Shifters and Shifting; A Brief Explanation

Shifting is an art that has existed since the first author penned the first word on the first sheet of paper. It allows the shifter to move freely between different worlds, dimensions, and times. Every book and animated show is actually an alternate world which can be accessed by a knowledgeable shifter. In order to become a shifter, one must first endure years of physical and mental training. The potential shifter must also be Chosen by a Companion before his or her eighteenth birthday. These Companions usually take the form of a horse, although they, like their shifters, can assume any shape. In far off days, shifters split into two separate races; the Skivars and the Galhalar. These races warred for countless generations with terrible losses to both sides, for no one but another shifter has the power to harm a shifter. They possess the powers of all the worlds. Then the Skivar Kayla Megregor, one of the most powerful shifters of her time although only fourteen years old, met and lifebonded with Mikelar Shrohomogist, the strongest of the Galhalar at age fifteen. Together they ended the wars and united the two races into one. Now there is peace, although occasional skirmishes still occur between factions of the two races. Hatred that has been nurtured for hundreds of years cannot be quenched in five. This is when our story really begins.

Characters

Caitlin Megregor: Our leading lady, Kayla's twin sister and the leader of her gang

Chiquit: Caitlin's red roan Companion

Monkey: Caitlin's lifebond, a mischievous character from The Dragon of the Lost Sea books

Sandstorm: Monkey's buckskin Companion

Paul Diverna: A quiet boy, formerly a Galhalar, the third member of Caitlin's gang

Kafran: Paul's palomino Companion

Vegeta: Prince of the Saiya-jins, the fourth member of the gang

Karis: Veggie's Companion, dark bay and almost as grumpy as the Prince himself

Kayla Megregor: Caitlin's twin sister, very famous, leader of her gang and member of the Council

Elberwren: Kayla's black Companion

Mikelar Shrohomogist: Kayla's lifebond, just call him Mike, also a member of the Council

Scheherazad: Mike's bay Companion, named for the Arabian Nights princess, called Sher

Kate Larnesly: Member of Kayla's gang, healer, fire-witch, long red hair

Samurai: Kate's red chestnut Companion

Kaytlyn Craveen: Member of Kayla's gang, quiet, black hair, mysterious

Darkstar: Kaytlyn's Companion, black with white mane and tail

Sierra: Caitlin's white geisbird

Fiesta: Caitlin's queen firelizard

Cinnamon: Paul's kyree

Pronto: Monkey's bronze firelizard

Sarloos: Kayla's kyree

Lytha Rashkae: Gryphon shifter, member of the Council, Skandranon's many- times-great granddaughter



The Magic of the Shifters

Shifters can use magic from any world that they've visited. I'm using 'magic' as a very loose term, since in this case it covers everything from ki blasts to transformations to rune magic. One of the main facets of shifter 'magic' is mindspeech, or telepathy. Using mindspeech, shifters can talk across great distances and absorb information and even the knowledge of a language from a willing (or unwilling) participant. The more worlds a shifter has visited, the more varied and powerful their magic will be. Ki is seen as relatively obscure magic, since few shifters visit television worlds, and can therefore be used to defeat non-DBZ opponents with relative ease. More 'mainstream' magic includes the Valdemaran mage- gifts, including Fetching, Empathy, and Healing, the Charter magic of the Old Kingdom, Sartan and Patryn rune magic, and magic involving actual spoken spells. But without the ability to absorb the knowledge of how to use this magic from someone who knows it, it would take decades to master even one of these. The only disadvantage to this technique is that it tends to give both the absorber and the absorbee splitting headaches and knock out anyone who isn't prepared for it. So, basically, Shifters can pretty much do whatever they want. Changing into anything, talking to almost anything, and performing any sort of magic they want makes them nearly invincible to anyone who isn't a Shifter as well. However, Shifters are absolutely and totally forbidden to mess with the established timeline and usually shouldn't use magic other than that of the world they're in. Most shifters, contrary to the last unspoken rule, tend to be fairly casual about magic use outside the established timeline and just use whatever magic fits the occasion.

Words to Know

Ashke-beloved

Jel'enedra-younger sister

Zhai'helleva-wind to thy wings