Danmachi: Westward Cloud [Complete]

[Vol.4] Quest 354.1- Westward Cloud, Final Chapter, Part 4.1- Evaporating Star

Back to reality.

“̴̢̲͚̖̼̬͎̞̘̗̹͓̬͚̭̏̃̈́̇͒̍̒̿̐̂̎̉͘̚̚■̸̳̺̠͚̈̓̄͠■̴͚̪̝̒͆̈̔̽̀̀̊̌̋̈́̑͠͝͝■̴̡̛̬̱̝̿͊!̴̡̀̎̄̈̓̌̏̀̕͠͠!̷̧̡̠̫̫̳̌̽!̵̛̙̙̻͇͑̈́͋̽̓̌͜■̵͉̥͕̜͈̝͎̬̞̞̭̍͂̏̂̍̌͂͆͌̃̏́́ͅ■̷̧̰̫̤̹͖͚͕̰̼̖͙̆̓͊̓̋̐̒̕■̴͉͍̜̘̤̗̟̅̐̋͗̽̂̉͛̄̚!̴͎͙͇̗͕̭̘̈́̈̈́͊̃̇̋͒̐̓̓͌̓͜͝!̴̞̬̗͇̤̂̋̏̓̕!̸̝͍̤͎͙̺͓̞̰̂̅͆͑̑͛͆̄̑̕͠■̴̭͈̬̗̘̰͈́̀̔̈́̉̾■̵̱͓͎͇̤̻̒͗̽̊̅͗̌͘͠͠͝ͅ■̸̢̢̢̯̳̯͙̫̺̯̮̖͚̍̅̚!̶̛̻̯͕̗̲̠̮̼̤̻̯͎̯̣̱̅͐͒̐̈́͑̾̃̀̍̾͠͝!̷̫̰̰̳͙͚̜̒͒̐̅̽͂͘̕͝͝!̵̡̡̦̙͙̲̙̳͙̠͕͔͎͚͑͛̈́̓̋͋̿̋̔͛̆͂̕͝͠■̶͉͈̬͓́͊̓̄̋■̴̹̤̩͇̭͍͍̝̱̳̱̫̾̂͜■̷̡̛̜͉̩͖̞̲͈̣̿̎̀͂͆̿͑͆͂̚̕͘͜!̶̨̘͔͚͍̳̯̯̩̥͆̆̕!̶̢̨̦̝̰̳͔͆̄͛͆̈͆̈́̈́͐̑̈́̑̐̚͜!̵̧̨̯̮͙̗͉̯̻̫͕̳̪̉͛̎̈̈́͗̒̍͝͝ͅ■̴̨̧͚̘̼̜̬̝̋́̀̂̔͌̀̎̓̇̈́̈͌■̷̨̫̠͒̓͘■̴̧̢̠̜̺̻̣̻̘̂̉͆͑̒̑͊̿̔̊̈́͊̾̕͝!̷̬̆͂̐̈͒͋̽̅͊!̴̻͋͑̓̿͒̚!̴̙͈̮͉͚̭̩̮̗̻̻͙͐͆̔̐́̌̉̅́̓́̈̔̀■̸͖͕̞̭̺͇̥̞̲̬̪́͋̆̀͊͘͜■̴̳̹͈̣̣̖̪̬̪̖͖͐■̵̨̩̞̣͎̽̈̏̓́͌̈́̔̿̓!̵͙͎̞̻͓̮͔͌́̎̕̕͝!̵̢͉̟͙̝̖̙͕̺̥̣̖̓!̵̩̹̐͐̔̄̕■̴̢̣̲̲̗̭͍̪̬͉̦͈̈́̓̄͛̈́̑̚̚■̶̦̩̺̣͓̀̒̽̃͛̐͒̈́̀̀͊̾̚͘͠■̶̡̥̭͈̤̽̓͝ͅ!̴̨̺̳͉͓̼͊̾̎̾͜͠!̷̗͇̮̖͋!̴̰͖̹̟̟͚̦̤̖͍̹̲̹͗́̉̃̃́͗̓̍̓̚ͅ■̸̢̧͚̼͎͂̋̐̈̉͋̊̓■̸̝̜̇̾͝■̷̢͕̬̹́͐̊̈̓̔̑̿̆̐́͌̏̒!̴̱͙̜̥̉̐!̷̢͉̝̫̝̰̝͓͛͑̏͒͋̏͒̄͠!̶̥̳̪̳̰̏̂̐͜■̶̝̺͓̺̠́́̈̅̌̂̒͒͒͑̆̈́̾̚■̵̧̛͕͙͖̳̦̝̳̇̒̄́̅̀̄̉͌̈̀̆̀ͅ■̸̢̗̗̼̰̈́͆̌͛̋͌̏̄͊͜!̸̧̡̼͙̻̻̼̼̳̬͚̻̌̀̇̎̄̆̓̈́̐̽̕͝!̶͔̣͇͉̱̟̉͋̉͆̿̔̕!̵̞͓̝̯̰̰̹͙͕͍͇̫̟͕̻̌̀̉̅̽̓͋̇͝͠■̸̙̤́͋̓̄͝■̷̯̺͙̯̖̘̻̠̘̦͆́̈́̇͐̅̽̕■̵̬̮̩̹̖̣̦͉̄́͌͗̏͒̅̚ͅ!̶̢̨̛͖̥̻͍̞̤͍͙͈͓͑͌́́̓̕͜͝!̸̧͍͚̮͈̙͍̹̀̍̈̏̊̽̓̓͘͝!̵̧̺̼͕̩̖̱̪̥̿̒̒͑́̈̎̏̍̔̉̓̏̋͠■̴̧̜͙̝̪̘͊̐͆͂̅͌̎̋̎̔͗̊̀͌■̷̡̢͕̫͉͇̫͎̣̗͉͔͈͊̏̇̑̌͘͠■̸̼̙͑͂̌̅̿͠!̴͇̻̝̪͊̐́̃̄̓̒̽̕!̷̡͎̭̘̺̬̺̰̠̩̏́͜!̵̪̹͉͕͉̗͖͕̭̼͖̗̼̅̔̉̿̽͝͝■̸̞̰̯̝̱̗͔͉̳̋̎̄̃͆͐̚■̸̧̪͔͆̀■̴̲̿̉͒̊̿͑͌̂̓͛̉̆̚!̷̢̛̘̬̫͇̃̽̐͂̀̀̕̚!̶̪̮̘͕̼̠̫͙̐͂͐̍͌̒̕̕̚!̴͖̱̬͕̦̐̏̉̄͝■̸̡͓̝̗̰͓͉̰̻̣́̽͂̿̉̄͑̏̊͋̊̽̈́̚͜ͅ■̴̩̹͕̤̭̌̐̇■̸̛̙̅̐͆̎̆̈́̾̆̐͘!̴̡̤͍̯͈̦̣͇͛͂̚͜͜͠!̵̥̯̱͈̿̂̓!̴̧͙̜̺̖̰̖̬̟̒͑̚͘■̴͓͈͐̂̋̈́͊̈̊͒̂͊̌̂̕̕͝■̵̛͍̗̤͍͔̫̞͔̼̍̉̂̎̈́͑̇͜͝■̸̢̢̨̤̤͔̺̻̲̱͉͉̰͈̱͋̎̒̽̿̔̿!̵̧̛̳̳͌̋̽͆͂̓!̷̩͖͔͙͊́͒͊̉́!̷͈͎̦̦͇͙̖̩͓̞̂ͅ■̴̢͕͉͎̺̪̞̜͖́͋̒̀̽͛́̍͌̄̄■̴̨͔̙̥͐͂̏́͐͑■̵̬͠ͅ!̸̨͙̺̬͈̱͕̜̺̹͙̘̟͉̳̉̍̔͘͝!̸̡͔̞̒͛͂͊̆̉̐̀̃̔̚!̴̳̬͙͇̭̰̑̎͂̂͒͗͛■̵̧̛̟̘̟̯̠̝͎͉̥̠̫̭̞̾͋̑̍͒͗̃͊̍̔͑̐́■̷̯̩̈͑̋̎̀͌̽̓̎̎̕͝ͅ■̴̱̺̒͂͑̈̀͑̃͊͐́́̃͐͘͝!̸̡͓̫͈̝̺̠͎͛!̵̢̡̩̫̱̜̮̙̬̳̫̔̄̈́̈́̓͋̌̅!̶͔͚̬̰̦͗̆̋̈́̈́͊͌̓̇̽̂͘͘̚■̶̫̜͊̇̏̀̈́̈̕■̵̢́̈́̀͒̏͐̈̿͛͂͛̆́͝■̸̢̡͔͇̖͎̦̼͕̦͈̞̝̠̀̿̒̌̓͆́̀̋!̴͙̹̯̯̝͂̋̓̏!̵̛̫̤̯̼̰̈̈̈́̏͛̍̄͝!̴̡̡̜͖̬͔͈͖̜̜̰̼̉͐̅͜͜͜͝■̷̧̛̥̫̙̳̗̝̄̈̓͑̀̚ͅ■̵̡̣̠̹͈̯͖͓̏̊͜■̶̢̟͔͓̘̫̤̺̞̋̿̈́́͗̚͜͝!̵̤̮̥̬̩̭̓͋͋͋̎̎̑̇͊͛̈́̚͝͝͠!̶̨̧͇͉̘̯̹̖͚̜̰̰̤̪̋͑̅̉̒͐!̴̢̍̂̃̄͊̈͌́̀̊̈͝■̴̧̡̤̳̰͇̥̼͔͈̻̠͒ͅ■̶̟̮̞͉̺̠̘̪̃■̶̝̯̰̅͛̇̀̃̃̇̒̉͝!̵̛͈̱̣͔͓̰̗̦͈̓͐̈̓!̶̢̛̦̣͎̗͔͚̭̖̫͎́͌̈̋̽̓̓̌͂̐̆̽̏̕͜͜͜!̴̡̤̲̭̖̰͖̥̮̣͍̭͋̚͝ͅ■̵̨̭̥̝̗̦̫̩͈̻̘̗̘͑■̴̢̧͈͕̞̙͇̣̻̲͓̥̭̣̏̅͌̑̀̒̍͂̃̚͝■̸̡̧͈̹͚̲̤̯͈̩̙̫͋!̶͙̹̣͚̮̭͈͕̝̠̈!̴̞͍̳̖̺͇̉!̸̝̣̯̗̯͙̗͉̱̻̹͓̣̝̝̌̈̈̎̓̉͗͗̀■̶̨̡̡̭̟̯͙͇̖̳̯̆͒̿͗̇͋̕■̵̨͖̬̙̞̞̆̈́̈́■̶̱̝̺̟̦͚̼̟̮̆̍̓̌!̸̨̛̩̂̃̈́̇͋͌̀̚͠͝͝!̵̛͕̮̬̖͈̲̙͖̬͓̅̊͗͌͒̄̈́͂̈́̚̕͠!̷̝̬͙͌̍͋̅̓̽͐̕"

Cirrus howled towards the heavens, shaking the world.

RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑ RUMBLE!!!↑↑

They have unleashed the full, unbridled power of Elpis. The earth, sky, and everything around Cirrus felt a power rising around them. It was a feeling that, instead of being crushed by the pressure, it was lifting them with it.

The laws of physics broke around Cirrus.

"!?!?" Circe covered her ears, and Vesta and Nox felt as if they broke the shackles that weighed him down off them.

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

The Black Dragon—no. The Corrupted Flame roared out as well.

The Black Dragon’s form was no longer its own. The flame now owns it.

Bwoosh-Crack!!!    

Bwoosh-Crack!!!!

Bwoosh-Crack!!!!

It slowly abandons its dragon form and slowly becomes more humanoid in appearance.

"Ci-rr-us!!!" It glares at Cirrus even more intently, speaking his name with venom and anguish.

The once-proud Dragon King was no more. It had let a cruel, corrupting power feed on it, and now it took over its body that had slain countless heroes and twisted it. Now it is a prisoner of its own body, its mind in constant pain and anguish that seeks death, yet the Corrupted Flame seeks to continue and kill Cirrus.

"̵̨̡̼̤̲̻̣̂̂̍̍̆̚ͅG̴̨̺̣̳͍̫̠̜̫̗͕̪͙̐͋̐̑̈́͐͜r̴̨̫̯͇̝͓̤̞̲̗̠̊̒͋̈́̄͠ͅr̶͕̖̆̍̆r̸̞̖͍̱̣̊͌̋͌̒̚!̸͍̭͔̖̲͙͍͓͎̮̼̿!̶̹͖̈́̇̀̊̄̇͆͆̓̚͝!̴̦͇̣̙̰̮̔̿̋̽̈́̈̈͝"̴̺̙̀̋͊̍̅̈́͌̋͊͘̕͠ ̶̡̛̛̤͚̺̦̝̟̭̥͈̳͉̖̻͈̎̆̅́̋̇̈́̓͆̑̏̌ Cirrus gritted his teeth.

Nothing could reach his ears that could hear infinity.

Before his eyes, the world was collapsing into unfathomable colors. Countless possibilities are within his gaze.

The strings of fate that were placed on him by Ananke were not chains; they were anchors for him, lifelines. Cirrus understood now that he had cut them off and was adrift at sea.

Around him were countless possibilities of him being dead, killed, or not even there.

‘I-???? I-????, ??????????????’ His thoughts were a complete mess, and he felt a crushing weight slowly beginning to kill him under this sufficing pressure.

A hand touched his cheeks. He still had a paddle to not let him be stranded, and he saw land—paradise. Hidden by a blanket of shadow or night that let him peek into it before leaving him with a path.

"̷̜̳͕̮̹͍̜̪͐͛!̸̳̗̖̺͔̃̉̽̄͑͂̎̾?̶̛̬̇̏͗̓͂͒̃͒̌̕͘"̸̢͔̠̘̹͒͐̍͌̽̾̎̊̎́͊͘ He gazed down to see Callisto still in his arms.

The flame that clad Cirrus did not affect her. At least not at the moment.

Callisto showed him the path he must take.

"Dad." She spoke softly, her voice cutting through infinity to reach his ears.

His scream woke her.

Her emerald eyes were glazed over with concern for him, and she was near the edge of crying for him.

This will not stand.

"̵̡̯̿K̵̞̞͋̅͠ė̸̮̱͈̊͛h̵͍͐!̵̺̣͗̓ͅ!̵̜͓̫͌"̴̣̭̌̀̃ He holds her close. "̸̨͌I̶̤̎.̸̪̍ ̶̭̋A̵̰̓m̵̘͠.̷̭͑ ̸̱̕Ś̷̠ô̵̲ŗ̶̄r̴̞͘y̵̺͌.̵̝͗"̶̘̋ ̵̢̉He spoke with struggle, his voice crackling.

"D-don’t be sorry!!" She cried out. "I-I should have—"

"̵S̷t̴a̴y̶.̴ ̶W̶i̷t̸h̸.̸ ̷C̷i̷r̵c̵e̵.̷"̵ ̷He loosened his grip, but Callisto clung to him still. His voice had regained some clarity and purpose.

"No!! I don’t want you to go!!!" She held him tightly.

Callisto feels that if she lets go, she will never get to hold her father again.

Crack~~

Some of Cirrus’ faces gained small cracks. The scar over his right eye burns away as if the flame were burning away any imperfections.

His hair grew faster.

"̶M̷y̶.̶ ̵D̴e̴a̵r̵.̴ ̵S̵w̵e̶e̶t̵.̶ ̸M̴o̸o̸n̸.̶ ̷B̷e̶a̷m̶.̸"̴ He softly smiles. "̴D̸o̴.̷ ̴Y̵o̸u̴.̵ ̷R̶e̷m̴e̴m̸.̷ ̷B̴e̸r̸.̸ ̷A̴l̸l̸.̸ ̸T̸h̶a̷t̴.̸ ̸I̴.̴ ̴A̷n̶d̵.̵ ̵Y̴o̷u̴r̴.̴ ̷M̴o̸t̶h̸.̸ ̸E̴r̸.̶ ̵T̸a̴u̷.̵ ̴G̷h̶t̸.̴ ̴Y̴o̶u̶?̶"̵ More tears stream down her cheeks.

"N-no!! So stay!!!"

"CIR. RUS!!!!!" The now-corrupted Corrupted Dragon shambled its way closer to Cirrus; it was now in the shape of a giant, humanoid in appearance but with wings of purple flame, its horns sleeked back with sharp teeth, and eyes of blazing coal.

Cirrus looks at it without a change in expression.

"I̸̘̅.̷̛̟̻̿ ̸̨̏W̶̗̹̌i̵̝̓͝l̶̒̔͜l̶̳̤͂̕.̵͎̏ ̴̪̞͠B̷͕͓̈́ė̶̢̥̀.̷̖́ ̴͗ͅŸ̷͈́ͅõ̶͉ȕ̶̮̣͘.̵̼̲͆̊ ̴̲̈́M̷̯̌̋ȍ̶̬͍o̶̼̦̊̓n̴̹͒͊.̸͎̀͆ ̸̳̻̄̓B̴͙͎̂e̵͕̅a̶͖͝m̸̞̜͆.̶͑ͅ" Cirrus rises, carrying his anchor.

"Dad!! Please!! Don’t—"

"̶(̶T̷h̸e̴ï̷k̶á̵ ̸P̴a̴n̸o̸p̶l̴í̸a̷.̴)̷"̴

Much like in the myth, Nephele sent down the golden ram to save her children from the Hellespont, so too does Cirrus give his child the golden ram to save his child.

The armor wraps around Callisto, healing her to full health and whittling away her magic.

"Da...d." Her eyes closed. The magic the armor took brought her to a near-mind-down state.

"̵T̷a̷k̴e̸.̶ ̴H̸e̷r̷.̷ ̷C̴i̷r̷c̵e̸.̵"̶

Circe came up to him and took Callisto from his arms.

"̶F̴a̷r̵.̴ ̵A̸w̵a̴y̷.̵ ̶Take. Care. Of. Her." His voice no longer had a static, disembodied sound to it.

"Hm." Circe nods, carrying Callisto away.

Cirrus did not look away from the Corrupted Dragon.

"Fuuuu~" Cirrus lets out a long, deep breath.

C-Crack!!!

Golden antlers spring from his head. They grow interlocking with one another.

His azure eyes swirl with an emerald green. The brown of his hair was burned away, leaving only ashen white hair that now reached past his hips.

"(Theïká Panoplía: Zodiac)."

His black and gold armor wraps around him; the iridescent fire changes into a veil of night; and White Night’s tassel wraps around Cirrus’ neck as his symbol of heroism. There was no twilight tinge to him, as Circe was not part of it.

‘Cirrus, you can string along words now, huh?’ Vesta's words reached his mind. ‘You—’

‘This is my end. Vesta.’ His voice was calm. ‘I know this power is slowly killing me, along with the Corrupted Flame. I’m drowning even now. Nox does not know this; I would like to keep it that way.’

Only his will is holding him up, and his love for his daughter and his children cleared the fog of infinite possibilities to get him on the edge of eternity.

‘Oy!! Cirrus!! You good??’ Nox asked. ‘You shouldn’t say so many death flags, you know? Also, nice antler; I didn’t know Elpis could do that.'

"Heh." Cirrus cracked a smile. "I am fine. Ignore the antlers. (Wake up, Nox)." Cirrus held White Night out, pointing it towards the Corrupted Dragon. A wave washed over Cirrus, turning the black into white. "Shall we (Sing) and dance under this lovely rain?" Cirrus makes White Night float before him; he spins White Night into a white blur.

‘Hoh~ I’m back already, and you wanna sing already? Also, you are lucky that spinning me doesn’t make me vomit. Plus, there is no rain.’

"You do not have a vestibular system. Ting~" Cirrus grabs White Night out of the air, slashing it dramatically. "Besides, good rains know when to fall."

Tap~

Tap-Tap~

Pitter-Patter~!!

Rain began to fall as if he had willed it.

‘Then let’s start the first comeback of Night Sky, shall we? We have a rather large audience. Vesta, you wanna join in?’

‘I am good. I do not have a particularly good voice; besides, why would I come between Night Sky?’ Vesta said, anticipating their reunion song. Yet she still needed to speak with Cirrus separately from Nox. ‘Also, Cirrus, shall I go ahead and make arrangements.'

‘Do it. Nox just got back. She needs to watch over her energetic, spirited, fearless niece—wait? Isn’t it, sister technically?’ 

‘It will be done, and technically, yes.’

While Vesta worked to extend Nox’s time here, Cirrus still needed to finish one last thing.

"Nox, let’s go with What You Won't Do for Love."

‘A very apt song.’

"I will start. This is just a warm-up. Fuu~," Cirrus takes a deep breath and sings. "I guess you wonder where I've been♪ I searched to find a love within♪"

"I came back to let you know♪," Nox’s voice rang out from White Night. "Got a thing for you, and I can't let go♪"

Cirrus leans forward.

"My friends wonder what is wrong with me♪ Well, I'm in a daze from your love, you see♪"

"I came back to let you know♪ Got a thing for you and I can't let go♪"

Within the blink of an eye, Cirrus disappeared.

Then a boom.

Boom!!

The sound barrier broke, and Cirrus was visible again.

Schunk!!

"Gah!?" The Corrupted Dragon shakingly looks at Cirrus as he impales White Night into its forehead.

"Some people go around the world for love♪ But they may never find what they dream of♪"

FUUUUUUUUU~~!!!!

They quickly sucked the flame out of the Black Dragon, leaving it as a shell of what it once was. With Elpis’s power, taking the flame was as easy as breathing.

"What you won't do, to do for love♪"

Cirrus walked down its back as it fell to the earth.

THUD!!!

"Like I said, a warm-up."

There, the once-feared apocalypse lay dead, dying pitifully. Being taken over by the Corrupted Flame and used like a pawn. It no longer even keeps its prestigious dragon body; it has lost any semblance of its previous title, the Dragon King.

"A wonderful intro, Cirrus."

"Yes, it’s only right for this pitiful king." Cirrus sneers at it, a last stain on this legend. "Let’s see the magic stone." Cirrus reeled his arm back and thrust through the dead despot. "(Sing)." He moved White Night to slice open the dragon so he could pull out its magic stone. "Shine!" It was a large, black, lustrous magic stone with a purple hue. "No more chances. (Sing)."

CRACKLE!!!

Electricity covered the magic stone, and many could see it growing smaller, more polished, and more refined.

Once that was done, he threw it into White Night’s slots.

Shine!!

Black circuits were added to White Night.

"Vesta, Nox. Leave nothing unchecked. Take all that you need."

"Got it/understood!’ Nox and Vesta said.

White Night returns to his hand, and it extends into the sea of clouds.

Fwhoosh~!!!

Flash!!!!

A white night began to slowly cover the sky, growing until it wrapped around the planet.

Everyone could feel a brisk, gentle breeze pulling around them.

‘Cirrus, how are you holding up?’ Vesta asked.

‘It is still overwhelming. My magic is endless. It replenishes faster than I can use it. The flame is still in me, burning me from the inside out.’

Crack~

Crack~

More cracks formed around his body. Blood slowly dripped out. The blood itself was no longer even red, but an iridescent kaleidoscope of colors.

"Hey, Cirrus, we are done!" Nox said.

"Lovely, just in time for the Fissure to form."

"What do you mean—"

Ṛ̴͍̾̉̾Ḭ̵͚̹͌͐Ì̴̧͔͎͓Ḯ̸̞̻͉͎͗̈́͝I̸̥̎I̷͒̍ͅṔ̶͚͓͜~̸̥͇̤̪̄́͝!̶̨̬̮̱͂͝!̴͙͙̄͂̄̽  

A few feet back behind Cirrus, where he and the Black Dragon did their final attack, a Fissure formed.

Cirrus and even Vesta knew it was only a matter of time before several Rifts would form from their battle. He was just thankful they appeared after the battle.

The Fissure itself ripped across the sky, down the path Cirrus took while fighting.

"Another easy task. Retract." White Night retracts back to the length of a spear. He points it to the Fissure.

Bwoosh!!

The iridescent flame that once bathed Cirrus now covers the blade of White Night.

"Extend."

White Night shoots toward the Fissure, impaling an inch into it.

BWOOSH!!!

The flame covered the whole Fissure.

"Not fast enough."

Chains materialized around Cirrus, spawning from his armor.

Rattle!! Rattle!! Rattle!!

Rattle!! Rattle!! Rattle!!

Rattle!! Rattle!! Rattle!!

The chains are soon engulfed in flame as they slowly cover the Fissure.

"Hmm!!" Cirrus pulled the Fissure with his open arm, his left arm.

■!■!■!■!■!■!■!■!

The Fissure grows smaller and smaller.

Crack!! Spurt!!!

A massive crack appeared on his left arm, and more of his ichor dripped down onto the ground, making a green cloud-shaped flower.

Cirrus ignored his pain as it quickly healed, leaving only the cracks. The cracks cannot be healed; they form as quickly as they are fixed.

"And now it is finished." Cirrus pulled one last time. "Hm!!"

■!■!■!■!■!■!■!■!

And the Fissure had vanished.

"Fuuuu~" He lets out a breath of relief.

The world did the same, as they had time to finally process what happened.

He had done what only gods can do, yet it only shortened his already-shortening mortality.

The Black Dragon had been slain. Cirrus has completed the last and greatest quest the world has given Orario.

Yet it was conflicting.

‘Cirrus.’ Vesta said. ‘I am ready when you are. You know what you're going to do next?’

‘Yes… I know where I wish to sleep.’

White Night returned to a normal length. Cirrus turned and disappeared again, reappearing a few feet away from Circe and Callisto.

His expression has not changed in a while. He still had a thousand-yard stare.

"Nox," Cirrus said. "This is where we part ways."

"Hah? What the fuck are you saying!? I just got here, and you don’t have to fight any—"

"I’m dying, Nox. You can feel it, can’t you?"

"!?" Nox didn’t wish to admit it, but Cirrus was at a strange boundary between life and death. In truth, he was between two states: dreaming and infinity. "Y-you can just use Elpis to get rid of the poison, right? Vesta tells me I’m right! Right!?"

"It is not poison that threatens to kill him; it is the amount of power he has inside him now," Vesta said, using Cirrus’ mouth.

Just as she said that several more cracks had formed, his blood was slowly starting to turn a singular color; his blood was starting to drip gold, the blood of the gods, ichor.

Crack-Spurt~

Crack-Spurt~

Crack-Spurt~

"There is no panacea or some deus ex machina to spare my life, Nox. I’m bleeding gold here," Cirrus said solemnly. "Thus, as your contractor, your brother, and your friend, I want you to do me a favor."

Cirrus has done extraordinarily well. For a mere human to wield, use, and hold Elpis for as long as he did merit respect and praise amongst the gods. A result of his status as a level 9 adventurer. Yet it is now what is killing him. Cirrus basically had a nuclear reactor for a heart with a super-cancerous poison running through his veins.

"Shut up!! Shut up!! Cirrus, you can find or do something!! The gods could—"

"They would not be able to," Vesta said. "Elpis has never been used to this degree. Even if Cirrus somehow survives, he is far, far too powerful to live a simple life. No matter the choices and paths taken, Cirrus will not make it. Elpis will kill anyone; our current state is due to it being split between you and Cirrus."

"Bullshit!! He can—"

"Nox." Cirrus impales White Night into the earth. "Watch over my daughter; keep her safe in my place. You are her aunt."

"CIRRUS!! DO NOT—"

With pain and regret in his voice, he gave his order.

"Vesta, do it."

Slice—!!

 

He had his connection to Nox cut off, and he made sure the other half of Elpis was taken from her. She will not die; he will not let her go right after she has come back.

"!?" Nox felt their connection cut off; the feeling was like a hot, searing pain over her heart. "AHHH!?!? NOOOOO!!!!"

White Night darkened, returning to its slumbering state.

"CIRRUS!!!" Nox howled at him. "GET BACK HERE!!! REFORM THE CONTRACT!! PLEASE!!! DON’T LEAVE!!!"

Cirrus looked at his daughter in Circe’s arms.

"… It’s my time to leave this time, Nox." He turned to look at Nox, stuck in her weapon form. "Goodbye, my best friend, my other half." He gave a gentle, warm smile, his eyes holding back his tears.

Wings formed on his back.

He turned his head back.

"Goodbye, my loves, Ai, Artemis, Malion, and Ryuu. Goodbye, my children, Hakushika, Callisto, Auberon, and Alise. I wish I could say this to your faces, but... this is where I take my leave on my last journey."

"ALCIDES!!!!!!!" Nox shouts with all of her heart.

He bends his knees and flaps his wings, soaring into the sky.

Whoosh!!

He heads westward, disappearing over the horizon.