Danmachi: Westward Cloud [Complete]

[Vol.4] Quest 370.1- Trial By Fate

Present day.

“Here.” Artemis handed Elysium a piece of paper they used when their status was updated. “Write their names if you know them and their descriptions.”

“Hm! Hm!” Ai, Malion, and Ryuu nodded.

“Should they ever come to Gekai, we will crush their Familia’s!” shouted Ai.

“You are our husband! No one should leer at you with lust!” Ryuu shouted.

“Neither shall you have to feel the gaze of a woman who only wants your children!” Shouted Malion.

“… Maybe I should just cut more stuff out.”

They follow Eris up the stairs of the shrine. They could see several hundred, if not millions, of gods in attendance. The moment Cirrus stepped onto the top, every god gazed at him as if he were some new animal that had just been discovered.

Right smack in the middle, dead center in the far back, was a massive swirling circle of nothing. It looked as if it were a hole in reality, yet no one seemed concerned.

He looked ahead to see Nyx with some other god who had a divinity to match that of a God-King like Ouranos, Zeus, Odin, Amaterasu, and Nyx.

Nyx had gone up ahead while Cirrus was talking with Eris and the others.

Eris herself skipped ahead to one of the gods next to Nyx.

“Cirrus, allow me to introduce to you to Ouranos’s lo—Thud! Guh!?” Eris was struck across the shrine by a goddess.

“Shush.” The goddess spoke, striking Eris away with a wave of her hand. “I can introduce myself, Eris.”

“Geh… I can’t handle her.” Eris gets back on her feet. “I am rooting for you, Cirrus! Oh, and I met your wife! She is a real spitfire! You are lucky to have met her! Bye-bye!” Eris said, teleporting and disappearing into the audience of gods.

“Thanks?” Cirrus said, confused by what she said, but he had bigger things to worry about than Eris’s words.

He walks up to Nyx and one other goddess.

“Hello, Cirrus Zephyr, child of Ouranos.” The goddess said, who struck Eris across the shrine.

She had a divinity as mighty as Nyx and Ouranos. She had hair as lush and as green as the leaves of trees kept in a braid that gave her a motherly air. Her skin was a beautiful shade of earth, paired with her beautiful sea-blue eyes.

She was about a few inches smaller than Nyx, but her presence was overwhelming, as she was beautiful wearing an outfit that couldn’t be described as a culture but rather a culmination of many.

“You… You are Gaia, right?”

Cirrus was surprised by how youthful Gaia looked.

“Oh? What gave it away?” Gaia said with a slight blush, impressed by his deduction. “Has that stick in the mud, Ouranos, spoken of me?”

“I guess your divinity? It feels rather... homey, I guess."

“Hm… Well, that’s fine as well.” She earnestly smiles while patting Cirrus’s head. “I have faith in your sponsor’s vision, even if it was proven incorrect at the most vital of moments.”

“Uh… okay?”

“I hope you come out of this intact, son of my love.” She then teleports away.

“So…” Cirrus walks next to Nyx as they are surrounded by gods. “No tables or stuff like that?”

“No need for that,” Nyx said.

“Neat… Can I ask if that empty swirling circle is the void?”

“It is. Unsettling, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. Hey Vesta.” He looked at her to find her sweating a bit. “You okay?”

“I-I am okay! N-no need to worry about me!” She said, putting on a forced smile.

“You may still leave.” Nyx cut in. “There is no shame in leaving.”

“N-no! I will ensure Cirrus isn’t fucked over.”

“Hm~” Nyx lightly grinned. “I noticed you adopted some of Cirrus’ manner of speech, like my daughter.”

“So? I have listened to him for years. Why wouldn’t I pick up some of his vocabulary?”

“Right, right. Prepare yourself, then. They are coming.”

“Who?” Cirrus asked.

“Ananke and Chronos.”

■■■■!!!■■■■!!!■■■■!!!■■■■!!!

“!?!?”

Suddenly, the whole shrine was overcome by suffocating pressure.

↓↓↓↓↓↓↓↓

“Hmm—Thud!!” Nyx waved her hand, but Cirrus stopped her. “Cirrus.” She glanced at him from the side.

“Nyx,” Cirrus said, sweating bullets. “I can stand on my own. I won’t get shown up by them. Vesta?” He looked at her and saw her struggling a bit. “Are you fine?”

“Hmm… Yes.” Vesta said, struggling. “So… long as... I do not move.”

“Nyx.”

Nyx loved the look in his eyes.

'I can see where Nox got it from. Such fierce, angry eyes of bold determination to ensure those by his side remain protected.’

“Fine. So be it.” She put her hands back on her sides.

Cirrus stepped forward; each step felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

“Grrr!! (Sing)!!!!” He howled to the gods.

CRACKLE!!!!!!

Thunderous might clad Cirrus as it grew and grew.

“COME ON!!! LETS GET THIS FUCKING ROLLING!!!! WHAT DO YOU SAY Y’ALL!!!! LETS BALL!!!!” Cirrus gestures to the gods, and they couldn’t help but crack a smile at this mortal.

“!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

The gods erupted into earth-quaking cheers that shook the shrine.

“Quiet.”

“___”

Silence cut a swath through the shrine. It was as if they had shot a gun at a house party.

They appeared as if they were a mirage.

Whoooosh~

Chronos and Ananke.

“Cirrus Zephyr.” Said Ananke, a goddess using a spindle. No boundary separated her hair from her clothes. “Born ■■■■ ■■■ of the United States of America from the Universe #BOU4122021 within the Core Reality Concept.” The goddess, aside from spinning her spindle, was indescribably transcendent. “Cause of death, head trauma caused by overwork.” Words will do her no justice to describe her; if anything, words only restrain her. Her eyes, however, seemed boundless, as if they saw infinity and mocked it.

“Head trauma?”

“Yes, you struck your head before you went splat in the elevator shaft.” Said Chronos, an old man with wings that made sense now. He was Chronos, the personification of time, more simply known as Father Time. He is not to be confused with Cronus, the father of Zeus and the dethroner of Ouranos, in myth.

He too was as hard to comprehend as Ananke, but was leagues easier to grasp than her.

Cirrus even doubted if these were what they looked like and not just what his brain or soul, whatever the afterlife equivalent is, could fit into what he was looking at.

“Ah. Hey, can I ask if you could turn down the abstractness? It’s… starting to hurt my concept of understanding."

Ananke and Chronos look at one another.

“Very well.” They responded.

Ananke took the form of a cold, pale-skinned woman with hair as black as death. It matched perfectly with her solid black eyes and clothes that blended into it like Eris’. Yet in the inner part of her hair, it was a glowing white.

Chronos took the form of a stern elderly man with hair and a beard as white as bleach. His clothes were also white and rather comfy.

“How is that?” Ananke asked.

“It’s perfect.”

“Then let us continue,” Chronos said. “We are here to pass judgment upon you! Cirrus Zephyr for breaking the laws of fate and possession of a weapon of mass destruction—”

Present.

“Yeah, I’m just skipping this part,” Elysium said. “Just a lot of boring law stuff.”

“Ugh…” Everyone had to take a seat.

“This is…” Ai was processing everything that happened.

“So let me get this straight,” Astraea said. “You stood before all of heaven, and even the two strongest deities of all conception told them if they could change to a more primitive form for you."

“That is correct. They are rather accommodating gods. I thought they would be a little indifferent to Cirrus’ words. Anyway, back to the story.”

Three days’ worth of deliberation later.

“FUCK YOU!!” Cirrus shouted. “Vesta had nothing to do with this!"

“She helped you break free from my strings!" Ananke shouted. “She is your accomplice! Had she remained in Hestia’s domain, we would not care, but if she is to stand by your side, she will be judged! The same way we are judging Nyx for her own hands in this development!"

“Nyx, did you know you were also being judged!?” Cirrus looked at her.

“I did. I left it out since I found it unimportant.” Nyx said, unfazed.

“So we ask you, Cirrus Zephyr.” Asked Chronos. “That you will obey whatever fate we deem you to have.”

“Hah!? What kind of arrogant bullshit is that!! Do you honestly expect to get me to willingly cooperate?”

“Hm? Did you misinterpret my words? I was asking you what you have just said.”

“You said obey like I was just some fucking dog!”

“Well, are you not still mortal? Your soul is still that of a man.”

“So?”

“So would you consider an ape a human, in this case, if they were born from a mother trichoplax and a human father?”

“First of all, what the fuck is a trichoplax? Second this sounds really mess up."

Ananke took a second to go over what she said.

‘Odd?’ She thought. ‘I usually make better metaphors? No. He is just bringing out my emotions, which is also odd?’

“I apologize for the example I gave, but you understand, do you not?”

"Yeah, I do… shit.” He looked to Nyx. "Hey, uh, weren’t you supposed to be my lawyer or something?”

“Did I say that? I am just here to give your assistance when needed. I apologize, but I am not a god of law.”

“Fuck.”

“Don’t worry.” She smiled at him. “You are doing fantastic!” She gave him a thumbs-up.

Cirrus looked back at Chronos.

“There you go, so—”

“Wait!!” Cirrus cuts him off. “I would argue that I am already a god!”

“Hoh~,” Ananke said. “Do tell? Give us your reasoning?”

“I slew the Black Dragon! The world saw my deed! Do you not think I would be heralded as a hero? A legend! A myth told to generations like Fianna before the arrival of gods to Gekai!"

“And? There are plenty of heroes like her.”

“Then let me ask you this: When does a man die?”

“When they're dead,” Chronos answered bluntly. “It’s rather straightforward.”

"Rather an easy, rhetorical question,” Ananke said.

“Nay!! A man dies when they are forgotten! My name and story will be told for generations! Thusly! Would you not say I am immortal!! Thus a god among men! I even have a demigod child! That’s something no god or man could have done!"

Every god looked at one another and muttered about.

Mutter~!! Mutter~!!

Mutter~!! Mutter~!!

Mutter~!! Mutter~!!

“Hmm…” Chronos and Ananke pondered his words.

“I declare!” Ananke shouted out as the white of her inner hair glowed. “Upon majority concession, Heaven accepts your argument! Thus, you are classified as a god!”

Nyx smirked.

“It’s almost time.” She muttered under her breath.

“So, does that change anything or what?” Cirrus asked.

“No,” Chronos responded. “It just means you are worthy to be called a god, God of nothing. You still broke the law.”

“You don’t have to be a dick about it!” Cirrus shouted.

“This is insanity!” Vesta shouted. “There are no such laws for breaking one’s fate! We are just here because it broke A-Ananke’s strings!!" She looked at the other gods high up. “I ask of you all! Do you find this just? That we are gathered here because Cirrus used a power to break from the bonds that Ananke put herself in without Cirrus’ consent!"

Mutter~!! Mutter~!!

Mutter~!! Mutter~!!

“I can say the same of Nyx! She created an Artificial Moksha! Why we have brought him here does not matter." Ananke raised her voice, quieting everyone again. “I and Chronos are the Guardians of Heaven; it’s mightiest gods that ensure peace and freedom for all. Even the fact that we let Nyx become the leader of Heaven was for the sole purpose of you being the Great Psychopomp and Bleacher of Gekai, so the gods may not be burdened with so many souls and Heaven can run before the Age of Gods on Gekai. It was her, Nyx’s, own vision, her future of you, that she saw. Yet here you stand, in heaven, when you should have survived and become the god of Gekai.”

Present.

“Hold on, so Nyx prophesied you would be the god of Gekai!?” Artemis shouted.

“She must be good if you are here,” Ai said.

“But from the way Ananke said it, it implied that the situation had changed from the previous agreement?” Ryuu said.

“That’s right,” Astraea said. “What led you to return to Gekai and be its god?”

“Well, it was all part of Nyx’s plan,” Elysium said.

Back to the story.

“So here is our offer,” Chronos said. “We will show mercy to you all. Nyx, you will be reborn seven times. Vesta, you will be imprisoned until Hestia returns to heaven, and then you will be forcibly put back into her. Cirrus Zephyr, upon several requests from several goddesses to have your punishment be to break your vow with Artemis and create more Demigods, and several more requests to have you become a woman and bear the children of the gods. We decided that your fate will be placed into Solipsism.”

Present. Again.

“Solipsism!!” Artemis and Astraea shouted again.

“Hmm…” Elysium picked his ears. “Can I ask if you two cannot keep yelling? Also, that got your attention, not the—"

“Cirrus, they did not put you into Solipsism!” Astraea said. “It’s where Heaven puts its most problematic gods! Eris has been in there more times than I can count!"

“She turns out fine.”

“She is the goddess of discord! Strife!! Chaos!!” Artemis shouted. “It might as well be a vacation for her! Also, give me the names of the gods who suggest you break your vows with us!"

“Oh, so you did listen to that part!” Elysium said happily.

“Hm! Hm!” The other three nodded.

“Alright, I’ll write that down later. I’m getting close to finishing my story, alright? So keep your words to yourself for now.”

Back to the story.

“Solipsism!?” Vesta shouted. “You can’t be serious! He will not survive that!?”

“Lord Chronos, Lady Ananke.” Nyx stepped forward. Finally, speaking for so long. “If I may give a proposition?”

“Nyx.” The two gods look at her with cold indifference. “Say your peace and be done with it. Even now, as we speak, work is piling up, which is also your fault.”

“I propose for Cirrus’ Solipsism that he be placed within The Void’s care.”

“!?!?!?!?!?”

Every god's eyes widen, stunned by her suggestion.

“Do you even know what that implies?" Ananke teleports before Nyx, faster than even a fraction of blinking one's eye.

“Nyx, you can’t suggest that!?” Vesta shouted. “That’s an even crueler punishment!"

“What!?” Cirrus looked around, shocked at what they were saying. “What the fuck is going on!"

“You suggest putting Cirrus into the Creator?" She tilted her head, and an unfathomable darkness encompassed her eyes. “I thought you cared for him? Going into Khaos will break him.”

“… You know, if he is placed within the heavens, the gods will not stop until they get him. He is the Helen of Troy for gods.”

“Grr!!” Ananke’s hair glowed, and her face was dyed with anger.

“Oh? Can’t find a timeline where you aren’t struggling?” Nyx smirked even more. “A timeline where—”

“Quiet.” She said it sternly. “I do not care; I will not—”

“Trial by combat!"

“Who said that!?” Ananke shouted, looking into the crowd of gods. “Was it you, Sun Wukong!!”

‘Wait? That shouldn’t have—’

“Fight!! Fight!!”

“Combat!! Combat!!”

“Guh!”

'T-this shouldn’t be happening!? I did not see this within my ability!?’

Chronos could see and feel the worry for Ananke. It was the second time he saw her like this.

“Silence!!!!” Chronos shouted. “We will not hold a trial by combat! We have spent the metaphorical day already, and his judgment has already—”

“If he can prove he can hold his own, then do you not think he would not need to go to the void for his wellbeing?” Nyx said it with a smug look.

“Grr!! You planned this, didn’t you?” Ananke’s face came even more to life with anger.

“Me? How could I do that?” She shrugged her shoulders. “I’m just Nyx, Goddess of The Night. I’m no one special.”

Ananke had enough of Nyx playing coy.

“… Fine.” Ananke teleported back to where she was before. “Cirrus Zephyr!! Do you wish to undergo a trial by combat and avert your original punishment!!”

“What happens if I win? Do I just stay in a domain?”

“You will be sealed within Artemis’ domain if you win. Do you accept this suggested judgment?”

Cirrus looked at Nyx, and she nodded.

He looked at Vesta, and she was worried.

“Vesta, what do you think?”

“I… I think this is your best shot. But you do not have a proper weapon that can kill a god.”

“I don’t think I need to kill a god…” He looked to Nyx. “Do I?”

“You do not. But those fake spirit swords and magic swords won’t allow you to clutch victory.” She leaned in, and her veil covered them both. “Cirrus, listen to me. When you have reached Elysium, call upon Artemis’ bow and arrow, Phoebe, and Orion when you arrive at her domain.”

Cirrus looked at Chronos and Ananke. They stared at him with patience thinning.

“Hah… fine. But Elysium?”

“You will know when it is time. So get out there and fight! I have my complete faith in you!”

Cirrus would doubt her if she was not smiling at him the same way Nox would.

“… Goddammit, you copied Nox’s smile, didn’t you?”

“Oh?” She raised an eyebrow, leaning back. “Keen eye, but she got it from me.”

She pulled back her veil.

Cirrus stepped forward and spoke up.

“I wish to be judged by combat! Who wishes to get their old ass knocked out!!”

“Me,” Ananke said, appearing in front of him.

She placed her fist an inch from Cirrus and thrusted.

“Ah fuck.”

Thud!!!!

“Gah!?”

A powerful force of wind struck Cirrus across the shrine.

Ananke's one-inch punch rocked his whole body.

“In your words, Cirrus Zephyr!" Ananke glared at Nyx. “Let’s BALL!!”

“Grr!!” Cirrus gets back onto his feet. “Dogs obey, though their ideas may differ from those of their masters.” Cirrus looked at Ananke, his eyes spiraling once more. “Sadly, this dog will not obey so easily.”

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