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Chapter 13: Of Chaos, Family, and a Guild Born from Ashes
Lucian stood outside the gray-stoned building with a sign that read "Sanctum for the Lost". The air smelled of rain and regret. Neo clung to his side, eyes wide, face serious. The butler, as always, stood silently behind, his presence as composed as a midnight breeze.
Lucian wasn't sure what pulled him there. Maybe it was the silence of his house when Neo wasn't around. Maybe it was the lingering ache of loneliness that still found a home inside his heart, no matter how strong he became.
Or maybe… he just wanted to give someone what he never had.
Inside, children's laughter echoed like distant bells. The caretakers greeted them warmly. But Lucian's gaze was already drawn to the far end of the room where a tiny baby girl was gnawing on the head of a stuffed dragon, face scrunched in pure mischief.
"That one," he pointed.
"Sir?" the caretaker asked, startled. "Are you sure? That's… Riv. She's a handful."
Lucian turned to Neo and the butler. "Sounds perfect."
---
It took only a few days for chaos to begin.
Riv cried when she was sleepy. Riv cried when she wasn't sleepy. She laughed like a gremlin when she bit Lucian's arm—twice—and nearly knocked over a bookshelf by somehow climbing it. She threw food at Neo, pulled the butler's elegant hair, and even once managed to tear a page from Lucian's sacred training book, prompting a cosmic scream of rage from its depths.
"Why did you let her near me again?" the book grumbled.
Lucian sighed. "She's family now. You gotta deal with it."
Neo looked up from where he was wiping mashed carrots off the wall. "Big bro, I think she just challenged me to a duel."
Riv responded by flinging a spoon at his forehead.
Lucian laughed so hard he nearly fell off the couch. But despite the madness, something about those moments filled the cracks in his soul. A new bond was forming—family, not by blood, but by choice. One forged in chaos, love, and pure insanity.
---
But Lucian knew what had to come next.
After days of diapers, babbling baby speeches that sounded oddly like curses, and one incident involving a flaming potato (they don't talk about that), Lucian handed Riv to Neo, kissed her tiny forehead, and ran.
"Wait—Big Bro!" Neo yelled, juggling the baby. "You can't just—"
"I have to train!" Lucian shouted back, already dashing through the front door. "You're strong enough to handle her!"
"NO, I'M NOT!"
---
Lucian stood beneath the cold sky of the training field. His heart was thumping—not from exhaustion, but from something deeper. Purpose. Resolve.
He had power, sure. But not enough.
He had a family now. Which meant he had more to protect.
He'd fought in the Hell Spheres, faced beasts in the Tower of Trials, and returned from death more times than he could count. But now... he would create something. A legacy. A banner others could rally behind. A guild born not from status, but from suffering. From scars and the will to rise beyond them.
He called it The Fallen Guild.
Because every member would be someone who had fallen… and chosen to rise.
---
The days bled into nights as he trained. The book, surprisingly cooperative, gave him new exercises: carrying weighted swords up vertical cliffs, meditating under waterfalls while balancing fire runes on his chest, and dodging invisible arrows in a pitch-black cave filled with hallucinations.
He failed. Over and over again.
He fell, scraped his hands raw, muscles screamed, mind broke.
But he didn't stop.
He trained his Weeks of Destruction with a new ferocity. The Week of Sorrow—refining it to channel his rage and heartbreak into soul-searing strikes. The Week of Annihilation—obliterating targets with sheer force and compressed mana. He began constructing the third and fourth weeks, slowly discovering fragments of their purpose through trial and error.
The butler sometimes joined him in silence, offering nothing but his unwavering presence. Once, Lucian collapsed to the ground after dragging a 300 kg boulder uphill, and the butler simply sat next to him, placing a cold water bottle in his hand.
"No words of encouragement?" Lucian asked breathlessly.
"I am encouraging you by not saying how pathetic that looked, sir."
Lucian laughed between wheezes.
---
Weeks passed. Lucian's strikes became faster. His aura deeper. He learned to infuse his own chaos into his attacks, even causing the air to tremble from raw pressure.
Then one night, as he stood under the stars, shirt torn, bruised but alive, he whispered, "This is only the beginning."
The butler appeared from the darkness.
"Sir. Something… strange happened at home."
Lucian turned sharply. "What do you mean?"
"Neo... says Riv tried to ride a mana wolf."
Lucian blinked. "WHAT?"
The butler handed him a drawing: Riv holding a leash, riding a flaming beast, laughing maniacally.
Lucian stared at it.
"I need to train harder," he whispered.
### Chapter 14: A New Dawn
The sun rose over the city, casting a warm glow that filtered through the windows of Lucian and Neo's modest apartment. Lucian sat at the kitchen table, staring at a plate of untouched pancakes. His mind was elsewhere, replaying the events of the past few weeks—the training, the new characters, and the overwhelming weight of responsibility pressing down on him.
"Hey, big bro! You planning to eat those or just stare them into submission?" Neo teased, pouring syrup over his own stack with a flourish.
Lucian chuckled, shaking his head. "You know what they say: food for thought. But honestly, I've been thinking about something else."
Neo raised an eyebrow. "What's on your mind?"
"I want to adopt a kid," Lucian said, catching Neo off guard.
"Wait, what? Like, a baby?" Neo's eyes widened. "Where's this coming from?"
Lucian leaned back, fingers steepled in thought. "I've been through a lot, and I've realized how important it is to have a family—an anchor. I want to create a home, not just for us but for someone who needs it."
Neo stared at him for a moment, considering. "Okay, I'm in. But you know raising a kid is a lot of work, right?"
"Yeah, I know. But I think it'll be worth it. We could give them a chance at a better life," Lucian replied, determination settling in his voice.
---
Later that day, they visited the local orphanage, a quaint building nestled in a quiet part of the city. Lucian felt a surge of emotions as they walked through the doors, greeted by the sounds of children laughing and playing. The warmth of the place contrasted sharply with the cold reality of his past.
"Look at them," Lucian said, a soft smile forming on his lips. "They're just kids, full of hope."
Neo nodded, his expression serious. "So, which one are we adopting?"
Lucian chuckled at his brother's eagerness. "Let's meet them first. We need to find the right fit. It's not all fun and games, you know."
As they wandered through the rooms, Lucian's heart raced. Each child had a story, a life filled with challenges he could only imagine. Then, they found her—a tiny girl with bright eyes and wild curls, sitting alone with a stuffed bear.
"Hey there," Lucian knelt down, a gentle smile on his face. "What's your name?"
"Riv," she said shyly, clutching her bear tightly.
"Riv, huh? I like it. You know, I think you'd make a great addition to our family," Lucian said, his heart swelling.
Neo chimed in, "Yeah! You can be our little sister. We'll take care of you!"
Riv's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Really? You're not just saying that?"
"Absolutely not," Lucian replied, ruffling her hair. "You're stuck with us now."
After some paperwork and a whirlwind of emotions, Riv moved in with them. The transition was chaotic, filled with laughter and the occasional tantrum as they adjusted to their new roles. Lucian and Neo quickly learned that parenting was far more challenging than they had anticipated, especially with a spirited child like Riv.
"Okay, Riv, time for bed," Lucian called one evening after a long day of playing.
"But I'm not tired!" she protested, her energy seemingly boundless.
"Trust me, you'll be tired soon enough," Lucian replied, trying to keep a straight face.
As they tucked Riv in, she looked up at Lucian with wide eyes. "Will you tell me a story?"
Lucian smiled, settling in beside her. "Sure. Once upon a time, there was a hero who fought against the odds. He had a brother and a little sister who believed in him…"
---
Weeks passed, and Lucian found strength in his new family. The bond between them deepened, and he felt a sense of purpose he hadn't experienced before. But he also knew that the peace wouldn't last forever. The Tower of Trials loomed on the horizon, and he had to prepare.
One night, as Lucian trained in the garden, the book floated beside him, its voice echoing in his mind. "Initiate sequence: Week Six. Week of Unity."
Lucian groaned. "What does that even mean?"
"It means you will learn to harness the power of your bonds," the book replied cryptically.
He focused, feeling the air shift around him. He envisioned Riv, Neo, and even the butler—each connection fueling his strength. Shadows formed around him, swirling and coalescing into phantoms that mirrored his loved ones.
"Alright, let's see if I can punch my dreams into reality," he muttered, pushing himself to his limits.
---
Inside, the butler watched from a distance, his expression softening as he observed Lucian's growth. "He's becoming a true protector," he murmured to himself.
Neo peeked out from the kitchen, apple in hand. "You think he'll really be okay?"
"He will," the butler replied. "He has you, and he has Riv. This time, he'll succeed."
---
As Lucian continued to train, the challenges grew more intense. He was determined to create The Fallen Guild, a place where they could protect each other and others like Riv. With each passing day, the pieces of his plan began to fall into place.
One evening, after a particularly grueling training session, Lucian sat on the rooftop with Neo and Riv, staring up at the stars.
"Do you think we'll ever join a guild?" Neo asked, glancing at Lucian.
"Maybe," Lucian replied thoughtfully. "But I want to build one that can accept all of us—no matter our pasts."
Riv looked up at him, eyes shining. "Can I help?"
"Of course! You'll be our secret weapon," Lucian said, ruffling her hair. "Together, we'll create something amazing."
Neo nodded, a determined smile on his face. "The Fallen Guild—where we can protect each other and make a family."
Lucian felt a surge of hope. This was just the beginning.
"Let's do it," Lucian said, a fierce grin spreading across his face. "Together, we will rise."
And as they sat there, surrounded by the warmth of family, Lucian knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together.
To be continued...
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Bye