Chapter 189 — The Earth Vessel
The Earth Vessel had been walking for nine days.
They did not sleep.
Not because they couldn't.
Because the Earth would not let them rest.
Every time they stopped, the ground spoke.
Not with words.
With feeling.
With pressure.
With movement.
Go.
The Vessel continued.
A river stood in their path.
They stopped at its edge.
The water was violent.
Fast.
Deep.
The Vessel looked at it.
Then stepped forward.
The river changed direction.
Water pulled away from their feet.
The Vessel crossed.
Once they reached the other side—
the river returned to its original path.
They didn't look back.
They already knew.
The Earth was helping them.
But not for them.
For him.
The Vessel reached the edge of a forest.
They stopped.
Every tree stood still.
Animals watched from the darkness.
The Vessel placed their hand against the ground.
Their eyes closed.
Asteria.
Still far.
But closer.
Brook.
The name came this time.
The Vessel opened their eyes.
They had never heard it before.
Yet—
they knew.
"Brook."
The name felt familiar.
The Earth trembled.
The Vessel immediately pulled their hand away.
Something else was there.
Not the Earth.
The Vessel stood.
"What are you?"
No answer.
The forest became quiet.
Then—
a tree cracked.
The Vessel turned.
A branch bent toward the distant horizon.
Asteria.
The Vessel's expression hardened.
"Of course."
They continued walking.
Inside Asteria—
Brook sat with Crowley.
They were in one of the palace's upper rooms.
A map covered the table.
Crowley stared at it.
Brook stared at Crowley.
Neither was speaking.
Finally—
Brook sighed.
"You've been staring at that for ten minutes."
Crowley didn't look up.
"Eight."
Brook stared.
"You counted?"
"No."
"Then how do you know?"
Crowley looked at him.
"I don't."
Brook smiled.
Crowley looked back at the map.
Brook's smile disappeared.
"You know something."
Crowley remained quiet.
Brook leaned forward.
"Crowley."
Crowley sighed.
"I told you."
"No."
Crowley looked at him.
"What?"
"You told me enough to make me worried."
Crowley leaned back.
"That's usually all anyone needs."
Brook crossed his arms.
"Tell me what you know about the Earth Source."
Crowley's expression changed.
For once—
he didn't immediately joke.
"Almost nothing."
Brook stared.
"That isn't helpful."
"It's honest."
Brook waited.
Crowley finally looked down at the map.
"The other Sources are different."
Brook watched him.
"Michael."
"Power."
Crowley shook his head.
"Not exactly."
He tapped the table.
"Michael is something that exists beyond you."
Brook frowned.
Crowley continued.
"Lucifer."
"Same."
"Death."
"Same."
Brook waited.
"And the Earth?"
Crowley looked at him.
"The Earth is already here."
Brook stopped.
Crowley pointed toward the ground.
"Everywhere."
Brook stared.
Crowley continued.
"You can't find it."
"You can't escape it."
"You can't kill it."
Brook slowly looked down.
Crowley leaned forward.
"That's why I don't understand what's happening."
Brook raised his arm.
"The mark?"
Crowley nodded.
"You already have something inside you that should have awakened first."
Brook's expression changed.
"Earth."
"Yes."
Brook remembered.
The Earth responding.
The flowers.
The roots.
The heartbeat beneath his feet.
Crowley watched him.
"Your Earth Source should have developed before Michael."
Brook looked up.
"Why?"
Crowley shook his head.
"I don't know."
"You don't know anything."
Crowley smiled.
"I know how annoying you are."
Brook didn't smile.
Crowley sighed.
"Fine."
He looked back at the map.
"Because the Earth is where you belong."
Brook stared.
"That makes no sense."
Crowley shrugged.
"Welcome to your life."
Hutena entered.
Brook looked toward her.
Crowley immediately asked:
"You dream?"
Hutena frowned.
"Good morning to you too."
"You dream?"
"Yes."
Crowley stood.
Brook watched them.
"Well?"
Hutena looked toward Brook.
"He's closer."
The room became quiet.
Brook leaned forward.
"The Earth Vessel."
Hutena nodded.
Crowley looked between them.
"We're calling it that now?"
Brook shrugged.
"We don't know what else to call them."
Crowley sighed.
"Fair."
Hutena approached the map.
She placed her finger against it.
"Here."
Brook and Crowley leaned closer.
Hutena pointed to an area beyond Asteria.
"Yesterday."
Then she moved her finger.
"Here."
Brook frowned.
"They're moving fast."
Hutena nodded.
"Faster."
Crowley looked at her.
"Do you know who they are?"
Hutena remained silent.
Brook noticed.
"What?"
She looked at him.
"I've seen them."
"That isn't an answer."
"I know."
Brook folded his arms.
Hutena sighed.
"Every dream is different."
Crowley raised an eyebrow.
"That sounds familiar."
Hutena ignored him.
"In some dreams, they're a man."
Brook frowned.
"In others?"
"A woman."
Brook stared.
"Then which one?"
Hutena looked toward the ground.
"I don't know."
Crowley leaned against the table.
"What do they look like?"
Hutena closed her eyes.
"Sometimes old."
"Sometimes young."
"Sometimes…"
She stopped.
Brook waited.
"Sometimes they don't look human."
The room became silent.
Brook slowly said:
"Helpful."
Hutena opened one eye.
"Sorry I can't organize my supernatural dreams into categories for you."
Crowley smiled.
Brook pointed at her.
"Don't start."
"I wasn't."
Crowley immediately looked away.
Hutena became serious.
"But I know one thing."
Brook looked at her.
"What?"
"The Earth Vessel is coming for you."
Brook stared.
"Why?"
Hutena's expression tightened.
"I don't think they know."
That answer made the room quieter.
Outside—
Henry was sitting beneath a tree.
Charon hung upside down from one of its branches.
Henry stared at him.
Charon stared back.
"What?"
Henry asked.
Charon continued staring.
Henry sighed.
"You're weird."
"Henry."
"Yeah?"
"Magic."
Henry frowned.
"What about it?"
Charon moved.
He formed a small hand.
Then made a motion.
Henry stared.
"Are you telling me to learn magic?"
Charon nodded.
Henry laughed.
"I barely understand what you are."
Charon looked offended.
"Mean."
Henry stopped.
"You know that word?"
Charon nodded.
Henry smiled.
Charon had been learning.
Slowly.
But learning.
Henry leaned back against the tree.
"Maybe."
Charon tilted his head.
Henry looked toward his hands.
"I can't always depend on you."
Charon froze.
Henry immediately noticed.
"No."
Charon began shrinking.
Henry sighed.
"That's not what I meant."
Charon disappeared behind him.
Henry looked toward the tree.
"I mean…"
He stopped.
Charon slowly peeked around his shoulder.
Henry smiled.
"I want to be stronger too."
Charon stared.
Henry held out his hand.
"Together?"
Charon looked at it.
Then formed a hand.
They touched.
A small sound came from Charon.
Henry smiled.
"Was that a laugh?"
"No."
"You laughed."
"No."
Henry laughed.
Charon disappeared again.
Later—
Brook stood outside Asteria.
He had left the palace walls.
Sera was with him.
Crowley followed behind.
Brook's feet touched soil.
The moment they did—
the Earth reacted.
Brook froze.
Sera noticed.
"What?"
Brook looked down.
Grass was moving.
Not growing.
Moving.
The blades slowly bent.
All in one direction.
Brook followed them.
Toward the forest.
Crowley stepped closer.
"Brook."
The Earth continued moving.
Brook slowly stepped forward.
Then stopped.
The grass bent harder.
The direction was clear.
Someone was coming.
Brook looked toward Crowley.
"You feel that?"
Crowley nodded.
Sera looked confused.
"Feel what?"
Brook took another step.
The ground trembled.
His fourth mark appeared.
Sera immediately saw it.
"Brook!"
He looked down.
The symbol burned.
This time—
it didn't fade.
Not immediately.
Crowley stared.
The mark was different from the others.
It looked unfinished.
As though something was missing.
Brook felt his heartbeat slow.
Then—
the entire forest went silent.
Birds stopped.
Wind disappeared.
Brook looked toward the trees.
A figure stood between them.
Far away.
Too far to see clearly.
But Brook knew.
The Earth had been calling them.
The figure took one step forward.
The ground trembled.
Sera raised her hand.
Crowley stepped in front of her.
Brook didn't move.
The figure stopped.
They looked toward him.
Brook's mark burned.
The figure raised their arm.
A matching symbol appeared.
Brook's eyes widened.
Then—
the mark disappeared from both of them.
The forest returned to normal.
Birds began singing.
Wind moved.
The figure stepped backward.
Brook immediately moved forward.
"Wait!"
The figure turned.
Brook ran.
Crowley called after him.
"Brook!"
Brook entered the forest.
Branches moved away from him.
Roots lifted from his path.
Brook stopped.
The figure was gone.
He looked around.
Nothing.
Then—
a voice came from the trees.
"Not yet."
Brook froze.
"Who are you?"
Silence.
Brook turned.
Nobody.
He clenched his fist.
"Show yourself!"
The Earth trembled.
Brook looked down.
Words formed in the soil.
Slowly.
One letter at a time.
Brook stared.
CLOSER.
Then—
the letters disappeared.
Brook stood alone.
Far away—
the Earth Vessel continued walking.
Their hand covered their arm.
The symbol had appeared.
Then disappeared.
They looked toward Asteria.
They could feel Brook now.
Clearly.
They whispered:
"Soon."
And somewhere else—
in a place filled with silence—
Silvet stopped walking.
He looked toward nothing.
His expression remained calm.
But his eyes narrowed.
He had felt it.
The Earth Source.
Awakening.
Silvet smiled.
"So."
He continued walking.
"Asteria was worth visiting after all."
End of Chapter 189