Wycaan Master Series by Alon Shalev

The young elf desired only to follow in his mother's footsteps and become a healer. But when the Emperor's army attacks his village to punish traitors and conscript youth, Seanchai flees to the mountains, seeking safe harbor with an uncle he has never met. He is shocked as many people sacrifice their lives to ensure he reaches a Wycaan Master, an enigmatic woman named Mhari, who can teach him to wield a powerful death-and-life magic that might just free the races of Odessiya... moreThe young elf desired only to follow in his mother's footsteps and become a healer. But when the Emperor's army attacks his village to punish traitors and conscript youth, Seanchai flees to the mountains, seeking safe harbor with an uncle he has never met. He is shocked as many people sacrifice their lives to ensure he reaches a Wycaan Master, an enigmatic woman named Mhari, who can teach him to wield a powerful death-and-life magic that might just free the races of Odessiya. In a world defined by strict racial boundaries, where humans rule, dwarves hide deep underground, and elves are a slave nation, Seanchai must find a way to create friendships and trust, unheard of since the fall of the Wycaan Masters, and reunite the races into an alliance that will bring freedom to all. But sometimes one must choose between his companions and his destiny. Seanchai abhors his ability to kill and, in the friendships he forges, discovers something potentially more powerful than his magic. Friendship, however, can be a double-edged sword. less

It was I, King Hothen the Elder, who led the surviving dwarf warriors from the battlefield. Our numbers were perilously small, our prospects harrowing. We left our dead to the vultures and the crows. With our armies decimated, I led our people to a deep cave, far away, and there we built mighty Hothengold. The first law passed was one of survival, known as The First Decree. No man, elf or other – save dwarves – were allowed under the mountains... moreIt was I, King Hothen the Elder, who led the surviving dwarf warriors from the battlefield. Our numbers were perilously small, our prospects harrowing. We left our dead to the vultures and the crows. With our armies decimated, I led our people to a deep cave, far away, and there we built mighty Hothengold. The first law passed was one of survival, known as The First Decree. No man, elf or other – save dwarves – were allowed under the mountains. Those who wandered our way fell to our axes, and the great dwarf nation drifted out of sight and mind of even the most ambitious emperors. But hearken to my words, noble dwarves. The land of Odessiya will never heal until the races reunite. Whether by promise or blade, the Alliance will rise again, and the dwarf nation shall take its rightful place at the council of the great races. Until then, my people, I counsel patience, a trait rarely found among dwarves. Grow our clans and our wealth away from the eyes of the empire, but never forget who we once were. Be vigilant, be patient, and wait the coming of the Wycaan. less

Mastery of your magic can mean the difference between freedom and utter defeat. All Odessiya holds its breath and craves the Wycaan Master who can set them free. Seanchai is a broken elf and a danger to himself and others. His victories have been won at too great a price and he walks alone in darkness, though surrounded by friends and light. All Odessiya waits and watches... moreMastery of your magic can mean the difference between freedom and utter defeat. All Odessiya holds its breath and craves the Wycaan Master who can set them free. Seanchai is a broken elf and a danger to himself and others. His victories have been won at too great a price and he walks alone in darkness, though surrounded by friends and light. All Odessiya waits and watches. A young Wycaan, confident and in his prime may not be enough to defeat the Emperor, but the empty shell that the young elf has become, seems bereft of hope. Seanchai must seek to complete his training with those who have rejected all others. He must pass a great test if he is to return with the skills and resources to set Odessiya free. Seanchai knows how to make friends and form alliances, but he also attracts a dearth of enemies. A Master Assassin seeks vengeance on Shayth and Seanchai. He doggedly tracks them together with three graduates of the Emperor's Military Academy. One holds the destiny of Odessiya in his grasp and the others dirks poised to stab him in the back. Shayth must master his own losses and emotions and make the greatest decision of his life. He was once destined to walk a path to greatness but it is his own past that is most likely to destroy him. All will converge at the Cliftean Pass and when the battle joins, everyone must confront their fears, their enemies, and their destinies. less