Prologue: The King's Vow
Part 3: The Daughter of the Knight King
The courtyard of the Grand Knight's Keep was alive with the sound of steel. Blades clashed in rapid succession, the air thick with the scent of sweat and polished metal. Dozens of knights trained under the watchful eyes of their commanders, but all their movements halted as the doors to the inner sanctum creaked open.
A lone figure stepped forward, her polished silver armor reflecting the early morning sun.
Seraphina Evernight.
The youngest Swordmaster in the history of Enigma.
The gathered knights turned, their whispers barely contained. Some gazed in admiration, others with uncertainty. She was not just a prodigy—she was the daughter of Sir Alistair Godfrey, the Knight King, the strongest warrior in the realm.
Yet, despite her lineage, Seraphina had carved her own path.
With every battle fought, with every opponent bested, she had proven she was more than her father's shadow.
She had become a force of her own.
But Seraphina did not stand among the noble-born warriors.
She stood apart.
She was not a noblewoman by name, nor did she belong to any great house. Yet her lineage stood among legends—the guardians who had served the throne since time immemorial.
And soon, the kingdom would know why.
---
The Gathering of Princes and Princesses
Deep within the palace, the royal chamber had been prepared for an important gathering. The five princes, each a contender for the throne, had assembled. But they were not alone.
For the daughters of the great houses—the princesses of noble blood—had also arrived.
Princess Anastasia Vaelmont, a warrior-princess of the Vaelmont family, known for her mastery of the spear.
Princess Isolde Ravencroft, the cold beauty whose mind was as sharp as any blade.
Princess Evelyne Lysander, a scholar with a gift for ancient magics.
Princess Celestine Thorne, a huntress with eyes like a hawk and the deadliest aim in the kingdom.
They were not mere ornaments of nobility—they were power in their own right. And each held a stake in the trial to come.
But Seraphina was different from them.
She was not a noblewoman by name. She had no claim to a house.
Yet here she stood, walking past them with the ease of one who feared nothing.
Because she had made her choice.
She did not stand with the noble daughters.
She stood with Lucien.
---
The Goddess of Enigma & The Rival Demigods
The air in the chamber shifted as Alden, the Prime Demigod King, spoke.
> "Before we speak of war, before we speak of trials, let us remember whom we serve."
Silence followed.
Then, in unison, the gathered nobles and warriors bowed their heads.
> "For she watches us still," Alden continued, his golden eyes gleaming. "The Goddess of Enigma. The First Queen. The mother of our bloodline."
A force unseen rippled through the air, as if reality itself recognized her name.
The Goddess of Enigma.
She was more than a deity—she was the divine force that had shaped the kingdom itself. She had once walked these lands, had once ruled beside the First King. But now, she resided beyond mortal reach.
Yet, when the nobles and warriors spoke of her, they were not speaking of the true goddess who ruled over realms beyond comprehension.
They spoke of the mortal form she once held—the queen who walked among them in ages past.
The goddess herself remained unseen, watching from a plane beyond their understanding.
But Enigma was not alone in its power.
Across the vast lands beyond its borders, two other demigods ruled over their own mighty kingdoms.
One was a demigod of unbreakable order, ruling with laws that bound the very fabric of reality itself. To defy him was to defy the natural order of existence.
The other was a demigod of unstoppable conquest, whose warriors marched beneath an eternal crimson sky, conquering all in their path. To oppose him was to challenge the fate of the world.
And though these demigods had long watched one another in silence…
The balance was shifting.
---
The War Beyond the Throne
As the discussions continued, a shadow loomed beyond the politics of Enigma.
For in distant lands, across the great seas and towering mountains, two gods who had yet to be named watched over the world.
And one of them, the Goddess of Enigma, still watched over her people.
Not the form they worshipped.
Not the queen they remembered.
But the true divine force who had long since left this world behind.
And as for the second god…
His gaze had turned toward Enigma.
The balance of power was shifting.
And where gods stirred, war was inevitable.
It would not be a war of men alone.
It would be a war of gods and kings.
And in the heart of it all, Lucien and Seraphina's fates had already been written.
A war was coming.
One that would change the world forever.
---
The First King and the Vow
Before there was a kingdom, before there was a throne to fight for, there was only a man.
A warrior whose name would be etched into eternity.
No crown was placed upon his head. No divine right was given to him by birth. He took the throne not by inheritance, but by strength alone. Through countless battles, through blood and steel, he carved a kingdom out of chaos.
And when the wars were done, when the earth itself bore witness to his conquest, he made a vow.
A vow that only the strong would rule.
A vow that power alone would decide the fate of kings.
And so, the Kingdom of Enigma was born.
A kingdom where the throne was never passed down—only taken.
A kingdom where the trials of succession would never end.
Now, generations later, that vow would be tested once more.
---
The Seven Kingdoms and Their Silent Gods
Beyond Enigma's borders, seven kingdoms stood. Each one ruled by ancient bloodlines, their origins shrouded in myths. Some claimed to descend from gods. Others whispered of divine blessings long forgotten.
The world had known peace for an age. A fragile balance held by powers unseen. But no peace was eternal. No balance unshaken forever.
And in the dark corners of the world, something was stirring.
The old gods did not speak.
But that did not mean they were blind.
---
Who is Enigma?
A kingdom?
A goddess?
A legacy?
Or something far greater?
Even the gods did not know the full answer.
And perhaps, they never would.
---
To Be Continued…