Chapter 53 – The Voice Within
Brook didn't sleep.
Not really.
He lay beneath a torn blanket in one of the remaining rooms of the old outpost, staring at the ceiling while the fortress settled around them.
Every few minutes, stone shifted somewhere in the walls.
The creature was dead.
At least, that's what they believed.
But Brook couldn't stop thinking about what it had said.
You were made from us.
There were twelve.
You were supposed to replace us.
And then the word that had followed them into the night.
Maker.
Brook closed his eyes.
Immediately, he saw the six lights again.
Blue.
Black.
White.
Green.
Violet.
Gold.
He opened his eyes.
The room returned.
Brook sat up.
Across the room, Henry was asleep.
Sera was sitting near the window, sharpening her weapon.
She glanced over.
"You okay?"
"Yeah."
She gave him a look.
"You're becoming predictable."
Brook smiled.
"Didn't know you cared."
"I don't."
"Good."
Sera went back to sharpening her blade.
Brook looked down at his hands.
For some reason, the first Source felt different tonight.
Not stronger.
Closer.
He could feel something behind it.
Something watching.
Waiting.
He pulled his sleeve over the marks.
He wasn't ready to deal with it.
Not tonight.
Morning came quickly.
Henry woke everyone before sunrise.
"We're leaving."
Sera looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because this place is falling apart."
Elias walked into the room.
"He's right."
Brook stood.
"Where are we going?"
Elias pointed toward a map.
"There is a settlement two days east."
Crowley entered.
"No."
Everyone looked at him.
Elias frowned.
"No?"
"We aren't going there."
"Then where?"
Crowley pointed toward the northern mountains.
"Here."
Henry studied the map.
"There's nothing there."
"Exactly."
Brook looked at Crowley.
"What are we looking for?"
Crowley hesitated.
"An old monastery."
Sera raised an eyebrow.
"A monastery?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Crowley looked at Brook.
"Because it belonged to an order that studied celestial beings."
Brook's expression changed.
"Michael?"
Crowley didn't answer.
That was enough.
Brook folded the map.
"Let's go."
The journey north was difficult.
The terrain became steep.
The forest gradually disappeared.
Snow appeared along the higher ground.
Brook hated the cold.
Henry complained more.
Sera laughed at both of them.
Crowley remained unusually quiet.
Brook noticed.
"You know something."
Crowley looked at him.
"I usually do."
"About Michael."
Crowley looked ahead.
"Maybe."
Brook stopped walking.
"Crowley."
The others continued.
Crowley stopped too.
"What?"
"You said the monastery studied celestial beings."
"Yes."
"Why do you want me there?"
Crowley looked at Brook.
"Because the first Source is becoming active."
Brook's expression changed.
"How do you know?"
"I can see it."
"See what?"
Crowley pointed at Brook's chest.
"Your Source isn't behaving like it did before."
Brook looked down.
"What does that mean?"
"It means something inside you is waking up."
Brook's chest tightened.
"Michael."
Crowley nodded.
"Probably."
Brook looked toward the mountains.
"What happens when it wakes?"
Crowley didn't answer immediately.
"You'll meet him."
"Where?"
"Inside yourself."
Brook frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"You'll understand."
Brook sighed.
"Everyone outside the Wall needs to learn how to explain things."
Crowley smiled.
"Maybe."
They reached the monastery just before sunset.
It was built into the side of a mountain.
Half of it had collapsed.
The entrance was covered in snow.
A massive stone arch stood above it.
Six wings were carved into the stone.
Brook stared.
His chest immediately burned.
He dropped to one knee.
Henry grabbed him.
"Brook!"
"I'm fine."
Sera looked worried.
"You're sweating."
Brook looked at the carving.
He couldn't explain what he was feeling.
Recognition.
Not his own.
Something inside him recognized it.
Crowley noticed.
"Don't touch it."
Brook looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because the Source is reacting."
Brook slowly reached toward the carving.
Crowley grabbed his wrist.
"Not yet."
Brook pulled away.
"Why?"
"Because you're not ready."
Brook stared at him.
"You don't know that."
Crowley looked directly at him.
"I do."
Brook's jaw tightened.
"How?"
Crowley didn't answer.
Again.
Another secret.
Brook walked into the monastery.
Inside, the air was warmer.
There were candles.
Old ones.
Some still burning.
Henry stopped.
"How?"
Sera looked around.
"There hasn't been anyone here for years."
Brook approached one.
The flame moved toward him.
Not away.
Toward him.
He stared.
Sera noticed.
"That's strange."
Brook reached toward it.
The flame suddenly became enormous.
White light filled the room.
Everyone stepped backward.
Brook couldn't move.
The light wrapped around him.
He heard a voice.
Not outside.
Inside.
Brook.
His eyes widened.
He looked around.
Nobody had spoken.
Brook.
The voice was deeper this time.
Calm.
Absolute.
Brook whispered:
"Who are you?"
Silence.
Then:
You know.
The room disappeared.
Brook collapsed.
Henry caught him.
"Brook!"
Crowley immediately moved toward him.
Sera knelt beside him.
His eyes were open.
But he wasn't there.
Brook opened his eyes.
He was standing in white.
There was no ground.
No sky.
No horizon.
Just endless white.
Brook looked around.
"Where am I?"
His voice echoed.
Then footsteps.
Slow.
Heavy.
Brook turned.
A figure stood in the distance.
Six enormous wings spread behind him.
Armor covered his body.
A sword hung at his side.
His face was calm.
But his presence was overwhelming.
Brook couldn't move.
The figure approached.
Brook swallowed.
"Michael?"
The man stopped.
His eyes were bright.
"Yes."
Brook stared.
"You're inside my head."
Michael nodded.
"Partially."
"What does that mean?"
"You are standing inside the place where your memories, instincts, and soul meet."
Brook looked around.
"Why are you here?"
Michael looked at him.
"I have always been here."
Brook felt a chill.
"How?"
Michael's gaze hardened.
"Because they put me here."
Brook's expression changed.
"Who?"
Michael didn't answer.
Brook stepped closer.
"You know who created me."
"I know who took what belonged to me."
Brook looked confused.
"What does that mean?"
Michael turned away.
"You are not ready."
Brook's anger rose.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
Michael looked back.
"Because it is true."
Brook stepped forward.
"I deserve answers."
Michael's expression remained unchanged.
"You deserve nothing."
Brook froze.
Michael continued.
"You want power."
"No."
"You want answers."
"Yes."
"You want to know why you can carry what no human should."
"Yes."
"You want to know why you were created."
Brook stared.
"Yes."
Michael stepped closer.
"Then prove that you deserve to know."
Brook tightened his fists.
"How?"
Michael raised his hand.
The white world changed.
A battlefield appeared.
Thousands of bodies.
Burning buildings.
People screaming.
Brook stood in the middle.
Michael stood beside him.
"Choose."
Brook looked around.
"What?"
"One side lives."
Brook stared.
"What happens to the other?"
"They die."
"Why?"
"Because you cannot save both."
Brook looked around.
"This isn't real."
Michael nodded.
"No."
Brook lowered his sword.
"Then I refuse."
Michael looked at him.
"Refuse what?"
"Your choice."
Michael's expression changed slightly.
"You misunderstand."
Brook looked at him.
"I'm not choosing who dies."
Michael stared.
Brook continued.
"If you want me to choose between two groups of innocent people…"
He shook his head.
"…then I'm not playing your game."
Michael said nothing.
The battlefield disappeared.
The white space returned.
Michael looked at Brook differently.
"Interesting."
Brook frowned.
"What?"
"You rejected the premise."
"I don't understand."
"You assumed there was another option."
"There always is."
Michael studied him.
"That belief will either save you…"
He paused.
"…or destroy you."
Brook looked at him.
"Are you going to accept me?"
"No."
Brook's expression dropped.
"Why?"
"Because you are not ready."
Michael turned.
"Find your own judgment."
Brook watched him walk away.
"Wait!"
Michael stopped.
Brook shouted:
"Will I ever be able to use your power?"
Michael looked back.
"When you understand that power does not make you righteous."
Then he disappeared.
The white world vanished.
Brook woke violently.
He gasped.
Henry was holding him.
"Brook!"
Brook sat upright.
Everyone was around him.
Sera looked frightened.
"What happened?"
Brook looked around.
The monastery.
The candles.
The snow outside.
He touched his chest.
The first Source was still there.
But it felt different.
Quieter.
He looked at Crowley.
"I met him."
Crowley didn't ask who.
"Michael?"
Brook nodded.
"What did he say?"
Brook hesitated.
"He doesn't accept me."
Crowley studied him.
"Yet."
Brook looked at him.
"You knew this would happen."
"I suspected."
Brook sighed.
"Of course."
He stood.
Henry grabbed his arm.
"You're not going anywhere."
Brook looked at him.
"I'm not."
He looked toward the monastery entrance.
Something had changed.
The first Source wasn't just power anymore.
It had become a challenge.
A presence.
A person.
Michael was inside him.
Watching.
Waiting.
Judging.
Brook looked at his hand.
The blue light appeared.
For the first time, it didn't explode uncontrollably.
It moved around his fingers.
Controlled.
Precise.
Brook stared.
Sera noticed.
"You did that."
Brook nodded.
"I think so."
Henry smiled.
"That's good."
Brook looked at the light.
It wasn't mastery.
Not yet.
But it was the first step.
And somewhere deep inside his mind…
Michael opened his eyes.
He had not accepted Brook.
But for the first time…
he was interested in him.
End of Chapter 53