The night had settled over Norwes, thick and heavy, carrying with it the smell of damp earth and burned wood. In the hut, Lucifer and his mother had just finished cutting up the wild boar. The pieces of meat were hanging over the fire, smoking gently to be preserved. Lucifer had sat down on a wooden bench, his hands still stained with blood, and watched the flames dance.

" You should sleep, my son ", said Alicia as she approached him, a piece of stale bread in her hand. " Tomorrow, we will have to get up early to finish preparing the meat. "

" I am not sleepy, mother. " Lucifer took the bread and bit off a piece. " I think too much. "

" About what ? "

He opened his mouth to answer, but a sudden noise silenced him. Outside, the shrill cry of an alarm tore through the silence of the night. A howl, then another, then panicked voices.

" What is... " Lucifer jumped to his feet.

Alicia was on her feet in an instant, her face pale in the glow of the flames. " The Sidest. "

Lucifer knew that name, everyone in the village knew it. Bandits, raiders, men without faith or law who wandered between villages, taking what they needed by force. They did not negotiate, they did not take prisoners. They killed, pillaged, burned.

" Take your bow ", ordered Alicia as she seized the hunting knife that had belonged to her husband. " And be ready. "

They left the hut and were struck by the chaos. Flames were already licking several houses at the eastern end of the village. Shadows ran in all directions, howls, children’s screams, desperate calls.

" There ! " Lucifer pointed toward the horizon. About twenty silhouettes armed with torches and spears advanced in formation, their shadows dancing on the cob walls. The Sidest.

They were tall, for the most part, men with scarred faces, yellow teeth, dressed in animal skins and roughly sewn leather armors. They kicked the doors of the huts, dragged the inhabitants out screaming.

" Lucifer, stay behind me ", said Alicia, her voice trembling but firm. "

" Mother, I can fight. "

" Shut up and obey ! "

But Lucifer had already seen what was happening in front of the blacksmith’s hut. Two Sidest had grabbed the old blacksmith, and one of them planted his spear in his belly. The man collapsed without a sound. His wife started screaming, and one of the raiders grabbed her by the hair.

Lucifer did not think. There was no calculation, no fear. Just a surge of adrenaline that propelled him forward. He seized a sword from the ground.

He ran toward the Sidest who was holding the blacksmith’s wife. He shouted, a guttural cry that came from his lungs without him realizing it. The raider turned around, surprised to see a fifteen-year-old kid running toward him, sword raised.

He had a wicked smile, a laugh that showed his yellow teeth. " A brat who wants to get killed ? "

Lucifer did not answer. He lunged, and his sword struck the Sidest’s arm, the one holding the woman. Not a mortal wound but it made him release his grip. The woman fled screaming.

The Sidest roared with anger, dropping his spear to grab his short sword at his belt. " You will pay, you little shit ! "

Behind him, a second Sidest was approaching, his weapon raised. Lucifer stepped back, putting himself in a defensive position as he had seen the village hunters do. His legs were shaking, his heart was pounding, but he could not flee.

The attacker came toward him, his sword high. Lucifer dodged it, but just barely, the blade grazing his shoulder. He felt a searing pain, then a wet heat flowing down his arm.

Lucifer gritted his teeth. He had never killed anyone. He did not want to kill. But these men were going to massacre the whole village, his mother, his neighbors, the children. There was no room for hesitation.

He struck again, this time aiming for the Sidest’s torso. The man raised his sword to block, but Lucifer’s weapon, deflected by the impact, slid and planted its blade in the Sidest’s neck. A dull sound, a gurgling, and the man collapsed, blood spurting between his fingers as he tried to plug the wound.

He did not get up.

Lucifer remained frozen for a moment, his eyes fixed on the body that was still twitching, then went silent. The heat of the blood on his hands, the sensation of having taken a life.

" Behind you ! " shouted his mother.

He turned around too late. The second Sidest, screaming with rage, charged at him, a spear pointed forward. Lucifer did not have time to dodge. The blade sank into his side, making him stagger.

" Lucifer ! " Alicia burst out of nowhere, her hunting knife in hand. She planted the blade in the Sidest’s arm, forcing him to drop his spear. The man screamed, retreating, then fled, holding his wounded arm.

But Lucifer was on his knees, blood flowing abundantly from his wound. The spear was still planted in his side, and every movement tore a cry of pain from him.

" Mother... "

Alicia threw herself at his side, her hands trembling as she looked at the horror. " No, no, not this, my son, not this... "

Around them, the village was burning. The screams had become spaced out, then had stopped, except for the rare survivors who were trying to escape. The Sidest had done what they always did. The men were dead, the women taken away, the huts reduced to ashes.

" Mother, we have to flee ", panted Lucifer, the pain cutting off his breath. " They will come back and find us. "

" I will not leave you, Lucifer ! "

" If you stay, they will kill you. Or worse... " He did not dare finish his sentence, but his eyes spoke for him. He had seen the Sidest take the women away. He had heard the screams.... And he supposed what had happened to those women, humiliations worse than death.

Alicia shook her head, tears flowing down her cheeks. Her hands were covered with her son’s blood. She clung to him, her face against his.

" Lucifer, listen to me. You must save yourself. "

" No, mother, I will not leave you. "

" Lucifer. " She placed her hands on his cheeks and forced him to look at her, her blue eyes planted in his. " Do you know why I named you Lucifer ? "

He shook his head, the pain almost making him collapse.

She smiled, despite the tears. " Because you are my bearer of light, Lucifer. As long as you live, I live. So, for me... save yourself. "

" Mother, I beg you, I can fight, I can... "

" No. " Her voice was firm, definitive. She stood up, turned toward the horizon where the Sidest continued their pillaging. " I am going to run. I am going to scream, and they will chase me. But you, you will go toward the forest and you will not stop. "

" Mother, no... " Lucifer tried to get up, but the pain nailed him to the ground.

" May the angels come to the aid of my son ", murmured Alicia as she looked at the sky. Then she turned back toward Lucifer, a last smile on her lips.

And she ran.

In the opposite direction.

" Over here, you filthy dogs ! " she shouted, her voice carrying into the night. " Come take an old woman, if you are capable ! "

Lucifer saw her move away, her black hair floating in the wind, her frail silhouette standing out against the background of the flames. The Sidest turned around, attracted by the noise, and started chasing her.

" Mother ! " shouted Lucifer, his tears mixed with his blood. " Mother, come back ! "

But she did not come back. She did not stop. She ran with all the strength her legs could give her, the Sidest on her heels, their wicked laughs floating in the night air.

Lucifer remained motionless for a moment. Then he raised his eyes to the sky, toward those clouds that masked the stars, toward those angels that his mother had prayed to so much.

" Why ! " he shouted with all his strength. " Why do you not come to our aid ? Why do you watch them burn our houses, kill our families, take away our women ! "

"...."

" If you really exist... then you are no better than these filthy dogs ! " He gritted his teeth, the pain tearing at his insides.

" I will survive, mother ! I swear it to you ! "