NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: Ch 5 : Jane
( From here Starts a small sub arc which will explore The Defects' Past And .. Potential Something )
Some Years After The defects started climbing the tower
The faint glow of Shinshu lanterns illuminated the simple room where Jane sat alone, staring out the window. His broad frame was slouched, and his usually sharp eyes were distant, lost in thought.
He rested his head against the cool glass, his reflection staring back at him. It wasn't the face of a man he recognized. Exhaustion tugged at the corners of his mouth, but it wasn't just physical—it was something deeper , He was tired Unlike any other day since he was training and traning for many days since they were soon going to continue climbing the tower , He was slowly Loosing Himself as People Put the tag of Loosers On them , Loosers In Life .
"Jane?" Lira's voice called from the hallway, hesitant.
"I'm fine," Jane replied, though his voice betrayed his unease.
Lira didn't press further. She knew when Jane wanted to be alone, it was best to let him be.
---
Jane leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. Memories he had long tried to bury began to resurface, clawing their way to the forefront of his mind.
---
Jane was only six when his life shattered. His father, a Regular from the Hendo Lok Family, had always been a quiet man, his identity a secret even to his own wife. Jane remembered the nights his father would sit by his bedside, telling him stories about the stars, about the Tower, about dreams of climbing it together one day.
But those dreams ended the day his father's secret was exposed.
The memory was vivid: his mother's family—stern, powerful, and unyielding—storming their small home. His father's protests were drowned out by the cold finality of their verdict.
"You People of Hendo Lok Are always like that , Tricking Innocent People into Marrying you" one of them had said, their blade dripping red.
Jane, too young to understand the gravity of the moment, had cried out for his father. But his screams fell on deaf ears.
After his father's death, Jane was taken in by his mother's family, who viewed him as both an obligation and a reminder of their disgrace. They provided for him but never loved him. His mother, too broken by her husband's death and the shock of betrayal withdrew into herself and soon she married another person , leaving Jane to navigate his new world alone.
They trained him harshly, molding him into a tool to protect their name, but Jane never felt at home. He was a shadow among them, a child who didn't belong.
When Jane was ten, another figure entered his life—a Ranker from the Hendo Lok Family, a man claiming to be his uncle.
"You don't belong here," the man had said, his voice cold and unfeeling. "You're one of us, whether you like it or not."
The Ranker took Jane away, dragging him to the Hendo Lok Family's secluded estate. The change was jarring. The cold, imposing halls of the estate were nothing like the warmth of his childhood home.
Jane's uncle was a strict, uncompromising man. Under his watch, Jane was subjected to grueling training regimens and harsh discipline.
"Strength is all that matters," his uncle would say. "Without it, you're nothing. Do you want to die as a weakling like your father?"
Those words stayed with Jane, haunting him even after he left.
Late one night, under the cover of darkness, Jane packed what little he had and fled. The vastness of the Tower called to him, offering a chance at freedom, at something more.
He wandered for months, directionless and alone, until he encountered Headon.
"You seek something, don't you?" the enigmatic figure had said.
Jane had nodded.
"Then climb," Headon had said simply, granting him the chance to become a Regular.
Jane's early climb was grueling. He was strong, yes, but his strength alone wasn't enough. He struggled to trust others, to form alliances, to survive. The darkness of his past hung over him like a cloud, weighing him down.
But everything changed when he met Karean.
Karean had been a stark contrast to everything Jane had known—a beacon of light in the darkness. His confidence, his charisma, his unwavering belief in their shared goal—it was infectious.
"Karean didn't just save me," Jane murmured to himself, his voice barely audible. "He gave me something to fight for."
Through Karean, Jane had found the Defects. For the first time in his life, he felt like he belonged. They weren't just a team—they were a family. And Jane, who had spent so much of his life running from his past, finally had a reason to look forward.
---
The sound of footsteps pulled Jane from his thoughts. He turned to see Karean standing in the doorway, his silver hair catching the faint glow of the lanterns.
"You've been quiet," Karean said, his tone gentle. "Something on your mind?"
Jane hesitated, then shook his head. "Just…thinking."
Karean didn't press him. He simply nodded, stepping closer and placing a hand on Jane's shoulder. "Whatever it is, we'll face it together. You know that, right?"
Jane looked up, meeting Karean's gaze. For a moment, he said nothing, but then he nodded. "Yeah. I know."
Karean smiled faintly before turning to leave. Jane watched him go, a small smile of his own tugging at his lips.
For all the pain and loss he had endured, for all the darkness he had faced, Jane had found his light. And he wasn't going to let it go.
( Was it good Or Should I Improve more , I mean ofcourse I should But I definitely need feedback on this ch Since I think I rushed this chapter )