Vega jane and the end of.., p.28
Vega Jane and the End of Time, page 28
colossal
An ancient race of formidable warriors, of an origin largely unknown to the average Wugmort. The average colossal stands about sixty-five feet tall and weighs nearly seven thousand pounds.
Council
The governing body of Wormwood. Council passes laws, regulations and edicts that all Wugmorts must obey.
creta
An exceptionally large creature used in Wormwood to pull the plough of Tillers and transport sacks of flour at the Mill. The creta weighs well over one thousand pounds and is characterized by horns that cross over its face and hooves the size of plates.
cucos
Small birdlike creatures that inhabit the Third Circle of the Quag. Brilliantly coloured, as if fragments of the rainbow are embedded in their feathers, the cucos are best known for glowing wings that can illuminate their surroundings.
Dactyl
A Stacks worker whose job entails shaping metal with hammer and tongs.
Destin
A magical chain that gives its wearer increased strength and the ability to fly.
dopplegang
A dangerous creature in the Quag, marked by hideous rows of blackened, sharp teeth, that morphs into whatever it sees.
dread
A black flying creature in the Fifth Circle created by Jasper Jane. About the size of a canine, dreads are characterized by their screeching cries and clawed wings that they use to cut their prey to pieces.
Duelum
A twice-a-session competition occurring outside of Wormwood that pits strong males between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four in matches against one another. A rite of passage, Duelums can often be brutal.
ekos
A small creature in the Quag exceptional for the mats of grass that grow on its arms, neck and face, and sprout from its head. The ekos have small, wrinkled faces and bulging red eyes.
Empchon
Sometimes known as the Fates, Empchon is the force of connectivity that binds people and events to pre-ordained paths.
Empyrean
The ancestral home of Vega Jane. Once the residence of Alice Adronis, it has remained safely under a spell that has rendered the grounds undetectable by Maladons over the years.
Elixir of Life
A potion made of dangerous substances, including the venom of a jabbit, that can extend one’s life span indefinitely.
Event
A mysterious occurrence in Wormwood that has no witnesses. Wugmorts presumed to suffer from an Event disappear entirely, body and clothing, from the village.
Excalibur
A rare type of sorcerer born with extraordinary magical powers and a profound knowledge of Wug history embedded in their mind. It may take years for an Excalibur to become aware of their innate abilities.
Finisher
A worker tasked with ‘finishing’ all objects created at Stacks. Finishers must show creative ability at Learning, as the requirements for the job range from painting to kiln firing items intended for the wealthiest Wugs of Wormwood.
Finn, the
A magical element consisting of twine knotted in three places and looped around a tiny wooden peg. Untying the first knot summons a wind powerful enough to lift objects off the ground. Untying the second knot produces gale force winds. Undoing the third brings a wind of unimaginable strength, which can level everything in its path.
firebird
A huge flying creature in the Quag known for its colourful plumage, sharp beak and claws. The firebird’s feathers are so brilliant they can be used to provide light and warmth. A firebird can be a harbinger of tragedy.
frek
A huge, fierce beast of the Quag characterized by an extensive snout and fangs inches longer than a Wug finger. The bite of a frek can drive its victims mad.
Furina
A Wug-like race indigenous to the Quag, made nearly extinct because of continuous attacks from beasts. The Furinas are descendants of a group of Wugs and Maladons who became trapped in the Quag while migrating from the great battlefields to the village of Wormwood.
garm
A large beast of the Quag, thirteen feet in length and nearly one thousand pounds in weight. The garm is a hideous creature, its chest permanently bloodied, its smell odious and its belly full of fire. Wormwood lore maintains that the garm hunts the souls of the dead.
gnome
A creature of the Quag with long, sharp claws that allow it to mine through hard rock. The gnomes have deathly pale and prunish faces and yellowish-black teeth.
Greater True
The land of the elites, served by those under their control. The Maladons regularly patrol here as well.
grubb
A peaceful creature that lives primarily in tunnels beneath the Quag and can eat through rock at speed. Twice the size of a creta, the grubb is known for its strong, expandable hide; long slithery tongue; enormous, jagged teeth; soft, slippery body; and eye colour that differentiates males (blue) from females (yellow).
high street, the
A cobbled street in Wormwood lined with shops, selling foodstuffs, clothing and healing herbs.
hob
A creature in the Quag about half the height of an average Wug, characterized by its thick frame, small but powerful jaw, stout nose, long peaked ears, spindly fingers and large hairy feet. Hobs are typically amicable creatures that speak Wugish and make themselves of assistance in exchange for small gifts.
hyperbore
A blue-skinned flying beast indigenous to the Quag with a lean, muscled torso and lightly feathered head. More closely related to Wugs than any other creature, the hyperbore may serve as an ally or enemy and responds favourably to respect and kindness. Hyperbores set on their prey quickly, beating them to death with their compact wings and ripping them apart with their claws. The hyperbores live in nests high in trees.
inficio
A large, fiendish beast indigenous to the Quag that can expel poisonous smoke potent enough to kill any creature that breathes it. The inficio has two massive legs with clawed feet; a long, scaly torso with powerful webbed wings; a serpent-like neck and a small head with venomous eyes and razor-sharp fangs.
jabbit
A massive serpent with over 250 heads growing out of the full length of its body. Although jabbits rarely leave the Quag, little can halt their attack once they are on the scent. Jabbits can easily overtake Wugs and have fangs in each head full of enough poison to drop a creta.
Learning
The institution youngs attend until the age of twelve sessions, gaining skills necessary for work in Wormwood.
light
The time of sunlight between one night and the next.
Loons, the
A boarding house on the high street.
lycan
A beast of the Quag covered in long, straight hair, whose bite turns its victims into its own kind. The tall, powerfully built lycan walks on two legs and wields its sharp fangs and claws to attack its prey.
Maladon
An ancient race, named from the Wugish word for ‘terrible death’. A sessions-long war between the Maladons and Wugmorts forced the Wugs to found the village of Wormwood, around which they conjured the Quag for protection.
Maladon Castle
The headquarters of the Maladon race. It is here that Necro dwells, and also where the Maladons imprison their enemies.
maniack
An evil spirit that can attach to a body and mind, showing a Wug their darkest fears.
manticore
A swift, treacherous beast indigenous to the Quag with the head of a lion, the tail of a serpent and the body of a goat. Over twice the height of an average Wug and three times the width, the manticore’s most formidable features are its abilities to read minds and breathe fire.
Mill, the
A place of work in Wormwood where flour and other grains are refined.
morta
A long- or short-barrelled metal projectile weapon.
Noc
The large, round, milky-white object in the heavens that shines at night.
Ordinaries
Those who do not possess magical abilities.
Outlier
A threatening two-legged creature that lives in the Quag and can pass as a Wugmort. Outliers can control the minds of Wugs and make them do their bidding.
Quag, the
A forest that encircles Wormwood and is home to all manner of fierce creatures and Outliers. It is widely believed among Wugmorts that nothing exists beyond the Quag.
remnant
A collection of memories from an assortment of Wugs; an embodied record of their remembrances.
Saint Necro’s
The church in True where the people come to worship. It is named after Necro, the leader of the Maladons, who insists on being worshipped by all.
Seer-See
A prophetical instrument used by sorcerers to view other places. The Seer-See consists of sand thrown into a pewter cup of flaming liquid, the contents of which are then poured onto a table to display a moving picture of the location.
session
A unit of time equal to three hundred and sixty-five lights.
slep
A magnificent Wormwood creature characterized by its noble head, long tail, six legs and beautiful coat. It is said that sleps were once able to fly, and that the slight indentations noticeable on their withers now mark the spot from which their wings grew.
sliver
A small unit or brief period of time.
Stacks
A large brick building in Wormwood where items for trade and consumption are produced.
Steeples
A place the majority of Wugmorts go every seventh light to listen to a sermonizer.
True
The first town that Vega and her friends encounter. It is seemingly filled with happy people, but has sinister secrets.
unicorn
A noble and gentle beast characterized by a brilliantly white coat and mane of gold, with shining black eyes and a regal, silver-coloured horn. The soft horn of the unicorn can cure all poisons, but can only be obtained by convincing the unicorn to surrender it freely or by killing the beast outright.
Valhall
The prison of Wormwood, set in public in the centre of the village.
Victus
The name given by the Maladons to those they enslave.
wendigo
A malevolent spirit that can possess whoever it devours. This ghastly, quasi-transparent creature lives throughout the Quag but is predominant in the Mycanmoor. Signs that a wendigo is nearby are a vague feeling of terror and a sense that the facts stored in your head are being replaced by residual memories of the prey the wendigo has devoured.
whist
A large, domesticated hound of Wormwood known for its impressive speed.
Wugmort (Wug for short)
A citizen of Wormwood.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Writing the fourth and final instalment of the Vega Jane saga was both euphoric and bittersweet for obvious reasons. I will miss Vega and her cohorts and the fantasy world they inhabit. But the good news is I still get to hang out with all the cool and supremely talented people listed below, who helped mightily in bringing Vega’s world to all of you.
To Rachel Griffiths, you have been so wonderful and made the experience of publishing Vega as good as it could be. For that I thank you. And I look forward to many more sessions of Ritz-Bits!
To David Levithan, Julie Amitie, Charisse Meloto, Dick Robinson, Ellie Berger, Lori Benton, Maya Marlette, Dave Ascher, Elizabeth Parisi, Jackie Hornberger, Jessica White, Joy Simpkins, Kerianne Steinberg, Sarah Jospitre, Evangelos Vasilakis, Melissa Schirmer, Alan Smagler, Sue Flynn, Nikki Mutch and the whole sales team at Scholastic, for being truly a dream publisher. I hope we can do it again one day.
To Venetia Gosling, Alyx Price, Kat McKenna, Amber Ivatt, Sarah Clarke, Jade Tolley, Charlotte Williams, Rachel Vale, Tracey Ridgewell, Daniel Jenkins, Anthony Forbes Watson, Jeremy Trevathan, Trisha Jackson, Katie James, Alex Saunders, Sara Lloyd, Claire Evans, Sarah Arratoon, Stuart Dwyer, Jonathan Atkins, Anna Bond, Leanne Williams, Natalie Young, Stacey Hamilton, Sarah McLean, Charlotte Williams and Neil Lang at Pan Macmillan, for bravely going where this author had never gone before.
To Steven Maat and the entire Bruna team, for bringing Vega to Holland.
To Aaron Priest, for always having my back.
To Arleen Priest, Mitch Hoffman, Lucy Childs, Lisa Erbach Vance, Frances Jalet-Miller, John Richmond and Juliana Nador, for being great advocates and, more importantly, dear friends.
To Sandy Violette and Caspian Dennis, for working seamlessly with the crazy Yanks!
To Kristen White and Michelle Butler, for doing what you do better than anyone else.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Baldacci is one of the world’s bestselling and favourite thriller writers. With more than 150 million copies in print, his books are published in more than eighty territories and forty-five languages, and have been adapted for both feature-film and television. Together with his wife, Michelle, David established the Wish You Well Foundation® to promote family literacy. David and his family live in Virginia, USA.
Other books by David Baldacci
Vega Jane and the Secrets of Sorcery
Vega Jane and the Maze of Monsters
Vega Jane and the Rebels’ Revolt
First published as The Stars Below in the US 2019 by Scholastic Press
First published as The Stars Below in 2019 by Macmillan Children’s Books
This revised edition published as Vega Jane and the End of Time
by Macmillan Children’s Books 2022
This electronic edition published 2022 by Macmillan Children’s Books
an imprint of Pan Macmillan
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EU representative: Macmillan Publishers Ireland Ltd, 1st Floor,
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www.panmacmillan.com
ISBN 978-1-5290-3799-9
Text copyright © Columbus Rose, Ltd 2019 and 2022
Illustrations copyright © Tomislav Tomić 2022
Cover illustration by Steve Stone
Text illustrations by Tomislav Tomic
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David Baldacci, Vega Jane and the End of Time
