Chapter 38 – The Fracture
Three days had passed since the Watchmen were killed.
Shinokuni-01 had changed.
The streets were quieter.
The western district remained sealed.
Royal Guards had replaced the Watchmen at every major checkpoint, but their presence did little to reassure the people.
Everyone knew something had happened.
Nobody knew the truth.
The official announcement called it an "external attack."
That was all.
No mention of the winged creatures.
No mention of the beings that had walked through the gate.
No mention of Brook.
And definitely no mention of the Sources.
Brook stood on the roof of the Watchmen headquarters, staring across the city.
The building below him was empty now.
The training yard where he had spent years fighting was deserted.
The weapons racks had been cleared.
Mercer's office had been locked.
His chair was still inside.
Brook had gone in once.
He hadn't touched anything.
He couldn't.
Sera climbed the stairs behind him.
"You've been up here for an hour."
Brook didn't turn.
"I know."
"You haven't eaten."
"I know."
"You haven't slept properly."
"I know."
Sera stood beside him.
"You planning to keep answering everything with 'I know'?"
Brook finally smiled.
"Maybe."
She looked across the city.
"The funeral is tomorrow."
Brook nodded.
"I'll be there."
"Everyone will."
Brook looked toward the western gate.
"Do you think the city will ever feel normal again?"
Sera thought about it.
"No."
Brook nodded.
"Me neither."
For several seconds they stood silently.
Then Sera asked:
"Are you still leaving?"
"Yes."
"Even after everything?"
"Because of everything."
Sera looked at him.
"You really think you'll find your parents."
"I have to."
"And the Sources?"
"I need to understand them."
Sera lowered her voice.
"And Crowley?"
Brook's expression changed.
"What about him?"
"You haven't spoken to him since the attack."
"I don't have anything to say."
"You don't trust him."
Brook stared toward the horizon.
"I don't know if I ever did."
Sera frowned.
"You trusted him enough to follow him outside."
"That was before I learned he was hiding half his life."
"Maybe there's a reason."
"Everyone has a reason."
Brook looked at her.
"That doesn't mean I have to accept it."
Sera didn't argue.
She knew he was right.
That evening, Henry met Brook outside the palace.
He looked exhausted.
"My father knows you're leaving."
Brook nodded.
"How?"
"He knows everything."
"Does he?"
Henry gave him a serious look.
"Brook."
"What?"
"You don't understand what you're dealing with."
"Neither does he."
Henry stepped closer.
"That's not true."
Brook frowned.
"What did he tell you?"
"Nothing."
"Then how do you know?"
Henry hesitated.
"Because I found something."
Brook's attention sharpened.
"What?"
Henry pulled a folded document from inside his coat.
"I found an old royal record."
Brook opened it.
The document was ancient.
The writing was faded.
At the top was a symbol.
Six circles.
Underneath it was a list.
Brook read the first line.
The Six Sources must never be united within one vessel.
He continued.
If the vessel succeeds, the boundaries between realms will weaken.
If all six are awakened, the laws governing existence may become subject to the vessel's will.
Brook looked up.
"What does this mean?"
Henry shook his head.
"I don't know."
Brook read the next line.
The vessel will possess the ability to reject the predetermined order.
Brook stared at it.
"Predetermined order."
Henry nodded.
"That's what it says."
Brook folded the document.
"Who wrote this?"
"I don't know."
"Where did you find it?"
"Hidden beneath the royal archives."
Brook looked toward the palace.
"Your father knew."
"Probably."
Brook looked at Henry.
"Then why are you helping me?"
Henry took a moment.
"Because if there's one thing I've learned since we left the Wall…"
He looked toward the city.
"…it's that people deserve to know what they're living inside."
Brook smiled faintly.
"You're finally starting to sound like a prince."
Henry laughed.
"I'll take that as an insult."
"It was."
They found Crowley at an old training ground outside the palace.
He was alone.
Practicing.
His sword moved with incredible precision.
Every strike was deliberate.
No wasted movement.
Brook watched from a distance.
Crowley stopped without turning.
"I know you're there."
Brook stepped forward.
Henry followed.
Crowley sheathed his sword.
"So."
Brook stared at him.
"We need to talk."
Crowley nodded.
"I figured."
Brook held up the royal document.
"Do you know what this is?"
Crowley glanced at it.
"Yes."
Brook's expression hardened.
"You knew."
"I knew about the warning."
"You knew what the Sources could do."
"I knew what people believed they could do."
"That's not the same thing."
"No."
Crowley sighed.
"Brook, there are things I cannot explain yet."
Brook laughed.
"Not again."
Crowley's eyes narrowed.
"This isn't a joke."
"Neither is Mercer."
Crowley went silent.
Brook stepped closer.
"He died believing he was protecting this city."
"All of them did."
"And you knew this world was bigger than what we were told."
"Yes."
"You knew things lived outside."
"Yes."
"You knew there were demons."
"Yes."
"Angels."
"Yes."
"Kings."
Crowley looked at him.
"Yes."
Brook's voice became colder.
"And you never thought we deserved to know."
Crowley shook his head.
"You weren't ready."
Brook's eyes narrowed.
"I'm done hearing that."
Henry stepped between them.
"Brook."
"No."
Brook looked at Crowley.
"Tell me who you are."
Crowley remained silent.
"Tell me."
Nothing.
Brook's hand moved toward his sword.
Sera, who had followed them without their knowledge, stepped into the clearing.
"Brook."
He didn't look at her.
Crowley finally spoke.
"My name is Crowley."
Brook shook his head.
"That's the name you use."
"It's the name I've lived with."
"That's not what I asked."
Crowley looked toward Henry.
"You shouldn't be here."
Henry frowned.
"Why?"
Crowley looked at Brook.
"Because whatever happens next is between me and him."
Brook drew his sword.
Henry immediately stepped forward.
"Put it away."
Brook didn't.
Crowley looked at the blade.
"You're angry."
"Yes."
"You're confused."
"Yes."
"And you're afraid."
Brook's expression hardened.
"No."
Crowley nodded.
"That's the problem."
Brook attacked.
Their swords collided.
Henry stepped backward.
Sera froze.
Crowley blocked the strike effortlessly.
Brook attacked again.
Crowley parried.
Again.
Brook swung harder.
Crowley continued defending.
"You've gotten faster."
Brook struck.
Crowley blocked.
"Stop holding back!"
Crowley's eyes narrowed.
"I'm trying to."
Brook attacked again.
This time Crowley countered.
Brook barely blocked the strike.
The impact pushed him backward.
Henry stepped forward.
"Enough!"
Brook ignored him.
Crowley lowered his sword.
"You're not thinking."
"Maybe I don't want to."
Brook charged again.
Crowley blocked.
Then struck Brook across the chest.
Brook fell backward.
Sera rushed toward him.
"I'm fine."
He stood.
Crowley watched him.
"You think beating me will give you answers."
Brook raised his sword.
"No."
"Then what?"
Brook's eyes hardened.
"I think eventually you'll stop lying."
Crowley sighed.
"You're going to get yourself killed."
"Maybe."
Brook charged.
This time, blue light erupted from his hand.
Crowley's expression changed.
"Brook!"
The Source reacted.
Energy surged around Brook's body.
The ground cracked beneath his feet.
Henry stepped backward.
"What is happening?"
Sera raised her hands.
"I don't know!"
Brook's eyes glowed faintly.
He swung.
Crowley blocked.
The impact sent him sliding across the ground.
For the first time…
Brook had forced Crowley backward.
Crowley looked at him.
Then at the blue energy.
Something close to fear appeared in his eyes.
Brook noticed.
"You are afraid of me."
Crowley didn't answer.
Brook took another step.
"What are you hiding?"
Crowley slowly raised his sword.
"Everything."
Brook's expression hardened.
"Then I'll find out myself."
He attacked again.
This time Crowley met him head-on.
Their swords collided.
The shockwave knocked Henry and Sera backward.
Neither of them had ever seen Brook and Crowley fight seriously.
This wasn't training.
This wasn't discipline.
It was anger against restraint.
And neither man was willing to back down.
Henry shouted:
"Stop!"
Neither listened.
Crowley pushed Brook backward.
Brook released another burst of blue energy.
Crowley blocked it.
The ground beneath them shattered.
The fight continued until both men separated.
Brook was breathing heavily.
Crowley had a cut across his cheek.
For several seconds, they stared at each other.
Then Crowley lowered his sword.
"This is what happens when you chase answers without understanding the cost."
Brook wiped blood from his mouth.
"And this is what happens when you hide the truth from someone."
Henry stepped between them.
"Enough."
Brook looked at him.
Henry's expression was unusually serious.
"We leave tomorrow."
Brook frowned.
"What?"
Henry looked toward the Wall.
"We've spent enough time inside."
Sera nodded.
"He's right."
Crowley remained silent.
Brook looked at him.
"Are you coming?"
Crowley didn't answer immediately.
Then:
"Yes."
Brook turned away.
"Good."
He began walking.
Crowley watched him leave.
Sera followed.
Henry stayed behind for a moment.
He looked at Crowley.
"You were holding back."
Crowley didn't respond.
Henry's expression hardened.
"So was he."
Crowley looked toward Brook.
"That's what worries me."
Henry walked away.
Crowley remained alone.
He looked down at the sword in his hand.
A faint dark energy moved across the blade.
He closed his eyes.
"Not yet."
Far beneath Shinokuni-01, the ancient chamber trembled.
The first Source burned.
The second Source burned.
The remaining four remained dormant.
But something had changed.
A third symbol flickered.
Once.
Then twice.
And somewhere far beyond the Wall…
a pair of enormous wings opened against the night sky.
The journey outside was coming.
But before Brook could leave Shinokuni-01 behind…
he would have to face the truth about the people closest to him.
And Crowley knew something Brook didn't.
Their fight had only just begun.
End of Chapter 38