The Order of the Eternal Light, book 1 : The Gleam of Hope [ENGLISH VERSION]

Chapter 1

   Once again, it was the scent of freshly baked bread that my father took out of the oven that woke me. I inhaled that aroma deeply before sitting up in my bed. It was my daily ritual; I would sit on my bed while savoring the scent left by the bakery's bread, just beneath my room. Then, I would reflect on what I had done the day before and what I would do today. I also tried to recall my dream from the night, which I often succeeded in doing. Sometimes, when I slept, I could even realize that I was dreaming and control my actions. According to my father, Bernard, that was called having a "lucid dream."

   This night, I hadn't experienced a lucid dream, but I had a very strange and frightening dream. I dreamt that the Domain of Xiantart, the Domain of Shadows where I had lived since birth, was under attack by nomadic brigands who were plundering all the homes and killing everyone without exception. Although I knew it was purely a product of my imagination, it felt incredibly realistic, and I couldn't help but shudder when thinking about it. I would have liked to stay in bed longer, but it was high time for me to get up. Bernard had probably prepared my breakfast, and I needed to do him justice. So, I got up, put on the clothes I had laid out the night before to save time this morning.

  Downstairs, I was greeted by a tall, burly, mustachioed man who gave me a big smile – my father, Bernard. He was the Domain's baker, the only baker for no less than three hundred residents. It required diligence to satisfy the clientele.

"Did you sleep well, Jason?" the big baker asked me.

"As usual, yes," I replied. I was indeed accustomed to sleeping very well, rarely experiencing sleep disturbances or insomnia, fortunately. I wouldn't want to be an insomniac like my father, even though he claimed it was quite practical, especially for his work.

"Here you go," he said, placing a plate with two slices of bacon and two eggs, accompanied by a thick slice of bread in front of me.

"All of this? Are we celebrating something?" I asked, surprised.

"Haha, no! I just thought it would be nice to have a good meal to start the week," he replied.

   I confirmed his words with a big smile as I sat down at the table and began my delicious meal. Bernard headed to the adjacent room, most likely to remove freshly baked bread from the oven that he would later display in the shop. I struggled to comprehend how he managed the daily pressure of having enough varieties of bread and, more importantly, enough to feed all the residents of the Domain. If he ever botched a batch, it could be a disaster. Fortunately, that had never happened, and he didn't seem concerned about it at all. In fact, he had a saying about it, which he'd share when I brought up such concerns, "If something happens, it's because it has to happen. And this shouldn't happen; everyone should eat their fill." It was precisely the kind of phrase I didn't particularly appreciate. But I suppose it served its intended purpose, because when he said that, I'd let it be.

   After finishing my meal, I cleared the table and made my way to the shop where my father was. He was about to open it, and I often helped him with the final preparations to ensure he was fully ready. However, not on that day.

"Could you make a delivery for me?" he asked while arranging lumberjack loaves on a shelf.

"Of course. But it's very rare for you to have orders. Who ordered bread from you?" I inquired.

"Madam Agathe," he replied.

   Oh no, not her. Anyone but her. Most residents of the Domain called her "The Witch," and with good reason. She rarely left her home, but what little was known about her was quite unnerving. Even the guards dared not approach her residence, a kind of mansion perched on a small hill, overlooking the entire Domain. Seeing my apprehension, Bernard reassured me.

"It's just a delivery, Jason. You give her the basket of bread, she gives you the money, and you leave. It's very quick!"

   He was right, yet I couldn't help but feel anxious about having to climb that hill and knock on her door.

   A few minutes later, I left my house with a basket full of warm bread and baguettes for The Witch. As I crossed the Domain – because I was located on the opposite side from where I needed to go – I greeted the residents I knew well. It had been years since I'd seen them come to the bakery almost every morning. I swallowed loudly as I reached the base of the hill. I had no desire to go up there, but I had no choice – I don't think I ever had one, to be honest. I had never come this close to the residence of this old eccentric woman, and I hadn't realized how shaky and close to collapse the house was. The walls were barely visible, covered in ivy. It must have been extremely heavy for the walls! By the time I made these reflections, I realized I had already reached the porch of the large house.

"Come on, do it," I encouraged myself. I had barely taken two steps when the door opened, revealing a tall, old woman dressed in black, who looked at me with a menacing eye.

"Son of the baker, is my bread still warm?" she asked in a raspy voice. I nodded silently.

"Something terrible is going to happen tonight," she said, gazing at the rapidly darkening sky. "But you already know, don't you?"

   I didn't understand what she was telling me. At that moment, all I wanted was to get far away from here. So, I handed her the basket without further delay. She took it and retreated into her house, returning a few moments later with a book on which a small leather pouch, likely containing a significant amount of money, was placed. She handed it all to me.

"Uh... Madam Agathe, there is way too much money in this pouch," I stammered. "Besides, I don't need a book, and..."

"Take it and go home," she replied curtly, cutting me off.

   She said it in a very brusque manner, leaving me with no choice but to take what she offered and run away. I had no desire to stay here; all I wanted at that moment was to return home and sell bread to normal people