CHAPTER 5: THE CHILDREN OF LEGENDS
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FADE IN.
INT. TITAN’S TOWER – NIGHT
The Teen Titans gather around their monitor. The room is dimly lit, the glow of the screens reflecting off tense faces.
A strange playing card sits on the console—an Ace of Spades.
The moment Robin picks it up—
—The screens glitch.
Static swallows the display, twisting into a live video feed.
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ON SCREEN:
A shadowy figure stands atop a distant rooftop, the city lights framing his silhouette. Hands in pockets. Calm. Confident.
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THE ARCHITECT
(distorted voice, amused)
"You found my calling card. That means the game has begun."
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The lights flicker.
An alarm blares.
Intruder alert.
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ROBIN
(grim, tightening grip on his staff)
"Split up. Search every floor. We stop this now."
The Titans nod and move.
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INT. SERVER ROOM – RAVEN
Raven steps inside, the hum of technology filling the silence. A shiver runs through the air.
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RAVEN
(low, wary)
"Who’s there?"
---
The monitors around her blink to life—showing her own reflection.
No—
—Hundreds of reflections.
Each one whispering something different.
Doubt. Fear. Hesitation.
---
A shadow looms behind her. Still. Watching.
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THE ARCHITECT
(soft, almost curious)
"I wonder, Raven... do you trust your own mind?"
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Raven’s fists clench. Magic flares—
—A blast of darkness engulfs the figure.
But when the smoke clears—nothing.
A hologram.
The lights go out.
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INT. ARMORY – CYBORG
Cyborg moves carefully, scanning every corner. His infrared flickers. His systems hum on high alert.
---
Then—
His arm spasms.
Targeting systems engage. Weapons lock.
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CYBORG
(gritted teeth)
"What the—my systems—?"
---
A voice crackles through the intercom.
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THE ARCHITECT
(mock sympathy)
"You rely too much on tech, Cy. What happens when it turns against you?"
---
Cyborg jerks as his own arm cannon charges.
A blast fires—
—He dodges at the last second, scrambling to regain control.
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INT. MAIN HALL – ROBIN
Robin moves like a shadow, scanning the empty space. He senses it—movement.
He throws a birdarang.
---
It passes through thin air.
A flickering hologram of The Architect smirks at him.
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THE ARCHITECT
(voice echoing, playful)
"The detective... the strategist... Tell me, Robin, what’s more frustrating—an enemy you can’t find, or one who’s already won?"
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Smoke detonates—
—A thick cloud swallowing the hall. Footsteps echo, but they’re everywhere. No pattern. No source.
Robin’s grip tightens. Jaw clenches.
He’s losing control of the battlefield.
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INT. COMMAND CENTER – STARFIRE & BEAST BOY
The main console flickers—
Then dies.
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BEAST BOY
(shouting, panicked)
"Dude, this is bad!"
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STARFIRE
(eyes glowing, fists clenched)
"Come out, coward!"
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The vents hiss.
A slow, steady rain of Ace of Spades cards drifts from above, falling around them like ash.
A speaker crackles.
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THE ARCHITECT
(calm, absolute)
"Checkmate."
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Darkness consumes Titan’s Tower.
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EXT. TITAN’S TOWER – NIGHT
The team regroups on the rooftop, eyes sharp, chests rising and falling. Searching.
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ROBIN
(low, frustrated)
"Where are you?!"
---
A soft beep.
They turn—
A floating drone hovers nearby, its camera fixed on them.
A voice drifts from the speaker.
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THE ARCHITECT
(calm, assured)
"I was never inside your tower."
Robin’s expression darkens.
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THE ARCHITECT
(continuing, amused)
"But I was in your systems. Your weapons. Your minds. You never fought me—only my echoes."
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Something falls at Robin’s feet.
An Ace of Spades.
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THE ARCHITECT
(soft, almost teasing)
"Next time, try to keep up."
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The drone self-destructs—
—A burst of smoke swallowing the night air.
When it clears—nothing.
Just silence.
Just the realization that they lost.
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FADE TO BLACK.
YOU ARE READING
The Book Of Origin: Codex Architectus
Fantasy"The Book of Origin: Codex Architectus" The universe wasn't born. It was written. Before time, the Architect carved reality into pages-then vanished. What's left behind is the Codex: a living manuscript that rewrites everything you thought was true...
