Chapter 195 — The First Spell
Henry had decided he was tired of being the least prepared person in the room.
He hadn't told anyone that.
Mostly because Crowley would never let him live it down.
But the thought had stayed with him since the battle with Persephone.
Brook had his Sources.
Sera had Word magic.
Crowley had Hellfire and the Lazarus Pit.
Even Charon—
Henry looked toward the ectoplasm resting against his shoulder.
Even Charon was becoming stronger.
Henry was still learning how to survive beside them.
That needed to change.
He found one of Asteria's smaller libraries early in the morning.
The room was old.
Dust covered most of the shelves.
Several books were written in languages Henry couldn't read.
He stared at them.
Charon slowly emerged from his shoulder.
"Books."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Henry looked at him.
"To learn."
Charon tilted his head.
"Fight?"
"No."
"Bad."
Henry sighed.
"Not everything is fighting."
Charon became quiet.
Then slowly said:
"Brook fights."
Henry stared at him.
"That is a terrible argument."
Charon pointed toward the door.
"Sera magic."
Henry nodded.
"Yes."
"Crowley fire."
"Yes."
Charon pointed at himself.
"Charon."
Henry frowned.
"What's your point?"
Charon became quiet for several seconds.
Then:
"Henry?"
Henry stared at him.
The ectoplasm waited.
Henry sighed.
"Exactly."
Charon nodded.
"Henry weak."
Henry slowly turned toward him.
"Okay."
Charon immediately disappeared.
Henry sighed.
"Simple spells?"
Henry turned.
An older woman stood at the entrance.
Henry straightened.
She wore the robes of one of Asteria's scholars.
Her hair was completely white.
Henry hadn't heard her enter.
"Yeah."
She stepped into the library.
"You're looking in the wrong section."
Henry looked at the shelves.
"There's a section?"
The woman raised an eyebrow.
Henry pointed toward Charon.
"He told me to look."
Charon immediately emerged.
"Henry."
The woman stared.
Henry nodded.
"Yeah."
She looked back at the ectoplasm.
"That is not a spell."
Henry sighed.
"I know."
Charon looked offended.
The woman walked toward another shelf.
"You want beginner magic."
Henry followed.
"Is that possible?"
She removed a thin book.
"Anyone can learn some magic."
Henry's expression changed.
"Anyone?"
The woman looked at him.
"Magic isn't always power."
Henry frowned.
"What does that mean?"
She placed the book on the table.
"People like to believe magic begins with destruction."
Henry immediately thought of Sera.
Crowley.
Lilith.
She opened the book.
"It does not."
The first page contained a single sentence.
Henry read it.
Magic begins with intention.
Henry stared.
"That's it?"
"For now."
Henry spent three hours reading.
Charon spent three hours becoming increasingly bored.
He changed shape.
A sword.
A bird.
A hand.
A small version of Henry.
Henry looked up.
Charon was standing on the table.
The ectoplasm had formed Henry's face.
Henry stared.
"Really?"
Charon stared back.
"Henry."
Henry sighed.
"Go away."
Charon laughed.
Actually laughed.
Henry stopped.
"Did you just—"
Charon immediately changed back into a puddle.
Henry smiled.
"You laughed."
"No."
"You did."
"No."
Henry looked back at the book.
Charon slowly climbed onto his shoulder.
"Spell."
Henry sighed.
"Fine."
The first spell was supposed to be simple.
A light.
Henry looked at the instructions.
Focus.
Intent.
Energy.
Release.
He held his hand forward.
Charon watched.
Henry closed his eyes.
Nothing happened.
He opened one eye.
Charon was staring at him.
"Don't look at me."
Charon looked away.
Henry closed his eyes again.
He focused.
Nothing.
Henry waited.
Nothing.
He opened his eyes.
Charon had moved closer.
Henry frowned.
"Are you helping?"
Charon pointed at Henry's hand.
Henry stared.
A tiny light appeared.
He froze.
Charon froze.
The light flickered.
Henry slowly smiled.
"I did it."
The light disappeared.
Henry stared at his hand.
Charon stared.
Then—
"Again."
Henry smiled.
"Yeah."
By the afternoon—
Henry had managed three things.
A light.
A small barrier.
And a minor reinforcement spell.
The barrier barely covered half his body.
The reinforcement spell made his fist feel slightly stronger for approximately six seconds.
Henry sat on the floor.
"That counts."
Charon nodded.
"Counts."
Henry looked at him.
"Don't sound so surprised."
Charon became quiet.
Then:
"Henry magic."
Henry smiled.
"Henry magic."
Sera found him later.
She stood in the doorway.
Henry was still practicing.
A small barrier appeared around his hand.
Then disappeared.
Sera watched.
"You're learning."
Henry turned.
"Don't tell Crowley."
Sera smiled.
"Why?"
"Because he'll make fun of me."
"That sounds accurate."
Henry nodded.
"Thank you."
Sera stepped into the room.
She watched him repeat the spell.
The barrier became clearer.
"You're rushing."
Henry stopped.
"What?"
Sera pointed toward his hand.
"You're trying to force it."
Henry frowned.
"Isn't that how magic works?"
"No."
Henry looked at her.
Sera raised her hand.
A small symbol appeared above her palm.
"Your body already knows what it wants to do."
Henry watched.
"You need to give it direction."
The symbol disappeared.
Henry looked down at his hand.
"Direction."
Sera nodded.
Henry closed his eyes.
Charon became silent.
He focused again.
This time—
he didn't imagine a wall.
He imagined standing beside the others.
Brook fighting.
Crowley walking into danger like he was invincible.
Sera protecting people.
Henry didn't imagine himself stronger than them.
He imagined himself useful.
The barrier appeared.
Larger.
It surrounded him completely.
Henry opened his eyes.
Sera smiled.
Henry stared.
Then the barrier immediately shattered.
Henry fell backward.
Charon caught him.
Henry lay on the floor.
"Still counts."
Sera laughed.
Henry looked up.
"That wasn't funny."
"It was."
Outside—
Brook stood alone.
He hadn't spoken much since Hutena's dream.
The six people.
Brook.
Sera.
Henry.
Crowley.
The winged figure.
The woman with the sword.
Brook had been thinking about them.
The Earth moved beneath his feet.
Brook stopped.
His fourth mark appeared.
He looked down.
The symbol remained.
Brook took a step.
The mark faded.
He stopped again.
It returned.
Brook frowned.
He took another step.
Gone.
Stopped.
Back.
Brook slowly looked toward the horizon.
"Are you calling me?"
The ground trembled.
A small tree root emerged from the soil.
It moved.
Pointing.
Brook sighed.
"Yeah."
He started walking.
The Earth Vessel was closer.
Much closer.
They stood on a mountain overlooking Asteria.
The city was visible in the distance.
They had finally reached it.
But they didn't move.
The Vessel looked down at their hand.
A fourth symbol had appeared.
It wasn't identical to Brook's.
It was connected.
Two halves of something unfinished.
The Vessel clenched their fist.
"The Earth chose him."
The wind moved.
"No."
They looked toward Asteria.
"It chose us."
Then—
the ground beneath their feet trembled.
The Vessel looked down.
A vision appeared.
Brook.
Standing alone.
Blood covering his hands.
Bodies surrounding him.
The Vessel's expression changed.
They had seen it before.
In a dream?
No.
Not their dream.
The Earth remembered.
Then the vision disappeared.
The Vessel slowly looked toward the city.
"What are you going to become?"
Inside the palace—
Crowley stood alone.
Lilith's visit had stayed in his mind.
That annoyed him.
Crowley didn't like unanswered questions.
And Lilith had left him with too many.
He placed his hand against the wall.
A small circle of Hellfire appeared.
Then—
a doorway opened.
Hell.
Crowley stared at it.
He could enter.
Go back.
Find Lilith.
Demand answers.
But he didn't move.
Instead—
something walked past the other side.
Crowley froze.
The creature stopped.
Crowley couldn't see it clearly.
But it was large.
Far larger than Varkos.
A shadow passed across the doorway.
Then a voice spoke.
"Crowley."
Crowley's expression darkened.
The doorway closed.
Crowley stared at the wall.
For several seconds—
he said nothing.
Then he smiled.
But there was no humor in it.
"Great."
Brook found him later.
Crowley was sitting outside.
Brook sat beside him.
Neither spoke.
Then Brook said:
"Something's coming."
Crowley looked at him.
"That's becoming repetitive."
Brook smiled slightly.
"You know what I mean."
Crowley sighed.
"Unfortunately."
Brook looked toward the sky.
"I can feel it."
Crowley watched him.
"The Earth?"
Brook nodded.
Crowley looked down.
Then quietly said:
"Hell."
Brook turned.
"What?"
Crowley didn't explain.
Brook stared at him.
Crowley sighed.
"Looks like we're both having problems."
Brook leaned back.
"That supposed to make me feel better?"
"No."
Brook laughed.
Crowley looked at him.
For a moment—
they were just two people sitting outside.
No battle.
No Sources.
No prophecy.
No monsters.
Then—
Henry came running outside.
"Guys!"
Brook immediately stood.
Crowley sighed.
"And it's over."
Henry stopped.
Sera came behind him.
Brook looked at Henry.
"What happened?"
Henry held up his hand.
A barrier appeared.
Small.
Weak.
But real.
Brook stared.
Crowley stared.
Henry smiled.
"I learned magic."
Silence.
Then Crowley started laughing.
Henry's smile disappeared.
"You said you wouldn't tell him!"
Sera raised her hands.
"I didn't."
Henry turned toward Charon.
Charon slowly pointed at himself.
"Crowley."
Crowley laughed harder.
Henry stared at Charon.
"You traitor."
Charon smiled.
"Together."
Henry sighed.
Brook smiled.
And for the first time since Persephone's attack—
the weight around Xcution felt slightly lighter.
Only slightly.
Far beyond Asteria—
the Earth Vessel took their first step toward the city.
Brook's fourth mark appeared.
And stayed.
End of Chapter 195