Chapter 36 – The Last Watch
Brook didn't sleep.
He remained against the wall of his bedroom, staring at the door long after the blue writing had disappeared.
The voices were gone.
His mother's voice.
His father's voice.
Whatever had spoken through them.
Gone.
But Brook knew something had changed.
He could feel it.
The room no longer felt like his own.
He reached for his sword and slowly opened the door.
The hallway was empty.
The torches were still burning.
Nothing looked unusual.
Brook stepped outside.
The Watchmen headquarters was unusually quiet.
Normally, there would be guards walking the corridors throughout the night.
Tonight, there was almost nothing.
Brook walked toward the main courtyard.
He stopped.
Captain Mercer stood alone beneath the torchlight.
His armor was already on.
His sword was strapped to his waist.
Brook approached.
"You couldn't sleep either?"
Mercer looked at him.
"No."
Brook leaned against the stone wall.
"Did you hear anything?"
"Everyone heard something tonight."
Brook frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Mercer looked toward the western Wall.
"Three patrols didn't report back."
Brook straightened.
"Tonight?"
"Yes."
"How many Watchmen?"
Mercer hesitated.
"Twenty-seven."
Brook's expression hardened.
"Twenty-seven?"
Mercer nodded.
"We sent them to the western sector after the alarms started."
"And they haven't returned?"
"No."
Brook looked toward the gate.
"We should send someone."
Mercer gave him a tired smile.
"We already did."
"Who?"
"Second patrol."
"And?"
"They didn't return either."
Brook stared at him.
"How many are left?"
Mercer looked around the courtyard.
"Not enough."
Brook felt a cold sensation move through him.
"Then don't send anyone else."
Mercer looked at him.
"I know."
"Something is out there."
"I know."
Brook stepped closer.
"Then why are you still here?"
Mercer smiled faintly.
"Because someone has to be."
Brook didn't like the answer.
"You don't have to prove anything."
"I'm not."
Mercer looked at the Watchmen headquarters.
"I'm responsible for them."
Brook remained silent.
Mercer continued.
"I've spent thirty years wearing this uniform."
"I've watched men come and go."
"I've trained some of the people who are still inside."
"I've buried more than I can remember."
He looked at Brook.
"I won't abandon them."
Brook understood.
Mercer wasn't going to leave.
Not while his people were still missing.
Brook tightened his grip around his sword.
"Then I'm coming."
"No."
"I'm not asking."
Mercer shook his head.
"You're exactly the kind of person who thinks courage means refusing to listen."
Brook frowned.
"And you're exactly the kind of person who thinks dying alone makes you responsible."
Mercer stared at him.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Mercer smiled.
"You're becoming more like your father."
Brook looked away.
"That's not necessarily a good thing."
"No."
Mercer looked toward the gate.
"But it isn't a bad thing either."
A horn suddenly sounded.
One long blast.
Both men turned.
Another followed.
Then another.
Mercer's face changed.
"Western gate."
Brook drew his sword.
"Attack?"
Mercer shook his head.
"No."
He listened.
"That's the recall signal."
Brook frowned.
"Someone's coming back?"
Mercer nodded.
"Get everyone up."
Brook ran toward the barracks.
Within minutes, Watchmen poured into the courtyard.
Some were still half-dressed.
Others were already armed.
Sera arrived carrying her staff.
Henry appeared shortly afterward with several Royal Guards.
"What happened?" Henry asked.
Mercer pointed toward the western gate.
"Something is returning."
The gate remained closed.
Everyone watched.
The mechanism began moving.
Slowly.
The massive doors opened.
A single Watchman stumbled through.
Brook immediately recognized him.
"Jackson?"
It was the same Watchman who had survived the encounter in the forest.
Except now he looked worse.
Much worse.
His armor was torn apart.
His face was covered in dirt.
One arm hung uselessly at his side.
Mercer rushed toward him.
"Jackson!"
The Watchman collapsed.
Mercer caught him.
"Where's the patrol?"
Jackson struggled to breathe.
"Dead."
The word silenced the courtyard.
Mercer lowered him carefully.
"How?"
Jackson looked toward the open gate.
"They came through the trees."
"Who?"
Jackson's eyes were wide.
"Everything."
Brook crouched beside him.
"Tell us."
Jackson grabbed Brook's arm.
"They knew."
"Knew what?"
"They knew we were Watchmen."
Brook's expression tightened.
"What happened?"
"They separated us."
"How?"
"I don't know."
"One moment we were together."
"The next…"
Jackson swallowed.
"…we couldn't see each other."
Sera knelt beside him.
"Was it magic?"
"I don't know."
"Abominations?"
Jackson shook his head.
"No."
"People?"
"No."
His breathing became weaker.
"Something else."
Mercer looked at Brook.
"Get him to the medical room."
Two Watchmen moved forward.
Jackson grabbed Mercer's arm.
"Don't."
Mercer stopped.
"Why?"
Jackson looked toward the gate.
"They're coming."
The courtyard went silent.
Brook turned.
Nothing.
The road beyond the gate was empty.
Then a body fell from the darkness.
It landed on the stone road with a sickening impact.
One of the missing Watchmen.
Another body followed.
Then another.
Then another.
The Watchmen around Brook slowly raised their weapons.
Mercer stepped forward.
"Close the gate."
The soldiers moved.
Before they could reach the mechanism—
A figure walked through.
It looked human.
Tall.
Thin.
Wearing black clothing.
Its face was hidden beneath a hood.
Behind it came more.
Dozens.
Brook recognized some of them.
The creatures from the forest.
But there were others.
Winged figures.
Armored warriors.
People with unnatural eyes.
And creatures that didn't resemble anything Brook had ever seen.
Henry whispered:
"Those aren't Abominations."
Crowley appeared beside him.
"No."
Brook looked at him.
"What are they?"
Crowley stared toward the approaching army.
"Things that existed long before your Walls."
Mercer raised his sword.
"Watchmen!"
Every soldier stepped forward.
"Hold the line!"
The creatures continued walking.
Mercer looked over his shoulder.
"Nobody opens the inner gate."
Brook stepped forward.
"We can fight them."
Mercer shook his head.
"No."
"Captain—"
"This isn't a battle we win."
Brook stared at him.
"Then what are you doing?"
Mercer looked at the Watchmen.
"Buying time."
The first creature charged.
Mercer met it head-on.
His sword struck its chest.
The creature staggered.
Three Watchmen attacked from either side.
More creatures rushed through the gate.
The courtyard erupted.
Sera unleashed a wave of magic that threw several enemies backward.
Henry fought beside the Royal Guards.
Brook moved through the chaos, striking anything that came near.
Steel clashed against steel.
Magic tore through the night.
The Watchmen fought with everything they had.
But there were too many.
A Watchman beside Brook was struck across the chest.
He fell.
Another was surrounded.
Mercer rushed to him.
"Get back!"
The Watchman tried to stand.
Mercer cut down the creature attacking him.
Then another came from behind.
Mercer turned just in time.
The creature's weapon pierced his armor.
Brook saw it happen.
"Mercer!"
The captain staggered.
He looked down at the weapon protruding from his chest.
For a moment, everything seemed to slow.
The creature pulled the weapon free.
Mercer fell to one knee.
Brook charged.
He struck the creature hard enough to send it crashing into the gate.
Brook dropped beside Mercer.
"Captain."
Mercer looked at him.
Blood stained his uniform.
His breathing was shallow.
"Don't."
Brook grabbed him.
"Don't what?"
"Don't waste time."
"We can save you."
Mercer shook his head.
"No."
Brook looked toward Sera.
"Sera!"
She rushed over.
She looked at Mercer.
Her expression told Brook everything.
"There's too much damage."
Brook refused to accept it.
"Try."
"I am."
Sera pressed her hands against the wound.
Magic flickered between her fingers.
Mercer grimaced.
"Brook."
Brook looked at him.
"Yeah?"
"Listen to me."
"I am."
"You wanted to know what makes a leader."
Brook's eyes filled with anger.
"This isn't the time."
"It is."
Mercer coughed.
"You don't save everyone."
"You carry them."
Brook shook his head.
"Stop."
"You carry the people who believed in you."
Mercer looked toward the battlefield.
"Don't let their deaths become meaningless."
His eyes returned to Brook.
"Keep going."
Then his body went still.
Brook froze.
Sera slowly lowered her hands.
"Brook…"
He didn't answer.
Captain Mercer was dead.
The last man who had stood between the Watchmen and the darkness was gone.
Brook looked around.
The battle was still raging.
But something inside him had changed.
He stood.
His face was completely different.
No fear.
No hesitation.
Only anger.
He looked toward the remaining Watchmen.
"Fall back!"
Nobody moved.
Brook shouted again.
"Fall back!"
A Watchman looked at him.
"To where?"
Brook looked toward the inner gate.
"The palace."
"We're not leaving."
Brook shook his head.
"You're not listening."
The creatures were already surrounding them.
There was no escape.
The Watchmen realized it at the same time.
They looked at each other.
One by one, they lowered their weapons.
Not in surrender.
In acceptance.
They knew.
Brook understood.
They weren't going to make it.
One Watchman stepped forward.
"Tell the King…"
He looked at Brook.
"…we held."
Another joined him.
"Tell my family I didn't run."
Another.
"And tell them I wasn't afraid."
Brook's throat tightened.
Sera stood beside him.
Henry looked toward the battlefield.
The Watchmen formed one final line.
Every remaining soldier.
Every person who had protected Shinokuni-01.
They stood together.
Mercer's body remained behind them.
Brook raised his sword.
"Then we hold."
The final charge began.
The Watchmen rushed forward.
Brook, Sera, Henry, and Crowley fought beside them.
The night became a blur of steel, magic, and screams.
One by one, the Watchmen fell.
Ten.
Five.
Three.
One.
The last Watchman remained standing for only a few seconds.
Then he disappeared beneath the swarm.
Silence followed.
Brook stood in the middle of the courtyard.
The Watchmen were gone.
All of them.
Captain Mercer.
Every soldier.
Every person who had worn the uniform.
Dead.
Brook lowered his sword.
Sera stood beside him, tears running silently down her face.
Henry stared at the bodies.
Crowley looked toward the open gate.
The creatures had stopped attacking.
They were watching Brook.
Waiting.
The blue mark appeared on his hand.
It burned brighter than ever.
One of the winged figures stepped forward.
"You understand now."
Brook looked at it.
"What?"
"Why they built the Walls."
Brook tightened his grip.
The figure pointed toward him.
"Because when the vessel awakens…"
The creature smiled.
"…everyone comes."
The blue light erupted from Brook's hand.
And far beneath Shinokuni-01, the second Source awakened.
End of Chapter 36