Jessica Balthanders
Jessica 'Jessie' Balthanders is the sole heir to the noble Balthanders family. Born to an Azarian father and Bayaani mother, she was found to have an aptitude for Magician magic at a young age. Her father pushed her in her studies, such that she became the youngest student at the prestiguous Magician University in Begara.
Graduating at top of her class three years early, she's desperate to make a name for herself, so jumps at the chance when the High Magician herself recruits her for a dangerous spy mission. The rival Enchanter faction, who are the only ones who can make the special elixirs that keep magic safe, are acting strangely, and the High Magician suspects treason.
So Jessie becomes a fake apprentice to Enchanter Lahara Redford, a reserved and jaded woman who mistrusts Magicians. Before Jessie can start digging, however, a terrible magical explosion afflicts a nearby city, and so she and Lahara must hunt down the culprit responsible who's stolen a dangerous magical artifact.
And Jessie will start to realise the world she's known all her life was nothing but facade...
Lahara Redford
Lahara Redford is a skilled Enchanter, using her voice to enchant potions that she uses as a healer.
She lost her parents in a Magician rain when she was ten years old, forcing her and her grandfather to live on the run. Wanting a better life for her, her grandfather left her in the care of the Arch Enchanter, taking up an old favour, when she was fifteen, and she hasn’t heard from him since.
She was apprenticed to Enchanter Noida Ashwin, who was unfortunately subject to a lot of Enchanter College gossip as they felt Lahara had unfairly gotten the position as a result of her ties to the Arch Enchanter. As such, Lahara learned early on to keep to herself.
Even now as a fully qualified Enchanter, she refuses to accept apprentices of her own, until one day a young woman knocks on her door with a trial paper she desperately wants, and she's forced to take her on...
Nathan deQuervan
Nathan deQuervan is a Dual Class Magician from a prestigous family. He was Jessie's rival during university but they share a close friendship as well. He is able to wield the arts of Leuconitics (light forms) and Kymamorphism (sound and pressure forms).
Being from similar backgrounds and under pressure to excel helped them connect, though they do enjoy exchanging sarcastic barbs.
Nathan gives off a relatively laid back energy, and wholeheartedly believes in the Magician's mission of leading Azaria as the most competent and powerful mages.
But as slowly reveals the dark truth behind the Senate's motives, he starts to reconsider his loyalties...
Zephyr Toros
Zephyr Toros is a Warlock lieutenant in the Dhjerban Guardsmen regiment in Azaria. As a Warlock he's able to transform into an animal, which for him is a tufted ear fox. He uses his dog-tags as his token.
He’s rescued from the terrible magical explosion in his home city, but while recovering in the neighbouring city of Panaran he almost meets his end at the hand of the Magician secret police, the Talons, who want to silence him. Jessie and Lahara save him just in time and he becomes indebted to them.
And it turns out he's more closely involved with the Dhjerban catastrophe than anyone realised...
Angelus
Angelus is a mysterious member of the Order of Amaranth. He knows a lot about Azaria’s lost history, especially that which the Magician Senate has tried to erase.
He had to flee Azaria as a child, as his parents were both members of the Order and the High Magician ordered them culled, and this tragically took his mother.
Growing up in Bayaan with his father’s extended family, he learned he was a Warlock, though he couldn’t afford to attend a school and so sought a local village Warlock to teach him.
All of a sudden he receives a mysterious message from Azaria suggesting his mother may not be dead after all, and so he sets off to find her, becoming entangled with the Magician Senate once more as he knows the catastrophe that will occur should they get hold of the Sorceror’s lost secrets…
Selene
Selene is an Azarian hunter from Bane. From a young age she took to archery and so wanted to become the most reknowned, and despite the obstacles gained a lot of recognition and praise for her skill.
However, her cockiness got the better of her one day and a failed hunt that led to the deaths of two children humbled her and had her reflecting on her life path. She befriended a thief named Eris, who along with her partner in crime Hector dragged Selene into an exciting life.
But the call of the hunt always beckoned, and so after a few years Selene took Eris and Hector with her and they live a carefree life.
When Selene catches rumour of a rare white tiger roaming near her hometown, she’s eager to track it, and comes across Jessie, and her life is changed forever…