Always

Ryu didn't know what to say or think. This sort of matter… It was happening at maybe the worst time possible. He wasn't yet strong enough to charge into the Shrine Plane, but if he didn't who else would? 

After being sealed for so long, his mother wouldn't be in any state to fight. In fact, she would likely be at her very weakest. All alone, she had been the sole reason why the Martial Gods hadn't been able to dredge up everything they could from the Shrine Plane. In fact, it could be said that his mother was the last line of defense. 

Ryu closed his eyes, his breathing coming almost to a dead halt. 

This wasn't how he would normally react to things. The emotional high of Elena speaking to him for the first time in so long had knocked him off his balance. It only made it worse that the news was about his mother, the woman he respected the most in this world.