Chapter 60 – The Voice That Laughs
Brook didn't sleep.
He sat beside the dying fire until the sun began to rise over the mountains.
The village remained silent behind them.
Thirty-seven people had survived.
But Brook couldn't stop thinking about the voice.
Finally.
He had heard it clearly.
Not Michael.
Not Death.
Something else.
Something that felt completely different.
Brook stared into the fire.
"Who are you?"
Nothing answered.
He looked around.
Everyone was asleep.
Henry had his back against a wall.
Sera was wrapped in a thick blanket.
Elias was sleeping near the supplies.
Crowley was sitting against a tree, apparently asleep.
Brook knew better.
Crowley's eyes were closed, but his breathing was too controlled.
Brook stood.
He walked away from the camp.
Crowley's eyes opened.
He watched Brook disappear into the trees.
He didn't follow.
Not yet.
Brook stopped beside a frozen stream.
He crouched and touched the ice.
His reflection stared back at him.
Three faint marks were visible beneath his skin.
He had become accustomed to the first.
The second still felt foreign.
The third…
The third felt like something waiting patiently.
Brook closed his eyes.
The Archangel Source responded immediately.
White light surrounded his hand.
He focused.
A mark appeared on the opposite side of the stream.
Brook smiled.
He concentrated.
Flash.
He disappeared.
He reappeared beside the mark.
His boots slipped on the ice.
He fell.
"Ow."
Brook sat up.
A laugh echoed through the forest.
Not from outside.
Inside.
A man's laugh.
Amused.
Mocking.
Brook's smile disappeared.
"You."
Silence.
Brook stood.
"Come out."
The voice answered.
You can't see me yet.
Brook's eyes narrowed.
"Who are you?"
You know.
"Lucifer?"
Silence.
Then laughter.
Michael taught you nothing about patience.
Brook's expression changed.
"You are Lucifer."
The voice became quieter.
One of the names they gave me.
Brook stared into the trees.
"Why are you inside me?"
Ask the people who put me there.
"Who?"
You're asking the wrong question again.
Brook clenched his fists.
"Then give me the right one."
A pause.
Then:
Why did they need six?
Brook froze.
"What?"
That's the question you should be asking.
Brook looked down at his hands.
Six.
He already knew the number.
Michael.
Lucifer.
Death.
Gaia.
Merlin.
Humanity.
But why six?
Why had they needed all of them?
Before Brook could speak, Lucifer's voice returned.
You're going to hate the answer.
The presence disappeared.
Brook stood alone.
"Wait."
Nothing.
He looked toward the mountains.
His heart was racing.
For the first time, he wasn't simply afraid of the Sources.
He was afraid of what they knew.
Brook returned to camp.
Henry was awake.
He looked at Brook.
"Where were you?"
"Walking."
"At sunrise?"
Brook nodded.
Henry studied him.
"You okay?"
Brook sat down.
"Yeah."
Henry didn't believe him.
But he let it go.
Sera woke shortly afterward.
Elias began packing.
Crowley approached Brook.
"You heard him."
Brook looked up.
Crowley's face was serious.
"You heard Lucifer."
Brook said nothing.
Crowley sat beside him.
"Did he speak?"
Brook nodded.
"What did he say?"
Brook hesitated.
"He asked why they needed six."
Crowley went completely still.
Brook noticed.
"You know."
Crowley looked away.
"Not enough."
"That's not what your face says."
Crowley remained silent.
Brook stood.
"Everyone knows something about me."
Crowley looked up.
"Not everyone."
"Enough people do."
Brook's voice was sharper now.
"I'm tired of being the only person who doesn't."
Crowley stood.
"Then become strong enough to find the answers yourself."
Brook stared at him.
"That's your advice?"
"Yes."
"That's terrible advice."
"It's honest."
Brook walked away.
Crowley watched him.
For several seconds, he looked genuinely troubled.
They left the village before noon.
The survivors were escorted south by Elias.
Xcution continued north.
The mountains became increasingly dangerous.
Eventually, the trail split.
One path went toward the monastery.
The other toward a deep valley.
Sera studied the map.
"Which way?"
Crowley pointed toward the monastery.
"Left."
Brook looked toward the other path.
Something about it felt familiar.
Not physically.
Inside.
The third Source stirred.
Brook stopped.
"What is down there?"
Crowley looked at the valley.
"Nothing."
Brook frowned.
"You don't believe that."
"No."
"Then what is it?"
Crowley stared at the valley.
"Death."
Brook felt the third Source burn.
"Literal Death?"
Crowley nodded.
Brook swallowed.
"Then why are we going the other way?"
"Because we're not ready."
Brook looked toward the valley.
The feeling remained.
Something was calling him.
Not strongly.
Just enough to make him curious.
Brook turned away.
"Fine."
They continued.
By late afternoon, they reached the ruins of an old watchtower.
The tower had been abandoned for years.
But someone had recently been there.
Fresh footprints covered the snow.
Henry crouched.
"More soldiers."
Crowley nodded.
Brook looked toward the tower.
"Let's check it."
They entered carefully.
The lower floor was empty.
The second floor contained broken furniture.
The third contained weapons.
Lots of them.
Not military weapons.
Experimental weapons.
Sera picked up a small metal device.
"This isn't normal."
Brook looked at it.
"Source technology?"
She nodded.
"Old."
Crowley took it from her.
"Don't touch it."
Sera frowned.
"Why?"
Crowley crushed it in his hand.
"It was designed to suppress Sources."
Brook stared.
"How do you know?"
Crowley threw the broken device away.
"Experience."
Brook stared at him.
Again.
Another secret.
They searched the tower.
Elias found documents hidden beneath a floorboard.
Brook picked one up.
Most of it was unreadable.
But one line remained clear.
SUBJECT B-01
Brook's heart stopped.
He looked at Crowley.
Crowley immediately walked over.
"Give me that."
Brook held it away.
"No."
"Brook."
"What is B-01?"
Crowley stared at the paper.
"I don't know."
Brook laughed.
"You're lying."
Crowley reached for it.
Brook stepped back.
"What is it?"
Crowley didn't answer.
Brook's voice became colder.
"What am I?"
Crowley finally said:
"I don't know."
"Then why are you afraid of that paper?"
Crowley stared at him.
"Because I know what happens when people start digging into things that were buried for a reason."
Brook looked at the document.
"Maybe they shouldn't have buried it."
Crowley didn't respond.
Brook folded the paper and put it in his coat.
"We're keeping this."
Crowley looked at him.
"Fine."
That night, Brook entered the trance again.
This time, Michael wasn't waiting.
The white space was empty.
Brook looked around.
"Michael?"
Nothing.
He walked forward.
The white ground cracked.
Darkness appeared beneath his feet.
Brook stopped.
A laugh echoed.
He turned.
A man was sitting on a throne in the distance.
Black clothing.
Long dark hair.
A relaxed expression.
One leg crossed over the other.
Brook stared.
"Lucifer."
The man smiled.
"Finally."
Brook walked closer.
"You've been talking to me."
"I have."
"Why?"
"Because you're interesting."
Brook frowned.
"That's it?"
Lucifer laughed.
"Did you expect a prophecy?"
"No."
"Good."
Lucifer stood.
He looked at Brook carefully.
"You look nothing like I imagined."
Brook frowned.
"What did you imagine?"
"Something less angry."
Brook laughed.
"You don't know me."
Lucifer smiled.
"I know enough."
Brook looked at him.
"You were sealed inside me."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Lucifer's smile faded.
"Because someone wanted to use what belonged to me."
Brook stared.
"Who?"
Lucifer shook his head.
"Not yet."
Brook sighed.
"You're exactly like Michael."
Lucifer laughed.
"Don't insult me."
Brook almost smiled.
"Then tell me something useful."
Lucifer stepped closer.
"You have three of us inside you."
"Yes."
"You've started mastering Michael."
"Not mastering."
Lucifer looked at him.
"Good."
Brook frowned.
"Why?"
"Because Michael doesn't give power easily."
Brook studied him.
"You don't like him."
Lucifer smiled.
"I love him."
Brook stared.
"What?"
Lucifer's expression became strangely serious.
"That's the problem."
Brook didn't know what to say.
Lucifer continued.
"We fought."
"Yes."
"We hated each other."
"Yes."
"We would have killed each other."
"Yes."
Lucifer looked away.
"But when the universe came for us…"
He paused.
"…we stood together."
Brook's expression changed.
"The universe?"
Lucifer looked at him.
"You're going to learn."
Brook stepped closer.
"What is the universe?"
Lucifer smiled.
"The thing you should be afraid of."
Brook frowned.
"Why?"
"Because unlike us…"
Lucifer pointed toward Brook.
"…it doesn't need a body to control you."
Brook felt cold.
"What does that mean?"
Lucifer smiled.
"It means fate is already watching."
The white world suddenly shook.
Lucifer's expression changed.
"Go."
Brook frowned.
"What?"
"Now."
"Why?"
Lucifer looked upward.
For the first time, he looked afraid.
"Because something has noticed me."
The darkness beneath them exploded.
Brook woke.
Brook shot upright beside the fire.
Everyone was asleep.
Except Crowley.
Crowley was standing several meters away.
Looking at him.
Brook stared back.
"What?"
Crowley slowly approached.
"You saw him."
Brook didn't answer.
Crowley already knew.
"Lucifer."
Brook nodded.
Crowley looked toward the sky.
"Then it's starting."
Brook stood.
"What is?"
Crowley didn't answer.
Brook grabbed his arm.
"Crowley."
Crowley looked at him.
For a moment, the usual calm disappeared.
Something genuine was in his eyes.
Fear.
Not of Lucifer.
Not of Brook.
Something else.
"How much do you know?" Brook asked.
Crowley looked at him.
"Enough to know that we shouldn't be here."
Brook's expression hardened.
"Then where should we be?"
Crowley looked toward the distant mountains.
"Anywhere but here."
A sudden gust of wind swept through the camp.
The fire went out.
Everyone woke.
Henry reached for his sword.
Sera stood.
"What happened?"
Nobody answered.
Brook looked toward the sky.
A single white mark had appeared among the clouds.
It wasn't a star.
It wasn't lightning.
It was a symbol.
Six circles surrounding one.
Brook's three Sources reacted simultaneously.
Michael.
Lucifer.
Death.
All three.
Brook whispered:
"What is that?"
Crowley stared at it.
"I don't know."
Brook looked at him.
For once…
Crowley wasn't lying.
The symbol disappeared.
The darkness returned.
And far away, beyond the mountains, something opened its eyes.
Something that had been waiting for Brook long before Brook ever knew its name.
End of Chapter 60