As soon as Elvis defeated Indra, he turned to one of his messengers and said, "Go, tell Averia that her end is near. Her doom is now approaching."
The messenger carried the news of Indra's death to Averia's palace. The palace scene was grim. Averia and the sorcerer Riyans were inside. The marks of Elvis' dark powers were clearly visible on her body. As soon as she saw those marks, pain and rage flickered across her face.
Averia glared at the messenger and roared, "Elvis! I will give you a death so terrible that even Death itself will tremble in fear at the sight of it."
Her voice echoed through the palace, filling the air with a heaviness as if the very sky bowed before her fury.
Averia stood in the highest chamber of the palace, gazing out of a window that overlooked the vast plains. There was a hint of worry in her eyes. The darkness surrounding the palace was unsettling her. Not long ago, she had a terrible feeling, as if a deep connection had been severed. Her breathing had become heavy, and her heartbeat quickened.
Indra and his army of guardians... everything had been destroyed. She realized that Elvis had defeated Indra and his mighty giant protectors. For a moment, she closed her eyes and felt the devastation that had taken place outside. The dark powers that Elvis now possessed were beyond her comprehension.
A tense silence filled the palace. All her warriors were quiet and apprehensive. They knew the war wasn't over—rather, the real battle was now knocking at their door. An unknown fear crept into Averia's heart. She thought of Indra's defeat and understood that Elvis was now heading her way.
She knew that Indra, whom she had fortified with her power for years, was gone. The palace, which had been her greatest shield, was now in ruins. Her protectors, who had sworn to guard her, were all gone. Now, only she and her remaining army were left to face Elvis.
Averia clenched her fists, her eyes a mix of anger and concern. "So, Elvis... by defeating Indra, you've proven that you are no longer weak," she muttered under her breath. "But if you think I will surrender to you so easily, that will be your greatest mistake."
She stepped out of her chambers and summoned her chief commanders. The atmosphere around her was grave. Her commanders awaited her orders, but fear was clearly visible in their eyes. Averia gave the command to gather her forces.
"Prepare yourselves," she said in a cold tone. "Elvis is coming. And he's not coming as an ordinary warrior, he's coming as the Emperor of Darkness. But remember, he is still just a man. And as long as we have strength, we will not give up."
The commanders immediately began making preparations. Activity surged all around. The palace gates were fortified, defensive spells were cast, and warriors took their positions. Averia knew that a terrible war was about to unfold, but she had no other choice.
She understood that if Elvis reached the palace, not only her fate but the fate of the entire world would be sealed.
Averia lifted her staff, a symbol of her magical power. She climbed alone to the palace roof, where she could clearly see Elvis' army approaching. She closed her eyes and looked up at the sky. "Even after Indra's defeat, my power still lives on," she said in a cold voice. "Come, Elvis. I'm waiting for you."
She knew that the endgame was near, but she was ready to fight until her last breath.
By defeating Indra and his army, Elvis had proven that he was no longer just a human but the Emperor of Darkness. And Averia had realized this—that her enemy was now the wielder of powers not from this world.
After the battlefield grew quiet, Elvis' army began tending to their wounded. Many soldiers had been gravely injured in the fierce battle against Indra's army. Some had deep wounds, while others were taking their final breaths. Elvis looked at the condition of his comrades, and a deep seriousness settled in his eyes.
The mark of his curse began to glow on his hand. This was the same mark that had given him immense power but had also dragged him into darkness. Elvis took a deep breath and then stood among his injured soldiers. He opened his palm, and the curse mark shone brightly.
"You have all fought alongside me in this battle," he said in a stern voice, "and I cannot leave you like this."
There was strength and hardness in his voice. Elvis closed his eyes and began to release the dark powers from his curse mark. There was something in that power that only he could understand—it was another piece of his soul that he was sacrificing to save his comrades.
As he sacrificed a part of his soul, his body became surrounded by a dark light. This light spread to the injured soldiers around him. The deep wounds on their bodies began to heal slowly. Their broken bones mended, and the injuries on their bodies seemed as if they had never been there.
The soldiers felt strength returning to their bodies and stood up as if they had been given new life. They all felt stronger than before, as though some of the darkness's power had been infused into them as well.
But it wasn't easy. Elvis had lost yet another part of his soul, and a faint exhaustion could be seen in his eyes. However, his gaze remained fixed on one goal—Averia.
"Now the time has come," he said softly. "Averia is waiting for me, and the world will know that no one can stand before the Emperor of Darkness."
Seeing his army rise again, Elvis marched towards the palace. His army, now stronger and more terrifying than before, followed behind him, ready for battle.
As they approached the palace, Elvis knew this would be the final battle of his life.
Elvis was left with only two pieces of his soul. He would have to defeat Averia with those last two pieces...