"Celosia! And Friends!" a burly, bloody, manly man appears before them.
"Hero!"
"Father. Did you also help kill lots of the coatl?"
"Nah. I only killed one that entered our house. More importantly…"
He goes towards the platform near the statues that bear his image and does a speech with so much power that he doesn't need it to be magically-enhanced.
"Friends, Crimsons, countrymen, lend me your ears;
The evil that monsters do lives after them,
The good is oft interred with their bones,
So let it be with-"
Celosia, in spite of knowing this side of her father, is still amazed at how different he is compared to at home. Her friends tell their veneration to the hero.
"So are they all, all honourable men–
Come I to speak in for the legion and the adventurers.
And they are friends, faithful and just to Cremeria!"
The crowd goes wild and cheers for the guards and the group. Various flowers like roses and silk cloths was thrown at them, a tradition for the Cremerians whenever a legion comes home from the war. The group was filled with glee, but not so much for Celosia. In her mind, the greatest hero in that moment was unfortunately the huntress, slayer of that fearsome Coatl. Instead of her pride going up, it was shattered.
"Chroma."
"What, Celosia?"
With regretful anger in her tone, amidst the enamored crowd, she promises to him, "Someday… I'll earn my own pride."
After the lengthy speech by Igni, another familiar face greets them.
"Master!"
"I have watched your great deeds from the shadows and come to praise you. Chroma, your caring nature towards your comrades is a sign that you are indeed worthy of being a prince of this Empire. Celosia, your vicious and cunning prowess reminds me of your father. You will also be a hero of this nation. Cherry, bravely standing against the tides of your enemies, you will be a protector of the Empire. And you, Marcus, curious enough to test every style will further your knowledge of the world. All of you, you are all worthy to be my students and for Favi."
They sprint toward their master and they form a group hug, all of them with a tad bit of tears in their eyes. The master just laughs with so much satisfaction in his face. It was their final day here in Cremeria and after an eventful afternoon, this is a moment that they will treasure forever.
"Here's 50,000 coppers for your assistance a while ago!"
Because of multiple witnesses and personal praise from The Master of the Art of Red, The Legate of the Seventh Legion: Dux Rosilva Vermillion, and from The Hero of the Second Invasion of the Orange: Igni Kokai Velvet, the group has received the largest amount of copper from the guild.
"Wow! This is enough to last us the entire journey! I can't wait to buy new daggers!" excitedly says Marcus.
Cherry hits back, "Use a bow! You stupid."
Chroma, looking side-to-side, caught the attention of Celosia.
"What's the matter?"
He finally stops when he finally sees Prism at the entrance.
"Ah. There she is." He proceeds to grab the one of the five pouches at the table.
He smiles at Prism and hands her one of the pouches.
"Here. 10,000 coppers. We're a five-man group, it makes sense to split 50,000 equally."
She accepts the coppers and so, it was their time to leave the city. On the main road to leave Cremeria, every passerby recognizes them and congratulates them for a job well done and tells them farewell for a safe journey. At the edges of the city where more and more trees and blood grass dominate the vision, Chroma looks up at the falling sun and wishes to the first stars of the night.
"Mother… I'll be back."
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"You're someone who'll do great things someday." A mother hugs her newborn.
"I swear to protect you my whole life." Says the father as he holds his child's tiny palm.