Chapter 102 — Beyond the Border
The gate of Remus remained open.
From the forest, Brook could see the city built into the mountains.
It didn't resemble Shinokuni-01.
There was no enormous Wall surrounding it.
No watchtowers stretching across the horizon.
No rows of guns pointed outward.
Remus seemed to grow directly from the mountains themselves.
Stone bridges crossed enormous gaps.
Buildings were carved into cliffs.
Thin streams of blue light ran through the streets like veins.
And above everything stood a black fortress.
Henry stared.
"That's a city?"
Crowley nodded.
"Yes."
Henry looked at him.
"You've seen this before?"
Crowley didn't answer.
Brook noticed.
Again.
Before he could ask, the creature beside them spoke.
"You should not stare."
Henry looked at it.
"Why?"
The creature's white eyes remained fixed on the city.
"Because Remus stares back."
Henry slowly lowered his gaze.
"Right."
Brook looked at the creature.
"What's your name?"
The creature studied him.
"I have many."
"Give me one."
A pause.
"Vara."
Brook nodded.
"Vara."
Vara looked toward him.
"You are not afraid."
"I've seen worse."
Vara tilted its head.
"That is why you should be afraid."
Brook almost smiled.
"Fair."
Sera stepped closer to the border stone.
"Can we cross?"
Vara looked at her.
"You already did."
Sera frowned.
"What?"
Vara pointed toward the ground.
Brook looked down.
The moment Sera had touched the stone, a thin line of blue light had appeared beneath their feet.
It stretched toward Remus.
Crowley immediately stepped backward.
"Don't move."
Brook looked at him.
"Why?"
Crowley's expression was serious.
"Because we're being watched."
The forest changed.
There was no obvious movement.
No soldiers.
No weapons.
Yet Brook felt it.
Eyes.
Everywhere.
He activated Death.
Lifelines appeared.
Not dozens.
Hundreds.
Hidden throughout the forest.
Brook's eyes widened.
"They're surrounding us."
Henry reached for his weapon.
"How many?"
Brook looked around.
"Too many."
A voice came from the trees.
"Good."
Everyone turned.
A woman stepped from behind a tree.
She wore layered black and silver armor.
A curved blade hung at her side.
She looked at Brook.
Then Sera.
Then Crowley.
Her gaze stopped on Crowley.
She immediately drew her weapon.
"King's mark."
Crowley raised his hands.
"Easy."
The woman didn't lower the blade.
"You're not welcome here."
Brook stepped forward.
"We're not here to cause trouble."
"Everyone says that."
"We're looking for answers."
"Then look somewhere else."
Brook studied her.
"You're afraid of us."
Her expression hardened.
"No."
Brook glanced around.
"Then why bring half the forest?"
The woman said nothing.
Brook smiled faintly.
"Thought so."
The woman's grip tightened.
"You don't understand where you are."
"Then explain it."
She stepped forward.
"You're standing on Remus soil."
Brook looked toward the city.
"And?"
"Remus doesn't have walls."
Henry frowned.
"So?"
The woman pointed toward the mountains.
"We don't need them."
A low sound came from above.
Everyone looked up.
Something flew between the cliffs.
It wasn't a bird.
It had long translucent wings, a narrow body and a face almost resembling a human skull.
Sera watched it disappear between the clouds.
"What was that?"
The woman answered:
"A frost-wight."
Henry stared.
"That's a real thing?"
She looked at him.
"Here, it is."
Another creature moved through the forest.
Then another.
Small eyes appeared between the trees.
Brook noticed something.
None of the creatures were attacking.
They were watching.
"Are they controlled by Remus?"
The woman shook her head.
"No."
"Then why aren't they attacking?"
She looked at Brook.
"Because they know better."
A bell rang from the city.
The woman immediately turned.
"He's summoned you."
Crowley frowned.
"Who?"
The woman looked at him.
"King Hades."
Brook's expression changed.
"The king already knows we're here?"
She nodded.
"He knew before you crossed the border."
Brook looked at Death.
No answer.
He looked at Michael.
Nothing.
Lucifer smiled.
I like him already.
Brook sighed.
"Of course you do."
The woman sheathed her weapon.
"Follow me."
Henry looked at Brook.
"That's it?"
Brook nodded.
"Let's go."
The path into Remus wasn't a road.
It was a bridge.
A narrow stone path stretched across a ravine so deep Brook couldn't see the bottom.
Mist moved below them.
Sera looked down.
"That's a long way."
Henry glanced over.
"Don't."
"Don't what?"
"Look."
She looked anyway.
Henry shook his head.
"Every time."
Brook smiled.
The woman leading them glanced backward.
"You laugh often."
Brook shrugged.
"Sometimes."
"Why?"
Brook looked at the city ahead.
"Because if I don't, everything gets too heavy."
The woman said nothing.
But her expression softened slightly.
Halfway across the bridge, something moved beneath them.
Brook stopped.
The woman turned.
"What?"
Brook looked down.
"Something's following us."
Henry crouched.
"I don't see anything."
Brook activated Death.
A lifeline appeared beneath the bridge.
Then vanished.
Brook frowned.
"What the…"
The stone beneath them cracked.
A creature burst through.
Everyone scattered.
It wasn't enormous.
That made it worse.
It was roughly the size of a large dog, but its body was completely covered in black feathers.
Its front limbs were long and thin.
Its face had no mouth.
Only a pair of golden eyes.
It landed between Brook and the others.
The woman immediately stepped back.
"Don't attack it."
Henry already had his weapon raised.
"Why not?"
"Because it hasn't attacked."
The creature stared at Brook.
Brook slowly lowered his sword.
The creature stepped closer.
Its golden eyes fixed on him.
Then—
it touched his hand.
Brook froze.
A cold sensation moved through his body.
Lucifer appeared instantly.
His expression changed.
Brook.
"What?"
Lucifer stared at the creature.
Don't let it touch me.
Brook pulled his hand away.
The creature didn't attack.
It simply stared.
Sera stepped closer.
"What did it do?"
Brook looked at his hand.
"I don't know."
Death appeared.
He stared at the creature.
Interesting.
Brook frowned.
"That's all you have to say?"
Death nodded toward the creature.
It cannot be seen by lifelines.
Brook looked at it.
"So it doesn't have one?"
It has one.
"Then why can't I see it?"
Death didn't answer.
The creature turned.
It began walking toward Remus.
Then stopped.
Looked back at Brook.
And continued.
The woman stared.
"I've never seen one approach a human like that."
Brook looked at her.
"What is it?"
She shook her head.
"I don't know."
They reached the main gate.
It was enormous.
No guards stood outside.
Instead, two statues watched them.
Both depicted warriors holding open books.
Sera approached one.
"The writing…"
She touched it.
The statue spoke.
"State your purpose."
Henry nearly jumped.
"What the hell?"
Sera looked at the statue.
"We seek shelter and knowledge."
The statue's eyes glowed.
"False."
Sera frowned.
"We seek knowledge."
"Incomplete."
Brook stepped forward.
"We're looking for answers about the Twelve."
The statue went silent.
The second statue turned its head.
A deep voice echoed from inside the mountain.
"Open the gates."
The enormous doors began moving.
Brook looked at Sera.
"How did you know what to say?"
She shook her head.
"I didn't."
The woman leading them smiled faintly.
"You just experienced Word Magic."
Sera looked at the statues.
"Those aren't guards."
"No."
"What are they?"
"Sentences."
Sera stared.
"Sentences?"
The woman nodded.
"Remus builds things with words."
The gates opened completely.
Remus stretched before them.
Brook stepped inside.
The difference was immediate.
The air felt warmer.
The city was alive.
People walked across elevated bridges.
Children ran through narrow streets.
Merchants sold strange fruits and glowing stones.
Magical symbols moved across walls.
A group of musicians played instruments Brook had never seen.
Creatures walked beside humans.
Some were domesticated.
Others clearly weren't.
Brook looked around.
"This place is…"
"Different," Sera finished.
Brook nodded.
"Yeah."
Henry stared at a creature with antlers and six eyes drinking from a fountain.
"That thing is adorable."
The creature looked at him.
Henry slowly stepped away.
"Never mind."
Sera laughed.
Even Brook couldn't help it.
For the first time since Kael's death, the group felt something close to normal.
Not happiness.
Not peace.
Just a moment where the world wasn't ending.
Then the bells rang again.
The entire city stopped.
Every conversation ended.
Every creature went silent.
Every person turned toward the black fortress above them.
Brook looked up.
The woman bowed her head.
"The king."
The massive fortress gates opened.
A lone man stepped onto the balcony.
Black robes.
Silver armor beneath them.
No crown.
No weapon.
Just a calm expression.
He looked down at the city.
Then directly at Brook.
Brook felt something immediately.
Pressure.
Not killing intent.
Not hostility.
Authority.
The man spoke.
His voice carried across the entire city without him raising it.
"Bring them to me."
The woman bowed.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Brook looked at Henry.
"That's Hades."
Henry nodded.
Sera looked toward the fortress.
"He's powerful."
Brook felt Michael stir.
Very.
Lucifer smiled.
Extremely.
Brook looked at Death.
Death stared at Hades.
Then said:
His lifeline is strange.
Brook frowned.
"How?"
Death didn't answer.
He simply watched the king.
Hades turned away from the balcony.
The doors behind him closed.
The woman gestured toward the fortress.
"Come."
Brook began walking.
But before he took another step—
Hades's voice echoed once more.
"Brook."
Brook stopped.
Hades was no longer visible.
Yet his voice remained.
"When you enter my palace…"
A pause.
"…do not lie to me."
Brook looked toward the fortress.
Then smiled faintly.
"I wasn't planning to."
The woman looked at him.
"You should."
Brook frowned.
"Why?"
She looked toward the palace.
"Because King Hades already knows when you're lying."
The gates to the palace opened.
And Brook walked inside.
End of Chapter 102