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  Light’s Rise

  Light in the Darkness Series

  Book One

  Yvette Bostic

  Copyright © 2017 by Yvette Bostic

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Acknowledgement

  I’d like to start by saying, while there are some references to historical places and events, any similarities to specific people are purely coincidental. I hope you enjoy the first book in this series. The second is already in its final draft and almost ready for the editor. The Council of Light has many trials ahead of them, and I hope you’ll join me in the experience.

  I want to say thank you to the people who have helped me throughout this process of creating my first book. My husband has been my encouragement, as well as the perfect sounding board and first-draft proof reader. I could not have done it without his positive attitude and patience. Thank you to my wonderful editor, Holly Kothe (www.espressoeditor.com). She is an extremely talented young woman who’s also a joy to work with. And thank you to Aleksandra Klepacka (https://www.facebook.com/AlissandraArt/), the very gifted young artist who created my cover art. And finally, thank you to my very gracious proofreaders. Your comments and opinions about the characters, events and time lines make all the difference!

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Prologue

  “Aneera is right, again,” Raphael said with a smirk as he dropped down into one of the chairs in front of Mikel’s desk.

  “You found him?” Mikel asked, looking up at Raphael with his intelligent gray eyes.

  “Yes,” Raphael replied. “I wasn’t sure at first until I watched him glide through the forest just outside the army’s encampment. As he emerged from the trees into the enemy camp, he all but disappeared.”

  Raphael had been watching the young man for the last several months. Aneera’s vision guided him to a small town just south of Munich, Austria, but the details beyond that were vague. He knew he was looking for man who would join the Imperial Austrian Army, but Aneera’s sight only provided the outline of a tall, broad shadow capable of stalking his enemy unseen.

  “Do you think he’ll agree to join us?” Mikel asked, a look of concern crossing his face. “Aneera’s vision was clear about one thing; we need someone with his skills.”

  “I’m not sure, Mikel,” Raphael replied, returning Mikel’s gaze. “He promised his mother that he would return after Napoleon’s defeat. If it weren’t for Aneera’s vision, I would not approach him. He is the only child of a minor lord.”

  Mikel leaned back in his soft leather chair and looked out the window next to his desk. His office was not large and the limited space was taken up with a simple mahogany desk and the five wooden chairs that faced it.

  Raphael leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees.

  “I think we have to assume that his family will be taken by the Csökkent.” Raphael watched Mikel’s expression.

  Mikel stood and approached the small window, leaning against the stone ledge. Even with Mikel’s back to him, Raphael could see the sadness in his slumped shoulders.

  “We’re always picking up the pieces left behind by the Csökkent’s evil,” Mikel finally said. “None of us have been spared. It frustrates me that our strength comes from being broken.” He turned and looked at Raphael. “It’s been over fifty years since we’ve had a need to recruit new people. I don’t like the implications that come with her vision, but this young man’s ability will enable us to locate the key that Aneera saw. Watch over him and let me know if you need my help bringing him back.”

  Chapter 1

  “Son, I have already sent the exemption for recruitment,” my father said for the third time that day, just as he had a dozen times before. “There is no reason for you to join the army! What will happen to this estate if you do not come back?” His exasperation clear in his strong jaw that clenched with each word. “The land will go back to the crown, that’s what! And I will have worked my whole life for nothing!” He threw his hands in air and stormed back into the house.

  I looked over at my mother. “You’re our only child,” she said with sad eyes. “He cannot bear to lose you. I know he says it’s all about the land, but it’s only about you.”

  We lived in a small town just south of Munich, Austria. The estate had been in my family for three generations, so I understood my father’s concerns.

  “I know, Mama,” I said, taking her small hand. “I will come back to you.”

  “You cannot promise that. This Frenchman is hungry for power, and Britain is stalling their support of our army,” she replied. “Already, many young men have died. We do not want our only son to be added to the list.”

  Her golden-brown eyes moved from my hands that completely covered her own and gazed into my deep-set eyes that looked so much like my father’s. My mother was a very small woman with dark hair and a round face. I didn’t look anything like her, but I was almost the mirror image of my father. We both had deep blue eyes and light brown hair, but our most notable difference was our height. My father was taller than most men and I stood a head taller than him.

  I leaned down and kissed her forehead. “I will come back to you, Mama. I promise.” I let go of her hand and jumped on my waiting horse. I looked back to see tears in her eyes before guiding my horse onto the path towards town.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  It was almost Christmas in the year 1800, and for six months we’d been fighting to keep Napoleon’s army out of the Alps, but it was a losing battle. I was a scout for our small platoon, traveling south of Munich to meet up with another scout from the army at Ulm. We had agreed to meet in a remote location and hoped to go unnoticed by the French. I waited at the rendezvous point for hours before the other scout finally appeared, his horse coated in foam from running too hard.

  “What is it?” I asked, knowing the answer would not be good.

  “They’ve taken Munich,” he replied. “Our troops have fallen back to the River Inn.”

  “I’ll report back,” I said as I jumped on my own horse. “You should rest your horse before you return.”

  He nodded and sat down, pulling rations from his pack and giving his horse a brief reprieve.

  I rode hard to get back to camp, immediately going to the captain with the news. He dismissed me with a look of concern on his face and started talking quietly with his officers. I left to find some food and water. While I was eating, one of the lieutenants approached, and I jumped to my feet. “Yes sir!”

  “The captain has another assignment for you,” he said. “Follow me.” I stuffed the remainder of my meager meal in my mouth and followed. When we were out of earshot of the other soldiers, he relaxed a little. “Darian, we need you to get as clo
se to the enemy troops as possible and find out where they intend to strike next. We know they’re in Munich but suspect they’re already moving again.”

  I understood what he was asking. I was very good at avoiding detection, despite my size. I’d been retrieving intelligence for them for several months, since the moment the lieutenant realized I was good at it. I rarely spent time in camp, which meant that I also spent little time with my fellow soldiers. I was certain there was resentment from some of the other men who felt I was receiving special treatment. Little did they realize that my job was much more dangerous than engaging in a normal battle. I frequently found myself skulking outside the enemy commander’s tent, trying to get close enough to hear battle plans without being seen. If I were caught, I wouldn’t get the pleasure of a quick death.

  The lieutenant pulled out a map and showed me where they believed the French troops were located around Munich. I memorized the locations, not needing a map because I knew the area like the back of my hand. I grew up in a small town between Munich and Salzburg. A town which I now worried was in the path of the French army.

  I retrieved a fresh horse and started out again. It was almost dusk when I reached the outskirts of my hometown. I dismounted and tied the horse’s reins to a nearby tree. Something didn’t feel right; it was too quiet. I sat in the shadow of the tree until dark and then started to move towards town. There should have been lights on in the small homes and the inn should have had music and laughter coming from it, but all was quiet and dark. I stopped in the shadows between two buildings, hearing voices around the corner. I didn’t recognize the voices or the language. I was fluent in French, German, English, and Italian, which were the most common among the soldiers, but I could also recognize Russian, Swedish, and Spanish. Extensive schooling was one of the benefits of being nobility.

  I edged closer to the corner of the building, and a foul smell drifted towards me. I covered my face with my arm, trying to breathe through my mouth rather than my nose. Just as I was about to look around the corner, a hand grabbed my shoulder, then another wrapped around and covered my mouth. My attacker pulled me back several feet before I got over my shock and reacted. I spun around, pulling myself from his grasp and getting ready to strike the man. His icy blue eyes made me pause, and his intense stare seemed to see right through me. He put a finger to his lips and then pointed towards the edge of the building, where the voices were getting closer. His tall, thin body was a mere shadow as he ran quietly in the opposite direction down the narrow street, pausing long enough to motion for me to follow. I was torn between the unknown men around the corner and the stranger beckoning me to follow. The foreign voices continued to get louder; they would see me at any moment. I made the decision to follow the man with the icy blue eyes, sprinting down the alley towards him. I rounded the next corner but couldn’t see him. I thought I had hesitated too long until I heard a small whistle above me and looked up. He had climbed up a trellis and onto the roof of the inn. I followed him up the trellis and onto the roof.

  We peered over the edge at the front of the building to see the foreign men walking down the street. They were dressed in strange robes that looked like they glowed when the moonlight caught them. The man next to me tapped my shoulder and directed my attention to the opposite end of the street. Four large men were dragging a long line of people who were tied together. The rope tied around each person’s waist, securing their hands behind their back and attaching to the next person in line. I gasped, realizing these were the townspeople. My reaction wasn’t very loud, but I received a harsh look from the man next to me. I searched frantically for my parents but didn’t see them in the line. I hoped they were not among those who were captured.

  As the group approached the road beneath us, I noticed that the soldiers appeared to have horns on their heads. Maybe their helmets were designed with horns? As they got closer, however, I realized that was not the case; the horns grew from their heads. These creatures were not men. Their enormous frames, dark scaled skin and red glowing eyes removed them from the realm of humanity. I looked at the man next to me with panic in my eyes. What was I seeing? He motioned for me to wait. It was extremely difficult to stay still and watch the people I grew up with be led away by these monsters. Who were they, and what did they want?

  When the last of the line was out of site, the man next to me closed his eyes and sat perfectly still for several minutes. When he opened them, he spoke in English, but with a very thick Spanish accent.

  “You have just been drawn into a war that you knew nothing about until this moment,” he began. “You have two choices. The first is to ignore what you just saw, find the French army, and report back to your captain. The second is to accept what you just saw and help me fight them.” He looked at me, expecting an answer immediately.

  “I have no idea what I just saw.” I replied, trying to stay calm. “How do I make a choice like that when I know so little about what’s going on? Where are they taking the townspeople, and what are their intentions? What were those monsters? How are they real?”

  “Your need for answers indicates you have already made your choice,” he said and smiled. His smile made him look like a young teenage boy, which he clearly was not. “The French intend to flank your army in Tyrol and will likely defeat them at Ulm. You can try to prepare, but they will press towards Hohenlinden, and it will be lost before Christmas.”

  “How do you know this? Are you a spy for them?” I asked, immediately suspicious.

  “Do I look French to you?” he replied, clearly offended by the accusation. He did not look French. His accent implied he could have been Spanish, along with his dark complexion and deep brown hair, but something about his features made me feel like he was not from Europe.

  “No,” I replied. “Who are you?”

  “My name is Raphael,” he replied.

  “How do you know all of this?” I was suppressing my anger and panic, but just barely. His boyish face left me feeling vulnerable, and his knowledge frightened me.

  “You have a much bigger purpose than to be a scout in the Imperial Austrian Army,” he replied. “I know you will not abandon your commitment, and I would be disappointed if you did.” He looked down the street again and frowned. “You should meet me at your parents’ home after the fall of Hohenlinden. Do not get captured with your fellow soldiers!” he commanded. “I will explain everything then.”

  Chapter 2

  Raphael was right. The Imperial Austrian Army fought to the end, but Hohenlinden was still lost on December third. When the captain called the last retreat, I disappeared into the Ebersberg Forest. My guilt for abandoning them overwhelmed me. I should have been fighting and dying by their side. Instead, I was skulking away into the snow-laden trees to meet with a stranger who only promised another war.

  I cautiously approached my parents’ estate. The snow-covered ground muted everything, and the nearly full moon reflected its light off the snow, which was undisturbed. I couldn’t see where anyone had entered the home within the last few hours. Did that mean that Raphael had not yet arrived? I sat on top of an old barrel in the shadow of the barn, my thoughts wandering. Who was Raphael? Where did he come from? How did he know about the monsters, and where did they come from? Where were they taking all those people, and for what purpose? Moreover, what did he mean when he said I had a much bigger purpose? I was proud of my service to my country. My father would have had me stay at home and marry one of the local women, but I was too restless and eager to see the world. I couldn’t even think about marriage. I let out a long breath, which escaped as a cloud in front of me. My parents, where were they? Did those monsters take them as well?

  “Exhaling like that will give away your location.” I jumped at the sound of Raphael’s voice, but he continued in his strange accent, “I’m fairly certain you were taught better than that.”

  I was immediately defensive. “Where did you come from?”

  “That’s a very long story that we
do not have time for now,” he said. “Are you ready to come with me?”

  “That depends on where we’re going,” I replied. “Are we going to free the townspeople from those monsters?”

  “You and I are not,” he replied. “A friend of mine is already taking care of that.”

  “Do you know if my parents are with them?” I asked hopefully.

  He shook his head. “Your father fought against them when they tried to take your mother. Both of them were lost.”

  I sank to the ground, ignoring the cold, wet snow as it soaked through my clothes. I looked up at my family’s estate, my home, my security, the one place I thought I would always be able to come back to. I rose and started walking towards the house. Raphael didn’t try to stop me, following me into the large house and closing the heavy, wooden door behind us. After I collected the few small items I wanted from my room, I returned to the foyer where Raphael waited.

  “I’m ready to go.” He took hold of my elbow, and my world went dark.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  When I opened my eyes again, I was lying on a small bed covered in a light, linen sheet. When I attempted to sit up, nausea assaulted me and the room started spinning. I laid back down.

  “The nausea will pass soon,” a soft, feminine voice said with a faint British accent. I looked over to the doorway to see a beautiful young lady wearing a simple, but elegant pale blue dress, staring back at me. She smiled, and I felt a wave of calm wash over me. She was extremely petite, with a small round face, bright blue eyes, and full lips. Her long blond hair cascaded over her shoulders. I knew I was staring, but I couldn’t help it. She smiled again, as if she knew what I was thinking. Maybe she did. I imagine I was not the first young man to find her attractive. Raphael walked through the door behind her, and she turned to smile at him as well.