Children of the Eternal

IV

The Dark.

Will wasn't sure if he wanted to see the Dark at all. It was a chilling enough sight from the distance. But with Kate looking at him so intently, he found it impossible to refuse.

They couldn't just take a jaunt down to the Dark. Will wasn't even sure how Kate intended to get him there. The Dark edged the city, but was bordered off by secure walls. Whenever he caught a glimpse of the faraway darkness, it was accompanied by an impressive barrier. He assumed she meant to take him to the gates. But deep down, he had a nagging suspicion that she meant to take him closer.

A few days later, Will paid for a hack down to Kate's neighborhood in the lower part of the city. Older and not well-kept. Buildings in desperate need of repair and people who were much the same. Every block there was a round, shining sanctuary, but even the sacred buildings were smaller and glowed just a little less.

Will's skin crawled as he paid the driver and stepped out onto a street full of rough strangers. Not a friendly face among them, looking very much like the embodiment of corruption. Self-conscious about his height, he felt even smaller in the desolate neighborhood. His heart only lightened when Kate broke through a crowd, hurrying up to him.

"Ready to see the Dark?" Kate whispered, careful not to alert anyone to their sinful plans.

No.

Will forced a smile. "Of course."

She tilted her head, dark curls bouncing with her movement. "Are you scared?"

"Of course not!" He shoved his cold hands in his coat pockets, not wanting her to think his shivers were from fear. "I just don't see how the Dark is going to make me think differently about anything."

"You'll see." She gave him a nod full of promise. "In fact, I'll make you a bet. When you see the Dark up close, you'll subscribe to the Dark Chronicle for a year. You'll want to know even more."

He rolled his eyes. "That's a bet you are going to lose."

She giggled and bounced off into the crowd. He had no choice but to follow her.

He wanted to follow her.

"Where's your brother?" Will asked.

The merriment left Kate's face. "I don't want to take Josiah here. These past few years have been hard for our family. The Dark would be bad for him."

That didn't make Will feel any more eager, but he pushed aside his qualms as he followed Kate down a few streets. The streets were full of cracks and waste. As they passed a neighborhood sanctuary, white light shone on everything, but only illuminated the hopelessness of the area.

"You live here?" Will asked, then cringed at his appalled tone.

Kate shrugged. "It probably looks worse when you're used to a more swanky lifestyle. But it's not so bad."

Not long after she said that, they passed a dead dog lying in the open. Kate didn't even blink at the sight, and Will struggled to match her fearlessness.

They reached a much more dilapidated street, and Kate led him down an alley to an old wooden fence.

"This is the border to the edge of the Dark?" Will stared at the graffiti stained fence. "This?"

Shadows shrouded Kate's face as she turned around. "Did you expect something a bit more divine? Grand white walls patrolled by Eternal Guards?"

He ran his finger over the rough fence. "This won't keep the Dark back."

"Of course it won't." She tapped a few of the boards. "But you would need more priests and sanctuaries than they can afford to spare in this part of the city. The swanky people must have all the light they need. So they just board up the areas that border the Dark and forbid people to cross it. It's hard because every now and then, the Dark grows a little and the Edge of the Dark expands. Do you notice it's a little darker and quieter here?"