[The change in Sarah's expression is subtle but visible. If Bigby's ears were pointed, they'd be flicking right now as he watches her lips curve their tired little smile, listens to the thoughtfulness dangerously close to becoming wistfulness creep into her tone. His own voice sounds much sharper.]

If it's dying, there's not a thing any one of us can do about that. Not right now.

[He feels like it's important to make that addendum: right now. It's easy to get caught up in thinking they can do more. Hearing bombshell after bombshell dropped in that meeting, how could you not want to do something? Isn't that how the Emperor dug their claws into them to begin with? Or rather, that wolf messenger?

They're here because they answered a call, and whether it was willing or unwilling doesn't matter. All of them heard it, right? So that would mean all of them had some desire to follow it, to "save the world."]

The Emperor doesn't care about this world anyway. They said they plan on leaving it as soon as this is over. As far as I can tell, all they care about is their people, winning the war, and whatever they gain from beating the Priestess. That's it. [There's some finality in the way he says that, and it sounds awful.] Whatever they give you or any of us is going to be offered with that in mind.