Night in Valerion was never quiet.
The rich slept behind marble walls, and the poor whispered in the dark — whispers that carried farther than screams.
And tonight, those whispers all carried one name.
Raven.
The man who had turned a haunted cathedral into a fortress.
The man who made spirits kneel.
The man who smiled like a king and walked like he already owned the night.
---
The main hall of the cathedral looked different now.
Old banners had been torn down.
Lanterns glowed with new life.
The air hummed faintly with power — the kind that warned intruders they wouldn't leave alive.
Selene stood near the altar, adjusting her sword belt, eyes scanning the shadows.
Lira lounged lazily on the steps, tossing a dagger and catching it midair.
Vee floated near Raven, invisible to all but him, her voice soft and teasing.
> "So, boss, what now? You've got ghosts, a base, and two deadly girls. Planning a vacation or world domination?"
"Neither," Raven said quietly. "Not yet."
He turned, cloak shifting with the motion. "First, we build."
Selene looked up. "Build what?"
"A network," he said. "Information. Gold. Trust."
"Trust?" Lira snorted. "In Valerion? You'll find more honesty in a snake pit."
"Then we'll breed snakes," Raven replied calmly.
---
A faint knock echoed through the hall.
Lira spun the dagger once and tucked it away. "We expecting guests?"
"No," Raven said, eyes narrowing. "Which means they're either brave or stupid."
The massive doors creaked open.
A young man stepped in — messy blond hair, ink-stained fingers, clothes that tried too hard to look expensive.
Behind him followed two guards, tense but trying to hide it.
Selene's hand went to her sword.
Raven raised a hand. "Let him speak."
The man bowed awkwardly. "Forgive the intrusion. I come on behalf of Aria Dawnveil."
At the name, Selene's expression sharpened.
Raven's eyes glimmered faintly. "Aria Dawnveil... the merchant princess?"
The messenger nodded quickly. "She requests your audience, Lord Raven."
Vee's voice murmured in his mind. "Merchant princess? Sounds fancy. Want me to dig up her file?"
"No need," Raven thought. "If she's reaching out, she's desperate."
He motioned to Lira. "Bring him to the hall below. Feed him. Watch his eyes."
Lira smirked. "You got it."
As they left, Selene turned to Raven. "You know her?"
"By reputation. Rich, clever, and cornered."
"Cornered?"
He nodded. "Someone's cutting into her trade routes. She wouldn't come to me unless she was losing."
Selene frowned. "So she wants protection."
"Not just that," Raven said. "She wants a deal. And deals are where empires begin."
---
Later that night, the cathedral's lower hall glowed with lamplight.
A long table stretched across the room — old wood, polished with age.
Raven sat at its head, Selene on his right, Lira on his left.
Guards lined the walls, silent as statues.
The doors opened again — and this time, Aria Dawnveil entered.
She walked like someone born to command — every step deliberate, every glance sharp.
Her crimson dress caught the firelight, gold trim glinting softly.
Her hair fell like silk down her back, and her eyes — cold and bright — measured everything in a single second.
Raven leaned back slightly. "Lady Aria."
She smiled faintly. "Lord Raven."
The title made Selene glance at him, but Raven didn't react.
Sometimes power needed a crown — even an imaginary one.
Aria took a seat across from him, hands folding neatly.
"You've built quite the fortress," she said. "Word travels fast in Valerion."
"Only when you want it to," Raven said. "And you wanted to be heard."
Her smile tightened. "My enemies wanted that, not me. You see, my ships no longer reach port. My caravans vanish. My warehouses burn."
Selene leaned forward. "Any survivors?"
"None who can speak."
Raven's eyes narrowed. "Systematic. Targeted."
Aria nodded. "Someone's bleeding me dry. If I fall, the Dawnveil Guild collapses. And with it… the city's trade balance."
Vee's voice whispered in his mind. "Translation: she's losing gold and pride."
"She's losing leverage," Raven corrected silently.
He rested his chin on one hand. "Why come to me?"
"You've done the impossible," Aria said softly. "You made the dead kneel. You turned ruins into stronghold. I need someone who can shift the tide, not drown with it."
Lira tilted her head. "So what's in it for us?"
Aria met her gaze. "A cut of every route I rebuild. Access to ports and ships. And one more thing."
She leaned forward. "Information. On your enemies."
That made Raven still. "You know my enemies?"
"I know the type that will come for you. Power draws power."
For a moment, silence filled the hall.
Then Raven smiled faintly. "You're bold, Lady Aria."
"You wouldn't be interested otherwise."
Selene whispered, "You trust her?"
"No," Raven said. "But I trust ambition."
---
They talked for an hour — routes, guards, guild politics.
By the end, the shape of the deal was clear.
Raven would send his shadows — men, information, protection — to restore her network.
In return, Aria would channel wealth and connections through him.
Neither called it alliance.
But both knew that's exactly what it was.
When the contract was sealed — signed in ink and drop of blood — Aria rose.
"One more thing," she said quietly. "My rival. The one behind the attacks."
"Name?"
"Lord Kael Durnhart. Noble by birth, snake by soul."
Raven's eyes darkened. "Nobility."
Aria nodded. "And rumor says he's courting your knight."
Selene froze. "What?"
Aria looked at her calmly. "You, Lady Selene. You caught his eye."
The hall went silent.
Raven's gaze flicked toward Selene — calm, unreadable.
Selene clenched her fists. "He's mistaken."
Aria smiled faintly. "Then you'll have no trouble dealing with him."
She turned, cloak swirling as she left.
The doors closed behind her with a soft thud.
Lira whistled. "Well. That got interesting."
Raven stood slowly. "Kael Durnhart… first noble to fall."
Selene looked at him. "You believe her?"
"I don't need to. He's already on my list."
Vee whispered, "Ooh, I like this one. New villain? Or future corpse?"
"Both," Raven thought.
---
As the night deepened, Raven stood at the balcony overlooking the city.
The lights below looked like embers scattered across black silk.
Selene joined him quietly. "You think this Aria will keep her word?"
"She'll try. But power shifts. Always."
"And Kael?"
Raven's voice turned cold. "If he thinks he can use you, he'll learn the cost of touching what's mine."
Selene blinked. "Yours?"
He turned slightly, meeting her gaze — calm, steady.
"My people. My allies. My kingdom."
For a heartbeat, neither spoke.
Then Selene looked away, her heart beating faster for reasons she didn't name.
---
Far below, in the shadowed streets, a man watched the cathedral's lights from afar.
He wore noble robes, but his eyes were sharp and hungry.
"Raven…" he murmured. "Let's see what kind of king you pretend to be."
As he turned, moonlight glinted on the silver crest at his collar.
Lord Kael Durnhart.
The storm had noticed the rising shadow.
And now, it was moving toward him.
----
Morning painted the city gold — but in Valerion, light didn't mean peace.
It only made the shadows sharper.
By the time the first bells rang, the entire merchant quarter buzzed with rumor.
The Dawnveil Guild had moved again.
Ships were back in the harbor.
Guards in black cloaks patrolled the docks.
And every whisper said the same thing:
Someone powerful is backing her.
---
Inside the cathedral, Selene fastened her cloak, face calm but eyes distant.
She'd barely slept — Kael's name echoed in her mind like a challenge.
Raven stood nearby, reviewing scrolls spread across a table — maps, routes, reports.
Lira sat cross-legged on a railing, cleaning her blades.
The air felt heavy — not from danger, but anticipation.
"Kael moves fast," Raven said. "He'll test you soon."
Selene frowned. "You think he'll come in person?"
Raven glanced at her. "No. He'll send charm first, threats later. Nobles don't dirty their hands until they see blood."
Vee floated above the table, invisible to all but him.
"So what's the plan, boss? Want me to keep an eye on Princess Goldpockets?"
"No," Raven thought. "Watch Kael's men. I want to know every coin he spends."
"Roger~"
---
Just as Selene reached for her sword, a soft knock echoed through the hall.
Lira sighed. "Visitors again? We're becoming popular."
Raven motioned. "Open it."
The doors swung wide — revealing a single man in noble armor, silver crest gleaming.
He bowed low, smiling politely. "A message from Lord Kael Durnhart."
Selene's jaw tightened. "I'm listening."
The knight straightened. "Lord Kael invites you to a private luncheon at his manor. No guards, no blades. A peaceful talk."
Lira snorted. "That's code for trap with snacks."
Selene's eyes narrowed. "And if I refuse?"
The messenger smiled faintly. "Then he'll come himself."
Raven stepped forward — slow, deliberate. "And what message does he send for me?"
The knight met his gaze — and for a flicker of a second, hesitated. "None, my lord."
Raven smiled faintly — but his eyes were cold. "Unwise."
The knight swallowed hard. "I'll… relay your words."
"Do. And tell your master this — ravens don't answer summons. They send theirs."
The knight blinked, confused, then bowed again and left quickly.
---
Silence lingered after the door closed.
Lira grinned. "You scared him half to death."
"Good," Raven said. "Fear travels faster than rumor."
Selene exhaled slowly. "You really want me to go?"
"Yes," Raven said simply.
She blinked. "What?"
"Kael expects compliance or defiance. He won't expect observation."
She frowned. "You want me to spy."
"I want you to listen," he said. "And remember — a noble's tongue is sharper than his sword."
Vee's voice teased in his head. "Sending her into the snake pit, huh?"
"She's not bait," Raven thought. "She's the knife I leave behind."
Selene finally nodded. "Alright. I'll go. But I'm not walking into his den alone."
"You won't," Raven said. "You'll have eyes."
Lira raised a brow. "Mine?"
He nodded. "Stay hidden. Watch everything. If he moves wrong—"
"I'll move faster," she finished with a smirk.
---
⸻
Kael Durnhart's manor rose like a crown above the merchant district — white marble walls, fountains lined with gold, guards in perfect formation.
To outsiders, it looked peaceful.
To soldiers like Selene, it looked too perfect.
She entered through the main gate — alone, unarmed.
Her armor gleamed, her expression calm.
Every step echoed across polished floors.
Kael waited in the central hall — tall, handsome, smile too smooth to be honest.
His hair was dark, his eyes sharp, his rings gleaming with wealth.
He rose as she entered, bowing slightly. "Lady Selene. What an honor."
Selene inclined her head. "You called. I came."
Kael chuckled softly. "Straight to the point. I like that."
He gestured to the table beside him — covered in fruit, bread, and wine.
"Please. Sit."
She didn't move. "Say what you called me for."
He smiled. "Ah, directness again. Very well."
He poured wine into two cups, sliding one toward her.
"You've been seen with a dangerous man," Kael said softly. "A stranger who commands shadows. I'd hate to see your name… tarnished."
Selene's eyes hardened. "You mean Raven."
Kael raised a brow. "So that's his name. Apt."
He took a sip of wine, watching her. "He's ambitious. Clever. Ruthless. All admirable qualities — for a villain."
Selene's voice was cool. "And for a noble?"
Kael smiled. "For a noble, ambition must wear silk. Not fangs."
He leaned closer. "You deserve better than a throne built on corpses. Join me. I can offer safety, title, power. All without blood on your hands."
She held his gaze. "I don't need your crown."
Kael chuckled. "Everyone needs something. What do you want, Lady Selene?"
Her eyes flashed. "Freedom."
"Then kneel to no one," Kael said softly, "especially a man who hides behind monsters."
That's when she heard it — the faintest sound.
A whisper of metal from above.
Her instincts screamed trap.
---
Lira moved like a shadow across the rafters — eyes scanning the hall.
Four archers. Two hidden behind curtains. One at the stairwell.
She cursed silently. "Idiot noble really planned an ambush."
Her dagger twirled once — then vanished into her sleeve.
"Sorry, boss," she whispered. "Your chessboard's about to get messy."
---
Kael's tone turned colder.
"I could've taken you by force," he said, voice low. "But I offer choice. Join me, Selene. Or become the first knight I break."
Selene's hand itched for a sword she didn't bring.
Her heartbeat steady. Calm. Controlled.
Then — a faint breeze brushed past her ear.
Something silver glinted —
Thunk!
An arrow embedded itself in Kael's wine cup — inches from his hand.
The noble froze.
Selene's eyes narrowed. "Seems your men need better aim."
Kael snapped his fingers. "Archers—!"
But before he could finish, a second arrow struck the wall beside his head — carrying a strip of parchment.
He yanked it free. One line written in dark ink:
Touch her again and you'll lose the hand. – R
Kael's jaw tightened. "So he's watching."
Selene smiled faintly. "Always."
---
Lira dropped from the rafters, landing soundlessly beside Selene.
"Meeting's over," she said cheerfully.
Kael's guards tensed — but her daggers flashed like fangs.
"Move," she warned. "Or your next meal's through a straw."
Selene turned to leave, pausing once. "Next time you want a conversation, try knocking."
Kael didn't answer — his eyes burned with fury, but his hands stayed still.
As they stepped out, the archers lowered their bows, trembling.
Kael stared at the parchment again — jaw tight.
"Raven," he muttered. "You think you're untouchable."
He turned, voice cold. "Send word to the Spire. It's time Valerion's nobles learned who owns the night."
---
Back at the cathedral, Raven stood by the balcony, city lights reflecting in his eyes.
Selene entered quietly, Lira behind her.
"No injuries?"
Selene shook her head. "Just pride — his, not mine."
Lira tossed the parchment onto the table. "He didn't like your love letter."
Raven picked it up, reading it once — lips curving faintly.
"Good."
Selene crossed her arms. "He's planning something bigger."
"I know," Raven said. "And when he does… we'll be ready."
Vee's voice purred in his mind. "Kael's rattled. He'll strike back soon."
"That's the idea," he thought. "Let him draw his blade first."
He looked out at the glowing city — calm, patient.
The game had started.
And Raven never played fair.