Strings of hope

Chapter one: The beginning

In a world of chaos and destruction where the darkness rules over the people, there is always a ray of light, a small string of hope that is hiding in the crowd, waiting for its moment to shine and make itself useful for its people, or at least reassure them that it is not the end yet, and their world can face the glory they had once again.

The prophecy talks about a hero who will emerge when the time comes and will banish the great evil that will come to take away the power of the kingdom and its great treasures. A saint sent from the goddess herself that will protect and save them all from despair.

Many were skeptical about the prophecy and even tried to convince the young emperor that the words of the temple were all a lie and that they only tried to manipulate him into letting his guard down, only to bring disaster to the kingdom. But the sun of the empire did not listen to the words of the sinners and chose to believe the temple thus waiting for the arrival of the hero who would save them all when the time comes.

...

After more than 10 years in the great Empire of Callahan where the sun shines bright over the fields, the lands sprout and bear fruit three times a year, and where people live in harmony, in a small village near the western border, on a stormy night, was born a girl.

A girl with dark purple hair that gives a violet shine in the sunlight, whit big bright blue almond eyes and puffy rosy cheeks came to life in a small cottage. As the doctor was helping the mother deliver the baby she could feel her life slowly slip away from her.

When she was holding her crying baby, she kissed her forehead and with one last breath said tiredly "Oh poor Evelyn... I wish I could say you'll have a happy life ... but it seems the gods have other plans for you..." and with that, the last string of life stripped away from her, leaving the small child in the arms of the lifeless mother.

After her death, the girl named 'Evelyn' was brought by the nurse to the village's orphanage and left in the care of an elderly woman named Barbara, who was meant to raise and teach the little girl to live into society just like she once did with her mother.

...

Barbara walked thought the empty hall with a laundry basket in her arms, approaching the very last door at the end of the hall. She opened it only to find an empty room, the beds were made, the window was opened and the floor was clean, but on one was there. Confused she started to close the door until she hears a voice from behind.

"Good morning Barbara! What are you doing here?" said a young smiley girl who looked to be around the age of twelve. She had short red hair, big green round eyes and freckles, she was wearing a light brown dress with a loosen corset and a clean apron around her waist. In her arms was a little boy around the age of two.

"Aria... you scared me dear." She let out a sigh of relief as she patted the little girls head with a tired smile. "Have you seen Evelyn by any chance?" she finally asked.

"Lyn? Oh, I think she in the garden, you know she's always there at this hour." Aria said amused.

Barbara smiled and looked out the window. "I guess you're right, it's already ten o'clock."

The elderly woman walked slowly through the garden, looking at all the small children playing. She then started approaching the clothesline were just so happened to see a girl no older the seven, hiding in the bushes while looking at the boys doing sword training.

She let the laundry basket down and started hanging the freshly washed clothes on the clothesline, startling the little girl. The girl looked up at her with her big bright blue eyes, visibly embarrassed since she was caught. Her dark hair was styled in two messy braids and she was wearing a light blue long length dress with short sleeves.