There was a startling bright flash as a star fell from the sky. The boy on watch duty jumped up and ran forward wondering where the light had come from. He watched as a light descended from the heavens and fell into a meadow of pure white flowers.

The boy felt a need to go to the star, something about it called the boy and he ran over to it. Without even thinking, he reached out and ran his hand along the edges of the glowing star that has seemed to fall just for him.

Light burst forth from the star at his gentle touch and when the light faded a girl of about thirteen appeared in a dress that seemed to be made of pure light. She turned and smiled at the boy as if he had saved her from death.

"Young man, what is your name?" she spoke sounding far wiser than her years. The boy looked around and then pointed to himself.

She laughed slightly and then nodded. "I am Nick, what may I call you?"

She giggled and the boy felt a shiver of joy go up his spine at the laugh that was as clear as a bell and more beautiful than the most popular violinist's music. "You may call me Henode, for I fell from the sky at your sunrise." She looked out over the field of flowers. "I am a being that lives in your skies. The other members of my race think me a fool for wanting to join this world but they have lost their connection to this world.

"At one time we lived with you, helping you by using the star power in our hearts, but a catastrophe accrued that forced my race to lock themselves away in the stars. Since then we have lived a life alone. They don't trust the humans as we once did. I am a newly born Starchild, of only 13 years, so I did not live when the trust we shared was shattered and something in my heart told me that it was time we returned. They wouldn't listen so I left, and came here to prove to them that times had changed and they could trust you again. I fear that they will not watch and they will not care. I know that this act could mean I will never see them again but I hope that-"

She looked down at the ground and fell to her knees. "That if they are not safe to come yet or will not come I can bring the strength to make it safe for them."

Nick sat down beside her and looked into her eyes. "I will stand by you and help you every step of the way Henode." He felt a shock rock his whole body and she pulled him into her arms.

"Nick Starlight, I in turn will stay with you forever." He relaxed and held her tight. He wasn't sure what had just happened but he felt so calm and safe next to her that he did not fight the strange new feelings rising in his heart. "We are bound in a veil of starlight that will never break."

He thought back to the ledgons about starchildren and vaguely remembered that each one had a human that was bound to their hearts. Not just any human but the one who's soul had always shown for them and he wondered what it meant to be bound to a Starchild. Those stories had been lost long ago.