title: Darkness Cloaks the Land: Book 1 of the Towers of Light Series (Volume 1)
author:  Allen Brokken 
description: Allen Brokken has been engaged with Christian children's ministry and youth development for over a decade. The Tower's of Light series is an outgrowth of his dedication to training up children in the way they should go by applying Biblical principles and concepts to new and novel situations to help explain them in a way that is easy for children to understand. This is his first fiction publication, however professionally he has contributed to a number of technical volumes related to Information Technology and Information Security.
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  Shadowmasque
  
  
  Copyright (C) 2005 Michael Cobley  
  All rights reserved.
  
  
  Published as an ebook in 2014 by Jabberwocky Literary Agency, Inc., in
  association with the Zeno Agency LTD.
  
  
  Cover design by Dirk Berger.
  
  
  ISBN 978-1-625671-01-1
  
  
  
  
  
  # TABLE OF CONTENTS
  
  
  [Dedication](ded.xhtml)
  
  
  [Prologue](chapter-1.xhtml)
  
  
  [Part One](p01.xhtml)
  
  
  [Part Two](p02.xhtml)
  
  
  [Part Three](p03.xhtml)
  
  
  [Epilogue](chapter-23.xhtml)
  
  
  [Also by Michael Cobley](alsoby.xhtml)
  
  
  # DEDICATION
  
  
  For my brother, Peter
  
  
  
  
  
  # Prologue
  
  
  The seed of darkness is in the ground,  
  Watered by years of pain and rain,  
  And stroked by the tresses of blinded Night.
  
  
  -- _The Twilight Emperor_ by Ushald Drusarik, Act 1, Sc 2
  
  
  The high-walled, grassy courtyard of the Sejeend Imperial Academy’s eastern
  cloister was smothered in late spring blossom from the four spiraleaf trees
  which dominated the square lawn. A flock of greenwings trilled and swoo