The look on the Empress’s face made her heart stop, and everything else around her fell silent. That look was one she understood, and had been battling with since they first met. There was more she wanted to say, but time to ask it had run out as all around her emotions were unleashed.

Both instinct and her own inner turmoil acted on her—an honourable Jue protected their royalty, and more than that there were still questions unanswered. Gritting her teeth she unleashed another Protect, but this one on Ramaa herself. Knowing it wouldn’t be enough, Sylvarie’s body followed suit to come between her and the others.

As if the entire reaction wasn’t confounding in itself, she also struck the Empress with her staff imbued with Healing Spellblade, at least hoping to knock her out of the way as she braved herself for the oncoming wave.