Alya spurred her horse desperate to get back to her home. She had been away for too long and it was now time for her to return.

"Come on, come on!" She had been riding hard for the past 2 days, trying to make it back. She needed to make it on time, before her family was destroyed in the wake of orcs that were sweeping across this land.

"Please..." She came over the hill that hid the small village in a valley full of trees and her heart stopped. She felt a silent scream fall from her lips and she ride her horse down the hill to the village.

She grabbed her horses reins and pulled up on them sharply, bringing her horse to an abrupt stop. Her destination was no longer standing there. It was burned to the ground. Nothing but ash and the end-trails of smoke.

"No..." She got off of her horse and walked to where the entrance of the small town should be. Her eyes widened and her heart was pounding loudly in her chest. She was too late. She didn't make it in time.

"Mother! Father!" All reason abandoned her. She was only focused on finding her parents. She ran through the burned village as best as she could, focused on finding her small home.

"God no! Please no!" Alya bent down and tore through the rubble, her hands getting dinged by the remaining heat, but she pressed on.

"No.." She covered her mouth with her hand and let out a desperat sob. Her mother was laying underneath burnt and broken wooden planks, her eyes wide open and her trots cut.

"Mother..." She fell to her knees and reached out, her hand shaking as she touched her mothers cheek. Her eyes were wide and open but no life held in them.

"What did they do to you?" Alya's eyes fell to her dress and she felt herself starting to get sick. Her mothers dress was torn almost completely in half and Alya could see blood in between her legs.

"I'm so sorry..." Alya didn't know where her fathers body was and she didn't think she could or would have the strength to look. Her whole world was crumbling down around her. Her parents, her home, her village...it was all burnt to the ground.

Alya sat amongst the wreckage, her eyes wandering the destroyed village. There was almost nothing standing, and she had never felt so empty.

"I'm sorry mother." Alya bent down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

~.~.~.~.~One Year Later~.~.~.~.~

Alya lifted her hood just enough to see where her target had gone. She had spotted him the moment he came into the tavern. An old grey robe, grey pointed hat, long grey beard and staff. Alya was sure that he would be an easy target and all she would have to do is get close enough to him to swipe the bag of gold sitting at his waist.

"A glass of wine please." She stood and walked past him, hood covering her eyes again and reached out, hand clasping the gold bag. With a quick motion she tugged it from his person and shoved it in her own bag sitting on her right hip.

She wasted no time in leaving the tavern, her eyes forward and her pace quick. She left and turned down the back alley beside the tavern. She waited until she was alone and no eyes were on her and then she grabbed the bag.

She opened the small clothe pouch, her eyes widening. There was no gold inside, rather small wooden tokens made to look like gold. Alya let a frustrated grown escape her lips and threw the bag to the ground.

"You think a wizard as old as I, would leave gold in view where thieves could get it?" Alya looked over the man with the beard and the grey robe and hat. She had never seen this man before in her life but he was looking at her like she was familiar to him.

"What do you want? What are you going to do? Have me arrested?" The man leaned on his long staff and Alya felt his eyes on her, not scrutinizing her but looking her over.

"I'm looking for someone who wants to take part in an adventure. A chance to travel and explore these lands. I am in need of a couple thieves." Alya frowned and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Is this some kind of trick? Because if it is..." Alya was cut off by the man smiling at her.

"This is no trick. I offer you a chance at an adventure. To get out of this place and be a part of something great." Alya looked at the man and then back at the alley she was standing in.

This was not what she knew her mother and father would want for her but she had no choice. She had no other options.

"I accept. I will be a part of this adventure." Alya shook the man's outstretched hand and shared a smile with him.

"We leave tomorrow."