1Prologue

Utercenia,

A shrill cry broke the silence of the forest as a lone figure emerged from the trees, and the beasts behind her slowly closed in. The horse under the rider was straining every muscle in his body as he tried to out distance himself from the rancid smell of the beasts following it. With one glimspe over the riders shoulder, he knew that he could not, wouldnot, be able to make it. All of his hard would be for nothing if he was caught alive; the years of planning would be for nothing if those hideous pursuers got what they came here for.

He quickly looked around as the foliage raced past, making tweaks in his escape plan. He jerked his horse to the left, and started weaving in and out of the trees in order to buy time. As the beasts were slowly detained, he gathered his oppertunity, and headed in the oppostie direction. As the forest cleared, a small cottege became visible, completely dark and still. The rider jumped of the horse with the package in his arms and rapped on the door.

A candle flickered on as the inhabitent of the house awakened. There was a shuffling noise as a piece of wood was drawn back to reveal a set of saphire blue eyes.

" Who is it?" the voice said gruffly, looking out into the night. The rider whispered something to the old man, and the eyes quickly dialated, and the wood slid back in place. The door was swung open, and an old man stepped out into the night. The rider handed himthe package, and turned to leave. The man's voice stopped him.

" What should I tell her?" he asked, his voice barely abouve a whisper. The ridermoved his head slightly in the driection, his profilea shadow in the dark, andwaiteed a moment before heanswered.

" Tell her that many have died in ther fight to save her. Tell her that she must train until the time is right for her to lead us. She is Unerick, the only child to bear the Mark. She must fulfill her destiny, or all will be lost." With those words, the rider quicly mounted his horse, and galloped into the night.

The old man looked down at the package in his arms, and pulled the blanket covering the top, gently down, to reveal a sleeping baby. Her flame red hair burned in the moonlight, and as the cool air hit her face, her eyes opened, reavealing the greenest eyes the man had ever seen. As she stretched, her hand came into focus, and on her palm was a single star shaped mark of pale blue. It glittered as the moon struck it. As the man gazed upon the beautiful face of the baby, tears sprung to his eyes.

"Ye have a grave task indeed, little one. The mark is on you, and ye cannot escape yer destiny. I will call you Rosalania, because a strong girl needs a strong name, to fit your destiny.

Chap. 1

As the sun shone through the dense foliage of trees, a small child sprinted past, holding a small animal in her tiny hands. As she raced through the forest, she looked down at the bird resting in her hands, and tears ran down her cheeks. She had found the bird in a clearing, it's wing was broken and she picked it up, knowing it would die without her, but also knowing that it would die with her if she could not properly care for it.

She tripped over a tree branch and sprawled on the ground, thrusting her hands in front of her, tryin to keep the bird from futher injury. As she raised her flaming head, she saw that the bird was still breathing. She slowing pulled herself into a sitting position, and held the little bird in her hands.

Oh please be okay, she thought. I don't want to lose you after you have fought so hard to stay alive. As she focused her mind on the bird, a strange warmth crept over her. Rosalania was concentrating so hard on the bird, she did not realize that her body was surrounded in a bright red glow, and her hair began to spark. Her eyes shone an even brighter green, and the star mark upon her hand burst inot a ball of flame surrounding the small bird. Rosalania kept her concentraion focused on the bird, shocked, but knowing somehow that should her concentraion faulter, she could risk the bird dying.

As the flame in her hand turned to a redish blue color, the warmth in her body filled her mind. She looked at the bird and concentrated on it's wings. Suddenly, Rosalania could feel the bird inside her mind. She could feel the curing warmth of the fire, and the mending of the wing. Rosalania touched the birds mind, and was grateful to know that it was alive.

As the wing mended, the flame vanished, and the aura around rosalania dimmed until there was nothing left but the clear forest air, and birds chirpping through the trees. Seh gazed down at the little bird, and watched as it opened it's eyes.

Thankyou, child. You have saved my life. Rosalnia's eyes widened in shock as she heard the voice in her head. She had to ignore the urge to throw the bird on the ground , and she gently calmed herself down as the bird got up, and hoped on her palm. As she peared at the bird, it looked back at her. Now that she was loking at it, this was snot a bird that rosalania had seen before.

The bird had silvery wings that gleamed like a mirror, and it's eyes shone with intelligence. It's beak was bright red, and it had a tuft of feathers growin in the center of it's head. Rosalania looked down and noticed that it's feet were webbed, and the talons weren't very friendly looking.

Oh my, if I am not mistaking, this bird just talked to me in my mind. Thought Rosalania. Then another thought struck her. Oh my god, if that bird wasd talking to me in my mind it can probably read my mind, which means that it knows what I am saying right now! In horror, Rosalnia looked down, and was not that surprised to see that the bird almost looked like it was smiling.

Yes, Rosalania, I can read your mind, and before you ask, that is how I know your name. It was extremly remarkable how you healed me. Where did you learn that kind of magic?Rosalania wasn't quite sure what the bird was talking about, then remebered the fire that had come out of her palm. It was right, she had healed him with magic, but she hadn't the faintest idea how she had done it. When she explasined this to the bird, it was as equaly as shocked as her.

Remarkable! You called all that power to you without so much as an inkling of training or any kind of knowledge of the power you pposess. Oh, and by the way, I am a girl-Leni. I am very similar to the birds that you have pictured in your mind, except that I am intelligent, and use magic. As can you, it seems. The "Leni", as she called herself, finished speaking, and looked up at Rosalania. Rosalania looked back, and wondered if she would have gotten up this morning if she had known that all this was going to happen today. She thought it over and decided, that yes, if fshe had not gotten up, she would have not been able to save this "leni" creatuer, and she couldn't in good consiciene deny someone hel pwhen she was bale to give it.

"I have had this kind of power for as long as I can remeber.' Rosalania began to explain. "My father, Trinoe, he says that it is a great gift that the Forest has decided to bestow upon me. He says that such gifts as great as the one that I have recieved are not giving lightly, and with the greatest gifts comes a burden or a duty. He says that is my duty to use my gift for good, and never evil, and to help those that need it, and to discourage those who seek to hurt those weaker then them. I take this responsiablitiy seriously, and I try to practice every day. I never knew that I could heal anyone like I did you, though. I thought I could maybe heal a few bruises at the most; I di't think that I could heal bones as well." As she said this she was carefully examing the Leni, and searching her wing for any sign of her previous affliction.

Well your father is right, little one. You should take for granted that which you are blessed with.a gift so great as yours, should indeed be used in just as great as a cause. Rosalani hear the leni say this and wondered if healling minor cuts and bruises qualified as a "great cause." the leni looked up at her, and as if reading her mind, said, The act of helping those in need, no matter how minoor the need might seem, is a great cause. You help those to the best of your present ability. If you were trained more thouroghly. You would be able to do so much more. Maybe even help in the Lenieran War.

When rosalania began to prostest, the Leni stopped her. You do not yet lnow the extent of youur powers. With the limited knowledge that you have, you are unaware of all that you can do, or all that is meant for you to do. Rosalani looked at her, puzzled.

"What do you mean, 'what is meant for me to do'', Rosalania asked. The leni looked at her, and seemed to struggle with an appropiate answer. I can not tell you. It is not place to tell you these things. Come let us go visit your father Trinoe. He will explain these things to you.

Chapter 2

as rosalania's cottage came into view, a hunched figure of man could be seen next to a freashly weeded bed of vegetables. Rosalani excitedly shouted and waved at her father. "That is my father, Trinoe." rosalani explained to the Leni. Her father looked up, and smiled at rosalania. When he caught sight of Rosalania's companion, his smile faltered breifly, then quickly became wide again. The change was so sudden and brief that rosalania wans't sure if she had seen it.

"Hello Rosalania," Trinoe said . " Who is that flying next to you?" he peered over Rosalina's shoulder to better get a look athe the leni flying next to her. Before Rosalania could introduce the leni, she was cut off. I think that you know who I am, Trinoe. It is I, Roaphelia, of Yreck. I was sent to train and tell the girl of her destiny. She is of age to know. She has twelve summers past her, and s he needs four more summers to train.

" You are right, old friend. The time has come." Rosalnia looked at her father, shocked.