I had a modest childhood. The Creator brought me into this world under the loving care of an honest working lumberjack and the direction from a wonderful mother. I grew up with the task of hunting and gathering as much food for the family as I could. My father was often taking trips to Touchan or sometimes the rare excursion to Edmond's Field hauling pieces of lumber behind weary oxen. I had always used a knife that my father bought from the town in stedding Yandar to make traps and snares to catch the wild boars that were plentiful in the pine forests of Ebon Bark, where our small cottage house rested alongside a small creek.

     There were many styles of traps I made from spiked pits covered with pine branches to sharp-pointed sticks propelled by limber saplings. It never occurred to me to actually use this knife as a weapon, as it seemed getting close to the prey was near impossible. When I was seventeen, however, my father bought me a dagger with a hilt encrusted in jewels. He said he had received it as a gift from a man covered in a cloak made with the patches of many-colored materials. He told me stories about this man who sang, danced, and entertained travelers and locals at the bars and taverns. My dad gave the man a few carvings he had created on the way to Edmond's Field from some of the pines he had cut down.

     This dagger I knew was to be used for more than creating snares and building traps. Among the stories my father had told me was one of a group of bandits and scoundrels who had laid ambush on one of the tree-carrying wagons. They all wielded short daggers and upon the first attack had struck the driver in the back, killing him instantly with a swift blow. The lumberjacks that were with my father fought them off with their axes, and drove to safety. This made me wonder if I could not do the same with my dagger, to the boars and creatures of the forest.

     Sneaking through the pines I would stalk my prey until they were either feeding, drinking, resting, or asleep. I would creep up on them using the bed of pine needles beneath my feet to tip toe behind them silently and place my glimmering dagger in their backs, causing blood to spurt and short screams from the slain beast. I brought home more meat than I had before using this tactic, and my family was happy.

     After much practice with this tactic, and at the age of about twenty, I asked my father if I could go on a trip with some friends to discover what was Westward of Ebon Bark. I had heard tales of a plains called Almoth where lions roamed, and wanted to practice my skills on these, and have fun exploring with my friends. Reluctantly he agreed to let me go. So the next day two of my friends and I set off with packs on our shoulders and sturdy boots beneath our feet. We traveled westward crossing a bridge known as The Bridge of Andahar and sooner than we expected we had come across the fabled plains of Almoth. With much patience and luck we succeeded in killing a lion that gave us food for quite a while.

     One night while we were resting around the campfire telling stories of our foolish childhoods we heard a noise that sounded like the clashing of metal. We put out the fire and crept up to the edge of the forest to get a better look at what was going on. To our surprise there was a small skirmish being fought on the grasses of the plains. It looked like twelve men total, six to a side, all wielding axes, swords, or clubs. We climbed up a tree to get a better look. Six of the men were wearing black armor that had the insignia of a raven on it, none of us knew what that meant. The others were wearing armor similar except with white cloaks and strappings. These we knew to be Children of the Light, who came from the great city of Amador.

     After a while of fighting from both sides the black warriors came out victorious, losing only one member and killing all six of the others. Just then the branch that both of my friends were sitting on snapped and gave way, dropping both of my pals to the ground with a loud thump! The five remaining men turned their attention to the tree line, and rushed over to see what it was, probably thinking we were an ambush. When they discovered my friends were merely exploring the area they sent them home immediately threatening to chase them away with their weapons.

     I panicked, I was alone now, and hiding in that tree staying as silent as I could. I don't know what gave me away, it might have been the moonlight striking the jewels on my hilt but one of them yelled, "Men, look what we have here! A third foolish boy! Get down here lad!" I descended the tree out of fear. "Well, what do you have to say boy?" the same one asked.

     "I.. I just came with my friends, sir, I mean no harm," I stuttered slowly.

     "Well then what is that fancy dagger you're carrying by your side?"

     "Oh this old thing? Just a present from my dad to help us gather food is all."

     "Looks to be more than a hunting dagger, what with them jewels and all." He replied. "Come with me son you may be able to learn a few things.

     I later found out the names of these five men, and the one that had died. The one who spotted me in the first place and held the small conversation with me was named Antonio, who would later be the same man to teach me everything about where he lived and the customs of his home. He told me of the honor of the Seanchan people, the way they battle, their family lines, the meanings of the different insignias, the importance of the raven, and the duty to protect the Empress to the death. Antonio told me of his mentor Trishan who had brought him up in the way of the sword and taught him how to fight.

     We made a great voyage across the Aryth Ocean to go to the marvelous island and city of Seandar. He was bringing me here, he said, to visit an old friend who might be able to help me with my skills of the short blade, as he was fond of larger weapons. His friend was named Ikyno, and was a secretary for an elite group of men known as the Seekers for Truth. He introduced me to Ikyno and had me demonstrate my skills on a few animals found on Seandar. Ikyno was impressed, and agreed to take me on as a student to teach me the ways of the dagger and a few things about the Seekers along the way. He gave me food and housing along with help I gave him organizing things and feeding the Seekers, as I had become quite the chef.

     As long as the Wheel spins my stories will continue.