Imagine all the stories your parents told you as a child were truetales of fantastical creatures of both the light and the dark, daring and handsome knights, and beautiful princesses. Well, far beyond the southern hills exists a land full of life and magicthe perfect place to commence a grand adventure. In a land surrounded by forest, mountains, hills, and a vibrant sea, there lies a kingdom ruled by a notoriously malicious ruler who goes by the name of Mataius Greenwall. The youngest of this king's three sons, Laurel has always felt out of place in their austere home of jewels, finery, and grandeur. His whole world is rapidly turned on its humdrum head on the day he decides to venture into the vast forbidden forest that borders their kingdom, Verde. The events that follow set Laurel on a course to reclaim a lost throne, uncover the long-kept secrets of the royal family, and prevent a devastating war. This is a whirlwind tale of betrayal, adventure, romance, desperation, and the journey to find what defines oneself.