Chapter 56 – The First Judgment
The stone gate closed behind them.
Nobody spoke for several seconds.
The sound of the massive doors locking into place echoed through the mountain pass before fading into the distance.
Henry turned around.
"Well."
Sera looked at him.
"Well what?"
Henry pointed behind them.
"We can't go back."
Elias sighed.
"That's obvious."
Henry looked at the enormous stone gate.
"No, I mean literally."
He walked over and pushed against it.
Nothing happened.
He pushed harder.
Still nothing.
"See?"
Sera folded her arms.
"Very impressive."
Henry stepped away.
"I was just checking."
Brook smiled.
"Sure."
Crowley continued walking.
"Stop wasting time."
Brook followed him.
The path ahead was narrow.
Tall walls of stone rose on both sides, blocking most of the sky.
Snow drifted through the opening above.
The farther they walked, the quieter everything became.
No birds.
No wind.
No distant sounds.
Only their footsteps.
Brook eventually noticed something carved into the rock.
He stopped.
Six symbols.
They were arranged in a circle.
Michael.
Lucifer.
Death.
Gaia.
Merlin.
Humanity.
Brook stared at them.
His chest tightened.
The Archangel Source reacted.
A faint warmth moved through his body.
Not painful.
Just present.
Crowley noticed.
"Keep moving."
Brook looked at him.
"You know what this is."
"I know what it represents."
"That's not the same thing."
Crowley kept walking.
Brook followed.
"You could at least pretend you're going to answer me."
"I could."
"Are you?"
"No."
Brook sighed.
Henry laughed from behind them.
"You're wasting your breath."
Brook looked back.
"You're supposed to be on my side."
"I am."
Henry shrugged.
"I'm just enjoying this."
Sera smiled.
"Same."
Brook shook his head.
"Traitors."
For a moment, everything felt normal.
Then the mountain spoke.
A low vibration traveled through the stone beneath their feet.
Everyone stopped.
Henry drew his sword.
"What was that?"
Crowley looked around.
"Nothing."
Brook frowned.
"That wasn't nothing."
Crowley looked at him.
"I know."
They continued until they reached the shrine.
It was smaller than Brook expected.
There were six statues arranged around a circular platform.
The statue of Michael stood at the front.
A sword rested against his side.
Six wings were carved behind him.
Brook stared at the statue.
Something inside him moved.
He felt it.
A presence.
Not outside.
Inside.
Brook stepped forward.
The world suddenly became distant.
Henry's voice faded.
Sera's voice disappeared.
Crowley became a shadow.
Brook's breathing slowed.
Then everything went black.
Brook opened his eyes.
White.
That was all he could see.
There was no ground.
No sky.
No walls.
Just an endless white space.
Brook looked around.
"Again?"
A voice answered.
"Again."
Brook turned.
Michael stood several meters away.
He wasn't wearing armor this time.
He wore a simple white robe.
His wings were folded behind him.
His sword was absent.
Brook studied him.
"So you're real."
Michael looked at him.
"I am real."
"You're inside my head."
"I am within you."
Brook frowned.
"That's different."
"Not entirely."
Brook looked around.
"Why am I here?"
"Because the Source has recognized you."
Brook stared.
"Recognized me?"
Michael nodded.
"But recognition is not acceptance."
Brook sighed.
"That's what I wanted to ask."
Michael remained still.
"You carry my essence."
"Your DNA."
Michael looked at him.
"That is one way your world would describe it."
Brook frowned.
"And the other way?"
Michael didn't answer.
Brook took a step forward.
"Who created me?"
Silence.
"Michael."
Nothing.
Brook's frustration grew.
"Who?"
Michael finally spoke.
"You are asking questions that belong to later."
Brook laughed.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
"Because you keep trying to reach the end before understanding the beginning."
Brook looked at him.
"So what am I supposed to do?"
Michael raised his hand.
The white space changed.
A massive city appeared.
Brook recognized it.
Shinokuni-01.
But it was different.
Burning.
People were running through the streets.
Watchmen were fighting.
Abominations were attacking.
Brook watched as people screamed.
He looked at Michael.
"What is this?"
"A choice."
Brook stared.
"Again?"
Michael nodded.
"Again."
Brook saw three groups of people.
Children trapped inside a burning building.
Watchmen surrounded by Abominations.
And a group of civilians trapped outside the Wall.
Brook looked around.
"Which one do I save?"
Michael didn't answer.
Brook waited.
Nothing.
He turned toward the burning building.
"I'll save the children."
Michael remained silent.
Brook started moving.
Then stopped.
"What happens to the others?"
"They die."
Brook turned around.
"No."
Michael looked at him.
"You cannot save everyone."
"I can try."
"You have limited time."
"Then I'll move faster."
Michael said nothing.
Brook ran toward the children.
He reached the building.
The door was blocked.
He broke through it.
Inside, three children were trapped beneath debris.
Brook lifted the first piece.
Then another.
He carried them outside.
One by one.
When he returned for the last child, the building collapsed.
Brook froze.
The other groups were still dying.
Michael appeared beside him.
"You failed."
Brook looked at him.
"Because I couldn't save everyone?"
"Because you chose."
Brook stared.
"That's the point of the test."
"No."
Michael looked at him.
"The point is not choosing who lives."
Brook frowned.
"Then what is it?"
Michael pointed toward the burning city.
"You assumed you had to accept the situation exactly as I presented it."
Brook looked around.
The scene replayed.
This time, he noticed something.
The watchmen weren't actually surrounded.
They were holding the line.
The civilians weren't trapped.
There was another route through the streets.
Brook looked at Michael.
"You wanted me to question the test."
Michael nodded.
"You accepted the boundaries I gave you without asking whether they were real."
Brook looked at the city.
"So I failed because I followed the rules."
"You failed because you accepted them without understanding them."
Brook stared at Michael.
"That's unfair."
Michael nodded.
"Yes."
Brook frowned.
"Why?"
"Because life is unfair."
The city disappeared.
Brook stood alone with Michael again.
Michael stepped toward him.
"Justice without understanding becomes cruelty."
Brook listened.
"Protection without judgment becomes recklessness."
Michael paused.
"And power without restraint becomes tyranny."
Brook looked at him.
"So what do you want from me?"
Michael answered:
"Think."
Brook laughed.
"That's it?"
"For now."
The white space began fading.
Brook looked at Michael.
"Do I pass?"
Michael shook his head.
"No."
Brook sighed.
"Of course."
"But you learned."
Michael turned away.
"That matters more."
Brook stared at him.
"Will I see you again?"
Michael looked over his shoulder.
"Yes."
Then everything disappeared.
Brook opened his eyes.
He was back at the shrine.
Henry was kneeling beside him.
"Brook!"
Brook blinked.
"What happened?"
"You collapsed."
Brook sat up.
"How long?"
"Maybe thirty seconds."
Brook looked around.
The shrine was exactly as it had been.
Crowley stood several feet away.
He was watching Brook carefully.
Sera crouched beside him.
"You scared us."
Brook rubbed his forehead.
"I was somewhere else."
Crowley asked:
"Michael?"
Brook nodded.
"What happened?"
Brook hesitated.
"He tested me."
Henry frowned.
"Did you win?"
Brook laughed.
"No."
Henry smiled.
"Good."
Brook looked at him.
"Why is that good?"
"Because you can't always win."
Brook stared at him.
Then smiled.
"Fair."
Crowley stepped closer.
"What did he teach you?"
Brook looked at the statue.
"That I don't understand power."
Crowley nodded.
"He's right."
Brook looked at him.
"You agree?"
"Yes."
Brook sighed.
"Wonderful."
Crowley looked at the statue.
"The first Source isn't something you conquer."
Brook nodded slowly.
"I know."
"You have to understand what it represents."
Brook looked down at his hand.
A faint blue-white glow appeared around his fingers.
It didn't explode.
It didn't overwhelm him.
It simply remained there.
Brook moved his fingers.
The light followed.
He looked at it.
For the first time, he could feel the Source responding to him without resistance.
Not mastery.
Not even close.
But recognition.
Brook closed his hand.
The light disappeared.
Sera smiled.
"That's new."
Brook nodded.
"I think I'm getting better."
Crowley looked at him.
"You've passed nothing yet."
Brook smiled.
"I know."
Henry looked at Crowley.
"So what's next?"
Crowley looked toward the northern path.
"Another test."
Brook stood.
"Then let's keep moving."
They left the shrine.
None of them noticed the faint glow returning to Michael's statue after they walked away.
Deep inside Brook's mind, Michael stood alone.
He looked toward the empty white horizon.
Then spoke quietly.
"He's stubborn."
A faint voice answered from somewhere far away.
"Like the one who made him."
Michael's expression changed.
He turned.
But there was nobody there.
The voice was gone.
Michael looked toward the darkness.
For the first time…
he wondered who had spoken.
End of Chapter 56