What happens when a young mage, thought lost to time, reappears with powers beyond what we thought possible? Welcome back to another blog counting down to the release of Sovereign Soul: Embers of Orden, where Lusari Atella’s mysterious return sets the stage for the sequel to an epic adventure.
Spoiler Alert: Be advised that reading on will give spoilers for Sovereign Soul: Akin Minds, the first book in this series, and offers teasers for Embers of Orden, the second book releasing this winter. If you have yet to read the first book, check it out here!
Lusari Atella is an early appearance in Akin Minds, first appearing In Act Two, Scene One where she is saved from a hopeless situation by the timely interference of Ryoku, Will, and Sira. After saving her, they learn she has no home to go back to and that her parents were killed in the relentless raids on the Capital. An amateur mage from the Magic Academy, she was a bit younger than the main cast and too young to strike out on her own. After going through some adventures together, she decides to join Ryoku on his journey across the realms.
After the devastating battle in Syaoto at the end of Act Eight, Lusari disappeared and was presumed missing for some time. In Embers of Orden, we’ll learn that some additional time has passed for her. She’s older, smarter, and her magic prowess has increased exponentially. So where has she been since the battle in Syaoto, and what happened to her?
In Embers of Orden, we see a more mature Lusari and how her relationships will continue to unfold.
“Lusari was shivering too madly to utter many words, so I busied myself with gathering resources while she warmed up by the fire. Despite her soaked condition, I recognized her immediately. Her silvery hair clung to her skin like strands of cool silk, and her shoulders felt almost ethereal beneath my touch, like she might slip away again if I turned away.” – Will’s POV, Embers of Orden Act One, Scene Five
Lusari is a unique character among the cast with slightly elven features, long silver hair, and snowy-grey eyes. She thinks before she speaks and often does so with a careful, calculated tone. Often perceived as shy and a little helpless, she appears to be much more capable than first impressions would perceive. She’s highly intelligent, strategic, and, at times, even a little manipulative. Her greatest magic affinity is with ice, in which her powers have grown exponentially, but her world-crossing magic still appears to be quite amateurish. She’s usually focused on the task at hand, allowing little time for side activities or allowing herself to enjoy the moment, and plots her actions far in advance. She’s a deeply secretive and seemingly dishonest character, but she’s still young and learning about the world and herself.
Lusari struggles with feeling disconnected from the members of the group, envious of the easy connection between Ryoku, Will, and Sira and impatient with the antics of Loki. Through much of the first book, Lusari is caught between romantic ideals of Ryoku and Will, entertaining a different self-image for each one. She feels deeply for Ryoku, desiring to protect him and aid him on his journey, liking his pretty face, and experiencing a significant lust, but she embraces a darker side of herself and finds herself manipulating situations to get them alone and alienate him from the others. With Will, ever handsome and caring, he reads her a little too easily, but protects her and encourages her to become the best version of herself. With him, she sees a potential future for herself where there wasn’t one before. In Embers of Orden, we’ll see these relationships deepen, among others, with repercussions that just might shake up the whole narrative.
Writing with a younger cast of characters, I’ve found it important to keep the nature of youthful relationships in mind. At just sixteen years old, Ryoku doesn’t really know what he wants and is alarmed to find a great deal of attraction coming his way. Lusari starts out in Akin Minds at just fifteen, but by the beginning of Embers of Orden, she appears to be a few years older and her tastes haven’t changed. Like Ryoku, she finds herself hesitant when two ideal boys show interest in her, and she’s reasonably frazzled between the two. Adding the fiery, attractive Sira and her close interactions with them to the mix, Lusari feels inadequate. Her feelings are shaken further when Will meets Rena Stillwater in Syaoto, an orphaned girl caught in the chaos of gang wars and Vincent’s short reign, and he takes interest in her as well.
And just like in any relationship, Lusari’s interests appeal to two different sides of her. Whichever way she decides to lean, she’ll inevitably embrace a different part of herself, acting and talking in a different way than she might with the other. Many other characters I’ve written experience this in different ways, especially Ryoku himself, as they navigate the sea of young adult or teenage relationships.
In writing, I don’t believe in typical relationships, either. A simple, two-sided romance is too easy to write, so I like to lean in different directions. Complicated love lives, love triangles, polyamorous relationships, and LGBTQ+ stories are all on my radar and I write with them in mind. A romance might not always have a simple 1+1 solution to its final pieces.
Embers of Orden dives into themes of resilience and growth, among many others. Lusari’s character and journey represent a struggle between innocence and maturity, trust and secrecy, love and manipulation. She’s an aspect of secrecy, and her storyline features such things as guilt, betrayal, redemption, and learning to forgive herself, among other things.
We’ll revisit Lusari’s story early in Embers of Orden as she returns to the limelight. As Lusari reunites with Will in the world of Rune, questions arise. Where has she been all this time? How did her magic grow so powerful? And what secrets does she carry that could alter the fare of their stories?
Get ready to dive back into the story and unravel the secrets Lusari carries in Sovereign Soul: Embers of Orden! What are you most excited to learn about Lusari in Embers of Orden? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and let’s get ready for an unforgettable journey this Winter 2024!
Sovereign Soul 