Retreat from the Void🔊

Once upon a time, in the sprawling city of Nymphaeum, there lived a young man named Leo Astor. For as long as he could remember, he had been gifted with a peculiar anomaly: the ability to venture into the void. An infinite, ethereal plane from which he could see all of time stretched out before him. It was this inexplainable ability that allowed him to become a powerful oracle, but it came with a cost.

With every journey into the void, Leo would lose a sliver of his humanity, his soul slowly eroding away. To make matters worse, his guidance was ardently sought by kings, generals, and merchants alike, making his powers more a curse than a blessing.

One day in the high summer, when the air was hazy with heat mirages, a timeworn elderly man visited Leo. His name was Cyrus and he was the oldest and most knowledgeable sage in Nymphaeum. Leo did not need the power of foresight to recognize the grave concern etched across Cyrus' aging face. 'The Kingdom of Aria to the south seeks to invade us,' Cyrus whispered, his voice barely audible. 'You must peer into the void and advise the king.'

Leo was torn. The void had already claimed so much of him, but his city's fate hung in the balance. After a moment's hesitation, he agreed. As darkness fell, he gave himself to the void once again.

The void greeted him with its familiar cold embrace. He saw stars, galaxies, events in the past and ones yet to occur. Amidst the swirling darkness, he saw Aria's vast army marching towards Nymphaeum. To his horror, he also saw Nymphaeum's inevitable fall, its once lively streets reduced to a desolate wasteland. Defeat was inevitable; the force was too strong, and the city would fall.

With a heavy heart, Leo returned from the void, his soul further frayed. He relayed his findings to Cyrus, who looked as pale as a ghost. 'Is there any hope for us?' The sage asked.

At that moment, Leo had an idea. He knew he could not venture into the void again, but perhaps he could use the pieces of information he already had to save Nymphaeum. Over the following days, Leo utilized the fragments of his foresight he'd gathered over the years. He designed an elaborate strategy using a network of hidden tunnels running underneath the city.

Despite the gloom of the impending battle, a glimmer of hope began to ignite within Nymphaeum. Leo's plan required nothing less than the unity of the city's citizens - merchants, blacksmiths, and even children had roles to play. The city worked tirelessly day and night, preparing itself, as unity bloomed at a time when survival seemed impossible.

When the invasion inevitably came, Aria's army found an empty city. As per Leo's plan, the citizens had retreated into the labyrinth of tunnels beneath the city. Baffled, the invaders lowered their defenses. It was then that Nymphaeum struck back, ambushing the invaders and defeating them in a single sweep. A celebration erupted throughout the city as they triumphed over what was perceived as their certain demise.

Overwhelmed with joy, Cyrus approached Leo. 'You've not only saved our city, but you've also brought us all closer. You are, and forever will be, our city's greatest hero.' But Leo brushed him off. He was not a hero. He had merely used his curse to protect what was dear to him.

In the ensuing years, Nymphaeum flourished, and so did Leo, as he broke free from the void's entangling roots. His humanity, piece by piece, found its way back home.

And so, Leo Astor, the Oracle of Nymphaeum who once saw into every crevice of time but lost himself, found a path back to who he was. He reclaimed his existence, essential fragments returning to him in the mundane routine of peaceful life. In the act of salvaging his city from devastation, he also saved himself, a fitting symmetry to a life constantly in flux, a perfect retreat from the Void.