10 Departure (1/2)

At the sunrise, three days after her meeting with Saci, Morgana stood at her base's entrance. By her side there was a massive improvised chariot being driven by two golems. There were four more serving as guards on the back.

Today was the day of her departure and she did not intend to ever return.

This place had given her so much. Here she got back a portion of her old power and hid from the forest's unknown dangers behind those walls. Even the golems were built with magic gems she found by exploring deeper within the dungeon.

And now she was walking away from all of it. Bringing only what she could carry without much trouble.

The reason?

Because it was all a lie. An illusion created by outdated notions of reality. Morgana had grown arrogant. After five hundred years of reasonable success, she believed herself untouchable as long as she was careful enough. In her previous world this had also cost her everything.

Staying at the same castle for fifty years? Creating a guild? Drawing attention? She might as well just have painted a target on her back. This risky immobility was bound to come back and hunt her in the long run. She should have known better this.

Morgana, however, had believed very strongly that as long as the benefits of attacking her were outweighed by risks and costs, no great power would ever dare to make this choice.

She went to great lengths to make sure no one would ever consider her to be an appealing target.

The Guild of Avalon, for instance, had it's sphere of influence restricted only to the lake region, near Mozna Castle.

By right, someone with her power would be able to dispute much more wealth, territory and influence than just this, if she really wished to do so. Yet she adopted a conservative posture, vying for stability.

She also built a network of alliances, becoming an important mediator among the dark factions. All in order to defend herself in case of enemy aggression.

And the reason behind all of this was her long term plan, a dark ritual that would have made her powerful like a goddess. In order for her to succeded, however, many years were spent gathering both resources and knowledge.

But the consequence was self-inflicted blindness. The world kept moving as she was unaware.

Somehow, her enemies learned about this ritual and, suddenly, the cost-benefit balance could no longer protect her. The enemy stroke fast and decisively, achieving victory even before her allies could act.

This time around, however, her mistake was even worst. Not only did she felt confident enough to settle down and ignore the world around her, but she did so in a completely strange environment where her powers were severely limited.

What if all intelligent creatures in this world were just as strong or maybe even stronger than that strange man?

Well, that would mean that all of the countermeasures she thought about so far would be utterly useless.

Those people would just take a look at her base, her discoveries and even her golems just to laugh in disdain.

That's the ultimate reason why Morgana immediately chose to leave.

By leaving, she might face hostile creatures and die in the process. But she also could learn something and have the chance to survive and prosper.

However, if she stayed, death was certain.

Not by age, since she did not grow older.

However, just like it happened in Northumbria. She may choose to ignore the world, but who can guarantee the world will choose the same? Eventually the unknown would come knocking on the door and bring her impending doom.

Morgana whistled and an exquisite red bird with a long tail landed on her shoulders. This was her familiar, a fey creature that took the form of an animal.

”You know what to do, Mordred. I understand your strength is not what it used to be, but I believe it's enough to do some easy scouting. Now go ahead.”