Danmachi: Westward Cloud [Complete]

[Vol.3] Quest 263.6- The Elephant & Reaper

The day after, the Knossos was conquered.

Within the Familia home called I am Ganesha, the god himself has an office. An office he rarely, if ever, spends a day in.

Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!

Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!

He taps his fingers on his empty desk.

“So are you just gonna stare at me all day?” Thanatos said, sitting in a chair, legs crossed. “You can turn the lights on in this dark room?”

The room itself was bare bones. Only a desk, a window to let the light in, and two chairs.

Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!

Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!

Ganesha himself was quiet. A seldom thing to see.

Thanatos could feel his piercing stare.

“Are any more of Evilus?” Ganesha said sternly.

“No. I am the last god. I have to say Ganesha, I liked you better with energy—”

“What of the Spirits? The report said two escaped back into the Dungeon. What of them? What floor is their base?”

Ganesha was serious. He did not want to entertain Thanatos or hold any small talk.

“Don’t know. My guess is very, very deep.”

“And who is ‘Her’? The report given stated the Spirits refer to the one who gave them a new life. So who is—”

“You know who she is, Ganesha. Every god does, we just refuse to acknowledge or mention it. Gaia’s granddaughter. The first Nephilim, Maquia. Daughter of the Spirit King of Life, Echidna.”

Ganesha grips his desk tightly.

“Have you—”

“A mere guess!” Thanatos smiles jokingly. “From everything I saw, she is the most plausible. I mean, The Dungeon was born from—”

“Quiet.” Ganesha cuts him off. “I have heard enough.”

“Oh? I thought we could—”

“There is no more time for you. At least in Gekai.” Ganesha slowly touched his elephant mask and slowly removed it. “I am sending you back to Heaven personally.”

“!!” Thanatos’s eyes widened. “My… Here I thought Hera had the meanest eyes in Heaven.”

Ganesha’s eyes were similar to Hera’s, in that when greatly angered Hera, Nephele and Cirrus’s eyes would spiral. Ganesha’s eyes however cascade into his red pupil. Hera's stare would be overbearing, like the ocean was on your shoulders, and Ganesha’s would be like at the end of an anti-material rifle.

“Get up. We are leaving.” Ganesha puts back his mask and stands up.

“… Alright. It has been a… eh. I am not looking forward to the work waiting for me in Heaven.”

Thanatos followed Ganesha as if he was dragging him back to work.

The western section of Orario.

Shakti took Valletta to the very same place where Ardi was killed.

THUD!!!!!

Splat!!!!

Valletta’s blood splats onto the cold wall from her mouth.

“Look at you,” Shakti said, with venom in her words. “You were once the most wanted on the Guild’s Blacklist. Now you're chained up like a dog.”

“Uuu…” Blood and saliva slowly drip from Valletta’s open mouth. “You… old… bitch.” She said weakly and softly.

“Seems you still have energy. Swish! Splat!!” Shakti swings the blood off her hands. “Don’t worry.” Shakti then undo’s her chains and Valletta flops to the ground. “For this moment Cirrus gave me a small book on torture he conducted on enemy spies. Don’t worry, I won’t be letting rats eat you alive while you are paralyzed by a magic tool in-between the discs of your spine.” Shakti grabbed her hair and dragged her. “No, I am going to slowly kill you.”

“Heh… Hehehaha…” Valletta softly laughed. “You call yourself justice? What would your sister think about what you are doing?”

Shakti didn’t turn to look at her. She kept her eyes forward and her grip firm.

“I know you are scared.”

“Scared? I am not—”

“You aren’t insulting my sister, Ardi. Ai mentioned you called her such names like Arditard. Do not worry. I will respect Ardi’s wish and take you home.”

“Home? I have no home?”

“Oh yes, you do.”

Valletta could see it was getting more dark.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Your home. A hole in the ground.”

“!?” Valletta could see a pitch-black pit in the ground. “Wait! Wait don’t—”

Toss!!!

Shakti threw her down.

Whoosh!

Thud!!!!

The hole was four stories deep. For a level 5 like Shakti it was a reasonable jump. As for Valletta, who was a level 5, this was a survivable fall if she was not bound.

Cough!! Cough!!

Throb!! Throb!!

Valletta’s head was throbbing in pain as blood pooled around her face.

It was getting colder for Valletta.

‘Stu… pid bitch. I am dying… right—’

Splash!!

“!?”

Valletta felt warmer as a liquid hits her head.

“You're not gonna die that easily,” Shakti said, pouring a potion on Valletta. “This is a Full Heal. It recovers both health, stamina, and magic. Cost me a hefty sum to buy so much, but it is worth it.”

Shakti jumped down.

Thud!!

“We still have time to burn.”

Shakti would spend weeks with Valletta, inflicting upon her all the pain she inflicted on others until she was finally released from her mortal existence by the very same method Ardi died.