Hello all!
I’ve been anticipating writing this particular entry for the better part of the month, gathering material on it, and deciding who I wanted to feature. Sovereign Soul has a good chunk of LGBTQ+ and characters of whom are either black or of a minority race in the spirit realm, facing adversity merely because of how they look. I’ll do a short feature on each character I’ve chosen to highlight and why they’re actually badass.
#1: Ephora Harmony (LGBTQ+)
The daughter of Syaoto’s Lord Commander, Ragekku Gero, and a graduate of Balgena’s prestigious School of Black. Ephora discovered her interest in women when she was quite young, having mostly grown up in isolation with her sister, mother, and later her personal bodyguard, Koteran Ruesto. She mentions having had the occasional encounter in the School of Black (a prestigious assassin academy), but her relationship with Blanc Fereyen blossoms after being kidnapped together by the lecherous Duke Arthexus Mandrake.
Experienced in combat as well as stealth, sleuth, and sabotage, Ephora’s main quirk is her massive horde of small weapons she keeps on her person. Small tidbit: when Arthexus tries to get them to play for his own personal arousal, she buries a knife in his hand.
#2: Jesanht Olace (Black)
I don’t feel like I need to describe why a black character of mine might be so badass, and this one is difficult to amass without great spoilers, but I’ll have a go. Jesanht is a misunderstood character initially, framing Ryoku Dragontalen for the demise of his father, a true-and-true villain involved with a certain valuable relic and its exploitation. Due to certain characteristics from his father, Jesanht has hair white as snow, pure-white eyes, and skin so black that he’s known to be hard to see at night. His abilities involve being as fast and graceful as a panther, and with the might of an elephant. For much of Akin Minds (book 1) his true motives are a mystery, though it is clear his aggression toward Ryoku is misplaced. In Book 2, however, we start to see his reasoning as he hunts the same relic his father once exploited. The sad thing about his character is that Jesanht sees no reason to waste words explaining his motives, as many automatically assume him the villain. Stay tuned, though – Jesanht Olace might just have a strong ending.
#3: Rex Dougo (LGBTQ+, minority race)
Rex is introduced in Akin Minds fairly early as an apprentice of the Timeless One, a batty old vampire who enjoys taking in lost people and helping them right their paths. Rex is unfortunate in living as a double minority. Living in Lysvid (the world of vampires), Rex is a highly uncommon half-breed of vampire and werewolf. It gives him much of the strength of both races and has him only shift into a wolf during a certain phase of the moon. It causes both races to judge and isolate him, going so far as to attack him in public and accuse him of being a double agent. Our characters stand up for him (Ryoku and Loki in particular), but there is little they can do to erase the stigma. Through travelling with Ryoku, Rex experiences many worlds which readily accept him for his deeds rather than his bloodline.
The second thing about Rex which places him under some discrimination is his bisexuality. According to his backstory, Rex was once in love with a girl named Sariah Leusasie and partook in a dangerous venture to unsully her name of a crime she didn’t commit. During his on and off time with her (during which she favored his brother) he would see a boy named Tristan from his hometown, a fact he kept secret for quite some time. This surfaces later in conversation as Rex is later comfortable in his identity and shares his story to Shadux Fereyen as he comes out of the closet later on.
#4: Murig Bolstan (Black)
I’m choosing to talk about this minor character from a recent part of Book 2. In Harohto, Will Ramun is attacked by a group of raiders that have overtaken the Capital. Murig appears as a particularly nasty and strong raider with a huge hammer, but Will manages to best him and demands information on the state of the world. After learning it, Will offers Murig a chance at freedom and a new life. Although apprehensive on whether he can trust him, Murig pulls through and gathers over two hundred survivors from the Capital to escape their dying world.
Upon speaking later, Will is shocked to learn Murig wasn’t initially a raider. He hails from Southpost (in the southern continent of Harohto) and is a skilled hunter, fisherman, and traveler. An experienced outdoorsman himself, Will comes to rely on Murig’s expertise and familiarity with the area as he escorts several hundred survivors to safety. Later, Murig’s experience not only saves their lives, but earns him a happy and fulfilling life beyond their flight from a dying world.
#5: Ryoku Dragontalen (LGBTQ+)
You’re going to have to hear me out on this one, as this isn’t readily obvious (yet) and sometimes seems a moot point. Yes, the main character of Sovereign Soul is asexual.
Though Ryoku’s design stems far from who I am as a person, this is one piece of his character that I write from experience. Ryoku does experience a few relationships during his story (Sira Jessura, Dawn Elethel) and has a few romantic encounters with other women, but his primary goal is not sexual. There are even a few times when he enjoys these encounters, but the long-lasting goal is for a fulfilling emotional relationship without sex.
As you may expect, this has different effects on different relationships of his that we’ll see throughout the book. One of his best friends (Kai Stele) is intensely sexual and romantic, constantly seeking attention and affection from his female comrades, and Ryoku spends much of his time berating his friend for this, and vice versa (in a good-natured way!). A few of his romantic flings don’t particularly like a non-sexual relationship and seek different partners because of it.
I’m addressing a niche of asexuality with my main character that I’m unsure is represented enough. It’s the ability to have relationships with the opposite sex, to kiss and be affectionate, but not have the desire to partake in intercourse. In fact, Ryoku is a little sex repulsed, another underrepresented trait of asexuality. An early Ryoku Dragontalen will participate, but his feelings toward it are a little stigma-induced and not genuine. Of course, Ryoku’s character evolves in certain ways throughout the novels, and we’ll definitely see more acceptance and readiness from him as he grows comfortable in his own skin!
So there you have it. There are more than just the five represented character’s I’ve discussed today, and I’d happily discuss others if anyone is interested in them (some aren’t coming in until the 3rd book+ but I can give sneak peeks). If you liked what you’ve read today, please check out the published novel of Akin Minds here and don’t forget to subscribe to my blog, like my page on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and Instagram! Also stay tuned on Goodreads as I’ll be hosting my first big giveaway very soon!
Sovereign Soul 
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