Cypher's rage was boiling over, and if he didn't get a handle on himself soon, the situation might become untenable. He clenched his fists tightly and said, "Don't you dare bring up my parents! I am NOT my father! I don't give a shit if my social image is torn to shreds!"
Cypher shook hard, and his voice was uneven as he continued, "He's gone, Syntinnial. Nothing can change that now, and it certainly won't be some stupid celebration. My mother? My friends? They're still out there, and if I hope to have a chance of saving or finding them, I need to get stronger!"
His voice still shook, but the volume of it had fallen to normal levels, "As for you... You might be a Guardian Apprentice, but that doesn't mean I trust you. So far all you've done is give me more questions to ponder when all I really need are answers."
Syntinnial stared at Cypher in silence for a moment before saying, "Are you quite finished?"
Cypher blinked, startled by his sudden outburst of emotion. Syntinnial's words had brought him back to himself, and he felt a bit ashamed. He didn't know why he had let his rage get the better of him so quickly.
'What is happening to me?' he thought.
"I see that Gaizeal's miasma has damaged you more than I first thought." Syntinnial raised his hand and chanted a short spell. Cypher shuddered as it took effect, a purple aura enveloped him and burst outward as it was expelled from him in an instant, and his head cleared. With that clarity, the rage that had engulfed him was completely gone.
"What...?" asked Cypher as confusion swept over him.
Syntinnial clasped his hands behind his back and replied, "Gaizeal was a powerful opponent to be sure. However, his true strength lay not in his overwhelming attack potency, but instead in the secretion of a powerful mind-altering, and eventually fatal miasma. Its primary effect is to increase the negative emotions within people, namely Wrath. This clouds your mind during the battle and allows him to taunt you into a frenzy.
"Anger surely has its place in combat. It can bolster one's resolve, and give you strength and courage you otherwise might not have, but if misplaced, can lead to one's downfall. Worse than that, though, is that this poison doesn't fade after a normal amount of time either."
Syntinnial sighed and kept speaking as he stroked his beard. "Many who battled with Gaizeal escaped only to be finished off by the poison within them. I had hoped that your armor would protect you from its effects, but I was wrong. The spell I just uttered removes the small traces of the toxic fumes from your bloodstream, and returns you to your senses."
Cypher felt strange. He had no idea what to think of that, and suddenly, he felt embarrassed about his angry rant a moment ago. That he had not seen the true danger in his late opponent was a mistake he would have to avoid in future battles.
"Syntinnial, forgive me for what I said. I meant no ill will towards you. It's just...this whole ordeal has been challenging for me." Cypher bowed towards the old man, and Syntinnial sighed softly.
He smiled and replied, "Don't worry too much about it, my friend. Although what you said may have reflected what you truly feel deep within your heart, the miasma was dictating your emotions, and I shall not hold you in ill regard.
"That said, you were right to berate me. You absolutely deserve some answers to your questions. You are old enough now and strong enough that the knowledge shouldn't harm your path. I will answer your questions in due time. For now, I ask that you take the time to gather your thoughts.
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“Attend the celebration, have a few drinks, laugh, and relax a little. You've been through quite a lot these past few days, and life has changed drastically for you. That's more than enough strife to wear upon the will of even the greatest of men. Do this thing for me, and I'll answer any questions you ask of me," finished Syntinnial.
Cypher returned the bed to its proper place and sat down upon it. He rested his head in his hands and thought for a moment, considering what Syntinnial was asking of him. "Alright, Syntinnial," he said after a few moments more. "I'll go. But I will expect some real answers when this is all said and done. You owe me that much," Cypher finished, looking back up at the old man.
"Very well, we have a deal," began Syntinnial, "you have my word that I will honor my end of the bargain, Cypher. For now, I will depart. You will need something suitable to wear to the event, and I can only hope the bazaar is somehow still open. If not, there are other means with which to acquire the proper attire. Magick, after all, is quite useful."
As he left, Cypher sighed. He knew that this was going to be a long, annoying day. For now, though, he could gather his thoughts and begin planning for when this was all over. The most important thing at the moment, however, was to consider what he would ask Syntinnial. A man like him who had lived for so long was no doubt a wellspring of information.
Cypher couldn't possibly learn everything the man had to offer in a single conversation, so he limited himself to relevant questions. His main concerns were more numerous than he first assumed, but he quickly figured out the best things to ask Syntinnial. There was so much he didn't know about pretty much everything that had been happening to him since his birth. "Why," was the biggest question, but he wondered if even Syntinnial knew the answer to that one.
A few hours passed, and after Syntinnial returned looking a bit winded, he gifted Cypher with an expensive-looking set of clothes. He refused to tell him if he had acquired them from one of the local shops, or whether he had crafted them with magick. Either way, Cypher accepted them with gratitude, albeit with a bit of apprehension. It was far too flashy, and this was not his style at all.
The waist-length tunic was a fine black color and was embroidered with gold that wove its way around the edges of the short sleeves and base forming beautiful flowing patterns. The high collar was stitched in a "V" shape and came down to about the middle of his chest.
On each side were three buttons for decoration, and in the middle, a white leather strap with a small silver buckle connecting the two sides of the fabric. The long-sleeved silk undershirt was a light green color and fell down Cypher's torso. It stopped just above his knee on the left side, and just below his waist on the other.
Three more of the white leather straps connected the fabric there as well, and the sleeves were folded in on themselves around the cuff. The leggings were a deep black and were hemmed at the bottom around his ankles.
He accompanied them with dark green, leather boots that were thin enough to allow the fabric of the leggings to drape over them. The glossy leather belt that rested around his waist was white as well and had a solid gold buckle. From the belt hung a scabbard for Cypher's saber. It rested perfectly in the hinged bracket that held it to his waist on the right side of his hip.
Syntinnial also presented Cypher with a teal-colored broad-rimmed feather hat. The tip of the hat gave Cypher the look of one of the ancient wizards that he used to read about, and a feather quill protruded out to the side, giving it a modern feel.
Syntinnial swore it added some needed flair to the outfit, but personally, Cypher thought it made him look silly. Still, the feeling of finally looking like the wizards he had read about pleased him, and he put on the hat without much of a fuss.
Syntinnial spent the next two hours before sunset teaching Cypher the finer points of high society in Farnor. The lessons Cypher took to with ease but found them to be dull beyond belief. Syntinnial warned that the nobles would expect a proper education in manners from the hero who had saved them from Gaizeal.
Cypher felt foolish when he bowed the way Syntinnial had shown him. One hand was bent around Cypher's waist, while the other went around the small of his back. His weight was placed on the right leg, and the left leg was pulled behind the right with the tip of his boot touching the ground.
But by the time dusk had rolled around, Cypher's short lessons on the finer points of higher society were over, and he was ready to go. With a heavy sigh, he reluctantly headed out to meet with the many people of the city who had gathered to join in the celebration.