Cedric still didn’t feel good about the previous battle. It weighed on him like a mountain, and he couldn’t help but remember the face of the chanter who had given up. The one to have lost all hope and died to any angry soldier. A life that he was going to take, but his hesitation had left her to suffer a much slower death. The stench of burning skin still felt like it clung to him, and no number of baths had purged the vile scent. He could see the capital’s gate in the distance and looked over the crowd beside him.

He was marching alongside some of the other chosen, though he stood at the front beside Brigid, Steven, and Sam. Apparently, Thor had already been sent on another mission as he had been extremely effective in covert work. There were a few other people up at the front with him, though he didn’t recognize them. Other than those he went on that first mission with, Cedric hadn’t really grown closer with anyone else. Even with all of his power he didn’t like crowds or facing people. It was manageable with things like adrenaline or if his focus was diverted elsewhere, but just making friends was a bit too much to ask of him. The friends he had would be enough, even if they were made more by circumstance than any effort on his part. Thinking of them as friends always made him feel a little better, and even the arrogant Steven and somewhat callous Thor were among them.

As he walked through the outer city, he saw kids and parents standing outside of their homes. The outer city was more like a series of villages that coated the terrain around the city. Normally, something like that would be considered a hazard for the fortifications, but the king was here, and he would easily be able to protect the city. Many people moved here just to be underneath the king’s protection. His parents had even considered it and probably would have moved here if he hadn’t been a decrip. They could move here now, and he would talk to Sir L about how to do that. Cedric knew that he would be getting a reward today and had also been receiving a small amount of money from being a soldier. He didn’t know how much he was actually getting as he hadn’t had the need or opportunity to spend his money yet.

The grounds here were still of dirt, and only the road they walked upon was made of cobblestone. It clacked with the sound of hooves, as there was a group of mounted knights following behind him. Noticing some people pointing at him, he felt the desire to squirm or hide. He vaguely remembered what he was supposed to do, but ended up moving his arms in a stiff wave. It came out as a blocky motion to his eyes, but it was also so fast that most people would just see a smooth wave. Several of the pointing children were waving now too, and he knew that he made a mistake. He was supposed to act professionally, and the glare on Steven’s face told him that waving was not appropriate.

Maybe he should have saluted or something, but it was too late for that now. However, he did let his arm fall back to his side. He was wearing a standard military uniform instead of their armor. He had received a new set of armor despite his insistence that he didn’t need it. Although when the armorer had mentioned that he would’ve wound up naked if he didn’t have it, he decided to get more than just one set of the armor. Now, he had three or four sets of identical armor, as well as two uniforms.

He hadn’t returned to the mountain after the battle, instead, they were sent to a proper barracks and received official rooms. Those had closets and proper beds, and he had been given many of the necessities.

He finally reached the capital’s walls and was surprised to hear yelling from within. Even before entering the city, the cheers had been enormous. The village had been loud, but this was another level sound. The shouts racked his head with distracting thoughts and memories. He remembered the crowds he had faced when he was a lot younger. As he felt some sweat building on his palms, he tried diverting his focus to something else. Focusing more on the buildings and streets than the people.

The buildings were mostly made of wood, but he saw the occasional stone ones. He only saw one or two glass windows, most still using wooden shutters instead. There were metal pillars embedded into the ground, and the top seemed to be containing crystallized light. It was beautiful, and he wondered who had made it. He stared at them for a moment, before his gaze fell to the streets and alleyways. The cobblestone had changed into a tiled stone floor, and he wondered if every road in the city was like this. Looking at it he thought back to Ogrish, comparing the two cities. Doing so reminded him of the aftermath of the battle.

After the fighting had ended, the knights had shown up to finish the battle and claim the city. Because of the city’s nature, it was easy to bring them under control, and there was little fighting within the city afterward. A few more chanters had been killed. Thankfully, they hadn’t requested his involvement in those fights, as the other chosen were more than capable of dealing with chanters who weren’t even considered fighters.

Entering the capital had been strange, and it was made even odder as he was leading a parade. It was a celebration of the triumphant return of the fighters. Those that had fought and won against chanters and had managed to reclaim some of their homelands. The capital was enormous from the outside, and even more daunting now that he was fully inside. People crowded around them like bugs over crumbs of food. The alleyways and building stuffed to the brim, a countless number of eyes following his every movement. His heartbeat was quickening rapidly, and it was taking a real effort to stop himself from running away. Instead, he kept his eyes forward, trying to focus on the cleared-out path before him.

It didn’t work as the noise alone reminded him of the people. It didn’t help that his path was outlined by rows of people. He noticed a fair amount of people doing the salute and even noticed they were looking upon them with respect. Those people tended to be older, and they held themselves like knights. He guessed that they were old knights and wondered why they were showing him so much respect.

The walk wasn’t actually supposed to be that long, maybe an hour or so at worst. However, this short walk had drained him far more than the day-long marches to and from Ogrish. It wasn’t even all that hot, but his hands were sweaty already. Slowly making their way through the city, he found it to be a beautiful place.

At first, all the buildings had looked similar, but as he got further into the city, he noticed many buildings with beautiful designs and colors. The walls were painted in different shades, making the city look like an artist's painting. There were several streets where every building had completely different colors, and the random assortment had actually made the street more distinctive. Several parks were divided by waterways that ran through the city, and he had seen some people on boats, using the current to follow along with the parade.

Eventually, he was led around a corner and spotted their destination. A castle that looked only slightly more elaborate than the other homes. It was clear what it was by the symbols of the king emblazed upon its walls, but he was surprised by how normal the building was. He could’ve sworn it had seemed bigger before. Dismissing that thought from his mind, he saw the wooden platform where the generals were standing. He was supposed to walk up onto that, and go and stand in front of Sir L. There were many people on the stage, and each person was supposed to stand with their mentor.

Slowly stepping onto the stage, he felt the wood creak, though his eyes didn’t leave the stage. Two figures in resplendent clothing stood at the center, light seeming to pour out of their bodies. One a man with hair black as night, and the other a girl with red hair that seemed to be fire personified. Two of the royal family, the first prince, and princess of their kingdom. Normally, no man would dare look up them, but he was strangely drawn to them. There was something emanating from the two of them, a strange kind of aura. The aura around the man seemed to vibrate, and the girl's aura seemed to warp the air around her. It reminded him of times when the sun seemed to burn the very air.

They must have noticed his gaze, though neither of them seemed to care. Feeling a rough shove against his back, he realized that he had slowed down a lot. That must be why they were staring at him. Embarrassed he stumbled across the platform, barely managing to stop himself from falling. However, he was too amazed by the royal family to be embarrassed at the moment. In fact, it was as if everyone else had just melted away in their presence, and he found a strange comfort in the feeling. Rather than feeling a need for reverence, he just wished that he could earn a position beside them. Vaguely, he could imagine himself becoming a proper hero, and standing as a guardian to the king.

The king had guards, though they didn’t really have the power to protect someone in the royal family. Each of them was far stronger than an average knight, and he had heard that they were also better swordsmen than the knights. Cedric was different now, and he believed that he could actually protect them properly. That would be a prestigious position, and it would get him away from the front lines. It sounded perfect, and he played the image in his mind. It was a goal he could set for himself, one away from the battlefield and death. He could still make use of his grand powers but would also be able to save those who deserved it.

For now, he moved in front of Sir L and stood with a militaristic stiffness. He looked oddly pleased, and his eyes seemed to be reviewing Cedric with some amusement. Sir L slowly raised his hand, and Cedric saw something in his hand. A piece of metal, an image recorded on it, the symbol of their king. It was of a crown with gems embedded into it. Cedric barely heard what Sir L was saying, the crowd and the other people on the stage distracting him. Before Cedric knew what was happening, he had received the medal and was turned to face the onlookers. Every person’s face was a mask of adoration or awe, not a single person wearing a mask of disgust among the crowd. This was part of what he fought for.