Since she was a little girl, Velvet has been reading stories about great wizards and witches of Rumerra's past, wishing every night to wake up one day and be blessed with the affinity for magic herself. Unfortunately, the odds are stacked against her. Both her parents had no magic and thus the chances of her developing it are slim at best. But the gods of fate smile upon her one day when she receives her mark of light, thus becoming a light witch.

Acquiring magic is only the first step, however. After this comes the grueling and life-long task of mastering it. We accompany the young witch as she sets out on a journey of self-discovery, full of magic and wonder - or so she thought.

Velvet quickly starts realizing that the world of Rumerra is not like the worlds she got to know in her stories at all. Compared to her hometown of Simula, Rumerra at large is vast and unforgiving. From the frigid tundra of the Frozen North to the craggy hills of Eldrasit, and the vast forests of the elven lands, Velvet encounters mercenaries, dragons, and a vast array of other creatures, all of which seem eager to demonstrate that the world is far more cruel and unforgiving than she thought. Good and evil are not so easily told apart, not everyone is to be trusted, friends can die and a happy ending is all but guaranteed.

Will Velvet be able to find her place in such a world? Can she become the hero she admired in her storybooks and pass on her knowledge of magic to others as she always wanted? Or will the cruel reality shatter her illusion and bring the girl to her knees?

[participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge]

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