Rising Dancer Characters

As not to become an unintended spoiler for the novel, I've confined my characters to those who begin the story with Yitzen.

Yitzen Tines

Yitzen is a twenty year old Ipper Qurl whose life changed upon undergoing a metamorphosis both crippling and enabling her. Gone is the slender white-haired dancer, her body transformed into the muscular lethality of a Dathia. She is now a Suria and destined to take the place of the legendary Great Tasuria Mikial. Her innocence has been torn away by a war costing her both friends and family. Driven into madness by guilt and her Coshen captors, she has forgotten herself and is known as 'Ghost' in the fighting pits of an alien world.

Toran Exalan

This bold potential suitor from Kinset is one of the few who can out-dance Yitzen, and the three-belted Sur has his eye on her. Striking orange hair with a slash of ebony, Toran struggles to save the Coshen home world from an unintended catastrophe while dealing with the defeated but still treacherous Coshen leader. His next seemingly impossible task is to find and save Yitzen to whom he has professed his love. Not that she is likely to remember.

Viron of House Riss

The enigmatic Coshen ruler remains devious while flirting with his own insanity at seeing his world die in part because of him. Tall with deep maroon skin plates, one could be forgiven for thinking his face reminds one of a crafty tortoise. He has exacted his revenge on the Qurl 'Great Queen' by driving her princess insane, but now must face the consequences as the Qurl fleet draws near and his world chokes on ash. His gods have been destroyed, and the only hope lies with an enemy prince attempting to save what he could not.

Tenzen Rane

Tenzen is a calico Dathia and childhood friend now serving as Lead of Yitzen's Surian Guard and her wingman. The tall and powerfully built soldier has a quick temper. Battle hardened and embittered by Yitzen leaving her behind, she prepares to rescue her Suria but not their friendship.

Kutzee Keeyakee

An otter-like female from the planet Mora, this deadly assassin befriends Yitzen who is otherwise known as Ghost in the pits. She and her lover act as her managers, and have plans to free both themselves and Ghost from indentured servitude with the syndicate they all serve. Kutzee is unaware of Ghost's true self, and is worried that Ghost's thirst for vengence against a syndicate boss may get them all killed.