Barus Stormlight is a refugee who fled from Hearthcrest when a group of Seekers invaded the town and took it over, demanding the crops to go to the Seekers. The Seekers took over the homes of many of the people of Hearthcrest and forced others to move out of the homes they took over, making the towns people either live in barns or in the homes of other people. When Barus fled, he fled with his wife, Dawn Stormlight, and his daughter, Bloom Stormlight. Bloom is approximately five years old.