Volteeg reflects that he has never felt worthy of love. Before the dungeon, Volteeg was Mistress Henspar’s pet bird, cherished and protected by her even after mistakes. Henspar hid Volteeg in her jacket at the market, fed Volteeg stolen berries, and Volteeg repaid that affection by singing for Henspar.

The dungeon changed Volteeg. The pet biscuit gave Volteeg intelligence, and choosing to become a gargoyle sharpened Volteeg’s mind but cost Volteeg the ability to sing as before. When Mistress Henspar died on the seventh floor, Volteeg’s fear turned into rage, and the Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook came to Volteeg, though Volteeg later felt ashamed for doing almost nothing with it.

After hiding through much of Faction Wars, Volteeg took a dangerous NPC guard deal on the tenth floor and survived twenty-six seasons. Outside the dungeon, Volteeg joined the Outreach guild and became part of the One-Offs, former crawlers with bodies that no longer functioned properly in ordinary conditions. Volteeg eventually worked security for the Operatic Banker’s Federation, watching Operatic forces destroy settlements that could not pay.

Back in the Earth dungeon as Weeper Commander Volteeg for the Operatic Collective, Volteeg is protected from being identified as a former crawler because Porthus and the Pacifist Network altered Volteeg’s designation. Volteeg realizes other former crawlers among the mercenaries were likely killed and fed to King Rust’s Ring of Divine Suffering. After Princess Formidable’s announcement reveals the Bloc’s vulnerability and betrayal, the Bloc’s unity begins to crack.

In the present, Rosetta beheads King Rust, and the Bone Empire soldiers immediately charge. Hortense declares himself the new Bloc leader, but Stalwart disputes the claim. AJ Pavrimax orders the Weepers forward while Volteeg drives toward the center of the Bloc force, specifically toward Hortense’s heavily shielded caravan.

Volteeg plays Mozart, remembers Porthus saying it is not too late to act, and exploits a flaw in the Weeper’s fire-control system by filling the tank with charged energy balls. Singing in a ruined voice, Volteeg lights a blitz stick, asks to see Mistress Henspar, and thrusts it into an energy ball. The explosion kills Volteeg, more than 10,000 Bloc soldiers, and Warlord Hortense Leadership Unit, eliminating the Operatic Collective from Faction Wars.