History Heartwarming / SecondApocalypse

* Achamian's friendship with Esmenet - a genuine bond between two souls outcast from their society, a prostitute and sorcerer - is more or less what gives them both a reason to live early on. As Esmenet realizes later in the series, after breaking his heart: "She was his morning."

* Though it's all manipulation on Kellhus's part, Esmenet's gratitude is palpable when he - claiming to act as a prophet of the God - rewrites scripture to remove its condemnation of prostitutes. For perhaps the first time in her life, she experiences hope of salvation and acceptance.

* Achamian and Esmenet spend the battle of Golgotterath helping Mimara give birth, bringing their transformation into a kind of family full circle.

* Though his treatment of her is violent and abusive otherwise, Cnaiür shows an unusual degree of respect for Serwë when she kills one of the men hunting them and Kellhus, and even gives her a swazond for doing so which suggests he views her in some way as an honorary Scylvendi.

* Though his treatment of her is violent and abusive otherwise, Cnaiür shows an unusual degree of respect for Serwë when she kills one of the men hunting them and Kellhus and even gives her a swazond for doing so which suggests he views her in some way as an honorary Scylvendi.

* A pair of Fanim civilians save Achamian's life after the battle of Shimeh, nursing him back to health despite him not only being a complete stranger and (as far as they know) Inrithi but part of the army that's just spent months conquering their lands and slaughtering countless other Fanim for heresy.

* The friendship between Sorweel and Zsoronga, especially given their fraught circumstances and the vast gulf between their cultures. Despite all the Three Seas' many inequalities, two people from the opposite sides of the known world are still able to find common ground and support each other.

* Cnaiür finally succeeds in avenging his father's death, upholding the mission he's carried on in his memory for thirty years.

* Despite his betrayal by Kellhus and Esmenet, Achamian ultimately still values the world over his own heartbreak and chooses to save Kellhus's life in order to prevent the Apocalypse, a show of strength and moral character almost unparalleled throughout the series regardless of whether it was the result of Kellhus's plans.

* Cnaiür finally succeeds in avenging his father's death after thirty years of rejection by his society and mental dissolution.

* Mimara and Achamian's relationship is bizarre but touching, both of them essentially being the last support the other has in a world that's put both through Hell. Despite resenting each other in many ways, they eventually develop a bond, and by the end of the book it's apparent that they regard each other as surrogate family even if they won't openly admit it, with Achamian at one point referring to her as his daughter in the depths of Cil-Aujas, where she risks her life saving his.

* Mimara and Achamian's relationship is bizarre but touching, both of them essentially being the last support the other has in a world that's put both through Hell. Despite resenting each other in many ways, they eventually develop a bond, and by the end of the book it's apparent that they regard each other as surrogate family even if they won't openly admit it, with Achamian referring to her as his daughter in the depths of Cil-Aujas where she saves his life.

* Cnaiür finally succeeds in avenging his father's death after thirty years of rejection by his society and mental dissolution.

* Though it's insincere on Kellhus's part, Esmenet's gratitude is palpable when he - claiming to act as a prophet of the God - rewrites scripture to remove its condemnation of prostitutes. For perhaps the first time in her life, she experiences hope of salvation and acceptance.

* Esmenet comes to realize how badly she's hurt Achamian after reading the Sagas of the first Apocalypse and understanding the horrific nightmares and onerous mission he's lived with for most of his life, and how much he relied on her to survive them. Though she remains loyal to Kellhus, she seeks out Achamian and tries to reassure him in secret of his strength.

Believe it or not, the series *does* contain HeartWarming moments -- though in many cases, to make later events all the more despairing...

* The first third or so of the book is probably the happiest section of the entire season, with Achamian, Esmenet and Xinemus living more or less in peace and Kellhus doing relatively little to manipulate them. Of particular note is the brief period where Achamian and Esmenet live together in the wilderness before the Holy War enters Fanim territory, during which they pronounce themselves husband and wife. That they reconciled to begin with, when Esmenet had thought herself abandoned by him, shows the love between them.