Virasana Empire novels

The Virasana Empire novels is a series of science fiction novels by Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus, an epic space opera set in the fictional Virasana Empire.

The first series, 'Sir Yaden', is a family saga exploring themes of love and heroism on the background of a highly diverse society.

## The Setting

Far in the future, humanity has settled the stars. On the way there, we splintered and fought, drifted apart and together again. We met aliens and fought them, too, their survivors now living among us as our neighbours.

Spread over two-hundred worlds and many centuries of history, we are now more diverse than ever before; living together like a squabbling family under the roof of the Virasana Empire. Noble Houses own the planets we live on, fighting for power and the right to decide which way we live. Guilds and churches vie for our coins and our souls, not necessarily respectively. And every day, new challenges arise.

We still have criminals, only now they are armed with high-tech weapons and psionic powers. Aliens lurk on the fringes of the Empire, some friendly, some murderous, some plainly incomprehensible. Veritable demons scratch at the gates to our universe. For every wildfire we manage to put out, there seems to be another one popping up in places least expected.

But we persist.

For the last few generations, the Empire has seen an unprecedented move towards trade and exploration, to co-operation, learning and growth both material and spiritual. Every day, people of all backgrounds fight to pull the ship around, and the Emperor’s own Lotus Knights are only the best known among them. Real-life superheroes and propaganda tools at once, they go where the Emperor sends them, to protect, to rescue, to negotiate - and if need be, to lay waste to everything that stands in their way.

These are crucial times for our people, and only the future will tell if we managed to ride out the chaos and survived. Until then, it’s going to be one hell of a ride.

## The 'Sir Yaden' Series

### The Demon of Hagermarsh

   *“The Emperor cares for each and every one of his subjects.”*

Many consider the catchphrase of the imperial Lotus Knights to be nothing more but well-polished propaganda, but for Yaden, it is a way of life.

A young Lotus Knight himself, his first mission in service of the Emperor sends him to the remote village of Hagermarsh, a suspiciously friendly place on a planet known for its inhospitable people. But how to uncover a demonist coven when nothing bad ever happens?
Getting to know the villagers only makes things more difficult - the motherly fishmonger surely isn’t a demonist. Nor the gruff leader of the local militia. And definitely not the cute baker from across the street.

Or are they?

Come discover a dazzling, hopeful universe of knights and monsters, of psions, aliens and ancient deities! The Demon of Hagermarsh is the first book of ‘Sir Yaden’, an epic SF saga of grand adventure, romance, bromance and family, set in the multi-faceted Virasana Empire. It is a romantic adventure and can be read as a standalone.

'The Demon of Hagermarsh' is available via all the usual retailers, both as ebook and in print, for example here: The Demon of Hagermarsh

There is a reading sample available at the authors' homepage, where you can also find a longer list of buy links.

### The Windmines of Bora Bora

   Betrayed by his sister and sold into slavery to die in the dreaded Windmines of Bora Bora, Ivan has nothing but sarcasm and spite for the Lotus Knights’ well-worn catchphrase. No one ever cared for him - not when he was a young noble, not as a tortured Quetzal pet, and definitely not as a runaway slave gang leader in the slums of Yaiciz.

But all that changes when one of his fellow inmates turns out to be a genuine Lotus Knight, offering help and a way out of this misery. Suddenly, even Ivan can’t help but feel like there might be something good in his life to look forward to.

The Windmines of Bora Bora is a dark, snarky adventure and the the second book of ‘Sir Yaden’, an epic SF saga of grand adventure, bromance and patchwork family, set in the multi-faceted Virasana Empire.

The second novel, 'The Windmines of Bora Bora', was published on April 13th, 2019.

### The Renegade Psion

An out-of-control psion is killing innocents on idyllic Shiraz. As their first outing together as Knight and Squire, Yaden and Ivan are sent to neutralise the threat. But that threat turns out to be a little girl on the run from the Psions Guild, fighting for her life. Naturally, their mission objective changes from ‘neutralise’ to ‘protect at all costs’.

While Yaden tries to figure out what and who they are up against exactly, Colin has to juggle their wedding preparations with the powerful traumatized girl suddenly dropped into his care. Is it just one rogue psion who wants her dead, or is it the entire guild they are up against? In their own way, both Colin and Yaden will have to face powerful guild psions to ensure that their little family will survive.

‘The Renegade Psion’ is a planet-hopping mystery adventure, a patchwork family celebration and book #3 of the Virasana Empire: Sir Yaden series.

Book #3, 'The Renegade Psion' was published on March 10th, 2020.

### The Bloodied Broom

Lotus Knights don’t get honeymoons, but at least spending some family time on the newly unearthed and fully refurbished Pebble sounded like a good idea. Until a last-minute mission goes sideways and suddenly Yaden, Colin and their patchwork family come face-to-face with an all but invincible ancient evil.

The harrowing encounter leaves Colin permanently changed, and trying to chart his future path becomes a challenge he had never anticipated.

‘The Bloodied Broom’ is a science fiction space opera adventure, a found family celebration and book #4 of the ‘Sir Yaden’ series.

Book #4, 'The Bloodied Broom' was published on February 18th, 2021.

### The Shang Zhou Shuffle

*The Emperor cares for each and every one of his subjects, be they bartender or prince.*

Prince Ishikawa of Shang Zhou has embarked on a risky undercover adventure all on his own, and Yaden and Ivan are sent after him to make sure he comes out alive.

Working as the crew of a local pub, the three of them try to figure out why the local military is training Vox Populi terrorists. But this is a Lotus Knight mission, and when Ivan’s sister finally decides to ‘rescue’ her brother, things escalate rapidly…

Written by award-winning authors Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus, ‘The Shang Zhou Shuffle’ is a colourful space opera adventure and the fifth book of the ‘Sir Yaden’ series.

Book #5, 'The Shang Zhou Shuffle', was published on January 13th, 2022.

### Calarni

Exploring a newly discovered system shouldn’t have taken Yaden and Ivan more than a few days. But suddenly, they find themselves stranded in a faraway galaxy, way outside the reach of even the strongest guild psions.

Their only chance of ever finding a way back home is to make allies among the truly alien locals, and find a way to deal with the powers-that-be: the brutally isolationist Calarni. Their crystalline technology is superior to anything the Empire has ever seen, and might just be the missing link to the original builders of the mandalas…

Written by award-winning authors Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus, ‘Calarni’ is a riveting space opera adventure and the sixth book and mid-season-spectacular of the ‘Sir Yaden’ series.

Book #6, 'Calarni', was published on July 28th, 2022.

### The Two Princesses

Book #6, 'The Two Princesses', will probably published in Summer 2023.

## The 'Doctor Laurent' Series

### The PV-3 Mutagen

As a history scholar and courier for the secretive Circle of Thales, Rene Laurent is a man of many talents - none of them lending themselves much to a life of adventure.

But when a chance meeting with a young, idealistic Belligra priest drags him into a wild quest to keep a dangerous mutagen off the streets of Floor, his curiosity gets the better of him. Between monsters both human and man-made, he realises that maybe fieldwork is more of his game than he had ever thought possible...

Written by Rainbow-Award-winning authors Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus, 'The PV-3 Mutagen' is a colourful non-romance sci-fi adventure set in the wildly diverse 'Virasana Empire', and the first novel of the 'Doctor Laurent' series.

Book #1, 'The PV-3 Mutagen' was published on October 15th, 2020.

### Red Claws, Blue Ink

Testing his decision to become a travelling agent of the Circle of Thales, Rene Laurent accepts two training missions - one to beautiful Shiraz, another one to the thousand island planet of Gui Lin. Compared to his adventures with Brother Riccardo, merely copying reports of a local werewolf sighting and fetching a book from a remote island estate sure sounds harmless enough.

But things are never as simple as they appear, and while figuring out how to navigate the wildly diverse cultures of the Virasana Empire, Rene gets to explore himself and his psionic powers. He realises that his powers aren't as benign as he thought them to be, and that it is indeed a very fine line separating man from monster...

‘Red Claws, Blue Ink’ is a colourful space opera adventure, a coming-of-age travelogue and the second book in the ‘Doctor Laurent’ series.

Book #2, 'Red Claws, Blue Ink', was published on May 27th, 2021.

### Hoverballerino

Book #3, 'Hoverballerino', will probably be published in late 2023.

## The Standalone Novels

### The Pet and his Duke

Robert is a pet, a human pleasure slave, and well past his prime.

So when teenage Duke Thomar of Aylian buys him via mail order, Robert first suspects a dreadful misunderstanding. The duke is young, handsome and headstrong, and the very last thing he needs while struggling to secure his reign over his planet is an aging bargain bin pet by his side.

Only, the more time Robert spends with Thomar, the more he learns that the young duke rarely makes mistakes. Unless, of course, Thomar dashes off on one of his mad adventures, which Robert increasingly becomes a part of…

‘The Pet and his Duke’ is a standalone m/m romance novel in the ‘Virasana Empire’ universe. Written by Rainbow Book Award winners Beryll and Osiris Brackhaus, it is a story of self-determination and love, and Happily-Ever-Afters in the most unlikely places. Warning: contains slavery, non-con and lots of fluff.

'The Pet and his Duke', was published on June 18th, 2020.