Chapter 23 – Beneath the Kingdom
The emergency horns echoed through every corridor of the palace.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The rumbling beneath the dungeon grew stronger.
Dust drifted from the ceiling, scattering across the stone floor as the Royal Guards instinctively raised their shields.
Brook tightened his grip around the hilt of his sword.
"What is happening?"
Captain Mercer stepped in front of the King.
"Your Majesty, we need to move."
The King didn't take his eyes off the old traveler.
"Not yet."
The traveler sighed.
"You still don't listen."
Mercer's patience was gone.
He stepped forward, grabbed the old man's collar and forced him against the stone wall.
"Enough riddles."
"Tell us exactly what's happening."
The old man didn't resist.
Instead, he smiled.
"You humans never change."
Mercer pressed the blade of his sword against the traveler's neck.
"You have one chance."
The old man looked directly into Mercer's eyes.
"If you kill me…"
"…you'll never find the chamber."
Mercer hesitated.
"The chamber?"
"The one beneath your kingdom."
Another violent tremor shook the dungeon.
This time several loose stones crashed from the ceiling.
Henry looked toward his father.
"We have to leave."
The King finally nodded.
"Release him."
Mercer stepped back, though he kept his sword ready.
The old traveler rubbed his wrists where the chains had been.
"You've wasted enough time already."
Brook frowned.
"You said you were waiting for me."
"I was."
"Why?"
The traveler looked at Brook for several long seconds before answering.
"Because you're the only one who would ask questions instead of drawing your sword."
Brook glanced at Mercer.
"I already drew my sword."
The old man laughed.
"But you haven't used it."
The group hurried out of the dungeon.
Servants rushed through the palace in every direction while Royal Guards took defensive positions around the throne room.
Outside, the horns continued to sound.
Brook looked through one of the palace windows.
Citizens were running toward their homes.
Parents gathered their children.
Market stalls closed almost instantly.
Within minutes, the streets that had been full of life became eerily empty.
"It's happening again," Brook whispered.
"No," Crowley answered quietly.
"This is different."
Brook looked at him.
"How do you know?"
Crowley didn't answer.
His eyes remained fixed on the northern skyline.
When they reached the throne room, another messenger burst through the doors.
He was breathing so hard he could barely stand.
"Your Majesty!"
"What is it?"
"The western district reports…" he paused, trying to catch his breath.
"…the ground is opening."
Silence fell over the room.
"The ground?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Buildings are collapsing."
Captain Mercer immediately turned toward Brook.
"With me."
Henry stepped forward.
"I'm coming too."
The King started to object.
Henry met his father's eyes.
"If this is happening inside my kingdom…"
"…then I should see it with my own eyes."
For a long moment, neither spoke.
Finally the King nodded.
"Very well."
"But you stay beside Mercer."
"I understand."
Within minutes they were riding through the western district.
The streets were nearly deserted.
Citizens watched nervously from behind locked windows as squads of Watchmen rushed past.
Brook noticed something strange.
There were no Abominations.
No monsters.
No attackers.
Only fear.
They rounded the final corner.
Brook pulled his horse to a stop.
"…What…"
The road ahead had split open.
A massive crack stretched across the district, running between homes and marketplaces before disappearing beneath the old western watchtower.
The tower itself leaned dangerously.
Stone continued breaking away from its foundation.
Engineers shouted orders while Watchmen pushed civilians farther back.
Captain Mercer dismounted immediately.
"Report!"
A Watchman saluted.
"It started twenty minutes ago."
"Any casualties?"
"Several injured."
"No deaths."
Mercer nodded.
"Good."
Brook slowly approached the edge of the crack.
It was deeper than he expected.
Much deeper.
He picked up a loose stone and dropped it inside.
The group listened.
One second.
Two.
Three.
No sound.
"It doesn't have a bottom," one Watchman whispered.
Before anyone could respond…
A faint blue glow appeared far below.
Brook narrowed his eyes.
"Do you see that?"
Henry stepped beside him.
"I do."
The glow became brighter.
Then brighter still.
Until the entire crack was illuminated by an eerie blue light.
The old traveler slowly walked to the edge.
His expression became unusually serious.
"It's opening."
Brook looked at him.
"What is?"
The traveler pointed into the darkness.
"Your ancestors didn't build Shinokuni-01 here by accident."
"What do you mean?"
"They built it…"
He took a slow breath.
"…to guard the first seal."
Every conversation stopped.
Even the wind seemed to disappear.
Captain Mercer turned sharply.
"What seal?"
The traveler looked down into the glowing abyss.
"The one that was never supposed to break."
At that exact moment…
A deafening crack echoed beneath the city.
The blue light erupted upward.
The ground shook so violently that everyone was thrown off their feet.
Brook hit the cobblestones hard.
As he struggled back up, he looked into the glowing fissure.
For the briefest moment…
He thought he saw…
A colossal stone door.
Buried deep beneath Shinokuni-01.
And something…
Had just knocked from the other side.