Elea

Some dragons find the pull of the Shade irresistible. Elea is one of them.

It is a mystery how a dragon becomes Shade-touched. What causes a dragon to become so enamoured with the void that they start to draw it towards them? Why would one seek such a thing, knowing that it would cause the demise of all living things? And yet, for those who have become Shade-touched, it is all they can think about.

Elea was one of the researchers speaking to those who had Fallen, the ones who had become completely consumed by it, locked away in ancient prisons. Trying to understand their thoughts and desires, such that she might understand their motivations.

Alas, disaster struck. Though she never came into contact with them, knowing that they would obliterate her in an instant, she woke one day knowing that something was wrong; the Shade had touched her, too.

In a final bid to preserve her research, she frantically worked on a half-finished project: a circle that would protect its inhabitant from the Shade's influence, thereby removing its effects on the Fallen. To do this, she had to use the long-forgotten runes that bound each Fallen to their place. There was no time to research their effects; she simply had to try.

It worked! Well, partially.

Some days, she is her normal self: energetic, bright, warm. A razor sharp wit, and a mind to match. Still working on her research, still trying to untangle the mystery of the Shade-touched. Still looking at the silver lining, empathetic and enthusiastic.

"Hey, I might be Shade-touched, but at least I don't need to sleep any more!"

Some days, it seems as if her mind is lost in a fog: unable to see, unable to remember.

And on her worst days, she is silent. Inscrutable. Watching with the patience of a thousand stars. Hungry for the living just beyond her reach.

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