Dark Fantasy
with Soul

On Mountains, Magia
and Meaning

In this interview, Birgit Berg speaks to Fantasize – a Dutch online magazine – about her journey as a dark fantasy author, the world of the Magia Trilogy, and the power of balance in storytelling.

About Birgit Berg

For those who don’t know you, could you introduce yourself to our readers? Who is Birgit Berg?

Birgit Berg is my pseudonym under which I write fantasy stories. People fascinate me. What drives people to make certain choices? How do group dynamics work and what forces play a role in them? How is a person shaped by past, present and future perspectives? As an author too, I am fascinated by this depth of characters, and the psychological and spiritual influences that shape them.

My stories lean towards dark fantasy, blending themes like sacrifice, love and personal growth into stories that are both gripping and fast-paced. I’m not a fan of overly elaborate descriptions you sometimes see in fantasy, especially from British or American authors. For me, it’s about telling a story with pace and soul – dark fantasy that goes deep, without dragging.

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Birgit Berg – Netherlands, 2025

A storyteller

You write under a pen name. Why?

Writing under a pen name gives me the freedom to build a world entirely separate from my everyday life. It helps me fully embody my characters and create with more focus and intention. Birgit Berg also has a nice international ring to it – easy to remember, and easy to find.

Have you always been drawn to fantasy?

As a reader, I simply love stories that pull me in. Whether it’s a detective novel, historical fiction or fantasy – if it’s well-written and flows, I’ll devour it in one sitting. That’s always my test: if I can’t put it down, it’s a good book.

As a writer, I’ve absolutely gravitated toward dark fantasy. It gives me creative freedom to shape new worlds, magic systems and characters that transcend limitations. And it lets me explore themes that resonate deeply – both personally and in the world around us. I want to write stories that touch people, where readers see parts of themselves, feel moved, perhaps even comforted or inspired.

Beautiful Switzerland

Have you been writing for a long time?

Yes – I think storytelling is in my blood. My mother was a librarian and always brought home piles of books. As a child, I was a daydreamer with a vivid imagination. I could spend hours staring out the window as entire stories played out in my mind.

Around the age of twelve, I got my first typewriter and wrote my first story – about a girl named Samantha Royston who lived in Australia and had all sorts of adventures. Back then, I dreamt of emigrating to Australia. That didn’t happen – but at 23, I moved to Switzerland.

Now I’m curious – why Switzerland, and what did you do there? Did you write? And did your time there influence your writing?

It actually started with a holiday… In 1993 I graduated with a degree in Human Resource Management, specialising in adult education. I was ready to dive into professional life – but the economic crisis of the early 90s made that difficult. Jobs were scarce, especially for new graduates.

So I decided to travel. I took a trip to the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland – and looking back, that one decision changed the course of my life. First I fell in love with the mountains… then with a kind Swiss man. And in the end, I stayed: I lived, worked – and loved – in Switzerland for 23 years. And I wrote my first fantasy novel there.

There is something magical about the mountains in Switzerland. They’re vast and silent – a place where time slows down and you feel part of something greater. In that stillness, in the midst of those majestic Swiss mountains, I reconnected with my spiritual self.

I’ve always been drawn to stories, symbols, and metaphor. Esotericism – the study of the unseen – focuses on what lies beneath the surface, and that resonated with me deeply. It gave meaning to experiences I hadn’t been able to place before. That sense of insight and connection lives on in my writing. You can already feel it in the Magia Trilogy – and even more so in the sequel, Seer of Kischmet.

Magia Trilogy

How did your writing journey to the Magia Trilogy begin?

To be honest, I simply started writing. I had an idea, put it on paper – and the story, Lupidae, unfolded from there. I’ve always been fascinated by themes like balance, the order of things, elemental forces, and inner strength. The eternal dance between good and evil intrigues me. And I wanted to write the kind of story I’d want to read myself – a tale that grabs you and sweeps you away.

That one story eventually grew into a trilogy.

Can you give us a quick overview of the trilogy?

The Magia Trilogy centres around a girl named Syribil, the only one capable of stopping a dark force called Mallumo. She carries within her a powerful being – but to transform into it, she needs Magia. And Magia… has long since vanished from the world.

Still, a final spark of Magia remains, hidden in a special stone. In Lupidae, Syribil is sent by the Seer of Kischmet to retrieve it. She is joined by Jhon – a silent Mortigulo who swears to protect her – and Ri’shana, an elite Nhir soldier… who has her own agenda. Their journey takes them through rivers, forests, mountains and unknown lands. They meet the Woodlanders, encounter the Seafarers, and eventually travel to the sweltering land of Mrisir.

In Drachion, they meet Shadi, the boy with the Heart Stain – the only one able to summon the Drachion. But the Serhat of Mrisir is hunting him too, setting off a race against time.

In the final part, Ekvilibro, everything comes together. Old truths fall away. The story becomes one of choices, sacrifice, and the struggle to restore balance to a world on the brink of collapse. As a result, Syribil eventually ends up with the Telepathics of Leya’s Temple. They turn out to have played a key role in events far grander and more complex than Syribil – now a young woman – could ever have imagined. All of this leads to a gripping climax and the fate of the world is decided… for now.

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Inspiration & Worldbuilding

What have been your main sources of inspiration during the writing of the Magia Trilogy?

A mix of things. Mythology, psychology, sociology – and the inner growth we all go through – have always interested me. Even though I’m quite grounded in everyday life, I’m also deeply spiritual. The belief that there’s more than what we can see plays a big part in how I write.

I also draw inspiration from daily life – a random encounter, a passing comment, a news story that hits a nerve. But also personal experiences: grief, sacrifice, the search for balance, and finding your own path. All of that found its way into the Magia Trilogy.

The language used for magic feels a bit like Latin, or old Dutch or Norwegian. Was that deliberate?

The “Old Language” in the trilogy was inspired by Esperanto – a neutral, constructed language created in 1887 by Lejzer Zamenhof to connect people across cultures. That idea – of a language unbound by nation or race – fits perfectly with Magia.

I once developed my own language with my eldest son, so I am always fascinated when a story has its own language. Can you tell me more about shaping your language?

How wonderful! Language is endlessly fascinating – how it captures emotion, how structure and tone shape meaning, how a single word can change everything.

It was actually my mother who suggested Esperanto. She’s an old-school librarian – practically a walking encyclopaedia. When she mentioned it, something clicked. I then found someone with deep knowledge of the language, and from that collaboration, the spells of Magia were born. For dark magic, I deliberately used reversed Esperanto – as if the Magia is warping in the shadows. As a result, it doesn’t weave… it tears.

Spiritual Worldview

Did you write with certain themes in mind, or did they arise naturally?

Both, I’d say. Themes like balance, sacrifice and growth are universal. They resonate with us all. I wove them in deliberately – because they add depth and emotional truth. What are you willing to give up for what you believe in? What truly matters? How do you find your place in the world? I think we all ask ourselves these questions – in different phases of our lives.

Everything is always shifting. We’re constantly seeking balance. If readers come away from my books not just entertained, but moved or reflective – then I’ve succeeded.

One idea that really stayed with me is that good and evil aren’t just opposites, but part of a trinity – with Ekvilibro, balance, as the third force. Did that come from your spiritual background or emerge during writing?

I love hearing that.

The concept as it appears in the book evolved during the writing process. I write organically – things unfold as I go. But the underlying principles – karma, Yin and Yang, the power of trinity – those come from my spiritual worldview. They’re timeless, ever-active forces. To me, they form the fabric of being. Everything is in motion. Seeking balance isn’t a one-time thing – it’s a lifelong rhythm.

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Young Syribil

Character building

What came first: the characters or the concept?

Syribil came first – a girl alone, longing to belong. But the character and the concept grew hand-in-hand. The world of the Magia Trilogy and the other characters flowed from there.

What did you enjoy most about writing the trilogy?

Definitely developing the characters – their pasts, their flaws, their inner battles. And I love planting seeds in the early chapters and seeing them bloom later. Crafting those deeper layers, then tying it all together at the end – that’s incredibly satisfying. When it clicks, I just feel it: Yes, this is right.

Magia Trilogy - Audiobook

The Magia Trilogy has now been translated into English. How did that process go?

The Magia Trilogy is a revised edition of my original indie release from 2014. In March 2025, it was published in English for the first time – marking its official international debut.

I wanted to share my story with a wider audience, and from the beginning, I knew I also wanted to release an English-language audiobook. So I had the trilogy translated by a professional editor, but stayed closely involved to ensure the emotion and energy of the original were preserved. That was essential to me.

The audiobook – beautifully narrated by talented voice actor Jay Forrester – is set to release in the second half of 2025, offering readers and listeners a new way to immerse themselves in the world of Magia.

Last but not least – what’s your number one writing tip?

Discipline – and just start. Don’t wait until it’s perfect. Get your story down. Write with heart. You can polish later. But nothing happens until you begin.

Would you like to learn more of how Magia pulses through the stories of Kischmet?

Explore the books

This article contains original content from the Magia Trilogy and the Kischmet Chronicles, part of the copyrighted universe created by Birgit Berg. All rights reserved.

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