Chapter 31 – The Truth Beneath Shinokuni-01
The following morning, Brook woke before sunrise.
He had barely slept.
The voice from beneath the city kept returning to his mind.
His father's voice.
The same voice he remembered from childhood.
The same voice that had promised he would return.
"Don't come looking for me."
Brook sat on the edge of his bed and stared at the floor.
For five years, he had wanted nothing more than to find his parents.
Now that he finally had evidence that his father might still be connected to what was happening, he was being told not to look.
That wasn't going to stop him.
If anything, it made him more determined.
He dressed quickly and left his room.
The streets of Shinokuni-01 were still quiet.
The sun had not risen yet, and a thin layer of mist covered the lower parts of the city.
Brook walked toward the western district.
He stopped when he saw someone waiting beside the damaged watchtower.
Henry.
"You look like you haven't slept."
Brook continued walking.
"Neither do you."
Henry followed.
"I've been thinking."
"That's dangerous."
Henry smiled.
"About what happened yesterday."
Brook stopped.
"So have I."
Henry lowered his voice.
"My father ordered the archives sealed again."
Brook frowned.
"Why?"
"He didn't say."
"Of course."
Henry looked toward the ruined tower.
"Did you go back?"
Brook nodded.
"What did you find?"
Brook hesitated.
"The floor opened."
Henry's expression changed.
"What?"
"Not completely."
"It reacted to me."
Henry stared at him.
"The symbol?"
Brook nodded.
Henry looked around to make sure nobody was nearby.
"Show me."
Brook pulled back his sleeve.
The mark was still there.
Faint.
Almost invisible.
But unmistakable.
Henry stared at it.
"That's one of the six."
"I know."
"How?"
"The journal."
Henry nodded slowly.
"And the voice?"
Brook's expression hardened.
"You heard it?"
"No."
Brook looked toward the tower.
"My father's voice."
Henry said nothing.
"He told me not to look for him."
Henry took a breath.
"Maybe you shouldn't."
Brook turned toward him.
"You're serious?"
"I'm saying we don't know what we're dealing with."
"Neither did my parents."
"Exactly."
Brook's voice became quieter.
"And look where that got them."
Henry had no response.
Brook started walking again.
Henry followed.
Neither spoke for several minutes.
Then Henry finally said:
"If we're going to find answers…"
"…we need to stop looking at this like Watchmen."
Brook glanced at him.
"What do you mean?"
"We need information."
"People."
"Records."
"Maps."
"Everything."
Brook smiled faintly.
"You're suggesting we investigate the kingdom behind the King's back."
Henry smiled.
"I'm suggesting we investigate it carefully."
"That's a terrible idea."
"You're still coming."
"Obviously."
They continued toward the western district.
Neither noticed the figure watching them from the roof of an abandoned building.
A woman wearing a dark hood stood perfectly still.
Her eyes followed Brook.
She remained there until the two disappeared around the corner.
Then she whispered:
"So it really is him."
She turned away.
And vanished into the morning mist.
The western district was almost empty.
Most civilians had been relocated.
Royal Guards remained stationed around the ruined watchtower.
Brook and Henry approached the barricade.
A guard stepped forward.
"Stop."
Henry removed the royal insignia from inside his coat.
"Prince Henry."
The guard immediately bowed.
"Your Highness."
"I'm here to inspect the site."
The guard looked uncomfortable.
"The King ordered that nobody enter."
Henry smiled.
"I'm not entering."
Brook looked at him.
Henry pointed toward the tower.
"We're simply going to look."
The guard reluctantly stepped aside.
Brook and Henry entered the restricted area.
The damage was worse in daylight.
Several buildings had collapsed.
The road remained split by the enormous fissure.
Workers were still repairing the surrounding structures.
Brook approached the ruined tower.
He could feel something.
A faint warmth in his hand.
The symbol.
It was reacting again.
Henry noticed.
"It's happening."
Brook nodded.
They moved closer.
A strange blue glow appeared between the cracks in the stone.
Brook crouched.
"There's something underneath."
Henry looked around.
"How do we get down?"
Brook pointed toward the tower.
"We don't."
Henry frowned.
"Then what?"
Brook placed his hand against one of the remaining walls.
Nothing happened.
He tried another.
Nothing.
Then he noticed a carving.
A circle.
Six smaller symbols.
He pressed his palm against it.
The wall moved.
Henry stepped backward.
"What did you do?"
"I don't know."
A section of stone slid sideways, revealing a narrow passage.
Cold air rushed out.
Brook stared into the darkness.
Henry looked at him.
"You've got to be kidding."
Brook smiled.
"Want to turn around?"
"No."
"Good."
They stepped inside.
The passage was narrow.
Ancient blue markings covered the walls.
Brook ran his fingers across one.
"These aren't royal markings."
"No."
Henry looked at another.
"I've never seen writing like this."
They continued deeper.
The sounds of the city disappeared behind them.
Eventually, they reached a staircase.
It descended farther than Brook could see.
Henry lit a lantern.
The blue markings reflected across the walls.
Brook noticed something strange.
There were names carved into the stone.
Hundreds of them.
Some were written in languages he didn't recognize.
Others were familiar.
Kings.
Scientists.
Watchmen.
People from centuries ago.
Henry stopped.
"Brook."
Brook looked at him.
Henry pointed.
One name stood among the others.
Thomas Smith.
Brook's breathing stopped.
He walked toward it.
The name had been carved recently.
Not centuries ago.
The stone around it was clean.
Brook touched the letters.
"He's been here."
Henry looked at the carving.
"Your father."
Brook nodded.
His eyes moved farther down the wall.
Another name appeared.
Elizabeth Smith.
His mother.
Brook stepped backward.
"They were here."
Henry grabbed his shoulder.
"Brook…"
"They were here."
His voice broke.
For five years, he had imagined his parents dead.
He had imagined them trapped.
He had imagined them lost.
But never this.
They had been beneath Shinokuni-01.
Perhaps recently.
Perhaps long after everyone believed they were gone.
Brook's eyes filled with anger.
"Why didn't they come home?"
Henry didn't answer.
A sound echoed from farther down the staircase.
Metal scraping against stone.
Both men froze.
Henry drew his sword.
Brook did the same.
"Did you hear that?"
"Yes."
Another scrape.
Closer.
Brook raised the lantern.
"Who's there?"
Nothing.
They waited.
Then a voice answered.
"Leave."
Brook's blood ran cold.
It wasn't his father's voice.
It was a woman's.
Henry stepped forward.
"Identify yourself."
"Leave this place."
Brook tightened his grip.
"We're looking for someone."
"I know."
"Who?"
Silence.
Then:
"Your parents."
Brook's heart slammed against his chest.
"Where are they?"
"You shouldn't have come."
Brook took another step.
"I've been looking for them for five years."
The woman finally appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
She wore a dark cloak.
Her face was partially hidden.
But Brook could see her eyes.
They were tired.
Not frightened.
Tired.
She looked directly at him.
"You have your mother's eyes."
Brook lowered his sword slightly.
"Who are you?"
The woman didn't answer.
Instead, she looked at the symbol glowing beneath his skin.
Her expression changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
"Oh…"
She whispered.
"They found you."
Henry raised his sword.
"Who?"
The woman looked past them.
"Not who."
She took a step backward.
"What."
The stone walls began vibrating.
A deep sound traveled through the passage.
Brook looked toward the bottom of the staircase.
The woman backed away.
"You need to leave."
Brook refused.
"I'm not leaving without answers."
"You don't understand."
"I understand enough."
The vibration became stronger.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
The woman looked toward the darkness behind her.
"They're awake."
Henry's face hardened.
"Who?"
The woman whispered:
"The things your ancestors buried."
A deep roar echoed through the tunnels.
Brook felt the mark on his hand burn.
The blue symbols across the walls ignited simultaneously.
The entire staircase illuminated.
And for a brief moment, Brook saw the enormous chamber below.
A massive stone door stood at its center.
Six symbols were carved across it.
Five were dark.
One was glowing.
Brook stared at the glowing symbol.
His symbol.
Then something struck the other side of the door.
The impact shook the entire chamber.
The woman screamed.
"RUN!"
Brook didn't move.
He stared at the door.
A second impact came.
The stone cracked.
Henry grabbed Brook by the arm.
"Now!"
Brook finally turned.
They ran up the staircase as the ancient chamber shook behind them.
The woman followed.
Another impact.
The door cracked further.
And somewhere beyond it…
something laughed.
Brook didn't know what was behind the door.
He didn't know what the six Sources were.
He didn't know what had happened to his parents.
But he finally understood one thing.
His parents hadn't disappeared because they failed to find the truth.
They disappeared because they found it.