Shadow Mage: (Witchling Wars: Luxra Echelon, Book 1) Read online

  LYCAN = lie-ken

  Otherwise known a lycanthrope. A human who has been bitten by a shifter, otherwise known as a lycan. Once being bitten, a human shifts into a werewolf once touched by the moonlight. If they can survive ten transformations into a werewolf they transform into a lycan. A creature that is part beast, part wolf. They possess superhuman speed, strength, agility, and heightened senses. If trained properly, they can control their shifting so they only transform into a lycan at will. The only way for the lycan to create more of their own kind is through biting humans. Their supernatural state does not pass genetically to offspring.

  LURING

  An ability vampires (see below) have that allows them to place thoughts and memories in the minds of humans and sometimes witchlings. Humans are most susceptible to luring.

  LUXRA = loo-x-ra

  A middle-tier witchling with diluted magical powers, but substantially more magical ability than kruxa. They can tap into the supernatural and wield their magic through wands for better control. They do not have complete control over their magic given their ancestors chose to mate with humans, therefore diluting the magic in their offspring's blood. They are considered the nobility of the witchling world but given their tendency toward darker magic they are often shunned.

  MARKING

  (Known as scarring to vampires). The process in which the magic in a kruxa witchling's blood attaches to a vampire and causes the vampire to slowly turn into a mortal human being. The spell surrounding kruxa witchlings causing them to mark vampires was created by the vixra witchlings as a long term plan to eventually rid the world of vampires in a peaceful manner so they could live out one mortal life and die. The process frightens most vampires and many spent the majority of the middle ages in Europe hunting down kruxa witchlings and killing them to minimize the risk of being marked.

  THE PROPHECY

  Over a thousand years ago a very powerful vixra witchling foresaw a time when humans and witchlings would be at war. The results of the war were unclear as only the cause and conflict were ever recorded in written and oral memory. The prophecy spoke of a young red-haired kruxa witchling of inferior magical ability who would mark a vampire and cause witchlings to be exposed to the whole of mankind. If in a single life this burden was not realized, she was would reincarnated every two centuries until the prophecy is fulfilled.

  SHADOW CHARM

  A very common spell among witchlings to conceal one's presence with the use of shadows. Although not invisible, one can use this charm to keep their presence hidden from witchlings and humans with ease.

  SAPPHIRE VAPOR

  After centuries of jealously over the vixra's ability to create vixra tunnels (see below) the luxra witchlings created the ability to dissolve their bodies into a cobalt blue vapor-like substance for ease and speed of travel. Although not as sophisticated or as fast as vixra tunnels, this bit of magic allows the luxra witchlings using it to get from place to place quickly. They reform perfectly into their natural shape when the spell is performed properly.

  SHADOW MAGE

  A rare luxra witchling that can see demons in their true form and hide their magic from other magical beings. They typically work within a coven and utilize this ability to rid the world of demonic beings trying to harm both humans and witchlings. Using an item known as the true key, shadow mages are able to visit the realm called the in-between. There they hunt down demons and prevent them from entering the human realm. They are considered some of the most powerful luxra witchlings in the world and coveted by most powerful covens when discovered.

  TELMIR = tel-mere

  A magical powder utilized to temporarily blind a person.

  VAMPIRE = vam-pyre

  A very long time ago, a small group of kruxa desired to gain back their magical abilities and created a pact with a luxra coven to cast a spell granting them more magic. The spell failed and as a result the group of kruxa turned to their most animal instincts. Their hunger for more magic lead to a hunger to physically consume luxra blood. After most of the luxra coven had been killed, these kruxa turned to human blood to satiate their thirst. The vixra punished these fallen witchlings by cursing them with immortality, of which they cannot be cured unless a kruxa's magic chooses to mark them for a single life of mortality. They are no longer considered witchlings but a perverse creation that are despised by all witchlings.

  VIXRA = vicks-ra

  A high-tier witchling with extremely pure magical powers. They have complete control of their magic. They also have the power to rule over all other witchlings and hand down laws that all must follow or risk severe punishment. They are considered the royalty of the witchling world.

  VIXRA BLOOD

  The vixra witchlings have the most potent and pure magic in the world. The obtaining and use of their blood is illegal within the witchling world. Occasionally, a vixra will break protocol when appropriate and permit the use of a droplet of blood to someone that may need more magical strength to fight back against those whose who seek to destroy magical beings. These instances are overlooked but frowned upon by the vixra council (see below) and vixra guard (see below).

  VIXRA COUNCIL

  A group of very wise and old vixra witchlings that come together during a crisis to determine the best way to handle extraordinary circumstances and illegalities within the witchling world. They are highly respected and their judgments are final.

  VIXRA GUARD

  An elite group of highly trained body guards and authority figures that help protect various vixra witchlings families and police the use of magic when used for illegal purposes.

  VIXRA TUNNELS

  Magical tunnels built by the vixra witchlings for a quick means of travel anywhere in the world. They can only be opened by vixra witchlings, lower-tier witchlings that consume vixra blood, or Blackatter lycanthrope. When opened, one can walk through a tunnel in the sky and reach a destination on the other side of the world within a matter of seconds. Using them takes time and training.

  VONTEX

  An elite group of lycan who hunt down newly bitten humans after they transform into a werewolf. They are tasked with deciding if humans are strong enough to endure all ten transformations to become a lycan or if they are a danger to both lycan and human existence. They are divided territorially into four groups across Europe: the Northern Vontex, Southern Vontex, Eastern Vontex, and Northern Vontex.

  About the Author

  Before Shawn was a writer, she was a history teacher who spent all her spare time reading historical novels and tales of fantastical worlds, past and present.

  After years of classrooms and countless hours in university libraries, she decided to pen down her own imaginary worlds in novels.

  She writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance books. She lives in Georgia with her husband and pet Yorkshire terrier.