Born the second son of Trisha Elric and Van Hohenheim of Resembool in the year 1900, Alphonse's first few years were relatively peaceful and happy despite the short-lived abuse of his older brother Edward; but after the sudden disappearance of his father during the toddler's formative years, Al was left with his mother and brother as his only family. The three Elrics lived in peace in the rural village and the boys began displaying a remarkable talent for alchemy at a young age, much to the joyful astonishment of their mother. However, early in the year 1904, Trisha contracted an illness that had been spreading in the area and died, leaving her two sons orphaned. Alphonse, devastated by the loss of his mother, began to fear that he and his brother would not be able to survive without her,