Marcus stared back with a terrified gaze as the scroll on which he had signed rose up into the air. A powerful surge of energy spread through the entire temple, and a loud voice boomed from the darkness.
"Muhahaha!" Its triumphant laughter echoed through the temple walls. "You reckless humans! Your greed has blinded you, and now… you'll be a vessel for me to exert my powers!"
"What?! Give me the emblem!" Marcus yelled in resistance as he desperately reached out to touch the emblem, but it felt as though his hands were no longer his.
They just stood in place, as though bound by some supernatural force. Looking at his hands, he noticed the sickly grey mist now coming off all over his body.
"What is this?" He turned to Akhil and Layla, confusion embedded within his eyes. "What is going on?! What have you done?!" he roared, anger visible in his eyes.
Under the influence of the grey mist, he couldn't even move a muscle, let alone shatter the bomb crystal in his hands.
