---
As soon as the path to darkness closed, Elvis looked at the curse mark that had appeared on his wrist.
His heart began to race, as if he knew that his life would never be the same again. The dark mark on his wrist gradually started heating up, as though a fire was burning inside it.
A sharp wave of pain surged through his body, and a slight smile appeared on his face. "Power... this is what I needed," Elvis said through gritted teeth.
Lightning once again split the sky, and in front of his eyes, Averia's face flashed—a face that had destroyed his entire world. His eyes now burned, but there were no tears, only the flames of vengeance. "You won't escape now, Averia," he said in a low, fury-filled voice. Elvis took a step forward, and the ground beneath him trembled. Strange powers flowed from the curse mark on his wrist into his veins, as if an unknown force was strengthening his every step.
"Now, no one in this world can stop me," he told himself, a cruel and dark glint in his eyes, reflecting the shadow that had now become part of his soul.
As he emerged from the doorway of darkness, Elvis gazed at the forest stretched out before him. There was only darkness and a storm. The winds were calling him toward his destination. But before he could strike at Averia's empire, he needed an army. And that army could only be found in Kaladhar.
As he moved through the dense trees of the forest, Elvis could feel something strange happening. The warmth of the curse mark had now spread throughout his entire body. With every step, the air around him seemed to shift, as if some unknown force was drawing him in.
There was something in the air—a mixture of darkness and power. Suddenly, there was an eerie rustling sound. The trees began to shake, and something stirred beneath the ground.
Dark shadows flickered in front of his eyes, as though they weren't just part of the wind.
"You have gained the power we were searching for." A low, ominous voice echoed from between the trees. Elvis looked down at the curse mark on his wrist, which was now glowing even more brightly. "Who are you?" Elvis asked, his voice free of any trace of fear.
In response, a figure emerged. It was a tall warrior, from whose body emanated black smoke-like shadows. His eyes were fixed on Elvis's curse mark.
"I am the one who has kept the black shadows alive. If you truly want to take your revenge on Averia, you will have to come with us."
"Us?" Elvis looked at him, and more shadows emerged from behind the warrior. These were the ones who had once been the world's greatest sorcerers and warriors, but had now been consumed by darkness.
"You need an army, Elvis," the warrior said. "And we will be your army. But in return, you must honor our desires."
Elvis looked at them. There was no doubt left in his eyes. "I will free you all, and we will fight the final battle against Averia."
The warrior nodded, and then a deep light burst from the curse mark on Elvis's wrist. Everything around him began to change. The forest was no longer as it had been. It had become the realm of darkness where Elvis's army was about to awaken.
"You have given us what we needed," the warrior said. "Now the end of Averia will begin."
Elvis looked around him. The shadows that had surrounded him slowly began to take shape. Each figure had once been blurred, but now they were becoming clearer.
These were the warriors who had once been great—now mere shadows of darkness. One of them, the largest in stature, stood before Elvis. His voice was deep and mysterious.
"We are those whom the world has forgotten. We are those whose deaths were in vain, but now we will fight for you." Elvis could feel the rising power within him. The curse mark on his wrist began to burn, as if warning him that this power could change him too.
But the fire of vengeance had blinded him, and he cared for nothing else. "I know who you are," Elvis said firmly.
"You are the warriors who were once unbeatable, but now you have one final chance. To defeat Averia. Become my army, and I will give you the freedom you have not known for centuries."
The shadows began to bow toward him, as though they had accepted him as their leader. Their faces held expressions of satisfaction, but their hearts were still filled with darkness. This was no ordinary army. It was a deadly, indestructible force born of darkness.
"You will need to give a part of your soul to awaken us," the largest shadow said, his voice grave. "As long as we fight by your side, a piece of your soul will remain within us. Are you willing to make that sacrifice?"
Without hesitation, Elvis extended his hand. "My soul desires nothing but revenge now. Take it."
As soon as Elvis said this, a bright light burst from the curse mark, and the shadows began to dissolve into it.
Thunder rumbled in the sky, and the heavens were cloaked in dark clouds. Every warrior, once lost to the darkness, began to rise one by one. Their swords and armor materialized before Elvis. Every warrior was ready, as if they had been waiting for this moment for centuries.
Elvis looked at them. His army was now complete—an army that feared neither death nor destruction.
"You all are my strength now," Elvis roared. "Now, we begin the end of Averia."