I left the Archduke’s home and began to run. Decisively, unceasingly; through the streets of East Crown, and out into the vast red desert.

I had no conscious knowledge of where I was going; only a vaguely familiar feeling in my electromagnetic compass. It was a feeling I remembered from traveling with Hizen, walking by day and being carried by night...a constant feeling, like a gentle pull from across the planet.

“...This must be what Talavera meant by ‘following my heart’,” I thought. “Hizen is the type of person who would travel in a straight line...so if I keep going this way, I’ll catch up with him eventually.”

I remembered that I had a time limit to contend with— Hizen would cast himself into the Worm as soon as it surfaced, so I would have to catch up to him before then. Unfortunately, I couldn’t remember how many days we had started with, or how many were left.

“If only he’d given me a specific date...” I lamented. “I might’ve been able to remember that...unless of course, he did, and I forgot anyway...I guess all I can do is keep running, as fast as I can…!”

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With every passing hour, anxiety gripped my mind a little tighter. And as the first sunset approached and my legs began to tire, I feared that I would never catch up to Hizen in time. I could run until I collapsed, but the fact remained that I would eventually collapse...and while I lay sleeping until sunrise, Hizen would move further and further away, at a speed faster than I could reach.

I stumbled slightly, and let out a small sob. My back felt strangely warm, but I passed it off as simple overheating. The strain in my legs was of much greater concern to me...until I noticed that, periodically, they stopped touching the ground.

At first I thought I was simply imagining it. I leapt forward, and sailed much further through the air than I thought I would. So I tried it again, and remained airborne for a few seconds longer. I tried it once more, and flew for a few seconds longer still.

Before long, I was sailing over the Martian cliffs, marveling at my flickering shadow down below. A mysterious light shone brightly behind my shoulders...I couldn’t see what it was, but it felt comforting, like an old friend.

I dove lower to the ground, knowing that I would still have to land before I fell asleep. But now I felt confident that I could reach Hizen before it was too late.

“...I’m coming to save you, my friend!!” I thought. “I swear, I’m coming to save you...!!”