➽Copyright

This story is copyright of Maame E. Addison. Events that happen in this story are purely fictional. No part of this story may be reproduced, transmitted in any form or by any means mechanical, recording, electronic, photocopying, scanning or stored in retrievable system without prior permission from said author

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➽Dedicated

❝To those who love again and continue to love even when their heart is in ruins ❞

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➽Epigraph

❝Take me back to where I was born. Where the oceans bathed me in their arms and drowned me in their tears. From their depths, I shall emerge. Reborn and defined❞

-Anonymous

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➽Timeline

➽Started: 04/08/2020

➽Finished: unknown

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➽Foreword

❝I want to know what it feels like when the world falls back and the only thing that matters is just the two of us in a labyrinth that we call our world. I want to know if falling in love is just as magnificent and terrifying as they say it is.❞

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➽Summary

The Empress of HellFire. The Emperor of Ice Storms. Together as one, they will tear the world apart. Stranded in a kingdom with their paths intertwined, the fight to reclaim what was once lost will draw nothing but blood and fury.

***

Venix Draywin and Lucien Northorn have ventured far to the abandoned kingdom of Exben. Located in a small isolated area, there is barely any life to protect them. Creatures of the dark lurk in the shadows and hungry eyes watch them with vengeance.

Desperate to uncover the truth of their past and rebuild what was once lost, they must turn to an unlikely ally who will either lead them to their triumph or demise. On a mission to find Esmeralda Northorn, the only one that can help them, Venix and Lucien must face the demons of their past and unforeseen enemies before they are defeated by the territorial, wicked, and damned. 

However, they are not alone.

Yagein Washli, Queen of the SilverClaw Witch is on the hunt to complete the mission she sought out to do nineteen years ago and she will stop at nothing to destroy their plans and their future. Turning the entirety of the clan against Venix and Lucien, she is prepared, skin and bones, to defend her crown and bury those who dare defy her. 

But, only one can emerge victoriously.

With the entirety of their future and their legacies resting on a thin pedestal, Venix and Lucien must come together to reclaim what was once theirs and destroy those who come in between before their enemies catch up to them. 

After all, the fate of everything and everyone they love rests in their hands.

@Ideologically Thank you for the gorgeous cover!

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➽Author's note

Welcome back to the Catalyst Saga! Glad to see some familiar faces!

This book is going to be slightly different than the first two books. 

So as you all know, Venix and Lucien left together on a voyage to the kingdom of Exben to uncover the truth about their past. Originally, I was planning on splitting The Septic Curse into two parts. One part tells Onyx's adventure while the other tells Venix's and Lucien's adventure.

 However, the more I looked into that idea, the more I realized that Venix and Lucien's voyage can be a completely different story. There is so much to tell and I didn't want to rush their story and possibly ruin their relationship, cut out any major characters they might meet along the way, or deflate any build-up that can happen when two major plots are crammed into one book.

So instead, I decided that they would get their book. This story takes place at the same time the events of The Septic Curse are happening. It's just focusing on Venix and Lucien instead of Onyx and Draco. I hope you all don't mind!

I think you will enjoy what I have in stored for these two!

I have been reading different types of fantasy books to get into the vibe of this one. Dark Fantasy, Gaslamp Fantasy, High Fantasy, Heroic Fantasy, Wuxia Fantasy. Just about every type of fantasy book and I have been taking a LOT of notes.

I realized that every fantasy book has its different elements and twists that are incorporated into the plot which makes each book more diverse and unique from the next one. That is what I want to achieve with The Catalyst Saga. Even though it is a series, I want each book to have its unique twists, something rememberable.

Writing Fantasy isn't just a genre I enjoy reading, it's something I enjoy writing too because I can pour all my crazy creativity into this little world I invented and experiment with descriptive words and a new world.

Hopefully, I can continue to achieve that with The Shadow Heir!

I hope you all enjoy The Shadow Heirs and I hope you all see the world I've created the way I see everything. 

Big, bold, and beautiful.

➽ Announcement

Since this is a fantasy book, I have taken the liberty to create a new world and creatures/powers out of pure imagination. To not confuse anybody, I will briefly describe the creatures/powers most characters in this book will either experience or have. It is quite a long list so I sectioned it in four sections. Siphons, Benders, Damned/Ritualsand Royals.

➽Siphons

Mind Siphons: Beings who have the power to go through people's minds, read minds, and feel their emotions. They also have the power to use their emotions and siphon their life source out of them. They usually have great powers of compulsion like a lot of other immortal beings. Mind Siphons can usually feel other Mind Siphon's emotions and have the ability to turn off their powers to camouflage themselves amongst mortals. Mind Siphons are a rare breed among siphons.

Hell Siphons: Beings who have the power to see visions of the underworld through their eyes. Through that vision, they have the power to pick one individual and grant them one life. If the individual completes a certain mission, they get to keep their life. If they don't, they are burned back to hell and their extra life is passed on to their summoner. They also have the power to cause pain on other immortals and can siphon the energy of the underworld for their own use. They have great powers of compulsion.

Soul Siphons: Among the siphons, soul siphons are said to be the weakest. Since they have access to the deepest and darkest parts of the being, they are usually vulnerable to strong emotions and often are drained of their power once they start to access through emotions and siphon their soul out of the being's body. What makes them so unique is that they have the power to harness and create new souls for anyone they deem worthy. Like most immortal, magical beings they have powers of compulsion but are slightly easier to injure.

Attuned Siphons: Attuned Siphons are siphons that can harness their powers through their surroundings. They do not have any limits so they can also draw their powers from other magical beings as well. They are also gifted with the power to control darkness and spirit naturally. They also have the power to compel. They are known to be great warriors and are very vicious and territorial when it comes to protecting their own. They are not a rare breed of siphons but they do tend to mask their powers to hide from possible enemies.

➽Benders

Dark Magic Summoners: Dark Magic summoners are mortals beings that have died and been resurrected back to life. When they are summoned back to life, if deemed worthy, they are given a second soul that possesses the power to summon dark magic. Dark magic summoners are very intelligent and are known to draw magic from the other side or open the other side. They know every key, every chant, every word there is to know and are one of the most powerful keys to open gates. They cannot pass their powers to their offspring. They are made not born. They can be found in the RiverBeak Sorceress Clan.

Storm Whisperer: Storm Whispers are immortals being born during the events of a great natural disaster. They also have the power to naturally control thunder and lightning. They are usually found in the RiverBeak Sorceress Clan. It is a very rare event and when the being is born, they possess the power to conjure up the same storm they were born in. They cannot pass their powers to their children. These Storm Whispers are an extremely rare species and usually, hang around smaller clans of witches or their own kind.

Elementalists: Elementalists are ancient beings that have been around since the beginning of Asxairo. They have the power to control all four elements: water, air, earth, and fire. They cannot harness other being's powers like attuned siphons nor can they control darkness and spirit as attuned siphons do.

Seers: Seers are beings that have the power to see into the future with a single touch. Seers can be both immortal and mortal beings. Though they are a very powerful asset, they can often be left weak due to the amount of energy they exert to read into someone's future. Seers can also be hybrids, witches, and demi-hybrids as it is a special power that can be combined with stronger immortal beings. The seer magic usually skips a generation so it is not always guaranteed that the next bloodline will obtain the magic.

➽Witches

BloodBones: Bloodbones or BloodWeavers are older witches that are extremely rare in the witch community. They have the powers to practice magic using other being's blood and can control their victims using their blood and bones. They also have the ability to use spells and can bend blood inside their victim's body. They also have powers of compulsion and have the ability to turn water into blood. They are strong and fast and their bite and blood are extremely poisonous to both mortals and immortals. They don't need blood to survive but are stronger when they incorporate blood into their diet.

SilverClaws: SilverClaws are the most common types of witches in the witch community. They wield their magic from starlight and moonlight and use them to their own will. They are notoriously known for their sharp, silver canines and their iron claws. Their others powers include mental torture where they can mentally destroy someone's mind or soul they have the ability to glamour themselves and use compulsion. They are extremely fast and wicked and are not so easy to kill. As SilverClaws, their souls are in tune with the night birds, a rare kind of bird that can wield the same type of powers as SilverClaws. The birds can also take a human form if they wish to do so.

BlueBlood Witches: BlueBlood witches are the second most common type of witches although there are only a limited amount of them left in certain regions. Though they cannot wield the magic of their own, they are impervious to the magic of other magical beings. They cannot be compulsed and any other type of magic does not affect them. They are also the only type of witches that do not bleed red blood. Their blood is dark blue. Because of this, they are the only known magical beings that regenerate their limbs. Though they are very strong and can be scary when intimidated, BlueBlood Witches are known to be negotiators, scriptures, spies, and weapon makers. They are their own clan but can exclusively be found in the Twilight Witch Clan.

RedWing: RedWing witches are the third most common type of witches. They are warriors of the sky and can fly, their red wings a signature mark for everyone to see. They can usually glamour their wings and their appearance for survival and are very skilled in killing. Their dark claws and fangs usually stay hidden until they are summoned. What makes them unique are the arrows that they wield. Made from the blood of their victims and white ash poison, these arrows are poisonous to immortals and immortals. Though they are considered to be a part of the Twilight Witch clan, they are not as close as the other two witch groups. They are more associated with Dark Magic Summoners and Black Magrus and a few can be found in the RiverBeak Sorceress Clan.

Black Magrus: Black Magrus are rare witches that have the ability to practice blood, light, and dark magic as well as shapeshift. They have been deemed a curse in the witch community and are officially banned from most witch kingdoms, earning them a spot in the RiverBeak Sorceress clan. Along with shapeshifting, they can also glamour themselves and use compulsion but are immune to compulsions themselves.

➽Damned/Rituals

Borrowers: Borrowers are mortals that have illegally and temporarily obtain magic through the slaughtering of immortal magical beings. They cannot obtain the magic without the help of dark magic from witches or summoners. A borrower is marked with a white marking on their neck or back when they have magical powers. Depending on how strong the dark magic is, their powers can usually last a week or two. However, there is a precaution. Because they are borrowing magic, their body is not used to having magic. This can overwhelm them and possibly kill them in the long run.

Unweavers: Unweavers are mortals that are not affected by immortal compulsion or magic.

Necromantic: Necromantic is a subspecialty of dark magic that can raise the dead or both immortal and mortal beings. Once the dead are raised, it can be very hard to kill them, even with a white ash oak since they are already technically dead.

➽Royals

Fae: Faes are seen as protectors of the people. They usually come with wings when they appear in full form but are known for their pointed ears and markings. They are known as fair but graceful and are one with their environment. They have powers of persuasion and can communicate with animals. They have the power to control elements of the forest, compel people, glamour themselves, and have magic healing abilities. Many mortals worship them. They have their own kingdom in the Inner Circle, Krayos but can be found in mortals realms. They are seen as the highest form of royalty but in mortal kingdoms, are seen as healers and caretakers.

Night Dweller: Night Dwellers are a special breed of flyers. Flyers are exactly what they sound like. Being with large wings that can fly. Night dwellers have the power to transport from place to place, glamour themselves, fly, and control certain areas of shadows and darkness. They can draw energy from the moon, stars, shadows, and anything night-related. A special group of them regulate winter and autumn in the Inner Circle Kingdoms. They can control the tides at night and work alongside Dawn Dwellers to bring the night into the Inner Circle kingdoms. A majority of them can be found in Elsavior and outside of the kingdom, they are high lords and ladies.

Dawn Dweller: Dawn Dwellers are warriors of the day. They are a special breed of flyers with large wings. Dawn Dwellers have the power to transport place to place, glamour themselves, fly, and wield their powers from the sunlight, fire, and rays of the day and anything dawn-related. A special group of them also regulate summer and spring in the Inner Circle kingdoms. They work alongside Night Dwellers to bring day into the Inner Circle Kingdoms. A majority of them can be found in Varien and outside the kingdom, they are high lords and ladies.

Helio: Helio are beings that possess the power to make or destroy bonds. They are a very exclusive group and work together. They also possess other kinds of magic which help them perform spells for various reasons. They are also known to have a wide variety of rituals to help identify different types of hybrids and demi-hybrids and they are very attuned with their ancestors, which helps them communicate with the dead. Their blood can also be used as a truth elixir for mortals and immortals. A majority of them can be found in Cyreix with others in Elsavior and Krayos. Outside the inner circle, they are spies and healers.

Twilight Witch Clan: The Twilight Witch clan is made up of three different types of witches that usually reside in the north and western parts of kingdoms. The most common witches are SilverClaw Witches, BlueBloodWitches, and RedWing Witches but a few BloodBones can be found. They meet with the RiverBeak Sorceress Clan in the central kingdoms every year. The location varies. They are the most powerful witch clan since the fall of the Trojan Witch clan nine hundred years ago.

Riverbeak Sorceress Clan: The RiverBeak Sorceress Clan is made up of different types of sorceresses that reside in the south and eastern part of the kingdom. Examples include Dark Magic Summoners, Helios, Black Magrus, and many more. They meet with the Twilight Witch Clan in the central kingdoms every year. The location varies. They have ruled as the most powerful sorceress clan since the fall of the Instro Sorceress Clan eight hundred years ago.

Asrolieans: Asroliens are a half-breed between Astros and Night Dwellers. Astros are flyers with a unique set of wings that allow them special flying abilities to adapt to their environment and have the power to possess beings. Asrolieans are distinct with their darker complexion and lighter eyes. They have the biggest wings out of the three categories of flyers with black and red feathers and curved horns on either end of their wings. They work closely with the masters of the underworld

Silostrians: Silostrias are a half-breed between Silos and Dawn Dwellers. A Silos is a flyer with a unique set of wings that allow them special flying abilities to adapt to their environment and have the power to possess beings. Silostrians are usually pale with dark eyes. They have the second biggest wings out of the three categories of flyers with silver and black detailing on the side of their wings, a gold ring outlining the shape of their wings. They work closely with the masters of the heavens.

Reylos: Reylos are the weakest out of the half breeds. They are a half-breed between Reos and Faes. A Reylos is a flyer with a unique set of wings that allow them special flying abilities to adapt to their environment and have the power to possess. Their appearance differs in skin tone and eyes and their wings are considered the smallest out of all the three categories of flyers. Their wings change color depending on their situation and each color comes with a unique set of powers but the ends of their wings have a gold tint. They work closely with faes and attuned siphons. 

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➽ CAST 

Venix Draywin{Martina Dimitrova}

Lucien Northorn{Emil Andersson}

Esmeralda Northorn{Sky Ferreira}

Darren Morgana{Michael B. Jordan}

Arsen Cerebis {Youssef Sawmah}

Madhavi Onolu {Lupita Nyong'o}

Talon Cerebis {Daniel Kaluuya}

Celeste Roselin {Constance Wu}

➽Yagein Washli's Top Coven Witches

Yagein Washli {Yazemeenah Rossi}

Alysra {Sophie Turner}

Roxanne {Keke Palmer}

Ivory {Alissa White-Glutz}

Storm {Aya Nakamura}

➽Order of The Catalyst Saga:

➽The Catalyst Oath {#1}

➽The Septic Curse {#2}

➽The Shadow Heirs { #3}

➽The Cryptic Salvation {#4}

➽The Arrow Ashes {#5}

➽The Empire Savior {#6}

The Catalyst Saga is a six-book series that are all tied together. They CAN NOT be read as stand-alone novels. This series also has graphic scenes and explicit language. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Beautiful cover by @IdeoIogicalIy {Love you Zuko!}

Happy Reading Lovelies!

With love, May★♥