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Aldo stood on the deck of the Riftbreaker, gazing far and wide into the vast sea of clouds.
There was no destination in mind and no immediate danger to save. Right now they were only drifting off into the endless space around them. He didn’t remember the last time when time finally came to a stop.
“Aldo, my dear.” Someone called for him.
With a broad smile on his face and the dual-wielding swords at his hip, Victor walked over to him. It's hard to imagine Victor was that same person who used to go on adventures with Grandpa. Aldo met many people on his journey, but somehow Victor was definitely one of the biggest surprises of them all. In multiple ways.
“What are you doing up here? Everyone’s been looking for you,” Victor asked. He twisted his head around, checking their surroundings, the breeze rifling through his hair. “Ah, but it is nice up here. A scenery like this can never be found anywhere else.”
It was that time of the day again. The world drowned in the evening light’s glow, and the sky slowly painted in black. The Riftbreaker gave the perfect view from every single angle.
Aldo knew at once that when sunset came, no matter where he was—in another village, in another city, in another world, in another universe—he could never forget the place that he truly longed for.
“I just…needed time to think. It’s been a while since the last time we rested.” Aldo smiled, but Victor didn’t seem to buy it.
Victor stepped closer to him, arms on top of his swords. “Come now, Aldo. You can tell me your worries. I promised your grandpa to keep you safe, and that includes your well-being as well.”
Aldo blinked at the confession. That was the first he heard of that…
“Thanks, Victor,” Aldo said earnestly. His heart filled with warmth at the kindness given to him.
As a seasoned veteran, Victor knew more than enough about troubles, although it would be accurate to say he caused troubles because of his ‘intuition.’ Even so, he was a valuable companion. Someone he could trust.
Rolling clouds passed by as Victor waited patiently for him. Shadows formed at their feet, reminding them how little time was left for the sun to pass. His tongue felt heavy in his mouth as he tried to think of the words he wanted to say. When it came to conversations like these, it was usually the other way around.
It was strange to be put on the spot.
“Did you ever think about being anything else other than an adventurer?” Aldo finally settled on saying.
“That’s quite the question. I’ve been an adventurer my entire life! I don’t think I can be anything else. Why, your grandpa would say that’s the only good thing about me! Haha!” Victor laughed in that easy-going way of his.
It made Aldo relax slightly better. This issue, if it could be called that, wasn’t exactly serious enough for his worries to be concealed so tightly.
“Heh, always the same thing with you two.”
“What brought this on? Did you lose your spirit, Aldo? If that’s the case, do we need to go on a little adventure together? Why, we can—”
“No! No! I’m good!” Aldo cried. He did not want a repeat of last time. “I was just thinking about how my journey will end.”
Victor looked at him, expression unreadable. “...you think your journey will end once you save him?”
“Everything will be over, won't it? Because that’s…” Aldo averted his eyes. He felt he was going to disappoint Victor in some way. “...that’s all I wanted in the end.”
Saving the world. Finding his family. Keeping everyone safe. How much longer will he have to fight? An obstacle always stood in the way of what he wanted. His desires were pure and simple as always, yet beating against a wall that towered over you will eventually tire anyone out. He only made it this far thanks to the others; otherwise…
Victor hummed to himself, most likely processing his words. Light cast on his features, red hair practically glowing in gold. It never failed to amaze Aldo how young he looked and acted all the time, but there was no doubt about it. Victor was the old man he really was.
“You’re right. It will end. But I told you before, my dear Aldo, I once thought my journey would end too…until you came along and changed my mind. One adventure will eventually come to an end, but you can never know the beginning of a new one.”
“I would beg to differ on that last point considering who I'm talking to…but I get what you mean.”
Aldo should know better than anyone. How meeting someone in the simplest of ways can turn your day upside down. Changing your life around in ways you couldn’t imagine.
He turned to watch the sunset, fading away by the second. “I guess all this time traveling and parallel universes made me start thinking about my own future.”
A version of himself stood as the dream gallery master and another as the barkeep of the Time’s Forgotten Stop. Not to mention all the other various Aldo’s that helped him along his journey. How different all of them must be but ultimately wishing for the very same thing. What will happen once that wish is granted?
Aldo spent numerous times amongst the stars and galaxies in hopes of seeing him again. After searching for so long, finding him, and losing him in a single moment, it was finally happening soon.
“Eden…I want to see him.” Aldo spoke the words he held inside his heart for so long. He didn’t know what would happen after the end of this journey, but he was sure of that.
“I see.” In a far more gentle tone than he was used to, Victor asked, “What would you do once you see him?”
Aldo didn’t even need to think about it. He probably knew the answer all along. This time the words slipped out easily. No hesitation needed.
“I want to be by his side. I want to tell him everything. What I’ve been through, what places I’ve gone, and the people I met. I want to show him the whole world.” Turning his head upward, Aldo took in the night sky.
Completely dark now, gleams of light scattered as far as he could see appeared. Different sizes and shapes they were, but all of it burned brightly nonetheless. This was the sight Aldo wanted to show him. If infinite possibilities exist just like the amount of stars before him, then Aldo knew that there was at least one of them where he and Eden could be living together.
A life where he would do everything again at his side….He was happy at the idea, yet he wanted to cry all the same.
Victor's eyes were closed, listening seemingly content. “That sounds nice. In fact, I’d say that’s an adventure all on its own.”
That’s right. It was, wasn’t it? He had a million stories to tell after all. The past, the present, and the future. Even from an entirely different world altogether. Aldo felt a bit ridiculous for realizing it this late.
“Was this what you meant when you said those words to me, Victor?”
At that time he was worried non-stop for Victor and couldn’t stand seeing him throw his life away. It was wrong no matter how he looked at it. When it was finally over, Victor said he changed his mind because of him. That he wanted to continue going on adventures with him.
Those words meant a lot to Aldo. And he hopes it will be the case once he says those same words to Eden.
Victor smiled at him, almost wistfully, and said to him, “You're a busy person, my dear boy. Perhaps you’ve forgotten that your adventures will stay with you to the very end.”