Heaven's Cataract: Epilogue, Stratos

It had been a long journey, a longer journey that he had ever imagined. It spanned across time and continents, with more downs than ups, but it was finally over. Stratos Del rode his choccobo along the northward road from Oram Tower. Towards home. Towards Trausburg. It all felt so surreal to him when he thought about it. He had begun as a knight-to-be from a small town in an unimportant corner of the Highwind Empire, someone of little importance in the grand scheme of things. Then he had fought a manifestation of the Storm God on top of the Shrine of Chaos and won, learned of his apparently divine progenitor-- none other than the Infernian himself, claimed the title Warrior of Light, traveled to not just the future but to another dimension, fought and won against the man who created his world...

But what am I now, he thought. Now that I'm returned to my world, or at least something like it, all the wrongs of it righted, my journey over, what am I? A hand fell on his shoulder. The young knight turned around to see another young man looking at him with concern. Long blue hair tied in a ponytail, slim to the point of awkwardness, green eyes filled with concern, Bucklin Durancap tilted his head. "Are you feeling alright, Stratos," he asked.
Stratos nodded, putting on a smile he hoped was reassuring. "I'm just a little nervous is all, going back home. It might be nice seeing some friendly faces again."
Bucklin didn't look convinced, but nodded in return anyway.
"How's Chaos and Althena," Stratos asked, pointing to the pair of children that laid in a wagon a third choccobo was pulling.

The two weren't like normal children. Chaos, a young boy, had red skin, white hair that was long and wild, and was supernaturally strong-- much like Stratos himself. Althena was more outwardly normal, though had the appearance of an albino, save for golden eyes. The siblings were huddled together on a makeshift bed of straw and blankets, sleeping peacefully despite the at times bumpy road.
"They're fine," said Bucklin, turning back to look at Stratos. "How long do you think we'll arrive at Trausburg?"
Stratos narrowed his eyes at scanned the horizon, taking in the landmarks he recognized and the position of the sun. "We should be there soon. Maybe another hour or so."
He felt a fluttering in his stomach at that. The feeling of the knot of nerves in his gut getting tighter. How would he react to seeing Ceci again? Hell, how would he react to seeing his father again? He tried to take his mind off that by talking to Bucklin more.

"I still can't believe it's over," Stratos said. "It's a little surreal that we get to return to our normal lives after all that's happened."
Bucklin gave a sad smile. "Most of us."
Stratos cursed and slapped his forehead. "Shit. I'm sorry, Bucklin."
Bucklin wasn't from where the rest of the Warriors of Light had come from. He came from the World of Darkness, an entire society that lived beneath the surface. For all they knew, the World of Darkness was either a part of the surface, thus unrecognizeable to Bucklin, or unreachable due to no readily accessible portals. Either way, Bucklin was without his home.

Bucklin gave Stratos another sad smile. "There's no need to be sorry," he said, his voice calm. "You were kind enough to give me a place, and that's all I can ask for."
Stratos returned Bucklin's smile.
"Besides," the young mage said. "I get to meet your sister all over again."
Stratos snorted and playfully punched the other boy in the shoulder. "My sister's off limits," he said with a chuckle.
Bucklin shrugged, then rubbed the place where Stratos had tapped him.

An hour later, three choccobos rode through the gates of Trausburg. Two with men mounted on their backs, another pulling a small wagon containing a pair of sleeping children. Stratos looked over his home and saw that it was exactly as he remembered it, the same sleepy little town on the edge of the Empire. He wiped his eyes and saw that the back of his glove was streaked with tears. The knot in his stomach was unravelling, waves of relief and nostalgia washed over him like he was standing in the ocean, and he was crying. Bucklin saw him washing away his tears and couldn't help but smile.
"Hey," he said. "I can handle the choccobos and getting the kids up. You go on ahead."
Stratos turned, cheeks and eyes glistening with tears both shed and not.
Bucklin just smiled and nodded towards the town spread out before them. "Go."

Walking through his home town felt like walking in a dream. Stratos felt a disconnect from his mind and body as familiar sights and people passed by him. The people greeted him with the fondness of family that haven't seen each other for a time. He recognized the people, of course, knew them by name. Jonas and Marco, the two old knights that had acted as surrogate uncles for him while he grew up, the Darby brothers who worked at the general store, all the farmers, the guardsmen, everyone. Stratos did his best to respond politely, saying that he needed to head home for one reason or another, and to the their credit the people he met along his way accepted this and let him go on unabated.

One person stopped him dead in his tracks. Their voice like the sharpest steel cutting through the tension inside him as if it were string. Stratos turned wide, blue eyes to see a familiar figure leaning against a fencepost, arms crossed and a pair of golden eyes looking back at him. Lean, silver hair brushed back and wild like a lion's mane, clad in black, Genos Augur met his rival's gaze with a level stare.
"Where have you been all day," the other boy said. "Ceci's been worrying herself sick about you."
The words hit harder than any physical force possible, staggering Stratos to the core. His knees gave out and tears flowed anew as he sobbed.

Genos was taken aback and hesitated before running to Stratos' side. "Hey," he said, crouchind down to where Stratos was doubled over. "What's wrong? Is everything okay?" He put and around his rival's shoulders, trying to both comfort and support him.