End of Volume 1

Once New Unus City could not be seen on the horizon, Alan noticed a shadow passing over them. He looked up, watching a winged mount descending and landing near a leafy, still green tree. He swallowed after recognizing the rider.

"Someone else came to say goodbye," Amelia commented bitterly.

"Wait, is that… The Golden Comet?!" Clara cried out, eyes wide open. "What's she doing here?"

Amelia glanced at Alan's fixed eyes and closed fists and exhaled. "It's okay. Go."

He blinked repeatedly. "But…"

"What? You're just going to talk to your ex, right? It's not a big deal." Amelia chuckled. "Go. You'll catch us down the road, right?"

"Ex? Whose ex?" Clara asked, dumbfounded.

"It'll be only a minute, girls, I promise!" Alan said urgently before sprinting toward that tree, being followed by Amelia's gaze.

"Fabio is also here, and he's a guy, you know?!" Clara pointed out while Amelia pulled her by the arm.

"Whatever. Let's go, guys."

On his way, Alan could smell the freshness of grass, feel the softness of the earth, and admire the blonde girl wearing a loose, knee-height dress as blue as the sky above them.

Astrid petted her black winged lion one more time before glancing at Alan. "I heard what happened here. It sounded like a hell of an adventure."

"It was! A scary one."

She chuckled. "Well, I also watched the videos, and you looked like you were in control at all times."

"Did I? Finally, someone that recognizes how awesome I am!" He lifted his chin proudly. "I even got an Anima."

Astrid's expression seemed to mirror Amelia's prior reaction. "Did you?" she asked with her mouth ajar. "W-Wow! That's… Something you don't see every day for someone of your… level! I mean, good gob!"

"Are they that rare?"

"They are! Some High-Levelers don't even have one."

"Do you want to meet him?"

"Yes, please!"

"Nice to meet you, I'm Aaron," the spirit wearing a hazmat suit and a skull for a face said as soon as he materialized, sitting on Alan's shoulder. "What is your name?"

"I'm Astrid! Astrid Bradford. Nice meeting you, Aaron. Aww, Alan, he's so cute!"

"You think?" Alan squinted, glancing at him. "I forgot for a moment that you've always loved grim and spooky things."

"But I also love the name you gave to my guild. You named it thinking about me, didn't you?"

"Yes. Back in Caelum, you were always naming things like 'planetary' this, 'star' that."

"He-he! That was nothing but practice for when I'd start naming my special attacks."

"Hey, I've always wondered, why do they call you Golden Comet?"

"Don't ask me that, Alan! It's kind of embarrassing."

"Oh, come on. Do you dislike the surname?"

"N-no."

"So? It can't be that bad."

"Fine… I'll tell you. Just promise that you won't…"

"I won't laugh."

"It's not something to laugh at, either, but… Okay, here it goes. One year ago, while I was in an interview, one guild member said… and I quote: That I looked like 'a comet wiping everything on the battlefield'... And I suppose people started calling me 'golden' because of my hair." Astrid caressed a strand of blonde hair resting on her right shoulder.

"That's it?"

"Yes. It's not an interesting story."

"So you're a beautiful, deadly ball of fire destroying everything in your path."

"I suppose, yes…" Astrid nodded absently before looking at his mocking face. "What did you say?! Does that sound like something you would say to a lady?!"

Alan laughed out loud, making her pout.

"It fits you perfectly! You can be both feminine and the 'world-destroyer' type at the same time!"

"I'm not that strong!"

"Hmm, I wonder if you're hiding a six-pack under that dress," he said while staring at her abdomen. "Or could it be an eight-pack?"

"You've already seen me wearing my combat armor, the one that looks like a bathing suit? So I'm not hiding a whatever-pack. I might've gained some mass and muscles, but I'm always customizing my avatar to look as close to my real appearance as possible."

"You only let your hair grow."

"Yes… Although hair doesn't grow inside the Novus, I've always wanted to wear it long, and it helps reflect the passing of time."

"You look good."

"Thanks."

As both remained silent, Astrid's mount could be heard yawning.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "For leaving right when you needed all the help you could get."

"Don't apologize! It's admirable that you want to resume your own path right where you left it."

"Is that how you see it?"

"Did I get it wrong?"

"No, that's okay. And yet, I wish things would have happened differently."

"I wish that too," she said, as an air current blew her hair, covering her face for a moment. "Alan, who were those people? The women that attacked you, what were they looking for?"

"I owed them money."

"Bullshit." She took one step forward. "You can trust me, always. Whatever it is, I promise you that I can do anything in my power to--"

"Astrid Bradford!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, making her correct her posture like a soldier would.

"Y-Yes?!"

"You mustn't worry about me anymore! Now that I know what the Novus' gold can buy, you should focus on investing in your future! Besides…!" He paused, puffing his chest out, before smiling widely. "Unlike me, your potential is limitless. Your reach can help more people than I ever could. So when the time comes, help them instead, please. I will be fine, I promise."

"But…" Astrid's eyes watered and her lower lip trembled. She did not waste a second more and dashed to embrace him. "I'm not stupid. I know you were working outside all this time, and I don't want to see you suffering more than you have already—!"

"Thanks, Astrid. And believe me, even if you're not present, you're always giving me the strength I need to endure any hardship."

"Alan… I…" she muttered before whispering something to his ear. Something that made him step back. She then pushed him from his chest. "Now go, then! Your new guild is waiting for you."

Alan found himself at a loss for words and could not move an inch, so she left first, mounting her winged black lion in a hurry.

"See ya," she said before soaring the skies in a matter of seconds. When that tree was nothing but a blurry green stain, she put her hand against her chest and laughed. "Not what I really wanted to say, but I feel so much better now." She looked at the sky opening for her, and the many destinations she could land. "Yes…" she muttered while a tear ran down her cheek. "I feel kinda better now…"

Although Alan walked at a slug's pace, his feet eventually carried him to Amelia's side, who glanced at him in the eye. A smile on her face. "Everything okay?"

He stopped looking at his feet and nodded. "Yeah…" He cleared his throat. "Yes. Everything is… Um… Where are we going again?"