Chapter 28 – The Man Behind the Wall
The western courtyard remained silent.
No one moved.
The last traces of the black mist disappeared into the evening air, leaving only broken wood, scattered weapons, and several injured Royal Guards behind.
Brook stood completely still.
His sword was still in his hand.
His eyes remained fixed on the place where the stranger had vanished.
"Brook."
He didn't answer.
"Brook."
Sera's voice finally reached him.
He turned.
She was standing at the entrance to the courtyard, breathing heavily.
Her eyes moved across the destruction.
"What happened?"
Brook looked at Crowley.
Crowley was wiping his blade clean.
"Someone came through the gate."
Sera frowned.
"Someone?"
Brook nodded.
"He knew about my parents."
That got her attention.
"What?"
"He said they discovered something."
Sera immediately walked toward him.
"What did he say?"
Brook opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
He wasn't sure how to explain it.
The stranger had said too much.
Humanity wasn't supposed to be here.
The Walls didn't matter.
His parents had discovered something.
And somehow, that man knew Brook.
Sera looked at him carefully.
"You look scared."
"I'm not."
"You are."
Brook looked away.
"I'm confused."
Sera softened.
"That's different."
Before Brook could respond, Captain Mercer approached.
"Everyone who can stand, report to the command hall."
His voice was exhausted.
"The King wants answers."
Crowley walked past them.
Brook followed.
Sera followed Brook.
Henry joined them a few seconds later.
Nobody spoke as they crossed the courtyard.
For once, even Brook didn't have a joke.
The command hall was packed.
Royal Guards lined the walls.
Senior Watchmen stood around the long table.
The King sat at the head of it.
His expression was cold.
The Royal Chancellor stood beside him with several documents.
Brook entered with Crowley, Sera, Henry, and Mercer.
The King immediately looked at Brook.
"Tell me everything."
Brook took a breath.
"He appeared at the western gate."
"He looked human."
"At first."
"He knew about my parents."
The King leaned forward.
"What exactly did he say?"
Brook repeated the stranger's words.
The room became increasingly uncomfortable.
When Brook reached the part about humanity not being supposed to exist, several council members exchanged glances.
Henry noticed.
"So you know something."
The Chancellor looked at the King.
The King remained silent.
Henry's voice hardened.
"Father."
The King finally spoke.
"I know fragments."
"That's not enough."
"It is what I was given."
"By whom?"
The King stared at his son.
"By the previous king."
Henry shook his head.
"You've spent my entire life telling me I need to be prepared to rule."
"How can I rule something you refuse to explain?"
The King's expression softened.
"Because I was trying to protect you."
"From what?"
The King looked toward Brook.
"From the same thing your friend is now being drawn into."
Brook stepped forward.
"What happened to my parents?"
The King didn't answer.
Brook's voice became firmer.
"What happened to them?"
"I don't know."
Brook stared at him.
"You expect me to believe that?"
"I don't know what happened to them after they entered the laboratory."
"But I know they discovered something."
"What?"
The King hesitated.
"Something connected to the experiment."
Brook's eyes narrowed.
"The experiment that created the Abominations?"
"Yes."
Sera stepped forward.
"And the seal?"
The King looked at her.
"Yes."
The room fell silent.
Sera's expression changed.
"You knew."
"I knew there was something beneath this kingdom."
"Not what it was."
The King shook his head.
"No."
Crowley finally spoke.
"Then perhaps we should stop pretending the royal family understands this."
Every eye turned toward him.
The King studied Crowley.
"You seem unusually confident."
Crowley shrugged.
"I've seen enough to know when someone doesn't have the answers."
The King stared at him for several seconds.
Then looked away.
"He's right."
Brook glanced at Crowley.
His mentor's expression remained unreadable.
Hours later, the meeting finally ended.
The city was under curfew.
The western district had been sealed.
No one was allowed within three streets of the damaged gate.
Brook walked through the palace corridors with Sera and Henry.
Crowley had disappeared.
Brook noticed.
"Where's Crowley?"
Henry shrugged.
"He left during the meeting."
Sera looked at Brook.
"You worried?"
"He's acting strange."
"You've known him for years."
"Exactly."
They reached a balcony overlooking the palace gardens.
Henry leaned against the railing.
"My father is hiding something."
Brook nodded.
"Definitely."
Sera looked between them.
"So what are we going to do?"
Brook stared into the darkness.
"Find out."
Henry smiled faintly.
"That sounds easier than it is."
"It usually is."
Sera shook her head.
"You two are idiots."
Brook smiled.
"You're still here."
"Unfortunately."
For a few seconds, everything felt normal.
Then Henry noticed something.
"Brook."
"What?"
"Your hand."
Brook looked down.
A faint blue mark had appeared across the back of his hand.
He immediately rubbed it.
"What the hell?"
Sera grabbed his wrist.
"Don't."
She examined it carefully.
The mark looked like a circle surrounded by six small lines.
Brook recognized it.
"The symbols."
Henry's face went pale.
"The ones from the archives."
Brook nodded.
"I don't know how it got there."
Sera touched the mark.
The moment her finger made contact—
A burst of blue light flashed between them.
Sera immediately pulled her hand away.
"Ow!"
Brook grabbed her.
"You alright?"
"Yeah."
She looked at her palm.
A faint red mark had appeared.
Brook stared at it.
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault."
Henry stepped closer.
"Does it hurt?"
Brook shook his head.
"No."
"Then what does it feel like?"
Brook thought about it.
"Warm."
The three looked at each other.
None of them understood.
Then Brook heard something.
A whisper.
Very faint.
Almost like someone speaking from the other side of a wall.
"Find…"
Brook froze.
"What?"
Sera looked confused.
"You said something."
Brook looked around the balcony.
"Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
The whisper came again.
"Find…"
This time Brook heard it clearly.
"…the first."
He stepped backward.
"What the hell?"
Henry looked around.
"There isn't anyone here."
Brook stared at the palace floor.
The voice was coming from below.
Deep beneath Shinokuni-01…
The sealed chamber remained dark.
The ancient door stood at the end of the corridor.
The blue symbols across its surface had begun glowing.
One by one.
Six symbols.
The first flickered.
Then the second.
Then the third.
A faint vibration traveled through the stone.
Behind the door…
Something moved.
A hand pressed against the other side.
Five long fingers.
Human in shape.
But far too large.
The stone door groaned.
A voice whispered from the darkness.
"Not yet."
The hand disappeared.
The glow faded.
The chamber became silent again.
Brook couldn't sleep.
He returned to Watchtower Seven alone.
The city beneath him was almost completely dark.
Curfew had emptied the streets.
Only a few patrols moved between buildings.
Brook sat against the stone wall and looked toward the stars.
His father's notebook rested beside him.
He opened it again.
Page after page contained information he couldn't understand.
But one drawing kept catching his attention.
A circle.
Six symbols.
And beneath them…
a human figure.
The figure had six lines extending from its chest.
Brook traced the drawing with his finger.
"What were you looking for, Dad?"
The wind answered with silence.
Then footsteps approached.
Brook immediately reached for his sword.
Crowley stepped out of the darkness.
Brook relaxed.
"You disappeared."
"I needed air."
"You've been gone for hours."
Crowley leaned against the battlement.
"I've had a lot to think about."
Brook closed the notebook.
"You know something."
Crowley looked at him.
"About what?"
"Everything."
Crowley laughed quietly.
"That's a big accusation."
"You recognized that man."
Crowley's smile faded.
Brook stood.
"You knew him."
"I've met people like him."
"That's not what I asked."
Crowley looked toward the horizon.
"Brook…"
"You told me the world outside was strange."
"Now I'm starting to think you knew exactly how strange it was."
Crowley remained silent.
Brook stepped closer.
"Who are you?"
The question hung between them.
Crowley looked directly into Brook's eyes.
For a moment, Brook thought he might finally answer.
Instead, Crowley smiled.
"I'm Crowley."
Brook sighed.
"That's not funny."
"I wasn't joking."
Brook shook his head.
"One day I'm going to figure you out."
Crowley looked toward the distant darkness.
"Maybe."
A strange calm settled over the tower.
Then Crowley said something so quietly Brook almost missed it.
"Just make sure you're ready when you do."
Brook frowned.
"Ready for what?"
Crowley didn't answer.
His eyes remained fixed on the horizon.
Far beyond the Wall, hidden somewhere in the wilderness, six faint lights appeared in the darkness.
One.
Then another.
Then another.
Brook couldn't see them.
But Crowley could.
His expression became serious.
The game had begun moving again.
And somewhere beyond the Walls…
someone was already waiting for Brook.