Chapter 62 – Family
Morning came quietly.
The mountain air was cold enough to sting Brook's face.
He stood outside the ruined watchtower, staring at the small white mark he'd placed on a nearby stone.
He raised his hand.
The mark responded.
Brook focused.
Flash.
He disappeared.
A second later, he reappeared beside it.
His boots slid slightly against the snow.
He caught himself.
"Better."
Henry's voice came from behind him.
Brook turned.
Henry was holding two cups.
"Coffee."
Brook accepted one.
"You're becoming useful."
"Don't get comfortable."
Brook took a sip.
He looked back at the mark.
"I almost fell."
"But you didn't."
"That's not exactly reassuring."
Henry laughed.
Brook smiled.
For a few seconds, neither spoke.
Then Henry looked at him.
"You've been thinking."
Brook's smile disappeared.
"Yeah."
"About the test?"
"Partly."
Henry waited.
Brook stared into the distance.
"Michael keeps telling me that control is more important than power."
"He's probably right."
Brook glanced at him.
"You sound like him."
"Don't compare me to an archangel."
Brook laughed.
Henry smiled.
Then his expression became serious.
"But I think there's something else bothering you."
Brook didn't answer.
Henry looked down at his cup.
"You don't have to tell me."
Brook stared at him.
"Why not?"
"Because sometimes people aren't ready to say things."
Brook remained silent.
Henry continued.
"But when you are…"
He looked at Brook.
"We'll listen."
Brook looked away.
"Thanks."
They broke camp shortly after.
The journey continued north.
For the first time in several days, nobody was chasing them.
No soldiers.
No strange creatures.
No mysterious voices.
Just the road.
Brook almost enjoyed it.
The group walked together.
Henry and Sera argued over directions.
Elias complained about the cold.
Crowley walked ahead.
Brook stayed near the middle.
It felt normal.
And that was exactly what Brook needed.
Because the last few weeks had been anything but normal.
Around midday, they stopped beside a frozen river.
Elias pulled out the map.
"We're going to need another day before reaching the next settlement."
Henry looked at the river.
"Can we cross?"
Crowley nodded.
"There's an old bridge farther north."
Sera looked at the map.
"That's another six hours."
Henry sighed.
"Wonderful."
Brook sat on a fallen tree.
"You complain too much."
Henry looked at him.
"You've been complaining too."
"I complain intelligently."
Sera laughed.
"That's not a thing."
"It is now."
The group laughed.
Even Crowley smiled.
Brook looked around.
Henry.
Sera.
Elias.
Crowley.
For a moment, he forgot about the Sources.
Forgot about Michael.
Forgot about the strange voices.
Forgot about the people searching for him.
They were simply together.
Xcution.
His family.
Brook's smile slowly faded.
He looked at them differently.
Like he was afraid the moment would disappear.
That evening, they found an abandoned cabin.
It was small, but intact.
They decided to stay for the night.
Henry immediately claimed the only chair.
Sera threw a piece of firewood at him.
"Move."
"No."
"You've been sitting all day."
"Exactly."
Elias laughed.
Brook sat near the fireplace.
Crowley entered last.
He closed the door behind him.
For once, he wasn't carrying a weapon in his hand.
Henry noticed.
"That's new."
Crowley looked at him.
"What?"
"You're actually relaxing."
Crowley sat down.
"Don't ruin it."
Henry smiled.
Sera prepared food.
Elias found an old bottle of something that had somehow survived years of abandonment.
They passed it around.
Brook took a small sip.
He immediately coughed.
Henry laughed.
"You can't handle it?"
Brook glared at him.
"It's disgusting."
"You drank it."
"I made a mistake."
Sera laughed.
Crowley shook his head.
"You've survived Abominations and three Sources."
Brook looked at him.
"And somehow this is worse."
Everyone laughed.
Brook smiled.
A real smile.
Not forced.
Not defensive.
Real.
Later that night, they sat around the fire.
Henry looked around.
"We don't do this enough."
Elias nodded.
"Do what?"
"Nothing."
Sera smiled.
"That's because we're usually running for our lives."
Henry looked at Brook.
"Exactly."
Brook stared into the fire.
Henry continued.
"One day, I want us to do this without worrying about what's outside."
Brook looked at him.
"We will."
Henry smiled.
"You sure?"
Brook nodded.
"Yeah."
Crowley looked into the fire.
"Don't make promises you can't keep."
The room became quiet.
Brook looked at him.
"Why?"
Crowley shrugged.
"Because life doesn't care about promises."
Brook stared at him.
"That's depressing."
"It's realistic."
Henry shook his head.
"Ignore him."
Crowley smiled faintly.
"Probably wise."
The conversation slowly became more personal.
Sera talked about her childhood.
Elias told them about the first time he saw an Abomination.
Henry admitted he'd once been terrified of fighting.
Brook was surprised.
"You?"
Henry laughed.
"Yes, me."
"I thought you were born holding a sword."
"Unfortunately not."
Everyone laughed.
Then Henry looked at Brook.
"What about you?"
Brook frowned.
"What about me?"
"Your childhood."
The room became quieter.
Brook stared at the fire.
He could remember pieces.
A house.
A voice.
A hand.
A face.
Then nothing.
He felt that emptiness again.
He couldn't remember his mother's voice.
He swallowed.
"It wasn't interesting."
Henry studied him.
"That's a lie."
Brook smiled.
"Probably."
He looked at the others.
"Maybe another time."
Henry nodded.
"Another time."
Nobody pushed him.
That mattered.
Much later, everyone went to sleep.
Brook remained awake.
He sat beside the fire.
Crowley was sitting across from him.
Neither spoke for a while.
Eventually, Crowley said:
"You're afraid."
Brook looked up.
"Of what?"
"Something."
Brook stared into the fire.
"My memories."
Crowley didn't respond.
Brook continued.
"I think the Sources are taking them."
Crowley's expression hardened.
"How much?"
Brook shook his head.
"I don't know."
"Tell me."
Brook looked at him.
"I can't remember my mother's voice."
Crowley was silent.
Brook looked down.
"That's the first thing I noticed."
Crowley leaned forward.
"Brook."
Brook looked at him.
"If the Sources are taking pieces of you…"
Crowley paused.
"…you need to tell the others."
Brook shook his head.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because they'll worry."
"They already do."
Brook smiled sadly.
"I know."
Crowley studied him.
"You don't have to carry everything alone."
Brook looked at him.
"You always say things like that."
"Because you never listen."
Brook laughed quietly.
Then his expression became serious.
"What happens if I lose too much?"
Crowley didn't answer immediately.
Finally:
"Then we'll remind you."
Brook stared.
"Remind me of what?"
"Who you are."
Brook's eyes softened.
Crowley continued.
"That's what family does."
Brook looked at the sleeping members of Xcution.
Henry.
Sera.
Elias.
Then back at Crowley.
"Family."
Crowley nodded.
"Family."
Brook smiled.
For the first time, the word didn't feel like something he was afraid to lose.
It felt like something worth fighting for.
Brook eventually went to sleep.
But deep inside his mind…
the white world waited.
Michael stood alone.
He watched Brook sleeping.
The Archangel spoke quietly.
"Family."
A faint presence moved behind him.
Michael turned.
Nothing was there.
Then a voice whispered from the darkness.
"That will make it harder."
Michael's expression hardened.
"Be silent."
The voice laughed.
Michael looked toward the distant darkness.
He knew what was coming.
And he knew Brook wasn't ready.
Not yet.
The next morning, Brook woke before everyone else.
He stepped outside.
The mountains were beautiful.
Snow covered everything.
He looked at his hand.
A small white mark appeared on his palm.
Brook smiled.
"Control."
He focused.
The mark disappeared.
He wasn't stronger than yesterday.
He wasn't closer to mastering Michael.
But he was learning.
Slowly.
And for the first time since the Sources had awakened…
Brook wasn't trying to become something else.
He was trying to remain himself.
Behind him, the cabin door opened.
Henry stepped outside.
"Ready?"
Brook looked back.
"Yeah."
Henry smiled.
"Then let's go."
Brook followed him.
The rest of Xcution emerged from the cabin.
They started down the mountain together.
Five people.
One family.
And a road that would eventually force Brook to choose between the world…
and the people walking beside him.
End of Chapter 62