Corvus sat down by the fire, his expression grave. He looked at Drake, his eyes filled with a weight that Drake hadn't seen before.
"The story I'm about to tell you is ancient," Corvus began, his voice low and resonant. "It speaks of the very creation of this world, of the forces that shaped reality itself."
He paused, taking a deep breath. "In the beginning, there was only the Void," he continued. "A vast, empty expanse of nothingness. From this nothingness, the Gods emerged, beings of immense power and creativity. They shaped the Void, carving out space and time, creating the universe as we know it."
"Sounds like a pretty standard creation myth," Drake commented. "So, what's the catch?"
"The catch," Corvus said, "is that the Void never truly disappeared. It still exists, a force of entropy and destruction, constantly seeking to reclaim what was once its own. It is a hunger that can never be sated, a darkness that constantly gnaws at the edges of reality."
"And this 'dark figure' from Eldrin's dream… it's connected to the Void?" Drake asked.
Corvus nodded. "It is a manifestation of the Void's hunger," he said. "A being of pure chaos and destruction, sent to weaken the barriers between our world and the Void, to pave the way for its return."
"And the Voidwatch… they were trying to stop it?" Drake asked.
"They were," Corvus confirmed. "They were the guardians of the realm, the protectors against the Void's influence. They studied its nature, they developed defenses against its power, and they stood as the first line of defense against its return."
"But they failed," Drake said, his voice low.
"They were overwhelmed," Corvus said. "The power unleashed was far greater than they anticipated. The tear in reality, the one you sensed… it was a deliberate act, a way for the Void to exert its influence directly."
"And now this 'dark figure' is loose," Drake said. "What does it want?"
"To consume everything," Corvus said. "To unravel the fabric of reality, to return everything to the nothingness from which it came. It is a force of pure annihilation, a being without mercy or compassion."
Drake felt a chill run down his spine. This was far more serious than he had imagined. He was no longer just dealing with local monsters or angry gods. He was facing a threat to the entire world.
"So, what do we do?" Drake asked. "How do we stop it?"
Corvus looked at him, his eyes filled with a mixture of hope and concern. "That is the question," he said. "The Voidwatch had gathered a great deal of knowledge about the Void, about its weaknesses, about the ways to contain its influence. Some of that knowledge may still survive, hidden within the ruins of the fortress."
"But you said it was destroyed," Drake said.
"It is," Corvus confirmed. "But there may be hidden chambers, secret archives, places that were protected from the attack. You must return to the fortress, Drake. You must search for this lost knowledge."
Drake looked at Corvus, his expression determined. He knew this was a dangerous task, but he also knew he had no choice. He couldn't turn his back on this threat. He had to face it, even if it meant facing the full power of the Void.
"Alright," Drake said. "I'll go back. But I'm going to need some help."
Corvus nodded. "I will assist you in any way I can," he said. "But the true test will be yours alone. You are the one who has been chosen, Drake. You are the one who must face the darkness."