Ashley Stalworth was born in 1986 as Ashley Drake, the youngest child of Hannah and Timothy Drake. Though they were human at the time of Ashley's birth, Hannah and Timothy were also dragons (Thigocia and Makaidos, respectively), and they passed this blood along to their daughter. Her dragon heritage gave Ashley the gifts of genius-caliber intelligence as well as the ability to heal. In 1988, Timothy and Hannah were murdered by the dragon slayer Devin and his squire Palin as they were returning home from a night out. Isaac Stalworth, a family friend who had been babysitting Ashley at the time, managed to escape with the little girl. He soon adopted Ashley, and she grew up believing him to be her grandfather.