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Chapter Text

In Amphoreus, the Chrysos Heirs are nothing short of legend. Each possess divine powers that they use to help protect their world in their own way. There’s Aglaea the Goldweaver: all-seeing leader of Amphoreus. Anaxagoras: the controversial but undeniable genius scholar just as capable of leading. Mydeimos: the immortal warrior and Prince of Kremnos. Hyacinthia: greatest healer in the land and bridge between land and sky. Castorice: daughter of death itself. Phainon: prophesized hero that would eventually save everyone. Then there was Cifera, who nobody seemed to care for or know much about. Bearing the trickery coreflame, most people knew her as Cipher: a petty thief that didn’t do any good for Amphoreus.

Cifera never felt worthy of her Chrysos Heir title. If it had gone to anyone else, she wouldn’t have to agonize so much and everyone would be much happier, she thought. Hailing from Dolos with a background in poverty, she should’ve been the last person to be given such a role. In order to even survive, she began lying and stealing at a very early age. Adults were cruel so she had to be crueler to escape them. Cifera grew up much too fast, having nobody but herself to rely on as she forcefully pulled herself through all the agony to escape her destitution by any means necessary.

Aglaea was at a loss when the battered cat-child first approached her garment shop. Cifera’s vibrant blue eyes were hidden by the layers of grime and injuries plaguing her frail body. She resembled a stray cat on death’s door and Aglaea didn’t want to think about how awful this child’s life must have been. Despite her horrid appearance, though, Cifera seemed to be full of energy, talking with rapid speed and a bossy but charming tone about how she wanted to exchange gems she “won” for clothes. It was clear as day that the bratty child had stolen the pretty jewelry, but Aglaea’s golden threads weren’t tingling at all from the lies, which meant that the words should’ve been truthful. Yet there seemed to be no way that this child could’ve just stumbled upon the rare jewels.

“Kitty,” the seamstress says gently. “Cifera, you said your name was? Let’s cut the facade, please. How can you expect me to accept illegal goods as payment?”

“HUH!?,” Cifera cried. “I already told you I won them fair and square! Do you want these damn rocks or not!?”

“Where did you learn to lie so well?,” Aglaea bluntly asked, her cold eyes blasting the thief with daggers.

Cifera’s suave demeanor dropped and her voice grew more frantic as she realized that this adult was on a different level than the rest. “I’m from Dolos,” she spits, her eyes now staring at the ground. That was enough to answer Aglaea’s question. “Listen lady, I left no evidence so no one will bother you..! If you don’t want them I’ll take my business elsewhere!!”

While it would’ve been convenient to let the kid go, Aglaea had an internal gut feeling that was screaming to protect her. “No,” she sighs. “You’re right, these jewels are too beautiful to pass up, and I wouldn’t dare let someone else get their hands on such lustrous gems. In fact, I have a special treasure that’s worth an equivalent amount to this precious collection. It’d suit you perfectly.” Aglaea disappears to the back briefly and returns with a pair of shimmering golden heels.

“Ooh, shiny!,” exclaimed Cifera, her guard dropping as she looked up. It seemed that she was still a little naive after all.

“These boots are one of my greatest treasures. They hold a magical power from Zagreus himself which grants the wearer the ability to move swiftly and silently,” Aglaea says with a warm and kind smile. “Use these next time so you don’t get hurt, and come to me anytime for more transactions, okay?”

“Yes ma’am..!!,” Cifera hummed. Maybe this lady wasn’t so bad, she thought. She took the boots and almost fell over while trying to put them on. “Umm.. do you have a smaller size?,” she bashfully asked.

Aglaea laughed. “Well, I suppose you’ll have to grow into them.”

Cifera came back to the shop frequently after finding someone that would give her the time of day consistently. She brought back many shiny trinkets, which Aglaea would accept in exchange for food and clothes. Taking care to respect the young teen’s boundaries, the seamstress slowly got to know the burglar better with each visit. Cifera had robbed her way up from nothing to make her way from Dolos to Okhema. Her only goal was to make more money, which she clearly valued above all else. She absolutely refused to talk about anything related to parents or family but didn’t mind when Aglaea asked her to stick around and chat. Even if she stayed mean-spirited and haughty, it was clear that she was just lonely. Aglaea wanted to ask if she needed a place to sleep, since it was obvious that she slept outdoors, but could never find the right time to do so, at least until one fateful day.

Aglaea’s face brightened upon seeing Cifera return from a distance, but was confused as to why she was back to wearing her old rags when she should’ve had a decent wardrobe by now. “You’re back again, Cifera!,” she called when the kid approached, but her cheery expression dropped when she saw the cat up close. She couldn’t help but gasp in shock. Cifera’s clothes were ripped and she was bleeding. Golden blood ran down her face and the rest of her body was badly bruised and stained as well. “Cifera, your face-”

“I need clothes!,” the thief interrupted, her voice feeble but full of desperation. “Anything! Even some spare cloth, just to cover the wounds..!” Her breathing was fast and heavy and Aglaea could see her chest palpitating from how hard her heart was beating. “I’ll pay back whatever amount it costs, please,” she pleaded, tears painfully mixing with the blood as it all dripped off her face.

“You… you’re… bleeding golden blood…,” Aglaea murmured, biting the inside of her bottom lip with worry.

“YES, WHAT ABOUT IT!?,” Cifera suddenly shouted, anger taking over in a violent mood swing. “So WHAT if I’m one of those stupid Chrysos Heirs everyone talks about?!? Those infinitely-powerful warriors, world-famous swordsmen, super-smart geniuses!? Well, that’s not me..!”

“Cifera…,” Aglaea choked, failing to find words as tears welled in her own eyes.

“I’M SORRY TO DISAPPOINT!!!,” Cifera shrieks. Thankfully, it was a slow day for business and there wasn’t anyone else present to overhear them. “Who knew that all those amazing people would include ME!,” she screams. “A dirty fucking pauper, thief, con artist, pickpocket, leech..!” She glares into Aglaea’s terrified eyes, her face contorted into an expression of pure agony. “I don’t even know why I came back,” she cried, her voice gaining a panicky tone as her breathing sped up even more. “Maybe I should just make another cut, drain all the yellow stuff out of me, and… and…” She turned to run away, but Aglaea quickly leapt over the counter and yanked her into a hug. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!?!?,” screeched Cifera as she tried to kick and claw her way out of Aglaea’s grasp.

“Stop it, Cifera!,” the seamstress harshly commanded. Her stern order seemed to quiet down the cat in her arms. “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll give you clothes, warm you up,” she continued. “Stay here. Please. Stay in my workshop until you’re healed. Live with me. I’ll take care of you.” Her tears flowed shamelessly as she held Cifera with love and care. The thief had never been hugged before and didn’t know how to react.

“Aren’t you going to ask me how I got these wounds..?,” Cifera mumbles. Aglaea only hugs her tighter in response, shaking her head. “Oh.. right, what’s the use? I can just fool your little string anyway, so no point,” she says with a dry laugh.

“That’s not it,” Aglaea says. “I don’t need to ask or use the golden thread because I trust you. I know that everything you do is for survival, at all costs.” She squeezes Cifera even harder. “Stay here,” she repeats. “You won’t have to deal with the cold or go hungry again. Stay by my side, and you can start putting yourself back together.”

Cifera finally breaks out of Aglaea’s hold, but doesn’t run away. Instead, she turns to face her, tears still flowing. “Aren’t you worried I’ll ruin your reputation? Or sneak off with all your precious clothes and sell them?,” she asked.

“I wouldn’t have invited you if I was worried about that,” Aglaea responded flatly.

“You’re weird,” Cifera muttered, her head dropping down. “They all say a kid who lies remains a liar for life. I tried not to be a liar, but honestly, it’s just too hard. I really tried. I’m so close to giving up-” Her voice hitches as she sobs. “What makes you think I won’t disappoint you!?,” she wails.

“Because I can feel it,” Aglaea says with certainty. “Not as a fellow Chrysos Heir, but with the heart that beats in my chest. You love this place. That’s why you keep coming by, but also why you hesitate to stay longer. You worry you’ll tarnish the “goldweaver” name. But Cifera… your actions are more honest than you think.”

Cifera can only sniffle in response, so Aglaea approaches and gives her another, more tender hug.

“Stay here with me,” the seamstress pleads. “You have a beautiful face and golden heart that deserves better than to be covered in scars and grime.”

“Alright..,” Cifera murmurs. “Deal. I’ll give you a day to change your mind, but after that… please don’t betray me…”

“Never,” Aglaea whispers.

After that day, Cifera officially became Aglaea’s business partner. Customers weren’t too fond of the new addition, but wouldn’t dare say anything in front of Aglaea, who was clearly very protective of the young and snarky girl. Aglaea happily introduced Cifera to the other Chrysos Heirs as her underling who was highly capable of being their fellow hero, even if the cat seemed to disagree. Cifera continued her thievery activities even after receiving shelter and motherly care, since it was all she knew how to do, and it kept her feeling alive and capable. Aglaea was supportive of her burglar antics as long as nobody got hurt, so she faithfully abided by that standard.

The years flew by as Aglaea watched her little Cifera grow taller and stronger. Taking care of the kleptomaniac kitty filled a void in her heart that she didn’t know existed before she met her. Watching Cifera genuinely smile and kick her feet while digging into Aglaea’s homemade stews gave the seamstress fulfillment, and she didn’t mind defending her daughter when rich people angrily reported their goods stolen with the cat being the prime suspect. When Cifera had nightmares, she’d always crawl into Aglaea’s bed for warmth and purred when her mother stirred awake to cuddle her. As time passed, though, she slowly grew more independent and rebellious.

One day, a teenage Cifera popped up at Aglaea’s shop with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Seeeeamstress~!,” she calls.

“What is it, kitty?,” Aglaea asks as she emerges from the back.

“Tell me, does Okhema have any treasures that your-” Cifera stops and corrects herself before Aglaea can. “-I mean, our shop has seen?”

Aglaea briefly pauses to think. “Well, of course. The first to come to mind is a ‘Gem of All Worlds’ hidden somewhere in Dawncloud. Apparently, it’s a piece that fell out of the dawn device. It’s a truly priceless treasure, being a part of Kephale’s divine body. Even I, the Goldweaver, cannot witness its glamour.”

“Gem of All Worlds…,” Cipher echoed, her sapphire eyes glimmering with delight. “Nice! Well, I’ll be off now..!”

“Cifera,” Aglaea says sternly. “Let me guess, you’re already plotting to sneak into Dawncloud to steal that gem, aren’t you?”

“Um..!!”

“And your next move is probably trying to sell it to the highest bidder, then distributing that money to the poor and the refugees in the holy city.”

Cifera pouts. “Are you using those golden threads to peek into my head?!,” she demands.

“You might be skilled at covering up lies, but your compassion is all over your face, plain as day,” Aglaea answers. “But don’t lie to yourself. Do you honestly think that this is the right thing to do, Cifera?”

“W-what else am I supposed to do..? That’s the only thing I can do with my power!” Cifera was noticeably growing agitated at her habits being criticized again. “You keep on talking about how I have the potential to become a ‘good person,’ or even what people call a ‘hero,’” She looks up at her mother with anger and bitterness in her eyes, similar to how she looked when Aglaea first took her in. “But I really don’t know how I’m supposed to get there! I can’t weave golden dresses like you, I can’t sing as well as Miss Hylisens, and I definitely don’t know as much as big sis Tribbie..!” Her eyes clamp shut from frustration. “None of you respect the only thing I’m good at! And that prophecy is so… cruel… and I really don’t know what to do and am just doing what I can, am I really such a bad person for that..?”

“Cifera…” Aglaea was at a temporary loss for words as her daughter sniffled.

“B-but…” Cifera opened her glossy eyes and matched Aglaea’s gaze. “But I still want to be worthy of you. I want to prove that… you made the right choice. Even thieves can dream, right..?”

“Cifera.” Aglaea reaches over the counter to grab her daughter’s hands. “You are justified in your anger. Destiny is never fair, and your path is doomed to be worse than everyone else’s. You are fated to walk in the dark and bear the world’s misunderstanding in this journey.” She pauses to breathe. “But you have to believe that everyone in this world is unique in their own way. I am convinced that you’re the only one who can bear the authority of Trickery, even if you have to contend with the legendary three hundred master thieves of Dolos. You are the one the Gods chose, and I believe with all my heart that they made the correct choice.”

“A-Aglaea…,” Cifera stammers as she stifles her tears. Aglaea smiles and squeezes her hands tighter.

“I’ll always love you unconditionally, Cifera. All I wanted to say was that perhaps you could guide your talents in a direction away from thievery. But regardless, you will forever have a home with me.”

Cifera lets a sob break through. “I just want everyone to believe that the world is beautiful and that everyone is simple and kind… if only I could get everyone to believe that…,” she chokes. “Would that lie become reality if enough people believed in it? Even though it’s a lie..?”

“Lies will always be lies, Cifera,” Aglaea says honestly. “But sometimes, they can be more noble than the truth.”

Chapter Text

Many more years passed before Cifera finally infiltrated Dawncloud to steal the “Gem of All Worlds” that Aglaea told her about. She gleefully imagined the stunned look that’d appear on the seamstress’s face once she returned. Her mother was hopelessly stoic and her many attempts at breaking the great Aglaea’s composure failed, but showing up with a priceless jewel that’s been hidden away for ages would surely do it. In order to steal the treasure, she had disguised herself as a priest of Kephale to blend in and explore Dawncloud freely. Though she thought she looked quite pretty in a monk’s robe, the spiritual lifestyle was rather boring for her so she was very dedicated to tracking down the gem, which was likely in the Chaplain’s possession. She ended up lurking in the priestly court for over half a year before finally gaining access to the Chaplain’s sleeping quarters. The Priests of Kephale certainly didn’t mess around with their security. After rummaging through tons of chests and crevices for what felt like hours, an elegant little red box caught her eye.

‘Yes, yes, YES!!,’ her mind screamed. Her feline senses were going wild as she could smell a treasure more valuable than anything she’d stolen before. She finally found one of the most prized stones in the world, said to be peeled from the Dawn Device that gave Amphoreus eternal sunlight. The endless weeks of sitting through horribly grating prayers had finally ended. She genuinely thought she’d go insane, but it was all worth it now. Cifera couldn’t help but giggle to herself and twirl around in delight, accidentally knocking a container over with her tail. She froze in fear at the loud noise.

“Atti… Atticus… is that you?,” a frail elderly voice rang out from the nearby bed, nothing but a curtain separating him from Cifera who was now clutching his most valuable possession.

‘Shit, shit, shit, shit, SHIIIT!!!!!,’ Cifera shrieked internally. But this situation was manageable. She knew Atticus, he was the apprentice the Chaplain liked the most and was most around the old man. Acting quickly, she used her powers to mimic his voice. “Old- ahem, erm.. Chaplain, it’s me! I’m here to assist with your medicine again.”

“Ah… thank you. Without your care, I would’ve long been claimed by Thanatos and carried to the River of Souls…”

Cifera hated that sluggish annoying voice of his. “Oh… no need to thank me, master! It’s my duty to care for you while you recover, ehe~” She noted that the other priests were hiding how sick this man actually was.

“Atticus… I can feel my life slipping away, fading faster with every moment. I don’t know when eternal sleep will claim me…,” the Chaplain groaned. “There’s one last thing I must tell you…”

‘Holy fucking Zagreus, NOW!?,’ Cifera thought. But maybe this could be a good thing, perhaps he had more hidden treasure. “Stay strong, Chaplain!,” she cried. “Keep your spirits up and don’t lose hope! If there’s anything important you need to say… I’m all ears.”

“Ah… it’s so disgraceful that it fills me with shame. Yet, I must speak… for it concerns the fate of our holy city below my feet.”

Cifera’s expression shifts to one with genuine concern. ‘The fate of the city’s people?,’ she thinks. ‘It’s that serious?’

“The omniscient sky father, Kephale, before they fell silent… I heard their last words at Dawncloud…,” the old man continued. “It announced: ‘The prophecy has arrived, my mission has concluded, and I shall return to silence… The eternal night is looming, but over the next three hundred years, the Dawn Device will safeguard the holy city, poised for the children of humanity to create miracles.’”

‘Wait, did he just say… the next three hundred years?’ Cifera’s heart began pounding loudly and her breathing sped up as she processed the gravity of what the Chaplain revealed.

“I… have concealed the deadline the sky father set for everyone…,” he admits somberly. “I lacked the courage to carve the countdown to the city’s new dawn into the hearts of its people. Atticus, you… are a hundred times more courageous than I am. Can you accomplish… what I could not? Will you share this harsh truth… with all the citizens of Okhema?”

Cifera clutched her aching chest and attempted to steel her resolve. “Rest easy, master,” she said with as little shakiness as possible. “I will shoulder this heavy burden for you… I’ll address the fallout of your indecision.”

“Thank you, Atticus…” the Chaplain murmurs before breathing his last.

The weight of the entire world was crushing Cifera now, but she knew that this was what Aglaea had likely wanted for her all along. Her moment to be a hero had finally arrived.

Lying to the entire clergy of Kephale was easy for Cifera thanks to her demigod powers. She gave the real Atticus a long pleasant nap while she temporarily stole his appearance to give an emergency address to every Priest in Dawncloud. She announced the old Chaplain’s death, his desire to instate Atticus as the new leader of the church, and his final words before succumbing to illness, though she heavily altered his last monologue. Cifera possessed a terrifying power to turn lies into reality, as long as everyone believed said lies. With her stolen identity as the new most important figure in Dawncloud, everyone present at the speech had no reason to doubt her words. She declared that Kephale’s magnificent Dawn Device would keep Okhema illuminated and protected against all evil forces until the end of time. It was a horrible lie, but if they believed it, then it could save humanity until Cifera’s long life saw its end. Dealing with the real Atticus was easier than delivering her big speech, since all she had to do was disguise herself as the deceased Chaplain and praise him for passing on the “true” final message, which caused him to allegedly faint from stress and forget giving it, but the Chaplain described every detail before “dying.” With that, Cifera’s mission was complete.

Cifera returned to Okhema, eager to see Aglaea again and show off her glorious find, but as she reentered the holy city, reality struck her like a train. How could she possibly expect to uphold her massive world-protecting lie if her mother literally possessed golden threads that weeded the truth out of everyone? While she had pulled off an amazing feat, there was no way she would ever be able to stay in Okhema now when she held such a colossal secret. Anyone figuring her out would doom the world. Cifera ended up slipping back into her and Aglaea’s home with the intention of packing all her belongings and disappearing when a surprised but delighted voice rang out upon spotting her.

“Cifera! I’ve missed you. Welcome home!,” calls Aglaea, who approaches Cifera before the cat could run away.

Of course leaving wasn’t going to be that simple. “Hey, mom,” Cifera mumbles as Aglaea pulls her into a warm embrace.

“Are you hungry? I could prepare something,” Aglaea says after releasing her daughter. “Perhaps some warm stew?”

“Not hungry…,” Cifera whispers, shaking her head. Her entire body language conveyed guilt.

“What’s wrong, kitty?,” Aglaea asks, her smile dropping. “Has something happened while you were away?”

“I… I’m sorry, mom, but I came to get my things. I’m leaving.” Cifera’s eyes were fixed to the floor as she softly delivered the news.

“Leaving? …Why?” Disheartened, Aglaea reaches out to caress her daughter’s cheek like she used to, but Cifera pulls away with a hiss.

“I’m an adult now, in case you forgot,” Cifera coldly mutters. “Sorry, mom, I just… want to leave Okhema. Please respect my wishes.”

Aglaea resisted the urge to use her golden threads, even though Cifera didn’t sound like herself at all. Ultimately, she would always love her daughter unconditionally and trusted any decision Cifera made. After all, the girl hadn’t mentioned how her heist went and perhaps she was frustrated with herself and just wanted to become more independent. “Very well, then,” the seamstress says. “Don’t be a stranger, though. Myself and the other Chrysos Heirs care about you and please don’t forget that you’ll always have a home here.”

Cifera just solemnly nodded and retreated to her room to retrieve her things. She was gone shortly after that, and Aglaea ended up eating dinner alone, tears dripping into her stew as she wondered what changed, or if it was just her little girl growing up. Either way, she hoped she would still see Cifera again once the cat was done doing whatever she needed to. Their goodbye was much too short.

The centuries flew by faster than expected for Aglaea, who had too much to deal with in leading Okhema to dwell on Cifera’s departure. Cifera became an infamous phantom thief, wandering Amphoreus to steal from the rich and give to the poor. She fully embraced an antihero role, taking on the moniker “Cipher” to further detach herself from people. Aglaea never saw her anymore but believed that she still had the potential of being a great hero. She wished that she could continue to guide the burglar onto a better path than stealing yet maintained complete faith in Cifera’s golden heart.

Countless memories of trauma echoed through Cifera’s head daily. She remembered every single time people screamed obscenities at her for her crimes. All the days of starvation were still felt even centuries later. She could recall hanging around Aglaea’s shop because the seamstress reminded her of her deceased adoptive grandmother, who raised the orphan until her silk shop was stormed and she was executed for thievery, her last words telling Cifera to run. Finding Aglaea and the other Chrysos Heirs gave her a sense of what a real home was like, but she was forced to abandon it all for the sake of the world, returning to her nomadic lifestyle. She missed everyone dearly. Her prophecy declared that she’d walk with greed and die over petty change, but wasn’t she doing the exact opposite?

Cifera had made many hideouts throughout Amphoreus, never sleeping in the same bed twice in a row. She had to keep herself active to avoid becoming completely insane. Her only friend was the Spirithief Bartholos, who aided her in grand heists and offered her an ear whenever she wanted to yap. Despite robbing people blind for a living, Cifera’s heart remained in a good place, even if she didn’t think so. She always distributed her winnings to the less fortunate, even going as far to build underground housing for homeless children and ensuring that they were fed from time to time. Okhema was only visited at brief intervals to care for those in need, though Cifera would occasionally snoop on her old family out of longing. But she couldn’t risk her secret being exposed. It was much easier to play the antihero who nobody cared for. Her work was thankless due to the moral bankruptcy of it, but it was all she knew how to do. Interactions with the other Chrysos Heirs were rare, and she figured that they didn’t like her much anyway. Cifera hated feeling sad, and coped with the loneliness by laughing at everything as much as she could. Her personality became warped and twisted, and she eventually felt that she was so far detached from everyone else that life was hopeless, though she had to stay alive to maintain the lie that kept Amphoreus bright.

Chapter Text

Despite her best efforts to be seen as a cunning thief with no allegiance to anyone, everyone that knew Cipher as Cifera knew that she was secretly a pushover. The thief loved messing with people but enjoyed pleasing them even more. That was why when the trailblazer and Castorice needed an escort to the faraway Styxia, Aglaea reached out to Cifera, who folded instantly for her mother. However, Aglaea wasn’t done with the cat burglar just yet.

The final interaction between Cifera and Aglaea was a painful one. Cifera became enraged upon realizing that the seamstress was spying on her through a golden beetle that was possessing Bartholos. She only found out after Bartholos had brought up something only Aglaea knew and yanked the beetle out of her friend’s back with fury. “Well well, seamstress!,” Cifera growled. “Getting sneaky, are we? Did you think I wouldn’t notice your little spies lurking around me?”

“Heh, as time passes I find myself leaning more and more on blind luck,” Aglaea responds through the beetle. “With only the power of this little nymph, naturally I couldn’t slip past your sharp eyes, Cifera.”

“Hmmph… Even if you could fully control Bartholos’s mind, I would still be able to see through your disguise, Aglaea. You’ve gone to such lengths to spy on my every move… What exactly are you after? I’ve told you before, you don’t need me to succeed. Why won’t you just let this go? I already made an exception and got involved with Castorice and that gray mystery. Isn’t asking for more help pushing your luck a bit too far?”

Cifera’s bratty tone did nothing to dissuade Aglaea, whose voice grew more somber in quality. “I’ve plotted and schemed my whole life, but I never could’ve predicted that our relationship would end up like this.” She pauses to inhale sharply. “I’ve spent centuries trying to figure out where I went wrong, replaying every moment over and over… but, you’ve never given me a chance to explain myself face-to-face.”

“Don’t… don’t talk to me like that. You know I can’t take it,” Cifera says bitterly, her uncaring facade fading.

“A thousand years ago, out of foolishness… I let my silence steal away the most beautiful sound I’d ever known.”

Cifera’s breath hitched as she realized what Aglaea was referring to. “Hylisens…,” she whispers, her voice filled with regret.

“So this time, I must say this to you, even if it’s all in vain… I need you, Cifera. The Chrysos Heirs’ mission needs you. The finale I’ve delayed for far too long… it’s finally here. Whatever resentment you still hold against me will fade once I’m gone. Please, come back to Okhema. I’m begging you. Without you, they don’t stand a chance.”

“...I’ll think about it, seamstress,” Cifera murmurs with a sigh. “But please stop watching me… unless you want to lose me forever.”

“Heh.. don’t worry. As much as I’d love to hear your voice again, to see your face… comfort you one more time… it seems that chance will never come. Goodbye, Cifera.”

“Goodbye, Aglaea,” Cifera muttered, unsure of what exactly her mother meant.

It didn’t take long for news of Aglaea’s assassination to reach Cifera’s ears. The news hit her with the force of a thousand trains. She didn’t want to believe it, but it was all anyone was talking about in Okhema. Cifera ran off to the most isolated underground hideout she had in the holy city where nobody would hear her and screeched. She screamed out all of her agony and sobbed for hours. The thief desperately wanted to use all her power to track down every single person responsible and torture them to death in the most brutal way imaginable. But she instead resolved herself to fulfill her mother’s dying wish and finally join the Flame Chase.

Cifera stood alone at Dawncloud, staring at Kephale’s enormous statue, silently mulling over everything. She missed Aglaea terribly and deeply regretted avoiding her for so long, even if that was the objective right choice to make. Her respite would be more peaceful if she was actually alone, though. Annoyed, she finally addresses the man that was watching her. “Are you really planning to just stand there forever? Honestly, sneaking around doesn’t suit you, Deliverer.”

“Ahaha… I never thought I could slip past your sharp ears, Miss Cipher,” Phainon says, stepping forward to approach the thief. “I just didn’t think it’d be right to interrupt when you’re obviously lost in thoughts.

“Hmmph, still as charming with your words as ever, boy,” Cifera says smugly, expertly hiding her grief. “Your speech at the public baths wasn’t half bad, I’ll admit. It managed to touch my heart just a smidge.

“Thank you! I had a feeling back then that you were in the audience. Intuition certainly is a thing of wonder.”

“Oh? And you didn’t call me out on the spot? You waited all this time to tell me?”

“Well… I thought you’d need some time to yourself… after she passed away.”

Cifera noticeably flinches and her tone grows colder. “None of your business,” she grumbles. “Enough small talk. Tell me, what kind of trouble did you run into that you need me, the super old-timer, to step in?”

Phainon sighs. “We’ve only met a couple of times, but you’ve always gone straight to business. I respect that about you, ‘old-timer,’ so I’ll cut to the chase. You’re probably aware that Aglaea has earned the support of the entire city for the Chrysos Heirs, and everyone believes that she died at the hands of the Council members who are against the Flame Chase, and the citizens’ fury has been dragging schemers out of the shadows one by one. But they didn’t get everybody. To this day, we still haven’t found Elder Caenis, the leader of the cleaners.”

“Ah, I see. You’re afraid she’ll do something wild now that she’s pushed into a corner, aren’t you?”

“Yes. I believe that Kephale’s coreflame, forever enshrined above the council theater, would be the opposition’s final trump card against the Chrysos Heirs. We’re setting out to campaign against Aquila in a few days. With the Chrysos Heirs gone, it’d be their best chance to strike.”

“You think those desperate dogs will try to snatch the coreflame while you’re gone, so you want me to give them a nice long walk while you’re away, right?”

“You sure saw right through me, Miss Cipher. Well, that’s my one request. Please use whatever tricks you need to protect Kephale’s coreflame. Even if you have to deceive the rest of the Chrysos Heirs as well.”

Cifera tries not to laugh in his face, since she had already been doing that for many centuries. “What confidence,” she says. “You talk as if you have everything in the palm of your hand… It reminds me of m- Aglaea. But let me tell you something you don’t know. That Flame Reaver’s been watching Okhema closely.” She smirks at his surprised expression. “Bet you didn’t expect that, huh? I’ve been tracking it all this time, and this is my conclusion: that lunatic may have lost its mind, but it’s no fool. It hasn’t made a move on Okhema because of Aglaea’s impenetrable defense, but now…”

“Right. But I suppose you already have a solution?”

“Indubitably!! Consider this a two-for-one deal. I’ll keep that psycho entertained on top of protecting Kephale’s coreflame. You owe me big time for this.”

Phainon was impressed by her foresight. “You have my deepest gratitude, Miss Cipher. That Flame Reaver’s power is truly unfathomable. Please be careful.”

“Don’t worry, Deliverer. You just need to make sure you don’t die before you pay me.”

At last, the chance to do something worthwhile with her life and become a hero was before her. Cifera was too smart to take on the Flame Reaver without having a contingency plan first. She met with the Spirithief Bartholos one last time before leaving to face off with the monster.

“Barthy, I brought you a gift! I’ve stolen the world’s greatest treasure from Dawncloud. Catch!” She tossed a small red box to Bartholos.

“Boss Cipher, you’re too kind! Let’s see what’s in here… OH MY GOSH!! No, I possibly couldn’t accept this…”

Cifera laughs. “Why are you shaking, daring Spirithief Bartholos? You’ve tried to steal worse, what’s wrong with holding onto Kephale’s coreflame?”

“Boss Cipher, this is the real deal… Please, just return this where it came from… I’ll take my leave…”

“DON’T even think about running!,” Cifera hissed. “Lemme be straight with you. I’m going on a super dangerous journey far away and might never make it back. I need you to protect this coreflame for me. If you notice anything unusual in the sky, then go find the Deliverer boy and give him this coreflame as fast as you can. Don’t delay for even a fraction of a second.”

Bartholos’s beady eyes were filled with fear. “What exactly is going on, Boss Cipher?”

Cifera sighs. “I’m buying time for that Deliverer boy and taking on the Flame Reaver that killed big sis Trianne. I need you to keep that coreflame safe for me, Barthy.”

The Spirithief’s eyes widened further. “…Boss, we’re just two teeny thieves. Even if the sky falls for real, we aren’t the ones who need to carry it. Why not run as far as we can? With the power of trickery, even if the world gets destroyed…”

“Barthy…” Cifera braces herself mentally before finally telling another soul her biggest secret. “Okhema has been in evernight since centuries ago. Trickery’s divine power is what has kept the Dawn Device burning.” Poor Bartholos looked ready to collapse upon hearing her confession. “At this moment in time, I have no choice but to reveal this grand lie to you,” she continues, her tone completely serious. “We’ve been shouldering the fate of this world all this time. There is no way for us to come out of this in one piece.”

“You.. you mean…. our divine power, the power of Trickery… has deceived all the world’s fools, villains, and even the very calamities themselves? We saved Amphoreus?”

Cifera smiles sadly. “That’s right. Isn’t this what you’ve always wanted, Barthy? You are the weakest shadow, yet you now bear the only dawn of this world.” She noticed that the Spirithief was quivering. “Hah, what’s wrong? You scared?”

“…No, I’m shaking from excitement. Boss, if all goes well, this should be our final trick, right?”

“Indubitably. But I must warn you… if you dare run off when the time comes… I’ll feed you to the fish in the River of Souls in our next life!”

Deep down, Cifera did feel the desire to die due to her loneliness, but what she desired more was to be the hero Aglaea promised she’d be, so her glorious duel with the Flame Reaver was a battle she looked forward to regardless of what the outcome would be. When she first encountered the terrifying beast, she felt exhilaration rather than fear. Every single trick she had learned in her time as a phantom thief was deployed as she strung the villain along in a prolonged game of cat and mouse. The Flame Reaver was clearly stronger and faster than anything she’d dealt with before, but its mind wasn’t sharp and it was easy to fool.

As the fight went on longer, though, Cifera realized that the demon was always catching up to her with ease, and dread slowly crept in, replacing her initial excitement. Still, she fought with all her might, using the power of Trickery to summon clones of herself to fight back. Yet every speedy leap away she made was matched by the Flame Reaver’s teleportation, and it seemed to be unphased by her attacks. At one point, she was almost sliced in half but managed to flash away at the last second. It was clear now that she was in mortal danger. She had bought enough time, and needed to use her coin of whimsy to dash away at lightspeed, so she reached at her chest to grab it, and… it wasn’t there. Cifera whirled around to see the Flame Reaver dropping the coin from its hand, and horror completely plagued her brain, blocking all rational thought. She NEEDED that coin back to make her escape, so using the power of swiftness from the boots Aglaea gave her a millenia ago, she ran straight at the monster to grab it. Time seemed to move in slow motion, and in the split second it took to secure the coin in her fingers, she felt a white-hot pain in her chest as the Flame Reaver mercilessly stabbed her chest and slammed her into the nearest wall.

Cifera coughed and heaved up golden blood as her killer held up what seemed to be Kephale’s coreflame. She laughed maniacally in its face as the coreflame transformed into a vase. “Only a mindless fool… would fall for the same trick three times in a row,” she spits, giggling with pure insanity. “...Victory is MINE, fiend!” Enraged, the Flame Reaver tosses the vase aside and pulls out its sword to impale Cifera’s heart, delivering a lethal blow before teleporting away.

It was cold. The gaping wound in Cifera’s chest was letting all the freezing air of the night blow through her, the icy pain slowly sucking the life out of the dying cat. “You shall… walk with greed…. and die….. over petty change……. how literal…,” Cifera mumbles to herself, trying to fill the quiet ambience with something, anything to keep her company as she died. “Atticus….. I’m sorry for.. stealing your identity…. and mama…..” She quietly sobs as she thinks about Aglaea. “Mama… I want to hang out at our shop again…. just once….. I’m sorry for leaving, mama….” Her regretful weeping permeates the hushed night. “I miss everyone so bad… I’m such a failure….. but……. at least I.. did accomplish one thing… right..?” A golden light seems to appear before her. “Kephale’s coreflame… it’s safe now…. Even if I’m nothing more than.. a dirty thief…… I… at least I did something…. for the Flame Chase…..” She looks up and is shocked to see none other than Aglaea standing before her. “Mama…?”

The seamstress warmly smiles and pulls her beloved Cifera into a warm hug, cancelling out all the pain. “You are the unsung hero of Amphoreus, Cifera. You saved us all. You betrayed the world… and in exchange, you earned humanity a thousand more years of life.” Cifera’s breathing relaxes as her mother holds her. “I’m so proud of you, Cifera. I’m happy beyond belief that I adopted you and believed in you. You’ve exceeded all expectations. Rest easy now, kitty. You deserve it.”

“I love you, mama…”

“Mama loves you too, Cifera.”

Cifera closes her eyes and grins, her cheeks regaining color as she feels true joy. Aglaea’s image fades back to nothing as Cifera passes away. Back in Okhema, the sky turns dark. Cifera lived a life of lies and deceit, but nobody’s heart was more pure than hers.