"Phantom Rebirth: The Last White Raven’s Path to the Ultimate Assassin"

The Raven’s Perch was quiet.

The only sounds were the gentle lapping of the waves against the fortress walls and the distant calls of seabirds circling above. The night was cool, the salty breeze carrying the lingering scent of battle—ash, charred scales, and void-touched seawater.

Seraphis stood on the battlements, gazing out over the darkened sea. The battle had ended, but her body still thrummed with leftover energy from the Voidflames. The power she had drained from the serpent still pulsed faintly within her veins.

Her crew was resting, some patching wounds, others tending to their gear. The fortress, despite the damage, still stood strong.

She exhaled slowly, fingers brushing over the hilt of one of her daggers. The second serpent was still out there. It had retreated, but she knew it wasn’t gone for good.

Then—the sound of footsteps.

She turned just as Lysara emerged from the fortress entrance, a confident smirk playing on her lips.

"Sorry I’m late," Lysara said, stretching as she walked across the stone walkway. Her red cloak billowed slightly, the gold trim catching in the torchlight. "Got caught up in a little business at a port town. Thought I’d drop by. What the hell happened to you lot?"

Seraphis raised an eyebrow.

Lysara was the same as ever—sharp, unpredictable, always walking the line between friend and rogue.

She crossed her arms, smirking slightly. "Well, we fought a sea serpent. Killed it. Then found out there was a twin."

Lysara stopped in her tracks. "A twin?

Seraphis nodded. "Fought it off. It ran away. Now we’re resting."

For a brief moment, Lysara was silent. Then—she laughed.

"You’re serious? You fought a serpent, found out there was another one, and just—what? Kept fighting?" She ran a hand through her dark hair. "You’re mad, you know that?"

Seraphis chuckled. "You’re just realizing this?"

Lysara shook her head, stepping closer. "How bad was it?"

Seraphis turned her gaze back to the sea. "It wasn’t just any serpent. These things were massive. Smarter than the usual ones."

Lysara let out a low whistle. "And you’re still standing. Impressive."

Seraphis shrugged. "We had the Voidflame arrows. They worked—mostly. The second one, though? It adapted."

Lysara narrowed her eyes. "That’s a problem."

"Yeah." Seraphis exhaled. "We don’t know when it’ll come back, but it will. And next time, it won’t be alone."

Lysara’s expression darkened. "You think it’ll bring more?"

Seraphis nodded. "If these things are as intelligent as they seem, then yes. It won’t make the same mistake twice."

Lysara cursed under her breath. "Great. And here I was hoping for a quiet night.

Seraphis smirked. "You should know by now, there’s no such thing around me."

Lysara let out a dry laugh. "Yeah, no kidding."

The two of them stood in silence for a moment, listening to the distant waves.

Then, Lysara shifted her weight. "So, what’s the plan?"

Seraphis crossed her arms. "For now? We rest. We patch up the fortress. We prepare for another attack."

Lysara nodded. "Smart. But I assume you have something else in mind?"

Seraphis’s gaze flickered with something unreadable. "Always."

Lysara grinned. "Good. I’d be disappointed otherwise."

She turned, glancing over the resting crew. "They fought well, then?"

Seraphis nodded. "Better than I expected. But I need them at their best for what’s coming."

Lysara gave her a sideways glance. "You think it’s gonna be worse than last time?"

Seraphis didn’t hesitate. "Yes."

Lysara sighed. "Figures."

The night stretched on. The calm before the next storm.