Between Despair and Hope

The story oscillates between despair and hope, and I'm curious how the author planned that emotional rhythm—was it guided by the story's arc or intuition?

The magic felt rich but also layered, making me wonder if the author had a detailed lore guide or if it evolved naturally during writing.

The world-building feels immersive, and I'm interested in whether the author drew from personal experiences or created everything from scratch.