Fall of the Three Ravens

Our sweat-stung faces are dust-coated as we freeze beneath the site of the hidden hatch. The figure in the mask practises tranquillising authority as the hatch clunks shut behind them. The thin whine of sirens in the distance cuts through the wreckage.

I rise, heart pounding. "Who are you?" My voice descends to cracked, exhaustion — and resistance.

They advance, boots clacking on the crumbled concrete. The badge on their chest glints in the sun: three stylized ravens arranged in a triangle. They have an icy authority about them. "The Architect of the Kings."

Adrian stirs behind me. "You—created the syndicate?" There is a pain and a betrayal in his eyes.

The Architect tilts their head. "I created the network that runs this city. I had you all as pieces on my board." They close the door with their gloved hand. "Project Raven was only a beta.

Rafe grips his rifle. "You designed us to fight your wars — and we've already turned against each other.

The Architect inclines. "Precisely. Until I discovered I had a better purpose for you. There's a faction of Kings that doesn't want control, it wants ultimate power." Their finger pushes an invisible button; holo-displays blink to life around us—schematics of the compound and red hotspots denoting every breach, every battle, every felled construct.

Evelyn's breath hitches. "They tracked our every move." She staggers forward. "How? Why?"

A silent beat. Then the Architect slides off her mask, and here is the face of an older woman, older than any of us—silver-streaked hair, chiseled cheekbones stripped of all warmth.

My stomach twists. "Mother?" I whisper.

Shock flashes across Rafe's face. Adrian releases a low curse. Evelyn's eyes pool with betrayal.

She—my mother—smiles. "My little constructs." Her gaze sweeps each of us. "Elyra, your obedience was admirable. But you were too volatile. The constructs — my Ravens, faithful — were their replacements for you.

The hatch rattles. Kings reinforcements smash through the hatch door, weapons drawn. "Architect," a lieutenant calls to him, "the orders are bring her in alive."

Architect nods to the soldiers. "Contain them."

Chaos erupts. Evelyn crouches behind Adrian, who shoots back. Rife punches a deputy before he can unholster his weapon. I rush after the Architect, balled fists closing in.

She backs into a collapsing support beam. "You have no f—ing idea what's coming." She pushes a concealed panel; the hatch door lights up red.

"Lockdown protocol!" Adrian shouts. The doors seal with a pneumatic hiss.

Rafe tries the handle. "We're trapped."

I leap at the Architect and tackle her to the floor. She gasps. The symbol on her chest brightens—three ravens, glowing like burning embers.

Evelyn reaches to pull my hands apart as the Architect slaps her own hand over my wrist. Agony lances up my arm and power pulses in between us. My vision flickers, something not mine turning up in my head.

A montage: the establishment of the Three Kings, secret treaties with world leaders, seamy compacts in undisclosed chambers, the building of the constructs in this very building. I reel back.

The Architect rises to her feet, brushing dust from her gloves. "You see now. It's not about control — it's about evolution. The Ravens will lead the next stage of the human race."

Rafe hauls me to my feet. "She's using you—us—all of us."

My chest tightens. The emblem on the Architect's chest pulses with light.

I catch Evelyn's gaze. She nods—no words needed.

I push: hand against hand. It's all I can do to use the Architect's grip against itself. There's a flash of lightning, and the logo shatters in a blaze of light.

The Architect cries out—a call that shatters concrete. The hatch opens with a snatch.

The hatch slides open and armored soldiers bear down upon us; we scatter.

The compound is shaking above us — reactor cores spinning toward meltdown.

Evelyn screams, voice raw: "We need to get to control nexus - override Kings and stop this!"

I place my fingers against my wrist, where the branding once was. The trauma of its/ my core splinter broken pieces hum softly.

Rafe grabs my hand. "I'm with you."

Adrian sketches a map in the dirt. "Two corridors—sector Alpha and Omega. Alpha takes you down to the nexus, Omega to the evac tunnels."

I swivel my eyes back and forth between the lanes. Behind me, the soldiers reload. The Architect pulls themselves together, face with partially-shattered mask and rage in eyes.

"Choose," Evelyn hisses. "Time is gone."

I breathe deep. "Alpha."

We charge ahead - rifles parting soldiers before us. Bullets crash off walls. Evelyn stuffs a grenade into a ventilation duct; it detonates with a boom, shards cascading.

We and skid down the Alpha corridor—red lights blinking. Power conduits hum along the walls.

"Almost there," pants Adrian, who's out in front.

We round the final bend. The command node is right there: huge vault doors bearing the sigil of Three Ravens, while behind us the Architect is backlit by klaxons.

My pulse jumps. The doors hiss open.

"After you," the Architect croons.

I step forward. Behind us, the soldiers falter.

Deep in the nexus the master console hums, lights flashing and core override sequence awaiting the final authorisation.

Evelyn exhales. "Let's end this."

The nexus doors crash, closing—trapping us in darkness.

And the Architect's voice echoes:

"Welcome home, Ravens."

The console buzzes as five raven-skull drones descend from the ceiling — the souls of the Three Ravens and two stranger avatars ready to take the nexus and humanity's destiny.