“They brought me here,” he said, “and nursed me back to help. That’s when my magical abilities surfaced, and I asked permission to study with them.”

“I’m sorry,” she said.

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“It was a long time ago.”

“Who attacked your village?” she asked. “Was it the humans?” It was rarer than it used to be, but sometimes humans still attacked other races to expand their cities.

“I can’t remember,” he said. “I was so young, and I was too scared to think clearly. In my heart, I think they were the Haunted.”

Eleya didn’t want to even think about the Haunted. They were just one more strange, frightening thing she’d have to deal with in her new life. Silence stretched out between them, until she finally broke it. “Alwin?”

“Yes?”

She bit her lip. “Do you think… my family sent me here… because they didn’t want me around?”

“Certainly not!” Alwin looked aghast. “Your parents argued against it, in fact.”

“They did?”

“Yes, and they only agreed because of your great power. You have incredible potential, Eleya, and they wanted to give you the opportunity to reach it.”

“I’m not sure I want the opportunity,” she said. “Not if it means being all alone.”

“You’re not alone. I will always be here for you.”

Despite her loneliness, Eleya smiled.

In the years that followed, Alwin lived up to his word. He became like a father to her, and whenever she felt alone, she knew she could talk to him. Soon, he was the only father she remembered.

But no matter how much time passed, she always remembered their conversation—and his conviction that her true family loved her.

Author's note: What is Planar Expedition? Planar Expedition is a fantasy tabletop board game that was created by me over the course of three years and I never published it. Just about all of the artwork is done, and the majority of the story is complete. It is too great of a story to not tell though...