Chapter 34 – The Woman in the Forest
The woman stared at Crowley.
For several seconds, neither of them moved.
The Watchmen remained frozen around them, struggling against the strange pressure that seemed to weigh down the entire forest.
Brook was still on one knee.
His lungs felt heavy.
His hand burned beneath his sleeve.
The woman slowly tilted her head.
"You."
Crowley didn't answer.
Her eyes narrowed.
"I thought you were gone."
Crowley's expression remained cold.
"Disappointed?"
A faint smile returned to her face.
"Not yet."
Brook looked between them.
"You know her?"
Crowley didn't look at him.
"Stay behind me."
Brook pushed himself upright.
"I'm not a child."
"I didn't say you were."
"Then stop treating me like one."
Crowley finally looked at him.
"This isn't the time."
The woman laughed softly.
"Still pretending to care about humans."
Crowley's eyes hardened.
"You don't know anything about me."
"I know exactly what you are."
Brook noticed the change in Crowley's posture.
His hand had tightened around his sword.
For the first time since Brook had known him, Crowley looked genuinely ready to kill someone.
The woman noticed too.
"Interesting."
Her gaze shifted toward Brook.
"And you're protecting him."
Crowley stepped forward.
"Walk away."
She smiled.
"You know I can't do that."
"Then you'll regret staying."
The woman laughed again.
The sound was quiet.
Almost beautiful.
But there was something wrong with it.
Something empty.
She raised her hand.
The pressure disappeared.
Every Watchman suddenly collapsed forward, gasping for air.
Sera caught herself against a tree.
Henry dropped to one knee.
Mercer immediately shouted.
"Defensive formation!"
The soldiers raised their weapons.
The woman looked around at them.
"You don't understand what you're facing."
Mercer pointed his sword toward her.
"Identify yourself."
She ignored him.
Her attention remained on Brook.
"Do you know what you carry?"
Brook stood.
"No."
"Do you know why the people beneath your city are afraid of you?"
"No."
"Do you know why your parents disappeared?"
Brook's expression changed.
"You know where they are?"
The woman smiled.
"I know where they were."
Brook stepped forward.
Crowley blocked him.
"Brook."
"Move."
"No."
"She knows my parents."
"And she's using that against you."
Brook stared at him.
The woman watched them carefully.
"You trust him."
Brook looked at Crowley.
"Yes."
"That's unfortunate."
Crowley drew his sword.
The woman sighed.
"Must we do this?"
"You came here."
"I came for him."
She pointed at Brook.
"Not you."
Crowley moved.
He crossed the distance between them in an instant.
The woman raised her arm.
A wave of force exploded outward.
Crowley was thrown backward.
He landed on his feet.
Brook's eyes widened.
Sera stared.
Henry whispered:
"What the hell was that?"
Crowley wiped a small line of blood from the corner of his mouth.
Then smiled.
"Now we're getting somewhere."
The woman frowned.
"You haven't changed."
"Neither have you."
Crowley charged again.
This time the woman met him.
Their weapons collided.
The impact sent a shockwave through the forest.
Brook was forced backward.
Trees shook.
Leaves exploded from branches.
The Watchmen struggled to remain standing.
Crowley struck again.
The woman blocked.
Again.
Again.
Again.
They moved so quickly that Brook could barely follow.
The woman stepped backward.
Crowley swung.
She ducked.
Her hand flashed toward his chest.
Crowley twisted away.
She struck the ground.
The earth cracked.
Crowley jumped over the fracture and landed several meters away.
Brook stared.
He had seen Crowley fight before.
But never like this.
He wasn't fighting like a Watchman.
He was fighting like someone who had spent centuries learning how to kill.
The woman noticed Brook watching.
"Now you understand."
Crowley turned.
"Don't."
Brook looked at him.
"Don't what?"
"Ask questions."
The woman smiled.
"Ask him."
Crowley went still.
"Ask him what he really is."
Brook's eyes narrowed.
"Crowley."
"Not now."
"What is she talking about?"
Crowley didn't answer.
The woman took a step forward.
"You've followed him for years."
"You've trained him."
"You've protected him."
"Do you really think he knows why?"
Crowley's expression became unreadable.
Brook felt something shift inside him.
He hated that feeling.
The feeling that everyone around him knew a story he had never been allowed to read.
"Who are you?" Brook asked.
The woman looked at him.
"My name is Mara."
Brook waited.
"That's all you're getting."
"Why are you here?"
"Because something has changed."
"What?"
She pointed at his hand.
"The first Source has begun accepting you."
Brook stared at the mark beneath his sleeve.
"What is the first Source?"
Mara's expression became serious.
"The beginning."
"That's not an answer."
"It is."
She looked toward the distant Wall.
"Everything starts somewhere."
Henry stepped forward.
"You said some of the people outside weren't human."
Mara looked at him.
"They weren't."
"Angels?"
"Some."
"Demons?"
"Some."
"Then what are they?"
Mara smiled faintly.
"People."
Henry frowned.
"Angels and demons are people?"
"Some of them."
Sera looked confused.
"What does that even mean?"
Mara shrugged.
"You're still thinking in categories."
"Good and evil."
"Human and monster."
"Angel and demon."
"Those distinctions become meaningless once you travel far enough."
Brook remembered the King's words.
The Walls.
The twelve kingdoms.
The hidden chamber.
The Sources.
Everything seemed connected.
Mara continued.
"Outside these Walls, you will meet beings who don't fit the stories you've been taught."
"You'll meet demons who save lives."
"Angels who destroy them."
"Humans who are worse than both."
"Don't let names decide who deserves your trust."
Brook stared at her.
"Then what should I trust?"
Mara looked directly at him.
"Choices."
The word stayed with him.
Before Brook could respond, a sudden movement caught his attention.
Something was approaching through the trees.
Mara looked toward it.
"So soon."
Crowley raised his sword.
"What?"
Mara didn't answer.
The trees parted.
A group of figures stepped into the clearing.
At first Brook thought they were Watchmen.
They wore armor.
They carried weapons.
They moved like soldiers.
Then he saw their faces.
Their eyes were completely white.
Their skin was covered in faint black markings.
There were at least twenty of them.
Mercer raised his sword.
"Everyone, prepare!"
Mara stepped backward.
"These aren't mine."
Brook looked at her.
"Then whose are they?"
Mara didn't answer.
One of the figures stepped forward.
Its mouth opened.
A voice came from inside.
Not one voice.
Several.
"Brook Smith."
Brook's blood ran cold.
The creature smiled.
"We have been searching for you."
Henry raised his sword.
"Who sent you?"
The creature ignored him.
"We were told to bring you alive."
Crowley moved in front of Brook.
"No."
The creature looked at him.
"King."
Crowley froze.
Brook's eyes widened.
The creature continued.
"Your throne is waiting."
Crowley said nothing.
The forest became completely silent.
Brook stared at Crowley.
"King?"
Crowley slowly lowered his sword.
Mara looked at him.
"You can't keep hiding forever."
Crowley ignored her.
The creatures began moving forward.
Mercer shouted.
"Archers!"
Arrows flew through the trees.
Several struck the approaching figures.
Some fell.
Others continued walking.
Brook drew his sword.
"Henry!"
Henry moved beside him.
"Sera!"
"I'm ready."
Mara looked at Brook.
"Do not use the Source."
Brook frowned.
"Why?"
"Because they aren't here to kill you."
"What?"
"They're here to make it wake up."
One of the creatures suddenly lunged.
Brook blocked its blade.
The impact nearly knocked him backward.
Henry attacked from the side.
His sword struck the creature's armor.
Sera released a spell.
A burst of energy knocked two others into the trees.
Mercer and the Watchmen charged.
The forest erupted into chaos.
Brook fought desperately.
Every movement felt different.
The creature in front of him was stronger than a Fast Biter.
Faster than a normal Watchman.
But it wasn't an Abomination.
It fought with discipline.
Training.
Purpose.
Brook blocked a strike.
The creature whispered:
"Wake."
Brook felt the symbol burn.
He screamed.
Blue light exploded from his hand.
The creature was thrown backward.
The forest went silent.
Everyone stared at Brook.
Blue energy crawled across his skin.
He could feel something inside him.
Not a voice.
Not a thought.
Something deeper.
Something ancient.
The creature on the ground began laughing.
"Yes…"
It slowly stood.
"That's it."
"Let it out."
Brook clenched his fist.
The blue light disappeared.
He looked at Crowley.
"What just happened?"
Crowley didn't answer.
Mara did.
"The first Source."
Brook looked at her.
"What does it want?"
Mara's expression was grim.
"It doesn't want anything."
"Then what?"
"It recognizes you."
The creature suddenly charged again.
Brook raised his sword.
This time, he wasn't afraid.
He stepped forward.
Their blades collided.
Brook moved faster.
He struck once.
Twice.
Three times.
The creature stumbled.
Brook finished the fight with a final strike that sent it crashing into the ground.
The remaining figures stopped.
They looked toward Brook.
Then toward Crowley.
One by one, they began retreating into the forest.
Mercer shouted:
"Don't let them escape!"
But Mara raised her hand.
"Let them go."
Mercer glared at her.
"Why?"
"Because now they know."
Brook looked toward her.
"Know what?"
Mara stared at him.
"That you're awake."
She turned toward the forest.
"And once word reaches the others…"
She paused.
"…they'll all start moving."
Brook's stomach tightened.
"Who are the others?"
Mara looked back at him.
"Angels."
"Demons."
"Witches."
"Kings."
"Monsters."
"And things that have no name."
She began walking away.
Brook called after her.
"My parents!"
Mara stopped.
Without turning around, she said:
"Your father is alive."
Brook froze.
"What?"
Mara looked over her shoulder.
"Your mother too."
Brook couldn't breathe.
"Where?"
Mara's expression softened.
"Somewhere you aren't ready to reach."
Then she disappeared into the forest.
Brook stood motionless.
Henry approached him.
"You heard her."
Brook nodded.
"My parents are alive."
Crowley looked away.
Brook noticed.
"Crowley."
Crowley didn't respond.
Brook stepped toward him.
"You knew."
Crowley finally looked at him.
"I suspected."
Brook's jaw tightened.
"That's not good enough anymore."
Crowley stared at him.
"I know."
Brook looked toward the forest.
For five years, he had believed his parents were gone.
Now he had something far more dangerous than grief.
Hope.
And for the first time…
he was willing to do anything to find them.
End of Chapter 34