Shadow Assassins (The Second Realm Trilogy) (26 page)

Acknowledgements

The journey towards the end of this book has been a long one. First off, I want to thank you, my reader, for sticking by me through all of this.

To my better half, Matthew, for allowing me to borrow his character Atrimalous and “tame” him, as I did (we had many “discussions” on how overpowered his character originally was, tee hee). He was also the one who bounced story ideas with me, read my original drafts and gave feedback.

To my dearest friend Cameron, who designed and allowed me to use the werefox Kamu, thank you. Her design, as well as her tribe’s design, helped shape the world I was creating at the time Kamu was born.

To my friends, who act as my beta readers, proof readers and original critics – thank you for dealing with my whining about various bouts of writer’s block and the isolation that comes from the drive to write. I can be a very frustrating friend to keep in touch with, sometimes.

To my family, who probably has never read anything of mine before,
may I present the world in my head. When it seems like I’m staring off into space or lost in my own world, in a way I am. This vast universe has existed in my mind since I was thirteen.

             
And again, to you, my dear reader. You give the Second Realm a proper home.

Melissa Vazquez

December 2013

Locations

Within the First Realm

(The First Realm is the everyday, modern Earth that every non-magic human knows)

Moonlight Hills
– this city is the home for the vampire coven Order of the Moonlight, as well as the Shadow Assassins. In this city, vampires are allowed to freely hunt humans under certain rules. The Shadow Assassins enforce these rules and remove unruly vampires within the city

Within the Second Realm

             
(The Second Realm is the hidden magical world within the First Realm. Only those with magic in their blood can enter this world)

Aurialis
– One of the main continents in the Second Realm, home to the Emerald Kingdom, the Feynid Forest, the Kkyathi territory and Moonriver Academy, among other locations.

Emeralde Kingdom
– This kingdom of humans is bordered along the lands of other magical species. At one time, this kingdom boasted may powerful human mages, but in recent years, the current king has been growing more paranoid about magic and sees it as an evil thing. The people in this kingdom are taught to suppress their magical ability and are never taught how to use their powers properly.

Feynid Forest
– A strange, tangled forest full of the deceptive faerie creatures. It is rumored that anyone who ventures into these woods seldom make it out alive.

Govoya
–
A desert coastal city on the Isle Dark. While the city has been a major hub for traders, in recent years the most valuable commodity has been captive magic users, sold and forced into the locally called Death Games. This ruthless arena is what gives Govoya its real infamy, where the citizens of the city pay money to watch prisoners fight to the death.

Gypsa trade paths
– These pathways stretch all through Aurialis, a major network of roadways that the Gypsa traders follow on their yearly routes across the continent. Because of the foul reputation of what the Gypsa trade in, they are banned from entering locations like Moonriver Academy and instead only travel the trade routes nearby.

Isle Dark
– The continent of dark mages and magical creatures. It was meant to be a prison for dark magic users and law breakers. Because of this, the seas surrounding the Isle Dark’s coast are enchanted, with storms and dangerous ocean currents that allow no ship or human to pass through.

Kkyathi (territory)
– The hunting grounds and tribal home of the werecat tribe of the same name. Mostly forested, this land gives way to many rivers and streams. The only clearings are for the tribal home, the set of tents and cabins arranged around the great social fire.

Moonriver Academy for the Supernaturally Gifted (Moonriver Academy)
– A magical school for all supernaturally gifted (magical) creatures. In addition to a general education, students learn about their race’s magical abilities and receive training. The students live in on-campus dormitories and live in a mix of Immortals, vampires, werecreatures, mages and others. Tolerance of their fellow magical creature is emphasized.

Siiati
– Known as the “Sea Witch Colony,” this village on the Isle Dark sits at the coast next to a perpetually angry sea, the result of the enchanted waters meant to keep the residents from travelling to Aurialis. This village is also Leta’s hometown.

Races

Human
– The human species within the Second Realm have magic in their blood, in some way. They are broken up into the following sub-species:

             
Immortal
– Immortals are humans gifted with an extended lifespan upward of 300 years. In their prime, they cannot catch any transmittable disease and can only  die if mortally wounded. Each Immortal has a unique ability like future sight, in addition to their most famous power, the ability to create weapons and shields out of pure magical energy. They are usually taught by an animal guide, their familiar. If separated from their familiar, some Immortals cite physical pain. If their familiar is killed, the Immortal is considerably weakened. Death for the Immortal means instant death for the familiar.

             
Mage
– Mage is a generalized term for a human magic user. These mages are divided into several types but predominantly, into elemental mages and non-specified types. The elemental mages can wield the power of a certain element, such as earth, fire, water or air. Non-specified mages can contain any power, like shape shifting, telepathy, future sight and more.

Werecreatures
– The werecreatures have heavy spiritual and physical ties to the lunar calendar. They possess the ability to transform from a human form to that of an animal, usually at will; however, during a specific time of the lunar calendar, the werecreaure may involuntarily transform. Two known tribes are listed below, although there are many other tribes that exist.

Chokerre
– An extinct werefox tribe that was decimated by the Emerald Kingdom’s marauding knights. Their only survivor is a warrior named Kamu, who was saved by a Kkyathi.

Kkyathi
– A proud race of werecats that live along the borders of the Emeralde Kingdom. Because of their close proximity with the Emeralde Kingdom, they are always in constant conflict with Emeralde knights. They are able to transform into a “feral” feline form at will, although during their specified time individual and set at birth, they will be involuntarily forced into transforming. Because of this and how dangerous an involuntary transformation is, each werecat wears a moon disk around their neck, a warning that lets everyone know when their time of transformation is to be had.

Angel-demon hybrid
– Only two are known to have ever existed, the twins Evangeline and Dante Audratha. A mix of both their angelic and demonic heritage, they are able to transform into a creature with one angel wing, one demon wing, claws and immense power. Their power is strong, but short-lived.

Angel
– Angels are the messengers from the mysterious Heavenly Realms. The guardian angel Audra the White fell in love with a demon king and bore two hybrid children. Instead of killing them as she was instructed, she separated them, leaving Dante in the Second Realm and Evangeline in the First Realm, where the two were never meant to meet again.

Demon
– A race of magical creatures that do not abide by usual definitions of good and evil. They can take on many forms and interact with humans.

Dragon
– One of the oldest, most magical species on the Second Realm, dragons are thought to be mostly extinct. The dragon rider tribe Aeriad are the only human who live side-by-side with dragons. According to their lore, dragons have their own language that cannot be clearly understood by humans. Dragons are highly intelligent and the Aeriad riders will insist that they work
with
their dragons, instead of taming them. Large, capable of flight and fire breathing, these creatures are one of the more rare species in the Second Realm.

Elf
– The elf race prides itself in their metal work for armor and their warriors. Being a strong warrior is something of a status symbol and symbol of power. Elves make it clear that they do not wish to get involved with human affairs and try to stay out of them as much as possible.

Faerie
– Faeries of the Feynid forest are not like their fairy cousins. These creatures prey on the unfortunate who get lost in their forested home, using their magic to burrow into their prey’s mind. They trick their prey into believing they are the person their prey desires most, luring them deeper into the forest. Once prey is captured, they are consumed. Faeries are one of the only species in the Second Realm that is not sentient, in the sense that they are more animal than civilized creature.

Familiar
– Companion to the Immortals, familiars take on the lifelong job of guiding their human into using their powers. Each familiar has two forms, a “true” form that can be a mythical creature and a “common” form like a domesticated animal, in order for their human to hide amongst those who may not be friendly. Familiars are able to speak in a voice that is broadcast mentally, in addition to the physical sounds that the animal can make. If an Immortal is killed, the familiar will die on the spot along with them.

Vampire
– The vampires that exist in the First and Second Realm are not like the creatures of legend. They possess a deadly allergy to silver that turns to poisoning if the silver enters the blood stream. Sunlight can cause deadly burns, which is why they are nocturnal, haunting Moonlight Hills at night. City vampires are often elegant, if not arrogant. Those that break city law are often exiled from the city, if not killed. Those exiled may seek refuge at Moonriver Academy in the Second Realm, or on the Isle Dark.