Danmachi: Westward Cloud [Complete]

[Vol.4] Quest 335- The Storm

One week later.

Everyone was gathered around Babel. The tower in the center of the city was sealed shut.

Clatter!! Clatter!! Clatter!! Clatter!!

Clatter!! Clatter!! Clatter!! Clatter!!

Clatter!! Clatter!! Clatter!! Clatter!!

A large number of adventurers were talking amongst themselves.

"Wow," Callisto said, looking around at the large gathering.

"There are a lot of people," Auberon said.

"Mom, why is everyone here?" Alise said while being held by her mother.

"The gods have finished their Denatus," Ryuu said.

"Depending on their conclusion, we will go to do our responsibility," Malion said behind Auberon.

"Responsibility? What is it?" Callisto asked.

"Our responsibility is to complete the Three Great Quests," Ai said next to Callisto. "We are to slay the Behemoth, Leviathan, and Black Dragon."

"I thought you would have known this, Calli?" said Malion, glancing at Callisto.

"I kind of just tone out the chatter. They always talk about me and how I’m dad’s daughter."

"Oh… I thought you knew?" Auberon said. "I would have told you sooner."

"When did you know!?"

"Mom told me when I first became an adventurer."

"No one told me!?" Callisto looked to Ai. "Mom, why didn’t you tell me?"

Ai turned to her.

"I thought you read it? Your father and Artemis told me you read half of the library."

"I skimmed! Also, is Dad coming?"

"Your father is coming," Ryuu said. "He is just busy at the moment at the forge."

They waited longer before the voices of the gods rang through the city.

"People of Orario!!"

The voice that rang through the city wasn’t a sole god, but all of them speaking at once. This was done through the use of two abilities, one similar to Divine Mirror called Divine Voice, something that Ouranos uses to permit the use of Arcanum. The second is called Union Decree. It simply allows more than one god to speak as an amalgamation, and its purpose is mostly for show.

"We, the gods of Orario, declare the reissuing of The Three Great Quests!"

Everyone stood as nobly as they could as fear crawled up their legs.

"Though you all may feel fear of this declaration, fear not. This city has given birth to mighty warriors; now there are heroes that you can rely on."

Many of the adventures turned out to be the strongest adventures in the city, which were from the Loki, Freya, and Artemis Familia. They will be the pillars that will support them. They even have a level 9.

The only doubt that hung over the city was the Black Dragon. It has killed a level 9 before. Who’s saying it will do it again? That the apple fell close to the tree.

Everyone looked to find that Cirrus wasn’t around, and neither was the blacksmithing Familia’s.

"For this great task laid before the city, we believe the next age is before us."

"!?!?" A seed is planted within the city.

Creak~

The sound of Babel’s doors slowly opened up, and the first to step through into the light was Wiene.

Tap!

Tap!

All the adventurers around the base of Babel looked at her, and they immediately moved back.

She was dressed in a fine red dress made of salamander wool; it wasn’t too decorative, but a simple dress that gave her a look of civility. Her hair was even braided back to show her competency.

She moved her hand elegantly as everyone drew their weapons.

Wiene then bowed as elegantly as she could and then spoke.

"I am Wiene." She glanced up at the adventurers, who pointed their blades at her with widened eyes. "Spokesperson of the Xeno."

Her words were cool and precise, and her tone was calm and soft. Kalion spent time with Wiene to be able to speak as fluidly as he did.

"A-a monster… talked?" said a single adventurer.

A feeling of unrest shot through the crowd as they murmured to one another. A volatile tension grew.

"For the next age, humanity has a choice to make. The Xeno wish to live on the surface and feel the sun upon their skin and the wind through their hair, scales, or feathers. They do not expect to be given anything but the things they work for, be it a home for helping purge the city of the fragments of Evilus along with the Loki and Artemis Familia, or even now, where they stepped forward to help in facing The Three Great Quests."

The city was still greatly hesitant, but knowing they worked with two of the strongest Familias gave them some creditability, yet it also cast a harsh dark light on the two named Familias.

"What the gods say is true!!" Wiene shouted. She needed to take command of the crowd. "We do not expect you all to immediately see us in a better light!! No!! We know full well that you have great disdain for monsters that are well within reason!!"

The more Wiene spoke, the more everyone began to even question what they had been doing. The city began to slowly develop an existential crisis that, if not guided, would explode.

"Do you have a heart!!"

Everyone turned to the person who said it.

"T-the White Crown, Bell Cranel," said an adventurer.

Bell slowly walked to Wiene with his weapon sheathed.

"I have two hearts!! One that pumps blood through my veins and one that centers my existence, a magic stone!!" Wiene spoke confidently.

Of course, the two have planned for this. They rehearsed this moment several times beforehand.

Yes. This was a performance, a play they needed to put on to give the Xeno those precious steps into the light.

"Then do you feel what we feel? Hunger, sadness, happiness, love!!"

"We do!!" She proclaimed. "We eat to live another day!! We are heartbroken when one of our breathers are slain! We feel happiness knowing that we are alive and free from the Dungeon’s influence! We even love one another as a family! Right now, I am in love! I love that I can stand here as my people’s representative! Their pride!! Here under the sun!" She raised her arms and looked at the sky. "Ah, the blessing to have such warmth kiss my skin." She then returned her gaze to Bell, who was a few feet away.

"How far are you willing to go!!" He shouted with his hand on his dagger.

Everyone waited with bated breath.

Wiene looked at him with conviction. What she was going to do next was one she had never practiced for the sole purpose of one thing.

She held her arm out, and her nails slowly grew longer and sharper.

"I will show you. Grrr!!!" With her strength, she ripped her nail from the root. "Gaaah!!" Tears streamed down her face in pain. Yet she did not stop. "Grrr!!!" She pulled another. "Gaaah!!" And another until she had no nails left to pull.

"…"

Everyone looked at the red blood around her as sweat covered her. Her red dress looked unstained, but if one looked close enough, one could see her dress stained by her blood.

"If… that is not enough," She said it with gritted teeth. "Then here." She placed her bloody hands on her chest and pulled. "Grrrrr!!!" She tore her skin as she pulled to show her magic stone. "If there are any who do not believe in my words, then come and kill me."

She stood there defenseless, laying herself bare to them all.

Bell stepped forward, his hands off his dagger. He reached to his side and pulled out a potion.

"I have faith in you."

Wiene smiled, reaching out and taking the potion.

"Thank you." She bowed her head.

Bell turned to the large crowd.

"What do you all say!!!" His voice shoots through the crowd. "This little girl bared herself to all of us! Mutilating herself to show how far she is willing to go to be accepted!!!"

"B-but she is a monster…" A lone voice squeaked out.

"Did you not hear what she said!!! She is no monster!!! She is a Xeno!!! If no one will stand with them, then I will!!!" He moved in front of her and stood nobly.

Bell is a highly respected adventurer within the city and even outside of it. He has personally saved a good number of the adventurers present when they were just starting, even just a week ago he was saving people.

Immediately, the Hestia Familia walked up to their captain and stood by him. Even his own kids stood by him. That was just the amount of respect and faith they had in the man, Bell Cranel.

Slowly, a few adventurers began to walk and stand by Bell, having faith and trust in him. The Freya Familia even moved and stood by Bell.

"Ottar!!" Shouted an adventurer.

"Even you stand by the monster!" shouted another.

"Why would I not?" he said bluntly. "She has shown more bravery than most adventurers. I would gladly fight for one of such convictions."

Then the Loki and Ganesha Familias moved to stand with them.

"You did a good job, Bell," Ais said softly.

"You looked like a hero, Argonaut!" Tiona said as well.

Everyone then looked to the Artemis Familia.

"Um…" Callisto looked at Ai.

"Callisto," Ai said, looking forward.

"Auberon," Malion said.

"Alise," Ryuu said.

"This is a question I want you to answer," Ai said.

"Do you stand with the Xeno known as Wiene?" Malion said.

"Or do you wish to see her dead?" Ryuu said.

The three could see the seriousness on their mother's faces.

"I mean… she never did anything to me," Callisto answered.

"Monsters attack instinctually, so she isn’t one. Plus, I actively go into the dungeon, so it’s my fault that I would put my own life in danger. It’s like saying, You hate wolves because they keep attacking you when you go into their territory." That was Auberon’s answer.

"I never saw or fought a monster. So how can I hate them?" Alise gave her answer.

Their answers warmed their hearts. They knew they would turn out as their father wished for them.

"It seems we raised you well," Malion said.

"We are proud you gave such answers," Ai said.

"Are we gonna stand with them?" Alise said.

"We are waiting for your father," Ryuu said. "We will always follow where he leads."

Whoosh~

A breeze passes by.

Sniff! Sniff!

Ai glances back.

"He is on his way."

clatter~

"Huh? What’s that?" said an adventurer.

Everyone could see off in the distance a large group of people.

They all looked to see the smiths of Orario coming towards Babel. Leading them was Cirrus. They all had large boxes on their backs.

Their footsteps resonate through the streets. Their boxes rattled with the sound of metal.

Clatter!! Clatter!! Clatter!! Clatter!! Clatter!!

Clatter!! Clatter!! Clatter!! Clatter!! Clatter!!

Clatter!! Clatter!! Clatter!! Clatter!! Clatter!!

"What a large crowd?" said Eupheme, drenched in sweat and grim from weeks of work.

"It seems everything went well," Welf said. "Ah, I wanna sleep so bad."

"Keep your head up," Tsubaki said. "This is the proudest moment of us smiths, one many would cry in envy."

As they arrived at the center of the city, the people and adventurers looked at Cirrus and asked him.

"Heavenly Crown!!" shouted an adventurer. "Do you side with the monsters!!"

Cirrus looked at the adventurer and sighed.

"… what monster?" Cirrus raised an eyebrow.

Bell stood aside as Weine walked forward.

"Hello, I am Weine, a Xeno." She elegantly bowed again.

She had drunk the potion Bell gave her to heal her wounds and stop the bleeding.

"… What’s the problem? She seems like a new demi-human to me."

"!?!?" Everyone shuddered.

"D-Demi-human!?!?" They shouted.

"I mean, she has extra features and different skin color? Plus, she can speak our language?"

"She has a magic stone!" shouted an adventurer.

"So? They have an extra body part. What about it?"

"O-our ancestors!! They killed them!"

"And I’m sure your ancestors killed a few people as well. Does that mean we should kill you as well?"

"W-well, um, n-not but—"

"Well, I guess you just answered your question then, huh?"

Cirrus countered them as easily as he breathed.

"Besides, don’t you want all the help you can get? The Artemis Familia will stand by them."

Tap!

Tap!

Tap!

The Artemis Familia then proceeded to walk beside Weine.

There were still a good number of people left.

"For those who stayed where you were, that is fine." 

The gods spoke.

"Those who stand with the Xeno, are you sure you wish to let the Xeno fight by your side?"

"Yes!!" Ottar shouted. "We are!!"

"Does he speak for you all?"

"Yes!!!" Everyone shouted.

"Then, upon this day, the Three Great Quests have been fully reissued! Adventurers of Orario! Take up arms to save the world and bring harmony! Let the raids begin upon the Great Terrestrial Lord, Behemoth! Overlord of the Sea, Leviathan! And lastly, the Apocalypse, The Black Dragon!"

"URRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Every adventurer roared, shaking the city with their ferocity.

"Well, then, come adventurers!" Cirrus shouted, slamming his box against himself. "I have readied your armament to slay the beasts!" Cirrus popped the top. "(Sing)!!"

From his box, several weapons flew out.

They all could see the regality and quality of the weapons from a single glance.

Cirrus snapped his fingers, and the weapons flew to those Cirrus made, who were the strongest adventurers of the city. He also made weapons for the Xeno.

"Well, come here and get a weapon and set of armor made by your smiths!! All made in collaboration with all the Smithing Familia’s of Orario!" Tsubaki shouted, slamming her box. "Paid for by The Guild and Heavenly Crown!"

The people participating all rushed to get their new weapons and armor.

Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!!

Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!!

Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!! Clatter!!!

In the rush, Ais came up to Cirrus.

"Cirrus." She said, holding a beautiful purple blade with a purple magic stone in it. "This stone, is it Wu’s?"

"It is. I made it, especially for you, so if the possibility exists that we don’t kill that one-eyed fuck, you can at least make sure they will die."

Ais’ eyes get watery.

"Thank you." She bows to him with gratitude.

"Not at all." He nods. "I need to get going; I am very sleepy and—"

"Dad!!!"

"Cirrus!!!"

Thud!!!!

"Gah!?!?"

Both Ai and Callisto headbutted him into the ground.

"Dad, are you done with work?" Callisto said excitedly.

"Come on, it’s been days!" Ai said, picking him up.

"I want sleep~" He spoke lethargically as he let his body ragdoll.

"I will take him back," Ryuu said. "Ai, Callisto, let him sleep for a while."

"I’ll help as well; kids get his legs," Malion said.

"Ai, can you lock up my workshop?" Cirrus asked. "And make sure I didn’t forget anything?"

"Fine! But I’ll be back really quick!" Ai rushed off to his workshop.

"Go! Go! Before she comes back!"

"Hm!"

The family quickly moved.

Watching his family carry him away, Ais holds close to the sword Cirrus made her.

"… Mother. I’m almost there."