Nathaniel Sodalis Ashwolf was born on the tenth of July, M.E. 746 in Tenebrae to Ignatius Ashwolf and Aurelia Caelius. Ignatius was a member of the Tenebraen Guard, its military when it used to be an independent kingdom while his mother was a member of the Crown Council of Tenebrae. His brother, Charles, was born two years later on the eighteenth of July, M.E. 748. Nathan had a wonderful childhood in Tenebrae: running around Tenebrae’s lush, green mountains with his brother, watching the Oracle work her healing magic and being surrounded by the love and care of his family and friends. Even when times were tough, the Tenebraeans would always be friendly and work together. He couldn’t have asked for a better home. Sadly, his happiness only lasted until a few months before his tenth birthday.

On the first of May, M.E. 756, the Oracle's daughter, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret ascended the throne to become the Queen of Tenebrae. The coronation took place a few days after her mother Sylva Via Fleuret stepped down as part of an agreement with the Empire of Niflheim. Fifteen days later, Niflheim launched a surprise invasion on Tenebrae using the signing ceremony as cover. Ignatius, one of Sylva's bodyguards, died as he shielded her from the blade of Iedolas Aldercapt, Emperor of Niflheim. There are reports that the new Oracle managed to escape but her current whereabouts are unknown.

A few days after the invasion, Niflheim declared Tenebrae an Imperial province and General Safay Roth was appointed as governor. His forces moved swiftly to establish control of the surrounding area. Although the Empire had notified Nathan’s mother that Ignatius was killed in an accidental fire inside Fenestala Manor, she knew that it was impossible that her husband had died in such an easily preventable accident. Nathan remembers crying with his mother and brother when she told him the news. She promised she would always stay by their side, no matter what. Several days later, leaked reports confirmed that the fire was a cover-up by the Empire. Aurelia knew that she, Nathan, and Charles were no longer safe.

Fearing the worst, Aurelia decided to take them back to her homeland, the Kingdom of Lucis. The journey was horrifyingly difficult. Because the train tracks—the main mode of intercontinental transport—were heavily guarded, Aurelia decided to move westward by land. Her destination was the westernmost point of Zoldara Henge where Lucian and Accordoan ships were rumored to be evacuating anyone brave enough to make the dangerous crossing across the Cygillan Ocean or the Sathersea. Even though the odds were heavily stacked against them, the Ashwolf family braved the journey, often walking a great distance each day. When they were lucky, they hitchhiked in the back of Imperial trucks headed in the same direction. On one occasion, they were almost caught red-handed as an Imperial soldier was inspecting the cargo of a truck they happened to be on. Aurelia, summoning all her strength, seized the rifle the soldier was holding and hit him in the head. She then proceeded to run out of the truck with the rifle, motioning for her children to follow. The rifle is now showcased at the Lucian War Museum, a testament to his mother’s courage.

Nathan vividly remembers hiding with other Tenebraeans who were seeking safety in underground passages built centuries ago. While waiting for a chance to escape, Aurelia worked as a secretary for the Empire and collected all the information she could on Niflheim's military operations. More than a year later, on the second of June, M.E. 757, the Ashwolf family along with several other Tenebraeans, finally gained passage on the LRV Tenebrae, a newly commissioned Lucian Royal Vessel. Upon her arrival at Galdin Quay on the Lucian continent, Aurelia was made a Member of the Royal Lucian Order by King Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII for the information she gathered which helped prevent Niflheim’s annexation of the Lucian region of Cleigne.

On Nathan’s eleventh birthday, he remembers the grand party he receives in Insomnia thanks to his mother’s new position on King Regis' Royal Council. It is one of the fondest memories of his childhood as it was one of the only few times he felt accepted and welcomed by society. Unfortunately, this feeling was soon cut short. In M.E. 761, while she was in Tenebrae, his mother was killed by an assassin sent by Niflheim. Although she was sent there officially as a Lucian diplomat, she was actually collecting information about Niflheim's military presence in Tenebrae.

The first few years after his mother's passing, the pain was unbearable most of the time. However, Nathan was able to keep going thanks to his brother and the friends he made at the Insomnia Institute of Higher Learning (IIHL). Nathan doesn't know how he was accepted into Lucis' best high school but it was probably thanks to King Regis now that he thinks about it.

His first year at IIHL was the year his mother passed away. Nathan was lost and lonely, especially when considering that his only real "friend" was his brother Charles. Courtesy of the royal family, they were granted an apartment near to their schools. It was one of the finest skyscrapers in Insomnia, located near to the Citadel, the Kingdom of Lucis’ seat of government. Although Nathan was appreciative of the royal family's assistance, it could not replace the gaping hole left by his mother's absence. To put it simply, Nathan’s first semester sucked. He made no lasting friends and failed most of his courses. Every day, he returned to a large apartment, empty except for his brother and the elegant furniture; a contrast to his "inner" wealth. He had always imagined living in such a luxurious home with his entire family. Knowing that his dream would never come true, Nathan would often cry deep into the night, long after his brother was asleep.

Thankfully, his second semester was much better. With Charlie (as his brother came to be called), Nathan traveled to Tenebrae (under the Crownsguard’s supervision) during winter break to finally lay his mother to rest. She was given a grand ceremony that even some members of the Lucian government attended. Upon his return to Insomnia, he felt a sense of resolve: never would he let Niflheim take anyone else away from him.

Returning to school in January M.E. 762, he was in higher spirits. Slowly but surely, he improved his grades and met Rhea, Niyi and Cecilia in his Geography of Eos class. In order to graduate from a Lucian high school, Nathan was required to do at least one year of fine arts. While he was reluctant at first, Nathan decided to join the school choir. In addition to his friends in geography class, Nathan made many good friends (including his best friend Vincent) through the choir. On top of all of that, this was also the semester he began feeling… different. He developed a crush on a boy in his biology class and it really seemed like he reciprocated those feelings. Even though he was going through the struggle of accepting himself, Nathan remembers that class as the best part of his day—when his troubles could be momentarily ignored. With the help of his friends throughout the year, he became more comfortable with his new life. Although he didn’t receive the highest grades at the end of the year, he passed and was able to continue into tenth grade.

That summer, he and his brother (who surprisingly did better at Silver Mint Middle School) participated in a foreign exchange program between Lucis and Niflheim. They stayed in the Imperial Capital of Gralea, a city surrounded by "concave" (a word Charlie had learned at school) walls due to the mines located around it. It was definitely unlike Insomnia, to say the least. The utilitarian skyscrapers were numerous and looked unforgiving. Even if they did look more futuristic than the ones in Insomnia, their dark colors and similar design made the city look bleak and dreary. Being under the constant watch of the robotic Magitek troopers didn’t really help either; their glowing red eyes gave Nathan nightmares even months after he returned to Insomnia. He doesn’t really remember Gralea too well, a fact that he finds strange and frightening.

Tenth grade was a little lonelier. He didn’t share any classes with the friends he made but at least he was able to hang out with them between classes and after school. The boy he had a crush on last year started ignoring him, making him a little depressed. To distract himself, he decided to join the Tech Club at school where he made a few more friends. Domani was one of them, having transferred to the school in the middle of the year. In addition to this being the year Nathan stepped up his academics, he managed to join the varsity choir after a vacancy opened due to someone moving away.

In eleventh grade, Nathan received a mediocre score on the Eosian Aptitude Test even after countless hours of studying and practice with Domani (who earned one of the highest grades in the entirety of Eos). This was definitely his most depressing year after ninth grade. At least some of his friends were in his classes this year and his participation in the Tech Club earned him the position of president (after agreeing that Domani could be the vice-president of course). Through innumerable hours of meetings, programming, testing and redesigning, the Insomnian Inspirers (as they were known) won first place at the Technology Conference of Aspiring Programmers in Primalupo, Accordo. It was there where Nathan got over his immaturity (his stupid crush on that boy in ninth grade, his belief that he would see his parents again, his forced detachment from life) and came up with a plan for his future.

Nathan made a pact with Rhea and Vincent in twelfth grade. It was stupid now that he thinks back on it. It all started after school on a cloudy day in November, M.E. 764…

“Accordo or bust!” Rhea shouts after he and Vincent sign a “contract” on her phone.

“I’m so going to regret signing that when I don’t get accepted,” Nathan says, sighing.

“Don’t be so negative, Nathan. You’re President of the Tech Club and one of the best members of varsity choir, you should get accepted easily!” Vincent reassures, putting his phone in his pocket.

The “contract” stated that they would all go to the University of Accordo together. If one or more of them didn’t get accepted, the person or people who got accepted would drop out. Probably not the smartest of ideas but it was a testament to their friendship.

Vincent was right. Even before the first semester of his last year at IIHL ended, Nathan’s application to U of A was already accepted. The day he received the letter is a day he will never forget. It was enclosed in a manila envelope that was given to him in the middle of his Advanced Programming class. After seeing the University of Accordo’s logo on it, he tore it open and literally screamed. Everyone looked at him and his teacher, Mister Hughes, was about to send him to the principal before quickly skimming the contents of the letter.

“Congratulations, Mister Ashwolf,” he says, giving him a genuine smile.

Nathan gets up and shakes his teacher's hand, “Thank you so much, sir!”

“It was an absolute pleasure to teach you. Seeing the growth you have made since the ninth grade was simply remarkable, I hope you continue to do what you're doing. You’re dismissed, Ashwolf. I leave you with only one word of caution: no matter what you become, remember where you came from.”

“Thank you, Mister Hughes. I won’t let you down,” Nathan promises, feeling happier than he's been for a very long time.

“I know you won't. Now leave, before someone notices!” Mister Hughes urges, pushing Nathan out of his classroom.

Walking out of the school’s back entrance, Nathan felt that maybe, just maybe, he could really make his parents proud.