Altair stood alone in front of the gates, his trunk at his feet.
He looked up at the manor, its windows glowing faintly with lamplight.
He took a deep breath.
Then he picked up his trunk and walked through the gates.
It had been six weeks since he'd received his mother's letter.
And he'd chosen to stay.
He'd made that choice consciously.
He'd finished his training with Master Oz. Spent three months in that pocket domain pushing himself to his absolute limits. Then he'd studied for two weeks, taken his exams, and passed with a score that proved he wasn't a failure anymore.
He'd put his own growth first.
And now, standing here with that choice weighing on him like a physical thing, Altair wondered if he'd made the right call.
Altair picked up his trunk and walked through the gates.
---
The grounds were exactly as he remembered them.
