Chapter 54: Retreat and Reflection

Drake clutched the journal, Eldrin's final entry sending a chill down his spine. The image of a dark figure emerging from the rift, a being of immense power and malice, was deeply unsettling. He looked around the ruined library, the silence amplifying the feeling of dread that had settled over him.

He had faced powerful enemies before: goblins, Razorboars, Deep Ones, even a giant brute. But this… this felt different. This felt like a threat on a completely different scale, a force that could easily overwhelm him.

He thought back to his recent encounters. He had barely survived the fight with the Deep One Guardian, pushing himself to his absolute limits. He was stronger now, thanks to the training and the experience he had gained, but he knew he wasn't strong enough to face whatever had destroyed this fortress.

He also remembered the divine intervention in Silverstream. The Gods themselves had taken notice of him, marking him as a target. He was already running from divine wrath; he couldn't afford to add another powerful enemy to the list.

A wave of doubt washed over him. He had come to the Voidwatch fortress seeking answers, seeking a way to understand the powers he had unlocked. But now, he realized he wasn't ready. He was out of his depth.

"Okay," he muttered to himself, his voice echoing in the ruined chamber. "Time for a strategic retreat. Because facing whatever did this… that's just asking for a one-way ticket to the afterlife. And I'm not ready for that. I still have so many witty remarks to deliver."

He tucked the journal safely into his pack. He knew the information it contained was valuable, and he would study it later, when he was in a safer place.

He turned to leave the library, but then he hesitated. He looked back at the ruined room, at the shattered bookshelves and scattered scrolls. He felt a pang of guilt. He had come here seeking knowledge, seeking help, and now he was turning his back on the very people who could have provided it.

But he knew he had no choice. He wasn't strong enough. He wasn't ready. He needed to get stronger, to learn more, to prepare himself for the challenges that lay ahead.

He sighed, shaking his head. "Fine," he muttered. "I'll be back. When I'm not running for my life from angry deities and interdimensional monsters. Then we'll talk. Then we'll have a nice little chat about void magic and alternate realities. Maybe even have some tea and biscuits. But for now… I'm out."

He left the library and made his way back through the ruined fortress, his steps quick and purposeful. He retrieved Clunky from her sheltered spot and mounted her, urging her into a gallop. He needed to put as much distance as possible between himself and this place.

As he rode away from the fortress, he couldn't help but unleash another string of curses, this time directed at himself.

"You… cowardly… comedian!" he yelled at the wind. "Running away from a fight? That's not like you! Well, actually, it is like you, if the odds are stacked against you so badly that not even the gods could help you. But still! I should have at least tried to get more information! Or at least some souvenirs! Maybe a cool-looking rock or something. But no! I had to run away like a scared little… well, like a scared little me. Great. Just great."

He continued his self-deprecating rant for hours, his voice echoing across the mountains. He knew he had made the right decision, but it didn't make him feel any better. He had retreated, but he hadn't given up. He would be back. He would get stronger. He would learn more. And he would face whatever dangers lay ahead. But for now, he needed to regroup, to train, and to prepare for the challenges to come. And maybe, just maybe, find a place where the Gods wouldn't try to smite him every five minutes.