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Emilia said goodbye to Richard and Agnes with a nod and headed towards the imposing headquarters of the Order of Ravens. The building, divided into three colossal towers, stood in the center of the city like a monument to antiquity. At the top of each tower, a black raven statue, carved from stone, seemed to watch over Ravenna with vigilant eyes. The construction, with its time-darkened bricks and arched windows that resembled half-closed eyes, had existed for nearly two centuries, a fortress of secrets and power.

Near a small fountain, whose frozen water gleamed under the pale morning sun, two soldiers were adjusting the saddles of their dragons. The beasts, one with bronze scales resembling a winged serpent and the other with a robust body and grayish leather, were the size of elephants and appeared to be no more than fifty years old. The soldiers worked diligently, checking the chains and adjusting the harnesses, near the statue of Lord Coronado, the legendary founder of the Order.

"Hey, you two!"

Emilia called, her voice echoing through the courtyard.

The soldiers promptly turned, making an impeccable salute. Their golden armor bore a black raven on the chest, indicating that they were Junior Ravens. Emilia noticed the differences between them: one was tall, with dark brown skin and dreadlocks tied in a bun; the other was shorter, with slightly lighter skin.

"Yes, ma'am!"

they responded in unison, their voices firm and respectful.

Emilia approached, gently stroking the bronze dragon's snout.

"What are your names and why didn’t you leave with the rest of the army to the capital, since you have the dragons?"

she asked, curious.

"I’m Nico, ma'am!"

said the taller one.

"And I'm Gabriel, ma'am,"

added the shorter one.

Together, they explained:

"We are waiting for Commander Pereira. He wants to speak with you in his office before leaving!"

Emilia nodded.

"Very well, then go back to what you were doing,"

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she said, preparing to continue on her way.

"Ma'am,"

Nico called hesitantly. When Emilia turned, he continued:

"Your hair has a bit of snow on it."

With a gentle gesture, he brushed her hair, removing the remaining flakes.

"Oh, thank you,"

Emilia replied with a slight smile, surprised by the unexpected attention.

Gabriel observed the scene with visible discomfort.

"What is this idiot thinking?"

he thought, discreetly pulling his brother.

"Come on, Nico, we have to feed the dragons,"

he said in a low voice.

Nico resisted.

"Stop pulling me, you idiot. I have a question for the general,"

he retorted, lightly pushing his brother.

Emilia, noticing the tension, intervened:

"Then ask quickly, I don't have all day."

Nico took a deep breath before asking:

"Ma'am, you’re being sent to the human world, right? I’ve always wanted to go there, but juniors aren’t allowed… We wanted to know if you might need partners or even helpers."

The question took Emilia by surprise. It was unusual for magical creatures to show interest in the non-magical world. With a slight enigmatic smile, she replied as she walked away:

"Maybe one day. For now, you two are still too weak."

She raised her hand in farewell and headed towards the portal.

Behind her, Gabriel grumbled to his brother:

"What’s with you, idiot? Wanting to go to the human world? And what was that ‘Oh, your hair is dirty’?"

he mocked, imitating his brother’s gesture.

Emilia entered the first tower. As she opened the door, she encountered a large staircase with wooden steps. Surprisingly, as she stepped on the first step, she was instantly transported to a vast sandy desert, under a scorching summer sun. In the distance, she saw an enigmatic figure with a dog’s head and long dragon wings.

"I want to see him!"

Emilia shouted, pulling a coin from her coat pocket and tossing it into the sand. The coin quickly sank. The distant figure snapped its fingers, and suddenly a corridor materialized around Emilia. The walls were decorated with various portraits depicting unknown faces. At the end of the corridor, there was a door with a plaque: "Office of Lord Pereira".

Emilia walked to the door and turned the knob. The room revealed was small and peculiar. On the left wall, 45 ebony ravens were arranged in a precise formation. In front of her, seated behind an imposing desk, was a man of notable appearance. His chair, made from what appeared to be a dragon’s skull, complemented his austere figure. The man had very dark brown skin, sparse curly hair, and was missing one arm.

"This is a great place to hide,"

Emilia commented, her eyes scanning the brick walls.

"Let’s cut the chit-chat." The man, with a brusque gesture, picked up a cigar from the desk and lit it with a snap of his fingers, the bluish flame flickering from the tip. Emilia, silent, watched the smoke dissipate in the air, carrying the scent of gunpowder and something else, an aura of danger that sent shivers down her spine. The shadow of her raven, Phantom, stretched across the floor, a dark and living blot that pulsed slightly.

"News arrived this morning. Three of the four fugitives are in São Paulo." The man, with a cold gaze, shuffled some papers on his desk. "Why don’t you send a search team?" Emilia questioned, her voice dry.

"It’s not that simple. All our Ravens surrounding the city were taken down this morning. Without information, the superiors didn’t release a troop, and most of the personnel went to the capital to help with the incident there."

The tension in the room was palpable. "We need someone like you," the man continued, "someone with raven magic who can sneak in the shadows and, if anything happens, easily return." Phantom stirred, brushing its head against Emilia’s leg as if understanding the task ahead.

Emilia leaned against the wall, the room’s shadow blending with her dark dress. "But what kind of threat are we talking about that even the cowardly superiors are afraid of?" The mockery in her voice was a thin thread of steel.

Lord Pereira, with a quick gesture, pointed to a paper with a person’s photo. Emilia craned her neck, her gaze fixed on the image. "This is Voudoo, a prisoner who can control souls. Play with them."

"If something goes wrong and you need to take extreme measures, you can simply cleanse the city," the man said, without hesitation.

"And the humans?" Emilia asked, her voice cold.

"The humans? I couldn’t care less about the humans. I just don’t want that bastard finding a way back to this world and playing with our people’s souls."

"I understand." Emilia gave an arrogant smile. "Given that, I won’t waste any time."

Lord Pereira muttered incomprehensible words, and the enigmatic figure with a dog’s head appeared in the room. In the blink of an eye, Emilia was back in the courtyard of the Order of Ravens, the cold wind hitting her face.

But Emilia didn’t move. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, and focused her energy. Dark magic pulsed through her veins, and with a swift gesture, she absorbed the shadows from the ground, transforming them into a dark mist that swirled around her. The mist condensed, taking the shape of a raven, a perfect replica of Phantom.

"Phantom, go ahead," she ordered, her voice hoarse. The raven, a perfect reflection of the original, flew into the sky, diving towards the ground and transforming into a dark cloud, a portal to the human world.

"I still have matters to resolve here," Emilia thought, her eyes fixed on the dissipating black cloud.

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