LXenon

In the land of Aetheria, strength is everything. The great warrior families—Argenthelm, Dravenmoor, and Varkos, and vaelor—rule with the might of their swords, their names etched in history as the strongest knights to ever live.  

Born into the prestigious Argenthelm family, Rael was expected to follow in their footsteps, to master the sacred sword techniques and awaken the power that runs through his bloodline. But no matter how hard he trained, no matter how many battles he endured, he could never grasp the essence of sword aura.  

To his father, to his brothers, and to the world, he was a failure.  

On his sixteenth birthday, Rael is cast out, forced to undergo the Trial of Kings—a cruel test that has claimed the lives of countless unworthy heirs. Alone, with nothing but a dagger in hand, he is thrown into the deadly wilds of Aetheria, where monsters, mercenaries, and rival warriors lurk in the shadows.  

But Rael is not like the others. He does not rely on brute force. He does not wield an unstoppable blade.  

he THINKS. He ADAPTS.He SURVIVES.

And if the world refuses to acknowledge him as a knight—then he will carve his name into history another way.

The survival of the weakest knight

The moon hung high over Imperius Academy, casting pale silver light across the silent training grounds.

Rael moved through the darkness, sweat glistening on his skin, his body screaming from exhaustion. His spear whirled through the air, carving invisible patterns into the night. Each movement was sharper, faster—refined through pain and repetition.

His muscles burned, but he pushed on. He had no choice.

His body tensed. He wasn't alone.

His instincts flared, his grip tightening around the spear. In a blur, he spun and leveled the weapon toward the shadows.

A figure stood at the edge of the clearing, caught in the moonlight.

She wore the academy's training uniform, but her stance was uncertain, hesitant. Her silver-white hair glowed in the dim light, contrasting against her striking violet eyes.

And most importantly—she wasn't supposed to be here.

She blinked at the spear pointed at her throat. "...That's a bit excessive, don't you think?"

Rael didn't lower his weapon. "Who are you?"

The girl sighed, brushing dust off her sleeves. "I could ask the same thing. Most nobles would be asleep by now, not swinging a spear like a madman."

Rael remained silent. She was noble-born. That much was obvious.

He had seen plenty of nobles—arrogant, poised, always carrying themselves with confidence. This girl had none of that.

There was uncertainty in her eyes.

The girl crossed her arms. "You're Rael, aren't you? The mercenary who got into Imperius?"

She smirked slightly. "Figures. I saw your fight. Everyone says you disappeared after that."

Rael exhaled, lowering his spear slightly. "And you? Who are you supposed to be?"

The girl hesitated. Then, her gaze darkened.

One of the three great warrior families.

Rael frowned. "Varkos? Then why are you here?"

Her expression twisted with something bitter. "Why do you think?"

She stepped forward, her posture tense. "Let me guess—you've heard of my family. Great swordsmen, warriors without equal, destined for greatness. That's what they always say, right?"

Rael didn't respond. He already knew where this was going.

Seraphina scoffed. "Well, let me make this easy for you." Her voice dropped. "I'm the disgrace of the Varkos bloodline."

She lifted her hand, slowly forming a stance. It was sloppy, unbalanced—a mockery of the legendary sword forms the Varkos family was known for.

"Unlike my perfect siblings, I was born 'lacking.'" She clenched her jaw. "No matter how hard I train, I can't live up to their expectations. My father sees me as a failure. The instructors tolerate me out of pity."

Rael remained quiet, watching her carefully.

He knew that feeling all too well.

Seraphina exhaled, her expression hardening. "But unlike the others, I refuse to give up." She looked at him, something determined in her gaze. "I want to be strong. I need to be strong."

She gestured at him. "And then I find you—a supposed failure, out here training harder than any noble I've ever met."

She met his eyes. "You don't care about status, do you? You're not following their rules."

Seraphina's lips curved into a small, wry smile. "Then teach me."

She straightened her stance. "You're doing something different. I want to know what it is."

Rael studied her for a long moment.

A noble. A failure. A girl desperately searching for something beyond the path carved for her.

After a moment, Rael turned away. "Do whatever you want."

And just like that—his secret training was no longer his alone.

Encounter