ᴄʜᴇᴍɪᴄᴀʟ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ - ᴀʟʙᴇᴅᴏ x ᴏᴄ

Epilogue

Every story has an ending beyond what is written in the final chapter. There is more to be told, questions to be answered, and a warming conclusion to assist the reader in moving on. As much as you may like to reread the story, which by all means, go ahead, but know that you will know what happens to Albedo and Melanie in the future! So now, I present to you all, the epilogue!

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Melanie raced up the cobblestone pathways of Mondstadt, preparing to leap up the large flights of stairs to reach the Knights of Favonius. Albedo's jacket weighed down her billowing cyan jacket as she ran. The black bandana around her neck flopped around, and her Vision swayed with every stride upward.

The blind girl offered a kind wave as she ran past. If her heavy breathing and steps hadn't given her away already, surely her angry grumbling would have done the trick. Melanie looked up at the large wall, then at the steps off to the side. Oh, how she had begun to hate stairs after ascending them multiple times a day. It was merely part of her duty as a newly-fledged Outrider.

Amber had been thrilled to know that a new bow user would be joining the Outriders. One thing about joining them was the extensive testing she had to undergo just to be allowed anywhere near the other Knights. Tests of skill, strength, endurance, and knowledge. Reciting every rule in the handbook had been the most tedious, but well worth it.

Melanie ran forward, scoring the wall with a powerful kick to reach the stones lining the top. Her fingers clung to the bumpy stone, hauling herself up and over the large wall. She narrowly missed rolling into a shrub before running directly into her boss. By dodging one thing, she hit another. Just her luck, which she found out was similar to a boy named Bennett's.

"Oh, I apologize, Amber!" Melanie said quickly, backing away and lowering her gaze to her boots. Her cheeks flushed a bright pink. It wasn't that she feared Amber, more like she knew it was giving the other Knights an excuse to insult her during missions. She was actually a pretty close friend of Amber's since they met officially.

Amber laughed it off, planting her hands on her hips playfully. "Where are you off to in such a hurry, huh? You're running faster than the wind!"

"I was supposed to meet Albedo here, but uh..." Melanie spun her head around, narrowing her eyes as if it would help her find him. He was nowhere to be found. Again with his scavenger hunts! She could never find anything he wanted her to. Now she had to find him?

The red girl shrugged her shoulders. "I haven't seen him in a while, but I last saw him out back with Ellin."

Melanie tilted her head. She was still unfamiliar with Ellin, but she believed it was the girl who trained every day for the Knights. Maybe one day she would make it! If it weren't for her connections to the Knights, she feared she would have struggled to. Would she even have joined without them? It only felt like she was fulfilling her parents' dreams.

"Thanks, Amber. I'll join you for patrols later, alright?"

Amber nodded, then trotted off to talk to a lady walking on the lower level. So quick to focus on other things...

On her own, she walked around to the other side of headquarters. The training dummies were erected in their typical positions, but Ellin was nowhere to be found. In fact, the entire clearing lacked human life. The dummies were positioned to face the entryway ominously. Melanie contemplated turning away, but a note flapped on the back of one of them.