Rafik grew up in a much less populated area of Salem. Some small settlement off in the Gale Valley- though really it was little more than a homestead. His family worked the nearby land and his parents were strong enough witches as to ward off what monsters did roam nearby. The constant danger was enough to keep life stressful, but the quality of the earth was superior enough to warrant the risks. Even so, he was a mistake to begin with. What sane person would raise a child in such a place anyway? They hadn't expected to have a child and when he was born it brought even more stress. At a young age he always heard his parents fight. They seemed trivial enough reasons to him, but small mistakes could cost your life when monsters thrived on the edges of your land.

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His younger years were mostly uneventful, aside from occasional weak monster- and he grew up in relative safety. By the time he was school age he studied under his mother. His father took care of the fields, and on off days, his son would join him. Life was good until one day while tending the fields, his father was careless in setting up his usual wards. They ended up being attacked by a group of monsters, whom managed to overpower his father- the man's last action being to hold off the beasts while his son escaped to warn his mother. She was strong enough to drive back the monsters, but by the time she was able to arrive, his father was gone. Not even a trace left to bury.

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The years passed as Rafik learned to summon his familiar, and events led them to abandon their lively hood in exchange for a life as merchants, trading supplies along the roads. His studies continued, but after so long his mother became ill. They ended up having to move to Sundial, her worsening condition requiring more medical attention than what was available outside the walls. In the end he was driven to joining the Helios Knights, seeking a way to afford his mother's medical treatments and to upkeep his magic studies.