Prologue

Running, she was running, running for her life, her power, her child. She had to run farther, faster, or they would get her. She just kept running, so swiftly and so gracefully. With an infant cuddled in one arm, she just kept running.

Eventually her legs began to tire, her lungs grew weak. She had to hide, hide herself, but first she had to hide the child. Running, her energy drained, she slowed down.

The others behind her kept going after her, closer and closer with each step. They ran; they ran to catch her, so fast they left trails of light. Faster, they had to go faster.

"Get the child." Their master told them. Faster they ran, and faster did the mother, running, running, faster, faster. She slowed down even more and more. She turned, she found an orphanage, yes, she could hide him there.

She went up the steps and placed the child on the floor. Rain fell from the sky soaking them both. She pulled out a parchment and wrote upon it. The note read:

"Edmond,

Infant of Age 0. Born August 14, 1998."

She rang the bell and left. Running again, but lighter, free, she stopped. She looked back to see a woman picking up the child. Tears rolled down the mother's face. "Soon," she whispered, "soon."

She began running again, running faster, lighter, soon her feet lifted off the ground. Flying, she was free. Faster she flew, wider her wings grew. She was transforming, from a witch to a bird, a white elegant bird.

Faster she flew, up into the night sky, away from the evil, faster and faster until no trace was of her. She was free, free from the Order, free from the restrictions, free from the Dark Magic that possessed the land, but not contempt.

There was still a part of her there, for he was only an infant, only the age of 0, and yet he could not fly. Tears rolled down from her eyes falling into the night sky. She was free, but she would not stay that way. She would need to return for her child, her son.