Danmachi: Westward Cloud [Complete]

[Vol.3] Quest 287- The Primordial Flame, Part 1- Confrontation

The next day.

"… It’s time, Nox," Cirrus said, tightening his gear.

"Mmm!" Nox said getting up early and stretching. "Eww…" The early morning light hits her. "The sunrise."

They got themselves ready and walked outside.

They felt that this day was different from the others.

By the door of the building was Malion, who was leaning against it, waiting.

"That weapon…" said Malion, looking at Gram hanging off Cirrus' waist.

"Oh, Gram, Hera gave it to me." He drew the blade and held it up.

‘Seems he is better than his mother; not even those of the Zeus Familia could bear that sadistic blade.’

"So, are we gonna meet up with Aphrodite?" Cirrus sheathed his blade.

"No, I will go to her." Said, Hera. "You and Malion will breach their defenses and reach the temple. You should be able to see it even from here."

"Of course, I can see it. It’s massive. So what? The fire is there?"

"No, from what these guards and priestesses said." She looked at the guards and priestesses Aphrodite took, and they looked away. "The fire is underground, hidden in an artificial labyrinth."

"Great, another one."

"Another?" said Hera and Malion.

"Yeah another, Evilus had built another dungeon called the Knossos down to the 18th floor around the actual dungeon. We cleared it a while back. Now it’s home to a special group of people."

"Fascinating." They both said.

"Then you have experience, but should you meet with the High Chancellor, I suggest you take him seriously," Hera said, sitting down.

"Malion said the same thing. Are they really that much of a threat?"

"Very. He has a Divine Weapon, along with immortality."

"… Cool," Cirrus said, taking a deep breath. "But just because he has a good weapon and immortality doesn’t mean he can match the strength of a level 8, right?"

"Not if that weapon harnesses the power and might of the Heavenly Fire," Hera said. "That power was enough to hold Malion down and fling her away."

"That power alone can hold off all of Orario with its might," Malion added.

"… Guess that would make him on a par with us, maybe even more." Cirrus gave a wry smile.

"He has more than you don’t know, so when you see that dark-skinned, blue-haired man, you need to deal with him first before proceeding."

"Understood. I will fight him seriously."

Malion and Cirrus leave first with Hera, sending Nox along with a few others to go inform Aphrodite.

Walking towards the city with his Ceryneian armor on.

"So… this is humanity’s first settlement, huh?" Cirrus said, looking at the gate with the soldier running on top.

"Intruders!!!" they shouted.

"It’s the Dark Elf, and she’s with a masked figure!!"

"Ready your bows!!!"

"You’re up," said Malion.

"Sure thing." Cirrus steps up with his deer mask on, with antlers and everything.

"FIRE!!!!!"

Several arrows fire toward Cirrus.

"(Damocles)!!!"

All the arrows stop in midair.

"!!"

"Hoh~" Malion was impressed with the level of control Cirrus had with his magic.

The arrows spin around in front of Cirrus in a cylinder style.

"(Swords of Damocles)!!!!!!"

Thunder sprang from his magic circle, imbuing the arrows with the might of thunder. Cirrus then held out his hand and made it into a finger gun pointing at the wall.

"Bang."

The arrows all fire off.

Crack!! Crack!! Crack!! Crack!! Crack!! 

Crack!! Crack!! Crack!! Crack!! Crack!! 

Crack!! Crack!! Crack!! Crack!! Crack!! 

The sound of thunder rang through the air, followed by—

Rumble!!!

Rumble!!!

—the destruction of the gate.

"Let’s get moving."

"Right behind you."

Malion watched as Cirrus easily dealt with the armed guards, not even drawing Gram.

"Fire!!!"

"Haaa!!!"

Several people fired off fireballs toward them.

"Let me deal—"

"Haaa!!!"

Cirrus interrupted Malion by using one guard as a human shield and charging through the barrage.

"Out of the way!!!" Cirrus shouted as he used the guard to strike them all. He tossed him to the side and kept moving.

‘Pragmatic and efficient. Seems he won’t need much of my help but—’ Malion thought about seeing Cirrus in action. '—Will it be enough to deal with Epimetheus? I should have told him… why am I still even listening to that cruel witch?’ Malion shakes her head. ‘What is done is done. I need to focus on making sure Cirrus can return to his loved ones.’

Malion draws her bow, quickly notches some arrows, and rapidly fires at enemies in the distance.

Fwip! Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!

Fwip! Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!

Fwip! Fwip! Fwip! Fwip!

"Gah!!"

"Ahh!!"

"Wahh!!"

Several guards of Olympia are downed by the arrows, striking them in either the shoulders or legs.

"Cirrus, focus on what is in front of you! I will deal with the unruly archers and mages!"

"Got it!!"

The Great Temple.

"High Chancellor!!" said Rhea, the High Priestess of Olympia. "The Dark Elf has returned! But she is with another with golden horns!"

"Golden horns, huh?" He gets up from his seat and walks. "That is why we haven’t seen her. Those gods went and brought Cirrus Zephyr."

"T-the Uncrowned Emperor! The world’s strongest adventure!" shouted Ilia, a priestess under Rhea. "Olympia can’t possibly handle him!"

"I will deal with him," said Epimetheus, the High Chancellor. "Slow him down. I will get Ethon and get rid of him."

Outside, in the city's surrounding wilderness

"Here," said Nox, handing Aphrodite a large book.

"Oof! What’s this!" she said, barely able to hold it up before one of her children came and got it for her.

"It’s Cirrus' and my will."

Aphrodite looked at her and at the book.

"Tch… Why did you even make it? You or him will not die on my watch!"

"I have the same sentiment, but Cirrus felt more relief leaving this behind in case anything happens."

"That fool… I’d kill him before he leaves Artemis behind! She is here, right?"

"No… She’s back in Orario."

Aphrodite grew angry.

"I’ll bring him back!! I can’t let Artemis lose her lover! Everyone, come on! We’re hitting Olympia!!"

"Cirrus and Malion already went ahead first. Hera said to go in after them."

"Fine! You! Stay here and keep it safe! We will be coming back!"

"Yes, my goddess!" The man receives the will and holds it close.

"Now!! Let’s goooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"URAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!"

The whole of the Aphrodite Familia rushes off, even with the people she recruited through the use of her charm.

Back to the entrance to the Great Temple.

"Huff! Huff!" Rhea was breathing heavily.

"Rhea!!" shouted several of the priestesses.

"You… Huff! Won’t get in!!" She struggles to stand up with an arrow in her leg.

"… Malion take her and go," Cirrus said, stepping forward.

"Very well."

"Oh, and take (Nox) with you."

Nox came out of his magic circle and landed on Malion’s head.

‘Cirrus, I gave the will to Aphrodite. Are you sure you don’t need my help here?’

"I will meet you down where the actual Primordial Flame is located."

"How bold of you to assume you will reach it."

The High Chancellor emerged from the temple, wielding a massive white and red sword.

"Blue hair and dark skin… Malion, Nox go." Cirrus draws his own sword.

"You won’t make it past me!! RAAAA!!!!!!" shouted the High Chancellor.

A dazzling dark fire covered the sword as he swung it.

"Gram full release!!! (Sword of Damocles, sing your vespers.) [Dia Dikastí̱s: Logia]!!!"

His magic circle appeared behind him, and a shroud of thunder and electricity covered him as his sword glowed with runes brightly.

BOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!

The temple cracked, as did the city from their attack. Cirrus slid down the stairs from the attack, and Epimetheus did the same, breaking up the stairs.

"I said go!! Now!!!" Cirrus kicked off, running up and knocking out Rhea and tossing her to Malion.

"You’re sure I’m not worth your focus!!!" shouted Epimetheus, jumping out of the smoke and coming down on Cirrus with a powerful overhead swing.

Cirrus blocked the strike, causing the ground under him to crack under the force.

CLANG!!!!

CRACK!!

"Grr!! Go god dammit!!!" Cirrus shouted.

"Alright!! May luck shine upon you today!!" Malion said.

Malion quickly rushed into the temple with Rhea in hand and Nox on top.

"After her!!" shouted a priestess.

‘(White Bright) [White Night]!!!’

A blinding light blinds them, letting Malion get away.

"So tell me, Cirrus Zephyr!! What exactly are you planning?" He said this with a crazed look in his eyes, ignoring everyone but Cirrus.

"None of your fucking business dickhead!! (Damocles)!!!"

"What are you—!!" He could feel the metal on his body push him back, causing him to lose strength.

"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Cirrus then regained their footing and sent him flying high in the air.

"!?" Epimetheus was surprised. He didn’t expect to be sent so high up. He looked down to see that Cirrus had grabbed his leg. "Oh, fu—"

"HAAAA!!!!!" With all of his strength, Cirrus flung Epimetheus into the temple, sending him crashing into a sturdy wall with hieroglyphs and a sword pedestal.

CRASH!!!!

"Gaah!!!!" Epimetheus had his back broken and his organs punctured by his own bones. "Damn… Beast!!" He clutched his divine weapon tightly, and he could feel the flame fix his body.

'My, he is fearsome like his mother, but his face lacks that insanity.' Epimetheus thought of seeing the resemblance Cirrus had to his mother.

Cirrus takes a sword stance as he approaches him, his armor fading.

"My name is Cirrus Zephyr!! The level 8 captain of the Artemis Familia!!"

From the wall, Epimetheus gets back up as pieces of the wall break off and land near him.

Rubble! Rubble!

Rubble! Rubble!

"Ahh… You're full of tricks."

Cirrus could see several injuries on him, but fire came out of the wounds, healing him back to health.

"So you are actually immortal, huh?"

"Oh my yes, I have been alive for… 3000 years or so?"

"What?"

Cirrus felt he misinterpreted the numbers.

"Yes, 3000 years. Ever since that damn god Prometheus sent down the fire of heaven and I became its champion."

"You… What is your name!!" Cirrus's eyes focus on Epimetheus.

His body tenses up.

"I went by many names over the years: Chiron, Nessus, Alcides, and recently Ethon. But my name is—" He gets into a stance with his eyes bloodshot. "Epimetheus, The Fool!!!"

Cirrus’s eyes widen in shock.

"Ah… Fuuuu—"