As the dust settled, Yuni lay staring at the sky, her expression worn and distant.
"We won… but was it even worth it, rat?" she muttered, noticing Aralia approaching from the corner of her eye.
Aralia groaned softly as she helped Yuni to her feet, brushing dust from her shoulders before being shoved aside.
"Have you seen where that elf, the brat, Sticky, and the damn machine went?"
Aralia glanced into the distance and pointed. Theo and Idol were there, digging through the debris with desperate urgency.
"Sticky and Jae are waiting at the edge of the floating city," she added quietly.
Yuni clicked her tongue and made her way forward, carefully stepping over broken stone and splintered beams. Aralia followed, her face still stained with tears, her expression weighed down by grief.
Nearby, Theo's hands trembled as he clawed through rubble, stained with dirt and blood. His breathing came in uneven bursts as he shoved aside a heavy slab. Then he froze.
Idol approached him silently.
"Master…" Idol whispered.
Between them lay a single piece of fabric, dusted with faint particles that shimmered in hues of blue, yellow, and white.
Theo exhaled shakily. He ran a hand through his hair before picking up the cloth, carefully gathering the glowing dust within it.
Tears streamed down his face.
Idol knelt beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Neither spoke.
"Sir Theo… something hurts," Idol said softly. "There is pain in my chest."
A broken laugh escaped Theo as he pulled Idol into an embrace. For a fleeting moment, a single ray of light pierced through the sky, falling gently upon them.
"We may have only known each other for a few weeks, but he made sure we bonded over the course of these weeks. I love him so much, Idol and you do too!"
Minutes later, they regrouped with the others at the edge.
"Y'all ready to head back down?" Yuni asked, arms crossed, her tone returning to its usual sharpness.
Theo gave a silent nod. Jae shifted into a flame wyvern, allowing everyone except Idol to climb aboard. Taking out a scroll, Theo handed it to him.
"This'll let you float for a while," he said.
As Jae took flight, Idol followed, struggling to keep pace.
When they arrived at the heart of Altissa, they were met with cheers. Applause rang out as the group dismounted.
Before the noise could swell further, members of Vyolmir's former council stepped forward to thank them.
Theo raised a hand.
"We appreciate it," he said, his voice steady but heavy. "But please… listen."
The crowd quieted. In his hand, he held the torn fabric of Volhcard's robe.
"This is all that remains of someone you cast aside," he began. "A dwarf you feared. A man you condemned."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"That man… was Volhcard."
Silence fell.
"The same Volhcard you accused. The same one you judged without truth. The one you forced into isolation."
His grip tightened.
"His crime was nothing but a lie."
Unease spread among the people. Some frowned, others looked away.
"I never understood it," Theo continued, his voice rising. "Not when his faith never wavered. Not when the divine still answered him."
A sharp metallic sound cut through the air as Yuni unsheathed her blade. Instantly, the murmurs ceased.
"I am not here to threaten you," Theo said. "I am here to remind you."
He stepped forward before allowing himself to take a breather as he glanced at the fabric.
"He endured everything you gave him. The hatred. The loneliness. The pain. And still… he chose to protect you."
His voice shaky as he continued to speak.
"He forgave you."
The words struck deeper than any blade.
"He stood against something none of us could face alone. And he did it knowing what it would cost him."
Theo's voice broke, but he did not stop.
"He was stronger than any of us. Strong enough to carry your judgment. Strong enough to keep loving the very people who turned their backs on him."
Pressing the cloth to his chest, he stared at them determined, tears welling in his eyes.
"And in the end… he died for you."
Tears streamed freely now.
"He was no monster. He was a hero."
The crowd stood frozen.
"We are nothing more than a group of wandering fools," Theo said softly. "We chased a distant goal, thinking it mattered."
His gaze hardened.
"But he showed us the truth."
For a moment there was long pause as he tried to find the right words.
"There is something far worse coming. Aldir—the Mad Mage—is moving. And if no one stands against him, everything will fall."
At the mere mention of Aldir's name, everyone started backing away as the guards started moving towards them.
"Our path is clear now," Theo continued. "We will reach Volantis before he does. We will stop him."
He looked across the sea of faces.
"But before that… I ask this of you." his voice lowering, as he balled his other hand into a fist. "Remember him."
A long silence captured the atmosphere as if everyone lost their voices.
"Remember the man you abandoned… and the hero who still chose to save you."
A woman fell to her knees.
Then another.
And another.
Soon, the entire square was filled with people bowing their heads, sobbing, whispering prayers.
"Forgive us…"
"Volhcard…"
The name spread like a wave, even the citizens of Altissa followed.
"Volhcard… Volhcard…"
The chant grew louder, filled with grief, regret, and reverence.
Then someone called out:
"What is the name of your group?"
The question cut through the noise.
Theo let out a quiet breath, a faint smile forming through his tears.
"We don't have one," he said. "We're just… a ragtag group of idiots."
For a moment, there was silence.
Then—
"Ragtag…"
The word echoed.
"Ragtag… Ragtag…"
It spread across Altissa, rising into a unified chant.
Aralia smiled through her tears. Jae sobbed openly, clinging to Yuni, who merely scoffed but did not push her away.
Idol stood still, a quiet warmth pulsing within his core.
Theo looked up at the sky, gripping the cloth tightly.
"It's done," he whispered. "You did it, Volhcard."
Moving down from Idol's shoulders, the group looked at each other before falling into a tight group hug.
"This is only ever happening once and never again, understood everyone?" Yuni remarked, rolling her eyes.
Theo chuckled, slapping her back softly as he spoke.
"Ease up, Yun. We all saw how you were bawling while trying to flee."
At the mere mention of her crying, Yuni bit her lip as she glared at Theo before Sticky got on top of her head. At the warm feeling, she slowly relaxed, still glaring at Theo.
"This feels nice. Very nice, I think I feel happy, Sir Theo." Idol said, motioning to his core with a thumbs up.
"Indeed you are, indeed you are, Idol."
End of Act 2.
End of Volume 1: Fools Gathering.