Brotherhood In The Long Night
Author Update by Troy Hooker
Fireside Greeting
Pull up a chair by the fire with me!
Outside, winter still holds the land. The nights linger longer than the days, and the wind has a way of making even a familiar place feel uncertain. February always feels like the middle of the journey to me…not the beginning of the year, not quite the end of winter either. Just the long, frigid stretch in between.
And in my stories, the long stretch is where heroes learn something important. They learn they were never meant to fight alone.
This month I’ve been thinking about brotherhood. Not just friendship, but the kind of loyalty that stands watch beside you when the enemy is at the gates, and the night refuses to end.
Writing Update
Demon Tide: Celestial Wars is now available on eBook and paperback, and hardcover is on the way. Thank you to everyone who has already picked it up and encouraged me. Every message, every review, every note genuinely helps more than you know.
I’m deep into the throes of Demon Tide: Shadow Wars. About half of it is written, but I paused when the story hit a crossroads. Sometimes like my adventures, stories need to wait for the writer to grow a little before they reveal how they continue. But now, I am ready to jump back in with Matt, Luca, and the others. And this one is really going to be epic!
I’m already up most mornings digging into the Word, talking with God, and then back into the world of monster hunters. I’ve learned something over time: writing stories about dispelling darkness is much harder if you are not living close to the Light yourself.
Story Reflection: Brothers Who Hunt Darkness
Matt and Luca’s friendship reminds me of other stories of brotherhood out there. One of the strongest pictures in Scripture isn’t of two soldiers, but two unlikely partners: David and Jonathan. David was the outsider, and Jonathan was the king’s son.
By every political expectation, they should have been enemies. David was the one who would one day take Jonathan’s throne. Yet instead of rivalry, Scripture says:
“The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” (1 Samuel 18:1)
Jonathan recognized something most people didn’t: David was chosen by God. And rather than protecting his own future, Jonathan chose loyalty in brotherhood over his own ambition. In a world where the darkness hunted David, Jonathan became the companion who helped him endure it.
- He warned David when Saul hunted him.
- He strengthened him when fear rose.
- He stood with him even when it cost him personally.
We often imagine spiritual battles as dramatic moments. Single brave acts others take to stand against evil. But most battles of the soul are fought inside: discouragement, temptation, isolation, doubt. And one of God’s greatest gifts in those moments is not just strength…but someone who reminds you who you are when you forget. Even monster hunters need brothers to keep them watchful.
The Watchman You Didn't Know You Had
Gus was one of those watchmen Sam didn’t know he needed from my Descendants of Light Series. Though Sam didn’t treat Gus like a brother, that’s exactly what Gus was. Right away, Gus understood the pain—and the potential danger Sam was in being pursued by the Dark One. There was even a chance that Sam, if not careful, would become a vessel for the darkness, and turn on all of them. Yet, Gus knew there was a greater power involved, and he trusted that power to help Sam become a tool for Light, instead of for the darkness. And Gus stood with him when Sam needed it the most.
If you’re like me, you might want to go it alone. Stand against the forces of darkness with nothing but your wits and a weapon you don’t know how to use. But standing alone isn’t how God designed us to operate. He built in us the need for brotherhood, partnership, and dependence on each other. Proverbs 27:17 reminds us that “Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” When we learn how to depend on each other, not only are we two instead of one against our enemies, but we also learn to foster meaningful growth and challenge one another to be stronger when we are alone. Not to mention the added accountability, and extra wisdom we get from banding together.
I encourage you if you don’t have that brotherhood, find it. Don’t try to stand against the enemy of this world alone—not only will you likely fail, you will be missing out on a powerful ally you can lean when times get tough.
Reflection: The Watchman
Family Question
Why do you think God gives people companions instead of asking them to face every struggle alone?
Personal Reflection
- Who in your life has stood beside you during a difficult season?
- And whose side might you need to stand on right now?
Dive Deeper
Darkness thrives in isolation.
When we withdraw, hide struggles, or believe we must carry everything ourselves, the enemy has already gained ground. God often fights for us through His people.
Consider:
Who strengthens your faith? Who checks on you when you disappear? Who speaks truth when your thoughts grow heavy?
And just as important:
Whose watchfire has gone cold that you could help rekindle?
Creative Connection
This month’s activity:
Build Your Brotherhood Fellowship
Every hero needs companions. If you were forming a team to face the darkness, who would you bring?
Choose roles:
- The Watcher (discernment)
- The Guardian (protection)
- The Healer (encouragement)
- The Lightbearer (hope)
- The Chronicler (truth-teller)
You can download the printable activity here:
Design Your Own Brotherhood Fellowship (PDF)
Closing
Brotherhood is one of the ways God brings light into the world. So this month, stand watch for someone. You never know when you are the companion God has sent to help someone make it through the night.
Out of the darkness, into the light.
— Troy
