The moment the empress' decision solidified, there was no lingering discussion, no final exchange of strategy, no hesitation that might have softened the weight of what she intended to do, because her body simply moved, and the air around her responded as though the world itself recognized the shift in authority. She stepped forward once, then rose without effort, as if gravity had been dismissed entirely, and in the next instant she was already ascending into the sky, her presence cutting through the atmosphere with controlled precision as she headed directly toward the inner provinces of Blackmare.
Lucas did not try to stop her.
He did not call out.
He did not waste time attempting to alter what had already been decided.
Instead, his gaze followed her trajectory until she became a distant point moving with unmistakable intent, and only then did he turn sharply, his focus shifting immediately to what needed to be done on the ground before everything escalated beyond containment.
