In a battle of pure swordsmanship, Red has Van’s number, as demonstrated by the ease with which he’s able to parry and counter Van’s thrusts, but also kind of embarrass the kid by bopping him on the back and head with his bronze sword. Van is operating on emotion and adrenaline; never a good thing when you’re up against Red, a zen master by comparison!
When Lav sees her boy is getting schooled, she tries to intervene, but gets a slash to the cheek from Rit, who won’t let her interfere. Lav in turn shatters her tiny faerie avatar and shows her true form as a massive magenta lightning-wreathed calamity, and she is pissed off, but when Rit is outclassed, Ruti steps in and puts the Calamity down, showing she’s still got the Hero goods and then some.
Van decides to turn what was supposed to be a fight with bronze swords into a free-for-all by casting lightning on Red, which shatters his sword, and has him at the edge of being KO’d. But Red is playing dead, allowing Van to come in and use his Healing Hands: Reflect, at which point Van unleashes Ruti’s power through the charm she lent him, which takes Van down.
Van accuses Red of cheating, but it was he who used magic first, everything after that was fair game. As Van stews in his blood, sweat, and tears, Red tells him that the emotion that made him waver was disappointment, something he’d never experienced. He passes out and comes to in one of Undine’s huts. Both he and Lav are bound, but he’s calm. The instincts of his Hero’s Blessing have returned to him.
Red asks Rit to take Lav outside so he and Van can talk mano-a-mano. Red explains to Van that his emotional turmoil caused his Blessing to go berserk. But he also makes clear to Van that a hero isn’t made by a Blessing, but by someone who wants to be a hero, and strives to act like one every day.
Red believes Van has what it takes to be a true hero, but he won’t become one until he learns more about the ways of the world while accepting his emotions are part of him and trusting in his friends. After beating the villain out of him, Red has given Van a way forward: the right way.
When Van emerges from the hut free of the root bonds, Lavender is worried Red did something awful to him, but he’s fine. Not only that, Van does something totally unbidden that Lavender has never experienced: He thanks her for always being by his side. She blushes, smiles softly, and tells him the pleasure has been all hers.
Van proceeds to apologize properly to Esta, Albert, and Cardinal Ljubo (who was healed from his wound and is mostly pissed the nurses won’t let him drink or smoke). No one has to tell him to do this, he wants to, because he sees the error of his past ways. As Red said, these aren’t just members of his party, but his friends, and with their help, and Lavender’s he’ll become a stronger, better hero.
Lavender is a little worried about what Red might’ve said to Van to change him so much in so short a time, but all it takes is Rit asking if she doesn’t like this new Van anymore for Lav to insist that on the contrary, she’s never loved him more.
And while she also insists she hates Red, she also procures a pure blue sapphire for him to make a ring for Rit, as thanks for him looking after Van. Hey guys, I like Van and Lavender now. They’re a couple of real sweeties! Just … ya know, don’t get Lav mad.
Once the ring is made by his Dwarf friends in town, Red spares no detail in crafting the perfect romantic evening. When his preparations are complete he calls Rit, and the foley work exquisitely places us in that room with him as we hear her footsteps above him, then going down the stairs. The moment Rit knows what’s up, tears start to fill her eyes as Red gets on one knee and asks her to marry him.
The answer, of course, is yes, and she even thinks she should be the one asking him. He didn’t need to do this whole song and dance, and a simple bronze ring would have been sufficient. But Red wanted to show her how much he loved her, and also treat her like the princess she is. It’s the most romantic moment of Spring 2024, and it was a Goddamn Tearjerker!
At the reception to follow, everyone extends their best wishes to the happy couple, with Ruti also adding that “she’ll be next”—presumably, she wants to marry Red too, but if you ask me, she should be marrying Tisse. Mr. Crawly Wawly can officiate.
Van and Lavender are also there to join in the celebration, as Van seems to be starting his education in the ways of the world by actually opening his eyes to the joys of the slow life. He’d love it if Red could join his party, but Red is where he belongs: by Rit’s side, in the sleepy town of Zoltan. No doubt they’ll be there until they’re old and wrinkly.
CERTIFIED GODDAMN TEARJERKER