Silent Suspension
Young Adult Soft Sci-Fi/Epic Fantasy Series
Status: Searching for representation
Book 1: Beginning After the End
The ficioanima: elemental creatures whose immense power could be seen as a double-edged sword. Either they can help protect the people of the universe, or, in the demon lord's hands, they could destroy the balance of mana.
At least, that's what a strange pair of talking glasses told Emily. Determined to defeat the demon lord by gathering the ficioanima first, the glasses called Nanashi enlist Emily's help in facing this threat to the universe. They soon join forces with a crew on the outer fringes of society that all want the same thing. Together, the crew sets out on adventure across the galaxy to search the planets for any signs of the ficioanima.
Book 2: Chains of Discord
With two ficioanima found, Emily and her friends head to Theonis in hopes of finding the Ficioanima of Sound. And for an added bonus, a few other planets in that system have their own unique rumors.
But on the planet of Kridon, Emily and Koujaku find an old enemy of theirs—and when it turns out he's in trouble, they have a choice to make.
Setting and Magic
Though mana flows through everything in the universe, the ficioanima are creatures said to be particularly strong in elements—perhaps even the originators of mana itself. The 13 elements are: Wind, Water, Fire, Earth, Lightning, Ice, Light, Dark, Sound, Growth, Time, Space, and Consciousness... with only the final element of consciousness being too unruly for any creature to use.
Everyone can interact with mana in some way, but how they interact with mana depends on the species a person is.
Humans can use mana tech without any buttons with their inate ability to use the mana embedded in objects. Valkyries can enchant objects with mana and remove those enchantments. Elves draw mana from the air and plants, while dwarves can use magic residing inside gemstones. Angels use mana in conjunction with their wings, while demons have a vast amount of mana inside them they can summon at will. And the ficioanima bridge the gap between all species, each complete masters of their chosen element.
The Crew of the Baloran
Emily Skolos and Nanashi
Age: 17
Pronouns: She/her
Species: Undine demon
Home Planet: Tolmalit
Emily's an undine demon who actually fought in a battle to protect the universe once before, but soon after, she was trapped in a stasis machine. She woke with the help of Ritos and, after meeting Nanashi, finds herself on a new adventure against the demon lord Hades.
Emily's generally upbeat, yet her feelings run deep—and so does her love for her friends. Because of that, she won't stop fighting for what she believes is best, even if the path seems daunting.
She carries Nanashi—the talking pair of glasses—on a necklace she made to hold him. He gets excited easily and loves conversing with everyone.
Koujaku Hisakawa
Age: 18
Pronouns: She/her
Species: Human
Home Planet: Nitori
Like Emily, Koujaku was trapped in a stasis for many years. She follows Emily without question, offering her a shoulder to lean on when she needs.
Though she'd sometimes rather not get involved, Koujaku can't help but watch out for her friends. She tends to hide her own feelings in the shadows, rarely talking about her time before joining Emily and their previous friends.
Ritos Malott
Age: 18
Pronouns: He/him
Species: Angel
Home Planet: Kularan
As an emissary of the goddess', Ritos saved Emily and Koujaku on official orders. When things don’t quite go as planned, he finds himself on a much longer journey than he bargained for. Still, he sticks by the two as their Guardian Angel, offering his healing magic to help the crew.
Ritos is a flirt who's easily captivated by a beautiful woman. Though he tries to joke around or sometimes act aloof to others' problems, he has a keen eye for most peoples' emotions.
Seth Alrayne
Age: 16
Pronouns: He/him
Species: Human
Home Planet: Gardoria
The captain of the Baloran who hides a dark past--one he tries to avoid by using the fake name "Sorrel Adenel" on official records, for it seems a pretty hefty bounty is on his true name.
Despite his young age, Seth is stern and serious, and he's not afraid to make quick judgements for the whole crew. He tends to get fed up with the crews' childish actions sometimes, rarely taking the time to simply be a teen himself.
Marty Skolos
Age: 17
Pronouns: She/her
Species: Half-werewolf demon, half-elf
Home Planet: Gardoria
Marty's the second-in-command of the Baloran and eldest of the triplets. While she and Seth have known each other since they were kids, it seems they weren't close back then. Even so, she believes in him and stands by him through thick and thin.
Though kind, she can be serious as needed, and she’s often the one who helps Seth think through longer plans, including what planets to try searching for the ficioanima.
Meri Skolos
Age: 17
Pronouns: She/her
Species: Half-werewolf demon, half-elf
Home Planet: Gardoria
Meri's the middle triplet and the pilot of the Baloran. She was particularly close to their mom and still doesn't take her death well. On top of that, she holds a grudge against their dad—Emily's brother—for leaving for so long.
Unlike both of her siblings, she tends to act off her emotions first and think later. Still, she stands by her ideals and won't back down from a fight—unless there are ghosts involved.
Mark Skolos
Age: 17
Pronouns: He/him
Species: Half-werewolf demon, half-elf
Home Planet: Gardoria
The youngest of the triplets, Mark's the crew's main navigator. While he loves sports, Mark struggles with a disease that can leave him weak if he exerts himself too much.
Mark's stubborn, and he'll sometimes jump into action even when his sisters would caution against it. He can be a bit dense at times and doesn't seem to understand other peoples' feelings that easily.
Rota Gunnr
Age: 18
Pronouns: She/her
Species: Valkyrie
Home Planet: Mahala
Rota trained her whole life to be a summoner, and a modification to her circlet has allowed her to even make pacts with and summon the ficioanima—a skill vital to the crew's quest.
Rota is a timid girl with very little self-confidence. She gets frazzled quickly, yet she also has a soft, kind smile when she's comfortable.
Farish Lokrann
Age: 19
Pronouns: He/him
Species: Dracones demon
Home Planet: Zodula
Farish is a winged dracones—a rare trait that happens once a generation, signifying the next to rule. However, since Farish isn't related to Hades in any capacity, Hades has taken Farish's wings as a threat. Farish has managed to slip under the radar for most his life, but after meeting Rota, he finally starts taking the first steps to realizing his destiny.
Farish is down-to-earth and can be a bit blunt—except around Rota, who he has a soft spot for.
Victor Andskot
Age: 19
Pronouns: He/him
Species: Gremlin demon
Home Planet: Zodula
Victor is the crew's mechanic. Due to a broken limiter, he can't hide all of his demon features, with the most prominent being the scales on his face and neck. As the first of them to begin this quest to gather the ficioanima and defeat Hades, he's dedicated to seeing it through to the end.
Victor always keeps a smile on his face and lets very little bother him. He's particularly close to Rota, who he watches out for.
