To Sean: Thank you for creating this inspiring story starter. Enjoy!

The first thing you see when you top the hill leading to Ravenhook is the black spire of a lonely tower.

It had been ten years since I last looked upon it. It was once a beacon of light, but the wizard that had once occupied the tower, who protected and guided my people, had perished. Now it only casts a shadow of heavy gloom onto what was once the thriving village that I had called home. The war had taken me away. I felt the call of glory, but I would not have gone if I’d only known. I stretched my wings, tired from the non-stop journey, then wrapped them around me to ward off the chill in the air. I would cross the remaining distance on foot. Though the village looked reasonably intact from afar, the closer I got the more apparent the destruction. Nothing escaped the war after all, I thought to myself.

As I rounded the corner passed what used to be the wine merchant, I realized I had instinctively been taking my route towards home. I grew apprehensive as I dreaded what I might find, but before me stood my home seemingly unharmed and a light shone from within. My wings immediately took their offensive position, extending to their full length behind my back ready to aid me in my attack. I rushed in prepared to take on my opponent, but to my astonishment standing before me was the wizard of Ravenhook. “You’re supposed to be dead,” I blurted out. He stroked his rather pointy chin before replying, “That’s exactly what you and everyone else was supposed to believe if our plan was to succeed. I’ve been waiting for your return for quite some time, Quinn.”

“And why is that?” I asked cautiously. He looked at me with piercing eyes glowing violet with the gift of prophecy and said, “Ravenhook will rise from the ash, the tower a beacon of hope, you will win the war to come…” he trailed off and I felt compelled to direct my gaze towards the tower with the wizard standing beside me. He touched my arm and a vision of its lonely spire faded into the blackness and was replaced with a warm light that chased away the dark and renewed my spirit. I knew then that the real war was only just beginning and I would be ready.