In an isolated valley, the last members of humanity scratch a living from what little nature remains. Life is hard, but peaceful, and Sky Memoriam's days are filled with preparations to assume the role of- Shades of Forever is an eldritch punk/horror comedy with some light progression elements, in that numbers will go up but they are not the main focus of the story. Our protagonist, Sky Memoriam, is one of the last surviving humans on an Earth ravaged by cataclysm thousands of years ago. At least, that's what Sky thinks. However, when a spaceship from the broader galactic community carrying a modified combat AI designed to serve as an interface between humans and Things That Are Better Off Not Thought Of crashes outside Sky's village, life starts getting weird. Also, violent. Release Schedule - Mon-Wed-Fri, with potential bonus chapters on Tuesdays and/or Thursdays Changelog SEVENTH UPDATE - Complete. So long, and thanks for all the fish! SIXTH UPDATE - New cover poll! FIFTH UPDATE - Working on adding music updates to chapters where it's been a defining influence. FOURTH UPDATE: Updated the update schedule. Updog. Backlog is a lie. Do not be tempted by its honeyed words. THIRD UPDATE: Changed the genre slightly and reformatted the boxes to not be as mind-melting on mobile thanks to advice from Macronomicon (go read Industrial Strength Magic!) SECOND UPDATE: Changed the blurb, still churning out words, restored the original MS Paint glory due to overwhelming poll demand from the one person who chose a valid vote option. Your actions have consequences, kids. UPDATE: Hit the 55k Writeathon goal, heck yeah! Also made a new cover to appease those of you permanently scarred by MS Paint. Will work on refining the blurb.
102.72 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-20 18:00
MDW | contemporary | Complete
Greetings. Nowadays, I call myself Cat, short for Catherine. I usually don't use her full name for reasons that will become clear soon enough. It's been a few months since I became her and I'm still adapting to my new reality. Being in someone else's shoes, especially someone with a life so complicated as her, was a challenge. One I must overcome or perish. I finally accepted there is no way to go back to my old life. Yes, old life. I was named William Cooper when I first came into being. I was 30 years old and about to marry when Catherine accidentally killed me. This is the story of how I became her and beyond. How Catherine was reinvented. I guess I should start on the day of my fateful and forceful meeting with Catherine. I apologize for talking about myself in the third person, but I'll try to keep this narrative impersonal. Trust me, my head nowadays is a huge mess and 100% too crowded. Cover credits (public domain): Hernan Sanchez, https://stocksnap.io/photo/architecture-building-MI902J0X1H
102.21 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:05
alstonsleet | action | Complete
For Joshua Still, Skills were the lifeblood of his business. He wanted to understand them, collect many of them, and teach a few of them. Which was a problem because while his profession of a Skill Trainer was perfectly legal, it was frowned upon by most of the kingdom. After all, it wouldn't do for a non-tailor to teach Tailoring. Or, so says the Tailors Guild. The same could be said by the Blacksmiths, the Bakers, the Butchers, the Candlestick Makers, the Mages, and every other Guild with enough money and clout to complain. But still, Skill Trainers provide a valuable service, and so he has managed to start his business and keep it under the table. To a degree. With many a bribe. But his quiet anonymous life of research, practice, and training was about to change. When the Baron demands you pay him a visit, you have little choice.
101.35 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 18:30
Summary: Being summoned to another world is supposed to be fun. Or at least exciting. Either you find yourself in a Church being given a divine mission, or you wake up in a forest and have to survive off of the land. And if you're lucky, you get some sort of System as well, or at least a handy Cheat/Power-Up. Waking up in a prison cell with nothing but a pair of pants to your name is NOT the way things usually go. Unfortunately, nothing about Mikael's adventure in another world is going to be 'normal'. An attempt at taking a bunch of well-trodden tropes and ideas and putting my own special twist on them that will hopefully be engaging and exciting! Warning: This story has erotic scenes sprinkled throughout it. Based on feedback I received, each lewd chapter will be marked as such going forward. Update Schedule will be every weekday MONDAY-FRIDAY, with Saturdays and Sundays off!
101.30 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:32
When I was born, I was discarded as worthless for I had no sense of Energy currents. When I became the sword of the realm, I was disowned. Now that I was one vote away from passing an edict of equality between Energy users and not, I had my life’s work burned in my hands. “Who are you to change this world, silly boy?” the true ruler of the empire, the head councilman,asked me. There could only be one answer. Your son. Elecar Winteridge, 7 B.S. (Before the Scourge) ________________________________ Ragnarök, judgement day or the day of reckoning. Every religion and cult has foretellings of the final day. For most people it is just an old tale, something to frighten misbehaving children or a tool for scaring the masses. But for Shea and her world this became a despairing reality. Forests turned into deserts and seas became salt lakes. Continents were smashed together, becoming one or disappearing without a trace. The whole world was covered in the ashes of fires. When Shea awoke in her shelter, not only was she injured but everyone and everything she knew was gone. All she had left were her memories and the innate talent to use the shaping ability to aid in her survival. _________________________________ Author of Flight of Icarus Member of Scribble
100.68 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 18:30
Cheis of Veraleigh the Necromancer is a hero renowned throughout the realms, but that doesn't mean her social life is doing all that well -- she'd rather hunt monsters and write new spells than deal with the unpleasant reality of her impending middle age. But when an ancient evil awakens, she just may have to make up her mind about what she wants out of life -- and deal with what life wants out of her.
99.72 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-20 13:57
KurtMKing | adventure | Complete
When eighteen-year-old mage Caleb sacrificed his life to put an end to the Great Demon War, the last thing he expected was to wake up perfectly healthy beside his husband, the warrior Kyron, who had also sacrificed his life to put an end to the war. Their Levels were reset to 0, but they didn't care so much about that - gaining Levels wouldn't be much of an issue for them even with their status as Mythical-Tier people and the higher Experience amounts needed for each Level there. What mattered to them was growing strong enough to enter a location where they could ask the godswhy they had been resurrected a thousand years later. Well, Kyron also found it important to stop Caleb from pulling the metaphorical lever every five seconds, but Caleb wasn't too concerned with that. They ended the Great Demon War, after all - they could handle anything that came their way. Idiots, monsters, natural disasters, dragons in hiding because they knew Caleb would add more than a thousand years of interest to how much they owed him... Caleb was certain a few magical mishaps wouldn't be an issue, either. Important Notes: 1) This is a story about OP young men doing OP things, and they aren't going to get caught up in political shenanigans. 2) This is a mixture of slice-of-life and adventure, and won't have any major life-threatening situations. Refer back to Point 1: this is about OP young men doing OP things. Expect periods of adventure and periods of slice-of-life matter, and only mild amounts of combat. 3) Again, no petty squabbles of any significance. Caleb and Kyron are simply too OP and too uncaring about that sort of thing for it to matter. 4) 99% of this is getting made up as I go. This story isn't meant to be taken seriously, it's just me relieving some stress. That's why the first three points are important and why I'm posting as I go instead of taking time to plan and do editing (so don't expect any editing on this story).
99.53 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 12:07
[participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge] The Birdcage. Despite being one of the largest criminal super-syndicates in the future year G02, with agent affiliations spanning the globe, it has somehow remained as one of the best kept secrets of the underworld. Prospective affiliates are sent an exclusive invitation to enjoy the privileges of its world wide alliances and seemingly endless assets, both monetary and physical, but to forfeit the invitation is to forfeit your life. No one who enters the Birdcage leaves it alive. The Skies Beyond the Cage is a collection of stories about several characters before or after they have been extricated in varying levels to the Birdcage. These characters are agents of the primary affiliates, code-named the Clipped. They had no idea what they were getting themselves into when they became agents of the Clipped, but then again, most of them never had a choice. CURRENT STORY- WATER OF THE WOMB Seoul, Year G-19All Baek Jaehyun has ever known is a life of struggle trying to repay his father's never ending debt. His older brother, Taejun cut ties to his family as soon as he could, leaving Jaehyun behind in the process. Crisis brings the brothers back together, but as they try to repair their damaged relationship, outside forces continue to push and pull them apart. UPDATES EVERY OTHER DAY UNTIL I DIE OR FINISH VOL 1
97.39 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 12:32
D.M.A. | psychological | Complete
The only constant in life is change. Braxon was a brilliant engineer, recently appointed the head-of-station for a forward research post, things were looking up for him. But when his whole team was slaughtered in an ambush attack and he finds himself pursued and out of options he does the only reasonable thing he could. Now he's trapped in the body of a child and stranded in a strange and foreign land. Weak and surrounded by powerful martial artists, he must learn their ways, keep his secrets, and rise to the top to have any hope of returning home. The world of Soulforger is home to mystical beasts, spiritual treasures, sealed realms, forbidden cultivation methods, and ancient feuds. Can anyone tread here and not be changed forever? New Chapters: Tuesdays and Thursdays
97.36 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 12:19
Lise Eclaire | sci_fi | Complete
Decades ago, Elcy was a battleship. Her recklessness on the front led her to forced retirement in a human body. Having officially joined the officer ranks thanks to the success of her last mission, Elcy is approached by the arbiters to assist in making contact with the illusive "fractal" race. Many things are at stake. Will such an attempt help humanity gain the upper hand against its current enemies, or will it mark the start of a third-contact war? Elcy's work is cut out for her, yet the only thing more difficult than finding fractals' home world is trusting the intentions of her new superiors. The story is a continuation ofQuod Olim Erat,The Scuu Paradox, and The Cassandrian Theory.
96.74 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 17:20
tenqui | contemporary | Complete
Normal over 30 science teacher is "abducted" and tested by the GREAT GAME as a beta trial inductee. The GREAT GAME will eventually be implemented and remake the world. Our protagonist however is the only one that actually passes the beta test, which was not designed to be survivable, through sheer dumb luck and thus has an extreme head start on all other citizens of Earth. Follow the journey of our hero as he tries to walk a thin line between preparing to save as much of his family and friends as possible while also trying to make sure that he will have enough power to make other people do most of the work while remaining safe and sound. Poor guy is just a proto-hermit who wants to be left alone but also realizes the importance of others and family. The new reality just complicates things.
96.47 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 15:38
techbear1980 | fantasy | Complete
Fred is an Earth Spirit of the Mountain, charged with building an underground domain to host all manner of marvelous creatures. That is, if his soul can handle it.
96.36 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 13:17
van | historical | Complete
It will be awesome, they said. It will be an adventure, they said. Like hell it was! Gargh, what is this mess?! Finding himself reincarnated in a world of magic and swords, Aiven started out as a seemingly below-average boy whose only aspiration was to live and enjoy his new life. That is, until he and his friends met the hero, the demon king and some other suspiciously dead people or something. Sigh, just wake me up to my next reincarnation, maybe next time there's TV and a working toilet! [unreliable story summary] Cover Art: AI (app.wombo.art) Note: I've fixed the first part of the story so there would be a lot of mismatched comments on the chapters posted. (I originally planned to delete and repost everything, but I really appreciate the input of others in creating this story that I can't make myself delete them entirely, XD). Book I is completed with Chapter Summaries.
96.01 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:44
Jon Wrathmoor | mystery | Complete
As an ancient evil arises from the shadows of the land of Modena, the crumbling Magi Order must pick up the pieces to reassemble themselves and restore order to the Kingdoms of Modena before the realm reverts to its dark past. Joining the Magi Order amidst its downfall is the young Egalo Elgamar of Sunswood, who must learn quickly in order to survive and make the difference that he dreams of. As the common men of Modena refuse to accept its impending fate, it is up to Egalo and his conspirators to band together a worthy defence of the only realm they've ever known.Its man-against-beast in this thrilling epic fantasy, with sorcerey drawing a blurry line somewhere in-between. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * With this entire epic fantasyalready written and edited, you can expect frequent and consistent uploading!... stay tuned.
95.99 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 16:03
In this sort-of exciting sequel that nobody asked for, a mouse hero is forced to gather allies in order to stand against an overwhelming evil force. Oh, wait, sorry, that was the plot of Rodentia Adventures, the first book. Let's see... oh, here we go! In this story, a different mouse hero is forced to gather different allies to stand against a completely different overwhelming force. Yes. That's much better.
95.82 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 15:55
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 five centuries of endless nights. Book 1 covers 1583-1690. "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.
95.45 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:33
In a world where casters belong to distinct schools of magic, a near fatal mishap bestows far-reaching knowledge and power to a boy named William. William's older brother, Ivan, has already made a name for himself in the dueling pits of Pike and wants to join the resistance against the Shadowcloaks. Open the door to an epic adventure that spans across a vast world. A place with primordial magic, savage beasts, deadly labyrinth, and siege warfare. Join us and uncover the mystery behind the Amulet of Storms! The Amulet of Storms is now available on Amazon. The story will remain on Royal Road in full. If you prefer to read it as an Amazon Kindle e-book, you now have a way to do so. Book Video Trailer: https://youtu.be/yjJ8y-9OeDs Artwork: The book cover artwork was commissioned from Nathaniel Himawan. Nathaniel's ArtStation profile is listed below. https://www.artstation.com/ninesicks Editorial: If you're a new author like us and need help with editing, we strongly recommend - Val Serdy! Her editorial skills were pure magic, and she dramatically improved the quality of our story. Please note that we only hired her for developmental and line editing, so any typos are on us. Her contact is listed below. http://www.eggandfeather.com/contact.html Copyright � by Ash & Ivy. No part of this book may be reproduced, without the prior written permission of the authors.
95.21 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 15:21
QuiteTheSlacker | tragedy | Complete
This is the original first draft of Aegis in all its inexperienced glory. The pacing is a bit awkward, some dialogue is stiff, and everything is much less explained/detailed than the rewrite. Still, for those who wish to peruse my humble beginning as a writer, this draft will remain up for the more curious souls. If you would like to visit the rewrite, the link is here: Aegis Thank you to those who joined Aegis during its initial run. You gave me the motivation to keep on writing, and this series would not be the same without the valued feedback and encouragement I received from the kind people in this community. Regards, QuiteTheSlacker "Rise, my beloved. As you always have. As you always will." Humanity has always yearned to reach the Stars. It is an inevitable instinct, a deep-rooted desire that festers within them all. It is the realm of their creator, and where endless possibilities await them. But not all wish for humanity to ascend. A single being known as The Constellation has chained them to the earth since the world's beginning, an ever-vigilant warden shackled to the past. Its true origin and appearance remain a mystery for none that meet its gaze ever return to the realm of the living. Only a single entity has the ability to usurp The Constellation and guide humanity to the Stars above. They are humanity's hope, a blinding ray amongst the darkness, but their light has been snuffed out long ago. Now, humanity is doomed to stagnate amidst their fragmented land, nations waging war on each other in a desperate attempt to hold dominion over what little authority they have over the earth. One day, hope returns to the continent for their savior has finally returned. A baby boy bearing the mark of The Comet has been born somewhere in the world, and the various rulers that occupy the land are desperate to control the baby's power and use it for their own ambition. However, his birth also awakens the slumbering atrocity from its rest, ready to fulfill its duty as it has time and time again. O' child of the Stars: Shine bright, shine bright. Your journey shall be long and arduous, but this world will soon fall. Two choices lay before you: Rally humanity together and bring about an end to the age of fracture; Or burn the world to its very core, and from the ashes will rise a new beginning. Shine bright Aegis, for this is your story. Thank you so much to GabbieMok for the cover illustration! Their art is amazing, and I highly recommend them for anyone looking to get a cover for themselves! Here's a link below to their page. https://www.fiverr.com/gabbiemok https://www.deviantart.com/gabbiemok Here's a link to my patreon. If you'd like to support my work, then feel free to leave a tip! QuiteTheSlacker
94.41 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-21 15:20
Exterminatus | comedy | Complete
The universe was a vast, empty, dark, and uncaring place. Then life happened, and the universe was changed forever. Only a teeny-tiny bit, but definitely different. Then again, the universe changes a teeny-tiny bit every second of every day. For instance, if someone were to get off the couch and randomly drink a glass of milk? Bam! One less glass of milk in the universe. Changed forever. Well, excluding any time-travel shenanigans, but anyone who puts a big old hole in the time-space continuum just to un-drink a glass of milk should really reevaluate their priorities. Unless, of course, they were attempting to prevent some massive catastrophe vis-a-vis said glass of milk. Such a scenario is by no means impossible, as one should never underestimate the importance of calcium. Another important tip for any life forms out there is to keep things in perspective. Some look at the vastness of creation in relation to themselves and go, Man, this sucks!' These people really need to narrow their focus. Sure, they will never affect anything happening on the other end of the galaxy, but so what? That's way the heck over there, where it doesn't matter. Therefore, in order to maintain a healthy mindset, it is important to narrow one's perspective to the things and people that affect them, and that they can affect in turn. But what happens if one is an unfathomable cosmic being from beyond the veil of reality? What happens when such an existence is capable of influencing entire swathes of the universe just by its presence? A creature such as Magh'rathlak the Observer? That particular entity is only about average as far as reality-warping creatures from the dawn of time go, so its influence over the fabric of reality is rather limited. And it still struggles to keep things in perspective. That, among other things, is why it decided to narrow its worldview a bit by compressing the maddening vastness of its being into a single corporeal form. Magh'rathlak had never tried such a feat, but that wasn't about to stop it. After all, how hard could being human possibly be?
93.86 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 17:13
The Hawkshaw Inheritance is a completed story, with twenty chapters in total. For as long as almost anyone can remember, a small percentage of people have possessed fantastic gifts. Superhuman strength, speed, and smarts are just a few of the many such abilities on record. Some choose to exploit these powers for personal gain, but most use them for the benefit of their fellow man. Thanks to these people, who we call superheroes, the world is safe. The reality is a little more complicated. Most heroes are content to stop the supervillain and pose for the cameras. But it takes more than a few costumed cops and superpowered celebrities to save the world. Humanity is in danger from forces that ordinary heroes are woefully unequipped to handle. But neither they nor the public will ever be aware of the danger they are in, thanks to the efforts of the Council. For more than twenty years, the world's most powerful, influential, and intelligent metahumans have worked tirelessly in secret to protect the world, and subtly steer it on a better course. Six months ago, one of their number, the infamous vigilante detective known as Hawkshaw, disappeared without a trace. Now it falls to his protege to take up the mantle of Hawkshaw, learn the truth of his mentor's disappearance, and uncover the secrets of the most powerful people in the world... as well as what they're willing to do to keep those secrets buried.
93.76 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 12:10
