Sasha and Ignazio made a hell of a team at the well behind Troll’s Treasure. She splashed water on ravenous flames, sprinted back to switch out her empty bucket with the backup he filled, and repeated the process. The work barely dented the fire consuming their home, but they kept trying anyway. After the sixth run, Sasha rested for a moment with Ignazio.

She wiped her brow with her forearm covered with dust and smokey soot. It smeared onto her face unknowingly. “Hey, um, are you two…?”

He picked up what she put down. “Something like that. Nothing official yet. Don’t go yelling it from the top of the chapel. This kind of thing isn’t accepted, New Age or not. We’d be arrested.”

“Hm, I see. What do you like about Abdul anyway?”

He stared blankly at her. “That’s a good question. Way to put me on the spot. I’ll need to think on it.”

Eight cycles of splashes later, they both sat with their backs against the well, gasping and watching Troll’s Treasure’s walls begin to crumble. She bit her thumb. “This really is useless. He needs to get out of there. Can a man really live through that? And my father...”

“Abdul’s strong unlike me. He won’t die. As for your earlier question, he saved my life by shooting me those weeks back. He saved me from being enslaved by the guild for the rest of my years.”

“Is that it?”

“He’s also a good cook. Treated me awfully well. Three meals a day and everything. It just made me think, shit, this is a good man. He’d act all stoic interrogating me about Rath Ghul this, crush owls that, only to ask me how dinner tasted, and how it could be improved. I realized, shit, this guy’s funny too.”

“That’s an interesting story if I’ve ever heard one.”

“I started to doubt my allegiances. I realized in that cellar that reality was the opposite of what it seemed. Abdul didn’t imprison me. He freed me.”

Xavier came to Sasha’s mind. It made her bitter. “Back before his brother died, that was more like the Abdul I knew. He loved to joke around and enjoy himself. He’s the opposite now. I’m glad you’ve been able to find the person he really is. Not whatever he’s turned into.”

“He’s mourning. He just wanted someone to talk to. No, he needed someone. I like feeling needed. But don’t be mistaken. The Abdul you see now is the real deal too. Even the goofiest of us guys know when it’s time to get serious. There’s always more to a clown.”

“I want to feel needed too, Ignazio.”

He let some warmness show through his nervousness. “You’re bound to a great machina. The world needs you. You're the most important person in this city.”

His kindness surprised her. She avoided eye contact. “You know, you have a way with your words.”

“I have no idea how. I came from a family of illiterate farmers.”

A figure emerged from the flames groaning. Both Sasha and Ignazio stumbled to their feet, horror rattling them. Abdul limped forward with a face twisted in agony only to collapse. His skin melted and peeled from his body, exposing vascular metal more akin to machine than man. Resting and wheezing, he declared. “The old man is gone. I was too late. I’ve failed.” As tears evaporated before they could run down his cheeks singed stiff, he hiccupped over and over. “It hurts."

Ignazio snatched the bucket and scrambled on his bad leg to Abdul. He doused the water over him. It cooled the scorching heat, leaving only steam. Sasha and he watched in bewilderment as purple electricity sparked across Abdul’s chest and limbs to course and chain like lightning. His parted skin reached together to reform. The burns healed to leave only scars. Even his hair regenerated.

Abdul looked to Sasha. She realized that he’d saved something from the flames, cradled out safely between his clasped hands. He opened them, revealing a pair of emerald earrings. “These were in your room. I figured you’d miss them.”

A wave of emotion crashed over Sasha. She nodded. “Mhm.”

***

Everyone stood together in front of Troll’s Treasure to watch it collapse into a pile of rubble. Behind the others, Ignazio and Abdul held hands. Sasha couldn’t bear to see her home fade away any longer. At least she’d been reunited with Ley’s gift though. Her gaze affixed to the ground as a numbing sensation washed over. Isaac and Elise standing nearby looked worried.

He placed his hand on top of her head. “Everything will be okay. How about you come to The Colosseum? All of you. We’ll sort out what’ll come next later. We’re worn out and need a night’s rest more than anything.”

“Sure. Thank you for everything. I’d like to arrange some kind of funeral for my father tomorrow.”

“Of course.”

They set off toward his place. Sasha followed in the back of the group, unable to look up from the ground. A grumbly voice boomed from behind. “Gods, what did I do to deserve this? Why do you hate me? I reject all of you! I hope you’re never restored!”

She ignored the voice and kept walking. That was until Isaac stopped and turned. He grinned. “That old coot.”

She faced the ruins of Troll’s Treasure. Randle dressed in his usual going-out leather coat stared at the destruction of his shop in utter defeat, a bottle of new wine for the collection in each arm. He struggled to pop the cork from one of them with his hand. “I ought to get drinking before you bastards take this from me too.”

Sasha gawked at him like he was a ghost before shaking her head. She rushed over to him, yelling. “Father!”

Randle spotted her running over. He looked in the other direction in case she was talking to someone else. Nobody else was around though. She stopped in front of him and bent over wheezing, hands on knees. “Y—You’re alive!”

He rubbed his eyes, taking a step back. “So, this really was a dream. And here I was convinced my shop had burnt down.”

“You’re wide awake. It’s me, Sasha!”

His brow quivered. “Really?”

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Sasha took his palm into her own hands. With a melancholic mess of an expression, she pinched him. “See? You’re not waking up, right?”

Randle sniffled. He turned away from her and sobbed. “Can’t believe I’m letting you see me like this. And look at our home. I’m sorry.”

Seeing him start to cry made her cry like some water cycle of emotion. Still holding his hand, she spoke in between deep breaths. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I really am.”

“Boy am I glad to see you. Things can finally go back to normal.” He looked at the smoldering rubble. “Well, if and when we rebuild, but I’m sure we’ll figure it all.”

With a trembling grip, she showed Randle her dagger, Major. “Dad, I’m sorry.”

Randle looked concerned. “You don’t have to apologize. I forgive you. I’m just happy your home now.” Then he noticed Major's blue eye gazing at him. “Sasha, what is that?”

“It’s a machina. It’s mine. Its name is Major. It’s a...”

He stared at her with wide, eerie eyes. “Oh no. A great machina.”

“Many things happened. I’m going after Convergence myself now. Everyone will be helping me. I can’t come home just yet, and I’m not sure how long this journey will take me.”

His face flushed pale. “Will you? I fought in the last war for Convergence. The one for Lovecraft. Everyone did. Nothing came from it other than one hundred thousand orphans.”

“I have no choice. I’ve formed a contract.”

“None of us ever do, do we? Ya know, I knew from the moment I met you that you’d go big places. But Convergence? This is beyond me.” A revelation came over him after getting a closer look at the dagger. “Wait a moment. I know that dagger. It was the Ley tried to sell me. Is he in there?”

Sasha nodded. “Would you like to speak to him?”

“Oh boy.”

She gave the dagger to Randle. He held it close to his face. “Good to see an old face. It’s my bad for failing to keep my promise.”

Major chuckled. “Don’t apologize to me, old man. She’s here in front of you, tall and worthy, right? You did great. More than anyone in Monestate would’ve managed.”

“Don’t mention it.” He sighed. “Do all birds gotta leave the nest? Look, if I’m handing my girl over to you, then it’s your turn to keep a promise. Promise that you’ll protect her with just as much care.”

Major mulled over it. “You have my promise. Sasha is everything to me, and I don’t say that because our souls are tethered either.”

“Then that’s a relief.” Randle let out a different kind of sigh. A weight seemed to have lifted from his shoulders. He faced Sasha. “I believe in you. I’ll be in the area. Whenever you’re finished with your business, my doors will be open just for you. A bedroom and job too.”

Sasha nodded. “Thank you. You don’t know how much everything you’ve done means to me.” A little fidgety, she looked back at Isaac and the others who patiently waited for her. Then she embraced Randle, shoving something into his palm which she closed. “I love you.”

He silently returned her gesture, words stuck in his throat. Sasha left to join the group, giving him a few final glances. Randle stood in place and pensively watched until she disappeared around the corner of Tanner’s Street. He took a deep breath and then let out a deeper exhale. “I’ll wait here for you until the very end. Don’t die before I do, kid.”

Randle opened his palm to meet what she entrusted to him. It was a single emerald green earring. He clenched his fists.

***

Sasha followed the group through the gate leading to The Colosseum’s underworks. She donned the other earring. An unshakable sting in her heart now accompanied the soreness of the throat she’d gotten used to. Would she ever get to see Randle again?

They went downstairs, passing by a man in bronze gladiator armor who mopped blood. “Careful, lady, watch your step,” he warned.

“Thank you. Will do,” she responded.

Isaac called out to get the attention of the main living chamber. About two dozen arena combatants stopped whatever they were doing to look at them. Some sat at the long dining tables while others slept on their bed rolls or played board games with each other, tuckered out after a long day's work. Boar Bandit, donning the decorated skull of a boar, stood up to his feet with a jolt of energy. “Lady Sasha? Isaac beat Rath Ghul?”

Astonishment and boisterous hoorahs overtook the room. With each moment, more and more people noticed until a nameless soul called out, “They’re alive! This calls for a celebration!”

To be honest, the last thing Sasha wanted was to party, but she didn’t make the rules. Macho men hauled out the beer kegs as others swarmed Isaac for elaborate, unique fifteen step handshakes and brotastic slaps on the back. A seven-foot-tall stranger picked Sasha up from the ground like she was a helpless cat and hoisted her up onto his shoulders. Blushing from embarrassment, she pleaded with the grinning combatant. “Come on, man. I just want to sleep.”

Not even three minutes later, she’d agreed to chug rum straight out the barrel’s nozzle upside down in a handstand. Two vascular-armed men held her up by the ankles as the cheers of the crowd only grew.

Isaac watched from a distance sober with Elise. He was straight edge; never drunk. The glory and praise of the room went from him to Sasha. “Dear,” he mumbled.

Abdul sat not too far from her next to Ignazio. She impressed him. “And I thought the old man had a drinking problem. He observed the scars reaching from his fingers to elbow. “I went into there and branded myself with these ugly things for nothing, but I guess the fact I healed seals the deal that Jericho and I are the same. Homunculus, was it?”

Ignazio barely paid his words any thought, lost in the energy of the room. He snapped to attention, facing Abdul while sipping wine. “Homuncu-what? You’re still Abdul to me. Forget about it for tonight. Drink.”

“I shouldn’t. I’m a lightweight. That’s a part of me I may regret showing you.”

Buzzed, Ignazio playfully nudged him. “Come on~, man. Who knows? This could be the last time we’ll be able to enjoy ourselves.”

Abdul received the wine glass. “I’d like to talk to you about the future though. Such things are best done sober.”

“I’ve been thinking about what comes next too.”

Abdul’s words grew hesitant. “It seems Sasha has decided to pursue Convergence. I’m going to accompany her. I have no wish for what comes of the new world, but... how do I word this right?"

“Take your time. I’m not going anywhere.”

Abdul nodded in his unsureness. “I was so dead set for revenge but, in the end, it was meaningless. It changed nothing. If anything, I feel worse after fulfilling it. I just never thought about what would come after because there wouldn’t be an after… because I would be dead... but here I am. I don’t know. I... want to know. I want it, everything, to mean something... so all the lives I’ve wasted weren’t for nothing. Get what I’m trying to say?”

“I’m having a little trouble, but maybe I’ll understand someday. Do you think supporting Sasha is the right thing? Do you want to turn a new leaf?”

“I don’t know myself enough to tell you one hundred percent. I’ve never cared about what’s right or wrong, but my older brother did. I’d like to live as he did.”

“Does anybody ever truly know what exactly they want from life? If you want to do it, then do it. I’ll support you if it means that much to ya. When’re we planning to make our next move on this grand quest?”

Abdul looked away into the crowd. “As early as tomorrow. You’re not coming though. Not with that leg, and not without a machina. You’d only get in the way.”

Ignazio sighed. Despite the news, he grinned. “So, you’re sidelining me? I figured it’d be like this.”

“You’re not angry?”

“Why would I be? This is for my sake, right? I’m happy. Get this: Not long ago, I learned that my asshole gramps back home died. Even though he beat me as a kid and sold me to the guild when he went into debt, the bastard only had my name to put in his will! Can you believe that?”

Abdul shook his head. “I can’t.”

“I’ll go back to my farm to heal up and wait for you to come home. It’s on the southern outskirts of New Gareth. I’ll write down the directions for you before y’all head off too. How’s that sound?”

After throwing his proposition into the air for consideration, Ignazio stiffened in fear of the answer. He barely breathed.

Abdul blushed a little. He scratched his head. “I would like that. That sounds nice. Peaceful even.”

A hand on his shoulder surprised him. It was Sasha. Her expression alone informed him that she was beyond the point of no return. In that moment, an eerie yet melancholic feeling washed over him. He felt like his brother, Xavier. Was this how it felt to be on the other side, and of what? Drunkenness? Competence? He really had changed.

Sasha stumbled between the two, putting an arm over each of their shoulders. Her speech was slurred. “You two look so cute together!”

Ignazio looked at Abdul but spoke to her. She’d gotten too close for his comfort. “Do we really?”

Abdul sighed and stood. He lightly grabbed Sasha’s wrist to guide her away. “Let’s go get you some water. Go too crazy and alcohol poisoning will kill you faster than our enemies. Especially as small a woman you are.”

She stumbled along. “No fun.”