THE BLACK RAVEN SAGA

1 — THE HOLE IN THE CITY

A storm rattles the east docks. Wind howls down tunnels carved when the city was still honest — maintenance shafts no one fixes anymore.

Danny's voice echoes inside the dark. Muffled. Wet.

Selene crouches at the mouth of the old flood drain, one knee in a puddle, steam rolling off her mask. Micah's drone hovers above, infrared flickering.

Micah (comms, whisper):

"He's alive. Barely. I'm reading body heat — ninety feet in. Something big moving circles around him. That's our bull."

Selene adjusts the talon gauntlet on her wrist. She can hear Danny now — whimpers broken by sharp sobs.

Behind her, Jess's voice crackles in her earpiece — barely holding together.

Jess:

"Please. Bring him back. Please."

Selene nods once. Slides into the dark.

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2 — WARD IN THE SHADOWS

Up top, on the cracked street above the drain, Ward leans against his unmarked cruiser. Rain drips off the brim of his hat. He watches the manhole where the drone feed flickers out.

He flicks the safety off his pistol, again. This time it feels right.

Ward (growls to himself):

"One more body, Arlen. I swear — you bring him out in a bag, and you go in the bag with him."

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3 — INSIDE THE HUNT

The tunnel breathes rot. Concrete weeps brown water. Selene's boots slosh through inches of old runoff.

She stalks deeper — hears Moloch's hum bounce off the walls. A child's lullaby, broken by the snort of his bull-breath.

A shape stirs ahead — horns brushing a hanging pipe, scraping sparks.

Selene freezes. A flick of her wrist — a feather-blade slides free, glints in the drone's ghost-light.

Danny's voice — a gurgled cry:

Danny:

"Please — please — I won't — I won't—"

Moloch's silhouette shifts. Massive shoulders. Hands like iron mallets. His voice rumbles like a beast forced through a man's throat.

Moloch:

"Shhh. Quiet now, little calf. The city feeds. The Flock feeds. The Raven comes. All feed."

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4 — RAFI'S NEW SIN

Above ground, Rafi stands under a streetlamp, livestream running. He's pointing at the open manhole, voice too excited.

Rafi (to his phone):

"She's down there right now. The Raven's fighting the Bull King — live! You wanted real? This is real. Watch her. Watch what she does. No more rumors — this is proof!"

Comments fly up the screen: Raven! Raven! Monster! Queen!

Ward sees the glow — the kid's silhouette flickering blue.

He storms over — knocks the phone from Rafi's hand so hard it shatters in the gutter.

Ward (shoves him into the hood of his car):

"You wanna die, kid? Huh? Keep streaming this and see how fast you get strung up under a bridge next!"

Rafi's eyes shine with tears — but there's something darker behind them. A hunger. An idea that just got sharper.

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5 — THE FIGHT IN THE DARK

Underground, Selene moves like a shadow cut loose. She launches at Moloch's flank — blades slash sparks off rusted pipe. Moloch roars — swings a massive forearm — catches her shoulder, flings her across the tunnel like a rag.

She skids through the sludge — collides with a concrete pillar. Her ribs burn — old stitches rip.

Danny screams — still bound, duct tape digging into his skin.

Selene pushes up — wipes blood from her lip inside the mask.

Selene (low, to herself):

"Get up. Birds don't die in tunnels."

Moloch stomps closer — each step a quake in her teeth.

Moloch (taunting, bassy):

"Little bird. Little claws. Little cuts. You can't stop the tide. You can't kill the storm."

Selene ducks his swing — plunges her talons into his side. He bellows — backhands her so hard she tastes copper.

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6 — MICAH'S SHOCK

Back at the Nest, Micah's screens flicker — new files spill open. A decrypted shipment log: PANACEA, Gallowgate, water treatment plants.

Blueprints. Emergency valves. Doses that could drown a whole city in days.

He grabs the comm — voice cracking.

Micah (shouting):

"Selene! He's not bluffing! Crow's real plan — it's not just drugs. It's the water. The whole city is a vein. The Flock's gonna bleed everyone from the inside out!"

No answer — just the sound of claws and roars echoing through his headset.

Micah swallows hard — flicks on the Nest's backup power, calls up every old contact he still trusts.

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7 — THE TURN

In the tunnel, Moloch charges — horns scraping the ceiling. Selene feints right — rolls left — feathers slice his calf. He roars — she slides between his legs, stabs a blade into the tender meat behind his knee.

He drops — one knee splashing in filthy runoff.

Selene lunges for Danny — cuts him free with one flick. He collapses into her arms, half-conscious, mumbling thank you through split lips.

Moloch snarls — claws at the wall for balance.

Moloch:

"Little bird. Little cuts. The Crow feeds on your fear—"

Selene pulls Danny behind her — stance wide, talons up.

Selene (venom-soft):

"Then choke on it."

She leaps — drives her blades deep under his jaw. Moloch howls — flails — concrete cracks with his dying rage.

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8 — BACK TO THE LIGHT

She hauls Danny up the tunnel, one arm locked around his ribs. His feet drag through muck.

When she emerges, Ward stands there — pistol aimed. Rain lashes his coat.

Danny moans — Ward's eyes flick from the kid's broken face to Selene's bloody mask.

Ward (voice raw):

"One more. One more dead — and it's you."

Selene steps past him, Danny limp in her arms.

Selene (cold):

"Then pray I don't run out of monsters."

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9 — CROW'S LAUGH

Far above, behind gold-plated glass, King Crow watches city cams flicker — a tunnel full of blood, the Bull King's corpse, the Raven's flight back into rain.

He smiles — raises a fresh glass.

King Crow (to no one, or everyone):

"Let her hunt. Let her bleed. She can't stop the flood — she only opens more veins."

Outside, rain hisses against the glass — like a million wings waiting to beat.

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END OF CHAPTER EIGHTEEN