Danmachi: Westward Cloud [Complete]

[Vol.3] Quest 293- Primordial Flame, Part 5- The White Night’s Hero

They traveled through the man-made labyrinth pretty easily, as Fafnir had melted through it down the middle.

When they reached the door and opened it, they found Hera staring at the sphere of swirling darkness and light.

"Your here." Hera turned to see Ai, Artemis, and Hestia. "He’s in there."

Ai and Artemis walked a bit more quickly toward the sphere.

They touched the sphere, and they saw Cirrus on a wooden altar with white armor around him and a multicolored flame engulfing him.

"Cirrus…" Ai looked sorrowfully at him when she saw an eye patch. "His eye! What happened to his eye?!" Ai turned to Hera.

"He lost it while dealing with Epimetheus, who wields a Divine Weapon," Hera said. "Then, of course, he ripped him apart and then threw his body around."

"Epimetheus…" Artemis and Ai’s expressions were grim.

‘He fought his favorite hero… tch!’

They grit their teeth as they look back at their love.

Hestia walks past Hera and looks down to see Cirrus.

He looked like they had put him on a funeral pyre.

"Alright, here I go. Stand back. I will get him back!"

Artemis and Ai step back where Hera is.

"Fuuuuu…" Hestia closed her eyes and as she placed both hands on the sphere.

Hestia glowed in several transparent colors, a bright red flame pushed its way into the sky.

"Haaaaaaa!!!!!!"

The glow grew stronger and brighter.

Purgatory.

In that world of empty white dunes and sand, a change came.

BWOOOOSH!!!

A fierce red flame emerged at the border. From that flame, a flash of warmth burst across the sky.

A woman with bright red hair and dull, clear blue eyes wearing a holy garment appeared.

"I am Vesta, Goddess Aspect of the—!!" Immediately, she held her hand out as a flame shot out, blocking the incoming attacks.

Pew!!! Pew!!!

Boom!! Boom!!

"What is going on!?" she shouted in a monotone voice.

Vesta looked to her right to see several monsters emblazed by a purple-black flame.

"The Corrupted Flame!? Tch!!" She extended her hand, and a blue blaze shot from it like a flamethrower.

Bwooooosh!!!!

"!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

They all burned with a flame that slowly turned to ash. Vesta then sent out a massive wall of blue flame, incinerating all the monsters.

Having eliminated the enemy, a beam of light went over her and struck down a monster, turning it to salt.

"Hm? Salt?"

She looked to her left to see a ball of light continuing to fire beams of light.

"What are—No… It couldn’t be!!"

Behind the ball was a deep blue flame; emitting from it like smoke was a clear night sky that continued to grow far behind it.

Vesta could feel an odd power radiating from the two, a power that was hidden within the Flame of Heaven as its protective shell.

‘Elpis!? He gained the power to actualize potential!? Impossible!? How did—No… If it was Artemis’s Orion then it’s expected he would be full of surprise. Still to think he found and processed Elpis, The God’s Hope.’

"Heed your assault, Grand Spirit of The White Night!! I am Vesta!! Goddess of the Flame!! I am here to help finish the purification!!" She shouted, still in a robotic yet stern tone of voice.

Vesta looked on as the beams of light hit the monsters rather than her.

‘Good! I can see what exactly is going on.’

Vesta quickly floated over to the ball of light and blue flame.

Arriving to see them up close and personal, Vesta quickly pieced together exactly what happened.

"To think even Elpis was absorbed and split between spirit and human. Even more, impressive was that you both found it in this sea of corruption. But your soul?" She slowly reaches out and touches the flaming azure soul. "It’s not even human anymore—no… it’s still but yet not? Has your mortality been burned away and replaced with four divinities that I can detect? Ouranos, Astraea, Artemis… and… Who is this last one? Their influence is extremely small, but is it still enough to affect you? How interesting! How long has this divinity been with you?" She focused on it to feel like, despite being so small, it was more influential than she thought. "Fascinating. But now is not the time to be amazed. Let me help you gain a form." She held her hands out. "Hmmm!!!" She glowed like fire.

Cirrus’s soul began to shift and take shape.

Bwooooooooosh!!!!!!

The flame grew massively, far more than Vesta expected, and her eyes widen at the sight.

"!?"

From the azure flame came Cirrus, now veiled under what seems to be the night sky itself to rival Nyx. He now had ombre hair. Towards the end of his brown hair, the ends were as white as Ouranos’s. His right eye was still lost, and the scar remained. Coming up from his right side, Kali’s tattoo grew to reach his right eye. His left eye, however, had a change. Inside the emerald gem was a nugget of deep indigo, the same as Astraea's eyes.

He took a deep breath and released it.

"Fuuu~~"

Fwooom!!!!

The white void was instantly replaced by a lush green forest. Below him, green cloud-shaped flowers bloomed and spread all around them.

The ball of light then responded; it glowed so brightly like a second sun. From that bright light, her body took form.

Flash!!!!

Nox appeared in a pure white ensemble that blended with her even more inhumanly white hair and was only highlighted by gold accessories. Her eyes were like golden stars, shining ever so brightly and fiercely.

"Mm… Mm…" Cirrus blinked his eyes.

"Cir… rus," Nox said weakly.

"Hello, Orion, love of Artemis. I, Vesta, Goddess Aspect of Flame, am here to help purify the corruption." Vesta said, examining Cirrus and Nox.

"Well… Ugh… that’s great." Cirrus said, rubbing his eye and forehead. "You don’t mind if we rest a bit? We have been fighting for… so long."

"Yeah, it’s like we have been fighting for almost a year," Nox said, cracking her neck and back.

"Mmm…" Her eyes glowed before dimming. "This space has a time dilatation. You have spent around 288 days in here."

"Ah fuck… Lady Vesta, can you—"

"Yes. You have fought long enough. I shall take it from here." She turned and floated away.

From the distance, Nox and Cirrus could see a blue glow.

"Ahh…" Cirrus and Nox said.

"Finally… Some sleep." Said Cirrus.

"Finally," said Nox.

They turn to one another, not noticing their changes, and hug each other while their eyes slowly close for some sleep.

One hour later, in the wilderness of Olympia.

"Good work." Said Epimetheus. "Right on time as well."

The light and darkness took on a new hue.

"My lord," said Rhea. "How are you going to get your weapon?"

"Like this." Epimetheus walks to the side and drops.

As he falls, he grabs his sword, and a purple-black flame surrounds him, followed by a blood-red flame that shoots up into the sky and joins the corruption.

Everyone could see a pillar of corruption shooting into the air.

"He’s found the divine weapon!!" shouted Aphrodite. "Everyone prepare for battle!!!"

On the still-damaged wall, Bell could see an evil flame spreading around the land.

"Hestia… Cirrus."

"!!" Vesta turned her head and looked out into the void. "He has grabbed it."

Vesta looked on as the purple-black flame shot high into the sky.

Bwoooooosh!!!

The corruption grew stronger and stronger as a bit away a pillar of blood-red-purple fire darkened the sky.

Tap!

Tap!

Tap!

Epimetheus emerged from among the flame-engulfed monsters.

"Well, well, well, look at that. Did you lose your way? Vesta." Epimetheus said, looking at Vesta with venom.

"Epimetheus." She said it with some anger. "Stop this now! Let me purify the flame and this will—"

"No." He said, taking a stance. "I still need to use it to burn the world. So you gods can just sit your lazy asses to the side and let me do my job."

Vesta emanated an intense heat.

"Do not make me use force, human."

"Human? Ha!! I am not a human; I am a FOOL!!!" He charged headfirst toward Vesta with his divine weapon ready to swing.

"You leave me with no choice!!!!"

Vesta was covered in a blue flame; she waved her hands, and with a wave, a blue sphere of flames burst forth.

"That’s nothing to me!!!" Epimetheus shouted as he ran through the fire.

"What!?"

"I’m immune to fire!!! Better luck next time!!!" He came in for a swing.

Vesta could see the blade coming. She knew this was going to kill her; it was a divine weapon in his hands.

"!!!"

Vesta didn’t hesitate and simply blasted as much fire from her palms to get her out of there.

Bwooosh!!!

Swish!!

Epimetheus cut a bit off her left side.

"Grr!!" She then quickly flew away.

"Tch!! You’re not getting away!!!! All of you!! After her!!!!"

"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

All the monsters and even some people roared at his command, and they all rushed after her.

Epimetheus ran along with the corrupted monsters, but the forest was slowing him down.

"Tch. Burn it down!! Do not let—!!"

He felt his presence again, this bloodlust. Epimetheus raised his great sword.

Clang!!!!

"Grrrr!!!"

They pushed Epimetheus back; he dug his feet into the ground to stand his ground. He looks to see a generic spear that quickly melted.

"Cirrus!!!!!" He howled at the name of his foe.

Tap!

Tap!

Walking out in his new appearance, Epimetheus was surprised.

"Well, seems like it’s time for another round, huh?" Cirrus said, holding his hand and clenching it into a fist. "I’ll even give you a handicap."

"Heh…. HeheHAHAHAHAHA!!! Here I thought you bit the fucking dust!!! Cirrus Zephyr!!!" Laughed Epimetheus as the flame covered him. "You are the first since Albert to give me such high hopes!!" The white of his divine weapon turns black and purple as he holds it. "So let me do what that One-Eyed Bastard did to his party and kill them all!!" He slashed the ground and from it erupted a massive wall of corrupted flame. "Rejoice!! The fate of a hero is soon upon you!"

Then it all fades away into cinders.

An empty void remained.

"Cirrus!" Vesta came up behind him. "He has left for the outside world! He has even taken in all the corruption. You must go out and defeat—"

"I can’t do that." He said this while looking on as the flame was snuffed out and the forest grew over the destruction.

"Why not!? You held him off well enough! This is of the utmost prudence!"

Cirrus takes out his weapons and shows Vesta, Spekð, and Gram.

"My weapons are not strong enough to withstand a Divine Weapon."

"And as much as Cirrus is good with his hands." Nox walks next to him. "Fighting Epimetheus, who took his eye, will be several times harder without a suitable weapon."

Vesta could see that despite being the aspect of Hestia’s flame attribute, she could see the quality within Gram and Spekð.

Her mind raced and raced when Nox caught her eye.

‘A Grand Spirit!’

"But you have your spirit here? Use her to serve as your weapon."

Cirrus looks at Vesta sternly.

"No. I am not—"

"—It is my purpose to serve you, Cirrus," Nox stated firmly, looking Cirrus in the eyes. "I can—"

"No." He said it resolutely. "You are my best friend. My fucking sister I won’t ask you, nor will I ever tell you to be a weapon! So do not just listen to her first suggestion and—"

"You have no choice," Vesta said. "It is either her or the world. It will also serve to send the portion of the flame you cleansed up to heaven."

"Vesta… You can’t make me—"

"Cirrus," Nox said. "I am okay with this. We both knew we would have a good chance of dying here. I am just happy it is me and not you." She gives a faint smile.

"… Nox." Cirrus gently caresses her face.

"It has always been my goal to make you the world’s greatest hero." Some tears slipped through and stained her face. "One who will outclass all others." She gently holds the hand he was holding on her face. "Up till now, you have been more than I could have hoped for." She smiled ever so gently and earnestly. "Cirrus Zephyr, Hero of The White Night. My hero."

"No." He takes back his hand and looks at Vesta. "No!! Vesta, you can’t just appear and tell me to use her to—"

"Cirrus, I like my suggestion as much as you do, but there is no one better."

Being Hestia’s aspect left some qualities in Vesta, one of them being her kindness. Even if Vesta does not show it with her stone face, she doesn’t wish to sacrifice someone so easily.

"I could use the Heavenly Flame! I can use it to make a weapon that could match Epimetheus! I have collected all the rarest and most fabled metals in the world! I even have the scales of the Black Dragon!"

Cirrus, with his position and wealth in Yamato, used it to find and purchase the rarest of ores and legendary materials he could get his hands on. Things such as sacred branches or dew, legendary metals like Geo Metal, Lugos Iron, and exotic materials like Arcanium, and Qilin Hooves.

There is no metal or material he doesn’t have that is not yet discovered.

"… Cirrus," Vesta said in a low monotone voice. "I am sorry, but you can use all the best material in the world, and it will not compare to Nox, a spirit of the first generation. She will be more than enough to match Ethon."

"But Epimetheus couldn’t kill the Black Beasts! So the scales of the Black Dragon should be—"

"The reason he lost was not that the monster’s body was that strong; it was that Epimetheus fought alone." Vesta looked Cirrus dead in the eye. "I have seen his attempts from Heaven long ago. We all pinned our hopes on the hero Prometheus chose, with the faith that they picked the best possible Hero for the job—even Zeus gave Epimetheus the green light. Yet even with a divine weapon that could cut the hide of the Behemoth and the scales of the Leviathan and Black Dragon he could not endure the might of the Behemoth, handle the currents of the Leviathan, or even fly to graze the Black Dragon."

Cirrus remained silent.

"Cirrus it is—"

"NO!!!" He shouts, cutting Nox off. The world shakes at his voice. "I… Vesta!!" He turned to meet Vesta’s cold eyes. "Well, what about you? You can become a weapon, right!?"

"I cannot. I am not a spirit; I am a goddess, an aspect, but my constitution is inherently different. It would be like saying you can turn gold into diamonds. I should also mention I have no material body aside from that lazy goddess, Hestia."

"Cirrus." Nox walks up to him. "It’s okay."

"But Nox—"

Hugs!!

She hugs him tightly. Burying her face into his chest.

"I am a Spirit. A being whose whole existence was to give strength to a hero so humanity can see the next morning. I have enjoyed these years together with you, Cirrus." She took a few steps back, and she had a resolute face. There was no fear or sadness in her eyes, but even still, Cirrus could see she was holding back her tears.

"… You can at least be a little sad." Cirrus smiles wryly.

"Hmph!" She takes a few steps back. "What’s so sad about fulfilling your purpose in life?" She put on a bright, smug smile. "Besides, as I have said many times before, I am bound to you even until death and through reincarnation. I will always be by your side, in any shape or form. For you are my master, my love, and my little brother." She kneels elegantly and shows her neck as if to offer it to a daimyo. "I am Candidus Nox, Grand Spirit of The White Night." She looks at him with an even sterner gaze. "I await your command."

Cirrus is heartbroken, but what other choice does he have? It’s her or the world. So with deep regret, he bit the bullet, fully intending to see this all the way through, no matter what.

"…. Fine." He said it with a begrudging tone of voice and pain in his heart. "Let me think on how this will—"

"Nox can simply turn into a weapon," Vesta said, interjecting. "With my help." She holds out her hand, and a brilliant, intense flame erupts from her hand before she snuffs it out. "It can be done with more ease and speed."

"Hold on, let me—wait. Can… Can I add material to improve her? If Nox is to become a weapon, she must be the best that the world has ever seen."

"Hm." Vesta nods. "As I am Hestia’s aspect as the goddess of the flame, and with you and Nox having split Elpis between you two, anything should be possible. Except, of course, for creating a weapon to match a divine weapon out of nothing. Even a power such as Hope can’t skip the First Law of Thermodynamics, it merely brings out the zenith of one, be it weapon or person."

Cirrus thought. He understands the power he took on and has come up with an idea to fully maximize this situation. If Nox were to be a weapon, he was going to make her the envy of all divine weapons.

"Tell me, Vesta. What would happen if you were to split from Hestia?"

"?" Vesta was confused by the question.

"Heh?" Nox smirks. "Yeah… what would happen?" Nox knew exactly what he was going for, and she smiled from ear to ear. "Aspect of the Flame Goddess," Nox said, standing up. "Would you make a contract with him?"

"!?" Vesta’s eyes widen. "W-what!? No, that is not—"

"You said with Elpis I can do just about anything, so would making a contract with you be possible?"

"You dare ask me!" She was a bit offended by this notion. "A goddess this!?"

"So?" Cirrus ignored her little outburst. "I wish to create my Mangum Opus with my closest friend here, and now with you in the mix, this weapon would be even greater. Or do you wish to stay with Hestia and let me face Epimetheus armed with the full might of the corrupted flame?"

"You have some gall, Orion." Vesta looked at him even more sternly.

"So? The Flame of Heaven is a god's problem, so shouldn’t you help me finish the job?"

They all stare at one another for a minute.

Vesta herself began to think and think before a crack formed on her neutral face.

"Heh… Hehahahah!!!!" She laughed joyfully. "Ahhh~! To stay with that lazy goddess is something I wish to avoid; I merely languish in slumber. But what an idea! As expected from one who tamed Artemis. Heh-hahaha!!" She had a slight smile on her usually expressionless face. "I will be the one who ensures your weapon does not fall into the wrong hands! With your ability and passion to make your spirit shine, your weapon is sure to be constantly watched over."

‘Heh, I guess she is a god who wouldn’t jump at this massive new opportunity.’ Thought Cirrus.

"Fine by me!"

"Let’s proceed to finish this contract!!" Vesta shouted as a blue flame covered her. "Come! Cirrus Zephyr! Candidus Nox! Let us forge a contract like no other and create a weapon that will make the eyes of all the gods of smithing bleed from jealousy!!"

"What about the corruption?" Nox asked. "Epimetheus has—"

"Do not worry about that," Vesta assured them. "He is the perfect vessel to send it back to Heaven."

Chamber under the Great Temple.

"Huh?" The light surrounding Hestia was suddenly gone, followed by something inside her going missing. "What is—Gah!!!" Hestia was rejected and flung back. "Thud!"

"Hestia!?" they all shouted with concerned looks.

"What happened!" said Artemis.

"I-I was cut off… The last thing I saw was… Hm? Why can’t I remember?" Hestia tried to remember, but all that would appear were her placing her hands on the sphere of energy.

"You don’t remember? What could—!!"

Immediately, the light that was in the sphere of black and white changed to a warm red. They all quickly turned to where Cirrus was.

"Artemis!!!!" Hera shouted at the top of her lungs. "Ai!! How is Cirrus doing!!"

Ai and Artemis dashed off and saw.

"H-HE’S STANDING—wait?"

Bwoooooosh!!!

The barrier turned pure white as an intense heat radiated off it and the white soon turned to a mild to bright orange.

It was so intense that the wooden altar, which bore the brunt and heat of the Heavenly Flame for millennia, burned away.

Cirrus, of course, fell to the ground.

Thud!!

It was almost as if falling caused Vesta to pop out.

"Someone appeared! She has bright red hair and white garments!" Ai shouted.

"My aspect!!" shouted Hestia, quickly getting up.

They ran to see Vesta hovering above Cirrus, and then he moved.

"He’s moving!" said Ai.

From Cirrus’s shadow, several materials and metals from all across the world came out, with one of them sticking out that Hera recognized by feeling alone.

"Scales of the Black Dragon!! How did he get his hands on them?!"

"H-he’s going to use the Heavenly Flame to forge his weapon!!" said Artemis.

"W-what!?!?" shouted Hestia. "Then is he trying to—CRACK!!!!!!!!!!"

Back to Purgatory.

The material all floats in front of him, and Vesta. A blue flame and lightning engulfed all the material, along with wood from the altar.

"I don’t want you to go," Cirrus said, hugging Nox tightly.

"I know. But the world comes first. So you better make me beautiful and strong, got it?" She said it with a smirk.

"Of course. I won’t settle for anything but perfect."

"Good! And um… I love you, Cirrus. Remember that, little brother."

"Of course. Big sister."

They both stare at one another, and a smirk forms on Nox.

"Hahaha!!!" Nox laughs boastfully. "That’s not my style! Alcides!! You better fucking beat that old man’s ass!!!" Nox shouted at the top of her lungs as tears streamed down.

Cirrus cracks a smile as tears stream down her cheeks.

"Of course!! I’ll knock his old ass out!!"

They both shed tears as Nox glowed brighter and brighter.

Cirrus and Vesta held out their hands.

"(Exousía, Adorn Synafxáno: Nox)!!!"

SHINE!!!!!!!

Nox turns into light and goes into the flame.

B W O O S H!!!!!!

The flame then exploded into an iridescent kaleidoscope of colors.

"VESTA!!!!!" Cirrus roared. (DAMOCLES, SING YOUR VESPERS)!!!!!!"

"I’m on it!!!" Vesta shouted as she too turned into a flame and entered the forging process.

The flame intensified even more.

Back to the Chamber.

Crack!!!!! Bwoosh!!!!! Crack!!!!! Bwoosh!!!!! Crack!!!!! Bwoosh!!!!!

Crack!!!!! Bwoosh!!!!! Crack!!!!! Bwoosh!!!!! Crack!!!!! Bwoosh!!!!! Crack!!!!! Bwoosh!!!!!

Crack!!!!! Bwoosh!!!!! Crack!!!!! Bwoosh!!!!! Crack!!!!! Bwoosh!!!!! Crack!!!!! Bwoosh!!!!! Crack!!!!! Bwoosh!!!!!

Lightning and multicolored fire began to crash and burn within the sphere, and the sound of it could be heard throughout Olympia.

"H-he’s doing it!" said Hera, in awe of the sight.

"This!!" said Ai, covering her ears. "This is so much worse than before!"

Hestia was the only one who kept her eye on the process, she could see the scales and all the metal turning white hot, and melting. So many kinds of material merged into harmony.

"Sublime." She said with widened eyes filled with splendor.

The sight reminded her of when Hephaestus forged the knife for Bell. It was a sight to see, and she was lucky enough to see it once more.

In the forging process, Nox asked Vesta a favor.

‘Vesta, can you look after Cirrus for me?’

‘I had thought that was a given. Your loyalty is worth more than praise.’

‘I do not want praise I simply don’t want Cirrus to cry. I am his best and oldest friend. So I only want the best for him. So can you look after him for me? Until I get back?’

‘I understand. I will honor your words till the day you return to your contractor.’

‘Fufu… Make sure you treat my body well. It has served me well these past eons.’

‘Very well. I hope to see you soon.’

‘I can say the same.’

‘Oh, before I go, can you do me a solid and write down some last words from me to Cirrus?’

‘Absolutely. For you anything.’

Vesta holds out her hand and writes hieroglyphs into the blade before slowly being fully absorbed into the weapon.

"V-Vesta is being absorbed!?" shouted Artemis.

The moment Vesta was fully absorbed into the weapon, a bright white flash engulfed the whole room.

FLASH!!!!!

A beam of pure white shoots through the sky, gifting the world with one last white night before dissipating.

Everyone quickly closed their eyes and opened them to see the pit Cirrus was in was covered in bleached earth, standing in a crater.

A scorching heat filled the chamber, leaving many mouths dry.

"!?" Everyone noticed Cirrus standing there, his clothes charred or ripped, and his eyepatch missing.

In his hand was a weapon with some slots along the spine. Still white-hot, it sears Cirrus’s right hand.

TSSSSSSSSSSSS~~!!!!

"Fuu~" Cirrus lets out a deep breath, ignoring the pain. He closed his left hand, and when he opened it, he had two blue gems, one as blue as a lake and the other an icy blue. "Arbuda, Thetis." Cirrus throws Thetis and Arbuda's cores into two of the slots, and they click into place.

Slot!

Slot!

Fssssssssssh!!!!!!!!!!!!

Steam erupts from the blade, cooling it down and revealing its beauty and regality. The weapon’s shape was that of Brilliant Nightmare. Pure black with lines, circuits of red, blue, and light blue in a circuit pattern, and seven slots arranged like constellations on the spine of the blade with a red gem already installed in the guard and two more at the base and one more above it. Small dots litter the blade, giving it the look of the night sky. The pummel of the weapon has a fire-like cloth with Hieroglyphs written in gold on it.

He holds the weapon close and runs his left hand along the edge, then quickly swings it.

Swish~!!

Whoosh~

One would think the swing would have flung his blood off, but no. The hieroglyphs and red gem glowed after having drunk Cirrus’ blood.

The weapon's heat quickly dissipated, leaving only a cooled black weapon.

"The… contract… is sealed." He said softly as he brought it close to him to see his reflection. "Your name will be…" With tears dripping on the weapon, he was about to give it its name when he was interrupted.

"Cirrus!!!!!!!!!!" shouted Ai and Artemis as Hecton’s arms helped them go down towards him.

He slowly turns to look at them and smiles from ear to ear.

"W-what is that!" said Hestia, tired and surprised from the long day. "That weapon…"

Getting down to the bottom Ai and Artemis rush over to Cirrus.

"Cirrus!! Are you alright!!" said Artemis. "Here, hold on!" Artemis quickly took out a high potion and dosed it on him, healing his wounds.

"I am… not okay." He then stabs his divine weapon into the ground to stabilize himself. "Can you… update my status." Cirrus then slowly looks up at an opening in the ceiling. "My labor isn’t done yet."

"You want me to update your status now!?" Artemis shouted in shock.

"You're practically in tatters!! You even lost your eye!" Ai said gently touching it. "At least rest and—"

"Do as he says." Said ‘Nox,’ in a monotone voice. "We do not have time to waste. Epimetheus is already on the move."

"Grr!!" Artemis clenches her fists and teeth tightly. "Fine! But you are to come back immediately once you are done! Got it!!"

"Of course," Cirrus said, slowly moving his hand to pat Ai’s head. "I did… promise I would be a… happy hero."

His sly grin made them both happy.

"Ai!" Artemis held out her index finger.

"Hm!"

Ai draws her blade, and Artemis cuts her finger on it and drops it on Cirrus’s exposed back.

As his status opens up,

Boooooooooooom!!!!!!!!!!!!

A pillar of light. A god was returning to heaven, or so it seemed.

"Waah!!" Ai said she was surprised.

Hecton quickly gets them out of the way.

"Grrrrr!?!?" Cirrus gritted his teeth as he felt the deepest part of himself break free.

They watched and felt as two divinities came out and took shape.

"Ouranos..." said Ai, gazing at a vast, boundless sky adorned with a zodiac wheel in the center.

"Astraea…" said Artemis, looking at a massive woman with perfect wings holding a scaled sword.

Along with them, two more appeared but were far smaller.

"Me!?" shouted Artemis, looking at her more diminutive and godly form with small antlers and a crescent moon in place of her small gold hair accessory.

"And is that Kali!?" shouted Ai, looking at a small child with several arms and a necklace made of skulls.

"The foundations of his status!" exclaimed Hera triumphantly. "They have taken form!!!"

"Hera what is going on!" Shouted Hestia. "Do you know what’s happening!"

"We are watching as he becomes something greater! The son of a god!!"

"You can’t be serious!!" said Hestia, turning to look at Cirrus.

"No… look!"

The divinities then soon began to merge and mix, forming a boundless sky filled with stars that go in and out, when another divinity, a veil of the night, came and wrapped it up.

It then goes back to Cirrus’s back, and he shoots his head back up.

Cirrus has reached a sense of nirvana; it feels like he has been asleep this whole time. A chant rang through his mind with a direction.

He holds the weapon up to the heavens.

"(Wake up, Nox.)." He spoke softly while tears came down his face.

FLASH!!!!!

BOOM!!!!

The Hero of The White Night makes his presence known.

Up in heaven.

"It’s finally time." The topaz-eyed goddess smiles as that green cloud-shaped flower glows. "Your journey has finally come so close to the end."

The green cloud-shaped flower's glow began to grow and take shape.