Wander West, in Shadow

CloverCloverClover | fantasy | Complete

BOOK 1 COMPLETED A young wizard journeys west, through dark forests and dangerous lands, searching for something. Accompanied by a wild witch who has secrets of her own, they come across terrible creatures, hauntings, cursed villages, and memories from their past. Who else will they meet along their journey, and to find what he is looking for, how far will the wizard have to wander west? NOTE: The above synopsis is intentionally written to be as spoiler-free as possible. If you would like a more in-detail synopsis, one that contains minor spoilers, please check out the "Synopsis" chapter at the beginning of this fiction. If you read and enjoy, please leave a rating or review! FORMERLY TITLED: THE GLIMMERLING This story was formerly titled "The Glimmerling", because the first part was a short story of that title; it has since been expanded upon, thus the title change. Chapters 1-8 (30k words) are the first 'arc', if you want to get a feel for the story. To give some context on the setting: Magic is a bit weaker in this story than you might be used to, and we start off following some relatively new magic users. For some perspective, being able to light a campfire with magic is considered relatively advanced for someone who is the age of the main character. Magic can become very powerful - and there are some examples of powerful wizards within this story - but it's not where the main characters are yet. Part of the story is about following them as they learn more about magic. Enemies are also very dangerous, and running, hiding, or trying to talk their way out of a dangerous situation is often a better choice than fighting for the characters. While I have added tags for traumatizing content, sexuality, violence, swearing, etc. I try to avoid super-explicit descriptions of these things. But they are part of the story.

228.02 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-11 11:12

The Lions of Dawrtaine

Samer Rabadi (aka 3seed) | historical | Complete

Hallon Nilsdotter was born in 1268 and trained in the magics of the shamans of old Sweden. Now, in 1924, she hunts for the Calamity, a prophesied disaster. Along with her spirit allies and the young scientist Milo Rabbit, Hallon forces open a tear in the boundary of their universe to travel to another. An old war has ruined this land, breaking its weather systems, and a new war is brewing between the Untainted and those who show strange mutations. On the run after being identified as abnormal, Hallon and Milo must navigate this new world of machine guns, gas attacks, and fallen spirits. All the while, the Calamity looms over them. ----- The book is complete at 46 chapters, although I may revisit with short stories in the future.

66.65 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:04

Sorcery in Boston

rubycona | historical | Complete

The timid daughter of some of the greatest spellcasters ever to have lived has found herself in another world, courtesy of magic gone awry. In Boston, Massachusetts, in the year 1935, she finds some kind souls in a hard era. In the heart of the Great Depression, as war looms around the corner, she seeks to find her place, and must come to terms with both who she is and what she truly desires. Author's Notes: This story is only sort of complete. There are issues with it and I'm intending to do massive edits to the whole story. I think I'll fix them privately, and then update the RR version all at once. Once the rework is completed, I can start on the second book, though that might be a while. Audience: This story is not for young children - it contains some profanity, sexual content, violence, gore, and significant adult themes. Most of these are handled delicately enough not to upset teens or adults (hopefully), hence the lack of relevant tags, but it is nonetheless unsuitable for youth. It's fairly slow paced, and focused on the development of very human, very flawed individuals. Length / Completion Estimates: The outline currently involves two books. I expect to move on to the far-more-lighthearted Of Gods and Dungeons (currently in progress / on hiatus). Afterwards, I may decide to write Book 2, or actually start sharing the story most dear to me, that I've been working on for several years now. Draft 1:Please be aware that this is first draft material. I do intend to come back to do a second draft after the story is complete. If anyone notices any issues whatsoever with the story, please let me know (pm, etc) so that I can improve the second draft. Writer's Pledge:I've taken theWriter's Pledge, meaning I'm commiting to completing this story. I'm a proud member of WriTE, a group dedicated to finishing stories. I fulfilled the oath :) Behind the Scenes notes: This picture was commissioned from an inked artist by the name of DanP. Up until the time of the protagonist's arrival, history has proceeded as before. Some places andcharacters have been borrowed from wikipedia entries of interesting figures from the time. I will make note in the chapter comments when such things come up. Naturally, I'vetaken a great deal of liberty with them. In interest of respecting individuals, I've either attempted to portray them as accurately as possible, or modified them sufficiently enough that they're simply an inspiration, instead of a real portrayal. I've attempted to be as accurate to the era as possible, but I'm not a historian. If you're aware of inaccuracies, please, bring them to my attention so that I can correct them.

138.32 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:09

Dig Two Graves—A Japanese Historical Fantasy

DCHaru | historical | Complete

In 12th century Japan, Yoshi, a down-at-the-heels bushi, agrees to do a "small favor" for Surei, his estranged lover. This embroils Yoshi and Surei into a deadly conspiracy for control of the Chrysanthemum Throne. Can Surei and Yoshi put aside their differences and come together to survive traitorous retired emperors, powerful yin-yang sorcerers, deadly shape changers, and vengeful spirits?

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

The Unexpected Engagement of the Marvelous Mr. Penn

rkgoff | historical | Complete

In May, 1899, a hundred and fifty unassuming envelopes are delivered to households across the city. Most of them will be picked up by butlers and carried on silver trays to their recipients. All of them contain invitations to the wedding of Lady Eleanor Serrs to Mr. Ryce Penn. When the newspapers hear about it, they start buzzing. Who can blame them? This would be the wedding of the century! She's the daughter of Duke Erravold Aubrey-Serrs, and the Marvelous Mr. Penn is one of the most famous men in the country. But Penn is famous for being the city's most notorious thief. He's an unrepentant attention-seeker with a taste for gems and danger. And Eleanor swears that she's never met him. Chief Inspector Lucas Haley, Penn's long-time nemesis, is called in to protect the Aubrey-Serrs family and try to figure out what the master thief is planning. He'll need all his experience and tenacity for this case, as it quickly becomes obvious more is at stake than the reputation of an innocent woman.

55.02 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:15

It's a Reincarnation of the Reincarnator (Book I)

Suzannaslanderz | historical | Complete

(This story will not be written in a third-person descriptor, it will be written using First Person Pronouns.) Sorry if this is not your cup of tea. When referring to oneself in ancient China, people avoided first-person pronouns ("I", "me", "we", and "us"). Instead, a third-person descriptor was used, which varied according to the situation. Lu Tian Qu is an extremely fickle person. She is so fickle it took her 11 years to graduate from college because she changed her major four times. (And that doesn't include the breaks she took in between.) She went to sleep, the same as any other night. However, when she woke up she was in the body of a 13 years old girl who was also named Lu Tian Qu. The original body owner had reincarnated back to the age of 13 after being exiled in the furthest corner of the Lu compound and forgotten for 29 silent sad years. She died falling to her death trying to escape by climbing over the wall after her reincarnation. Come join Lu Tian Qu on an escape as she to figure out what to do with her life all over again. T/N: I am a new writer with horrible grammar and spelling. English is not my first language. So please excuse the horrible grammar spelling, plot holes, etc. Thank you for showing interest.

170.31 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:32

5 Threads of Fate

HWPerfidy | historical | Complete

Lin is a Weaver of Fate, someone who can see and weave the Threads of Fate. Her family had always cautioned her to be aware of the boundaries her role imposes upon her, to know that she is merely to watch and witness all that happens. But Lin is not convinced. She will do all she can to write a shining legacy, no matter what Fate has to say about it. (Community magazine contest submission)

9.02 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:20

The Hollowing: A Post-Apocalyptic Adventure

mneue | horror | Complete

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

An Unwilling Monster

cathfach | horror | Complete

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

Curse of the Forsaken

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

The Tutorial Is [Way] Too Hard

Palt | horror | Complete

[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

Monsters Dwell in Men

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

[OLD VERSION] Netherborne Book 2

XKARNATION | horror | Complete

Book one of this novel is being reuploaded after a round of professional editing: Here Victor awakens in a new world with a body taller than the trees, composed of pure darkness and far too many eyes. He had become a Netherborne, a legendary creature from the void that does not tire nor die. Instead, they consume all that lives until there is no more. Legends say when a Netherborne is summoned to the mortal plane, civilizations that stood for centuries are toppled overnight while their nobles evacuate to the seas. As a being from the void, the world fights his existence. However, resistance is futilethe prey can only run. But what happens when a human mind inhabits such a creature? Does only destruction await, or will there be a new age of civilization? Victor is about to find out. [Kingdom Building] [OP Undead MC] [Isekai] [Strong to Stronger]

69.53 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:39

I Was a Teenage Necromancer

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

A Lonely Dungeon

cathfach | mystery | Complete

When a new dungeon is born, it wants nothing more than to have the most vicious monsters, the most cunning traps and the most shiny of loot. There is only one problem, but it's a rather big one; it finished its first floor years ago, but it still hasn't been visited by any adventurers! In order to find someone or something to explore its floors, or perhaps just to find someone to talk to, this dungeon will have to go way off script. But it soon discovers that going off script brings problems of its own, and that adventurers are not the only thing this world is missing. A shortish story about a dungeon's journey of exploration and self-discovery in a devastated world. Cover made (poorly) with POV-Ray. Prequel to An Unbound Soul Published here, scribblehub and amazon.

36.47 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:37

Flight of a Villainess

cathfach | mystery | Complete

Few people are purely evil or good. Everyone has their own desires and their own principles guiding what they are prepared to do to achieve those desires. A duke who wants to expand the influence of his house, his wife who is fiercely loyal to her friends, and their child who just wants some comfortable clothes. The queen who wants what's best for the kingdom, the king who wants what's best for his family and a prince with an inferiority complex. Even if everyone acts in a way they deem 'correct', sometimes people can still get hurt. This was the first story I finished writing, although not the first I posted. It's a very short (11k word) story about a 'villainess' who just wants to get away from it all. Only posted on scribblehub and royalroad. Cover image is from the graphics fairy.

6.62 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:39

An Unwavering Craftsman

cathfach | mystery | Complete

Given the hereditary nature of classes, everyone expects Damienthe child of two high-tiered adventurersto be granted a high-tier combat class of his own. Expectations are betrayed, however, when Damien finds himself instead saddled with a crafting class of the lowest possible tier: [Neophyte Tailor]. Left practically crippled compared to those with better classes, Damien wants to avoid becoming a pawn in the machinations of the nobility, desiring only to grind his level in peace while wondering why the usual rules of inheritance were broken. Was it his desire to excel by his own effort, rather than an unearned blessing from a god? Did the Five take offence at his opinions on the unfairness of hereditary classes? Or maybe it was something to do with the alien voice that intruded on his ceremony? A voice that offers great power, and freedom from the tyranny of the Five, but that never names its price. This story is litRPG-lite. While the class someone possesses controls most of their lives, people don't get dinged at for every level they gain, nor can they see their status without undergoing a special ritual. The MC has no romantic interest. Crafting is merely a way to game the system, and doesn't feature heavily in the story, aside from a few descriptions on how they're carrying out the system abuse. There is, on one unfortunate occasion, maths. The pace is quick. Published here, Scribble Hub and patreon. This was a participant in the Spring 2022 writathon. (i.e. it was posted as-written at high speed, with no pre-planning.)

67.60 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:49

Imaginings

parkertallan | mystery | Complete

When you let the mind wander, there's no telling where it's going to end up. This collection of short stories is the fruit of that wanderlust. Science fiction, mystery, and even a fairy tale can be found here, each with it's own subtle twist and an undercurrent of humor. Your imagination can take you anywhere. Start your wanderings here. This short story collection is now complete.

24.97 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-11 14:00

Hyperstitious

Doctor Zero | mystery | Complete

Xan is the world's most dangerous criminal mastermind. He's also in hiding and completely broke. That's fine. He's between master plans. It's normal to be at rock bottom between master plans. He also forgets stuff and may be trapped in a dream. Because at night, Xan thinks he's an old lady, trapped in a dingy apartment, by an angry fellow who wants to kill her. Not her idea of a good time, but she's keeping an open mind. It is excitingly visceral. Could turn out awesome. Hyperstitiousis a sci-fi, progression, comedy. Guaranteed to cause more mental problems than it solves.

36.21 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:50

Mirror Murder Mystery [System LitRPG]

noct | mystery | Complete

After Harold, ex-[Hero], dies mysteriously in a locked room, it's up to the world's only [Detective] to solve the mystery. The prime suspect is a mirror, but everyone knows mirrors can't eat people! ...Right? A murder mystery done LitRPG style! [RRM Contest June '23 3rd place]

11.60 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:48