Lyra ~ I always wanted you to get away. Far, far away.

By the time I arrived, half the village was already engulfed in flames. Trying to extinguish them was a vain battle, there was nowhere near enough water to put out the flames anywhere in the village.

Not that it truly mattered, at that point. That was not a battle, it never was.

How many people lived in the village? Barely more than a hundred.

How many of them were capable of fighting? Eighteen, three of which had left the village to negotiate with Nochightdad.

None of them returned.

And now, I could see the corpses of at least half of those fifteen, trampled by the ones who slayed them, in their road to get them all.

I didn’t dare look at them closer. I met them all, I trained with them, I grew with them, and now they are gone. I didn’t want to see who any of them were. Every single sight would have been a hope permanently lost.

They didn’t even need to bring this many soldiers. Why would they? What do they win with all this meaningless bloodshed? Don't they understand that now, more than ever, every single drop of blood is incredibly valuable?

I felt a vein pop-up in my forehead, I could feel my blood boiling, I could feel myself trying to steal away the little remaining light there was in the village before all the enemies took it for themselves.

My home was dying, but they were going to fall with it.

With a blitz of speed, with the impulse of my race from the other side of the village and the light that coursed through my veins and made my skin glow, I jumped spearfirst into the first Nochian that I saw. They barely registered as a person in my mind at that point, I only saw their red shirt covered by a leather vest and jumped straight ahead.

I don’t know what happened to him, as after colliding with him, I soon found myself on the other side, leaving a trail of blood behind me, landing, and ready to jump again.

“Lyra!”

When I turned around I could feel the wind of a stone mace that passed right on the side of my head. A bald man had tried to hit me, but my mother had deflected his hit, right before hitting him down in the head, making him bow, and plunging her knife in his neck.

She pushed what remained of him into the veil behind us, ripe for whatever beast was there to feast on it.

More people started coming into the forest, all armed. Mother, without doubting it at all, grabbed me by the arms and blitzed as far away from them as we could. In seconds, we were no longer on the battlefield, only hearing the clamor of them through the walls.

“Lyra, get out of here. If you go far enough, you’ll find the other cities. Just go, anywhere but here.”

No.

I didn’t even say it, I just grabbed my spear and rose. My mother rose again and grabbed me by my shoulders.

“This is not a suggestion Lyra. This is an order.” She said, now stern, keeping me in place so I could not keep fighting

“You can’t decide that for me! They must pay!” I screamed

“Even if they are doing this, they are still our people. For every death of our village we have caused another one for them too. Don’t you realize that all that tomorrow all that will be left is grief and corpses? Why do you insist on making me grieve for you too?” Mother said, nearing her face only inches from mine.

“I won’t die, I’ll make them pay, you’ll see!” I said, trying to free myself, refusing to listen.

When I got her hands away from my shoulders, she threw herself and hugged me, my spear falling into the floor.

“I always hoped it would be in better circumstances, but I always wanted you to get away. Far, far away from this place.” Mother said, breaking the hug.

I was not going to cry, I refused.

But she was making it so hard not to.

“Come with me.” It was the only thing I could say.

“No.” She said, sternness returning to her voice.

“Mom… they’ll kill you.”

Her gaze softened again, as she caressed my cheek with her hand.

“There are still so many people here that will need my help, my dear. They trusted me to lead them, and I can’t abandon them now. I’m sorry for making you face this alone, but I can’t do this if I know they caught you too.” She said, looking into my eyes, a softness that I had not seen in a long time had resurfaced from their depths.

The noises of the battle were now almost on our side, as the flames started to find the place we hid in.

“Go, I’ll be fine, you know that I’ll be.” was the last thing mother said before jumping back into the fray, leaving me there alone.

I grabbed the spear back and almost followed, but felt myself stop. I…

I’m so sorry.

I felt as if I was torn in half. My body itched to shoot myself forward, to accompany my mother to the last consequences and fight tooth and nail agaisnt the monsters that came to destroy my village.

But I could not do so. I simply could not disobey my mother like this. I…

I don’t remember the last time she hugged me. And she looked so sad when she did so.

I turned around, refusing to see the fire and bloodshed. I ran away, but when I was outside the village, my mind started clearing.

No, I refuse to allow this to happen. I can’t leave my mother alone not now. Maybe there’s another way to do this.

I ran away, just like my mother hoped I would. hoping for the best as I let the bloodshed behind

But at the same time, I refuse to leave her alone. I refuse to let her sacrifice herself for me any longer.

I’ll be the one to save her this time, I promise.

I escaped, but kept roaming nearby, watching the situation from afar. I bid my time, watching as the light of the barrier started flickering,the fuel that kept us alive so long being consumed in the roar of the bloodshed I was no longer part of.