Danmachi: Westward Cloud [Complete]

[Vol.4] Quest 386- Bloomed Garden [Final Chapter]

A bit later in Elysium’s domain. Inside the master bedroom.

“Mmm…” Artemis and Nara sleep comfortably. Artemis was still in her godly form.

Sweat still dripped off their bodies from the spar and their night together. The two goddess press their naked bodies close to their husband.

“…Hm.” Elysium gets up to not wake them up.

He leaves his room in his usual attire, getting the scent of his passionate time with Artemis and Nara off him.

He goes to his daughter's room and enters; he makes sure he doesn’t wake her.

“Zzz~” Callisto was sound asleep.

Elysium saw that she had a bad sleeping posture with her sprawled; the only part that was under the blanket was a single toe.

“Hm.” He smiles. “I wonder who you got that from?” He looks around to find Nox not in the room. “Guess she went out.” He pulled the blanket and tucked Callisto in and kissed her forehead.

“Hm!” She quickly undid the bed again.

“… Eh.” He shrugged his shoulders, turned and left.

Once outside of Callisto’s room, he stood still for a few seconds, and circuitry grew out beneath his feet.

“There you are.” The circuitry disappeared, and Elysium resumed walking.

He walks into a room to find Nox. There she sits in the middle of the desert, simply sitting on some dunes.

Elysium walks up to her. Nox noticed and looked to see him coming up.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

Elysium sits next to her.

Whoosh~

A warm, soft breeze passes by them, shifting the sands and covering Elysium’s footsteps.

“So you made a desert room, huh?”

“I made a lot of rooms. This is one of many.”

“And yet here we are. Is Callisto still asleep?"

“Yeah."

“She may not be Ai’s daughter, but she is a deep sleeper like her.”

“Haha… Yeah. You know Haku is a light sleeper like Artemis?”

“Is he now? Well, it seems the two siblings got something from their moms.”

“They sure did.”

Whoosh~

They share a brief pause as the wind blows by them again.

"Hey, did you ever think we would ever reach this point?” Nox asked. “From a reckless kid to a father and god?”

“No. Who would ever thought to think that?”

“Hmm… Well, not many. Maybe just mom, but... Yeah, it really is something, huh? It feels just yesterday that you freed me, and we went on our journey.”

“Hmm… It feels like a short while.”

Whoosh~

Another breeze passes by. Nox rests her head on Elysium’s shoulders. Elysium, in turn, rests his head on Nox’s head.

“Say your antlers; where did they go?”

“I just made them disappear. I still have them, but let's not get into it.”

“Say, can you change more? Like to be a little less tall?”

“Why? Do you not like me being taller than you?”

“A bit. I much preferred you as a child. You were far more free and lax compared to your adult years. Not to say I liked you when you were young, but... I liked it when it was just the two of us.”

“Life does that. But I can change my appearance. Snap!”

Suddenly, Elysium was resting his head on Nox’s arm. Nox looked to see an eight-year-old Cirrus.

“Uwaah! Look at you!” she said hugging and bringing him close. “Cute as the day we met!” She began to pat him.

“Art and Nara are having fun with this ability of mine.” Elysium said smothered by Nox.

“Hoh~ Care to share?”

“No.”

“Fine… I do have to say you really do look like Hera.” Nox gets a good look at him.

“Then how about this?" His hair began to grow a bit more, and he moved to cover his face with his bangs.

“… Actually, go back. With your face covered by your bangs, it feels sketchy, like you are gonna do something.”

“Aren’t you picky?”

The two would sit there, looking out into the sea of sand. Elysium rests his head on Nox’s shoulders, and she rests her head on his head.

“Want a drink?” Elysium asked.

“Sure.”

Elysium reached into his clothes and took out two ice-cold drinks. He opens them and hands one to Nox.

“So tell me, is this the end of the road? Cirrus?” Nox said sipping her alcohol. "Oh, this is nice."

“Glad you like it. But as for my journey... this is where I will stay for a very long time.”

“Did mom tell you your future?”

"Well, tell is more of an exaggeration.”

“And?”

“Well, that would be spoilers, Nox.”

“Tsk… Did becoming a god come with keeping things hidden?”

"Well, no, but now I see it from their perspective. I have to say that it is far better to be kept in the dark than to know what lies in the light. But don’t worry Nox, you will get to see those spoilers eventually if they do come to pass.”

'Also the fact that Nyx can no longer see my future. I even had to seal my future seeing authorities for how overbearing and annoying they were.’

To Elysium seeing the future was like having several monitors up. Each one of the screens had something going on that made almost no sense as every second more screens appeared into infinity.

“Hmm… We can come and visit, right?”

“Of course. Always.”

“And you will be here for years?”

“Lifetimes.”

“…Well at least you have your wives. Two are goddesses, and the others are elves. Say did you never find a human attractive? Or did you have a preference for women who never age?”

“What kind of question is that? You know I married a Renard?”

“Yes, a race that ages like fine wine. Have you seen Aomi? A cool beauty that continues well into her old age. Granted, she still has her Falna, but still. So any humans who could have become Mrs. Zephyr?”

“Hmm… not really.”

“Hmm… What about Asfi?”

“Eh… She was more like an apprentice or colleague. Besides, she is head over heels for Hermes.”

“Damn… For such a bright girl, she has such bad taste in men.”

“What do you expect from a princess?”

“True. But it is a bit sad to know this is the end of your journey.”

“Yeah… Well, at least I have planted my seeds in the garden.”

“Hahaha!! Yeah, you did! Up top!” Nox has her hands out for a high-five.

“Always the mood killer.” Elysium gives her a five.

Clap!

“Hahaha!! So what were you going to do with this garden?”

“My children. Hakushika, Callisto, Auberon, and Alise. They are Cirrus’s Legacy’s. I won’t be there in person to see how they grow as people, but I can always keep an eye or two to see how they are doing.”

“You can?”

“Of course I can. The earth tells me when my eyes are not overlooking everything, and also the sky.”

“I… see.”

“Speaking of telling. Here.” He reached into his sleeves and pulled out a white rectangular plate.

“What is it?” Nox takes it and looks at it.

“It’s something I created from the stuff Ai brought back from that Spirited Away incident. They're called cell phones. I thought of giving them a different name, but… eh, why change something that already works? They might work a bit more differently, but they have the same functions.”

“Ooh!” Holding the phone, it slowly turned more white. “Why is it turning more white?”

“Because it adapts to their users. You should be able to use it anywhere on the planet but the Dungeon.”

“Hmm… I see. Why is that?”

“The Dungeon is a very insular kind of thing that sort of stops it from receiving and sending signals.”

“Can’t you improve it?”

“I have other stuff to attend to, Nox. Besides, there is one who could improve on it and perfect it.” Elysium thinks of Asfi. “Besides the communication tools Fels and Asfi made for the Xeno, they work well with what it’s supposed to do.”

“Alright. I’ll be sure to keep it from Calli. You don’t want her bothering you every day.”

“I knew you would get it.” He then takes out a few more. “Here. For Haku, Circe, Auberon, Fafnir, Alise, Hecton, Malion, Ryuu, and one for Asfi. She will have a field day.”

“Hm! I’ll be sure to give it to them!” She said taking them and stuffing them in her shadow. “So… anything else?”

“Yeah. I want to give Calli my workshop.”

“The one by Eupheme’s?”

“Yeah. I have a feeling she is going to try and live on her own.”

“Then I’ll be sure to take good care of her.”

“Thank you, Nox.”

“Anything else you want to spoil her?”

“Nothing more.” Elysium gets up. His appearance returns to its godly form. “I will walk a bit more before going back to bed.”

“Alright. I’ll be here. Oh! Before you go, I wanted to ask you what your first name was! Before mom reincarnated you!”

“I’d rather not.”

“Come on!! You owe me for just cutting our contract and leaving me!”

Elysium tilts his head left and right for a bit.

“Fine. You’ll find this, but it was John Doe.”

“… Pffft!! Hahaha!!!” Nox laughed out loud; her guts were hurting from how much she was laughing. “What luck! A doe became a deer! Hahaha!!!”

“And you,” Elysium says, walking up to her and kneeling. “You are my daughter, Candidus Nox Zephyr?” He holds her hand.

Nox looks at him, and they both smile warmly at one another.

“I prefer the last name Kutaisi to match Alcides.”

“Hm.” Elysium smiles and nods. “Very well, Candidus Nox Kutaisi.”

Nox smiles ear to ear, her cheeks red with joy.

“… Am I your favorite?”

“Are you gonna tell anyone my first name?”

“I will if I’m not your favorite.”

Elysium scoops her up into his arms.

“Of course, you are my favorite. You are my closest, best friend.”

Nox goes and hugs him tightly. Not caring if it was the truth or a lie.

"Thank you.”

They both share a moment with one another as brother and sister, father and daughter, and best friend and best friend.

Elysium leaves the room and walks back to his throne room. He looks up to see the window to his room.

“Hm…” He walks over to his desk and sits on his throne.

Opening a drawer, he gets out a locket and charm.

“Hah~” He lets out a deep sigh before he puts it back.

He sits on his throne like a jarl from Skyrim, and he slowly closes his eyes.

When he opens his eyes, he sees two people before him.

A young man with fox ears and indigo eyes with advanced technological gear like something out of sci-fi with an emerald ring on his finger. On his back, he had a pair of dark feathered wings. He was kneeling gracefully with Gram by his hip.

The other was a dark elf, a young woman with pure black hair and mismatched eyes; one was emerald, while the other was pale red. She also had an emerald ring.

“Grandfather Elysium!” said the young man. “The last of the Primordials avatars has finally been slain! We have continued to search for—"

“They are gone; any trace of their existence in this world is gone,” Elysium responded. “Grand General Archimedes has ensured they are gone.”

The man's and woman’s faces lit up.

“Then it is over! This millennium’s long war is finally over!” the woman said with eyes filled with joy and relief.

"Yes, and now that they are gone, I too shall take my leave.”

“W-what? What do you mean, grandfather? You have watched over us for generations! I know grandmother left years ago, but—”

“I love you both dearly and the rest of my family, but... none could ever be as close to me as my four wives. I do worry for my children, but they are adults; they are responsible for their actions.”

“B-but grandfather—”

“We understand, grandfather.” Said the woman. “****** do not make it harder for him.”

"Guh..." the young man clenches his fists tightly. “I… I understand. I want to be with my close family as well.”

“Thank you, my grandchildren.” Elysium stands up and walks up to them both. “My purpose has finally been finished. Now that humanity has grown this strong, the need for a god is no longer required. Now the age of humanity has finally come, 7,318 years after my ascension.” He then pats their heads, making sure to thoroughly remember this moment. “Take care; know that my love will always be with the family, and in this world I call home. Snap!”

The young man and woman disappeared, leaving Elysium alone. A unbelievable amount of weight lifts off his shoulder. His lips rise into a soft smile.

“…Finally, I can rest.” His sacred energy flare up, and his domain began to shake. “Finally. I can close my eyes and sleep with peace of mind. I can sleep in their arms and embrace them. My work is finally finished.”

He closes his eyes, and his domain and everything in it disappear from Elysia.

Elysium opens his eyes again to find himself back on the throne, with Callisto slowly coming up to him.

“Geh! You woke up!” she said crouching. “I wanted to sneak up on you!" She stood up straight and walked towards him. "If you knew I was coming you should have waited until I was on your lap to surprise me!"

“Calli you are too old to be still trying to sleep on my lap.” He crosses his legs to stop her from trying.

“You are never too old to sleep on your father’s lap!” she proclaimed as she leap through the air.

Elysium saw his 11-year-old daughter jumping towards him. She turn her body and held her arms up for her father to catch her.

"Hah." Elysium let out a sigh. He held out his hands and caught Callisto. He gently placed her on his lap. “When you’re older, you're going to cringe when you remember this.” He began to comb her hair with his fingers gently. Her hair felt like his own, slightly dry and thick, which in the mornings make it a bit hard to comb through. "Do you get tangles in your hair in the mornings?" He asked.

"I do but only when I don't tie my hair. Mom said to put it in a braid when I got to sleep to save time."

"I see." His eyes glanced to his side. "Proanthos, did you get her leaping onto my lap recorded?"

"Sure did." Proanthos said appearing out of thin air. "By the way Callisto your father is right, you know. I will be sure to bring it up every time you come here.”

“Pro!!" Callisto turn towards Proanthos. "Come on, not you too! I liked you better when you were Vesta!”

“Fufu.” Proanthos chuckled. “Well, you are old enough for me to tease.”

While they were conversing, Elysium organized his dream.

‘What a lovely dream. Hm. I look forward to experiencing it one day.’

“Alright, enough yelling!” Elysium’s voice boomed through the room. “Let’s get breakfast before I send you back home, Callisto.”

"Really! Can't I stay a bit longer!" Callisto protested.

"No." He turned to Proanthos. "You want some breakfast?"

"I am fine. You enjoy your time with your family."

Elysium brought Callisto to the kitchen for breakfast. The kitchen itself was rather small but homely, like the family home in Fuyukusa. It had a small round table to fit five perfectly, as that is what Elysium made it to fit. It can be switched out to seat more people.

"Do you wanna help me?" Elysium asked his daughter as she was about to sit. "Some father-daughter time?" He smiles while putting on an apron and tying his hair back.

"I do!" She wouldn't pass this up, and she came right up to him. "Can I wear an apron too?"

"Of course. Here." An apron materialized out of thin air. "Here, let me—oh." He stops himself as he puts the apron over her head.

"What? What's wrong?"

"I never really noticed, but you certainly have grown since the last time I set my eyes on you." He took a step back to see how tall she had gotten. He always saw her as his little girl, but now that he has a close look at her, he has noticed she has grown.

"Oh, yeah, Mom also mentioned it. I bought new clothes that fit me. Mom and Aunty Astraea said it must be because I understood my heritage, which did something, something, self-actualization. It was a lot of words."

It was after Cirrus had passed that Callisto began to grow rather quickly. She is currently still growing and is a bit shy around her mother.

"I see." His eyes slightly changed to see that Callisto has a very faint radiance of Elpis. He surmised that Elpis when he was on fire, must have kicked off her growth as a demigod. "Well, no matter how big you get," He puts his hand on her head and messes with her hair. "You will always be my little moonbeam."

"Hehe!" Callisto smiles brightly, happy at her father's affections.

"Now, tie your apron. Don't lie and say you don't know how. Artemis has taught you how to process an animal you hunt."

"Fine." She ties her apron tightly and ties up her hair into a ponytail. "So what's first?"

"First get out some milk, eggs, and butter from the fridge. Oh and some blueberries, I know you like to snack on them."

"Oh! Thanks! Can we make blueberry pancakes?"

"Sure, why not. Say do you wanna listen to some music?"

"Will I be able to understand the lyrics?

"Not a beat kind of girl?"

"I like to know what a song is saying, it adds to the beat and rhythm."

"Fine. Snap!" With the snape of his fingers a song plays through the kitchen.

"Hehe! The song sound like it would be fit for a jester!"

Elysium is disheartened. Even in another world, the song Elysium played was Julius Fučík's Entrance of the Gladiators. It is widely known as the theme song for circus clowns.

The pair began to make breakfast. He taught her how to make fluffy pancakes.

"Ooh! Their so fluffy!" Callisto's eyes glitter with awe.

"Now you can either flip the pancake with the spatula or with the pan like so." With great finesse and a flick of the wrist, he flips the pancake masterfully over. "Like so."

"Oh! Let me try!" She pours some of the pancake batter onto a different pan. She kept close attention to it, and she flipped the pancake-like her father.

Whoosh!

Splat!

"..." Both father and daughter look up at the pancake-stained ceiling.

"I should be more delicate with my strength..." Callisto murmured to herself.

"How about eggs?" Elysium hands her an egg. "Cracking eggs is a good way to help you control your strength."

She eventually got the hang of it with a few cracked eggs. They began cooking other items.

"What's this?" Callisto looked at a frozen, oval-shaped food that had the faint smell of potatoes.

"Those are hashbrown patties," Elysium said, flipping a pancake. "They are divine. Love them. Put them on the pan with the bacon."

"Okay, but what are they made of?"

"They're like the Jagamarukun; you know, the potato snakes your Aunty Ais loves to eat."

"Oh! The Potato Poppers! But they're kind of the same?" She examines them, moving the frozen piece of processed potato around.

"Naw, these are different, trust me."

"Alright, do you want me to begin squeezing the oranges?"

"Yes, go ahead. I'll start to get the others. Snap!" With the snap of his fingers, the smell of the kitchen began to flow through the domain to Naraka, Artemis, and Nox.

Elysium's master bedroom.

Sniff! Sniff!

"!!" Artemis and Naraka's eyes open wide.

"Ooh~" Drool dripped down their lips from the scent.

"That smells nice." Artemis said.

"Ah~ Elly is making breakfast." Naraka said getting out of bed.  "Hmmm!" She stretches her limbs. "I'm sure you'll love them even more now, Art, after what we did."

The two goddesses were feeling rejuvenated after their last nights long, extramarital activities.

"Have they gotten better?" Artemis gets up as well. Using her divinity she cleans herself up. "It has been a while since I used my arcanum for such simple things."

"..." Naraka stares at Artemis, still taken by her godly form. "Say are you gonna stay that way? I'm not gonna complain but you really look amazing."

"Fufu." A light blush and a proud smile. "No, believe it or not I do like the restriction on arcanum here on Elysia. The hundred of years I have walked the land were enjoyable to me." Her features returned to normal. "Besides if I am always in that form it would no longer special in the others, you, Elysium, Malion, and Ryuu, when the night comes where we share the same roof."

Nox's room.

"Sniff-Sniff!" Her eyes shoot wide open. "No odd combination of scents, Artemis isn't cooking. No scent of rice or fish, so not Ai—Naraka. It's slightly sweet with the scent of bacon... Cirrus is cooking!!" She immediately leapt out of her bed with some grains of sand left behind on the bed. "Callisto and Ai are gonna eat the whole damn breakfast if I don't get there!!" She quickly rushes towards the scent.

The three arrived at the kitchen, Nox arrived first in a hurry.

"Huff! Huff! Huff! I-is there still food!" Her eyes first went to Callisto who was putting down a plate of food.

"Yeah? Me and Dad just got done with cooking them. I'll go bring in the rest." Callisto answered.

Nox walked up the plate to see a a stack of three pancakes with butter on top and lightly dressed in syrup, some bacon stripes on the sides with the hashbrown patties on the sides with a nice, cool, glass of orange juice. The utensils were by side the plate. Nox took her seat and got her fork and knife.

"Damn this is good." She looked to the kitchen to see Elysium's head. "Oy! Cirrus you outdid yourself this time!"

"Thanks! Calli helped as well!"

"Where are my praises Nox!" Callisto shouted.

"You have enough from your old man! Also Cirrus what's with this clown music playing?"

A minute later Naraka and Artemis arrived in a flash.

Blink!

Tap-Tap!

"Ooh!" Being in the kitchen it smelled even more delicious.

"Morning Mom! Other Mom!" Callisto greeted her two moms with more plates in hand. "Take a seat Dad is coming soon!" She put down the plates and went back into the kitchen.

The two of them sit down and look at the kitchen to see Elysium coming out with several plates floating around him.

"Morning you two." Elysium said as the plates are gently placed around the table. "Eat up, I and Callisto made plenty to eat."

Artemis grabs a fork and knife, ready to dig in.

"You really outdid yourself, Elly."

"I told you." Naraka said already taking a bite of her blueberry pancake.

"Hm! Can I get more?" Nox said having finished her pancakes.

"There is plenty to go around." Elysium nods.

They enjoy their family morning, thoroughly savoring the food and this moment.

Elysian Valley's gate. A father and mother see their daughter off.

"Are you sure you don’t want me to send you back?” Elysium suggested. "You will be traveling without me or your mom to help you."

“I am sure, Dad! I want to ride back home!” Callisto said by the horse. "I am a level 4, I'll be perfectly safe!"

“I love you, sweetie.” Artemis comes over, kisses her on the forehead, and hugs her tightly. “And remember, if any of the gods try to do something, tell me and I’ll—”

"Mom, like I said I can handle myself!” She said pushing Artemis a bit off.

“I just want you to be safe, alright? I won’t be there, so—”

“I know, Mom. I’ll try and come back every month or so." She said jumping onto the horse.

"Well, just know that me and your mother." Elysium walks up to her with a flip of his wrist, an Elysium appears in his hand. “We love you. So be safe and don’t do anything stupid. Nox will relentlessly mock and berate you.” He brushes her hair back behind her ear, he puts the flower to keep her hair back. "Know that you will always be in my and your mothers mind and heart."

“I would,” Nox said, turning into her owl form and landing on Callisto’s head.

“I won’t! Also, Nox, don’t dig your talons into my hair! I’ll see you guys soon!” Callisto gets on the horse, grabbing the reins. “See ya!! Hi-yah!!”

Neigh!!

The horse gallops away.

Elysium and Artemis watch as Callisto rides away from them. Returning to the labyrinth city.

"She is going to do something stupid, right, Elysium?” Artemis said, leaning her head against Elysium.

“Yes. I am almost certain she is gonna fly to the moon or something.”

“Hmm… She is just like you.”

“I am not stupid, Art.”

“No, but you do some dumb things.” Artemis holds his hand. “So shall we go back? I’ll make you your favorite dish for lunch!” She smiles at him like moonbeams.

Elysium does the same. From her smile he felt as peace like the days he spent when he was mortal in Fuyukusa.

“I would love that.”

“Fufu!” They begin to walk back through the gate. “I’ll even make Nara’s favorite for this new home you made!”

“Could I get a lap pillow? I always get the best sleep on yours.”

“Of course, my love.”

Before he enters through the gate, Elysium glances once more at Callisto's back as she slowly disappears.

'She will be fine.' He turns his head and enters through the Torii gate. 'Farewell, my little moonbeam.'

"May your woes be fair and your days plenty and fun."

The gate behind them closes, and the two gods return to their home in peace.

The Heavenly Crown has found his peace and was laid to rest; paradise grew from him, and now Elysium watches over the garden Cirrus left.

Those young stars will eventually find their way to their father’s crown.

The Polytropos Hero has yet to meet his wise goddess and start his verse.

The Phantasmal Hero still needs to dream before he can put on his play.

The Dungeon Conquering Hero still needs to grow and explore before she can delve into the abyss and tell her tales.

But for the Moonlit Hero, her journey will soon begin and fill her psalm.

Elysium End- Volume 4 Complete

Westward Cloud, Complete