Fading Darkness E-Book

Sebastian Schick

• Herausgeber: Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Seitenzahl: 95

Beschreibung

No one escaped the Darkness alive. The Darkness had come. An evil scourge that sucked the life out of everything, leaving entire cities, countries and continents dead in its wake. Only one city remained, the last bastion of humanity in a lifeless, grey world. Encora. Encora was once a magnificent place, filled with brilliant light. Its citizens were unique; they were superheroes. Each one had special powers, and the city thrived under their care. But with the Darkness came destruction and turmoil. Bit by bit, the heroes found their powers fading away. A massive wall was built, nuclear bombs were detonated, but still the Darkness crept closer. Fear and suspicion reigned. Encora now lived in dread, sealed off from the rest of the dead world by a colossal dome. But there was a prophecy. A Beloved Son would come, and the Darkness would crumble at his feet. And there was a young man, who never stopped believing. This is a story about fear and loss, hope and courage. This is a story about daring to be different, so that we can make a difference. Most of all, this is a story about love. This unique book comes with chapter insights that help you expand your perceptions, challenge the mundane and listen to your heart.

Leseprobe

For Tze Lin…

It was love at first sight and I have no doubt that it is by God’s grace that I met you. The one person without whom this book would never have been written.

You are, and always will be, The One.

Tze Lin, I love you.

Acknowledgments

My greatest support in life has always been my family, friends and especially my parents. Leonhard and Claudia Schick. I know that everything that I am today, and all the things that I am doing, are based on your love and the values that you have planted in me.

Thank you so much.

Foreword: A Magical Place.

They say that there is a book inside all of us. If that’s true, very few of us ever let it out. We keep it buried in the dark along with many of our fears, hopes and dreams. Perhaps, for most of us, where we keep our book is a magical place that we only visit on our own.

Sometimes however, a young person has the courage to look into that place and share it with the world. Sometimes we get a glimpse of what this magical place looks like for someone else and in so doing are able to reflect on our own lives.

Sebastian beautifully shares Encora with us and in so doing we not only get to know him better, but also ourselves.

Mark Hemstedt

Founding Partner

The Works Partnership

Foreword: A Compelling Future.

This book is a beautiful combination of the ideal future and childhood fantasy. Both ingredients, when mixed, makes for nostalgia, inspiration and hope that every reader can design a future that is compelling.

Sebastian writes with warmth, tenderness and sincerity and invites the reader to come into his world and play. He also writes with universal themes - dreaming, relationships, choice, love, beauty, obstacles, belief, death, with summaries at the end that bring further relevance of the text to life.

Kudos to Sebastian for transforming his vision and passion into words that will no doubt inspire many readers worldwide.

Here’s to life!

Tini Fadzillah

Founding Partner

The Works Partnership

Foreword: A Great Dream.

I’ve known Sebastian for a long time and I’ve really enjoyed reading his first book.

Sebastian is a man with a great dream, and like all men with great dreams, he is growing day by day while in pursuit of that dream. In his thoughts, words and deeds, Sebastian constantly seeks to create a world of opportunities for anyone and everyone, regardless of who they are and where they come from. With this book, he is not just making a dream come true; he’s leading a life of intention and purpose, and I am incredibly proud of him.

Reading this book supported me in creating self-awareness and reflecting on my own experiences. I could easily identify with the story of the city of Encora and the main character. The writing style is simple, clear and relatable, which made it easy for me to follow the storyline and go in-depth with the insights at the end of each chapter.

This book will help you to rethink your situations and experiences and encourage you to take further steps towards powerful change in your life, towards a life of making a difference.

Thank you, Sebastian, for this wonderful, inspirational and motivational book. I hope that many other people are as inspired by your book as I am.

Titus Lindl

Founder of WEGVISOR© and Founding

Partner at The John Maxwell Team

Contents

Introduction

How to Read this Story

Chapter One: The Dream

Chapter Two: Prophecy & Poetry

Chapter Three: Death

Chapter Four: The Letter

Chapter Five: Laws & Fear

Chapter Six: A Speech of Courage

Chapter Seven: Decisions & Consequences

Chapter Eight: The Power of Words

Chapter Nine: Love & Light

A Note from the Author

Closing Words

Introduction

What could I start a story with, which hasn’t yet been told? This moment in which I’m writing, the story hasn't ended yet. It has only just begun. Not that I haven't imagined what I wish would be the end of the story; I have. I wish it would be something like “and they kissed each other like the sun touching the sea when it sets, and he whispered softly, ‘I love you forever.’” Yes, it’s really cheesy, but that’s me. So, as you can see, I did imagine how the end could look like.

The thing is, this isn’t just some random story. This is a story about the light within you. If you have ever wanted to see a breakthrough, you are about to witness it. This book could be the blueprint for your life. I’m going to show you something you have never seen before, something that may awaken the brave hero inside of you. The part of you which isn’t bound by the limitations of your mind. And the most beautiful thing about it is, it’s all true. If the reality of your capability becomes accessible to you, like when you become aware of the fact that you are more powerful then you can see right now, you will finally be free.

Throughout the time that you read this book, I want you to open up your heart to one question and one question only: What would your life look like if you honestly believed that you are enough and that your life matters? Because it does!

Sebastian Schick

Author

How to Read this Story

There is no particular way to read this book. There may be moments that inspire much thought, or bring to mind many parallels with your own life. You may gain some insights along the way. Perhaps you may even experience some emotions. When this happens, I encourage you to find a pen and start writing. I’ve included note pages after every chapter for you to pen your thoughts down.

Many of us have very good thoughts, but only a few really think about a good thought. You all know the saying: “experience is the greatest teacher”. But actually, that is not completely true. This is more accurate: “reflection on each experience is the greatest teacher”. Reflection and a long thinking process help us to extract wisdom out of our own experiences and the experiences of others.

That is why I invite you, whenever a thought, feeling or memory comes up while you’re reading this book, to pause and give it some space. Experience it. It might be wisdom coming after you.

So take the time you need to work through the book. Don’t be shy. Make some notes in the note pages provided. Make it your own story and bring that deepest dream of yours to life by shining as the brightest light that you can be. I honestly believe you can.

Fading Darkness Turn On the Light Within You

Chapter One: The Dream

“Good morning Mr Braunsten.” I had come to school earlier to make sure I got a chance to see the principal to talk about a crazy wish of mine. “Mr Braunsten, I would like to change my free elective subject”. That meant I would have to repeat my final year. According to the rules, every student had to choose a free elective subject to study for one whole year. The free elective class was meant to prepare students for their future career, and if they changed their mind later, they needed to do over the whole year! No exception was ever given.

I had had a crazy dream one week ago, a dream in which I saw Encora, the city I live in, before it became what it is now – the last remaining city in the world. It was beautiful walking along the streets of the past, seeing the people of old who shaped our city. When I woke up, I couldn't get rid of the feeling that I had to change my free elective.

“Mr Braunsten. I would like to choose another free elective,” I said, looking straight at him. Mr Braunsten looked like any other teacher, yet there was something subtly different about him. His brown beard was neatly trimmed and his hair was long enough to be combed to the back. The distinct wrinkles next to his eyes revealed his age and spoke much about his life. This was a man who had witnessed many things beyond these walls, which, in our generation, made him the best person to teach and prepare us for a future in this world, where there’s so much fear and uncertainty.

“You know that this means you will have to do your final year again, right?” He replied, looking at me with mild confusion and interest, all the while examining my face to see if my gaze wavered. It didn’t.

“Yes I do, Mr Braunsten. But I really want to take another free elective instead. I’ve realized that I never wanted to do Guard Training in the first place. I was just too afraid to do what my heart told me to do. I didn't want anyone to laugh at me, so I chose the same thing that all the other boys chose,” I explained, voice trembling.

Curiosity piqued, he asked, “And what is your heart telling you to do?”

“Hero History,” I answered, and showed him a letter from my grandpa. He took it and read through it carefully.

I didn’t know what my grandpa had written in the letter. When I told my grandpa about my dream and the impact it had on me, he said, “Follow your heart and it will lead you well”. My heart was pounding as I thought he would object to me delaying my graduation and my service to Encora. But he had merely looked at me, a twinkle in his eye, and told me to fetch him a pen and some paper. Then he had sat at the kitchen table for an hour, carefully penning the letter that was now in Mr Braunsten’s hands. And now, as Mr Braunsten’s eyes swept through the lines of the letter, they started to twinkle as well.

“Yes… the ability lies in us, it always has. Love will be the birth of justice, indeed,” Mr Braunsten muttered, as grandpa spoke to him from the pages of the letter. I frowned, puzzled; that line sounded familiar. Was Mr Braunsten talking to me? Before I could ask, Mr Braunsten took a deep breath and the subtle smile he tried to hide behind his beard now disappeared.

“I’m going to be straightforward with you,” he said softly, looking up at me. “Never before have I been in such a situation. There is an opportunity to re-do the final year but no one has ever done it.” He paused for a few seconds, deep in thought. I kept quiet, fingers crossed, not daring to interrupt his thoughts for fear that he would say no. Then he smiled once more at the letter in his hands and said, “I will grant your request.” He signed the letter and gave it back to me with a note for my new teacher. I felt my heart flutter with excitement as I stood up to go. Before I left Mr Braunsten’s office, he said, “I think it is a good choice.”

“Thank you, Mr Braunsten.”

This was the first thing I had wanted to do this morning, and I’d done it. I was so