Part I: The Duel
Five years later, the youngest prince stands tall before his mirror, excitement gleaming in his blue eyes. At Eleven years old, he's already donning his sparring clothes—leather belts secured, stance confident. Today marks his first official match against the twins, Alexander and Abigail. His first real chance to prove himself. Granted to him by Sarah forcing the twins to accept to duel him.
The transformation is remarkable. What was once a small, overlooked child has become a prodigy of combat. Spears, swords, bow and arrow—his mastery grows daily at an impossible rate. Even Sarah, the Sword Master, believes he'll surpass them all someday.
Walking through the palace corridors toward the courtyard, Nex catches the familiar whispers of servants and maids. Their mocking laughter follows him, but he pays them no mind. Only a few people truly understand his potential: his aunt Sarah, select knights from the imperial guard, and Lucy—his caring adoptive mother.
The courtyard ring awaits without viewers, filled with sand and scattered stones. But before he can prepare, Alexander's voice cuts through the morning air.
"Well, well," Alexander sneers, circling Nex like a predator. "Look what crawled out of the dungeons. Tell me, brother, did you borrow those clothes from the stable boys?"
Nex adjusts his grip on his chosen weapons—a gladius and heavy shield—but remains silent.
"And that hair!" Alexander continues, gesturing dramatically. "Black as a crow's wing. Are you sure you're not Death's child?"
Abigail stands nearby, her laughter ringing out at her brother's jests. But Nex notices something others miss—the forced quality of her amusement, how she glances at Alexander rather than truly finding humor in his cruelty.
"Your sword form is laughable," Alexander presses on. "Sarah might coddle you, but we both know you're nothing but a pretender playing at being royal."
Nex remains silent throughout the mockery, his expression unreadable. He studies Alexander's face, noting the flush of anger, the way his grip tightens on his sword. Information to be used later.
Alexander's face darkens at the lack of response. "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue, little—"
"Enough." Sarah's voice cuts across the courtyard as she approaches. The twins immediately fall silent, though Alexander's glare remains fixed on Nex.
Sarah positions herself at the ring's edge. "Remember your promise, Nex. One year left to prove you can best them both. Show me how close you've come."
Nex nods, his mind already calculating. He's played this fight countless times in his head, studying their movements, their patterns, their weaknesses.
"Begin!" Sarah calls.
The twins rush him immediately—Alexander from the right with his massive two-handed sword, Abigail from the left with her swift single blade. Their coordination is practiced but predictable.
Nex meets them head-on. His shield catches Alexander's heavy strike while his gladius deflects Abigail's quick thrust. The impact sends vibrations through his arm, but he holds firm.
"Is that all?" he taunts, spinning to face Alexander directly.
Before Alexander can recover from his blocked swing, Nex drives his shield forward, slamming it into his brother's chest. Alexander stumbles backward, shock replacing his earlier confidence.
"Lucky shot," Alexander gasps, but his movements are already becoming erratic, fueled by embarrassment rather than strategy.
Nex turns to Abigail, who circles him with predatory grace. She's faster than her brother, her blade work more precise. But Nex adapts, using his shield to deflect her strikes while scoring shallow cuts along her sides with his gladius.
"You're better than I expected," Abigail admits between exchanges, genuine respect flickering in her eyes.
Nex doesn't respond to her compliment, staying focused on his strategy. He's not here to make friends—he's here to win.
But Alexander has recovered, and his pride burns hotter than his tactical sense. His swings become wild, powerful but undisciplined. Abigail tries to coordinate with him, but his rage throws off their rhythm.
"Alex, calm down!" she calls out. "You're fighting like a barbarian!"
"Father would be disappointed," Nex says quietly, dodging another wild swing. "All that training, wasted on tantrums."
"I won't be humiliated by this cursed whelp!" Alexander roars, raising his sword for an overhead strike.
Nex sidesteps easily, then brings his gladius up in a controlled arc. The wooden blade connects with Alexander's temple—a clean, disqualifying hit.
The world tilted—not from the strike, but from the shame. Nex. Nex had beaten him. Not with brute force or chaos, but with skill. Clean. Precise. Undeniable.
Alexander's ears rang—not from pain, but from the laughter he could already hear in the palace halls.
He always takes what doesn't belong to him.
The thought came unbidden, bitter as iron.
Even her.
"I will never bow to him," he whispered, eyes burning. "Not to that cursed thing."
Alexander staggers, eliminated but not defeated. Abigail's expression torn between admiration for Nex's skill and loyalty to her brother.
"Just you and me now," she says, raising her sword.
She watched Nex closely—so focused, so determined. Part of her admired the boy's skill, the way he moved with quiet purpose. But Alexander... he would never forgive defeat. He would make Nex's life a living hell if the boy bested them fairly.
But as Nex approaches, Abigail's hand dips toward the sandy ground. In one fluid motion, she hurls dirt and pebbles into his eyes.
"Abigail!" Nex stumbles backward, blinking furiously.
"Sorry," she says with a flicker of guilt—gone as fast as it came. "But I fight to win."
Cheating wasn't just a tactic. It was mercy. A small mercy to spare Nex the full wrath of her brother.
She didn't expect Nex to understand. Maybe he never would. But for now, she had made her choice.
Half-blind, Nex raises his shield desperately as her blade seeks his defenses. He's losing ground, stumbling, when a different sound makes him freeze—the whistle of a two-handed sword cutting through air.
The blow to his skull sends him crashing to the ground. As darkness creeps in, he hears Sarah's furious voice.
"Alexander! What is wrong with you?"
"He was fighting both of us," Alexander argues, his voice defiant. "The rules said he had to beat both of us. I was still in the fight."
"You were eliminated!" Sarah's voice cracks like a whip. "That was cowardice, not strategy. Apologize to your brother immediately."
"I will never apologize to this cursed thing."
The slap echoes across the courtyard. "Get out of my sight."
When Nex's vision clears, he finds Abigail standing over him, her hand extended. Her face shows conflict—part guilt, part superiority.
"You fought well," she says quietly as he accepts her help. "But that doesn't make you my brother."
She hurries after Alexander, who's already stalking away, muttering curses.
Nex watches them go, processing what just happened. The lesson is clear: honor means nothing when pride is wounded. Rules bend when power is threatened. It's a bitter truth he'll carry with him to battlefields yet to come.
But as he retrieves his weapons, a small smile crosses his face. They had to cheat to beat him. Both of them. And he still has a full year to improve.
"Quite the performance," Sarah observes, approaching with crossed arms. "Though I notice you're not upset about losing."
Nex brushes grit from the gladius, lips curving faintly. "I didn't lose." He looks back at the courtyard. "I learned."
He gives her a meaningful look—a reminder of his promise—then walks toward the palace. Toward Lucy, who always knows exactly what to say after moments like these.
Behind him, Sarah shakes her head, equal parts impressed and concerned. The boy sees too much, understands too much. In a court full of vipers, that could prove dangerous.
But for now, she simply watches him go, wondering how someone so young could possess such skill. His limit seems to be only the sky itself. What kind of combat monster was born by the Sword Princess?