The Awakening

In a world divided by shattered skies, where each fragment hides ancient secrets and the ground resonates with the echo of forgotten powers, the Ruins of Thaladur await, hidden in the notorious Forest of Death. This place, feared by all who know its legends, serves as a prison for a sleeping force, a presence as ancient as the realms themselves.

In this setting of ancient mysteries, a numerous group advances under the cover of night. Armed not only with physical weapons but also with artifacts capable of manipulating the subtle energies of Qi, they represent an organization whose roots extend across the known world. Their quest is driven by an ambition that surpasses the desire for power; they aim to dominate the indomitable.

As they infiltrate the forest, the silence among them is dense, laden with expectation. "This is a crucial moment for us," says the leader, his voice low but clear in the quietude. "Remember, our destiny lies beyond this place."

"Let's go, without hesitation," encourages another, casting a cautious glance around, the artifacts in their hands pulsating gently with energy ready to be unleashed.

They find the forgotten altar, a construction that defies time with its indecipherable symbols engraved in stone. Under the silent command of their leader, they begin the ritual with a precision that speaks of long hours of practice and dedication. As their chants fill the air, the atmosphere around them begins to vibrate, the Qi of the world responding to their call.

"Concentration," commands the leader, as he lifts a complex-looking artifact above the altar. The tension is palpable, everyone feeling the weight of the approaching moment.

When the explosion of light bursts forth, it's as if the world itself is coming undone. The ground trembles violently, and the night sky fills with tempestuous clouds, from which black and red lightning falls like heralds of the apocalypse. The power unleashed is of a magnitude that none of them could have predicted, making even the distant realms feel its fury.

"What... what kind of being are we trying to awaken?" exclaims one of the members, horrified at the revelation of their own ignorance.

"The energy... it's unbearable!" another screams, struggling to maintain their position as the world around them seems to unravel.

"This is a mistake, we need to retreat now!" urges a third, the terror evident in his voice.

From the epicenter of the storm formed, an imposing figure emerges, its presence alone challenging mortal comprehension. "Who has awakened me?" The voice emanating from this figure carries not just power, but an indisputable authority.

The leader, in an act of desperation, raises the artifact, attempting to impose his will. "It was our will that brought you back, and now you will serve us."

The response is a cold smile, a gesture that reduces the artifact to nothing, a clear demonstration that the power they invoked acknowledges no master.

"You, so insignificant, dared to awaken me to control me? Deluded," says the entity, with disdain.

The group realizes, too late, the true nature of the being they have awakened. Not just their fate, but the fate of all worlds is about to change irrevocably. The silence that follows is broken only by the sound of the organization members' own hearts, beating in a rhythm of pure terror. The entity before them, Elduris, remains motionless, his eyes red like embers penetrating every shadow, every secret they try to hide.

The group leader, now reduced to dust along with the artifact he intended to use to control Elduris, tries to speak, but his words are swallowed by fear. "We have to... we have to warn the cult leader," he manages to say, a last thread of hope that some intervention might save them from Elduris's wrath.

But there's no time for anything else. Elduris moves with the speed of lightning, an unstoppable force of nature that cannot be bargained with or detained. One by one, the organization members try to flee, desperate to escape the ruins that have now become a tomb for their ambitions.

Elduris, with surgical precision, captures each of those attempting to flee, his overwhelming strength demonstrating the futility of their efforts to escape. "How dare you mere ants try to control me?" His voice, laden with power and contempt, is the last thing they hear before being exterminated, their lives extinguished as easily as a flame is snuffed out.

Only one remains, the last member of the organization stands alone before the awakened being, a figure whose presence evokes a power that transcends ages. As fear consumes him, he begs for mercy, a final plea hoping to survive the wrath of an entity they barely understood.

Elduris, whose eyes glow with a deep red, looks at the supplicant not with anger, but with indifference. He extends his hand, touching the man's forehead. The moment contact is made, an intense light emanates from his fingers, penetrating the mind of the last member, easily breaking through the defenses erected in a desperate attempt to hide memories and secrets of the organization.

The search for information reveals little of substance to Elduris; the secrets of the organization, though intricate, are trivial for a being of his magnitude. "You know so little... And yet you dare to disturb my rest," Elduris murmurs, releasing the man whose life fades away with the removal of his hand.

With all challengers silenced, Elduris turns his attention to the chaos his awakening caused. With a simple gesture, he withdraws the unleashed power, the tumultuous energies that ravaged the world begin to calm. Black and red lightning disappears from the sky, the storm clouds dissipate, and the land, once trembling with the force of his release, finds rest.

The world, so quickly thrown into chaos by the awakening of Elduris, returns to a state of almost immediate peace, as if the storm had never occurred. The forest around the ruins, once a testament to uncontrollable power, now lies peaceful under the cover of night.

Elduris, alone in the silent ruins, reflects on the world that now stretches out before him. The organization, though it has lost some members this night, remains, its ambitions and structures not completely destroyed. "Let them learn," he thinks, "the true cost of disturbing those who sleep."

Disappearing into the shadows of the Ruins of Thaladur, Elduris leaves behind a legacy of warning and mystery. The world may have returned to calm, but the memory of the power that once shook the heavens will remain, a silent reminder to all who seek to master forces beyond their understanding.