The Detective Jr.

Raven woke up in complete darkness, confused and disoriented. As she stood up, she called out, "Dylan...? Linxi...? Nicholas...?" but her voice only echoed back at her.

"Am I dead? Where am I?" she wondered, walking through the darkness. Suddenly, she saw a little girl crying in the distance.

"Hey, are you okay?" Raven asked, but as she got closer, she saw that the girl had black hair and brown eyes. "That's me..." Raven thought.

Then, a familiar voice called out behind her. "Raven! Oh my dear daughter, did you get lost, sweetheart?" It was her father, smiling and walking toward little Raven.

"They can't see me..." Raven said, realizing that she was invisible to them. She watched as her father comforted little Raven, who was crying.

"Why are you crying, sweetheart?" her father asked.

"I want Mommy! She promised she'd come back!" little Raven cried.

Raven's heart sank. She remembered the day her mother left, breaking her promise and leaving a painful hole in their lives.

"Mommy's just busy, honey," her father said, trying to calm her down, but little Raven cried louder. "Why did she lie?!"

The memory of her mother's abandonment hit Raven hard. She had spent years pretending it didn't hurt, but seeing it now brought the pain rushing back.

The scene faded, and Raven found herself in a new place, where she saw her teenage self sitting on a park bench, writing in a notebook filled with detective work.

"Raven!" a voice called out. She turned to see a boy with blonde hair and wine-red eyes, Dylan running toward her.

"You won't believe what I found! A fire mage at our school!" Dylan said, full of excitement.

"That's perfect!" teenage Raven replied. "We could solve so many cases together!" They talked about their plans, their laughter filling the air, but Raven could see the challenges ahead- the struggles with their powers, their differences, and the weight of their ambitions.

"Are you with me?" Dylan asked, and teenage Raven smiled. But adult Raven felt sadness, knowing what struggles would come.

As the scene faded again, Raven found herself in a new nightmare. She was back in her village, but it was no longer peaceful. There was chaos- fire, shouting, and fighting. She saw her father, fighting off attackers to protect their home.

"Dad!" teenage Raven screamed, but her voice was drowned out by the noise.

"Stay back!" her father shouted, pushing her away. "You need to run!"

Raven watched helplessly as her father fought bravely, but one attacker struck him down, and he fell to the ground.

"I will always love you... my daughter..." he whispered before he died.

Raven's heart shattered as she dropped to her knees, crying for the loss of her father.

Just then, Dylan appeared, pulling Raven away. "We have to go! It's not safe!" he said, urgently.

They ran through the chaos, escaping the village as it burned. Raven felt the weight of her loss, but she also felt Dylan's support.

"I won't let this define me," Raven whispered, her voice full of resolve. "I'll honor my father's memory by fighting for a better future."

Together, they left the village behind, stepping into the unknown. As they reached the edge, the sun broke through the clouds, and Raven felt a glimmer of hope. With Dylan by her side, she was ready to face whatever came next.

But then, the voice of darkness echoed. "The choice is yours to make... Reunite with your family in the endless dream, or fight the darkness off."

"You... who are you?" she whispered, her voice shaking as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. The air seemed to grow heavier, and the voice boomed like thunder: "I am the Deity of Eternal Night, the Sovereign of Shadows and Keeper of the Abyss"

An overwhelming force pushed Raven to her knees. Slowly, she lifted her head, and her breath caught in her throat. She found herself held in the enormous palm of a Deity, whose eyes shone like the vast, endless cosmos. Those purple eyes seemed to pierce through her, filling her with a fear so deep, it felt like it could crush her. The Deity, cloaked in long black hair, the large demonic horns, its golden chains clinking with each movement. He was both beautiful and terrifying, his presence unsettling yet mesmerizing.

"Deity of the Eternal Night... Are you Skyler...?" she asked in a near whisper, her uncertainty clear. The God blinked, and the world seemed to tremble with the motion. He then gently lowered her to the ground.

"You mortals dare to speak my name," his voice rumbled, deep and powerful. "What do you seek Mortal?"

Raven's heart pounded, fear clawing at her, but she stood tall. "I... I want to fight the darkness and return to my friends... to Dylan."

For a brief moment, something like respect or curiosity flashed in his eyes. "I understand. But first, you must face a trial to earn your place back in the human realm"

With a swift movement, the shadows around her shifted into twisted, dark figures- puppets of malevolent magic. Their eyes glowed with hunger, and Raven felt fear rush through her. But she steeled herself.

Summoning her inner strength, she called the winds to her, her fingers moving through the air as she summoned a powerful gust. The wind roared to life, a fierce ally. With a loud cry, she unleashed a torrent of wind, tearing through the darkness. The shadow puppets screamed as they were torn apart, their strings cut, their power shattered by the storm.

When the last of the shadows vanished, the Deity of Eternal Night gazed at her with new intensity. "You have passed the first trial, Little Mortal," he said, his voice softer now, carrying the weight of future challenges. "But remember, the path to light is full of shadows. You must stay alert, for darkness will always try to reclaim what it's lost..."

With that, he closed his eyes, and the darkness began to fade, leaving only the faintest echo of his presence behind. Raven stood among the remnants of her trial, her heart burning with resolve. She had fought the darkness and won, but this was just the beginning. Every step forward would be a fight- not just for herself, but for the friendships that bound her to Dylan and the others. The road ahead was perilous, but she would not give up. The light of hope blazed within her, and she would use it to push back the encroaching night.

_To Be Continue_