Heartwarming / Kings of the Wyld

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• What ultimately causes Clay to go with Gabe on what can only be described as a suicide mission to rescue the washout's daughter? A combination of his old friend saying he's a good person, and his daughter Tally asking what he'd do if it were her in danger. Of course, if it were her, Clay says, he would not let anything stand in his way. And thus, he decides that a good man can't just sit back and let his friend lose something as valuable as one's own daughter.
  • Clay's relationship with his family as a whole. In an otherwise grim life full of death and violence, it was Ginny who gave him a chance to make something beautiful out of it all instead. And nothing motivates him to keep going on the increasingly dangerous mission than the hope of seeing them again.

• Clay's mother Talia has two words on the felled tree marking her grave, presumably her last request to her son. "Be kind."

• Lady Jain refusing to steal Blackheart from Clay, even if she takes all of his money and food. It's this code of honor that puts her into Friendly Enemy territory for Saga.
  • While she thinks their mission is effing crazy, she earnestly wishes them good luck in finding Gabe's daughter.

• Clay giving a medallion capable of controlling Kallorek's former golems to a farmer just because he can.

• Moog and Matrick both jumping at the call to get the band back together. It makes Clay feel more than a bit foolish for being literally the only one who hesitated, sure, but it's nice to know that there's little to no animosity between the former band mates as the premise would have one believe.
  • Matrick's reasoning is especially sweet. Aside from getting away from a wife actively trying to kill him, Saga is the only other real family he's got.

• Clay pulling Gabe out of a nasty Despair Event Horizon by reminding him of all the times Saga got out of so many nasty situations.

• After Raff's death, it is revealed that what pushed Clay away from constantly pursuing fights was Ginny. It was apparently Love at First Sight, and he eventually realized that he didn't like to fight if it wasn't to protect someone he cared about deeply, whether it be her or his old bandmates.
  • But the moment that cinched it was when Ginny very nearly left him right before their wedding after he beat a man into a coma for comparing him to his father. She asks him right before he leaves a very simple question that's been on his mind for a while: Which are you, the monster or the man? That was when the truth came out:
  Clay: The man.
  Ginny: Yeah?
  Clay: Yeah. The world has enough monsters, I think.

• A surprising example comes from Lastleaf, who says that when he was locked up in the Crucible arena within Castia, he met Ashatan, a wyvern matriarch. She was locked up in a room too small for her, and when he set her and everything else free, she became his trusted mount.

• The implication that the one thing keeping Ganelon from killing everyone in sight is the memory of his mother.

• Ganelon having no animosity for Saga not being there to prevent his imprisonment. Turns out, as horrifying as two decades of being conscious stone are, it gave him plenty of time to think and realize they didn't mean it. He even later states that because he holds Clay in such a high regard, he must have deserved the imprisonment to some capacity.

• Most of the members of Saga, Clay included, find it hard to suppress smiling as the crowd shouts their name at the Maxithon.

• Gabe finally obtaining Vellichor after so long. The once-broken warrior has never felt so alive.
  • Later, he promises to Valery that he'll bring Rose back, followed by her telling Saga about a skyship that'll help them get there faster. That news alone makes Gabe's spirits lift even higher.

• After being unintentionally freed by Saga, Kit the Unkillable becomes Saga's official new bard. It helps that he's on good terms with Moog due to being a satisfied customer of him once.
  • Related to the above, Moog tackles the old ghoul with a hug the moment he sees him on their new skyship.

• During their third encounter, Jain reveals to Saga that Clay inspired her and her thieves to become a new mercenary band.

• Everyone giving Clay smiles and applause for sending Kallorek to his falling doom. It puts his initial horror of awakening the monster within to an immediate rest.

• Clay bonding with Sabbatha over their dark and troubled pasts.

• Clay apologizing to Ganelon for abandoning him while they fight Dook.

• Everything about Gregor, one half of a two-headed Ettin giant who describes everything to his malformed and blind other head, Dane, in illustrious fashion to make him happy. Sure enough, he instantly befriends Saga and joins them on their journey.

• Moog sticking up for Sabbatha when Gabe considers selling her out to the Boneface tribe.
  • Almost immediately afterwards, he gives his food-summoning hat to the clan, and FINALLY finds that rot cure in the form of mudweed. Sure, it results in a minor emotional breakdown, but he's back on his feet for the celebratory feast. Matrick, having been devastated by Moog's own rot ailment earlier, is just as jubilant, and even more so when Kit returns with some Agrian rum and his lost dagger from their crashed skyship.
  • On that night, the cannibals present gifts to Sabbatha. Sure they're quite...disgusting, but it's the thought that counts.

• Gabe assuring Rose that he'll come save her at Castia, as hopeless as her situation looks.

• Saga giving Shadow a proper burial with Rose's rocks.

• Moog encountering an owlbear after literally everyone around him has told them that they don't exist. Sure, they have to kill it, but at least he gets to keep the cubs.

• Ganelon and Sabbatha, of all people, bonding over the chess-like game of Tetrea, followed by having an intense love-making session.

• While the sordid fates of Saga's bards are Black Comedy, one, a girl named Recca, was corrupted by a vampiric bloodeater. Saga made sure the creature suffered for it.

• After Kit tells Saga the pros and cons of being immortal, he says that he's happy to have stumbled upon them, and promises to write a book one day all about them. Saga themselves are quite pleased to have found him as well.

• Before hitting the Cold Road, Gabe confesses to Clay that ultimately, he thinks that HE'S The Leader, not himself. Clay tries to brush it off, but Gabe notes that if he hadn't come with him in the first place, it's not likely that the others would have followed too. Clay is The Heart of Saga. The bassist that would leave the music not feeling the same if he weren't there.

• Everyone reuniting after Vanguard rescues Clay and Matrick.
  • Even after being betrayed by Larkspur, Clay hopes she'll survive to escape her past.

• Right before they join the Battle of the Bands, Saga looks to the massive army of mercenaries they've accrued thanks to Clay and Gabe, their arms around each other. Clay can't hold it in anymore.
  "I love you guys."
  • Everyone returns the sentiment. Even Ganelon states that his friends are the last people he would ever kill.

• Ganelon and Larkspur sharing a Big Damn Kiss upon reuniting.

• Gabe and Rose finally reuniting near the end of the battle.

• The last chapter is one big Earn Your Happy Ending for almost everyone:
  • Kit goes on to write songs about the band, and becomes court musician to king, no, Emperor Matrick of Castia.
  • Jain starts a very successful solo career.
  • Matty won that emperor title by a landslide, and after finally giving up drinking, he peacefully parted with Lilith. His children ALL chose to live with him.
  • Moog lost his status as a joke, and created a drinkable cure for the rot. Which he gave out for free. And he named it Freddie's Finest Curative Cordial in his husband's honor.
  • Ganelon ultimately had a son with Larkspur. Sure, he doesn't know it, but at least the daeva can maybe one day call herself Sabbatha again.
  • Gabriel's fate is a bit ambiguous, but it's clear that he got what he wanted in the form of his beloved Rose.
  • And as for Clay, he gets to return home, hear about his daughter saving Coverdale from a centaur (and winning the affection of the boy she rescued), and reunite with Ginny. At long last, Clay is home.