The Chosen One’s Substitute
Prophecies and chosen heroes are simply excuses that cowards use to justify inaction. At least, that is what Asha Pacatus believes. She should know, her mother is a very powerful Seer and her five-year-old sister will one day be her generation’s most powerful hero. But when a vicious warlord on the southern continent tames Dragons to be ridden, Asha cannot be either a coward nor inactive. She must set aside both fear and expectation to bind herself in a blood oath to a veteran soldier, an Elf, two Dwarves, a retired healer, and a former street urchin. Can this mismatched band pool enough mana to repel dragon-mounted invaders? Find out Spring of 2026.
It all started with a question from a movie.
As I watched the movie Seventh Son starring Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore, and Ben Barnes, my mind churned. A seventh son of a seventh son is a cool concept, but what about the six uncles and six brothers? Are they all going to stand by and watch the world fall apart while their baby brother/nephew trains to save them? As an older sister myself, who also joined the military very young, I wouldn’t. That question launched my magic system based on the number seven and inspired Asha’s character. Like me, Asha is the oldest daughter. Unlike me, she can shoot fireballs and learned to swordfight from age 6. There are other differences (I wish I was tall like her), but you can learn those if you chose to read her story.
Dragons, and Trolls and Yetis, oh my….
These are a few examples of the monsters that our heroes will encounter as they traverse the world of Anitaris. Asha and her friends will have to know when to fight, when to bind and when to simply get along.
Ok, but you mentioned Elves and Dwarves?
Yes, humans are magically strongest of Anitaris, but the other sentient races are Elves, Dwarves, and Gnomes. All four were created by different gods and have different attributes and magical strengths. Although, no one really knows who created Gnomes, or why or if they’re really sentient or just really intelligent tricksters.
If you would like to read about the world of Anitaris and get a sneak peek at the world map, follow this link to my World Anvil page. It has all the fun, nerdy details.
