The Medelia Chronicles retell the story of the mythological hero. Students of mythology would argue that the hero's journey is everyone's journey, each reader reliving the drama of that ancient story. Hidden in the retelling is the road map for the understanding of our lives, how we treat one another and wish to be treated, our tolerance for the perceived differences in others, and our deep longing to be connected to each other and to something greater than ourselves. In The Beginning, the first of six books in Mundahl's magical adventures, opens with the creation of the ninth world, Medelia, the World of the Humans. After the creation, there is perfect peace for twenty-four generations. The period of harmony ends when one of the seven creators, Orbenos, betrays the humans by whispering his name and role in creation to a young man, Thomas Hunter, from the Kingdom of Moriand. With the breaking of his sacred promise to remain anonymous, Orbenos is banished from the Heart of Heavens. As a result of the betrayal, the eight Laws of Understanding, the cornerstones of the World of the Humans, are weakened and at risk of dying. If their light fades completely, Medelia will slip into darkness from which there may be no return. Thomas' grandson, Charlie, sets off on a quest to safeguard the laws and in so doing retells the ancient story for us all.