The journey back to the fortress was quiet.
Nobody spoke much.
The forest was already several minutes behind them, slowly disappearing between the trees and the growing darkness, yet Rin could still feel something in his chest.
Not fear. Not pain. More like the feeling that he had just opened a door he couldn't see.
This time, however, it wasn't the door in the forest. It was the door to his own past.
The chosen one walked away.
Rin repeated those words silently someone had made a choice someone had walked away and somehow, that choice was connected to him.
But he didn't know who.
He didn't know why and he wasn't going to invent an answer simply because his mind wanted one.
Kaelith walked beside him. After several minutes, Rin felt Kaelith's fingers brush against his.
Rin looked down. Kaelith didn't say anything. He simply took Rin's hand.
Rin smiled.
"You don't need to do that for the System anymore."
Kaelith looked at him.
"I know."
Rin was slightly surprised.
