Skip to content

The Imperial Saga

Home of the Empire of the Seven Continents

  • Overview
  • Main Series
    • Rise of the Phoenix
    • Knight of the Dragon
    • Heart of the Guardian
  • Mythology
    • The Myth of the Scorpion Queen
    • The Myth of The Wolves
  • Character Profiles
  • Continent Info
    • Estova
    • Izuria
    • Krendia
    • Shem
    • Kaehlar
  • Other Info
    • About the Author
    • Contact
    • AI Policy
    • Privacy Policy
YouTube Channel Launched!
2 July, 2024
Cover Reveal: Dance of the Empire
11 May, 2024
Heart of the Guardian Out Now!
15 August, 2023

Welcome to the Empire of the Seven Continents

The Empire of the Seven Continents is the home of the Imperial Saga, a fantasy series by Anne Winchell. This website offers exclusive content of the world and novels and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the writing process. Take a look around and explore the world of the Empire of the Seven Continents and the books and stories from this world!

Enter the Imperial Saga

The war for Tamarud lasted twelve years and devastated the continent’s people and lands. When the royal family was captured, everyone knew it was it was only a matter of time before their defeat, but the Empire shocked the people by executing all but the youngest two royals.

Fifteen years later, the continent of Tamarud has suffered under Imperial rule. After the massacre following the execution of the royals, the population is devastated, their numbers vastly diminished. Everyone in a fifteen year age group was murdered, leaving only older adults and those under twenty-five behind.

Now, the invaders, as those from the Empire are known, can kill at will, and wreak havoc on the people of Tamarud. Tamarudian culture has all but vanished as their books, art, and traditional buildings have been razed. Speaking their language is a death sentence, and they even have to choose Imperial names to avoid being killed.  

In this chaos and destruction, Princess Tahirah is coming into her magical powers. As one of two surviving royals, she wields enormous power, power that makes her both threatening and desirable to the Empire. Her rise to power is marked with death and isolation, but romance and hope keep her going. 

These five novels chart her progress as she gains her adult powers, and the increasing strength of her allies as well. Ari, a young man and the object of her affections, learns to stand on his own, and Jana, a young woman whose love for her girlfriend Leena is the only bright spot in her life, learns to take on a leadership role. Together, Ari, Jana, and Leena hope to help save Tahirah from the Empire. They’ll go to any lengths, but will it be enough?

A fantasy map of Tamarud
Map by Dewi Hargreaves
Book Three Available Now!

Explore the Main Series

Find out more about the individual books here with word counts, status updates, summaries, and more. 

The cover of Rise of the Phoenix, with a dark maroon background, a golden, flaming phoenix in the center with a fiery orange-red skyscrapers in a golden portal, and the words Rise of the Phoenix in fancy golden letters

Rise of the Phoenix is a fantasy novel about a young woman who survived the execution of her family at the end of the war and now lives in an occupied continent. She’s always pretended to be obedient, but she has a secret: she’s created a phoenix egg.

The people of Tamarud remember the brutality of the dragon knights long after the war ended. When Jana accidentally becomes a dragon knight, she must deal with the hatred of her father and her people even while fighting to defend her home.

Ari has always relied on loved ones for guidance, but now Tahirah is trapped on a different continent and his parents might be dead. With new friends and unfamiliar family, he has to forge a way forward even as the Empire’s power draws closer to finding him.

Subscribe for Sneak Peeks and Free Content!

* indicates required
How many emails do you want?

Check out the latest videos!

The Imperial Saga YouTube channel offers music videos from and about the various continents and characters as well as readings and behind-the-scenes looks into the creative process!

Anne Winchell, Author of Speculative Fiction

Anne Winchell, Author of Speculative Fiction
At the end of the Rioran invasion, everyone believed Emma was dead. She wasn't. Now, she watches as her people worship her, idolize her, mourn her... and forget her.

They say her life ended after the war. She says that’s when it began. Judge for yourself: https://tcp.annewinchell.com/people/emma-2.

Find out more about The Conquered Princes, a dark sci-fi novel with intense personal stakes and galactic ramifications, at https://tcp.annewinchell.com.

⸻

Full lyrics:

(Verse 1)
They carved my face in quiet stone
Softened grief in marble bone
Hands that never shake or bleed
A perfect ghost for them to need

They light their candles in my name
Say I was lost to ash and flame
I stand beside them in the rain
And feel the fire, and feel the same

(Pre-Chorus)
They tell my story like it’s done
Like I was finished, like I’m gone
But breath still catches in my chest
A living thing they laid to rest

(Chorus)
They buried me in memory
But I’m still learning how to breathe
A name they whisper like a prayer
While I am standing right here
If I reach out, I disappear
If I stay still, I almost live
They mourn the girl I used to be
And leave the rest of me to drift

(Verse 2)
I watch the world through borrowed eyes
Through someone else’s alibis
You walk where I was meant to stand
I trace the shape of your command

You speak, and they begin to move
You fight, and something almost proves
That I still matter, I still bend
The edges of the world you’re in

But not enough to take my place
Not enough to show my face
I live between the breath you take
And every choice I cannot make

(Pre-Chorus)
You are the thread that pulls me through
The only proof I still break through
But even you belong to light
And I am hidden from their sight

(Chorus)
They buried me in memory
But I’m still learning how to breathe
A name they whisper like a prayer
While I am standing right here
If I reach out, I disappear
If I stay still, I almost live
They mourn the girl I used to be
And leave the rest of me to drift

(Bridge)
If I am nothing, I am free
If I am no one, I can be
A shadow folded into skin
A quiet force beneath the din

So I will gather what remains
The smallest threads, the faintest names
If I can’t live the life I lost
I’ll take control of what it costs

(Chorus)
They buried me in memory
But I refuse to let it be
If I must haunt the life I knew
Then I will shape it into truth
If I can’t stand within the light
Then I will pull it to my side
They mourn the girl they left behind
But I am still alive inside

(Outro)
A candle flickers in my name
They think it dies, it stays the same
But I am watching through the flame
And learning how to burn again

⸻

World, concepts, and characters by Anne Winchell
Lyrics and art by ChatGPT
Music and video by Suno
Arranged by Anne Winchell

The image was created using the lyrics as input and may contain inaccuracies. It is meant to represent the overall feel for the character and world but is not considered canon. 

This includes generative AI, including Suno and ChatGPT. I am not affiliated with either, and all AI-generated content is clearly labeled above. You can read more about my policies on AI use at https://annewinchell.com/ai-policy/ 

All specific characters, worlds, events, people, cultures, and other identifying features are copyright © 2026 Anne Winchell. However, if you'd like to create art, music, or stories inspired by any of this, please don't hesitate to contact me (https://empire.annewinchell.com/contact/). I'm (almost always) happy to give permission!
The Girl They Buried | The Conquered Princes
They mourn her. They worship her. 
They buried her.

But she's not dead.

Full song Friday @ 3pm CT

The Conquered Princes → https://tcp.annewinchell.com/

#shorts #aimusic #darkpop #glitch #rebellion #cinematicrock  #scifimusic #worldbuilding #TheConqueredPrinces #Emma
Buried in Memory | The Girl They Buried
The Rioran elites call Amanda a bug. So she burrows into their systems, their cities, their power. Not a pest. A flaw they can’t eliminate.

They say they have proof of her crimes. Judge for yourself: https://tcp.annewinchell.com/people/amanda.

Find out more about The Conquered Princes, a dark sci-fi novel with intense personal stakes and galactic ramifications, at https://tcp.annewinchell.com.

⸻

Full lyrics:

(Intro - Spoken)
What did you call me?
Oh, you’ll pay for that…
[ominous laugh]

(Verse 1)
Your alien words might sting to hear
And I may not know what all you mean
But I know an insult when it’s said
When you call me bug that you have seen

The insults pile on thick as mud
Here on the streets I once controlled
You think your blood and elite state
Will guard you when you too are sold?

(Pre-Chorus)
When my city fell and my world ended
I remained, I stayed
You can’t destroy me with your might
I'm always crawling back to fight

(Chorus)
I'm the bug inside your system
The flaw within your code
The endless buzz when you’re asleep
Relentless, never ending

You think you’ve seen the last of me
I am just invisible
You call me vermin, call me bug
Well fine
But I'll be unkillable

(Verse 2)
I think I understand your words
But you have made a grave mistake
For bugs may be a simple pain
Or crawl into the flaws you make

Burrow deep in numbers, lines
An errant dot, a stray backslash
Didn't you realize bugs are fierce
As you flaunt your empty power and cash?

(Pre-Chorus)
When my city fell and my world ended
I remained, I stayed
You can’t destroy me with your might
I'm always crawling back to fight

(Chorus)
I'm the bug inside your system
The flaw within your code
The endless buzz when you’re asleep
Relentless, never ending

You think you’ve seen the last of me
I am just invisible
You call me vermin, call me bug
Well fine
But I'll be unkillable

(Bridge)
I burrow
I dig
I infect
I spread
All you fear will come to light
I do it all within your sight
I won’t go down without a fight
So say hello to endless night

(Chorus)
I'm the bug inside your system
The flaw within your code
The endless buzz when you’re asleep
Relentless, never ending

You think you’ve seen the last of me
I am just invisible
You call me vermin, call me bug
Well fine
But I'll be unkillable

(Outro)
Your words? 
I laugh
You think your voice
Can make a dent in my strong heart?

So take your alien king and go
Before I choose to take what’s mine
Because when you finally fall
I'll be waiting
Unkillable
Unkillable

⸻

World, concepts, and characters by Anne Winchell
Lyrics by Anne Winchell
Art by ChatGPT
Music and video by Suno
Arranged by Anne Winchell

The image was created using the lyrics as input and may contain inaccuracies. It is meant to represent the overall feel for the character and world but is not considered canon. 

This includes generative AI, including Suno and ChatGPT. I am not affiliated with either, and all AI-generated content is clearly labeled above. You can read more about my policies on AI use at https://annewinchell.com/ai-policy/ 

All specific characters, worlds, events, people, cultures, and other identifying features are copyright © 2026 Anne Winchell. However, if you'd like to create art, music, or stories inspired by any of this, please don't hesitate to contact me (https://tcp.annewinchell.com/aew/). I'm (almost always) happy to give permission!
Unkillable | The Conquered Princes
Keep going... Subscribe

The Mythology of the Empire

Each of the seven continents has their own mythology and lore, and you can explore the constantly expanding collection of stories from their people in this compendium of myths.

The Myth of the Scorpion Queen

An elaborate golden scorpion on a crimson backdrop with gold ornaments around the edge

When Tamarud was first created, the entire continent shared a pleasant climate and the creatures thrived. Now, however, the north is inhospitably hot, and the south is in a perpetual freeze. What changed this balance? Learn about Queen Alareab of the Scorpions for more!

Start Reading

The Myth of the Wolves

Once, all of the wolves were united and lived in harmony with the other creatures of Tamarud. Now, the anova wolves of the north hunt people for fun while the vasha wolves of the south work with people. What created this split? Learn more about the attack on Queen Zeinab for more!

Start Reading

Read Character Profiles

A young woman in a black sweater with curly red hair, bronze skin, and amber-gold eyes
A young man in a dark blue button-up shirt with shaggy dark brown hair and brown eyes.
A young Black woman with twist braids and light brown eyes with red circling the pupils in a black tank top with pink hems and a fain pink design on the front and makeup to match, and a gold chain around her neck
A young Asian woman with black hair, dark brown eyes with red circling the pupil, and a patterned black/orange/green/gold top
A stern-looking man with ebony hair, pale skin, and a military uniform
A young white woman with light brown hair pulled back in a bun with braids along her hairline and a few strands falling loose. She has green eyes, a bit of a smirk, and is in a blue dress with a brown cloak loosely pinned together with gold chain.
A dramatically lit woman with chin-length black hair, smoldering makeup, and a black dress

Read Continent Information

Find the Series on Amazon

Available for eBook and Kindle Unlimited
Available for Paperback
A mockup of Rise of the Phoenix showing the front and back of the paperback as they will appear on the books.
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Overview
  • Main Series
  • Mythology
  • Character Profiles
  • Continent Info
  • Other Info

Copyright © 2024 Anne Winchell.

Theme: Oceanly News Dark by ScriptsTown