The sky was filled with brilliant gold rays, stretching far across the horizon. The newly risen sun signals the dawn of a new day as Nightingale and his crew had reached England.

After landing safely at London Heathrow Airport, Nightingale stood outside the main terminal entrance. He was in wait for the rest of his crew as he stared into the horizon.

There were buses and taxis all lined up near the drop-off section as they waited for customers from the airport to hire a ride. He closed his eyes feeling the warmth of the sun's rays. Taking a deep, long breath as he prepared himself for another day's journey.

The automatic doors slide open and came a cheering sound with laughter from inside. His crew stepped out after collecting their luggage.

They saw him standing as he faced the horizon.

"Nightingale!" One of them called out to him.

Nightingale turned around in response and saw them heading towards his direction.

Their faces were filled with joy as Pee Aun had his arms over Darren and Telvinder's shoulders as they walked together like close friends would.

"So where to next, Captain?" Pee Aun asked him.

"To the train station. But I'll be taking a little detour to the British Library. There are some things that I need to grab from there, while you guys can go ahead for some breakfast." He stated after he saw the hungry looks on their faces.

He felt his belly grumble after his statement, as he decided that he would join them to eat.

"Come on, we'll take a cab there." He said as he waved them over to follow.

"Will a cab even fit all seven of us though?" Telvinder asked with a perplexed look.

"We'll take separate cabs, you idiot." Pee Aun replied with a deep sigh.

"Telv, sometimes I question your stupidity." He added.

"Well, you don't have to put it like that," Telvinder replied before hearing Nightingale letting out a laugh.

"Don't worry boy, no matter how stupid you are or how dumb you look. They're still your friends." Nightingale said with a smirk as the others began laughing.

"Also, I got dibs on shotgun." He said as the two boys immediately went into a rage.

"That's not fair!" Telvinder exclaimed with his eyebrows frowning.

"The shotgun in the second cab is free," Darren told them as the boys stared at him as if they saw their lord and saviour.

Pee Aun cleared his throat to grab everyone's attention as he placed his hands on Darren's shoulder, giving him a warm smile.

"Darren, this is why we needed you in our quest. Your only usefulness is in helping us in dire situations such as this." Pee Aun smiled as he rubbed Darren's shoulders.

"Now do please step aside, as I will rightfully claim my seat."

"Oi! Who gave you the right to call that your seat?" Telvinder roared at him.

"Huh!?" He said as he grabbed hold onto Pee Aun's collar, asking for a fight.

Pee Aun, on the other hand, stared down at him dumbfoundedly as he was witnessing himself being grabbed by the collar by a guy who was 10 centimetres shorter than he was.

Nightingale had his head turned away as he hid away his laughter from them, but the girls instead were laughing directly at them.

Darren's face was still perplexed after receiving the compliment from Pee Aun.

"Did he just called me worthless?" Darren asked the girls as he realised the truth behind Pee Aun's words.

"He probably did," Shuen replied with a giggle.

Nightingale shook his head with a smile as he saw the two boys were caught in a fight. Pee Aun had the advantage as he had his arms locked around Telvinder's neck as he rubbed the boy's head with his knuckles as Telvinder was seen moaning in pain.

Nightingale felt a small ache in his heart, as he saw the deep bond between them. He let out a small sigh as he turned away and headed for the nearest taxi.

The two taxis dropped them off near the train station. Nightingale told them to go ahead and have the breakfast without him as he would return shortly after his short visit to the British Library.

It wasn't a long walk to the British Library, as Nightingale had arrived. He stood outside the entrance in wait as he pulled out his phone to contact his colleague.

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He had planned to meet up with his old colleague, just outside the British Library as he had ordered him off on a little errand for his equipment.

A ginger-haired man dressed in uniform gave him a hard pat on his back.

"Good to see you, me lad!" The man greeted him with a thick Swedish accent and a heart filled with joy.

"How are things going, aye?"

"As I expected it to be," Nightingale replied.

"Good God! Don't be so cold to me. You and I; we've known each other for ages."

"I don't even remember your name," Nightingale joked.

"Seriously?”

“It's Albert." The man introduced himself once again.

"I've gone and prepared everything for ya," Albert said as he handed Nightingale a bag he brought with him.

"Yea appreciated it," Nightingale said.

"Ya hungry? Thirsty? How ‘bout you and me, go and grab some coffee aye?” Albert suggested.

“C’mon it's on me.” He added before Nightingale could reply as he saw the reluctant expression growing on his face.

“Take it as a.. farewell gift between you and me.” He suggested once more, and his words seemed to have won Nightingale over for some coffee.

They headed over to a nearby coffee shop alongside the street. The shop was filled with an aroma of a mixture of sweetness and bitterness.

There weren’t many people seated around as it was still early working hours with office workers lining up for early coffee for work.

Nightingale found a seat for the two and waited as Albert came over bringing with a tray, bringing their coffee over.

“Thanks,” Nightingale said as he accepted the cup of black coffee Albert handed over to him. Placing it on the table with a saucer.

As they had comfortable seated themselves, Nightingale went for the small packet of creamers and added it to his coffee.

Albert was surprised to see Nightingale doing so.

“Oh, you don't prefer it black?” He asked.

“Not really, I prefer mine with cream,” Nightingale answered.

“Ehhh,” Albert said with a superior look as if he had won something against Nightingale.

Albert went for his black coffee and began sipping a bit after bit.

“Uuggg, bitter!” He soon said after with an almost disgusted face, as he tried holding his expressions in.

Nightingale shook his head dumbfoundedly as he continued to stir his cup of coffee with a teaspoon after adding a couple of sugar cubes.

“Maybe I'll add a little bit of some sugar too.” He said surrendering to the bitterness of his black coffee as he did the same, adding not one but three sugar cubes in.

“So, I got a lil bit curious and had a tincy bit look into the documents that you asked for.” He said out of a sudden whilst stirring his coffee.

“Avalon. Gateway to another world. Pretty shocking I should add.” He announced as he once again sipped his coffee, he gulped, placing his cup back on the saucer, licking his lips.

“Mmm.. just the way I like it.” He said with a satisfied look.

“Just the way you like it?” Nightingale asked with a brow raised at him in question.

“You mean to say that you had been lying about drinking black coffee regularly, now do you?” He pressed on with his interrogation.

“Oh! Just imagine what the others would say of this if they discovered the truth.” He exclaimed with a small chuckle as a smirk grew on his face.

“Sshhh, don't sell me out bud. They'd start having a different view on me if they do find out.” He pleaded.

“You're saying that as if they haven't already been looking at you with pity,” Nightingale stated in a low voice.

“I beg your pardon, they what?” Albert asked with a surprised yet slightly furious look, his eyes locked on Nightingale’s as he began looking away, feeling guilty.

“So as you were saying that you were read the documents.” Nightingale brought up Albert’s previous statement as he tried to change the topic at hand.

“Don't bother trying to convince me out from going.” He said with a meaningful look as he began sipping his coffee.

“ ‘Course I wouldn't. You have your own path to walk even if it leads away from us. I still won’t stop you.” Albert assured him.

“But what I would ask of you is to.. um..”

“Snap and send some pictures for me!” He asked an impossible request of Nightingale, with a large pleading smile on his face.

“Implying that if there's a line on the other side.” Nightingale sighed.

“Oh yeah, silly me. But do try though.” Albert said, pressing on with his request.

“I’ll think about it,” Nightingale answered reluctantly.

“Oh, that's a yes!” Albert exclaimed out of joy.

“It’s not a yes, but I will consider it only if there's a line there,” Nightingale said as he tried not to get the ginger-haired man’s hopes up, but it seemed to have done the opposite.

“Wonderful! I knew I could count on you! Now the others would be amazed to see pictures of the other worlds!” He exclaimed once again joyfully.

“Speaking of which, heard you banded a team. I'm sorry to intrude but I was really curious and decided to look into their personal information.”

“College students, ages of 19. Nothing too astounding other than their achievements in education and sports. Average lives, average dreams. Why choose them as members of your team rather than those with experience?” Albert asked with his brow raised in question.

“I have my reasons really. But if I were to say why it is because I needed people with a fresh perspective on things. They may be young, inexperienced and out of question in being part of my team. But I trust them more than anyone else.” Nightingale answered.

“You acquainted with them?”

“No. But someone I trust did and I made a promise with him to bring them along.” He stated.

“And I assume he’s in the team too?” Albert pressed on with more questions.

“Unfortunately, no. He, left this world not too long ago before he was able to.” Nightingale answered with a saddened look as he started out through the window on his left.

“Ah, I'm sorry to hear.” Albert apologised as he had realised he had touched a landmine in their topic.

It was a brief moment of silence after then as Albert patiently waited to see the right time to continue their chatter, to rid away the intense awkwardness in their air.

“So um.. I guess this is it huh. Two years of working together.” Albert said at last.

“You've done so much yet leaving so soon.” He added.

“Heard the others held a farewell party for you. Sorry, I wasn't able to attend, I was ugh.. busy with things.” He apologised.

“Nah, it’s fine,” Nightingale assured him as he saw Albert’s expression grow slightly darker.

“You patched up things yet with her?” He asked again bringing up a new topic.

“Somewhat.” Nightingale let out a sigh.

“A lot of things happened between us, so I decided to give her some space.”

“That's a no then,” Albert stated.

“Ugh.. women. They're so unpredictable.” He added with his head shaking in disapproval.

“But I guess I would understand why she got mad, because of you leaving and all.”

“Leaving this world too.” He added with a saddened look before letting out a sigh.

“Wish I could tag along. But eh..”

“We all have our own paths to walk.” He stated staring into Nightingale, but he, on the other hand, remained quiet as he continued staring out through the window.

“I guess this is it,” Albert said as he stood up from his seat.

“Our farewell.” He announced.

“It’s been a... pleasure working with you... chatting with you... being friends with you too. .” He said with a sniff as he tried holding his expressions from going wild.

“These past two years had mean so much to me. And I want you to know that I had always been honoured to call you my pal.”

“So did I too, Al. So did I.” He repeated as the words he heard made him realise the memories he had made with them and tried to savour his last words with his friend.

“C’mon don't say that,” Albert said as he could no longer hold back his tears, as few began dripping down his cheeks.

“There, there big boy. It’ll be alright, even when I'm gone. You’ll still do fine without me.” Nightingale said as he embraced Albert with a hug, patting him on his back.

“I'll take my leave now.” He announced, breaking away from the hug.

He went and grab the tissue from the table and hurried towards the door. He stopped at the exit for a brief moment as he still had words left to say before departing through.

“Godspeed and safe travels, Nightingale.” He bid his farewell, as Nightingale watched him walk out from the coffee shop.

“Goodbye, my friend.” He said silently so that only he could hear. He felt his emotions went wild, filling him with a sadness of parting away from the organisation he had spent his two years with.

He stood up from his table and went to approach the door. Exiting through the door would mean that he had entered a different path, away from his colleagues.

He hesitated for a moment, as he stood staring out. There weren’t any people walking in or out so he wasn’t being a bother.

At last, Nightingale stepped out with a new and refound self, as he understood and reassured himself of his purpose in this world.