Chapter 83 — The Trail
The eastern district was still being cleaned when Brook returned.
Smoke hung over the streets.
Broken stone covered the road.
Several guards were repairing the damaged gate while healers moved between the wounded.
Brook stood at the edge of the street, staring at the black insignia burned into the ground.
The horned knight.
Asmodaos.
Again.
Henry came up beside him.
"You've been staring at that for five minutes."
Brook didn't look away.
"Something doesn't make sense."
"What?"
"The attacks."
Henry waited.
Brook pointed toward the damaged buildings.
"They could've killed people."
"But they didn't."
"Exactly."
Henry looked at the streets.
"The Knights were strong enough."
"Much stronger."
Brook crouched beside the symbol.
"They're showing us what they can do."
Henry frowned.
"Why?"
"To make us angry."
Henry looked at him.
"At Asmodaos."
Brook nodded.
"And someone really wants us fighting him."
Henry was quiet.
Then he asked:
"Do you think Elias is behind it?"
Brook didn't answer.
Henry sighed.
"That's what I thought."
Brook stood.
"I don't know."
"You're protecting him."
"I'm trying to understand him."
Henry shook his head.
"Those aren't always different things."
Brook looked at him.
"What does that mean?"
"It means sometimes we protect people because we love them."
Henry looked toward the road.
"And sometimes we protect them because we're scared of finding out who they really are."
Brook remained silent.
That one hurt.
Because Henry wasn't wrong.
Crowley called everyone together.
Sera arrived first.
Kael followed.
Brook and Henry came in last.
Crowley placed several objects on the table.
Black metal.
Broken armor.
A piece of cloth.
And a small blade.
Brook recognized the blade.
"That's from the soldier."
Crowley nodded.
"The patrol soldier who was killed."
Kael picked it up.
"This isn't Hell-forged."
Crowley looked at him.
"No."
Kael frowned.
"Then why was it with the body?"
"That's what we're trying to determine."
Sera examined the blade.
"There's no insignia."
Brook took it carefully.
The moment his fingers touched it—
A flash.
Darkness.
A man running.
A sword.
A black coat.
Someone standing behind him.
Brook immediately released it.
Henry caught his arm.
"What did you see?"
Brook breathed slowly.
"A memory."
Crowley stepped closer.
"Whose?"
"I don't know."
Brook looked at the blade.
"But someone was there."
"Who?"
Brook closed his eyes.
"I couldn't see his face."
Crowley studied him.
"Anything else?"
Brook shook his head.
"Just one thing."
"What?"
Brook looked toward the eastern road.
"He wasn't a Hell Knight."
Kael slammed his fist onto the table.
"Then somebody else is killing people."
Sera nodded.
"And making it look like Hell."
Henry looked at Brook.
"Which means…"
Brook finished the thought.
"Someone wants a war."
Silence.
Crowley looked at the black insignia.
"And they're getting one."
Kael frowned.
"We haven't declared war."
Crowley looked at him.
"Not officially."
Brook stared at the table.
"Asmodaos wants us to fight him."
Crowley shook his head.
"Maybe."
Brook looked up.
"You don't believe that?"
"I believe someone wants us to fight Asmodaos."
"That's different."
"Very."
Crowley pointed at the blade.
"Until we know who killed that soldier, nobody attacks Hell."
Kael frowned.
"And if Asmodaos attacks again?"
Crowley looked at him.
"Then we defend ourselves."
Kael nodded reluctantly.
Brook looked toward the door.
"We need to find Elias."
Everyone went quiet.
Sera lowered her eyes.
Henry said nothing.
Kael looked at Brook.
"Agreed."
Crowley stared at him.
"You still believe he's innocent?"
Brook shook his head.
"No."
Kael frowned.
Brook continued:
"I believe he's hiding something."
He looked at the black emblem.
"And I want to know what."
They followed Elias's trail that afternoon.
It wasn't much.
A footprint here.
A broken branch there.
A piece of black cloth caught against a tree.
Nothing definitive.
Until Sera found something.
A small stone marker.
Brook approached.
"What is that?"
Sera wiped dirt away.
There was a symbol carved into it.
B-00.
Brook's expression changed.
Kael looked at him.
"That's Elias's designation."
Brook nodded.
Crowley crouched beside the marker.
"This wasn't made recently."
Brook frowned.
"How old?"
Crowley touched the stone.
"Years."
Henry looked around.
"Why would Elias leave this here?"
Brook stared at the symbol.
"He didn't."
Everyone looked at him.
"Then who did?"
Brook looked toward the forest.
"Someone who knew we'd follow him."
They continued deeper.
The forest became colder.
Not naturally cold.
The air itself felt wrong.
Brook could feel his Sources stirring.
Michael was quiet.
Lucifer was awake.
Brook felt him.
A presence.
A faint pressure behind his thoughts.
Then a voice.
You're following the wrong trail.
Brook stopped.
Henry turned.
"What?"
Brook didn't answer.
He closed his eyes.
"Lucifer?"
Silence.
Then a faint laugh.
You heard me.
Brook's eyes opened.
He looked toward the others.
"Keep moving."
Henry frowned.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
Brook followed.
Inside his mind, Lucifer appeared.
Not as a monstrous figure.
Not as some giant supernatural being.
Just a man standing in darkness with a faint smile.
Brook looked at him.
"You know something."
Lucifer shrugged.
"I know many things."
"About Elias?"
Lucifer smiled.
"Perhaps."
"Then tell me."
"No."
Brook sighed.
"Why?"
"Because watching you figure things out is more entertaining."
Brook stared.
"You're annoying."
"I've been called worse."
Michael appeared behind Brook.
Lucifer looked over.
"Ah."
Michael's expression remained calm.
"You're interfering."
Lucifer smiled.
"I'm talking."
"That is not always different."
Brook looked between them.
"Can you two not do this?"
Lucifer laughed.
Michael simply looked at Brook.
You need to focus.
Brook nodded.
Lucifer stepped closer.
And you need to stop pretending you don't enjoy having us around.
Brook looked at him.
"I don't."
Lucifer smiled.
Liar.
Brook opened his eyes.
He was back in the forest.
Henry was staring at him.
"You disappeared for a second."
Brook frowned.
"What?"
"You just stopped walking."
Brook smiled.
"Thinking."
Henry nodded.
"About?"
Brook looked ahead.
"Nothing."
Henry sighed.
"You're becoming just like Elias."
Brook stopped smiling.
They reached a clearing.
A small abandoned cabin stood in the center.
Brook immediately drew his sword.
Crowley raised a hand.
"Wait."
He studied the cabin.
"No traps."
Kael frowned.
"That's almost worse."
Brook approached.
The door was unlocked.
Inside were several empty shelves.
A table.
Two chairs.
And a wall covered with marks.
Brook walked toward it.
The marks formed a timeline.
Dates.
Locations.
Names.
At the bottom was a single word.
B-00
Brook stared.
Kael stood beside him.
"Was this where Elias lived?"
"No."
Brook pointed.
"These dates."
Kael read them.
His expression changed.
"They're after Elias joined us."
Brook nodded.
"He was coming back here."
Henry looked around.
"Why?"
Brook found another mark.
A location.
Then another.
And another.
A trail.
Brook's eyes narrowed.
"He wasn't just disappearing."
Crowley stepped closer.
"What was he doing?"
Brook looked at the map.
"Meeting someone."
A noise came from outside.
Everyone turned.
Kael drew his weapon.
"Someone's there."
They rushed outside.
Nothing.
Brook looked around.
Then he noticed footprints.
One set.
Fresh.
He followed them.
They led behind the cabin.
A black coat hung from a tree branch.
Brook pulled it down.
He recognized it.
"Elias."
Henry stepped closer.
"That's his."
Brook examined the coat.
Something fell from the pocket.
A small photograph.
Brook picked it up.
His heart stopped.
It showed Elias.
Young.
Standing beside a man.
The same man from the underground facility.
The man who had watched B-00.
Brook turned the photograph over.
There was writing on the back.
HE KNOWS.
Brook stared.
Henry looked at him.
"Who is that?"
Brook slowly looked toward Crowley.
"I don't know."
Crowley took the photograph.
His expression changed.
Brook noticed immediately.
"You recognize him."
Crowley didn't answer.
"Do you?"
Crowley looked at the photograph.
"Yes."
Everyone became still.
Brook stepped closer.
"Who is he?"
Crowley handed the photograph back.
"A man who should have been dead."
Kael frowned.
"Who?"
Crowley looked toward the forest.
"The last person who worked directly with the old vessel program."
Brook's eyes narrowed.
"What's his name?"
Crowley hesitated.
Then:
"Draven."
Brook stared at the photograph.
"Draven."
Crowley nodded.
"He disappeared over twenty years ago."
Henry frowned.
"Then why is he meeting Elias?"
Crowley didn't answer.
Brook looked toward the trees.
"That's what we're going to find out."
They followed the trail until nightfall.
It ended at an old stone bridge.
Brook found another mark.
B-00.
But this one was different.
It had been crossed out.
Underneath it was another designation.
B-01.
Brook touched the carving.
A voice whispered inside his mind.
Don't trust him.
Brook froze.
It wasn't Michael.
It wasn't Lucifer.
It wasn't Death.
It was the same mysterious voice Elias had heard.
Brook looked around.
"Who are you?"
Nothing.
Henry looked at him.
"Brook?"
Brook shook his head.
"Nothing."
Inside his mind, Lucifer appeared again.
This time, he wasn't smiling.
He stared toward the darkness.
That voice doesn't belong here.
Brook looked at him.
"What does that mean?"
Lucifer's expression became serious.
It means someone is speaking through something they shouldn't be able to touch.
Michael appeared beside him.
We need to leave.
Brook frowned.
"You both agree?"
Lucifer looked at Michael.
"Don't get used to it."
Michael ignored him.
Now.
Brook opened his eyes.
"Everyone, move."
Crowley immediately reacted.
"Why?"
Brook looked toward the bridge.
"Because we're being watched."
The trees went silent.
Then—
A single figure stepped onto the other side of the bridge.
Elias.
Everyone raised their weapons.
Brook stared at him.
Elias looked exhausted.
He looked at each member of Xcution.
Then his eyes stopped on Brook.
For a moment, neither moved.
Brook lowered his sword slightly.
"Elias."
Elias's expression softened.
"Brook."
Kael stepped forward.
"Where have you been?"
Elias didn't answer.
Crowley raised his weapon.
"Don't move."
Elias looked at him.
"You don't trust me."
Crowley replied:
"Should I?"
Elias looked toward Brook.
Brook stared back.
There were a thousand questions in his head.
But he only asked one.
"Why did you leave?"
Elias looked down.
Then back at him.
"Because I was trying to protect you."
Brook's expression hardened.
"From what?"
Elias opened his mouth.
Then stopped.
A distant horn echoed through the forest.
Elias looked toward the sound.
His face changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
He looked back at Brook.
"Run."
Brook frowned.
"What?"
Elias took one step backward.
"All of you."
Another horn sounded.
Closer.
Elias whispered:
"They found me."
Brook tightened his grip.
"Who?"
Elias looked into the darkness behind him.
Then back at Brook.
"The people who taught me how to hate you."
End of Chapter 83