Iced Hearts

PirateoPotato | romance | Complete

Samuel lived most of his life as a middling engineer in the Midwest. Once the GU(Galactic Union) arrived, life changed little. Other than his wife of thirty years passed away from brain cancer. For years, he has lived as a recluse, trying to be forgotten about by others, left alone to fade away. He took a deal from the GU: he would man an outpost on the galaxy's far reaches alone, ensuring it functions without issue. He thought this was perfect, allowing him a quiet place to live out the rest of his life, somewhere no one really cared about what he did. Scarletra wanted nothing more than to have someone. She had lived alone for years after running away from her tribe. She scrounged by with a meager life, only her carvings and the icy winds to keep her company. One day, while out hunting, she noticed movement in one of the GU outposts. Eager for companionship, she jumped at the chance to meet someone and maybe escape the glacial loneliness of her home.

86.57 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 18:11

Modern Phantasia: siVisPride (DEFUNCT VERISON: DO NOT READ)

mer_curry | contemporary | Complete

This is an early version of what became siVisPhases, there is no need to read this in order to understand that story--please discard Reader Beware: Original!Urban Fantasy, Survival Thriller, Harsh Progression. Constant Struggle, not Weak-to-Strong. This is a reality eerily like our own. This is a reality that's complicated further by fantasy. Contemporary times have finally ended, and the Phantasia era has begun. Due to the cosmic, reality warping Shift Noumena, life as we once knew it is now defined by things we once thought were fantastical. Instead of monsters, we have the Nulgarrt. Instead of ancient, hidden cities--Terminsys Cities are what's left after celestial space waves broke reality, once people's home towns. And what they got instead of magic? siVis. Enlightenment that reveals far too much, all at once. Forced to figure out a way to survive against what-once-was fictional tropes and plots. Living during confusing, turbulent when not only life never made sense, but is falling apart. Growing through out all of this, and growing to become just as weird. This is the story of those youths, not another heroic tale.

86.42 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 10:33

The Ogre's Pendant & The Rat in the Pit (Completed)

J.M. Clarke (U Juggernaut) | action | Complete

The land is conquered. A thief and a demon killer run afoul of its new overlord and the wizard that serves him. Now the wizard seeks his life's ambition, an artifact that will make his word law. Hearing this, the demon killer and thief begin to have ambitions of their own. The race is on for who will reach the artifact first, and an entire barbarian horde is in the running. Yet the prize lies within the Forest of Giants, grown from the corpse of an empire. There are tales of things that stalk the trees. Tales of those that hunger endlessly. Tales of those that feast on human flesh. Tales of ogres. A fast paced, dark fantasy adventure! Complete.All stories and characters - including The Ogre's Pendant and The Rat in the Pit -written by Traitorman are created by and are the intellectual property of J.M. Clarke

84.66 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:00

Darke Mag'yx

scost | comedy | Complete

The dread visage of the lord necromancer, sending forth a sea of rotting flesh to mould the world in his image. This wonderful picture flickers and dies as Lucien's undead construct stumbles and promptly melts into an unmentionable slurry. As Lucien struggles to become the dread necromancer he knows he should be, he gets dragged into a nationwide conflict by a hapless priest and a girl from another world. An evil cult, an equally evil empire and a general lack of relevant skills are the only things standing between them and bodily cohesion. Can they survive the chaos around them? Will they accidently save the world? Will Lucien ever get over himself? Find out here in Darke Mag'yx!

84.48 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-04-19 15:29

I Will Save the Villain

Lin Meili | comedy | Complete

Reborn to Rescue a Video Game World! After dying during a worldwide pandemic, ordinary college student Asteria was given a fresh start in the world of a popular video game. Her mission: to protect mankind from a forgotten danger. However, shouldn't the original main character of "Tales of Vesterland" be given his chance to shine? Now, armed with ALL the cheats, she's decided to let the hero do his thing while she saves the last boss and gets rid of the real villain who's been hiding behind the scenes. Join this OP adventurer in her hilarious candy-fueled quest to befriend the hero, save the villains, and have fun! It's a slightly risque slice-of-life comedy set in a world of technology and magic. Also starring: Sariel. He thinks he's hot stuff because he has it all - looks, superhuman abilities, and a great fashion sense. Too bad that the process that gave him superpowers has a secret side effect... Note: Multiple POV characters (male and female) Cover: Warm Tail Volume One is now available on Amazon as "I Will Save the Villain." Volume Two is now available for pre-orders on Amazon as "Villain Rescue Scheme." ㎜in Meili 2021. All Rights Reserved. For business inquiries contact me at [email protected]

84.29 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 16:51

Agent of the Realm?

Andur | romance | Complete

I am Seria, the goddess of life and death. I was fathered by Chaos and born by Order. I am the first ambassador who leaves the realm of Dedessia to make contact with the other realms. Dedessia is a harsh place, a place in which even immortals, demons and gods struggle to survive. Nonetheless, we carved a path for ourselves and created a great kingdom. Something to be proud of. I am their representative and the first to make contact with the other realms. Can you imagine my surprise when they greet me with a fireball to the face? Me, the one who governs life and death!? Well, my wrath should be the least of their fears. They should hope that my parents never pay them a visit. But until that happens I'll play a little...  Reading Order of the Multiverse-Books  Author's Comment: I was asked about reading my work on other sites. The answer is simple: Currently I am not active in any other networks than royalroadl.com. Only here, I correct mistakes and errors. If you read it anywhere else and have to pay for it, or have to deal with an annoying amount of advertisement, You Are Being Betrayed. You would do good if you make other people in that network aware of it. This is a free project of mine for the purpose of having fun. And if people try to make money with it you shouldn't bother visiting their website. The only one whom I actually allowed to have my work on his website is Armaell who invested the time to compile them into pdf. (http://armaell-library.net/author/andur)

83.80 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-11 16:38

Chasing Sunlight

InadvisablyCompelled | adventure | Complete

Book now available on Amazon! In a world of lightless skies and endless secrets, humanity is a vigil of light against the eternal darkness. Under the imprimatur of the Illuminated King and the nefarious endorsement of the Reflected Council, a veteran explorer assembles an expedition to the far east. A place that no sane and god-fearing man would ever go. Jonathan Heights will, and must, for he claims to have seen sunlight. A laughable myth and fairy tale, but he will not be stopped on his journey to find it again. Wonders and horrors both lie between the human lands and his ultimate goal; things long-forgotten and long-dead, that which could not be recorded on any map. They are temptation and terror to the wise and foolish alike, but not to Jonathan. His purpose is clear, and he has but one goal, yet the truth is shrouded and motives remain uncertain among the agents of both crown and underworld as they join Jonathan aboard the airship Endeavor to sail the strange and exotic lands out there in the darkness. Chasing Sunlight is a pulp airship adventure serial inspired by Sunless Sea, HP Lovecraft, and a little bit of Moby Dick and The Odyssey. It will be a single book, somewhere between 25 and 30 chapters. The first five chapters will be uploaded once a day, Mon 28 - Fri 1, at which point it will be uploaded every Friday at 5PM. Join our Discord!

83.42 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 15:08

The Heist at Cordia Aquarium

anandroid | tragedy | Complete

In a super powered society, many different types of people exist. Heroes. Villains. Sidekicks. Henchmen. World changing events are the norm for those people. They scheme, they fight, they make up, and they do it all over again. What about the types of people that are just trying to get by? A disillusioned priest that can smell sin struggles to balance ethics and paying the bills. An aspiring aquarist that just needs to finish out her aquarium mentorship, then she can fulfill all the expectations she never wanted. A movie enthusiast that turns to crime to support his dying mother-in-law. A mechanic that relapses on an addiction to her power to escape from herself. What happens when they meet each other during the heist of a... Definitely not a century. Maybe the heist of a day? Releases every Monday!

83.19 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 18:40

Palus Somni

Ohmwu | horror | Complete

It is the final days after the end of the world and you only have one month left before the last sanctuary erupts into chaos. There's a dead body hanging from a tree and cadaverous giants watch you sleep at night. The end is already here, you just don't know it yet. Now rated in the top 3% of all novels on Royal Road! Palus Somni (Marsh of Sleep') is a worldbuilding webnovel about what happens when your God forsakes you. Inspired by gothic horror and mingled with British myth and folklore, join the Alucinari nuns as they struggle with day-to-day life after the world has ended. Every night when the sun sets the monstrous Gol, colossal beings with too many teeth, awaken and roam the marshlands. Only those with a faithful heart will be spared. Young acolyte Wille has never seen the walls fail, but when a fellow nun is murdered within their sanctum the very safety of the monastery is thrown into question. Did the Gol find a way to breach their defences, or is there a human traitor amongst them? The answer lies both far in the past and deep beneath the earth, through the maze of ancient catacombs. With a cast of over thirty different characters, watch as your friends and enemies spiral into inevitable madness at the hands of a callous and unforgiving world. Discover the secrets of Palus Somni through letters, diary entries and notes found scattered across the monastery. Uncover the mystery of the grotesque giants that stalk the night and bring your challenge to the Gods themselves. Each character has their own handmade pixel art, and every update includes a music recommendation for a dark atmospheric dungeon synth album that you can listen to while you read. Slice of life meets cosmic abomination: Palus Somni is a collection of intertwining stories, some chapters are stand-alone tales while others feed into the overarching narrative. It is an exploration into a community, and rather than focusing on any one character the story meanders through the convent, exposing the hopes and fears of its inhabitants. Story updates every full moon.

83.11 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-13 10:57

The Hero Raised by a Monster

Silent Ruins | psychological | Complete

Have you ever woken up in a strange fantasy land for no discernible reason? Don't worry, I know you haven't. But I did! Before we go any further, full disclosure: I am a monster. At least, that's what people tell me. Now, you don't need to be too worried about that because I've got a hero around to make sure I don't cause too much trouble. Well she isn't really a hero yet, but I'm going to make sure she becomes one. After all, I'd really rather not be hunted down just for being what I am. Or maybe it's the murder and property damage? I'm not really sure what it is that sets people off.

83.01 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 18:07

My Life is Not a Manga, or maybe...

EO Tenkey | satire | Complete

Xavier had a happy, humdrum life: normal friendships, a normal girlfriend, a somewhat oddball family. Until, that is, he literally stumbled through the fourth wall and discovered he was the protagonist of a manga. Now he's scrambling to maintain any semblance of control over his own life in the face of something he never imagined he would need to contend with: the power of the Genre. Hello, E.O. Tenkey here; thank you for your interest in "Not A Manga"! This was my first serial novel, and I hope you enjoy Xavier's predicament! Familiarity with manga not required (though it can't hurt)! I look forward to exploring the bounds of the Genre with you. (First volume is rated PG-13 for comic mayhem and light profanitythese are high school students, after all. Second volume is rated PG-13 to R for some violence and similar levels of profanity. Tags may or may not contain spoilers.)

82.77 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-13 16:10

Dawn Weaver - a tale of Dragon Riders

mogust | adventure | Complete

An ancient evil stirs in the kingdom of Avaraline, and the fate of all life in a world blessed by magic hangs in the balance. The Guilds and Clans, who hold the power of the lands, are ill equipped to deal with the unknown threat, with corruption spreading through their ranks. Not that this is of any consequence to Izen, a young man struggling to survive in a dying village, and Myne, a talented young Dragon rider seeking to prove herself. That is until the infamous Witch is sensed near his village and Izen becomes intertwined in world of the Dragon riders. Literally, with the magic awakening in him too. The complication, is that only females can be riders. [The first half of chapter one desperately needed an update to fix some issues and match my more recent writing style, and this has now been done. The rest of the novel will not be changing (apart from some minor edits). A.k.a, it is all good to read as is :)] [Now available on all Amazon stores in paperback and ebook formats. If you'd like to support my writing, please consider purchasing and/or reviewing. https://www.amazon.com/Dawn-Weaver-Dragon-Riders-Flames-ebook/dp/B09KV5MQHC]

81.37 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 18:08

Ghoul Metropolis Tomb Riders

Authors Dread | sci_fi | Complete

Angelina Julie was a normal girl, content in leading an ordinary life. But when her loving father mysteriously disappeared into a Ghoul Graveyard, she was forced to take matters into her own hands and become a Tomb Rider. With her cunning and guile, she will risk life and limb to search for her father and uncover the secrets of the unknown graveyard. But the journey won't be easy, for the Ghoul Graveyard holds many terrors and surprises. Will Angelina survive the perils of the graveyard and find her father? Or will the dark secrets lurking within consume her? Read along to find out in this action-adventure novel filled with buzzing motors and the supernatural. All in one: Novel List Update

81.31 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 14:43

No Choice - [Dungeon Core Progression Litrpg]

Flamebeard | action | Complete

Warning: If you are not reading this story on Royal Road, it has been stolen, and this constitutes copyright infringement. Stella wakes as a Dungeon Core in a fantasy world with all the exuberance of an avid LitRPG consumer. Before she can properly acclimate, she is mortified to learn that something fundamental seems to have broken in her System. Without being able to choose her skills, Stella must resort to abusing her earth knowledge to figure out the inner workings of the system and expand her domain. Come along and choose the path Stella will take to build the dungeon of her dreams and thwart the avaricious adventurers looming on the horizon. This is a reader interactive fiction. At the end of each chapter, there will be an ability choice that will determine how the build will progress. This is a litrpg. There will be numbers. There is going to be plenty of monster experimentation, merging, and enhancing. Oh and one last thing. Beware the penguins. Chapters are around 4k words long

81.22 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-21 15:24

The Impeccable Adventure of the Reluctant Dungeon

Lise Eclaire | comedy | Complete

A dungeon's sleep is never easy. After getting reincarnated as a dungeon, Theodor thought he'd finally get some rest and relaxation. That changed when a bumbling old hero stumbled into him and died, making Theodor the target of adventurers everywhere. Masquerading as a house in the small town of Rosewind, Theo must now do whatever it takes to remain unnoticed& even if it means creating an avatar to interact with people or go on a mission set by the annoying Earl Rosewind! Follow the adventures of a dungeon dragged out of its own body on an adventure it never wished to be a part of. Updated every few days!

80.68 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:44

Ravyn's Nights - Book 2

Janelle Walden | historical | Complete

Claire's life led her to love. Love led her to death. Death began her eternal struggle to retain both her love and her humanity through 5 centuries of endless nights. Book 2 covers the 18th century. "Ravyn's Nights" is a six book series, with each book covering a different century. Book 6 was actually started first, and it takes place in the near future, bringing the story to a final conclusion. I then started writing the rest of the series when I decided that I wanted to share the details of the life that made her into who she is in Book 6. At the time of posting the first chapter of the series, books 1-2-3 are completed and books four, five and six are in various states of completion. There is currently a novella following a side character that does include a few crossover chapters featuring the main character. The novella will be included in the completed versions of books 4 and 5.

79.91 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:38

The Death of Money

Sleepy Rus | mystery | Complete

After the Second Global Depression, Pak Yeung-Sung works a supermarket job in a world without money. And, like his cash register, he doesn’t believe change is coming anytime soon. After he is caught giving away rations, he is taken away by the enforcers and is convinced that he will die. But then he is given an offer; Join an experimental facility and your family will be taken care of. As it turns out, this an economic experiment by the CEO of one of the biggest tech firms, Jordan. And also, the currency within this colony comes from a game: Airgead. It seems too good to be true. It seems too stupid to work. And Yeung-Sung soon finds out that it is. But in 90 days, the UN will come to authorise the system worldwide. Before that happens, he needs to learn the game, infiltrate the factions and corrupt the economy. All while searching for clues about what Jordan’s true plan is.

79.63 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 12:00

The Wandering Wraith

DragonEggTea | drama | Complete

Mira doesn't understand why she is treated the way she is. She understood that it wasn't normal' when her conflicting feelings took over her conscious and she began to fight against her master's orders in any way possible. Despite her deadly past and her master's wishes, she tries to face each situation with the most peaceful outcome. She clutches onto any person that shows her kindness and choses to protect them as much as she can. One such person is a knight she chooses to save and take to a safe haven she's hidden from her master. Her friendships grow, despite failing to hide the monstrous side of her life. In the end, the source of Mira's dark power is what saves her and her friends.

79.16 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 18:25

Star Wars Episode 7: A Corpse Through Which the Force Speaks

kylebstiff | tragedy | Complete

The fall of the Empire heralds dark times for humanity. As the New Republic concedes much of the galaxy to alien rule, a group of special forces stormtroopers must find a way to survive the "new normal". This fanfiction sets an alternate course of events in response to general dissatisfaction with the sequel trilogy. In terms of continuity, this story only takes into account the events of the first six movies and Rogue One. Please note: This story comes from the school of thought that the purpose of art is to provoke thought, rather than distract us from reality. I hope that the disturbing parts of this story do just that. This story is COMPLETE.

79.11 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 18:28

Law of Shadows

Andur | romance | Complete

Mercs are causing trouble in my city. They are hunting someone, whatever the cost. It's not like I care that some lowly humans died, but if I don't act now it would set a bad example. So what would the hero do? Probably he would save the victims and protect them while the enemies keep coming& Yeah, as if I would ever do something so troublesome! They aren't calling me the demon lord for no reason. I suppose I'll just shoot the victim and be done with it.  Reading Order of the Multiverse-Books  Author's Comment: If you find mistakes, pls tell, thx. I don't like mistakes.[/window] Author's Comment: I was asked about reading my work on other sites. The answer is simple: Currently, I am not active in any other networks than royalroadl.com. Only here, I correct mistakes and errors. If you read it anywhere else and have to pay for it or have to deal with an annoying amount of advertisement, You Are Being Betrayed. You would do good if you make other people in that network aware of it. This is a free project of mine for the purpose of having fun. And if people try to make money with it you shouldn't bother visiting their website. I have no problem with translation and reposting of the story, as long as the person in question isn't doing it for money or stealing my identity. The only one whom I actually allowed to have my work on his website is Armaell who invested the time to compile them into pdf. (http://armaell-library.net/author/andur)

79.01 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:57