Sylvari had let out a sigh of relief as she, Videl, and their little group of companions reached the gates of the Pale City. Her bones ached with an emotional weariness that she had not felt in months. Mostly, her anguish was felt in empathy for her friend, who had been through many trials in their time together, and he didn't have a justiciar oath to fall back on when the going was rough. He merely shouldered the hardship with a mortal determination and an open line of communication with his no-longer-mortal friend.

Since taking down the Elder Ooze in the Marsh Flats, the journey back to familiarity had been a quiet one, filled with awkward silence. Sylvari had the sense that Videl was hurt she hadn't shared the full extent of her abilities with him. On the one hand, she could understand his frustration, particularly when she had been so open about her cursed blood. Selfishly, however, Sylvari had kept the secret of her death magic as the one last thing that could make her friend see her as a monster. Evil might be her heritage, but it needn't be her habit, or so was her line of thinking in concealing her talents.

It seemed, though, that this plan had backfired quite spectacularly, as the revelation of her necromancy prompted only disappointment in her friend: a far worse reaction than she could have anticipated. Sylvari longed for the easy conversation the pair had shared in the early days, but since their last job, and even before, in the cave they had fallen into, Videl was forced to confront the more unsavory parts of his friend up close and personal. It's easy to take tragedy in stride when it's an abstract, even if close, concept. To be faced with the ugly truth face-to-face could make any man crumble.

Such were the young justiciar's thoughts as her mount, Mercy, silently trotted alongside Videl's own frosty steed, Lumi. She didn't know how to begin to mend the rift between them, and so fell on frivolous observations in the feeble hope that it would lead to more substantial conversation.

"The Pale City. Feels like a million years, eh, V?"

Throughout the time in which the pair had made their way back to the Pale City, the place in which they had first met, Videl had more or less been keeping to himself. There were a flurry of thoughts that had scattered about his mind and quite frankly, due to their lack of a scheduled break, Videl simply hadn't had the time to dwell on them too deeply. Up until their return trip that is. It was during this time that Videl would face several harsh realities. That his companion had continued to hide things from him from the beginning and that those things were of a nature that many would consider vile.

No matter how much he had wanted to ignore these things, there was always going to be a small part of him that had considered just how she had gotten to this point. Just what was it that pushed her to become what she was? Was it fate? Heritage? A life previously filled with nothing but misery and pain? These were all questions that he had wanted to pry free from her and yet he had continued to keep them all to himself. It would have been rude to question his friend in such a manner. If she had truly wanted to share such things with him than she would do so. Until she had decided that she was ready, he would keep such thoughts to himself.

And yet he had continued to remain silent as the pair had returned to the city, their companions all in tow. He had tried to reach out when he felt as though he could and yet fell short time and time again, only to fall back into that silence. This likely would have continued on for quite some time if it wasn't for the fact that Sylvari had reached out first. "It certainly does, Syl. A lifetime ago.. And yet I can remember it all so vividly."

While to two might have been in an awkward position at the moment, Videl wasn't one to let go of those he cared for so easily. It had been like that from the beginning, if he were honest with himself. Both when she had displayed her vampirism and her necromancy. Despite the fear that had lingered within him, he had chosen to brush such things off and accept her for who she was. He had yet to see her perform any heinous deeds and hadn't believed her to be evil in the slightest. Whatever she did in her time before their acquaintance, he could ignore. It was merely that she had continued to hide things from him despite claiming that they were friends. And still, he had forgiven her.

"I still remember the shock that I felt upon encountering you for the first time. It was.. a different experience for me. Who would have thought that I'd make my first and most dearest of friends so shortly after departing from my home?" A soft laugh would follow as he had turned his gaze towards Sylvari. "I'm not sure if I say this enough, Syl, but I'm real lucky that you're in my life. With all that has happened between us, I would be a fool to remain upset with you any further.. Shouldn't really blame you for wanting to keep some secrets to yourself."

Sylvari waited with bated breath for Videl's answer, and then felt the emotional dams she had erected around her heart sunder at his words. So it's true then. He was really hurt that I didn't talk about my necromancy beforehand. I should feel that the presence of Noe was enough to indicate my arts, but no, that isn't fair. A little dragonling might just be a familiar, and it must be quite jarring to see an amalgamation of bones and flesh on the battlefield.

Sylvari stroked the little dragon in question, who clacked his jaws happily and leaned into her touch, as she contemplated what her response should be. "Yes.... well I-wasn't really trying to keep it a secret... Just kinda hard to work 'I craft unholy abominations of discarded flesh' into casual conversation..."

Sylvari grimaced at her weak excuse, feeling the silence that followed poignantly. In truth, she could have told Videl about her practicing dark arts at any number of points in their relationship, but she rather enjoyed the feeling of being cast as a tragic hero, struggling against her own darkness, rather than embracing it. It was an exceedingly shallow and vain reason, but it was the truth. As much as she tried to relinquish such selfish desires, her subconscious clung to them all the tighter.

She certainly had a point there. Necromancy wasn't exactly the kind of thing that one could easily slip into conversation, considering how most people would react upon hearing such a thing. How most places would react to hearing such a thing even! Still, the fact had remained that she had kept it to herself. And that was something that the T'saya would have to get used to. Not the fact that she had kept it from him, despite the relationship between the two of them. But the fact that those that were close to one another had kept things from each other at all.

"I can see where you are coming from in that regard. And honestly? It's my own fault for placing so many expectations upon you. I apologize for that. I uh.. I've never really had anyone that I've managed to get this close to before, so this is all rather new to me. Back at home, when I used to live with my tribe, there weren't really those that wanted to be my friend. Or even to be close to me at all. My family included. In their eyes, I've always been nothing more than a cursed child."

While there might have been bouts of emotion and pain that found themselves strewn throughout his words, the tone in which he had spoke of his past had been nothing more than matter of fact. Much like his encounter with Sylvari, it had truly felt like a lifetime ago. The hurt was still there but by this point, there were aspects of it that were buried. Buried beneath the kindness that Sylvari had offered him and the experiences that he had had outside of Frost Gale. It was a difficult task but over time, he had slowly started to replace the negative feelings that he had hid so well with positive ones.

A simple gesture from Videl was all that it took for Lumi to draw herself closer to Mercy and Sylvari. Once she had completed the action, Videl would reach out a hand towards Sylvari, only to slightly tussle her hair a bit. It was an action that he had seen others in his tribe offer to one another, when they were trying to help one feel better. "But now I've got you, right? So please forgive me for placing things on you that you don't deserve. We are all our own unique person and it's totally okay to keep secrets to ourselves. It took me a bit of time to get things all figured out, and I'm still working on it quite frankly, but please wait for me to do so. I'm still new to all of this."

Sylvari gave a half-hearted smile at Videl's words. "Yes, you have me. And I will endeavor to be more open, if that is what you prefer. I can't promise you'll like the answers you find, however." Sylvari's thoughts wandered at her words, coupled with her friend's. She'd been in Videl's company for a few months now, longer, in fact, than she had been with anyone else since leaving her people. He was the closest she had to family, now, and yet a lingering unease came over her more and more as she considered him as the weeks passed. She knew the call of her mission and the wanderlust within her heart would not allow her to stay in Frost Gale much longer, in contrast with Videl, who, for whatever other feelings he had of his homeland, still clearly loved it.

It would be selfish, and unfair, to ask her friend to leave with her: abandon the only life he's ever known for paths uncharted and an uncertain future. Even if he was true in his feeling that she was his first real friend, life strained relationships at the best of times. Going through the hard life on the road and the merciless standards of what justice demanded would spell a death knell for nearly any partnership.

So Sylvari merely maintained her facade of ease and happiness for his sake, resolving to leave with little aplomb to avoid excess hurt. She shook her head to clear away her thoughts and turned to Videl to focus on something else. "Well, we've a bit of time before we get anywhere rest-worthy anyways, so if you have any lingering doubts or questions, I will hear them and answer honestly, on my honor as a justiciar."

Given how much Videl had reacted to Sylvari keeping secrets from him, one would think that he had several questions at the back of his mind for a time such as this. No matter how much he had tried to think back on any sort of questions that he might have for her though, there simply weren't any that would come to the forefront of his mind. If anything, there were only questions that he could think of in this moment. Questions that he didn't really want to ask her but figured that he might as well, considering the circumstances of the situation that they were in.

"I.. don't really know what to ask, if I am being honest. Guess that I can just throw out whatever comes to mind though.. Er, um, how long have you dabbled in these kinds of magics? And how is it that your body doesn't tear itself apart each time that you make use of your magic? I mean, from what I can tell, there are several conflicting factors that reside within you.." In the moments that would follow him having posed such a question, the T'saya would find himself ridden with guilt. How could he ever dare to ask her such a thing? And what right did he have to ask her these questions after having settled on the fact that everyone was free to maintain their own secrets?

It was this guilt that would push him to continue on. "You don't have to answer these queries of mine, if you really don't want to. I promise not to push you for anything deeper.. I trust that you've told me everything that you wish to discuss with me so please don't force yourself to do all of this just for my sake.. If anything, there is but a single question that I truly need answered. And that is what you would like to do now that we have a moment of respite? I'm not quite sure what kinds of things the city has to offer but.. If I can remember the exact location, there should be a hot springs somewhere within the area that we could rest at. Soak our weary bones and all that."

The only reason that Videl had even been aware of the hot springs was due to the fact that he had consistently attempted to feel some semblance of warmth. In a region such as Frost Gale, a hot springs was the best suited treatment for such a feeling. Unfortunately it wasn't something that had worked for him but it still felt a better than nothing. "And of course, I'm willing to answer your questions and stuff as well... It feels like we've known one another for forever and yet, I know that our relationship isn't what it could be. Considering that most of our time together has been traveling and fighting against the world."

Sylvari rode in silence, her face a mask of impassivity as she rode pondering Videl's question. She let him keep floundering explanations and apologies as she wondered about his questions herself, debating what her answer should be. After a lengthy silence, even after Videl's monologue, Sylvari finally spoke in a small voice.

"I've known since the beginning. From the first night I felt the red thirst, the swelling of arcana to call undead servants to serve me has lingered within my mind. It was a talent that went unrecognized, first because I hid my new nature from my people, my family, and then because I was so certain I was a monster that I worried any gift that came as a result of my curse would only dredge me further into depravity.

"I'm not a fool, nor am I blind, Videl. I know that necromancy is an art practiced almost exclusively by the wretched of the world, and for months I was afraid of my own ability. But then I met a friend, a mentor: an outcast herself but with an eminently kind heart. She was ostracized because she was not what the people 'expected' of a hero, but still she served all the same. She taught me that it is better to be an effective force of good than a pretty picture, unblemished by the slings and arrows of the world." Sylvari smiled softly, thinking of Taki.

"I know the way my abilities seem, and that is why I am careful to use them only in need. As for the conflicting energies within me... who is to say? I do not know myself. I certainly don't think myself the worthy avatar of the powers of life and undeath, but I will use whatever I have at my disposal for my mission."

After her lengthy defense of her dark arts, it seemed to Sylvari a bit of a hard transition to speak of leisure. She merely muttered, "At least the hot springs can wash the days of travel off."

A few soft nods amidst the silence was all that Videl could offer to Sylvari in the beginning, as he had carefully listened to everything that she had had to say on the matter. The fact that she had been aware of her talents from the very beginning but had ultimately decided to suppress them had been something that he had wholeheartedly understood. Especially when she had gone on to mention this mentor of hers, that had brought her out of her shell and helped mold her into the person that she had been today. In the Videl's mind, Sylvari had held a similar role for him. The fact that she had had someone so dear to her had filled his heart with a sense of warmth as he had thought further on the matter.

"It makes me especially happy to hear that you have someone so important to you, Syl. From my understanding, it's those that we hold the closest to us that empower us. The fact that you have someone like that.. It makes me happy to hear. Wherever this friend of yours is, I hope that they are doing well and living life to the fullest. And that you get the time to see them again. Given your tendencies to travel.. I'm sure that that day will come again sooner or later." Even if it meant that she would have to depart from his side to find the one that had aided her in coming this far, Videl would support her. As much as it hurt him to think about, he had been aware of the fact that she would need to leave him someday. He couldn't keep her by his side at all times.. It wouldn't be fair to her.

"So long as you can complete this mission of yours, whatever that may be, then I support the actions that you have to take. Whether that requires you to make use of such magics or continue to hide secrets, I'll try and suppress my feelings in certain regards. So that I can be here for you when you finally need me." After that, Videl would remain silent up until the two had arrived outside of a sturdy, snow covered building. It was a few blocks away from the inn that they had stayed at the last time that they had visited the area, so it would be easy to find their way back in the event that either of them wanted to leave.

"Well this is it.. Located at the back of this building is the hot springs. We'll have to hitch Lumi and Mercy out here for the time being.." Although it was disappointing to leave his equine companion out here for the time being, Videl had an inkling that she would be okay. Even with that thought in mind though, he couldn't help but subconsciously brush at the side of Mercy's neck with his palm as he had said as much, soothing her in the process. "Once inside, we can get changed into some towels and the like before heading out back, where the actual hot springs reside. This is only my second time here so I'm fairly certain that that is really all that needs to be done but.. I may be wrong."

Sylvari felt a lump in her throat at Videl's words, both in the gentle support he emanated as well as the painfully hopeful tone he took with regard to her mission. Oh V, if only you knew. Justice is a cruel and jealous mistress. I shall never complete my mission while I yet live, nor will I be afforded the ongoing companionship that my heart yearns for. Given my curse, I will likely wander the world long after you have grown old and passed, bound still in a gilded cage of light.

Sylvari still appreciated the sentiments behind Videl's words, even if she refused to burden him with the harsh reality of their inefficacy. She maneuvered Mercy closer to Lumi as they walked and placed an armored hand over Videl's, giving a light squeeze and hoping fervently that physical touch could convey the affection she didn't trust her voice to carry. No more words passed between the pair, and soon enough, they found themselves at their destination.

Sylvari blankly acknowledged Videl's words, finding it hard to focus on the material world instead of the maelstrom of emotion within. As they headed inside and were greeted by bubbly assistants who explained the rules and regulations of the spring use, Sylvari's sense glazed over, and before she knew it, she was wrapping herself in a fluffy towel and heading out into the small courtyard. She didn't hold much hope for the water's ability to inspire comfort, given her unnatural resilience, but she was pleasantly surprised by the spring's powerful heat. She stepped in eagerly, disregarding the instructions to gradually ease oneself into the water, and slumped down to where only her nose and upper face were visible above the water level, her black and silver veil fluttering just above the surface.

Videl's heart but help but flutter as Sylvari had reached out and brought his hand into her own grasp, even despite the metal gauntlet being in the way of the two. Each time a semblance of affection, to this degree, had occurred, Videl had found himself truly enjoying the fact that he had set out from his home in search of a new life and understanding of the world. Especially when it had come to moments like this that involved Sylvari. No matter what had happened in the past, in moments like this, Videl had found true happiness.

Naturally this feeling would start to slip from him as the pair had gone their separate ways to get changed for the hot springs. Part of it would still linger though, much as the memory of the moment had remained within the T'saya's mind. And soon, Videl would find himself departing from the building and heading out to the hot spring itself. He had evidently arrived later than Sylvari, which was a wonder given the amount of armor she would have had to doff. Seeing how far she had allowed herself to sink into the waters, Videl could only smile. After all, there weren't that many that had chosen to throw themselves that deep into the water that quickly.

"I'm glad to see that the waters are serving their purpose." Those were the only words that he would find himself saying before ultimately slipping into the waters as well. Much like Sylvari had done, Videl would sink down to the point in which just his nose and the upper half of his face had remained above the water. Once he had found himself confined within the warmth of the hot springs, Videl's smile would only grow wider; this much likely not being noticed by others. Each moment of the day, he had found himself beholden to the frost of his magics. Even now, he had still found himself shivering from time to time. Given the warmth that was provided though, the shivers would lessen and the warmth would slowly attempt to penetrate his frosty defenses.

It wasn't often that Videl would have such a content look upon his face. It might have sounded stupid if he were to announce this much aloud but this moment, here and now, was one of the few things that he could only dream of in the past. To relax alongside a companion after having traveled across the continent and forged a bond. This was all that he had aspired for for the longest of times.

If nothing was said in the first few minutes of the pair relaxing in the hot springs, Videl would remain silent. After that time had come to pass, his gaze would finally settle upon Sylvari. Even now she had chosen to wear that veil, hiding away who she was from the world. Something that she had been forced to do for the sake of survival.. Something that Videl wished he could change. Seeing this, Videl would raise himself up just high enough for his neck to be at the waterline.

"..want to know something stupid? This is one of the few things that I have always looked forward to in life. To be able to have times like this with someone that I care for.. The good, the bad, it all. And yet, even now, I worry about putting you in an uncomfortable situation. Perhaps.. Someday I'll be sure to have a home of my own. And maybe I can have something like this there.. So you can just exist without the worries. No veil needed. No need to hide from anything. Just you being you." Even as he had the best of intentions in saying this, Videl couldn't help but worry that he was saying the wrong thing yet again. He seems to have a strange habit of doing that from time to time.

Sylvari languished in the scalding water, allowing the heat to burn away her swirling thoughts away until only tranquility remained. The warmth she felt allayed her feelings of vulnerability, usually an omnipresent sentiment without her armor, but now blessedly absent, even with only a thin towel hugging her gentle curves. Her eyes were closed beneath her veil as she soaked in the gentle ambiance of the place.

She opened a single eye at Videl's words, lifting a corner of her veil to view him with her crimson eye without the cloth's interposition. She smiled at his offer of making a space for her in his eventual home. Sylvari extended a pale hand to Videl, her delicate fingers brushing against his cheek affectionately. She shivered instinctively, feeling the cold of his skin pierce her resilience.

"Oh, V. Your concern warms my heart, but such fears are unnecessary. In truth, my veil has become as much a part of me as my armor. I am not bothered by making others more comfortable around me. I am not looking to hide from my oath. Where could I even go to escape the light that pours out from within me?" Sylvari's words trailed off at the end of her statement as she retracted her hands and slid back down into the waters once again.

Her words had held a sense of truth within them but Videl had hardly acknowledged what she had just said. As her delicate fingers had brushed along his cheek, his cheeks would find themselves taking on a crimson hue. Whether it was from the warmth of the hot springs, or simply her action, Videl had momentarily found himself feeling rather dizzy. It was almost as though his brain had just exploded, his thoughts racing at a thousand miles an hour.

As Sylvari had pulled her hand away however, and steeped herself back into the blazing waters, Videl would come back to himself. There was a warmth within him that he hadn't understood; an ever-present feeling as he had found himself alongside Sylvari. A warmth that he had appreciated and wanted to hold onto for dear life. But one that he hadn't figured out yet and as such, was unsure of what to do with. "I uh.. Y-you're right..! I hadn't really thought of it like that before."

His chest starting to feel tight, Videl would pull his gaze away from Sylvari and towards the sky above. "My point still stands though. The house would certainly act as a sanctuary of sorts but it's really just when we're together that I can feel at home. And I hope to inspire a similar feeling from you someday. Where we can just relax and be ourselves; the past not needing to direct our decisions when we are together. Because that's what friends are for.. and stuff." A soft sigh would escape from his lips as he had begun to sink beneath the waters of the hot springs for a moment, his lips the last thing that had remained above the water. "I aim to be the one you can run to if you ever need it."

With those words having slipped forth from his lips, Videl would find the entirety of himself submerged within the waters. His brain had felt as though it was on fire and as an act to balance this, he had attempted to force the rest of himself to feel similar. Given the coldness that resides within him however, this was an impossibility. One that he would come to note no matter how long he had remained beneath the water. Eventually he would be forced to return to the surface but for these next few moments, he would keep himself below the waters edge.

Sylvari's lips quivered between a smile and a frown at Videl's statement. It wasn't the first time he had proclaimed her his home, a worrying thought for two reasons. Firstly, Sylvari wondered how ostracized and mistreated he had been in his own tribe to feel such a profound rejection of them. He had talked before, briefly, about his people, and Sylvari wasn't eager to bring up painful memories. Still, she couldn't fathom such a thing. Her own family only turned her out after discovering she had hidden her curse and devouring a fellow justiciar. She would still be with them if it hadn't been for that event.

The second thing that worried Sylvari was of her own making: her oath to be wherever justice dictated. She had been very fortunate indeed to have journeyed with Videl this far, her heart taking great solace in affection for her new companion. Inevitably, however, she would be called away to right other wrongs in the world, out of Videl's presence. It was a painful enough thought for her, who knew the eventual hardship of separation from the beginning. If Videl was truly so enamored of her, Sylvari's leaving presented a pain she was not eager to inflict. It wasn't the first casualty of her commitment, but it stung by far the worst.

When Videl reemerged, Sylvari steeled herself to prod at the pain, hoping to ease her friend into something bearable instead of coming calamity. "Videl, please tell me about your people. I want to know what it was like for you. I want to know what prompted you to adventure."

Having resurfaced from the waters below, Videl would place himself against the edge of the hot springs. His neck would find itself purchased against the rocky terrain that would allow for him to make his way out as he had overheard Sylvari's words. She had desired to know about his people and the reasoning behind his departure for them. While this was something that he wasn't all that fond of focusing on, it was certainly something that he had expected to talk about at some point. It was initially the reason that he had mentioned her asking him about himself as well.

Although he had been ready for such a discussion, he still couldn't help but feel a bit dejected upon hearing Sylvari's words. Just the thought of his tribe was enough to cause him to shut in on himself. This would only last for a moment though as Videl had decided to speak up. It was something that she had desired to know and as such, something that he would discuss without any further reservation.

"The T'saya people, huh? Well.. I suppose that it should be discussed at some point. My uh.. My tribe is a bit complicated when compared to those of the world outside of Frost Gale. We are a shamanistic people that worship the main pantheon. My tribe specifically, amongst a few of the others, had a prime focus on Ginma: The god of earth and fire. We are a strong people that originally migrated here from the Ash Lands and well.. Our history is a bit complicated."

As he had continued to speak on the matter, his gaze would remain firmly upon the sky above. He had wanted to face Sylvari with this information but couldn't exactly muster up the courage to do so. "Much like most of the T'saya people, my tribe likes to tell stories about a man known as Vahtes, the first fire mage of our people to defeat an Ur-Beast and claim our lands here in Frost Gale. The story goes on to state that after defeating the Ur-Beast, Vahtes and the T'saya people had been bestowed the blessing of fire by this defeated Ur-Beast."

A tired and broken sigh would pour forth from Videl's lips at this point, his eyes closing themselves as he remained in the same position. "To those within my tribe, a fire mage is a blessing upon a household. Even more so when it comes to my family. The elders of my family tend to go to great lengths to ensure that each marriage is between one fire mage to another, so as to ensure that the generations to come contain this blessing. As you might expect, this kind of thing tends to lead to prejudice against those that aren't fire mages. Scorn in my case."

Videl's right hand would break free of the water and reach out to the sky at this point, a small whisp of snow whirling around his hand before ultimately dying off, Videl's hand plopping back down into the water. "Each member of my family contains the blessing of fire. Each of us, that is, aside from myself. In the eyes of my family, and my community, I was born with this curse. They believe me to have been rejected by the blessing, only to be accepted by it's opposite. A magic that holds little value in regards to combatting the inhabitants of this region."

"This curse has led to the complete disregard of myself when it comes to my people. If I wasn't being harassed by the others, I was outright ignored. And to be honest? Being ignored feels so much worse.. For those that you care for, that you grew up around, to simply act as though you don't exist. The only one to ever really show any affection for me was my mother and even that had it's limits, thanks to my fathers influence."

His eyes would flutter open by this point, his head turning to the side and his gaze ultimately falling upon Sylvari. There was a sense of hesitation in his voice as he had continued to speak, but the more time that had come to pass upon his vision landing upon the vampiress, the less hesitation there had been. "As the only one amongst my particular tribe that had acknowledged the goddess Salina, I decided to set out in search of her. In hopes of discovering whether this magic of mine is a blessing or a curse. To hear it from the one person that likely held any of the answers that I sought. But then I ran into you. And it didn't matter to me, whether or not I was cursed or blessed. All that I knew was that I had found what I truly sought the entire time. Someone to have by my side."

Sylvari furiously blinked away tears that welled in her eyes beneath the veil, as her heart filled with sympathy for her friend. Despite the bleakness of her own life, Sylvari marveled at the hardship that Videl endured, and all without an oath to keep himself grounded: just with otherworldly strength of spirit and will. To be cursed is painful enough, as I can attest, but to be BORN cursed? To have no expectations of amounting to anything worthwhile, and no love in all the time one grows up?

Sylvari shuddered. It was horrible to imagine her dear friend treated like that, and it was fortunate indeed for his tribe that she was not there when such a thing occurred. Instinctually, as ever, she drew closer to Videl and enveloped him into a close, protective embrace. For once, his perennial chill was a comfort to her, as her own heatless body at least retained the warmth of the spring to ease his heart.

Holding him so close, Sylvari could only think about the words he spoke, echoing over and over like an accusation in her mind. 'Being ignored feels so much worse..' She knew that her time with him in Frost Gale was drawing to a fast-approaching end, and she cursed fate for bringing him close only for her oath the rip them apart. But here, in this moment, she could let him know that he wasn't alone.