Danmachi: Westward Cloud [Complete]

[Vol.3] Quest 291- Primordial Flame, Part 3- Foundations

Three days later in Orario, Babel Tower.

"Hestia..." said Loki. "We never got along, but... I’m sorry, but you are the best choice for this matter." Loki made a pained expression. "We put this off the most we can, but… This has to be done."

"I fully understand, no need to be so sad." Hestia nodded. "I am thankful for you all to let me even have this much time."

Every other god looked down on Hestia as the best and only god for this situation.

"Hermes, can I assume you have prepared a mode of transportation?" said Freya.

"Yes, Ouranos has informed me of Olympia’s location. When the white night began, whatever, the city had to hide for so long was gone, allowing Ouranos to find it."

‘Most in due part to Artemis.’

"And how long is the trip?" Hestia asked.

"Hmm... about 1 week or—!!" Hermes turned his head to the side, as did every other god.

"T-this divinity…" Loki said, a bit shaken.

"It’s her," Freya said, her eyes sharper than a knife.

Down below Babel, several Familia gathered, ready to move on whatever the gods decided.

"…" Bell was feeling nervous.

"Don’t worry, Bell." Said Welf. "I’m sure whatever is happening in the city can take care of it."

"I know, but… I just feel like something bad is going to happen."

"That is a natural feeling," said Ais. "I have heard you have returned from saving a small nation, right?"

"Hm, it was because of an um…" Bell leans into her ear. "A Spirit." Before leaning back.

"I… see… and her status?"

"She got away," said Lili. "Say, have you seen Sora anywhere? Or any of the Artemis Familia?"

They all looked around and could not find one member of the Artemis Familia around Babel.

"I can go and see if they are in their district?" said Mikoto.

"It is—!"

Ais turned her head to see a black figure flying extremely fast.

"What is that?" Haruhime said.

"It… looks like a…"

"Black Dragon." Ais’ voice and demeanor changed drastically. "(Tempest)!!!"

Ais then began to run up the tower.

While running up, Ais could see that it was heading toward the gods.

‘I won’t let you!!!!’

The gods watched as the figure approached quickly, and when it was about to crash into them, its form changed and it landed gracefully on the floor.

As Fafnir returns to her human form, she puts on her sunglasses before revealing Hera.

"Dramatic as ever, Hera," Freya said with a displeased face.

"Maybe one day you can reach this level, darling." She said it with a smirk. "Fafnir smacks that child down. She’s going to mess with my hair."

Fafnir looked to see Ais jump up with her sword drawn and the wind covering her in front of all the gods.

"(Blow, force of wind. Your servant asks you, Paimon. Incarnate of wisdom. King of Wind.) [Bellowing Force]." Fafnir chanted her magic with frightening speed.

From her magic circle, a blast of powerful wind struck Ais.

"!!"

Sending her flying outside the city limits

"Now." Hera takes a seat. "Hestia, you are coming with me. Your Familia can be left here."

"W-wait! No! I have to at least spend a week before—"

"Do you know how this came to be?"

"??"

Every god was curious. Hera must know more about this than they do.

"N-no, but it has to do with the Heavenly Flame!"

"Correct. You pointed out the one thing you, of all gods, should know. Yes, it is the heavenly flame, and right now it’s in the process of being purified by Cirrus."

"H-him!!" they all shouted.

The gods began to sweat bullets as they looked at the swirl of white light and black flames.

"How!" shouted Hestia. "Only a god could even begin to purify it! And that god is me!!"

"The owl, her name is Nox, the Grand Spirit of the White Night. Nyx’s spirit."

"!!!!" Many of the gods shook.

By Nox’s title alone, they knew she had the attributes to try and cleanse the flame. It also explained why Cirrus was so mighty.

"Right now she and Cirrus are trying to purify it, but as you can see." She looks outside. "They are trying to purify the evil of humanity."

The gods take another look and notice that white is gradually losing ground.

"B-but I should have been the one to do it!!" Hestia shouts.

"I agree, but as fate would have it, this is part of his labor given to him by Ouranos himself for his... past actions in the Kaios Desert, and maybe a little red paint on the streets during the battle with Evilus."

Hestia's blood ran cold. She desperately looked to find Artemis, but she wasn’t there.

"W-where is Artemis!"

Every god noticed that she wasn’t there. With all the commotion going on none noticed the huntress was gone. Even Hestia was swept up in all the hubbub of the city when she returned.

"I saw her and my grandson’s wife already on their way to Olympia upon a good steed, along with the rest of their Familia following behind them."

"…" Hestia looks a bit conflicted now. "I-I will go with my children! That is final! Even if this was his labor for his past actions, this is still God's sole duty!!"

"You are right, he’s a massive fool, but that is why he is a hero who can devour every one of your children." Her tongue was as sharp as her eyes were cold. "I’m sure if he survives this, he truly will overshadow anything I or Zeus have ever done."

"So was that the real reason you sent that elf to master?" Said Fafnir.

"Maybe a little, but his intervention was inevitable with that fallen hero and his labor."

"… You are truly a horrible woman. I am happy master doesn’t take a single aspect of your shit personality."

"I can’t say the same for you. You have his foul mouth and nothing else. Our business here is done. We only have one more place to go. Hestia, I suggest you hurry to Olympia, or else you truly would need to sacrifice yourself; this situation is on a timer, and you shitheads were too soft to send Hestia on her way."

Hera walks to the edge, and Fafnir grabs hold of her, turning back into her dragon form and flying toward the guild.

"Hestia!!" shouted Ganesha. "I have some tamed flying monsters! My Familia will get them ready immediately!!"

"Thank you, Ganesha."

Down in the Room of Prayer.

"Hera, why have you come?" Ouranos said, opening his eyes.

Hera walks down the stairs with Fafnir behind her.

"I came to ask you how the Status really works. I have a theory of what it could be, and I wish to ask you."

Ouranos’s eyes train on Hera.

"I am listening."

"As far as I and every other god know when a child goes up a level, they get closer to godhood, right?"

"Correct. That is the aptest metaphor to explain it."

"And each time they level up, they start back at Rank I, but their previous stats are hidden like a blanket. The more they level up, the more layers one has."

"That is how it works."

"But… I’ve been thinking, what if a child does eventually become a... demigod?" Who would they take after? Like say, Cirrus, for example, he became Astraea’s child from level 5 to level 8, but what about the last 4? I doubt Hermes was the one, so... Who was it?"

"… It was I."

Hera smiled ear to ear.

"Now tell me who would Cirrus turn out to be? Would he look more like you or Astraea? Given that you both have your godly essence, the Falna, as foundations and all."

"It will most likely be up to chance, I would assume, but why are you asking this now?"

"Because Cirrus is a level 8, and he absorbed the weakest possible form of Arcanum in Gekai. Who knows what could happen if or when he opens his eyes? He could very well be the first actual child of a god since eternity!"

"That… is a quandary. I do not know how to act in such a situation. The existence of a demigod is a concept we longed to give up when we descended upon Gekai and made Familia’s. That thought never even occurred to me. I only hope his body and soul are strong enough for such power."

"Of course, it will be. He is my daughter’s son."

"Even so, when or if Cirrus comes out of this, he will certainly be something. Not even the gods would know."