Anyone walking through the snow-flecked Lavenwood Forest would glance at him and think of him as no more than a young lad. Any practitioner of the Arcane would know better than to make such assumptions. Lewis Boothe rested against the base of a large Pine. He wore simple grey and white robes, with a layer of fur to keep him warm. His hood was pulled back to reveal a handsome, young face. Shaggy brown hair reached for his shoulders, and patches of chin fuzz were beginning to creep up his face. Leaning against the tree to his left was a crude, white-wood staff, under which sat an empty book holster.

The book in question lay open across the mans lap, his mind scanning the pages, using the rising sun as his light. Under his breath he was reciting phrases in an Arcane Language unknown to most people. Preparing spells in ones mind was a long, tedious process. One which Lewis was all to happy to complete.

Lewis' concentration was broken by the sound of rustling leaves, across the clearing, from the bushes and trees. The young Mage snapped his book shut, tossing it onto his bag. Grabbing his staff, Lewis produced a simple flame in his right palm, eyes glued to the dark tree line.

"I don't know who you think you are," Lewis shakily threatened the empty space. "but you should know that I am a very powerful wizard. I could burn this whole forest down with a wave of my hand." He dramatically waved his hand around him, holding the flame, causing it to leave trails. "Show yourself, befor-AHH!"

His sentence was cut off abruptly by his own high pitched scream, which echoed off the nearby mountains, as a brown mass of fur and flesh launched out of the bushes at him. A bolt of fire flew from his hand, exploding into the snow to the right of his so-called assailant.

Lewis composed himself when he heard the boisterous laughter of his sister. The woman, older by 2 years, stepped through into the clearing they had claimed for camp. She wore a steel breastplate, and a single epaulet of similar material. More steel pieces adorned her forearms, and shins. Under the armor she wore thick leathers for added protection. Across her back was a round wooden shield, and a sheathed longsword. Her belt had various pouches, as well as a hand axe strapped to each side. Her face was hardened, yet beautiful. A few scars covered her skin, and her dark brown hair fell in curls down her shoulders and armor.

When she was done with her revelry, Cassandra grabbed the boar carcass, and dragged it over to her corner of the campsite.

"That. Was fun. Are you done studying yet?" She glanced to her younger brother, who stared daggers at her. "It was a jest! Get your robes out of a knot would ya'."

Lewis scoffed. "Well if we weren't in Goblin infested woods I wouldn't be so tense! You should know better."

"Infested? They live here you nit. Anyways, we're too close to Shroudpass for any monsters to pay us any mind." While she spoke, Cassandra pulled out an axe, and began skinning her morning kill. The boar had put up a good fight, which would make for tender meats.

Lewis rolled his eyes even though she couldn't see him. "I don't care where they live, I just don't fancy bein' eaten alive by dancing Goblin children." He sat down again, and opened his Spellbook. "Do you think I'll be needing Invisibility today? We've only got a day more to the village."

Cassandra stood with a horrible ripping, crunching sound. Lewis looked up, disgusted to see her holding the creatures spine. "Well," she replied, tossing the spine aside, resuming her ghastly work. "It did come in handy against those Gnolls the other day. They never suspected you crawling through their camp!"

"Very true. It did help me get close enough to release the cone of flames. I just don't enjoy being so close to the enemy."

"Invisibility has other uses. Its a great escape method."

"And what if you need to escape? I don't much enjoy leaving you like that."

Cassandra straightened and laughed. "I do not know the meaning of the word. You can run out of magic. 'The blade is ever sharp.'" The woman winced at the quote, even as it left her lips. Captain Reginald had told her that during her training to be a Frost-Guard in Chillreach. It seemed like so long ago, but it had only been a mere six months.

Lewis didn't miss her visible emotions. She wasn't adept at hiding them anyway. "You miss him." Cassandra gave him a sad look. Lewis kept talking, "I miss Nephemon. Whatever happened, we'll find them. And we'll fix this. Mom and Dad would have wanted us to-"

"Mom and Dad abandoned us!" Cassandra snapped a bone in the boars body. "They left us to fend for ourselves in a freezing land. I was ten. Ten! And they decided to drop us and pursue their own own dreams."

Lewis knew where this was going. This conversation happened weekly it seemed. "Cass, I know it seems that way. But there has to be an explanation. They couldn't have-"

Again, he was cut off by his brutish sister. "Stop. Just..." She released a heavy sigh, and chopped her axe into the boar. Lewis was capable in reading social cues, despite his isolation growing up. He knew when to stop.

Ten years ago life seemed so much easier. Mom, Dad, Lewis, and Cassandra. The Boothe family of Chillreach. They weren't rich. But they weren't poor either. Mom and Dad owned a bakery. Mom cooked. Dad dealt with customers. And the children helped where they could. They were all so happy together.

Then, without warning, the parents left. No note. No baggage. Just, gone.

The children were heartbroken. Cassandra immediately took on a leadership role, being the older. She helped consul the young Lewis. Together, they thrived. They lived. They stole, they traveled, they survived. And when Lewis left to train under a powerful Archmage, Cassandra was shattered. He knew he hurt his sister. And he knew she hurt herself in those ten years of separation.

But now, they had to work together. They had to make things right again. And their only hope of finding their masters, and maybe their parents, lie in each other.

A few hours later, after a breakfast of boar meat and bread, the siblings set off again on their journey. Their destination, Shroudpass Village, sat on the opposite end of the Lavenwood Forest, at the foot of The Steel Peaks. They continued their trek Northward. And even though Cassandra took point, and put some distance in between them, Lewis was happy. Happy to be together.