The Spark That Ignites the Dawn

In a fictional world of Russia and magic, a young woman is captured by an immortal god.

Marya is the last koldunya, a powerful sorceress lineage that was decimated by the hatred in her land towards magic. With most of her family killed in the mage purges, she is raised by her uncle, Aloysius, away from civilisation. Aloysius is cruel and bitter, and wishes one day for Marya to deal justice to those that took away their heritage. Over the years, Marya's only friend is beautiful Vasilisa, whom she created by transforming one of the swans at the lake by her home.

One summer, a prince comes riding through the woods. Siegfried is the son of Marya's enemy king, the man who ordered her, and her family, killed. When the trio strike up an unlikely friendship, their worlds begin to crumble. When Siegfried tries to find out the truth about Marya and Vasilisa, he unleashes an immortal god named Koschei, who has been imprisoned for over ten years.

Koschei wants revenge on the child that humiliated him by defeating him in battle. Except, the child is no longer a child: her name is Marya Morevna, and they have more in common than he ever expected.

The Spark That Ignites the Dawn is a fantasy tale using elements of Russian folklore and a retelling of Swan Lake.