A World of Monsters

Ankur_93 | horror | Complete

From a sundered Universe, a Sorceress is made to reborn. But a human, the Sorceress is no more. Born an insect, a vermin with a mere 90 days of life, the Sorceress seeks reasons to live. Suffering the curse of unending starvation, the Sorceress must ceaselessly eat or die.Meanwhile, Kiran leaves his home to defy mediocrity.Named after the hope he represents, he seeks a [Class] so austere that hundreds fail in their search.Yet, before this [Class] even the Gods bow their heads in respect. P.S. This is NOT a number-crunching LitRPG. The System is an add-on, not the story itself. Also known as I Reincarnated as an Immortal Caterpillar, the story follows a monster and humans in a system word with a Buddhist/Hindu philosophy. The System is especially influenced by this philosophy. Cover by the ever so awesome Jefferymoonworm Warning! Not for trauma survivors.

114.71 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:56

Other-Terrestrial Episode 1 - "Leviathan"

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

Alien: Tribulation

Narayan | horror | Complete

The Year is 2183, four years after the tragedy at Hadley's Hope on LV-426. On the edge of theOuter Rim Territories, residents of an aging and outmoded sister-station to Sevastopol are embroiled in crisis. Socioeconomic, corporate and political considerations aside, the true threat to Ashkelon Station are dark secrets taking shape as Xenomorphs. Reese Castle and Wade Barrett are partners in crime, smugglers posing as spacecraft repair technicians until they can manage to steal their ship back. Weyland Yutani terminated their lease for the USCSS Casimir, an old M-Class Bison starfreighter, but they'll be damned if they let it get away so easily. A space truckers ship is their home and they're keen to leave the station while they still can. As a series of unfortunate events create a perfect maelstrom of chaos, death and upheaval, Agent Shella Roodt of the Interstellar Commerce Commission (by extension an entity of Weyland Yutani) and Chief Colonial Marshal John Coffee have a mandate to investigate wrongdoing and save lives. When they come face-to-face with the monsters however, there will be only one outcome. A final tribulation of survival of the fittest.

77.15 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 14:40

OMEGA

Lyrecius Pytronx (LP) | horror | Complete

Emma Stone: The Protagonist of OMEGAEmma Stone stands as the central figure in OMEGA, and her lineage traces back to the great immortal Dracula, the sole supernatural to attain the coveted status of an OMEGA. Endowed with the comprehensive abilities of various supernaturals, Emma bears the weighty responsibility of a singular mission  to forge peace among the diverse colonies and clans.In her pursuit of peace, Emma encounters formidable adversaries seeking to seize what she uniquely possesses, even as she endeavors to champion the greater good for all. Synopsis: A World in TurmoilFor centuries, supernaturals and mortals coexisted, forming an alliance to combat the looming threat known as the IMPERISHABLES. Dracula, patriarch of all vampires and the immortal realm, made the ultimate sacrifice, ushering in an era of peace that endured for five centuries. Yet, the echoes of conflict reverberated anew among the supernaturals, leading to a war that fractured their unity and power. Amidst this discord, factions emerged, dividing the supernaturals into colonies and clans, where the insidious allure of absolute power continued to sow corruption. Content Warning: A Tale of StrifeReaders delving into OMEGA should be prepared for chapters that vividly depict violence, touch upon themes of sexism, and include elements of LGBTQ representation. These facets, while integral to the narrative, may be unsettling for some readers.

35.11 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 17:29

Vigor Mortis

Thundamoo | horror | Complete

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 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

Ystets Lake

Illhark | horror | Complete

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 15th Apocrypha

S.nuffles | horror | Complete

Detective Constable Walker is tasked with following the investigation of a recently deceased oxford academic. However as he unravels the mystery, he finds it to not be entirely human. *** Won the Short Story competition for my year, so I thought it would be worth sharing. If it seems rushed, there was a 1500 word limit. Thanks. And yes, I like the Weeknd if you couldn't tell.

0.90 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 11:57

Night Stalker - A Tome of Bill Adventure

rickgualtieri | horror | Complete

BEFORE HE WAS TRYING TO SAVE THE WORLD, HE JUST WANTED TO SAVE HIS OWN ASS. Bill Ryder has a problem: the vampires under his rule don't respect him. Unfortunately, in the world of the supernatural, that makes him as good as dead. In order to keep breathing, Bill must become someone else &somethingelse. Enter the Night Stalker, fearsome predator of the undead. In this menacing new guise, Bill hopes to strike terror into the hearts of his detractors. There's only one small issue  reading about superheroes and actually becoming one are completely different things. Bill must take a crash course in all things vigilante. Because if he can't convince his coven they need him, his tenure as an immortal creature of the night will be mighty short indeed. -------- Series note: This novella takes places betweenBill The VampireandScary Dead Things (The Tome of Bill - 2) New chapters posted on M-W-F

15.97 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 18:26

Rambling Doom

fsarbolaez | horror | Complete

While checking for squatters in an abandoned building marked for demolition, the contractors found a room containing the body of a missing tech entrepreneur, who appeared to have died of natural causes. When authorities were investigating the room, they noticed that the walls were covered in scribblings, scrawls, and old headlines. According to forensics and detective work, the following are all in chronological order:... *A one-shot story (Content Warning: Contains gore and body horror)

0.55 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 14:33

Wander West, in Shadow

CloverCloverClover | horror | 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.

228.03 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:26

Palus Somni

Ohmwu | horror | Complete

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

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

A Stirring at the Ridge

Solus-Solace | horror | Complete

A new dawn is on the horizon for the land of 揲rge. The cult of Irka has found a means to quickly expel the blight that devastated the land, many generations ago. With the power of the St閗kr trees, great hosts of immense spiritual energy, the cult shall send their witches into dangerous regions still beset with blight where they will attempt to purify the land. While many of these regions are only slightly blighted, others are steeped in a miasma powerful enough to ruin the body and drive the mind to madness. Summoned by the high king to guide a witch through the deadly wilderness, the ranger captain G髍in arrives in the city of Elbregn, where another secret and urgent mission awaits him... ------------- Cover artwork made by Wong40k

40.19 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:50

The Departure

Illhark | horror | Complete

Within the enigmatic Illian Cluster, a hungry creature named Zev prepares to depart from the space station for good, content to go wherever the cosmos might lead them. When they arrive on planet Hallow, they set a chain of events in motion that will change countless lives, human and otherwise. Also in the AUU-16 universe: Soulless (Apparently) The Departure  Night Game  Ystets Lake

17.21 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:57

Godpunk: A Tale of Swords, Sorcery, and the No-Good Journalist Who Saw It All

BillyHiggins | horror | Complete

The world is ending, and it's all George's fault. Can the ace reporter figure out who's trying to kill the universe? Can he deal with the metal dragon, Death Cult, and Angel of Death he meets along the way? It doesn't matter, if he doesn't care. It doesn't matter if he gives up on the world.

47.45 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:52

Acquired Taste

Random Mudkip | horror | Complete

A coven of vampires is investigated by a hapless FBI agent. Trigger Warning: Contains gratuitious violence and foul language.

3.21 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-21 18:38

The Main Character Legendary Origin Stories: Broad-Spectrum Assassin

Of The Exps Author | horror | Complete

The story of a quirky assassin's shadowed past, his transformation into an other-worldly being and his adventure as the father of a guardian angel.Predates the events of The Main Character!: The Hero's Epic Journey Begins! and Guardian Angel.

54.14 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 17:15

Bitterness, Pity, and a Snowglobe

Fay Voss | horror | Complete

Tragic literary horror originally written for a contest. Written in 2nd person.

0.45 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 11:56

Recovery

Silurian | horror | Complete

Michael Stanton is an overworked husband doing what he has to do to cope with the stress of trying to keep his family.

1.45 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 14:33

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