Free The Seekers: The Children of Darkness (Dystopian Sci-Fi - Book 1) by David Litwack

covered, his goal seemed farther away than when he’d
started. To cross the mountain, he’d need provisions and perhaps some rope, but
as his breathing returned to normal, he realized the pass was no illusion.
    As he eyed the steepening path, he pictured his knight,
battered from his battle with the darkness, scaling this mountain. He would
have shed his helmet and armor, too heavy for the climb, and burdened with
nothing but his sword and the talisman round his neck, slashed his way through
the thicket and carved out a passageway. On the far side, he’d have built a
boat and sailed away, taking the magically constrained darkness as far as
possible from the children of light.
    On a whim, Nathaniel glanced back to gauge how far he’d
come. From his perch on the high ledge, he spotted the village of Little Pond.
The place that had been home for all his life looked tiny from here, but he recognized
details: his father’s farm, and the bell tower of the village commons.
    At once, his circumstance became clear.
    The sun approached its midday peak. Soon, the blessing would
commence. His absence would embarrass his father, and in the glare of the noontime
sun, he recognized his coming here as an act of cowardice. Whatever might have
happened, he should never have run out of fear.
    Forgetting his discovery, he turned downhill and raced back
toward the village.
    ***
    Breathless and sweating despite the chill, Nathaniel rushed
into the square. A few villagers lingered, but most had returned to their homes.
He blew out a stream of air.
    The altar lay bare. The vicar had
gone.
    Relief turned to worry when he picked up a murmur among those
who remained. He asked for the cause of their concern, but they only shook
their heads, so he searched for someone more familiar.
    Susannah Weber! Her face had gone pale as chalk, and her
cheeks were moist with tears.
    “What happened?” he said.
    “Oh Nathaniel, first my sweet young man and now my daughter.”
    When he stared blankly at her, she cried out. “Orah has been
taken.”

Chapter 10 – Temple City
     
    Nathaniel stretched his legs until the muscles sang. He’d
been ready to rush off to Temple City at once, but his father had forbidden him
to go. As a loving son, he was loath to openly disobey, so he’d waited until
the wee hours of the morning before leaving. By dashing off before sunrise, he’d
cut the vicar’s lead in half. Now he hoped to close the remaining gap with his long
stride. Whenever his legs tired, he pictured Orah in the teaching cell and
pressed on.
    He paused to rest near one of the temple trees that loomed
over the landscape, with its stubby branches and garish green needles. His
teachers had proclaimed these towers a miracle of the light, possessed of magic
and to be avoided, but his father had taught him a more practical use. Set at
intervals of exactly ten thousand paces, they provided a good way to measure
distance—two hours apart at a normal stride, but he’d passed the last few in
less. If only he could keep up this pace.
    He arched his back to expand his lungs and drew in a deep
breath, then started off again.
    Thomas had tried to stop him, insisting no one could prevail
against the vicars. “They’re too strong and instill too much fear.”
    Nathaniel had dismissed him with a wave. He felt no fear. Nothing
could shame him more than this—after waiting his whole life, he’d failed his
first test of courage. He’d run away, and the vicar had chosen Orah in his
stead. Now he must pay the price.
    Like the knight of his dreams, he’d charge into Temple City,
but this time, he had no doubt what to do. He’d go to the vicars and offer
himself up in her place.
    ***
    “Let us record the first teaching of Orah Weber of Little
Pond. Blessed be the light. Orah, do you understand why you’re here?”
    Orah gazed up at the three men and forced herself to match
their stares. “No, my lord, I do not. I’ve done nothing wrong.”
    “We concern ourselves