Choice arrived quietly. Not announced. Not forced. It settled into Ilyra awareness like a truth that had always waited. She walked alone beyond the fields where the land opened wide. The world felt receptive. Listening rather than demanding. The presence responded at a respectful distance. Not pressing forward. Not withdrawing. A balance held by mutual decision.
Ilyra understood that borrowing a body had never been the final act. Remaining had always been optional. What mattered now was intention. She placed her hands against the earth and felt alignment pass through her borrowed form. Not possession. Partnership.
The body accepted her choice without resistance. Breath deepened. Movement steadied. Harmony replaced uncertainty. Behind her the town continued its life. Not dependent on her presence yet strengthened by it.
Ilyra rose and turned toward the horizon. Staying did not mean permanence. It meant responsibility renewed each day. What was chosen carried weight. But it also carried meaning.
And she chose to remain present.