I was born on the island of Oomura in 4271 to Nyah and Fawkes Simake, the youngest of 7 children. My arrival brought financial strain upon my so-called parents. An unexpected lack of trade and commerced occured when I was 5 years old. My mother and father sat me down one day and told me they didn't want to sent me away, but they had no other choice. I was to go to Ruelan Avanti, a man who taught men and women to fight in the Calan. The Calan is an arena where fighter is pit against fighter in a no-holds-bar hand-to-hand combat for the amusement of the well-to-do's.

Until I was 13, I lived out my indentured servitude, training for the day when I would generate profit for Ruelan at the Calan. He was not a cruel man, as I had expected -- quite the opposite. While doing menial chores, I also was to study different offensive and defensive fighting techniques and styles. I was a quick study and soon my skills became obvious. I was allowed to learn to read, and soon I was sneaking moments to do so once I had mastered the skill. Ruelan was pleased at how I was coming along, though he was discreet about it.

Then came the day that I had to utilize all I had learned. I was 14. I put up a good fight in my first couple matches, but I still got beaten bloody senseless. I learned from my mistakes. After that, I started winning more and more, until I was practically unbreakable. I brought the Calan a good deal of money and even earned the respect of the wealthier inhabitants of Oomura. Some came just to see me fight.

I grew cocky at 15, thinking I was invincible. A mistake. During one bout, I was kicking and punching in a sloppy manner, thinking I had already won. I would not win this one. My opponent found an opening and took advantage of it, hurling me above his head, then slamming me down on his knee. My ribs broke with an unforgettable snap.

Ruelan looked after while I recovered. He was at my bedside as I slipped in and out of consciousness, due to the herbal remedies I was being given. I do not remember much of this time, save that Ruelan had never looked so fearful. I thought fear wasn't an emotion he understood. I knew he did not fear lost profits. He feared for the child he had taught and raised. I can never explain what this meant to me that someone gave a damn about me...but he knows.

When I was fully recovered, Ruelan came to me and told me he was getting on in years and wished to retire. He asked if I would take over the business. Although I was only 15, he knew I was capable of handling the Calan. I took him up on the offer. I oversaw the teachings of my fighters and spent time getting to know them. Many of them began to look at me as a mentor and it was very rewarding. I ran the Calan in much the same fashion as Ruelan. I made large sums of money and lived quite comfortably in the city of Gredan. Life was grand.

Two years later, Ruelan took ill. I had every doctor on Oomura and the Islands examine him, but to no avail. His life was slipping away with no hope of recovery. I read to him, gave him his treatments and made his meals myself. He formally adopted me as his heir, my last name changing to Avanti. I have a feeling he'd been planning to do that for a while. I wore it like I badge of honor. He was my only family, and I his.

I was reading his favorite novel one day, and suddenly he stopped me. He said: "I know I do not make this obviously, but you know anyway, that I think of you as the daughter I never had. The way you are growing you, you make me very proud". He paused, then said: "I want you to leave Oomura". When I looked at him as if he had lost his wits, he said: "You are intelligent. The Calan has made you wealthy, as it did me. However, there is more to life than this. When I die, I want you to take a sabbatical. Find out what else the world has to offer. Let Oric take care of the Calan until you return. It is my last wish."

The day that Ruelan would pass evitably came. I called him 'father' for the first and last time he would hear it, and he said to me 'beloved Antha, my daughter'. I locked myself away in my room and cried for weeks. Oric, my second-in-command had taken over while I grieved, as per my request. Although only a fool would leave such a cushy life, I respected my father's wishes as well as just not being able to deal with so many memories. I travelled by boat in search of what my father spoke of out in the rest of the world. I visited many places and picked up quite a few memories before I discovered D'Image.