[Samael Ashwood's POV]
"I, MYSELF WILL END THOSE BETRAYING THE CROWN, WITH THIS!" King Cedric screamed as he pulled a purple vial in which a dark, swirling liquid glowed ominously. His eyes burned with desperation and fury as he uncorked the vial and downed its contents in one swift motion.
The moment he swallowed the potion, the room was filled with a suffocating darkness. Cedric's golden aura twisted and distorted, turning a sickly shade of purple. His body convulsed as the dark magic surged through him, transforming his once radiant form into a monstrous silhouette. His eyes glowed an eerie violet, and dark tendrils of energy writhed around him like living shadows.
Elysia's eyes narrowed as she recognized the forbidden magic. "He's using a dark enhancement potion. We need to be careful."
"Samael," Elysia said, her voice steady but urgent, "be ready. This is going to get much worse before it gets better."