In a tiny village, a baby was found abandoned near a man's house. This man took in the boy as his own, called him son, and owned him. When he grew, he was a clever, wild child, best friends with the sweet girl and smart aleck boy in town. Unbeknownst to them, they were also the saviours of the Amalgamated Ivalice Boundaries, but that has yet to happen. The event that would start it all is the savage assault of the tiny village by the Tredjodorian army.
It began late in the day, almost evening, while Rouchea had been creating weapons with his mentor. After a full day of playing with Rza and Lakrat, doing work was most expected. Though Rouchea hardly hated it, he loved playing with his friends. All was quiet until a holler arose out beyond the edge of grass field and the screams began. Rouchea's mentor ran out of the small home to find all ablaze and blood flying. He rushed back in and locked everything, sweeping up Rouchea into the pit of the house. Rouchea called out to his friends.
"Rza! Lakrat! Daddy, we have go get them!"
But his mentor hid themselves, not fearing their lives, but rather, wishing the war and bloodshed and suffering would fall away in their midst. When an hour long had past, they arose and assessed the damage. Homes were broken or burnt to the ground, people lying everywhere. Even Rouchea's mentor could not look and they hid their eyes together until all were buried rightfully. Rouchea began his search for his mates. He called through the square for Lakrat and Rza. Lakrat was first to arrive with his parents in tow. They hardly looked hurt at all; his mother had a horrible gash, but it was all. Together, Lakrat and Rouchea called for Rza, and alas, they found her hiding behind what used to be her house.
What remained was nothing but a black foundation and piles of ash and pieces of metal that used to be their utensils. Rza was the worse of the wear, completely shocked, though fresh tears ran the length of her face. They wished her to tell them what was wrong, but even as they as asked they knew what had happened.
Her parents had perished.
In the end, Rza had disappeared from the small village, and Lakrat and Rouchea were certain they'd never see her again. With their lives stable, but a huge piece ripped off, they did what they thought would compensate for her loss: joined an anti-war faction. If anything, they believed it would keep what happened to Rza from whomever they helped. They hardly knew it, but they were about to come together once again to bring peace to the edge of Ivalice.
But all fruits of success must also bear trials and tribulations.