Irreplacable

Chapter 1:

"For those who value survival, sentimentality is not an option." A wise old friend of hers would often tell her if she asked tedious questions. Such a beautiful child, not a care in the world, and yet still so innocent, but somehow, impure.

"Ev, have you been learning the techniques I've showed you?"

"Yup! Look how messed up this guy is now! Are you proud of me?" She smiles brightly, pointing to the dummy that she has been hacking away at for more than half the day. Her older brother smiles at her and pats her gently.

"You are becoming a strong young woman, Evelyn. I'll take you to get something sweet later, how does that sound?"

"But it's supposed to rain later, I don't want you to get wet, Cal!" She giggles when he picks her up and spins her around.

"Nah, I don't mind, you mean that much to me. I'd go in the snow if we lived up North."

They hear a loud crack from about a miles distance. The sky lights up soon after, and smoke starts flooding the area. Evelyn's golden blonde hair tints a dark grey, and her brother runs as fast as he can with her in his arms to somewhere untainted with smoke and soon after; flames. They begin to feel the warmth as the fire rushes in every direction around them. "Calden! Evelyn! Run to us now! Hurry up!" Their mother's voice echoes through the flames just barely loud enough.

"We can't make it, ma. Save yourself, go find dad.."

"I won't leave my only children to die!"

Calden hugs his five year old sister as tightly as he could while they both cough from the flames and ashes. This was the end for them. Or, at least Evelyn's family.

~~~~

"Wakey, wakey young one, it's time to get you out of this toxic place. Literally." A man scoops up the half awake child after putting his cloak over her naked body. She glances at the blurry animal trotting beside them and reached to pet it.

"W-what happened..?"

"It.. would be better to show you at a later date; things are pretty bad, which is why I am taking you back to my hide out. I'm- well, you don't need to know who I am right now," He sighs heavily. "What I want to know is: how did you survive that fire? It was all over the place. There was no possible way you could have survived.."

"W-"she starts coughing dryly. The man pats her back.

"I'm sorry, we are almost there, I'll get you something to drink when we arrive."