"Athena... where are you?" the man called out, stepping into the dimly lit room. Shadows danced across the stone walls, stirred by a flickering candlelight on a nearby table.
Two books lay there.
"Landen the Majestic Knight… and The Tale of the Two Brothers," he read, a bittersweet smile tugging at his lips. She has never gone far without these.
Memories stirred—nights by the fire, her small voice begging, "Just one more chapter, Papa!" She'd clutched those books like treasures since she was five. She had to be here.
As he moved across the room, a flash of long black hair caught his eye. He followed it outside to find her standing there, her sheer cape flowing elegantly around her blue dress, adorned with intricate stitching that accentuated her form.
"Athena!" he called out.
She quickly turned. "Father!"
Athena was a striking young woman who had recently celebrated her eighteenth birthday. She possessed an unmatched beauty, standing tall with a slender figure that radiated noble grace. Her black hair flowed in glossy waves down her back, and her wide, expressive eyes shimmered with emotion.
"We are under attack," she cried, pointing to the chaos.
"Yes, I know," he said as he watched flames consume the rooftops nearby.
The sky was filled with thick black smoke, bolts of powerful energy tore through the air, and enemy soldiers climbed the fortress walls.
"You're not surprised by this, are you," Athena said, studying her father's face. "What are you not telling me?"
"There isn't much time," he said, reaching for her hand. "Come with me. We need to get you out of here now."
She pulled back. "No, not until you explain what's happening. You knew this was coming."
Suddenly, loud explosions echoed through the room, the lights flickered, and the ground trembled beneath their feet.
Quickly reacting, her father pulled her across the room, causing her to stumble into the hallway. When she looked up, her jaw dropped.
"The Six Renowned Knights..." she murmured, barely able to get the words out. "They're all here."
Before her stood a formidable wall of heavily armed infantry and leading them, the imposing figures of the Six Renowned Knights.
Athena's heart pounded, overwhelmed by the surge of energy. Since childhood, they had been her idols—a pantheon of courage, each a legendary figure in their own right.
The world was divided into six distinct classes: support, mage, defender, assassin, marksman, and fighter. From across the three planets, the strongest warriors of each class rose through the ranks of the World Battle Arena. The greatest among them earned the ultimate honor—the Title of the Six Renowned Knights.
Though they hailed from different worlds, each Knight was unmatched in power and reputation. Together, they stood as the guardians of the Divine Starry System. Bound to their own realms, they rarely gathered in one place, so seeing them united now was like witnessing a constellation align.
"Master Nova!" Athena addressed one of the knights.
A fair-haired woman with striking features acknowledged her with a nod and smile.
Her father walked to the front.
"Everyone! Follow me, quickly!"
The entire group moved with her father, while Athena and her master Nova fell towards the back.
"Master… What's going on?" Athena whispered.
"I don't know," Nova replied, "I was suddenly summoned, and when I arrived, the other five Renowned Knights were already here…"
Her eyes darted around as she leaned in. "Something's happening, Athena… something big. The kind of thing that doesn't just call warriors to battle, it calls legends."
Athena swallowed hard. "And yet… no one knows why."
"Not yet. But whatever it is… we're about to find out."
Athena's gaze flickered past Nova, landing on a man standing just behind them. His long, dark hair was pulled into a neat ponytail, and a black mask concealed the lower half of his face. His posture was composed, yet there was an unmistakable sharpness to his presence.
He bowed slightly. "Hello, I am Ling." His voice was smooth, calculated. "It is an honor to make your acquaintance."
Athena inclined her head respectfully. "The pleasure is mine."
Her eyes drifted to the daggers resting on his hips and the twin short blades strapped across his back—silent testaments to his profession. An assassin. His very presence radiated the quiet, deadly precision of someone who lived in the shadows.
As they walked, Athena's attention was drawn to a towering figure walking beside her father. A powerful, almost ethereal aura pulsed around him, sending a chill down her spine.
Nova leaned in slightly. "Do you recognize him?" she asked, nodding toward the man.
Athena's breath hitched. She knew that face.
"Is that…?" she whispered, her eyes widening in disbelief.
Nova nodded. "Yes, it's Landen Thorne."
Landen Thorne. The Majestic Knight. The legendary leader of the Renowned Knights. The man whose name was etched into history—whose stories she had read over and over. Yet he had disappeared years ago after the Great War.
Athena felt her heart pound against her ribs. "How is he here?" she breathed, barely believing her own words.
Landen, as if sensing her shock, turned slightly and met her gaze. His expression was unreadable, but the weight of his presence alone was enough to confirm it—this was real.
And if he was here, then whatever had summoned them all together… was far greater than she had imagined.