They all then made their way to the President's office. In front of the door where Iron Eater, Gumbah, and a Galka that neither of the six had ever seen before. "Welcome back." Said Iron Eater. He then looked at Volker. "I trust that the information you gave Volker was dreadful?"

Strifer nodded. "Indeed it was!"

Deaths Blessing grinned at Iron Eater. "The information was for him and I ended up doing most of the fighting anyway! He just came at the last second and was knocked out by Zeid."

Iron Eater was intrigued. "So, you fought Zeid! That's amazing! Did you kill him?"

Deaths Blessing shook his head. "He figured that it was pointless for him and I to carry on our fighting because neither one of us was giving up, and besides, he had showed Volker whose boss! I think that was enough gratification for him."

Gumbah looked up at Deaths Blessing. "Hey Deaths Blessing, I want you to meet someone."

Deaths Blessing looked down at the young Talekeeper. "I noticed." He laughed. "I've never seen him around here before."

Gumbah smiled. "This is Werei, he just got here this morning. When he got here, he had no memory of anything except that his name was Werei."

Deaths Blessing was shocked. "He… he is Reborn!"

Gumbah smiled. "Well, he isn't to sure of that, he doesn't remember anything. All he remembers is walking through the Zeruhn Mines."

Werei had a big smile on his face. "He is trying to help me remember, though! Gumbah is a good friend, indeed! He's even told me about my so-called past life!"

Garek grabbed Volker from Strifer's arms. "I don't mean to interrupt, but I think we should fix Volker up immediately before any further damage is done to him." Garek then started the healing manner in which he did to Deaths Blessing at Castle Zvhal.

It was then that Ayame, Naji, Cid, President Karst, and Cornelia entered. Volker was just now getting up from his unconsciousness. Ayame ran up to him, "Sir, are you alright?"

Volker got up and started walking around the room. "Tell us man, have you anything wrong with you?" asked President Karst, sternly.

Naji grabbed Volker's arm. "Come on, sir, let's get you some rest."

Naji and Ayame then carried Volker away. "Now what was that all about?" asked Cid.

Strifer winked at the others. "Nothing, Chief Engineer Cid, just a little wooziness he was experiencing. One of the gears from the machinery came loose and knocked him square in the head!"

President Karst looked at Strifer and the others for a moment. "Aren't you the adventurers that came to me the other day and asked if there was any way you could help the Republic? Yes, it is you! Iron Eater has told me all of the good things you have done for the Galka in the Mines District, he says you should be rewarded with the highest honor!"

Nenye was embarrassed. "Well, we did help out a little. We're just your average, everyday heroes, I guess!"

Zinadae looked at Nenye. "Helped out a little, did we? If I recall correctly, I think it was more than that!"

President Karst smiled. "Fear not, Iron Eater has already told me the many dangers you have faced in retrieving the moon pebble for Gumbah, who has been appointed as my advisor. Soon after you retrieved the moon pebble for him, Gumbah began to see right through the corruption in my Government, and Iron Eater had to relieve Senator Alois from duty because he had been embezzling funds from the government, which Gumbah pointed out to me and even provided proof, can you believe that?"

The others just stared at the President as he went on and on about how professional Gumbah was. Cid walked up to Strifer. "I remember why I came here, now! I needed to give you something, Strifer, one of my personal inventions. Follow me to my office!"

They started to follow, but President Karst stopped them. "Thank you for everything you have done. Please take this Bastok Flag as a token of my gratitude. Bastok's Iron Musketeers stationed all around the world will be happy to assist you in anything you need. Farewell." He saluted them and then walked into his office.

Strifer then looked at Iron Eater, Gumbah, and Werei. "Good luck with everything." Said Iron Eater.

Gumbah smiled. "Don't forget to come back and visit us whenever you can!"

Strifer and the others smiled and saluted them and then followed Cid to his laboratory. Laying on Cid's workbench was a gun - a shotgun to be precise – and next to it were enough bullets to last at least a year, if not two. Cid pointed to the gun. "This here is my baby; I call it, the Hellfire! I figured that since you're a Ranger, you could be my first tester to use it. It works like your bow and arrow, except you load the bullets in the gun and then pull the trigger! Makes for fast and effective killing."

Strifer picked up the Hellfire and examined it. "That is very kind of you, Cid. Thank you." He then strapped the leather pouches full of bullets onto his belt. "This is a beautiful piece of machinery, I'll try it out, and then when I come back to Bastok one day, I'll tell you just how effective it is!"

Cid was overjoyed that Strifer liked it. "Yep, just consider it a gift to you from me. I hope you like it." He then walked over to his worktable. "So, where you folks off to now?"

Nenye smiled and started playing with her tail. "We're going to Windurst, and we might even see the Star Sybil again! She is the one that trained me, you know?"

Cid was surprised. "You don't say? Well then, you must be a pretty effective Black Mage! If you're going to Windurst, I suggest taking the ferry from Selbina. I have heard word that the Archduke of Jeuno, Kam'lanaut, is failing as leader. I heard that Jeuno is in a panic and the Archduke, as well as his brother Eald'narche, are nowhere to be found! "

Strifer thought about this. "We'll be on the look out for anything suspicious, Cid, don't worry about us. This Kam'lanaut guy doesn't seem like a good guy from what we heard of him in San d'Oria…" Strifer's face then turned back into a smile "You couldn't be more right about Nenye, by the way. She is the best Black Mage I have ever laid eyes on!"

Garek cheered. "Here here!"

Tracy Lou looked at Garek. "What's here?"

Garek chuckled at Tracy Lou. "Oh nothing, it's just something I say when I agree with someone.

Zinadae was itching to get out of Bastok. "Let's go now. We've got a long walk ahead of us, not to mention the monsters we may endure!"

Strifer nodded. "Right." They turned to leave and then turned back real quick and saluted Cid. "Good bye, Cid. Altana willing, we will meet again."

Cid smiled and watched them walk out of his laboratory and then continued working on his next experiments.

They got to the gates, and Deaths Blessing turned around and took one last look at Bastok and saluted the Galka that were witnessing him leave. After that, he turned to Strifer. "Off to Windurst then?" He asked Strifer.

Strifer nodded. "Off to Windurst then." Then they all started out on their journey to their new destination, The Federation of Windurst.