The world spun around me as I limped back toward the camp, my heart pounding a rhythm of victory in my chest. I felt like a kid who’d just cleaned out an entire candy store—busted, exhausted, but fucking triumphant. New Home, once a shoddy collection of tents and makeshift huts, was . . . well, still that, but like . . . nicer. Thanks to the Prosperity Conduit, our humble camp had transformed into a burgeoning hamlet. I mean, they had even started constructing some sort of wooden building near one side of the camp. Monty had indeed provided the ability to traverse the landscape…by attaching us to a big magical cannon that shot us right into a pond about a day’s journey from our settlement. I wasn’t sure how it worked, but hearing Virgil actually scream for his life while we rocketed thousands of miles per second without dying made it kind of worth it. We’d stopped about forty feet in the air above the lake before whatever magic powers controlling it dropped us into the water. Unfortunately, I’d been perched right over a shallow section so I’d gotten pretty banged up in my descent. But, hey. Now we were there.

As we neared the entrance, the noise of everyday life seemed to swell and fill the air—a bustling symphony of life and survival. People were milling about, chopping firewood, and gathering . . . a lot less trash than before. Fuck, this shit was really popping off, huh? Everything looked so nice and weirdly new. To my shock, the most impressive feature was that the train had been completely restored. It was still stuck deep in the ground, but it was no longer a twisted wreck of sharp metal and reminders of our original demise.

New Home was a busy hive of activity. However, the moment they spotted us, the place came to a screeching halt.

Silence, then a collective gasp rippled through the crowd, and then a roar of joyous disbelief.

“Loon!” Saban’s voice echoed above the rest, and in seconds, he was there, an elated grin plastered on his face. Behind him, the crowd erupted, every single inhabitant of our camp, our village, cheering, applauding, some even crying. I felt a wave of something warm wash over me. Pride? Relief? Fuck, was this what coming home felt like?

Before I could process it, a cacophony of voices reached me—Dragoon, Veruca, Edwig, Rua—everyone I’d been through hell and back with and more. They were all there, swarming us like a horde of exuberant bees. I spotted Alpha lurking at the periphery, looking about as cheerful as a cat thrown into a pool. I fought back a smile at the sight of him.

Riding high on the adrenaline and the euphoria, I thrust my hands up in the air.

“Behold!” I bellowed, my voice echoing around the newly erected wooden walls of the settlement. “Your champion has returned! And he is still fuh-cking gorgeous!”

Laughter rippled through the crowd, and I couldn’t help but join in. For all the shit I’d been through, this was worth it. This moment right here, motherfuckers.

Then I noticed Alpha elbowing his way through the crowd, his face stormy. Ah, yes, my favorite grumpy dwarf. He stopped short when he spotted our new additions—Jes, Frida, and Virgil. His eyes narrowed, his grip on his hatchet handle tightening.

“Fuckface!” he growled. “What’s the big fucking idea? You know the rule. No uninvited—”

Before I could stop her, Frida, that badass vixen, stepped forward.

“This the guy?” she asked, her eyes scanning Alpha.

I nodded, suppressing a grin.

“Yup, that’s the one.”

For a second, Alpha looked taken aback, perhaps even scared. Then, in a move as swift as a striking viper, Frida’s fist connected with his face. The dwarf went down like a sack of potatoes, out cold before he even hit the ground.

You could hear a pin drop in the ensuing silence. Every eye was on Frida, then on Alpha, then back on Frida.

Then a cheer erupted, a single voice that multiplied into a chorus of elation. I let out the breath I’d been holding in a whoop of laughter, raising my arms in victory.

Well, fuck me. This was going to be a hell of a homecoming.

I looked over at Jes, the elf looking around with wide, astonished eyes.

“Welcome to the motherfuckin’ madhouse,” I told him, clapping him on the shoulder.

Beside me, Frida was watching the celebration with a satisfied smirk, her arms crossed over her chest.

“No’ a bad place ye’ve got here,” she commented, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

I grinned at her, feeling a sense of contentment settle over me.

“It’s got its charm,” I agreed. “But…well, let’s just see how you feel about it after we do the thing.”

As I took a moment to bask in the chaotic beauty of the village, I realized just how far we’d come. From a ragtag group of survivors to a sustainable community. From a desperate fight to a place we could call New Home. But goddamn, we were going to have to do something about that name.

And as I watched the celebration unfold, Alpha’s unconscious body being hoisted into the air by a jubilant Jando and Saban, I couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride. We had done this. We had built this shit.

Through all the chaos, all the insanity, all the ridiculous situations, we had prevailed. I let out a sigh of contentment, feeling a sense of peace settle over me.

“Here’s to us, then,” I shouted, raising an imaginary toast to the village. “The maniacs of motherfuckin’ Skulltopia.”

Everyone looked confused. Fortunately, Saban was there with the assist. He lifted one of the kegs of ale we’d brought back with us over his head.

“Let’s fucking party!” he roared.

The cheers were deafening.

The sounds of celebration, the rhythmic beats of the drums, the chants, and the sheer joy filled the air. Fires lit up the night. People ate, drank and were merry. People asked me about Rexen’s whereabouts, but I shrugged it off. For now. I didn’t wanna ruin the mood.

Edwig approached me, a jug of ale in hand.

“Cheers, Loon,” he said, clinking his jug against mine. “Didn’t think we’d ever see a day like this.”

I took a sip, the liquid burning its way down, warming me from the inside.

“Neither did I,” I admitted. “But here we are.”

I tossed the bracelet of his from my arm and onto the ground.

“You can have that back. I ain’t interested,” I said. But before he could say anything, we were interrupted.

Alpha, having regained his composure, walked over with a slightly swollen eye.

“You’ve got some fucking nerve, bringing them here,” he muttered, but there was no real heat in his words.

Frida grinned.

“No hard feelin’s, yeh?”

He rolled his eyes.

“Just keep her away from me,” he said, pointing at Frida.

“Aww, don’t be mad because you got your face blasted in, Alpha,” I cooed. “At least you’re still the leader of this pla— Oh, wait, you’re not. My bad.”

It was then that Alpha noticed the bracelet. His eyes widened a fraction before narrowing again with interest. Without a word, he snatched it from the ground.

“What’s this? Some sphincter reinforcer you picked up to handle your boyfriends better?”

“It belongs to Edwig,” I growled, moving a step closer, my hand instinctively moving to the haladie.

Alpha chuckled, twirling the bracelet in his fingers.

“Looks like it’s mine now,” he said, that familiar cocky smirk playing on his lips.

“You’re going to want to hand that over, before things get really messy, Alf,” I said. “I have had enough of your fuckin’ bullshit.”

There was a pause, tension building, but before any of us could make a move, I heard it.

Dru, kazhunori, kroska vess. Olzh va Snin, tanshir uu epar.

Thoughts, words, whispered directly into my mind. The Arcane Tongue. Clucky!

What the—

Asch, dru razha rivashe epa, Mar va Fero, zelka u zheire.

And just as suddenly, Alpha was gone. The place where he stood was empty, save for the slowly descending golden ring, which eventually settled at Clucky's feet. The roe, despite its curious and seemingly comical appearance, emanated an aura of sheer power.

I bent down and picked up the bracelet, offering a nod of gratitude to the pink egg monster.

“Good boy,” I said, giving him a pat.

Clucky looked at me, and for a moment, I could’ve sworn he was grinning. The rest of the crowd was in shock, murmuring to each other, trying to piece together what just happened.

“I guess that one got his just desserts,” Jes commented.

“Yeah,” I replied, sliding the bracelet back on to my arm.

“Let’s hope he learns his lesson in there.”

Though, knowing Alpha, that might take a while.