The magical reaction from the alley had erupted suddenly, like the ergence of an ancient, malevolent giant standing ominously over Manhattan, its sinister grin casting a shadow over the city.
For a brief, chilling mont, it felt as though the bustling night had ground to a halt beneath the oppressive aura. The sensation pressed down like a suffocating blanket of dread.
The magic surged toward Bardi like a scorching fla, triggering an intense surge of adrenaline. His muscles tensed, his eyes locked onto the alley, every fiber of his being ready for battle.
And then—
The torrent of power began to retreat.
The overwhelming wave of magical energy reversed as if ti itself were rewinding. The force that had surged outward like an explosion now retracted, folding in on itself, shrinking mont by mont. It was like watching a nuclear blast rewind to the silent instant before detonation.
In re seconds, the magic vanished entirely.
The streetlights overhead flickered with a faint zzzzt before sputtering out with a dying whine. One by one, the lights along the street went dark, plunging the block into shadow.
From nearby buildings, voices rose in confusion and frustration.
Bardi's body relaxed, his muscles unclenching as the adrenaline receded. His heart, which had hamred wildly in his chest, began to slow. Yet he maintained a combat-ready stance, his senses sharp and wary.
He narrowed his eyes and moved toward the alley.
The dim surroundings posed no challenge to his enhanced vision. Every detail stood out in sharp relief: filthy pavent slick with dark, stagnant water; trash piled against the walls, buzzing with disturbed flies; and the faint, lingering tension in the air where the magic had been.
Near the back of the alley, against the wall, sat a girl.
Her small fra slumped against the cold brick. Thin legs stretched out in front of her, encased in gray-white tights, stained with dirt and sewage. The damp fabric clung to her skin, accentuating the slender curve of her legs, no wonder those drunken predators had targeted her.
She wore a dark, skintight leotard beneath a black cloak. The hood of the cloak was pulled low over her face, hiding her features. Beneath the hood, a faint red glow pulsed like a distant ember.
Bardi's heart skipped.
"Raven."
He recognized her instantly, and a wave of surprise passed through him.
At first, he had assud she was just another reckless high school girl, one of those teenagers who partied too hard, dabbled in drugs, and ended up in alleys like this. The kind of person he had no interest in saving.
But this was Raven. A future mber of the Teen Titans.
That realization unsettled him.
In this world, superheroes hadn't yet made their grand entrance. The Justice League didn't exist, and the Teen Titans were still just a concept from the comics he rembered. Raven's presence here disrupted his understanding of the tiline.
But then again, this was reality, not a comic book. Deviations were inevitable.
He adjusted his mindset and continued forward.
His boots splashed softly through the stagnant puddles as he neared the girl. Her body remained limp beneath the cloak, legs splayed on the cold pavent.
Drawing closer, he could see her more clearly. The cloak was soaked and clung to her petite figure. Her legs, wrapped in damp tights, shivered faintly in the chill night air.
The hood of her cloak was tilted downward, casting her face in shadow.
Bardi reached out. His skin still tingled with the mory of the magical surge, but he forced his hand to remain steady as he gently tilted her chin upward.
Her skin was pale and cold to the touch.
As he lifted her face, the hood shifted, revealing her eyes.
Two pairs of crimson-red orbs stared back at him.
She had no pupils, just four glowing red eyes, swirling with an eerie, hypnotic light. The double set of eyes created a strange, disorienting illusion, as though she existed slightly out of sync with reality.
The red glow bathed Bardi's face, reflecting off his sharp features. His expression remained calm and curious as he examined her.
"Four eyes," he murmured softly. "Beautiful."
His admiration had nothing to do with aesthetics or attraction.
What he found captivating was the power behind those eyes, the infernal magic inherited from her demonic father, Trigon.
Raven's bloodline carried unimaginable potential. In the comics, she had been corrupted more than once. Each ti, her blackened heart had unlocked a power vast enough to threaten entire worlds.
Even her father, Trigon, coveted her, longing to make his own daughter his general, a tool to help him conquer the multiverse.
Trigon was one of the most powerful, malevolent, and tyrannical demons across all dinsions.
Bardi didn't know what form Trigon took in this real world. The comics painted him as a nearly unstoppable force of evil. And if that power carried over into reality, then if Trigon were to appear right now, he could crush Bardi with a re flick of his finger.
The sheer difference in power was staggering.
To use Raven for his own purposes ant potentially inviting the wrath of a multiversal demon.
The thought made Bardi's muscles tense. It was undeniably dangerous to get involved. The gap between his strength and Trigon's was imasurable.
Still...
Raven's red pupils trembled at the sound of Bardi's quiet admiration. The crimson glow gradually faded from her four eyes. Her eyelids fluttered closed for a mont, and when she opened them again, the two extra eyes had vanished. Her gaze now held only a pair of dark irises, slowly focusing in the dim light.
In the silence of the alley, their eyes t.
Two wary souls locked in a wordless exchange.
Raven spoke first. Her voice was soft, low, and somber, tinged with the weight of exhaustion. It was the voice of soone unaccustod to speaking, or perhaps simply weary of doing so.
"Your soul... your will... they're different."
Her words were less a statent and more an observation, uttered with a dull curiosity.
Before Bardi could respond, twin beams of headlights swept into the alley.
The harsh light illuminated the scene, casting long shadows along the wet pavent.
Without a word, Bardi moved. He bent down and slid his arms beneath Raven, one under her knees, the other supporting her back and lifted her effortlessly into a bridal carry.
Her body was light, almost too light.
Raven didn't resist. She simply tilted her head to the side, gazing at his profile as he carried her toward the car.
Her lips parted slightly.
"Please... help ."
***
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