Chapter 33 – The Second Signal
Brook didn't tell Sera about the voice.
Not yet.
He didn't know what it was, where it came from, or whether it had actually spoken to him at all.
The words remained in his head anyway.
When the others awaken, they will come looking for you.
He had spent the last hour sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at his hand.
Nothing was there now.
No blue light.
No symbol.
Just skin.
Normal.
Almost.
A knock came at the door.
Brook looked up.
"Come in."
Sera entered carrying two cups of tea.
She handed one to him.
"You've been staring at your hand for ten minutes."
"Have I?"
"Yes."
Brook took the cup.
"Thanks."
Sera sat across from him.
"You don't have to tell me everything."
Brook looked at her.
"But don't lie to me."
He nodded.
"I won't."
She studied him for another moment.
"Something happened today."
"Yeah."
"You came back different."
Brook looked toward the window.
"I found a passage beneath the western tower."
Sera's expression tightened.
"You went down there?"
"Henry was with me."
"That's not what I asked."
Brook sighed.
"Yes."
"And?"
"We found names carved into the walls."
"Whose names?"
"My parents."
Sera's eyes widened.
"They were there?"
"Five years ago."
She slowly put her cup down.
"Brook…"
"I know."
"No. You don't."
She leaned forward.
"Your parents might still be alive."
Brook stared at the floor.
"I know."
The possibility was something he had wanted for years.
Now that it was real, it frightened him.
Because if his parents were alive, there was another question.
Why hadn't they come back?
A loud knock interrupted them.
This time it wasn't at Brook's door.
It came from the main entrance of the barracks.
Several Watchmen rushed through the hallway.
Brook and Sera stood.
"What's happening?"
A young Watchman hurried past them.
"Western patrol."
"What about them?"
"They're back."
Brook followed him outside.
The courtyard was already filling with soldiers.
Five Watchmen stood near the main gate.
They looked exhausted.
Their armor was covered in dirt.
One had a deep cut across his shoulder.
Captain Mercer approached them.
"Report."
The patrol leader swallowed.
"We found the western observation post."
"What happened?"
"We don't know."
Mercer frowned.
"Explain."
"The tower was intact."
"No signs of fighting."
"No bodies."
"No tracks."
"Then why didn't they respond?"
The Watchman looked toward the others.
"Because they weren't there."
Mercer stared at him.
"Twenty-four Watchmen were stationed there."
"I know."
"We found their weapons."
"All of them."
Their helmets.
Their equipment.
Their supplies.
Everything was still there.
But not one person.
Brook felt a chill.
"Twenty-four people don't just disappear."
The patrol leader looked at him.
"Apparently they do."
Mercer turned toward the gate.
"Take me there."
Brook stepped forward.
"I'm coming."
Mercer shook his head.
"No."
Brook frowned.
"Captain—"
"Your parents' disappearance, the tunnel and that strange prisoner are already connected enough."
He looked at Brook seriously.
"I don't need you disappearing too."
Brook wanted to argue.
Sera stepped beside him.
"We're coming."
Mercer looked at her.
"You two are becoming a problem."
Sera smiled.
"You've known us too long to be surprised."
Mercer sighed.
"Fine."
He turned toward the patrol.
"We leave in ten minutes."
Crowley was waiting near the armory.
Brook approached him.
"You heard?"
Crowley nodded.
"The western post."
"You knew?"
"I heard the report."
Brook studied him.
"You seem calm."
"I've been alive long enough to know panic doesn't help."
Brook lowered his voice.
"Something happened beneath the tower."
Crowley looked at him.
"I know."
Brook froze.
"You know?"
Crowley sighed.
"I saw the damage."
"That's not what I mean."
Crowley looked around before speaking.
"Whatever is happening beneath Shinokuni-01 isn't isolated."
"What does that mean?"
"It means the western post may not be the real problem."
Brook frowned.
"Then what is?"
Crowley looked toward the Wall.
"The forest."
The patrol left just after midday.
Sixteen Watchmen.
Brook.
Sera.
Henry.
Crowley.
Captain Mercer.
The western road was quiet.
Too quiet.
They passed through the outer gate and followed the old military road toward the observation post.
Brook hadn't expected the sight that waited for them.
The western tower stood on a hill overlooking a wide stretch of forest.
Nothing appeared damaged.
No blood.
No destroyed buildings.
No signs of combat.
Just an empty tower.
Mercer dismounted.
"Spread out."
The Watchmen searched the area.
Brook entered the tower.
The first floor looked untouched.
A table still held half-finished meals.
A chair had been knocked over.
A lantern remained burning.
Brook touched it.
Still warm.
"They were here."
Sera nodded.
"Recently."
Henry found something near the staircase.
"Brook."
Brook walked over.
Henry held up a small metal object.
A Watchman insignia.
The center had been scratched away.
"Why would someone remove their insignia?"
Mercer came over.
"Nobody did."
"What?"
Mercer pointed toward the wall.
A long black mark stretched across the stone.
It looked almost like something had been dragged along it.
But there were no footprints.
No blood.
Nothing else.
Brook touched the mark.
Cold.
Extremely cold.
The same blue light appeared beneath his skin.
He pulled his hand away.
Sera noticed.
"Again?"
Brook nodded.
Crowley watched from across the room.
His expression was difficult to read.
Henry noticed too.
"Crowley."
"Hm?"
"You've seen that before."
Crowley looked at him.
"What makes you say that?"
"Your face."
Crowley gave a faint smile.
"Apparently I need to work on that."
Mercer turned sharply.
"Everyone outside."
The command was immediate.
Brook looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because something is wrong."
They stepped outside.
The forest had gone completely silent.
No birds.
No insects.
Not even wind.
Mercer raised his hand.
Everyone stopped.
A sound came from the trees.
A branch snapping.
Then another.
Brook drew his sword.
Sera prepared a spell.
Henry raised his weapon.
Crowley simply watched.
A figure emerged from the forest.
It was one of the missing Watchmen.
Brook recognized him immediately.
"Jackson!"
The soldier stumbled toward them.
His armor was torn.
His face was pale.
He was breathing heavily.
Mercer rushed forward.
"Jackson!"
The man collapsed into his arms.
"What happened?"
Jackson's eyes moved frantically across the group.
"Get…"
He struggled to breathe.
"…away."
Mercer lowered himself beside him.
"Who attacked you?"
Jackson grabbed his arm.
"Nobody."
Mercer frowned.
"Then what happened?"
Jackson looked toward the forest.
"We saw them."
"Who?"
Jackson's lips trembled.
"The people."
Brook exchanged a glance with Henry.
"What people?"
"Thousands."
"Living outside."
"Watching us."
Sera frowned.
"Renegades?"
Jackson shook his head.
"No."
"They weren't human."
Brook felt the mark on his hand burning again.
Jackson looked directly at him.
"They knew your name."
Brook froze.
"What?"
Jackson grabbed Brook's arm.
"They asked where you were."
"What did they look like?"
Jackson's breathing became weaker.
"Some looked human."
"Some had wings."
"Some had horns."
"Some…"
He swallowed.
"…looked like us."
Brook stared at him.
"Who were they?"
Jackson looked toward the sky.
"Angels."
Silence.
Then he looked toward the forest.
"Demons."
Brook's expression changed.
"And something else."
"What?"
Jackson's eyes widened.
"It wasn't human."
"It wasn't an Abomination."
"It looked at us…"
"…and everyone disappeared."
His grip loosened.
Mercer caught him before he fell.
"Jackson!"
No response.
Brook stood frozen.
Henry looked toward the forest.
"Angels and demons?"
Crowley didn't answer.
Sera looked at him.
"Crowley?"
He finally spoke.
"We leave."
Mercer looked at him.
"Why?"
Crowley's eyes remained fixed on the trees.
"Because whatever is watching us…"
A distant sound echoed through the forest.
Not a roar.
Not a scream.
A bell.
One deep metallic note.
Crowley tightened his grip on his sword.
"…has noticed us."
The forest suddenly came alive.
Hundreds of birds erupted from the trees.
Branches shook.
The Watchmen raised their weapons.
Then everything stopped.
A figure stood between the trees.
A woman.
At first glance, she looked completely human.
Long dark hair.
Pale skin.
A simple white dress.
She stood barefoot on the forest floor.
Brook couldn't explain why, but the sight of her made every instinct in his body scream.
She smiled.
Then she lifted one hand.
Every Watchman felt something pass through them.
Not pain.
Pressure.
Like the entire world had suddenly become heavier.
Brook dropped to one knee.
Henry struggled to breathe.
Sera tried to cast a spell but couldn't move her hands.
Mercer shouted.
"Hold formation!"
The woman looked directly at Brook.
She didn't speak.
She didn't need to.
The blue symbol beneath Brook's skin appeared again.
Brighter than ever.
The woman smiled wider.
Then she whispered from across the impossible distance.
"I found you."
Crowley's expression changed.
For the first time, Brook saw genuine anger in his eyes.
"Everyone…"
Crowley stepped forward.
"…run."
The woman looked at him.
Her smile disappeared.
"You."
The forest fell silent.
She recognized him.
And for reasons Brook didn't understand…
she looked afraid.