The light of the rising sun woke Cypher, and he sat up and looked around the room in a hazy daze. He saw many flowers gathered and strewn all over the place. They left a bittersweet smell wafting about the room but were vibrant and beautiful.

"What the hell?" he asked aloud as he swallowed and blinked away his grogginess.

Syntinnial was there, sitting in the corner of the room reading a book. "Consider them gifts from the townsfolk. It would seem that they hold you in high regard for saving their city from destruction," he said as he closed his book and set it aside. He had returned to his aged appearance and was hunched over as if suffering from back problems.

Cypher blinked away his grogginess and asked, "But you helped as well Syntinnial. Shouldn't you deserve some of this praise too?" The old man turned his head and stood up to face the window.

"Cypher, I gave up my identity a long, long time ago. To accept any credit for doing what I did last night would go against everything I have strived for in the past thousand years. Instead, I suggest you savor this moment and bask in the glory of what you have accomplished."

Confused, Cypher looked down. "Yeah...I suppose I should. But people win battles all the time, and this is just another victory to add to that list. What I did was nothing special, and that's without considering that I barely managed to win against Gaizeal.

Syntinnial turned and smiled weakly at Cypher. He held out his hands to the side and said, "On the contrary. You single-handedly took out not only the entire upper class of a Chaos Cell but the man who has been tormenting the people of this and all the other surrounding cities and villages. I think that in and of itself is a rather great achievement."

"Chaos Cell?" Cypher asked. "Wait, you mean that Gaizeal has been terrorizing these people even before I showed up?"

Syntinnial nodded and continued, "Yes, it was hard for me to sit back and watch it all go down. However, I cannot interfere too heavily in the matters of the mortal world. I have sworn oaths, sealed pacts, and made a promise to others as well as myself, not to become entangled with such things more than necessary. Such is the burden of my powers. Such is the curse of my burden. Now, eat up." Syntinnial finished speaking and waved his hand at a tray of food next to Cypher's bed.

Cypher ignored him and continued to ask, "How is it that I'm still alive?"

"What do you mean?" asked Syntinnial.

Cypher paused, wrapping the ends of the blanket covering him around his index finger. Cypher explained how the entire ordeal went down. He spared no details and even added his own internal thoughts to the mix.

"So you see," continued Cypher, "during that fight, there was a point where I should have died. Gaizeal was slamming my head against the ground and that wall with everything he could muster. Why didn't it kill me? How was I able to defeat someone so much more powerful than myself? I know the armour is powerful but just what kind of gift is this Ark Cradle? Where does it come from exactly?"

Syntinnial frowned and began, "Cypher, there is something you should know about that armor. It's..." However, he was cut off by a knock at the door. The old man got up and hobbled over to the door to open it. Placing his hand on the doorknob, he paused and said, "We will finish this conversation later. You have my word," and then he opened it.

"H-hello, I am Grendewald Turmushalt. I am the current lord of this fine c-city. Though, I suppose it has seen better days h-hasn't it?" stuttered a man of weak posture. He was a portly man in a brown formal suit and carried a matching briefcase. His balding head shone in the light from the window, and his faded brown eyes darted nervously around the room.

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He was plain and obviously a coward of a man, but he clearly meant them no harm. "I was wondering if our hero, Cypher, h-had awoken yet. T-there is much we must talk about a-and not a lot of time to d-do so," he said, his stutter more pronounced than ever.

Syntinnial smiled a warm welcome and held out his arm for Grendewald to come inside. "Aye! He has just awoken. Please, do come in then!" Grendewald clambered over to Cypher's bedside, his loafers clicking against the wood-layered floor, and bowed his head. "It is such an honor to m-m-meet you young Cypher," he said, holding out a hand.

Cypher gripped it gently and shook it, "It is a pleasure to meet you as well Lord Turmurshalt," replied Cypher.

The man stuttered a bit more and said, "Please call me Grendewald. Lord Turmurshalt is too f-formal for one such as I." Cypher nodded his understanding and beckoned for the man to continue. "Ahh, y-yes, well i-if I may, we will p-proceed to the matter at hand!" he said, opening the brown case and pulling out some documents.

"What are those for?" asked Cypher.

"T-these are d-documents about the celebration the town wants t-to hold in your honor f-for saving us from the oppression of that tyrant. All y-you have t-to do is r-read this and sign at t-the b-bottom. The other l-lords and ladies w-who will be a-attending the party w-wish to know that y-you will p-personally be there. Once y-you have signed we can get the c-celebration u-underway."

Cypher gave the papers a customary glance, ignoring the serious stutter this man had. After a moment, he replied, "I'm afraid I can't do that."

Grendewald gave him a look of confusion and replied, "I-if I may ask, why not?"

In a tone as kind, as he could manage, Cypher said, "There is much left for me to do. I'm afraid I cannot spend time celebrating while these things remain undone. Perhaps another time if it pleases you and the other nobles."

Cypher had no time to waste placating nobles or to posture for their approval. Not only was Cypher not a citizen of Farnor, but he also couldn't care less about what a group of nobles wanted, or even what they had to say to him.

Grindewald pulled a cloth from his pocket, wiped his brow, and said, "V-very well, I understand that a hero of your s-stature must be very b-busy. But know that you are welcome in Dungor, nay, all of the surrounding cities and villages anytime."

Syntinnial held up his hand and said, "Perhaps, Lord Turmurshalt, our hero needs a little while to rest before undertaking such a celebration. He has not quite recovered from his heated battle with Gaizeal."

Grendewald flinched at his name, but Syntinnial continued. "I'm sure he needs a bit of time to himself. Rest assured he shall attend the celebration. I implore you to begin the preparations immediately." Syntinnial was smiling as Cypher sat there dumbstruck.

"W-why t-this is sp-splendid news indeed! I sh-shall go a-and inform the others at once! T-thank you f-for your t-time!" At that, Grendewald took his leave, spilling the contents of his case, which he quickly and anxiously gathered up as he left.

After the door closed and his footsteps faded, Cypher turned to Syntinnial. Inside him, an unwarranted feeling of rage was building, and he didn't understand why. "Just what the fuck do you think you're doing? I told you before, didn't I? I have to find Alex and Melodi. I don't have time to be making merry and screwing around with nobles when their lives are at stake!"

Syntinnial just continued smiling at the young man across from him. "Cypher, your friends, are still alive, that much I can tell you for sure. You needn't worry that the Order has recaptured them. If they had, I would know. So, I ask you to relax and enjoy this. You have certainly earned it!"

Cypher stood up, throwing the sheets covering him to the floor. "Dammit, Syntinnial! How can you possibly know that hmm? Immortal though you may be, you aren't a god! You aren't omnipotent! You can't just expect me to accept what you say as fact! My friends need me, and I need to find my mother and train! I don't have time for all of this, and I refuse to sit around and drink myself silly while these things remain undone!"

Cypher's hands were shaking, and violent energy surged within him. Though, Cypher didn't know where it was coming from or why he was so angry.

Syntinnial frowned and replied, "Aye, I might not be omnipotent, but I do know without a shadow of a doubt that your friends are in no immediate danger. You fail to understand what you have done. Gaizeal has tormented the land of Farnor for the past four years! High Matriarch Omenril and her soldiers have been unable to do anything against his might and scores of men have died fighting him!

"Now, they might not know that he was a part of the Order, but you nonetheless rid this country of a great evil last night. People will expect you to make an appearance and you have a reputation to live up to Cypher! Do not disgrace your father and mother by-"

A storm of killing intent flowed forth from Cypher, and he flipped the bed with a loud crash. His breath was ragged and strained, and emotion surged through his entire being. Of course, there was nothing he could do against Syntinnial, but his rage poured out all the same. He was ready to attack with all his might.