Dilshani Yasodhya made her mark as a fantasy fiction writer with her debut novel ‘The Demon Within’ which was published in early 2021, that took readers on a journey that explores and discovers a hidden world of demons, dragons and other supernatural beings, such as the Nyra.
This sequel to her first novel, ‘Tainted Blood’, brings to life Vergil, who according to Dilshani was a stray character that existed in her imagination even before she wrote her first novel. “Virgil’s personality and powers did not have a place in the first novel, so after my first book, I decided to dedicate an entire novel to him,” explains Dilshani.
“So, I decided to write a whole novel about him. As for his supportive cast, I knew there should be a little brother figure and the quintessential female team member. So, I put together the ragtag team of Vergil Winters, Liam Garcia, and the Lucirean, Halo Ranathunge.”
The story of ‘Tainted Blood’ takes place after over a millennium after the events of the first book. “Given that the demons, dragons and the Nyra are creatures who have a lifespan of over a millennium, I could bring back most of the power players from the previous story to this one quite easily,” says Dilshani.
The story starts in the human world which has gone to hell… quite literally. The downfall of humanity was a slow process and the events of the first novel and the actions of the heroes had inadvertently opened the gates between worlds, so demons roam free between both planes. “This was not some sudden, overnight, apocalyptic plague or invasion like in the movies. I personally believe that the downfall of humanity won’t come as fast as all that. It takes a while to dig a grave, even for yourself,” says Dilshani.
The world has become riddled with demons who crossed over through these gates and forged partnerships with greedy humans who are trying to scrape away at the last ounce of flesh from Mother Earth, and the monstrosities from the netherworld now roam free in the human world, causing havoc.
The energy that flows out of these gates affects the people who live near them, causing mutations, especially in unborn children. Thus, the Lucireans came to be. With their odd appearances and powers, Lucireans added another layer to the social strata, albeit at the very lowest rung.
In this harsh, dying world, Vergil Winters roams the land, killing whatever that comes his way with an evil intent.
“Vergil himself is a broken man with unresolved trauma,” Dilshani tells us about her character, “He doesn’t save the day. He just fights to distract himself from his pain. And in the quest I prepared for him, Liam Garcia, the spoiled heir to a mafia family, tags along. He’s not a hero either. He’s just trying to not be like his father. And he carries secrets even he doesn’t know on his back. And finally, Halo. A Lucirean adopted and trained by the scientist/cult leader Hugh Ranathunge to be a killer. If her father orders her to, she won’t hesitate to kill a puppy. (Please don’t tell John Wick!)”
“While these malfunctioning ‘heroes’ bumble around, the villain carefully brings his carefully crafted plan to fruition. You see, he’s a proper villain; scheming, thieving, manipulating, killing, building, and charming his way towards his goal. And no! His goal is NOT world domination. It’s much more subtle, much more personal, and much more unbelievable.”
“When the power players, such as Maya Winters, the demon emperor Darius, and the golden dragon king Idrigus, join the story, the ‘heroes’ get a chance to evolve beyond what they could ever imagine themselves to be. Under the care and tutelage of these super powered beings, they get a second chance; gain a second breath before facing an impossible foe.”
Dilshani’s inspirations are drawn from anime and manga worlds, sort of a patchwork of everything she has read, watched or even heard about somewhere, sometime in her life. There are moments her characters break loose of her control and do stuff on their own. They dictate how the story should go and what she should type next. “Don’t worry. I don’t have schizophrenia… yet!” quips Dilshani with a smile.
Dilshani works as a creative writer at a prominent advertising agency. “I am someone who gave up a free BSc degree because it made me miserable. So, I don’t think there’s much I can list under achievements other than finding the path I’m meant to walk on,” says Dilshani. “Oh! I do have a diploma in graphic design which comes in handy when drawing my characters and designing my own book covers. I can save money that way.”
Originally from down South, Dilshani lived the childhood that is often romanticised nowadays as “the good old days”. Says Dilshani, “I suffered from depression since I was twelve, so it was not as beautiful as the Facebook posts and books say. I have been a reader since I could find myself around letters and now, I have finally evolved into a writer, much like a Pokémon. I sometimes wonder what my final evolutionary form would be.”
“There are so many goals I want to achieve, from publishing the current book I’m working on to adopting another cat to writing the script for an anime series based on one of my stories. Dream big, as they say!” and Dilshani is certainly capable of making her dreams come true!
If you like dark fantasy filled with action, adventure, and a little bit of BL, you can find Dilshani’s book on Amazon. If you have Kindle unlimited, you can read it for free. “It’ll be a while before I can publish my book in Sri Lanka in paperback thanks to… well… everything that has been going on,” says Dilshani, although her first book is available in paperback at most stores across Sri Lanka. Oh! And look forward to my new novel ‘Freak Therapy’, which will be out soon on Amazon!,” she said.