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Chapter 13: Brothers, Games, and a New Beginning
Lucian dragged his tired body through the front door of his apartment. Every muscle screamed in protest, his mind spinning from the endless cycle of death and rebirth. But when the door clicked shut behind him, the oppressive weight of the Tower lifted, even if just for a moment.
The apartment was still. He didn't hear any of Neo's usual noise—no video games blaring, no music pounding through the walls. In fact, the only sound was the quiet hum of the refrigerator.
He took a deep breath. Home.
Lucian shuffled through the living room, his eyes scanning the room with a tired fondness. The couch was empty, and the TV screen flickered softly in the corner, abandoned. He stepped closer, only to find Neo sprawled out on the couch, fast asleep. His brother's legs were hanging off the side, a half-eaten bag of chips still clutched in his hand like a weapon.
Lucian stopped in his tracks, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten as he watched Neo sleep. It was strange—seeing him so peaceful, so unaware of the chaos that Lucian had been through. Neo didn't know about the Tower of Trials, or the hellish battles Lucian faced daily. To him, everything was normal. To Lucian, nothing had been normal for a long time.
With a tired smile, Lucian dropped his bag by the door and quietly walked over to the couch. He didn't want to wake Neo, but a sense of relief washed over him. It had been too long since he'd had these moments—simple, quiet moments where things didn't feel like they were spiraling out of control.
He sat down carefully next to his brother, settling into the familiar warmth of the couch. For the first time in a long while, Lucian allowed himself to just be. No fighting. No deaths. Just this. Just home.
It wasn't long before Neo stirred, groaning as he rubbed his eyes and blinked up at Lucian in confusion.
"Yo," Neo mumbled, clearly still half asleep. "What time is it?"
Lucian leaned back against the couch, stretching his legs out. "Don't know. Don't care. You were out cold."
"Yeah, well, I stayed up all night playing games," Neo replied, sitting up and letting out a yawn. "You've been… busy, huh?"
Lucian glanced at the TV screen, still paused on the last show they'd been watching. He had been "busy" in a way Neo could never understand. The Tower. The endless cycle of death. But Neo didn't need to know about that. Not right now. Not when everything felt like it was finally slowing down.
"I've been around. Thought I'd spend some time with you, for a change," Lucian said casually. His voice was smooth, but there was a weight to the words. A subtle honesty that Neo might not fully grasp. "So, what's new? Any new games you want to torture me with?"
Neo raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting that response. "Wait, are you saying you want to hang out with me? Like… really hang out? After all this time?"
Lucian gave him a half-hearted shrug, feigning indifference. "Yeah, what's the big deal? Just seems like it's time to do something normal for a change. It's been a while."
Neo stared at him, eyes narrowing in suspicion. "...Are you sure you're not sick or something? This is... weird."
"Maybe I'm just tired of being alone," Lucian muttered, not quite looking at him. He didn't want to get into it. Not now. He just wanted this peace.
Neo studied him for a long moment before letting out a dramatic sigh. "Fine, whatever. If you wanna be a weirdo and spend time with your little brother, I guess I can't stop you. But only if I get to pick the pizza toppings."
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The next few days were a blur of strange normalcy. Lucian and Neo went out to their favorite spots, grabbing greasy burgers, ramen, and even overpriced coffee because Neo liked the pastries. For the first time in a long while, Lucian felt like he could breathe—like he was just another guy in the world, enjoying his life.
They played games together in the evenings. Lucian, surprisingly, wasn't terrible at it, much to Neo's bewilderment. Every time Neo beat him, he'd gloat, but Lucian took it in stride. They laughed more than they had in years, the old banter and teasing falling easily between them.
At night, when everything finally quieted down, Lucian would find himself on the couch, utterly exhausted, but at peace. It wasn't that the exhaustion from his time in the Tower was gone—it was still there, lurking beneath the surface, like a shadow he couldn't escape. But in these moments, he could forget about it.
Lucian fell asleep on the couch more nights than he cared to count, his mind settling into a rhythm. It wasn't perfect. It wasn't the life he had once imagined, but it was something close.
One evening, as Lucian lazily flipped through the channels, his eyes caught a segment on the news. He froze when the screen showed the face of Lucus, the Vice-Captain of the Sovereign Guild.
"Lucus, Vice-Captain of the Sovereign Guild, has just completed a staggering feat—raiding a lifetime total of 100 Hell Spheres in just five years. This is an achievement that many thought impossible…"
Lucian's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He'd heard rumors about Lucus and the Sovereign Guild. They were a force to be reckoned with, known for their elite combat prowess. But 100 Hell Spheres in five years? That was almost unheard of.
"In other news," the reporter continued, "the Infernal Vanguard has announced a new partnership with Argent, aiming to combine their strengths to take on the most dangerous dungeons and raids…"
The mention of the Infernal Vanguard and Argent caught Lucian's attention, but it was the image of Lucus that stuck in his mind. He leaned forward, curiosity swirling inside him. If Lucus could do that, what did it take? What kind of strength was required?
He turned off the TV with a sigh.
For a moment, Lucian was lost in thought. The Weeks of Destruction. His self-made technique. He had used it in the Tower, but it hadn't been enough. He had to get stronger. He had to evolve.
Lucian closed his eyes, reaching deep inside himself, trying to tap into the power he had refined over the countless days he spent fighting. But as he focused on the Weeks of Destruction, he found something... missing. It wasn't that he couldn't access it—it was just that it wasn't enough. He needed more. He needed to learn, to grow beyond the skills he had.
But as his focus wavered, his mind drifted back to the one thing that always grounded him: the bond with his brother, the connection they had. Lucian smiled softly, knowing that whatever happened next, he wasn't alone.
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Lucian finally stood, stretching his sore muscles. He was done for the night, but tomorrow was a new day. The road ahead was still long, but he wasn't walking it alone anymore.
"Hey, Neo," Lucian called from the living room, where his brother was already plopped back on the couch.
"Huh?"
Lucian grinned. "You're right. You are annoying. But I wouldn't have it any other way."
Neo just rolled his eyes. "Takes one to know one, bro."
And for the first time in a long while, Lucian felt like he was exactly where he was meant to be.
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