Chapter 1: The Chapel

First Draft: 13 June, 2009
Completed: 13 June, 2009
Updated: 20 August, 2012

Lying on the stone tiles of the abandoned forest chapel, under the fallen roof and the exposed sky, Evangeline A.K. McDowell waited for the sun to rise from the East, to grant her the cleansing flame she very much deserved. She needed not turn to see the bloody remains of her father to be reminded what she did to him and the others, her memories remained clear in her mind, vividly replaying themselves before her eyes.

Despite what she did, even when bundled with wounds from both swords and claws, the master of the McDowell castle escorted his daughter to safety, away from the fanatics who wanted her dead. They caught up to the pair nevertheless, the elder McDowell fought bravely, though he managed to slay them all, his wounds were grave. In his last moment, her father only wished to embrace Evangeline once more, however, frightened and unnerved, she was afraid of granting his last wish, fearing of what she would do to him. Even so, he soon passed on in a better world now with a serene smile still spotted on his blood-smudged lips, leaving the young girl alone once more in this rundown chapel, a chapel forgotten in this abandoned village.

Evangeline smiled to no one but herself, accepting her fate as the first glint of the morning dawn shined through the opened doors kissing gently on the girl's cold bare feet. She suspected as much that it would be painful, and resorted to tying a rope she found around her waist to the pillar under the collapsed roof, providing a clear view to the sun a monster the world created. But all preparation and determination were useless in the face of death, even the slightest beam of light sent instantaneous pain through her body, sending her blood boiling and lungs smoking with steam inside. She let out an animalistic howl and threw her hands up to shade the eyes from the blinding lights, but even with her eyes closed, she felt like her own eyes were melting in the heat. In no time her vision blurred then dimmed, and in the last moment of her life, she thought of saying a prayer, or even asking for forgiveness, but what God would forgive her? What God allowed this to happen in the first place? Overwhelmed by the burning pain, Evangeline passed out, believing that she would be going to hell.

Awakened by howls from the wolves to their moon, Evangeline pried her dried up eyelids open, and stared at the same moon the wolves were howling at. The chapel that once sheltered her was gone, burnt down by the fire raised from the heat of her burning. Though charred and burnt, and still feeling nothing but the hot coal in her throat, she was still alive. Even death had forsaken her.