One day, as a punishment, Pepper was sent out to cut firewood, and Janisinia went with him. Time passed, and Janisinia got bored and took a nap. She was awoken by Pepper, who sensed something was wrong. They got up immiediately and raced towards home, only to discover they were too late. The house had been burned to the ground, and their parents had died. Pepper than noticed their cousin, Fireball Sparkeedi, fleeing the scene. Angered and in a hunt for revenge, Pepper decided to follow him to Iridine. But first, he left Janisinia with their uncle Mortimer, who lived nearby.
Janisinia's aunt did not belive that girls should do farmwork, so she was made to do housework. Years passed, and she then realized her brother would not return. So one night, she awoke, quietly slipped out of the house, and raced away. She made a decision to go to Iridine, but first searched through the rubble of her old house, and found her mother's tin gladius. She took it with her, and left towards Iridine.
Using what little money she had, she bought some food rations in the town. She then continued on. Many weeks passed, and finally, the walls of Iridine loomed in the distance. The size did not deter her, however. She entered the city and began her search for revenge and her brothers.