B-But I don't WANT to be a protagonist!

Panacea | historical | Complete

Yuri tried, really, but everything conspired against her. Now her peace finally reached an end, and it's up to her to try and get out of the roles the universe gave her."""From childhood friend promises, to beautiful foreign princes, to cute pets and shady items, I shall strike down all those plot flags!"When you hear voices in your head, gods troll you for their enjoyment, and your brother is a stalker, it's easier said than done.-Complete-

65.54 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:39

Journeys in the Fairworld: The Gatekeeper

Jack Twohey | historical | Complete

Lindsey Fluger was only slightly past eighteen. There was nothing particularly special about her, save that she happened to be the right person at the right time. When Lindsey is asked to join an expedition to another world she makes the mistake of saying yes, plunging herself into a sea of perilous adventure and dark intrigue. Journeys in the Fairworld is a fantasy anthology series set in The Fairworld, a magical realm existing in parallel with our own world which is governed by a group elfin beings known only as “The Good Folk”. These mysterious entities work in secret to keep the peace between the myriad of peoples and nations which dwell in The Fairworld. Complex relationships and bitter rivalries emerge against a backdrop of constrained resources and conflicting values to produce a world of high adventure and tangled mysteries. This novel is technically already completed, and I am currently in the final stages of proofing or editing. As such, there may be a few typos and errors here and there. The final version should be about 130,000 words long, which I will be releasing in stages as I continue editing. I'd love to hear your feedback and comments! If you want to read more stories from Journeys in the Fairworld, please checkout “Journeys in the Fairworld: The Brigand of Potham”, which is also available here on Royal Road Legends. https://www.royalroadl.com/fiction/19369/journeys-in-the-fairworld-the-brigand-of-potham

74.54 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:43

Scavenger

M. R. Aze | horror | Complete

Now available on Amazon! Only the ruins of vast mega-cities remain of the old world after everything went down the drain& Well several times at that, but who cares? It's what is left behind that is important - secrets, wealth, knowledge, technologies, food and the occasional pack of mutants.There is also Axion, the last of the floating cities, but only the privileged leave there. Only those who have obtained the expensive permits can dive into the locked sectors. Those who cannot afford such a luxury, become Scavengers.Dubbed criminals, they are mostly ignored by Axion's law enforcers. But not Grey. No, Grey is a wanted man, for being the only one who has entered Sector 7 and come out to tell about it. In other words, nothing that out of the usual day to day life of a Scavenger.So, who are these Axion teen wannabe Tech-hunters? Why do they want to get in Sector 7? But most important of all, what do they hope to find there? Cover image done as commission by revismissing.

52.85 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:46

Clock Link: A Story of Magic and Murder

mataaitai | mystery | Complete

April 1st. For eight minutes, a section of downtown Portland and everyone in it comes to a complete and absolute standstill. During that time a bank is robbed... and a young girl is murdered.Three high school students, a shut in, a man involved in organized crime, and an amateur mage. The events of "the day the world stopped" start a chain reaction that will change the destinies of these six people, and the city, forever.

91.88 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 12:05

The Ill-Favoured Five: Children of Discordia (Grimdark Fantasy)

Sivios | mystery | Complete

Set in an alternative, dystopian future In 2017, two worlds, Earth and Lumina, seemingly merged. Entire countries were wiped off the face of the planet, tsunamis the size of mountains crashed into deserts, and monsters immune to gunfire rampaged through the survivors. This was known as the Great Merge. As millions were displaced across the new world, the kings from Lumina herded the survivors into enormous cities. This story begins 40 years after the Great Merge, following a mercenary team in New London tasked with intel gathering on a recruiter for a supposed terrorist organisation. However, all is not what it seems. Secrets are being withheld and a certain team member has a complex history. Join them as they butt heads with the Children of Discordia, a group hell-bent on creating chaos while unravelling a puzzling mystery. This story is not for those who are faint-hearted. You have been warned. Sivios.

70.01 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 12:08

Apocalypse Wow

Doctor Zero | mystery | Complete

What's the best way to enjoy the end of the world? If you are reading this you have lost your memory. Again. You dumb jerk. I have no interest in writing our life story - it'll come back to you. For now, this is what's up: 1. We are looking for a god named Tiger. 2. He can stop the apocalypse, but apparently does not know that. 3. If the apocalypse is ongoing, we haven't told him yet. Also, we believe that life is absurd, loving relationships make it worth living, and it's best tobe our true self. Love Copycat (that's our name dummy) Cover by proxybaba - he's here on Royal Road and he's the best!

57.88 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 12:18

Tome of Stealth [A System Anti-Apocalypse]

DragonOfRochester | romance | Complete

When the Passivity Precept takes over the world it snuffs out all brutality, leaving its MMO-like Violence Simulator as humanity's only source of physical violence. Knowing how much she can make from selling epic gear, Grace Winston enters the simulation and discovers that it's more than just a game. Somewhere in there are the answers to who started the fire that killed her father. For far too long, Lorevinel Silvercat has been stuck as the Ravenborn clan's free-roaming prisoner. They've held a grudge against his clan and have used him to vent their hatred. Having planned his escape for several years, he has everything ready, but he needs a specific artifact from the Rogues Guild to finally start his journey. Will Grace find her answers? Will Lore gain his freedom? Can these two unlikely people, both alien to each other, find common ground and work together while dealing with an unasked for soul bond? ToS is a Lite LitRPG (meaning very few stats with a focus on story). Expect cursing, sexual tension, descriptions of breeding dungeon rats, and a little gore. TL;DR- The System Anti-Apocalypse forces everyone to be peaceful and only commit violence inside its Magical VR game.

70.96 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:14

Mary Susan Oceanrunner and the Brutus Saint's Academy

MachineCapybara | satire | Complete

Join Mary Susan Oceanrunner on her quest to do... erm... something really important for the world... probably... Ahem. Long gone are the days when every hero could do whatever they wanted - now, we are civilised. We have government. Law. And proper forms. Lots of proper forms. (Final episode 25/07/2022. Also - beta readers far into the book rate the 'gore' degree as below 2/10, so the warning is a bit much) Mary Susan Oceanrunner is a poor girl from the orphanage, who like many others before, has to fulfil her destiny. The prophecy had been told, and she is the only one who can make things right. Erm... probably. Anyway, she can't just go and kill monsters like in the middle ages. First, she must apply for the appropriate permissions, fill the forms, learn about the proper loot taxations... Hey, no one said adventuring would be easy, right? Disclaimers: No claim made by any character by the book should be treated as the author's or anyone else's opinion on any subject. Most likely, it was just the funniest thing the Author could think of at the time of writing. This book contains many references to other works. It will probably be best enjoyed by individuals familiar with at least some of the following: 1) Computer games2) Fantasy in general3) Science fiction4) Tabletop RPGs5) Conspiracy theories6) Corporation work life7) Long forgotten prophecies uttered millennia ago in almost as forgotten languages under a starless night three dusks before the great convergence8) Filling any government-mandated form9) School10) EnglishMy ultimate goal is to make as many people experience something akin to joy while reading (think ~a bit louder exhale through the nose). It doesn't mean every scene will be funny or joyful because that's not how this stuff works. I can neither confirm nor deny having any other hidden agenda outside of that. (11.01.2022 NEW COVER by Philippa_and_art. You can find her here: https://www.instagram.com/philippa_and_art/)

60.44 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:18

Dandelion

JCLouis | sci_fi | Complete

Amber Houston was born light-years from Earth, aboard the enormous colony starship Dandelion. By the age of fourteen, she has spent her entire life training as a "Ranger," ready for the day when she will be among the first humans ever to set foot on an alien world & build a new civilization. When Dandelion suffers an emergency toward the end of its journey, Amber & her fellow young rangers are evacuated & land on the planet New環ome years ahead of schedule. While the adults left behind on Dandelion slow the ship & turn it around to come backin eight yearsAmber & her friends must build lives for themselves amid revelations that will change Humankind's destiny forever. Meanwhile, aboard the ship, secrets that were buried over three hundred years ago finally come to light&

67.97 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:22

Legacy of Terra: Forgotten

M. R. Aze | sci_fi | Complete

I'll be blunt. I am NOT going to finish this story, not in its current state. That's why, I'm rewriting it from the very beginning. The new version of Forgotten, and the one that will have a proper ending, you can find here on Royal Road under a brand new title - Terra's Demons: Forgotten. Lucas, codename Helix, is the combat techno-medic of Demon squad. It was their task to protect Station 37-H and project Goliath. All Lucas is certain of is that something went terribly wrong in what was going to be their last stand. He was prepared to meet them on the other side. Instead, he finds himself in a familiar place surrounded by faces he has never seen before. His last memory separated by centuries from the present. His first priority is to find his squad. His second one is to keep the secrets of Goliath.His third priority is to figure out how to achieve the previous two because he and the entirety of Demon squad have become nothing but spectres in the annals of history. He has become forgotten.

53.60 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:23

Halcyon Nightmares [A Magical Girls LitRPG]

Aest Belequa | sci_fi | Complete

Alice grew up idolizing Magical Girls. Now, she's one of them! When murderous machines attack Alice's graduation, she's asked to don the skirt and blazer. Now, she'll need to learn how to use her powers and work with a team of other Girls to protect her city from disaster - all while trying to get herself un-grounded! This was my first story on Royal Road. I'm currently re-writing it as a system apocalypse story, taking it in a completely different direction after the first chapter and a half or so, and tightening up as many of the plot holes as I can. I'm moving a lot slower on this project than my other, Magical Girl Undergrad. Expect The Halcyon System to be available to read in May 2024.

50.63 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:27

Aegis: The First Attempt

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

No Choice - [Dungeon Core Progression Litrpg]

Flamebeard | action | Complete

Warning: If you are not reading this story on Royal Road, it has been stolen, and this constitutes copyright infringement. Stella wakes as a Dungeon Core in a fantasy world with all the exuberance of an avid LitRPG consumer. Before she can properly acclimate, she is mortified to learn that something fundamental seems to have broken in her System. Without being able to choose her skills, Stella must resort to abusing her earth knowledge to figure out the inner workings of the system and expand her domain. Come along and choose the path Stella will take to build the dungeon of her dreams and thwart the avaricious adventurers looming on the horizon. This is a reader interactive fiction. At the end of each chapter, there will be an ability choice that will determine how the build will progress. This is a litrpg. There will be numbers. There is going to be plenty of monster experimentation, merging, and enhancing. Oh and one last thing. Beware the penguins. Chapters are around 4k words long

81.22 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-21 15:24

The Impeccable Adventure of the Reluctant Dungeon

Lise Eclaire | comedy | Complete

A dungeon's sleep is never easy. After getting reincarnated as a dungeon, Theodor thought he'd finally get some rest and relaxation. That changed when a bumbling old hero stumbled into him and died, making Theodor the target of adventurers everywhere. Masquerading as a house in the small town of Rosewind, Theo must now do whatever it takes to remain unnoticed& even if it means creating an avatar to interact with people or go on a mission set by the annoying Earl Rosewind! Follow the adventures of a dungeon dragged out of its own body on an adventure it never wished to be a part of. Updated every few days!

80.68 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:44

Bloom

Xel | comedy | Complete

Everything can grow. Everything can rise, and ascend. Even, a Tree.

77.27 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 16:53

A Kindness of Ravens

C.T. Yarrow | contemporary | Complete

A tale of sexy spies, Celtic deities, ancient magic and a little light Isekai. It's 2008. The Blanks are Britain's most valuable intelligence assets; dangerous, damaged people who sacrifice everything for a number, a code name and the chance to serve Queen and Country. Between them they can infiltrate anywhere, kill anyone and steal anything. But now someone is hunting them. Picking them off in ways that seem supernatural. Updates every second day. This novel is already complete. New content published every second day. If you want me to publish more often, or more stories with these characters, then you can always get my attention via Ko-Fi.

60.76 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 12:44

Kiri to Shinkirō | Mist and Mirage

gusdefrog | contemporary | Complete

Fate is meeting at the right time. Love is cherishing every moment and continuing to grow together. Hikaru is secretly paying her brother's tuition, enduring conflicts with her new step parent, and there's a new sibling on the way. As if life isn't busy enough, her band is working toward publishing their first album, and then she meets him randomly on the street one day...

73.84 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 16:49

Harem Protagonist's Sidekick

LonMair399 | contemporary | Complete

Finally! I was finally free of all the drama surrounding Ethan and his harem from last year. Now, I just wanted to enjoy my new high schoolLakewood Academyand avoid the shenanigans of Ethan and his new group of infatuated girls. This proved difficult, however, when one of the girls approached me with a request that I was forced to accept. Damn my best friend and his meddling. Anyway, such a simple request somehow ended up with me being suckered into helping all of them grow closer to Ethan. It seemed like no matter what I did, I was destined to remain his sidekick. I guess my life was going to be a lot livelier than I imagined. Or annoying. Definitely one of the two.

50.55 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 16:59

Echoes Of Memory

M-Anthony-Harris | historical | Complete

Vealand's jewel twin cities of Portin and Brinhold fell to terror fourty years ago. During their fall a man rose up and saved them. He took the survivors of the fall of the Veaish coast and brought them inland, setting up his new empire inland in the mountain stronghold of Fiell. The Emperor singlehandedly saved the people of Vealand. Everyone knows that and everybody in Vealand adores him as a hero and the savior of their nation. Dren though, says differently. As a Memory Mage and the leader of the Rebellion, he's desperate to prove that the Emperor is a false savior. He bets his life on it. He fails that bet and fails in his last attempt at transfering his memories into the mind of one of the Emperor's Inquisitors. Now it's up two the two most unlikely people, Aris Ravenscroft, the head of Fiell's city guards and Kestrel, a street rat, to save Vealand from a monster that it worships as a savior. Notice, this is a High Fantasy novel, there are no LitRPG or Cultivation elements in it.

92.03 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:35

Ravyn's Nights - Book 2

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 5 centuries of endless nights. Book 2 covers the 18th century. "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.

79.91 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:38