Minutes later, the young apprentice reached his home, only to find it engulfed with the same unstoppable flames that had attacked his village. Crying in anguish, Tad tried to fight through the searing heat to his hut, but he couldn't withstand it. It was too much. The young five-year-old watched in tortured agony and hopelessness as his only home crumbled before his eyes. His sharp, little brain knowing very well that his family was inside. The young boy stood there and cried as the fire grew around him. The heat sizzled and dried away his tears before they reached his chin. All of a sudden, he let out a loud wail of anger as he looked around the burning village. He felt his anger grow within him and before he knew it, the young apprentice had stopped the fire with just a flick of his hands.
He heard the cheering of the survivors as they watch the flames disappear just as quickly as they had come. Everyone cheered except one little boy who stood over his ruined home. He stood there and cried, ignoring all those around him. He felt a hand on his shoulder. Being too sad to feel anything else, Tad ignored the hand and continued to grieve for his family.
It took a week before the survivors could bury all the loved ones and neighbors. Everyone attended the mass funeral, including the knights and wizards. Warhawk, beside Tad, stood with one arm around the boy, comforting him as best as he could. As soon as all was buried, people started to leave. He watched as the knights and wizards left with the villagers, wishing they could stay. Warhawk had asked the apprentice to join them, but he refused. He could never turn his back away from the village and the woods in which he had lived his whole life.
It was then that Tad met Warrior, a magically talking horse, who helped him live alone in the wilderness.
