A seed of hope in a world of hate War rages as land runs out. Elves, Dwarves, Humans, and other races fight for control of the limited space they have. When a land mass suddenly appears out of nowhere, people flock to it, only to be caught up in its mysteries. Kaia, one of the last living members of the Treek race, heads to the new land to find others like herself and escape the war that surrounds her. With conflict at her back, and untamed wilderness ahead, she and the companions she makes discover the truths of the new land and themselves. Sprig was completed in November of 2022 and is now also available in Paperback, Hardcover, and eBook.
168.84 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:40
Meeting his fate at the hands of seven great heroes, the wicked drake now stands in Death's hall. Met with the Grim Reaper itself. Defeatedand its pride broken, the drake doesn’t beg or grovel, it simply awaits judgement. It waits for the God of the afterlife to send it on its way, to either the heights of bliss and peace or where it knew it would be sent. The depths of agony and torture, the halls of Tartarus, the father of monsters. Grim looked up from its oaken desk and down at the creature that would haveotherwise, if grown wiser and older, matched the reaper itself in power. Its faceless guise, hidden by a black hood and whirling shadows, it briefly stared at the drake. “You are unfit for the sky yet also too fit for the abyss,” Grim spoke, its voice a cracking whisper. “Your time came too soon, the actions you have taken will lead your world to ruin…Be reborn, pitiful serpent. Yet remember what you have done, see what your actions have made that realm into. Let me show you, how your greed and gluttony have warped such a wonderful place and time.” Grim raised its black-feathered pen towards the beast “Be reborn, as the weak pitiful creature you should have been born as. Take this both as a punishment and…a learning experience. For failure, can be the best teacher.” The drake took a step back, hoping to escape this cruel fate. Yet none escaped Death, less so its embodiment. Screaming shadows engulfed his form, ripping away at his body and shape. Fangs of darkness sinking deep into his draconic flesh, warping it, changing him into something else… Opening his eyes, the wicked drake felt none of its power, none of its magic and none of its might. As it stood at the edge of a cliff, looking down upon a ruined valley of rot and miasma. It glanced down at itself, seeing none of its sturdy scales or sharp claws. The drake had been reborn... As a Human. Will also be posting on CreativeNovels found here;CrN Where chapters will be posted earlier than RRL.
177.72 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:37
Eli Freysson | sci_fi | Complete
The Galactic Fringe is a deadly place. But as a fugitive from justice, Gaylen's options are limited. Now a dangerous gamble has earned him his own ship and a small crew. It's enough to survive, to stay mobile, from one trouble spot to another. Savage pirates, starport gangs and bounty hunters are dangerous enough, and now a brewing war threatens a new brand of chaos. Good thing he knows how to kick ass. Flights of the Addax is an action-packed sci-fi adventure saga. If you like Firefly, Han Solo, scrappy survivors on the edge of space, and lots of shooting and punching, you'll love this one.
154.83 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 18:30
Kaoseto | psychological | Complete
As a budding little necromancer, I soon discovered that the world of city people is complicated. When my master kicked me out of the cave, he warned me not to talk about my "dark" magic, because people here don't like the undead. I am not really an undead, I just have a skeleton hand, but it is better to be careful. Anyway, that's not my biggest worry. In the Black Dagger brotherhood, I learn a lot of things, such as illusionist magic, which turns out to be quite handy to survive in this maze of streets: in the Cat Quarter, we have thugs of all kinds that are best avoided. But we also have good people, goodhearted "gwaks", as we say around here. Little did I know that I would soon be caught up in an infamous traffic that would entangle my life even more. With a mix of lighthearted adventure and picaresque, this story narrates the hectic life of a good-spirited street child and his companions in a medieval urban fantasy setting with some nineteenth-century influences. Updates Mondays and Fridays. This is a Creative Commons By work. It is a translation of a trilogy I wrote in Spanish between 2017 and 2018.
187.81 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 12:09
PedroCorti | tragedy | Complete
Now available on Amazon for reading! This story narrates Adam's childhood in an exciting journey that immerses us in a dark and oppressive world. In this tale, Adam is an unfortunate child who has grown up in the shadows of his civilization, a society where slavery takes an unusual and suffocating form: the library. To earn the right to freedom, the inhabitants of this world, known as 'librarians,' must learn to read and master one of the countless languages that fill the endless floors of the infinite library, a skill that has become the only passport to emancipation and the key that unlocks the doors of freedom. Our protagonist, a brave and determined child, becomes the unexpected hero of this story. His journey begins with the determination to rescue his father from the chains that bind him to the library. As he ventures into this world filled with dangers and challenges, he embarks on an odyssey to master the language, the only path to his longed-for goal of liberation. Throughout the plot, Adam faces countless obstacles. From dangerous creatures guarding literary treasures to language keepers who will do the impossible to keep him in ignorance. Every page of his story is a chapter of courage and overcoming, where the protagonist demonstrates unwavering tenacity in his effort to learn to read and, in doing so, conquer his destiny. Let's say that our relationship is too complex to explain in a few words, but if you are interested in snooping into other people's lives, then I would be happy to tell you about my life. Nice to meet you, my name is Adam and this is my story. +)My name is Adam and this is my story. -) His name is Adam and this is his story. +)If his name was Adam, this would be his story. How irrelevant, right? They are all Adam and in all cases this is their story. +) The original novel is in Spanish, so keep in mind that the translation is amateur (Plese read the original with Google Translate, second edition) -->Old chapters +) The original Book It is finished and available on Amazon and here, so I am only doing the translation. However, when I publish it I will have it almost completely finished.
124.52 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 13:01
CoolDragonZae | sci_fi | Complete
Reality is a prison. Zero Space is the only way out. The Haven - a fortified skyscraper. It's humanity's last stand, and it won't be standing much longer. Jay might not live to see the end of the world. Not in his condition. He'd rather spend his remaining time playing a VR game called Zero Space. At least there, he can be a gun-toting bad-ass named Shae. But when Jay finds a forbidden new power, it reveals a secret side of Zero Space, filled with sentient AI, scheming monsters, and murderous players. Zero Space may be more than just a game. It could be the key to saving the world. Or ending it.
180.41 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 15:04
arianedartagnan | action | Complete
Slinking through the seedy underbelly of haunted, crime-ridden Doskvol, young Isha Yara juggles allegiances to two rival gangs while trying desperately to escape her family. Meanwhile, the part-demon Ashlyn Slane longs to rise in the cult of That Which Hungers. And as for Faith Karstas, she is bored. So, so bored. When Ash discovers that a gang leader needs help removing an enemy, he immediately recruits Isha and Faith. Together, the three form a crew of nameless assassins.... (A Blades in the Dark RPG adventure)
189.59 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 12:58
Elbowsnapper | action | Complete
Hisoka Higawara struggles to understand those around him, but he's learning quickly. One day, he makes friends with a girl named Nanami, and his life will never be the same. My Hero Academia. MHA. OC. Sand Manipulation Quirk. Complete. Revised, restructured and rebuilt from the ground up, Just Deserts gets a new coat of paint. Enjoy.
158.97 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-21 10:25
MichaelJSullivan | action | Complete
Royce Melborn (a cynical ex-assassin) and Hadrian Blackwater (an idealistic ex-mercenary) couldn't be more different from one another, but desperate times makes for strange partnerships and sometimes the best friendships are bound by blood - both theirs and those who dare to oppose them. New to Royal Road is two full-length published Riyria novels and one rough draft of a novel to be released next summer. Volume 1: THE DEATH OF DULGATH Three times they tried to kill her. Then a professional was hired. So was Riyria. When the last member of the oldest noble family in Avryn is targeted for assassination, Riyria is hired to foil the plot. Three years have passed since the war-weary ex-mercenary and the cynical ex-assassin joined forces to start life as rogues-for-hire. Things have gone well enough until they're asked to help prevent a murder. Now they must venture into an ancient corner of the world to save a mysterious woman who knows more about Royce than is safe and cares less about herself than is sane. Volume 2: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF WINTER'S DAUGHTER A daughter vanishes. Two rogues are paid a fortune to find her. It isn't enough. When the last member of the oldest noble family in Avryn is targeted for assassination, Riyria is hired to foil the plot. Three years have passed since the war-weary mercenary Hadrian and the cynical ex-assassin Royce joined forces to start life as rogues-for-hire. Things have gone well enough until they're asked to help prevent a murder. Now they must venture into an ancient corner of the world to save a mysterious woman who knows more about Royce than is safe and cares less about herself than is sane. Volume 3: DRUMINDOR He planned to obliterate an entire city. He thought no one could stop him. But he hadn't heard of Riyria. When a master-craftsmen dwarf is fired, he threatens retaliation. The rogues-for-hire known as Riyria are hired to find and stop him. Traveling to the paradise resort of Tur Del Fur, the two are granted a lavish allowance that, along with the easy job, promises to turn the trip into a vacation. Everything would have been perfect except that the disgruntled employee's last name is Berling and target of his wrath is the legendary towers of Drumindor. NOTE: A rough first draft version of Volume 3 was posted one chapter a day starting Nov 1 and the full work was posted on Dec 10. As noted when we started posting, this was only a temporary and the book was removed in January of 2023. This book will launch with a Kickstarter on 2/14/24. Once the book is finalized, it will be reposted on Royal Road. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michael j. Sulivan is a New York Times, USA Today, and Washington Post Bestselling author. He has published 19 novels across 4 series in his fantasy world of Elan: The Riyria Revelations (6 novels - completed series) | The Riyria Chronicles (4 novels - ongoing series) | Legends of the First Empire (6 novels - completed series) | The Rise and Fall (4 novels - completed series). He has nine Goodreads Choice Award nominations, and six of his published novels are Amazon Editor's Picks.The three free novels posted on Royal Road consist of nearly 380,000 words
125.17 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:00
cathfach | adventure | Complete
This is the tale of an epic battle between the embryo of a hero and the egg of a demon lord. Okay, so perhaps 'epic' is overselling it a bit, given that there are serious mobility issues on both sides of the conflict, but they're trying their best, bless them. Then perhaps it is the tale of a reincarnated magical girl lover, excited about finally living out her dreams of slaying evil with the powers of love and friendship? But again, the way a truck-wielding goddess interpreted her request to return her memories immediately after reincarnation rather too literally means that it'll be a long time before the frilly dress fits, and the demons don't seem to want to wait. Then it's the tale of a pair of new parents growing progressively more confused at the weird happenings around them, particularly when people start receiving involuntary flower-based makeovers? Of an unborn hero speedrunning the plot so efficiently that it'll all be over before she even gets around to being born? Yes, that one's more accurate. Also, some numbers go up, with accompanying dings. And one (highly important) number goes way down. This story was born as a complete joke on discord, out of someone complaining about womb arcs and how utterly ridiculous they were. I responded by threatening to write a story that was entirely womb arc. And then, because I'm a bit silly sometimes, I did. It's not pure skill grinding, though; I was nice enough to let her have some interaction with the real world. Nevertheless, at time of writing, I seem to be averaging two dings per chapter. Published here, Scribble Hub and patreon.
126.41 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:00
Benjamin Keyworth | contemporary | Complete
Definitive editions of Part 1 and 2 available in professionally narrated audiobook from Amazon. Get the audiobook! Get the ebook! Get the paperback! -- Matt Callaghan is in trouble. In a world where everyone has superpowers, he's got squat, and has spent the last five years faking being clairvoyant just to avoid getting caught. Unfortunately, Matt's lies have started to catch up to him, and when a desperate bluff backfires he'll need every ounce of cunning, conning and juvenile delinquency to stay undetected and alive. Jane Walkeristrouble. In a world where everyone is powerful, Jane stands alone and apart, hated for her ability to copy abilities and atrocities far beyond her control. But fate is a fickle friend, and a chance encounter soon finds Jane hurtling towards her lifelong dream - or prejudice, humiliation and a violent, painful death. Unbeknownst to them, Matt and Jane's paths are inextricably intertwined, and as each struggles to find their place an unseen force will draw them ever forward closer and closer to a secret whose existence threatens not just their lives, but the fate of the entire world. A loving homage to and twist on the superhero genre, Superworld is a fun, subversive story about identity, empathy, connection and courage which has been called "very entertaining and creative" and "an absolute pleasure" by readers, and "completely unreadable" by the author's blind grandfather.
146.93 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 15:36
MDW | psychological | Complete
[A failed Participant in the January 2023 Community Contest: I forgot to fill the form] The world ended. Bam! The Apocalypse opened the gates of Hell, demons killed everyone. Including me. But I got a second chance of life. Though it was as an apple. Which was eaten by a starving survivor, not that I fault them. But to toss my half-eaten core into a landfill? To add insult to injury, an earthquake brought the landfill and everything in it a mile underneath the earth. I guess I'm not in uncharted waters, because good luck finding any nearby. Not that it would matter. I am pretty sure the apple I was reincarnated as was a GMO hybrid whose potential to germinate was as stunted as the empathy of a corporation CEO. So there's that. Also, no sunlight. ** DING **SYSTEM INITIATION!Oh, for the love of all
120.15 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:57
Exterminatus | comedy | Complete
So let's say there's this girl. A young girl who happens to be a highly-trained, psionically-gifted, nanite-infused, genetically-enhanced and emotionally unstable assassin that doesn't know the concept of 'mercy' or 'holding back.' Let's say she and her imaginary friend miraculously pass through the borders of reality into an alternate universe, crash landing into a world of swords and magic aboarda starship full of high-tech wonders. Now, let'salso say the first person this borderline psychopathmeets happens to be her doppelganger - a highly gifted mage who happens to have a few problems of her own, like a bad temper or a bad habit of chronic self-delusion. With me so far? Good. Now,what's the on theagenda forthese two different people who happen to be the same person?Settle down, start a family and thoroughly enjoy life.Maybe get married and have some kids. How about befriending a violent alcoholic or defeatingan ancient evil being? Perhaps kill a few dragons and wreck a city along the way. Anything can happen around the city of Runetap, after all. It's a place where bizarre and strange things occur on an almost weekly basis. The people living there have long abandoned silly things like common sense or minding the details. Agiant flaming UFO streaksabove the city in broad daylight? That's just another Tuesday. The City Guard even had the form for that, so believe me when I say this. It's your loss if you mind it. This is the light-hearted and fluffy tale of Ellie and Kira as they forge their own path of absurdity and crazyness across a world that often makes little sense. Loosely inspired by the Discworld series of books by Terry Pratchett, even though the author hasn't actually read any of them. Contains yuri, mature themes and the author's personal views on several subjects. Explicit content is kept to a minimum.Does NOT contain slavery, rape, drugs or any other similarly heavy themes.
196.21 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 18:50
PeterRoberts | comedy | Complete
Konrad's brother was the hero of the valleys when he was chosen as the champion of the Father. Now Konrad has been chosen too, only his gods are slightly smaller, the smallest in fact. He's already got three gifts, two quests and he owes a favour to an old hermit. As soon as he buys his freedom he can set off adventuring - if he can find a sword. More Info about the book: CoSG is a slow-burn epic fantasy. The story starts off slowly, more like a slice of life than action-adventure, but it gets there. In this book you'll find magic, arcanists, witches, faelen realms, and champions of the gods (clerics) who maintain the power and status of their deities. The world is mostly light but there are touches of darkness our MC will have to wade through. Expect the MC to progress up from being low powered as he receives new abilities and skills from his gods in return for completing quests. He'll soon be swept up by forces beyond his control, but for now he's wide eyed and stepping out into the world. Update: book complete and ready to be enjoyed!
103.57 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 18:43
Macarthy. Black Hand of the Thieves Guild. Infamous and hated. Last night of the tournament, relaxing for a bit. Having some drinks to calm my nerves. Disguise ready to go, almost about time to start heading over. Sneak in while they're still fighting and get my hands on the grand prize. And, sure, the money's a factor, but money comes and money goes. Money ain't everything. The real reason for this? Revenge. Payback for them shutting down the guild, breaking us all up and carelessly wiping away all our years of sweat and blood. Looks like a good plan. Solid enough, at least. It shouldn't need to be said, but looks can be very deceiving. Even the best laid plans never really account for all of life's little twists. And afterwards? Kicked out, access revoked, but saved by a choice bit of foresight and managing to slink my way back in. And this, this absolutely doesn't need to be said, but they really didn't seem to like that. Not at all. So new face, new class, getting to start all over. At least a foot shorter and missing some important bits. No longer invisible, can't really do it, instead hiding in plain sight. Hopefully only a temporary situation, but the way things have been going? Not likely. ___ Draft done! Hope you enjoy.
196.71 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 18:10
Sophia Carpersanti | drama | Complete
* Know more about the books and read earlier releases on the official site: http://carpersanti.net/gaea/ * What would you do if in this world there was a Magic Spell able to make the one you love love you in return? And what would you do if,suddenly, what began as a joke, a mere expression of a hidden desire,awoke a dangerous and cruel creature determined to make you bend to his will? Mariane is a simple and introverted Human girl. Gabriel is a powerful Deiwos used to always get what he wants. And how can these two different existences, originated from such different worlds, ever hope to learn to live together, communicate and, who knows, even understand each other ...?
164.27 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 14:27
ThisAdamGuy | sci_fi | Complete
One year after Toke Gnasher, the infamous Juryokine, saved the city of Sorakines from his fallen hero, he and Zashiel are still on the run from a nationwide manhunt. Dubbed a terrorist by his own people and an unholy monster by Zashiel's, the two of them seek refuge in the neighboring country of Vlangur. There, they find work on the Seventh Swordfish, a floating circus with a mysterious ringleader. They aren't out of danger yet, though. Word of Toke's exploits has given rise to a cult with him as their guiding deity, and the vengeful Sorakine commander, Sir Klevon, has deployed a hunter more deadly than any they've faced before... Zashiel's sister.
135.15 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 14:32
mialbowy | historical | Complete
Ellie is excited to go to university and finally make friends after a difficult time at high school. However, she's a little worried when the book club has her read a really awful historical-fantasy story about what sixteen-year-old Eleanor gets up to at a "prep school" for the children of nobility. Still, she's hopeful since the other girls seem nice, and they surely want to make fun of the story, so she's in high spirits on her way to the meeting. Then she dies. Eleanor de Kent, beloved second daughter of a duke, slowly comes to terms with her memories of her past life as Ellieincluding that she's apparently the lead character from that book. Her childhood has its ups and downs, and loneliness seems to be inescapable. Now sixteen years old and attending the very school from the book Ellie had read, can she finally escape her fate and make friends?
196.47 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:16
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
Luminaeris | drama | Complete
A girl's luck changes when her world changes upon itself, sending her back and forth between a world she knows and another that shouldn't even exist. Working with her parallel self from that other world, the two must adjust to their alternate form when visiting the other's world, as they search for a way to escape the chains of misfortune they are bound to. While this story is the conclusion of the trilogy, it is also fully capable of standing alone in its own light, as the world of Celese itself is no longer a place the characters will be journeying through. However, the events of the story are a spoiler for all previous books, in case that matters to anyone. This book has an additional chapter after the final chapter that represents the trilogy conclusion, and should not be read until all three books are read first. Fortuna Verto continues the events of Essentia Animus to advance society into a sci-fi interpretation of Celese, bringing events to a distant world of another star. At the same time, events interpret a real-world advancement into a similar sci-fi age of another planet that shares Earth's galaxy, a planet that has also been linked by the Celesi Veil. English remains predominant in both worlds of the story, but the presence of both sides makes certain Aethyx terms stand out, while Earth-styled scientific terms will also stand in a powerful contrast. Instrumentation remains an important aspect of the Elemental Era, but the influence of the gift has grown distant after discovering the superiority of the elements. Harnessing the elements had eliminated some of the original limitations of instrumentation, allowing for a self-sustaining focal source that provides solutions to problems such as automation. This turns the development available from the previous modern-day sense of a fantasy to one that is deep-future. Finally, opening access to the passage across the veil will open this progress in comparison to a very similar deep-future parallel world without such fantasy elements, contrasting the laws of physics with the laws of elements in a convergence of time and space.
166.11 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 14:30