In a world of sky islands orbiting around a core of mist, humanity is besieged with countless threats. When a young girl from the slums unwittingly becomes one of those threats, she finds herself capable of horrific things that she can't help but learn to love... Vigor Mortis is a lighthearted story about existential terror. Come for the horror, stay for the hope. Updates Fridays. Enjoy the read!
456.61 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:39
The dead have never been so alive. After a deadly contagion reduced the world's population into mindless, undead cannibals, the ruins of America still teem with activity, as some of the dead have regained their intelligence and created their own society; one free from the living's touch. Now, more than a decade later, survivalist extraordinaire Liam Fenix seeks to reunite with his family after undertaking a harrowing escape from the uninhabited island that has been his prison, only to discover that he is the sole survivor of the civilization he left behind. He is not alone, however, as undead bounty hunter Leah believes that Liam holds the key to reversing the pandemic that created her race. Armed with their survivalist expertise and following traces of the past, the two must traverse the wastelands together and bring back life to an otherwise dead world, even as they are pursued by a tyrant who does not want this plague to end. **This series is tagged as Multiple Leads because it contains multiple POVs throughout. **These stories are styled as if they were a set of paperback novels being released concurrently as opposed to a weekly web serial. Some sections may have wonky pacing as a result.
150.17 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-13 16:35
In the city of Kholakel, the highlight of the year for the upper classes is the annual monster pacification of the misty woods. Ostensibly it's a culling of the monster population to prevent them encroaching on urban areas, but it's an open secret that it's actually treated as more of a blood sport, the participants competing to score the most kills. After all, why else would the politicians and elites of the city bother to attend personally? Given the intense competition and high-tech weapons and gear in use, one might wonder how the forest has not yet been completely depopulated. As this year's culling approaches, a group of unfortunate children are about to discover the answer first-hand, but thanks to an unexpected twist of fate, one of them will score the chance to play the role of the hunter instead of the prey. This was an attempt at writing something darker than my usual fare. The story I actually ended up with isn't as mean to the MC as I'd originally planned out, to the point that I'm not sure the story deserves the horror/grimdark tags anymore, but this is still an unfair world with unambiguously evil antagonists. Chapters are short to start with, but get longer once the first act is over. Published here and Scribble Hub.
34.37 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-11 16:03
Jade Dragon | horror | Complete
The betrayal and murder of a wise king chosen by the gods condemns all of mankind in the world of Althos to pending extinction at the hands of a terrible curse. Abandoned by the Gods, Fate and Hope, humanity descends into madness and immorality. Now, with most of humanity living as slaves of other races and the great human kingdom but a memory in legend, the scattered remains of the free humans cling desperately to a life worse then death. Prophecy spoke of their redemption and salvation, but as the years grind past, and humanity fades away, no sign of salvation appears. Unable to wait any longer, the last dregs of a once great people attempt to ignite prophecy on their own by summoning a young man against his will from modern day earth. Their goal is to coerced the young man into a fight for the survival of mankind in a fantasy world which is not his home. Unable to speak the language, not trained in the ways of combat, will he put his life on the line for these people who kidnapped him, or will he leave them to their fate? Surrounded by a human race warped by crushing poverty, desperation, and immorality, can he survive without losing his dignity and morality? With prophecy involved does he have a choice? Warning: Tagged 18+-this work contains mature scenes involving sexual content, torture, foul language, death, slavery, rape, cannibalism and horror. I apologize beforehand and suggest that you not read if you are offended by any of these topics. ***THIS IS THE FIRST BOOK IN A TRILOGY, THIS BOOK IS DONE AS OF 11/6/16; THE SECOND BOOK WILL BE POSTED IN JAN OR FEB 2017***
62.83 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 18:12
[This is a reimagining of the story The Tutorial is Too Hard by Gandara.] On New Year's Eve, Lee Ho-Jae decides that he wants to die. The universe seems to hear him for the first time in his entire life, and just as the clock hits 00:00, a message pops up inviting him to the Tutorial. Lee Ho-Jae accepts. But at the prompt to choose the difficulty level, is there anything the former pro gamer can do but pick the very hardest--appropriately titled Hell? And so begins Ho-Jae's true descent into Hell in every conceivable form, thrusting him into a world where pain is the currency needed to gain power, and the only ally he has is his own flesh and blood. It doesn't take much for the human mind to crack and crumble, but to build it up again is even harder. In the spiral of white madness that Ho-Jae finds himself tumbling into, will a hand reach towards him and pull him out, or will he just drag them down with them? [This version of the story has now been concluded; the story continues in "A Gamer's Guide to Beating the Tutorial" from the same chapter as it ended from] This story is loosely based on the concept and story by Gandara, but is apart from the setting and name of the main character different on almost every conceivable level. You do not need to read the original story to read this, and doing so will change very little of your experience with the story. It is almost recommended not to read the original if you enjoyed this one since the original has a vastly more lighthearted tone in comparison. Thank you, and I hope you'll enjoy the story!
138.19 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:40
Monsoon117 | horror | Complete
There once was a world formed by a god known as Gaia. She filled the seas and crafted the skies. She dominated her world with a fist of iron and ice. That is, until the Darkened One came. Born a mere man, The Darkened One traveled across the land like a plague, tearing Gaia's control away. In his legends, he stood tall and towering with skin gray as ash. If you defied him, he would eat your flesh from your bones, savoring your screams. He killed kings, brought nightmares to life, and devoured the remnants of Gaia. His legend will be told throughout time. Care to hear of it? Here is the sequel: Jehovah's Harmony Here is my other fiction: Biomancer: Songs of Sirens Proud initiate of The Order of Phantasmal Architects. A group of authors of quality original fiction. See link for other great works though not as good as mine...jk
115.78 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:33
Dreadwizard Siegfried | horror | Complete
Craven Falls has a serial killer stalking the streets. Amber should know, she's the latest victim. Dead but not gone, her ghost settles in to haunt the cemetery when the literal chance of a lifetime comes by in the middle of the night: a classmate of hers, Scott Havenbrook. Showing up with a shovel, it turns out he's a practitioner of the mystical art of necromancy, and can revive her-for a price. But before he can, they must find the killer in order to put everything right, while a sinister plot takes shape in the darkness. Can they save her before it's too late?
47.38 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:35
Black Iron & Cinder is complete and will no longer be updated except for important announcements. If you're interested, consider purchasing the published version on Amazon, which is a brand new revision with error fixes and approximately 2000 more words in length. Also, please check out my newest fiction, The Wolf of Asano. Six months ago, a colorlessmiasma swept across the entire northern section of the continent of Yhordran, creating a vast army of undead that lurks within its boundaries. In an attempt to encourage citizens to help restore order, the crown creates a public organization called the "Mistwalkers", made of individuals who register to venture into the mysterious fog to discover and stop its source. A foreign knight in self-exile from his home is one of those Mistwalkers, and on a desperate journey for meaning, he steps into the grey abyss with the company of Yhordran natives to make his way 400 miles north to reach the plague's epicenter.
92.72 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:53
Dreiki has a promise.His lowborn mother walks the path towards nobility as a Venator Knight. The day he turned ten, his mother was called upon to rejoin the battlefield. Before leaving, she warned Dreiki never to show anyone the brand on his shoulder especiallya noble.He promised he'd survive until she got back, but a shadowy pursuer has other plans.Kaara has a curse. Everyone sees Kaara as an energetic and helpful child. No one, not even Kaara, would've suspected she'd been cursed from birth. But one night, Kaara overheard the truth. Horrid monsters are drawn to her, bringing chaos and death with them.If she told anyone about her curse, would they see her differently?Amaro has a burden.The scar across his nose is lauded among other xiozians as a badge of honor. But to him, it's a reminder of the day his father stopped being his father to become 'Duke Xirxus'. As the eldest child, any sign of weakness means war for his family. Amaro's future is a path bathed in bloody conflict and sacrifice.And Amaro doesn't wish to walk it any farther.-----------------------------------------------------------New Chapters posted daily at 6:07PM CST!I also want to thank everyone for the support and kind words. Even if this book is incomplete in a lot of ways, I'm happy the story is resonating with everyone. If you guys wanna go above and beyond to help me out and support me, all I ask is that you share this book with other people and give it the rating you feel it deserves.Feedback is always welcome too. I plan on using the feedback to create a more finalized draft for a potential audiobook or EBook. I don't think anything so unfinished as this web novel should be paid for, but it would be a dream come true if I could eventually make a living off of my writing and share my story with the world. So in the end, your feedback and sharing this story with people helps me get closer to that goal.Thanks again for the support!
180.46 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 12:11
LC Oakleigh | horror | Complete
Bertand, a young soldier in the Francia army suspects foul play from the Collation when unreliable reports come in about the eastern regions of the Francia Conglomerate being under assault by an undying enemy. Dispatched there alongside two entire legions to eliminate the threat, he will have to use every ounce of his wits and willpower to survive the upcoming storm of carnage and chaos. --------------------------------------------------------------------- [participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge] started decently late so will be uploading every time I make a new chapter, so roughly every day. I don't quite know if my story is gory but I still put the tag just in case Cover courtesy of FabioKun Also my grammar does get better. At about chapter 10 I figure out how tenses work which is nice. Also around chapter 35 I actually get a pretty awesome proof reader and now spend around an hour for editing. So it does get better I promise
41.11 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:56
Once upon a time, there lived an ordinary man. He lived among us, maybe some of you even knew him. And then he died. Explosive rounds shot to the chest aren't very good for your health. His body was buried, his brain preserved. Three centuries have passed. Our descendants discovered the old refrigerator with the brains of their ancestors, took our hero out of the ice, digitizing his persona, and implanting him into a videogame.Little did they know that they fulfilled the terms of a contract to their demise. Because Fillin doesn't intend to spend an eternity in this digital playground even if though there's no difference from the real world.But the only way he can return to reality is to become God in the game. And so our hero sets foot on the Path of the Gods, ignoring the facts that he is followed by a walking nightmare named FreakHead, that the skies mock his every step and that anyone who looks upon him sees the title "Bringer of Chaos."
7.96 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:52
A team of bioengineering specialists has been sent to a secret location managed by the mysterious political power known only as the Coalition to develop new technologies in the fields of biological and cybernetic warfare. Just when it seems like they are about to make the breakthrough of the century, the lab goes dark. Join the cleanup crew as they force their way back into the complex and investigate what went wrong, and uncover something that could change the way humans interact forever...
43.43 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:59
GhostImageArt | horror | Complete
Dave is not a happy man, But he is a man with a plan. After many years working as a Janitor in the College of Magic, he is finally ready to seize his destiny and become a mage. He has the knowledge he has overheard as he worked and a forbidden object as his focus... but that has to be enough. Who cares if his focus is a mirror? After all... Mirrors can't eat people.
5.61 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 18:19
Lack of Poochline | horror | Complete
My dear friend, I have sent you a transcript of a most curious find I bought from a street peddler. In this package you may find a weird, dateless diary where the most lively and mad servant of "Lady Scarlet" details his day to day working in her impossible palace: organizing balls that have a gender, using valuable wine to water the garden, and in general being at her beck and call. But soon after he started writing, he began to notice foreign messages were being written in it by a vandal: "Pierce the heart with the sword of gold! Set it ablaze and sear the wound with the blade! Kill the dragon, Francisco! Kill the dragon before it gets you again, before it consumes you." Armed only with his holy sword and the magic he learned before becoming a butler, he sets out to find who this individual is, what he wants, and which dragon they refer to, as such beasts were seemingly not allowed into the realm of Lady Scarlet. I hope you enjoy this find, and even if you don't, appreciate my work transcribing the pages, molded, stained with, or written in, blood.(This story is a Writathon project.)
30.62 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:46
The only thing scarier than being alone in the dark, is not being alone in the dark. Alice had always been good at keeping secrets. However, when a young man mysteriously disappears, a catastrophic series of events are triggered, threatening to upend Alice's seemingly quiet life. Haunting memories of her past threaten to make themselves known. A childhood protector turns predator, threatening to defend her from all threats No matter the cost. Can she navigate the dangers of the unpredictable present? More importantly, is her secret worth dying for?
21.53 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:48
In order for Alyssa to survive the Zombie Apocalypse, she was going to have to trust another kind of monster.
48.82 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:51
NolanConrey | horror | Complete
The Sapient Union city-ship Craton, twenty-five light years out from Sol have an encounter with a terrifying life-form. The giant entity, known as a Leviathan, has been asleep for deep ages of time, but now . . . they may have woken it up. Other-Terrestrial is a hard sci-fi story with cosmic horror elements.
15.57 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:53
The water level of Ystets Lake is rising without explanation. Maxie the hydrologist and her thrill-seeking companion are out to investigate; they've come prepared for the man-eating aliens in the surrounding forest, but what they aren't ready for is the lake itself. Also in the AUU-16 universe: Soulless (Apparently) The Departure Night Game Ystets Lake
7.83 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:53
The world is different now. Darker. Much has become a desert, permanently poisoned by radioactive fallout. Nature has reclaimed the rest. Humanity endures, barely, in underground refuges and fortified city-states. It is a time of great hardship. As if that wasn't enough, mankind is now beset by a new horror. Witches. Twisted beings of unimaginable power, these fell creatures stalk the night, preying upon the battered remnants of humanity. Only one mysterious organization has the will to defy their unnatural menace. They are the protectors of the righteous. They are the arbiters of justice. They are the Inquisition. Chief amongst these Holy Crusaders is Inquisitor-Brother Frederick Konstantin. This is the story of his fall.
42.27 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 18:50
Balance is everything. Where the village ends, the rainforest begins, and while children whisper legends of impossible places and heroes, the villagers know there is nothing outside except the trees and what creeps between them. The dark and the creatures it hides have never entered the village, not while sacred spirits, the anki, protect it. With his father's body wrapped and laid in the funeral clearing, Talon wants only to get back to his crops, his wife and two children, Sosa and Halo but the bronze spear hidden in his father's hut is a complication he could do without. Metal is rare, and hoarding it forbidden, but that's the least of Talon's worries. The appearance of a young boy, stained with red dye, who crashes from the trees and collapses at Sosa's feet, could threaten the delicate balance, and Talon's decision to protect him will have consequences for his family; perhaps the whole village. Talon and Sosa are about to be drawn into an adventure which, like many others, is full of heroes and claws and teeth. What those legends rarely say is how much those claws can hurt. Talon and Sosa's legend does. Warning: There is some gore and violence in this book but not an excessive amount. It's carefully placed, but it is there, just so you know!
74.39 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-21 18:42
