Chapter 61 – The First Test
Nobody moved.
The symbol in the sky had vanished, but the feeling it left behind remained.
The fire had gone cold.
Snow drifted through the broken watchtower.
Henry looked at Crowley.
"What the hell was that?"
Crowley didn't answer.
Sera looked toward Brook.
"Your Sources reacted."
Brook nodded.
"All three."
Elias stared at him.
"That shouldn't happen."
Brook looked at him.
"What shouldn't?"
Elias hesitated.
"The Sources reacting to the same thing."
Brook's expression hardened.
"Why?"
Elias looked at Crowley.
Crowley finally spoke.
"Because they aren't supposed to communicate."
Brook stared at him.
"They're inside me."
"Exactly."
Brook looked down at his hands.
Three faint marks pulsed beneath his skin.
Michael.
Lucifer.
Death.
For a moment, Brook felt all three.
Not as voices.
Not as personalities.
Something deeper.
Three separate presences.
Three different instincts.
Then the feeling disappeared.
Brook looked up.
"What was that symbol?"
Crowley shook his head.
"I don't know."
Brook stared at him.
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
That answer was different.
Brook could tell.
Crowley genuinely didn't know.
For once, Brook didn't push.
They left the watchtower before sunrise.
Nobody spoke much.
The mountain seemed different now.
Every shadow looked like it was moving.
Every sound seemed closer than it really was.
Brook walked near the front.
Henry eventually caught up.
"You okay?"
Brook nodded.
"Yeah."
Henry looked at him.
"You always say that."
"I'm usually okay."
"Not lately."
Brook looked ahead.
"I'll be fine."
Henry sighed.
"You don't have to pretend with us."
Brook stopped.
Henry stopped too.
Brook looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
"You've been hiding things."
Brook looked away.
Henry continued.
"Your memories."
Brook's expression changed.
"Who told you?"
"Nobody."
Henry stared at him.
"I know you."
Brook didn't respond.
Henry stepped closer.
"You forget things now."
Brook's jaw tightened.
"Sometimes."
"How often?"
"I don't know."
Henry looked at him.
"Brook."
Brook finally admitted:
"More than I want."
Henry's expression softened.
"Then tell us."
Brook shook his head.
"I don't want everyone worrying."
"We're already worried."
Brook looked at him.
Henry smiled sadly.
"You're our family."
Brook looked away.
For several seconds, he couldn't speak.
Then:
"I don't remember my mother's voice."
Henry froze.
Brook continued.
"I remember her face."
He touched his chest.
"I remember how she held me."
His voice became quieter.
"But I can't remember what she sounded like."
Henry didn't know what to say.
Brook wiped his face.
"I think the Sources are taking pieces of me."
Henry stepped forward.
"Then we'll find a way to stop it."
Brook shook his head.
"You don't know if we can."
"No."
Henry looked him directly in the eyes.
"But we'll try."
Brook smiled faintly.
"Thanks."
Henry hugged him.
Brook froze.
Then slowly hugged him back.
For a few seconds…
he felt like himself again.
By midday, they reached the old road leading toward the northern settlements.
There were signs of recent fighting.
Broken weapons.
Burned carts.
Blood frozen into the snow.
Sera crouched.
"This happened recently."
Crowley looked around.
"Very."
Elias pointed toward the trees.
"Someone survived."
They found him several minutes later.
A young man was hiding beneath a fallen tree.
Henry pulled him out.
"Easy."
The man immediately raised a knife.
"Stay away!"
Henry stepped back.
"We're not going to hurt you."
The man looked at Brook.
Then his expression changed.
"Three."
Brook froze.
"What?"
The man stared at his chest.
"Three Sources."
Sera raised her weapon.
"How do you know?"
The man swallowed.
"Because they came looking for him."
Crowley stepped forward.
"Who?"
The survivor pointed north.
"Men in white."
Brook frowned.
"Angels?"
The man shook his head.
"No."
His hands trembled.
"They looked human."
"How many?"
"Six."
Brook's stomach tightened.
"Six?"
The man nodded.
"They kept asking about a vessel."
Brook looked at Crowley.
"What vessel?"
The man stared at Brook.
"You."
They followed the trail.
It led into a narrow valley.
At the center stood an old stone bridge.
Six men waited on the other side.
White clothing.
No armor.
No visible weapons.
They looked completely ordinary.
The tallest one stepped forward.
"Brook."
Brook drew his sword.
"Who are you?"
The man smiled.
"People who know what you are."
Brook sighed.
"Everyone knows what I am except me."
The man laughed.
"You'll understand soon."
Crowley stepped forward.
"Leave."
The man looked at him.
"We aren't here for you."
Crowley raised his sword.
"Then you're making a mistake."
The man smiled.
"Perhaps."
He raised one hand.
The other five spread out.
Brook felt the first Source react.
Michael's presence stirred.
A warning.
Do not underestimate them.
Brook's eyes narrowed.
"Michael?"
The voice disappeared.
The six men attacked.
The first man came straight for Brook.
Brook blocked.
The impact nearly broke his wrist.
He stepped back.
The man attacked again.
Brook dodged.
He placed a mark on the bridge.
Flash.
He disappeared.
He reappeared behind the man.
Strike.
The man blocked.
Brook attacked again.
The man caught his blade.
"You rely too much on that ability."
Brook smiled.
"You're the first person to complain about it."
The man kicked him.
Brook flew backward.
He landed hard.
Henry attacked from the side.
His sword collided with the man's weapon.
The man was forced back.
Brook stood.
"Thanks."
Henry smiled.
"Anytime."
The other five attacked.
Sera released fog.
The valley disappeared.
Lightning flashed inside it.
One of the men screamed.
Another emerged through the fog.
Elias intercepted him.
Crowley fought two simultaneously.
Brook saw the fight spreading.
He placed another mark.
Flash.
He appeared beside Sera.
A man was about to strike her.
Brook blocked.
The weapon struck his barrier.
White light flashed.
The attacker stumbled.
Brook struck his chest.
The man flew backward.
Sera stared.
"You're getting better."
Brook nodded.
"Slowly."
The six men were stronger than expected.
They weren't Source users.
They didn't need to be.
Their weapons were designed to disrupt Source energy.
Every time Brook used the Archangel Source, they adapted.
His teleportation became harder.
His barrier weakened.
His body became heavier.
Brook realized something.
"They're learning."
Crowley heard him.
"They studied Source users."
Brook looked at him.
"How?"
Crowley blocked an attack.
"Someone taught them."
The man attacking Crowley smiled.
"Someone taught us everything."
Crowley's expression darkened.
"Who?"
The man didn't answer.
He attacked again.
Crowley blocked.
Then countered.
His blade struck the man's chest.
The man fell.
Crowley turned.
Brook was surrounded.
Three men attacked him.
Brook teleported.
Flash.
One mark.
Flash.
Second.
Flash.
Third.
He appeared above them.
He brought his sword down.
One man blocked.
Another grabbed Brook's leg.
He was slammed into the ground.
Pain exploded through his body.
Brook coughed.
The man raised his weapon.
Brook couldn't move.
The Archangel Source reacted.
White energy flooded his body.
Michael's voice returned.
Control.
Brook breathed.
The man struck.
Brook raised his hand.
The barrier appeared.
The weapon stopped inches from his face.
Brook gritted his teeth.
The barrier began cracking.
He couldn't hold it.
Michael's voice came again.
You are afraid.
Brook whispered:
"Yes."
Good.
Brook's eyes opened.
Now control it.
Brook stopped fighting the fear.
He accepted it.
The barrier stabilized.
The attacker stared.
Brook pushed.
A wave of white energy threw the man across the bridge.
Brook stood.
His body shook.
But the Source remained stable.
He hadn't lost control.
He had done something different.
He had listened.
The final two attackers retreated.
Crowley raised his sword.
"Don't let them escape."
Brook teleported.
Flash.
He appeared in front of them.
They stopped.
Brook's sword was at one man's throat.
"Who sent you?"
The man smiled.
"You really don't know."
"Know what?"
The man leaned closer.
"Why Michael chose you."
Brook's expression hardened.
"He didn't choose me."
The man smiled.
"That's what they want you to believe."
Brook's grip tightened.
"Who?"
The man looked toward the sky.
"The people who made the vessel."
Brook froze.
The man's smile disappeared.
Then he bit down.
Crowley shouted:
"Brook!"
Too late.
The man collapsed.
Dead.
Brook stared.
Again.
Another answer gone.
The final attacker ran.
Brook raised his hand.
A mark appeared.
He teleported.
But before he could strike—
Michael's voice echoed inside him.
Stop.
Brook froze.
The attacker kept running.
Brook could easily catch him.
He didn't.
The man disappeared into the trees.
Brook returned.
Crowley stared at him.
"Why did you let him go?"
Brook looked at his sword.
"Michael told me to."
Crowley frowned.
"Why?"
Brook looked toward the forest.
"I don't know."
That night, Brook entered the trance.
The white world returned.
Michael stood waiting.
Brook approached him.
"You told me to let him go."
Michael nodded.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because killing him would have been unnecessary."
Brook frowned.
"He knew something."
"Yes."
"And he could've led us to whoever sent him."
"Perhaps."
Brook stared at him.
"Then why?"
Michael looked at Brook.
"Because you were about to kill him because you were angry."
Brook went silent.
Michael continued.
"You wanted justice."
Brook shook his head.
"I wanted answers."
"No."
Michael stepped closer.
"You wanted control."
Brook's expression changed.
Michael looked directly into his eyes.
"That is your first test."
Brook stared.
"The first test?"
Michael nodded.
"Control."
Brook looked down.
"I thought I was learning it."
"You are."
"Then did I pass?"
Michael shook his head.
"No."
Brook sighed.
"What do I have to do?"
Michael answered:
"Prove that you can possess power without allowing power to possess you."
Brook looked at him.
"How?"
Michael's answer was simple.
"Tomorrow."
The white world disappeared.
Brook woke beside the fire.
His hand was clenched.
He opened it.
A small white mark appeared on his palm.
He stared at it.
Then looked toward the sleeping members of Xcution.
Henry.
Sera.
Elias.
Crowley.
His family.
Brook whispered:
"I'll do it."
Deep inside his mind, Michael watched.
The first test had finally begun.
And Brook had no idea how much it was going to cost him.
End of Chapter 61