Eleonora's transformation was a slow and painful process, but guided by Eldrin's wisdom and the ancient magic of the Moon Elves, she succeeded in purging the corruption of Chaos from her being. She did not regain her old magic, that of Umbra, but rather awakened a new one, a magic linked to the moon and the earth, to the very essence of the underworld.
Over time, her physical appearance also changed. Her pale skin took on a silvery hue, her eyes turned a deep blue, like Eldrin's, and her ears lengthened and became pointed. She had become, body and soul, a Moon Elf.
For years, Eleonora loyally served Eldrin and his people. She learned their ways, their language, their history. She became a wise and respected counselor, a teacher to the young elves who were gradually awakening from their long slumber. She helped Eldrin prepare his kingdom for its return to the surface world, a world that had changed drastically during the Moon Elves' millennia of isolation.
But darkness, once tasted, is hard to forget. And in Eleonora's heart, despite her redemption, a glimmer of ambition still smoldered. The vision of absolute power, the promise of the red crystal, continued to haunt her dreams.
One day, while exploring the deepest depths of the subterranean realm, Eleonora found a hidden cavern, a place not shown on any map, a place even Eldrin was unfamiliar with.
In the center of the cavern, she saw an altar, made of a black material like obsidian, but pulsing with a dark, familiar energy. And upon the altar, she saw an egg.
An enormous egg, larger than a man, with a blood-red shell that emitted a stifling heat.
Eleonora approached the altar, feeling an irresistible attraction. As she touched the egg, a voice echoed in her mind, an ancient and powerful voice, filled with cold malice.
"You have arrived, Eleonora," the voice said. "You have found the way."
Eleonora, despite the terror she felt, did not retreat. "Who are you?" she asked.
"I am Poimandres," the voice replied. "The Primordial Dragon. The Father of Chaos."
The revelation struck Eleonora with the force of a lightning bolt. Poimandres… the name that had appeared in the oldest and most forbidden texts of Umbria, the name of a legendary entity, considered the source of all dark magic.
"You… you cannot be real," Eleonora stammered.
"I am as real as the darkness in your heart, Eleonora," Poimandres replied. "And I have been waiting for you."
The dragon's voice explained that the egg was his final incarnation, his last chance to return to the world. And that Eleonora, with her connection to Chaos, was the only one who could help him hatch.
"Help me be born, Eleonora," said Poimandres. "And I will give you the power you have always desired. The power to rule not only this kingdom, but all kingdoms."
The temptation was overwhelming. Eleonora had renounced her ambition, had embraced the light, but the darkness, like an old friend, called to her again.
And this time, the darkness had a face, a voice, a promise of unlimited power.
Eleonora, despite the warnings of her conscience, despite years of redemption, could not resist.
She reached out and touched the egg.
A surge of dark energy coursed through her, far more powerful than anything she had ever felt before. The magic of Chaos, which she had thought extinguished, was reborn within her, stronger, wilder, more uncontrollable than ever.
The egg began to crack. And from the crack, a red light emerged, a light that consumed all the darkness of the cavern.
Eleonora, a triumphant smile on her face, watched as the shell broke, revealing the creature within.
It was not a dragon like the ones she knew. It was a primordial beast, an embodiment of Chaos. Its body was a mass of twisting shadows, from which protruded razor-sharp claws and membranous wings that seemed to absorb the light. Its eyes, two pools of red fire, fixed on Eleonora.
"Mother," Poimandres hissed, his voice now audible, not only in Eleonora's mind, but in the real world. "You have freed me."
Eleonora, now completely consumed by darkness, knelt before the dragon. "My lord," she said. "I am at your service."
Poimandres's awakening shook the subterranean kingdom. The Moon Elves, sensing the surge of chaotic energy, jolted awake in alarm.
Eldrin, sensing Eleonora's presence and the darkness surrounding her, rushed toward the hidden cavern.
Upon arriving, he found a gruesome scene. Eleonora, her Moon Elf appearance corrupted by dark magic, stood beside Poimandres, who towered above her like a mountain of shadow and fire.
"Eleonora!" Eldrin cried. "What have you done?"
Eleonora turned to him, a cruel smile on her face. "I have embraced my destiny, Eldrin
"in," he said. "I have reclaimed my power."
"That is not your power, Eleonora," Eldrin said. "It is the corruption of Chaos. It will destroy you."
"It will make me stronger," Eleonora replied. "And with Poimandres at my side, I will be invincible."
Eldrin drew his sword. "I will not allow you to unleash Chaos on the world," he said. "I will stop you, even if I have to kill you."
"Try it," Eleonora replied with a malicious laugh.
The ensuing battle was epic. Eldrin, with his moon magic and swordsmanship, fought with bravery and determination. But Eleonora, with the power of Chaos and the aid of Poimandres, was a formidable opponent.
The Moon Elves, led by Eldrin's generals, joined the fight, attacking Eleonora and Poimandres with their arrows and spells. But the primordial dragon was too powerful. Its shadows enveloped the elves, its fire consumed them, its mere presence striking terror into their hearts. hearts.
Eleonora, riding on Poimandres's back, soared above the battle, casting destructive spells upon her former allies.
The cavern became a hell of fire, shadows, and unleashed magic. The fate of the underworld, and perhaps the entire world, hung in the balance. Eleonora's redemption had been short-lived, and darkness had once again triumphed. The final battle had begun, and this time, the light seemed to be at a disadvantage.