A heavy mist hung in the valley. It was still night and everything was dark. But, with the help of the vision spell, Haleema was able to see things in a sort of half-light. Some of those crazy tech-types were working on some sort of night-vision device, said to work better than magic. But, Haleema had yet to see the device.
    She didn't understand those who relied more on science than magic, but they'd made life more comfortable in these caves. The residents of her cave-town, Enir, had running water and waste disposal. It hadn't been so, just five years ago when she'd first arrived.
    Haleema remembered that day clearly. It had been the morning of her thirteenth year. The sun hadn't broken free of the horizon when she'd snuck out of the fortress. It had been a place she grew up, but not a home. Had her guardians caught her, they'd likely have locked her within the fortress for the rest of the year. She'd had whatever comforts a child could want, yet she'd been a prisoner.
    On that morning, however, Haleema had simply wanted the feeling of being free for a short time. She'd taken Alani, her white horse, and gone for a ride. The Hallowed Wood had seemed to call to her, and before she knew it, she'd been pulled in and through one of the portals. She'd never heard anything but terrified awe of these woods. She'd never known of magic and the strife that these woods contained. But, she'd quickly had her first run-in with the Daemon who ruled these woods.
    Luckily, she'd walked away from that first skirmish with only a few bruises and scratches. Alani would have surely died from the wound in his neck, had it not been for the Healing he'd received from one of the rebels who'd saved them. Maybe luck had nothing to do with that day, she mused. Perhaps it had been destiny.
    Haleema's violet eyes suddenly sharpened and all thoughts of the past were quickly gone. Someone was coming up the hidden path, toward Enir. Only those who'd been here before could find it, but that didn't mean another couldn't get lucky once in a while. She pulled the dark hair back which had fallen in her face upon sighting the unknown visitor and whistled. It was the call of a Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-babbler. They were known to this wood, but did not live at this altitude. It signalled that some unknown friend or foe was coming up the path.
    She heard answering calls and settled back in the tree in which she sat. Haleema continued to watch the unknown come up the path. These night duties were handed out indescriminately and even she - who was one of three possible saviours to the land - had to do the job.
    The damned prophesy had made her life not her own. From the moment they'd seen the mark, they'd treated her differently. She'd had to work doubly-hard at her studies as any other. Because of this, all the sheltered joy from her youth had been completely stamped out of her very soul. In melancholy moments, she missed her innocence and youth. Being a prisoner was preferrable to having so much resting on such small shoulders.
    But, she was not alone. There were two others who also fit the mould of Saviour. Although they'd never met; the cave rebels kept them far apart and at different locations for safety, they'd found a way to communicate privately. One was a young man, the other another young woman. All three had been born on the same day at the same time. But, where Haleema had the crescent birthmark, the others had different "Signs of the dark."
    The prophesy which defined their lives, said in part: "The one who bears the sign of the dark shall deliver us from this scourge." As always, these things were very unclear. It annoyed Haleema to no end.
    Just then, the visitor threw back the dark cowl of his cloak and Haleema saw the long, white hair. She knew this man, as many others did. Most accepted him as a friend, although some of the elders grumbled that they didn't trust him. Whether he was to be trusted or not, he knew many of their secrets and was welcomed in their caves.