ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY

Morrigan perched on the weathered balustrade of the Weeping Willow Inn, a somber structure that clung to the earth amidst the gnarled pines on the dusk-laden shore of Lake Obscura.

Tucked away in the rugged embrace of the Drakwald Peaks lay a lake, anything but ordinary. This secret and shadow-draped haven, though seemingly forlorn in its isolation, was more accurately a mysterious and elusive jewel waiting to be discovered. It was encircled by the mountains, standing guard like ancient sentinels, creating an immense, tree-filled amphitheater that whispered tales of serene, yet profound solitude upon Morrigan’s first furtive glance.

Once an ace pilot soaring through the turbulent skies of the Great War, Morrigan was cloaked in valor as he fought side by side with the Gallians' valiant Alliance before taking to the heavens with his homeland's elite aerial brigade. Now, grounded from his loftier pursuits, he found a resonance with the forest—a bond not unlike the affection a raven has for its wooded sanctuary. To him, every tree pulsated with life; each was more than just timber and leaves—they were living presences with their unique essences and stories to tell. His affinity allowed him to perceive their distinct personalities—the pine that stood tall with an air of sinister sneer; the oak exuding a calmness of a secluded sage; here stood a gallant oak like an assertive soldier of nature's own battalion; over there, an aspen withdrawing into its cloak of pensive greenery; and amidst them, a flirtatious birch coyly rustling her leaves juxtaposed against her sibling’s unblemished innocence.

© 2025 Victoria Villegas (Audiobook): 9798318021589

Release date

Audiobook: May 17, 2025