gets into the carriage.

“I taught her how to be perfect. Not my fault she has poor bartering and culinary skills.”

“Okay, but um, if the flame is corrupted, shouldn’t we not risk it and get Hestia?”

“Maybe. But Nox’s qualities may be able to purify it.”

‘Nox’s magic. When I first saw Cirrus, he was a lot more scrawny than when I first met him. The light that entered him was something that caught my eye. But that is beside the point. If Cirrus and Nox could purify the flame, then it will help him break into level 9.’