The Light of Reason: The Seekers, #3

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The Light of Reason

(The Seekers – Book 3)

Copyright © 2016 David Litwack

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ISBN (EPUB Version): 1622534379

ISBN-13 (EPUB Version): 978-1-62253-437-1

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Editor: Lane Diamond

Cover Artist: Mallory Rock

Interior Designer: Lane Diamond

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE:

At the end of this novel of approximately 68,485 words, you will find two Special Sneak Previews: 1) THE DAUGHTER OF THE SEA AND THE SKY by David Litwack, the multiple award-winning literary/speculative adventure, and; 2) DOWN TO DIRT by Kevin Killiany, the critically acclaimed first novel in the Dirt and Stars series of dystopian science fiction adventures. We provide these as a FREE extra service, and you should in no way consider it a part of the price you paid for this book. We hope you will both appreciate and enjoy the opportunity. Thank you.

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eBook License Notes:

You may not use, reproduce or transmit in any manner, any part of this book without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations used in critical articles and reviews, or in accordance with federal Fair Use laws. All rights are reserved.

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only; it may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please return to your eBook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Disclaimer:

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or the author has used them fictitiously.

BONUS CONTENT

We’re pleased to offer you not one, but two Special Sneak Previews at the end of this book.

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In the first preview, you’ll enjoy the Prologue and First 2 Chapters of David Litwack’s THE DAUGHTER OF THE SEA AND THE SKY, the multiple award-winning literary/speculative adventure.

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OR GRAB THE FULL EBOOK TODAY!

FIND LINKS TO YOUR FAVORITE RETAILER HERE:

DAVID LITWACK’S Books at Evolved Publishing

In the second preview, you’ll enjoy the First 3 Chapters of Kevin Killiany’s DOWN TO DIRT, the critically acclaimed first novel in the Dirt and Stars series of dystopian science fiction adventures.

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DOWN TO DIRT is YA hard science fiction with an attitude, full of technical details as engaging as the characters. I was immediately drawn into the story. ~ Kevin J. Anderson, New York Times bestselling author of ETERNITY’S MIND

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OR GRAB THE FULL EBOOK TODAY!

FIND LINKS TO YOUR FAVORITE RETAILER HERE:

DIRT AND STARS Series at Evolved Publishing

Books by David Litwack

THE SEEKERS

Book 1: The Children of Darkness

Book 2: The Stuff of Stars

Book 3: The Light of Reason

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Along the Watchtower

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The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky

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The Time That’s Given

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www.DavidLitwack.com

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

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ALONG THE WATCHTOWER

It is both gritty reality and magical fantasy... ultimately it is a story of healing, of burying the past, finding hope and taking control of the future. ~ Awesome Indies Reviews

...poignant story of love, loss, and faith. ...flawless. ~ Clarion Foreword Reviews

It’s an enticing, amazing story of a journey of self-discovery and healing, of the consequences of war, of hope." ~ Majanka, I Heart Reading

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THE TIME THAT’S GIVEN

A keen and delightful multi-genre tale about a hero grappling with two worlds. ~ Kirkus Reviews

David Litwack is a master of fantasy in his latest body of work. ... The progression of descriptive scenery and rich dialogue throughout this read takes his readers by the hand and leads them on a somewhat credible and epic journey. ~ Feathered Quill Book Reviews

"I consider The Time That’s Given one of the most inspiring fantasy novels I have ever read." ~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Astrid Iustulin

It is original, entertaining, action-packed and exceptionally well-crafted. ... Absolutely magical! ~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Rabia Tanveer

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THE DAUGHTER OF THE SEA AND THE SKY

...a fully imagined, gripping read.... ~ Kirkus Reviews

The reader will find wisdom and grace in this beautifully written story.... ~ San Francisco Review Book Review

...an enthralling look at an alternative world... thought-provoking, beautifully written and highly entertaining. ~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Jack Magnus

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THE CHILDREN OF DARKNESS

A tightly executed first fantasy installment that champions the exploratory spirit. ~ Kirkus Reviews

The plot unfolds easily, swiftly, and never lets the readers’ attention wane... ~ Feathered Quill Book Reviews

"The quality of its intelligence, imagination, and prose raises The Children of Darkness to the level of literature." ~ Awesome Indies Reviews

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THE STUFF OF STARS

...an excellent book about what it means to be human, what humanity can strive for, and ultimately the balance between technology and nature, dreams and reality... ~ Michael SciFan

... a thought-provoking and well-crafted tale - one that will delight lovers of dystopia, science fiction and fantasy. ~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Hilary Hawkes

"The Stuff of Stars is dystopian literature at its best." ~ Feathered Quill Book Reviews

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THE LIGHT OF REASON

...a superbly crafted adventure. ~ Kirkus Reviews, Coveted Star Review

David Litwack’s writing is impeccable and he has a great gift for character and plot. ...fast-paced and highly entertaining. ~ Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, Divine Zape

Table of Contents

Copyright

BONUS CONTENT

Books by David Litwack

What Others Are Saying

Dedication

THE LIGHT OF REASON

PART ONE – The Smoldering Flames

Chapter 1 – The Lighthouse

Chapter 2 – Over the Mountains

Chapter 3 – Little Pond

Chapter 4 – A Reservoir of Courage

Chapter 5 – A Gathering of Elders

Chapter 6 – Shadows on the Moon

Chapter 7 – Memories of the Darkness

Chapter 8 – Adamsville

Chapter 9 – Cudgels and Staves

Chapter 10 – Bradford

Chapter 11 –Rescue

Chapter 12 – Retreat

Chapter 13 – Limits of the Dream

Chapter 14 – The Darkness Descends

PART TWO – Conflagration

Chapter 15 – The Way of the World

Chapter 16 – Riverbend

Chapter 17 – Monsters and Men

Chapter 18 – After the Battle

Chapter 19 – A Vote for War

Chapter 20 – The Cause of Strife

Chapter 21 – A Greater God

Chapter 22 – Children Unborn

Chapter 23 – To Dream No More

Chapter 24 – The Essence of the Darkness

PART THREE – Victory and Defeat

Chapter 25 – Revelation

Chapter 26 – Plots and Plans

Chapter 27 – Priests and Priestesses

Chapter 28 – Resurrection

Chapter 29 – Remorse

Chapter 30 – Discord

Chapter 31 – Decision

Chapter 32 – The Seekers of Truth

EPILOGUE

Special Sneak Preview: THE DAUGHTER OF THE SEA AND THE SKY by David Litwack

Acknowledgements

About the Author

More from David Litwack

More from Evolved Publishing

Special Sneak Preview: DOWN TO DIRT by Kevin Killiany

Dedication

For Amy, and for all the children yet to be born—for our hope for the future and for our dreams of a better world.

PART ONE –The Smoldering Flames

"It’s once I was free to go roaming in

The wind of the springtime mind

And once the clouds I sailed upon

Were sweet as lilac wine

Then why have the breezes of summer, dear

Enlaced with a grim design?"

~ Richard Farina

Chapter 1 – The Lighthouse

Near first light, I spotted a glimmer where the sun should rise, but it flickered too low on the horizon. If I trusted the dreamers’ guidance—always precise until now—the red glow of dawn should be higher up, above the ragged peaks of the granite mountains. This light before me, though bright enough to cast sparkles across the waves, appeared more like a bonfire on the shore.

Perhaps weary from my four-hour watch, my eyes had deceived me. With the toe of my boot, I nudged Nathaniel awake and pointed to the east. There. Do you see it?

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes with the heel of his hands, and let out a lung-busting yawn before following my gesture. A light, Orah, but too dim to be the dawn.

We both gazed until our eyes teared. Moments later, a second glow joined its lesser twin—the sun rising over the familiar saw-toothed peaks.

The dawn grew brighter now, letting us distinguish sea from land, and the source of the glimmer became clear. A wooden structure emerged from the fog, a tower on the beach where none had stood before. The modest tower tapered near its top, where a fire blazed, a flame too bright for torchlight alone—a beacon to welcome us home.

How fast our ship had flown. Its sleek hull, designed by the dreamers, had glided over the water when the sea lay calm, and sliced through the waves when they rose to resist. The outbound voyage in our crude vessel had lasted nearly two months, but now our dreamer-designed boat had carried us back in less than half that time.

I clung to a spar of the mast as the breeze blew wisps of hair across my face, and relished the sound of seawater lapping the shore. The dreamers, so much wiser than the keepmasters, had plotted the most efficient course using maps that tracked the ocean currents, ancestral charts from a thousand years before.

And so, dreamer-guided and current-borne, we neared our destination.

Unlike our prior voyage, I felt well rested and in better spirits. With more than thirty souls aboard, no need to spend half of each night on watch, and this time I arrived not as a stranger to a new land, but as a wanderer returning home.

Ahead, what I’d learned to be a continent rose up from the mist, a shelf of dry sand followed by rocky cliffs rising steeply into the granite mountains. As I pondered the scene and the strange cargo in our hold, myth became reality—the explorers of legend bringing back treasures for their people.

Nathaniel led me to the bow for a better view. As our boat drew closer to the shore, the tower’s peak came into focus—a flame reflecting off a polished mirror, and beside it a shadow, a figure standing alone.

Our eyes met, but the figure stood too far off to recognize. Then he turned away and raced down the stairs, hopefully a friend to greet us when we landed.

I donned the white bonnet with its winged flaps that seemed to mimic the sails, and adjusted the sensors around its brim so they fit snugly to my skull. At once my mind joined with our boat. I sensed the waves splashing against her bow, and gauged the depth beneath her keel. With a quick thought, I trimmed the sails to let her drift toward the shore.

Thanks to the genius of the dreamers and a gentler beach, we glided to a landing more peaceful than the year before, when the crash of wood on rock had destroyed our first boat. Not this time. Now our bow settled softly into the shallows.

Caleb rushed on deck, barking orders to the crew as he went. Those with tasks to fulfill scurried about, while the others lined the side rails, ogling as I had done when I first caught sight of the distant shore. Caleb lowered the ladder and insisted Nathaniel and I disembark first, a way to honor the seekers who had brought these two worlds together.

I scrambled down and waded through the knee-deep water. Once on dry sand, I dropped to my knees—another dream attained, one I’d believed impossible not so long ago. I turned to face the sea and formed a picture frame with my thumbs and fingers, imagining the world I’d left behind—a land of earth people and machine masters. How shocking to switch so quickly from one world to the next. What must it have been like in the time of the darkness to cross the ocean in flying machines, to complete such a journey in hours?

A seagull flitted aimlessly overhead across the clouded sky. Small waves broke against the shore at regular intervals, leaving behind a gentle curve and tiny bubbles on the beach.

With cupped hands, I scooped up some sand, so much like the sand where our boat had crashed the year before, but different. I let the grains trickle through my fingers like sand in an hourglass.

Yes, this sand is different—the sand of my home.

Nathaniel gasped beside me, a sudden intake of air.

I glanced up to catch the figure from the tower approaching. Despite the dim light, I recognized him at once by his gait, with his broad shoulders and jaw jutting out—Nathaniel’s father, William Rush—but he appeared gaunter than I recalled, a shadow of the elder I knew.

His pace quickened, his face brightening with joy. Nathaniel, Orah! My prayers answered. Thank the light you’re alive.

We rushed to close the gap, and the three of us clutched in a long and silent embrace.

When we separated, his eyes widened as he took in our boat. How strange it must have been to gaze upon a boat so different from the one he’d helped us build the year before—no longer canvas sails, but wing-like sheets of the thinnest metal, with no hemp ropes or any other visible means to trim them.

How could I explain that these sails sensed the wind and adjusted for maximum speed on their own, or that if I wished to change their tilt, I had but to don a bonnet and think?

His amazement grew when dozens of strangers followed down the ladder, men and women from the far side of an ocean whose existence he’d once denied.

So many, he said.

I nodded. They’ve come to help.

He eyed the party as if counting heads, and then turned back to the base of the tower, where a flimsy lean-to sheltered supplies.

For the past few months, I’ve kept a stock of provisions, thinking you’d arrive exhausted and starving. Our loyal neighbors brought enough for me to stay and stand watch, and if you arrived, to let you hide here until they made sure the village was safe. But with so many, these provisions won’t last long.

Hide? Nathaniel blurted out the word before I could digest its meaning.

His father shook his head. Things aren’t as you left them. Better to wait here while those I trust survey the situation, before we risk the trek over the mountains. But with so many, we should return to Little Pond at once, especially with a storm on its way.

He tossed a nod to the horizon, and I followed his eyes. The sky behind me had darkened as if reflecting my change in mood—ominous clouds blowing in from the west.

Why wouldn’t we go straightaway? I said. We’ve been gone so long, and I’m eager to see my mother and Thomas again.

A shadow crossed his face, and he glanced away. Your mother, yes.

A fluttering in my stomach made me wince, but I forced a smile, still happy to be back on my home shores. And Thomas too.

Frown lines appeared between his eyebrows. He blinked and stared past me, with lips tight and eyes riveted on a point over my shoulders and out to sea.

I turned. The bank of clouds seemed closer, as if following us into shore.

How long have you waited here? I said, trying to regain his focus.

Too long. He grasped Nathaniel’s arm and squeezed as if to test the flesh was real. Through all these months, I kept my faith and never believed the lies the vicars spread, but you come back to a sadder place. They punish folks who speak their minds, and deacons search for me. He took in a long draft of air and blew it out. They’ve placed a bounty on my head. My good neighbors keep my whereabouts a secret and bring provisions as needed. Thank the light, the deacons believe demons of the darkness dwell on this side of the mountains. I’m safe as long as I stay here—safe but alone, with nothing but the lapping of the waves and the hope of your return. He eased into a grim smile. And now at last you’ve come.

Nathaniel’s lip curled into a sneer and his fists tightened. How could they—

His father waved him to silence and pointed at the encroaching clouds. We can talk later. The storm will strike in a few hours, and this tower’s too small to shelter so many. I’ve lived through such storms in the past. They can be violent, but never seem to go beyond the summit. Best we make the climb at once and clear the heights before the first gale hits. He glanced at Caleb’s men as they started to unload provisions from the hold. We should travel light. Though Little Pond’s lot has worsened, we still have food and drink. Tell your crew to leave their cargo behind.

Not all of our cargo, Nathaniel said. Some of what we’ve brought must come with us. He signaled to Caleb. Leave the provisions. We’ll find plenty in the village, but fetch the machines.

Of those on board, only Nathaniel and I had gone to sea before. Now even Caleb’s stout men struggled with the return to land, staggering across the uneven sand as they hauled the mending machine and the crate of spare parts Kara had insisted on bringing.

Nathaniel’s father gaped at them. What are those? Is it wise to haul so much over the mountain pass, when we need to travel fast?

It’s wise and many times more, I said. This cargo will bring a better life to our people.

His eyes widened when, last of all, the crew lowered the opaque black cube to the beach, its bits of lightning flashing inside like a captive storm. What is that?

I smiled my I-know-the-answer smile and patted the cube, causing a familiar tingling on my fingertips that traveled to the roots of my hair. I fought off the urge to don the white bonnet and commune with my wise friends, to share with them my excitement at returning home. Too hard to explain, but you’ll see I’m right, in time. What we’ve brought back from the distant shore will change our world.

I hope you’re right, he said. We can use some good news.

Good news. An image flashed in my mind of a grinning Thomas sitting by the pond and playing his flute.

But what of Thomas? I said more insistently than before.

His chin dropped to his chest, and he stared at his boot tops. We’ll talk later, once you’re safe and in your mother’s arms. Then she and I will sip hot tea by the fireplace and share the sad news, as we once told you about the teaching your father and I endured.

I opened my mouth to speak, but before I uttered a word, distant thunder rumbled from the gathering storm. I spun around to look. The massive bank of clouds was rolling toward us from far across the sea, letting loose a flurry of lightning bolts, as if probing every nook and cranny of the waves, searching for our long-lost innocence. In a dozen seconds, their resulting claps boomed and dwindled to a faint but angry echo, followed by silence.

Without another word, Nathaniel’s father trudged off, his shoulders hunched like one close to defeat, yet with some fire still burning inside. Seabirds scattered before him as he headed back across the cove to the start of the notch through the granite mountains, and beyond it, to Little Pond, my home.

Chapter 2 – Over the Mountains

I’d forgotten how steeply the trail climbed, a heart-pumping trek over a mountain pass that no one before us had crossed for a thousand years. To prepare for our initial voyage, our neighbors had widened the path, removed prickly undergrowth, and carved steps into the rocks where the slope steepened, all to make way for supplies needed to build our boat and sustain us during the long passage. Now, after a year of neglect, winter snow had littered the path with debris, and the prickly bushes had re-grown, encroaching everywhere.

As we plodded along, hoping to beat the storm, those bearing our cargo struggled to navigate the trail, their legs weakened from the weeks at sea. After a while, Caleb took the lead, swinging his axe in wide arcs to clear the way.

Kara raced back and forth, from the black cube to the other machines we’d brought along, urging those entrusted with her treasures to take care.

The bearers grumbled despite her encouragement. Why shouldn’t they? Though they’d experienced the miracle of the mending machine, as it had healed both greenie and techno alike, the contents of the cube remained a mystery to all but Kara, Caleb, Nathaniel and me. The others viewed the dreamers as objects of myth, and their container struck them with fear. No wonder. How could anyone fathom a device containing the disembodied minds of geniuses? Even after the dozens of times I’d delved into the dream, the cube still struck me with awe.

The rest of their burden consisted of spare parts Kara had gathered in haste from the machine masters’ city, choosing what might be needed in our more primitive world. Only she understood their possible use, and even then her choices were more guess than plan.

Jacob and Devorah lagged behind, craning their necks and gawking at the terrain to gauge how much this new world differed from their own. From their chatter, they seemed surprised it looked the same. They’d left the safety of the earth mother’s village to follow us, hoping to learn new skills from our people. I could hardly wait to introduce them to our craftsmen, who’d lived far longer without machines.

Zachariah walked close by, as usual unwilling to leave my side. He eyed the granite peaks and said, A nicer mountain.

Nicer?

Than the mountain of fire that took the dreamers.

Despite the effort of the climb, I smiled, his presence lightening my mood almost as much as Nathaniel’s. He’d celebrated his tenth birthday during our voyage, and seemed to have grown a hand since I met him on the beach a year ago.

Who is that man, he said, the one from the tower?

He’s Nathaniel’s father, and mine now as well by marriage.

What makes his shoulders slump like that? Isn’t he happy to see you?

I gazed up to the top of the pass, still looming too far ahead. My breath came in short bursts, though Zachariah barely labored, and I answered between gulps of air. Yes, of course.

Then why does he wrinkle his brow and stare past you when he speaks?

It’s nothing. Just your imagination after so much time at sea.

Now you’re wrinkling your brow as well.

I trudged along another dozen steps, until he stopped and tugged at my hand. Will he protect the black cube?

His never-ending questions reminded me of Thomas at the same age, and how he’d pester me, never letting an answer pass, but now I was the adult and Zachariah the child. All my experience, through pain and sorrow, had taught me the truth in the questions of a child. I ruffled his hair, much as the elders had once done to distract my friends and me.

I paused a step to catch my breath and sniff the air—the smell of salt had lessened, overwhelmed by the earthier scents of plants and soil. You worry too much, Zachariah. All will be well.

He turned and confronted me with eyes too big for his head. I worry because what’s left of my parents lives in that cube, and all their memories too.

After a time, the slope became so challenging even Zachariah ceased to speak. Deep breathing replaced all chatter, along with the crunch of boots struggling for purchase —a sound much closer to silence.

Occasionally, a bird twittered, but soon it fled as well, as if seeking shelter ahead of the storm. The wind picked up speed every few minutes,