Laszlo can't remember anything about his early childhood prior to growing up in a port town orphanage with his sister. He and Amara spent their days studying any magical tomes and textbooks they could get their hands on. When Laszlo was 6 and Amara was 13, the two were adopted by a light-hearted sea captain named Decatour that happened to be passing through for supplies. They were raised on the ship, a cargo vessel that doubled as an exploratory one. While sailing across the seas, Decatour ensured they had the means to study and learn as much as they could retain, as well as taught them the ways of the boat.

Amara, thoughtful and whimsical and intelligent, took an instant affinity towards navigation of the ship and the concept of traveling itself. Laszlo, however, being younger and less pronounced as an individual, only completed simple tasks such as performing light maintenance and tidying up. As the years passed, Decatour and the crew noticed these were the tasks he excelled in and seemed to enjoy completing most, as they were simple and easy to understand (like him); thus he became a second boatswain's mate in training. He spent his days observing the woodwork on the ship, double- and triple- and quadruple-checking the rigging, and helping to pull up and release the anchor.

Thirteen years had passed by the time Laszlo had been promoted to second bosun, and Amara to first mate. Thirteen years of traveling across the ocean, experiencing an immense variety of cuisine, culture, and conditions. Thirteen years spent blossoming from crew mates to family, from sheltered but outcast children to worldly young adults.

It all was ripped out from beneath them in a single morning. The Nerites was compromised by pirates just as dawn broke. It wasn't their first encounter with the like, but nothing could have prepared them for what followed. The ship was taken by surprise, boarded, and seized, all in the matter of a couple hours. The fight that ensued was not only for the goods they were carrying, but for their lives.

They were outnumbered. The pirates swiftly tore down the people Laszlo was closest to. And then they took the few remaining as prisoner — including him and Amara.

Another four years pass. Laszlo is 23, and he hasn't seen his sister since the week they were imprisoned. When the ship is docked just off the main coastline of a bustling city, he manages to escape with the help of two other slaves.

He vows not to rest until he's certain of his sister's safety.