Local Minima

ringe | psychological | Complete

[Entry for the June Royal Road Community Magazine Contest] A prisoner named Gemmei is gifted a chance to put her life on a better track after being transferred to the Hibiya Correctional Complex, a lower security prison allegedly intended for less violent offenders. However even though the walls keeping her in are no longer visible, plenty of barriers are in the way that prevent Gemmei from returning to the world she once took for granted. Chief among them is the Houzou Hakkyou, a special tattoo every prisoner in the system receives that alters how they can think and feel through forced sedation. The curse the Hakkyou enforces ensures compliance and docility among the inmates, but as Gemmei finds out, cruelty is born from more than emotion alone.

22.43 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 16:06

Jon Fuze | A Journey of 10,000 Kills

KeeperAbra | action | Complete

Jon meets an enigmatic goddess, and she's got an offer for him he can't refuse. The deadliest assassin in the modern world is dead  but not for long! Jon Fuze has a new employer, and she can give him anything he wants, but as with most things, ... it doesn't come for free. " A world of powder and magic" Dank cities, harsh deserts, icy mountains, lush forests, and fiery realms" Magical martial arts vs. trash, elites, supermen, and dragons" High-ranking targetsall the way to the throne! How will someone who has always just been a pawn adapt against the motions of a much bigger world? One man lured by a single hope and wish.  One life for 10,000  How far is he willing to go? Who does he need to kill? ----- Updates twice weekly! -----

79.01 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 16:44

Heroes of The Collective Volume Two : Regret

EnhancedBeing | drama | Complete

Enhanced Beings. Humans with the ability to do something astonishing. Some learn to use it for good. Others for bad. But most are content with the 9-5 and walks with the dog.But use it for bad, you'll answer to& The Enhanced Beings Collective! USA's taskforce in the fight against Enhanceds who threaten America's national and global interests.They say it's better to regret things you've done than what you haven't done. But for our heroes, the feeling is the same and cuts just as deep whatever the reason. Volume Two: Regret, explores the aftermath of Volume One's finale and how the team moves on with their own sources of regret.With some new additions to the team and a roster of new villains as well as some familiar, our heroes are busy travelling beyond the galaxies to more Earths, making bad judgements, uncovering secrets and fighting& for& survival!Woodland Warriors Vol 2 - Kimona aka Agw� joins the team temporarily as they reel from the attack on The Lodge. There's travel to colder climates, a flashback to Tobias getting his enhancements and the team changes again! It's not straightforward keeping things balanced within the heart of America... It's forests. The Rodeos Vol 2 - Effie and Reuben find themselves learning more about their past and what it has to do with defeating Outlaw and the curse upon him. There's a hostage situation at a dog food factory, a spider bite and an clash of two different worlds as our western duo saddle up once again!

73.50 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 17:01

The Blue Room

Aliantic | mystery | Complete

When Brian inherited his grandfather's house, he expected to do a lot of work to fix it up. What he didn't expect, though, is that his grandfather's house was once a brothel, and the women who lived there are still around. When they start to show themselves, Brian must find some way to deal with these ghosts and their history with his house.

28.27 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 17:24

Black Tears

Airam Zenemijil | tragedy | Complete

Senza is an assassin who is mentoring a young girl to become his successor by the time he dies. Khali is a teenage girl who is raised since birth to become worthy to inherit her master's name.

6.92 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 17:53

The Charm Fable: Mousey and the Golden Book

Nicholas S. Casale | comedy | Complete

Mousefred Souris lives in a world without humanity, and animals have risen to become like people. Mice like him live as slaves under the rule of a cruel cat, who lords over them with her armies of weasels and bats. For the crime of helping an injured stranger, Mousey is imprisoned and told he must either join the evil queen's army or die. But a chance encounter with a golden book sets Mousey on the path to freedom. The book teaches Mousey the secrets of magic, and with these newfound secrets he sets out on a journey to become the hero he was born to be.Note: This story is available in its absolute, complete form on Amazon.com, but most of the chapters can be read for free here.

28.80 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 18:11

Emotiv

Ria Rees | mystery | Complete

New Adult | Dystopia | Speculative | Slipstream | Science Fiction Kyla has finally broken into the Worker class of Skycross. But when she is cast aside by society and witnesses the plight of the Abandoned, she must make a choice between her own future, and the wellbeing of thousands, before she loses her grip on reality. Author's Note: Serial Novel, new parts to release every Wednesday -- I'm writing this as I post, so I'd love to hear your feedback and thoughts on where the story might lead! I have a vague plan in mind but I'm excited to try out this process of posting as I go :)

42.76 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 18:43

Memory Lane

L. A. Sirius | mystery | Complete

Five child prodigies are invited to an elusive tech CEO's private island. Surrounded by enigmatic geniuses, Daniel is forced to face his past through everlasting, haunting, memories. Unravel the mysteries of the island along with the characters inside, but try not to get killed. How does one move on? Must you forget about your past to truly overcome it? If this is going to be the future, why live in the present? Complete

22.76 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 18:58

Infinity's Frontier

Vachel Thevenot | sci_fi | Complete

Do you believe in ghosts? Flint does, especially since he is one. But, Flint's sense of purpose died along with him, and a century after his own death, he struggles to find meaning in his immortality. His galaxy's interstellar war has been at a stalemate for nearly a hundred years, and nothing that Flint does in the conflict seems to make a difference. But things change when Flint makes a shocking discovery that could give him the sense of purpose he seeks in his strange existencea discovery so great that its mere existence could bring an end to the galaxy's endless war. New chapters weekly on Sundays. Also available on Scribblehub and Webnovel. Feedback is welcomed and highly appreciated!

71.05 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 10:54

Light Seekers

OriginalKingD | sci_fi | Complete

Najor has seen more than most boys his age should, but he's never felt the warmth of the sun on his flesh. His town has been blessed with the gift of sunlight for three years now. The elders believe that this will continue as they are in God's favor. Najor is smart enough to listen to the migrants who travel along with the beam of light which illuminates the sky. They know the light is to vanish soon, and with it will go any normality in his life. He faced with the choice of spending his life following the beam of light, or attempting to bring the sun back. The magic he wields is weak, and he can't use it for long without becoming sick. He's never left his town and only heard legends about the beasts that roam the wastelands and the sorcerers who reside high in the Phaethon Mountains. Still, he chooses to throw it all away and chase after a dream knowing he'll mostly likely die out in the darkness.

12.04 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 10:56

Sacrifice (Give and Take Part 3)

lightpurplelilies | tragedy | Complete

**this is part 3 of a 3-part story. parts 1, fear-driven, and 2, renegades, are up and available on my profile** sacrifice synopsis: back home, on the beach, and all to find aber's sister again. well, they've found her, and it's not quite what they've expected. the world is upside down and backwards and the only way to make sense of it is to find the people who make sense of you. a reminder of the characters (plus a few updates): ABER -- he has spent all this time trying to get away from his wife and back to his sister. but now that they are here and he has to choose, the choice is harder than he thought. AVA -- she's a miracle. she's a brat. she's the most important person in the world. she has no idea what she's doing. she's losing her mind. she is going to save them all or die trying. again. NUA -- he got away. he went back. he must be out of his mind. ABIGALA -- what has she been doing for the past year? isn't that the million-dollar question. PENNY -- family reunions are never fun, per se. especially not this one. BAYAN -- everything happens the way it was meant to happen. but why was this meant to happen? and LILLY -- everything comes down to her.

33.18 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 11:03

Other-Terrestrial Episode 11 - "Masquerade"

NolanConrey | drama | Complete

The holiday Darkeve has come, and the crew of the Craton get to relax, dress up, and have a good time! Apollonia Nor is able to experience the first real holiday in her life - if she can get left alone. For Pirra and Tred, a happy day may turn out to be less than they had hoped. While for Captain Brooks, an old friend comes calling to settle on a debt . . .

22.51 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 13:48

Snake

CitrusIsUndecided | psychological | Complete

there was a snake in his bed. a 3 page story by the ever-obscure author of Schneiders Guide. warning: includes a terrifying lack of capitalization and a mortifying abuse of italics.

0.69 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 14:20

Towards the Valentine

Vertrex | comedy | Complete

The ups and downs of highschool, especially between childhood friends that love each other with the other not knowing about it. Author's Note I entered this short story in the recent WriTE Valentine's Competition and earned the "BestRomance Score" award. While it wasn't a total victory, it was something, and I'm thankful for it. Now, here's the uncut version with the full blown out short story that I had to cut down to 5k word limit to enter the competition. Enjoy!

3.59 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 14:55

Hobo Hero (Xianxia/Wuxia)

ElitheHill | action | Complete

You don't have to be smart to make it into magic school, you just have to come from the right family.Poor and dirty, Sparrow comes from the wrong family. He must fight his way into the top school in the land where he's bullied, beaten and thrown out on the street.But Sparrow was born hungry and will stop at nothing to learn the secrets of the universe. You can expect: - Cultivation - A fantasy setting - An underdog hero. Chapters are uploaded weekly. (Formerly The one who walks alone)

70.03 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 15:41

Dream Theater

Pxan | psychological | Complete

Long casted shadows danced in the background, as a man squibbled and jotted words on yellow papers. A mere novelty, remnant and ghost that was left to age away along with the forgotten theater, a man grasped for inspiration to salvage what was left of his soul. Abandoned in the squalid room, Pxan was left hauntedly in the furthest corners of insanity that bubbled in his mind. No one would listen to his plight, denouncing him and claiming his mind was not right. Even though the world left him with nothing, turning their backs to him, he knew the books would never betray him in the same fashion. Faceless pages and books yet to be read ogled puppy eyes, ready to be penned by the madman. "Pxan! Pxan! Over here! To me!" Clamored the unpublished manuscripts. Pxan's fingers quivered nervously, thoughts of failure flooded his mind. Wanting to surrender to the pressure. "No!" He cried. "I've had enough of writing." Books with eyes all stared at him, begging for the tales to be written. Their pleaful eyes were all that Pxan needed to be moved to writing again. The man sighed and raised his pen again, stroking the first letters of inspiration that bore fruit from his mind. A maddening tale of a policeman, cultists and a violent revenge& -Currently on Hiatus while writing the second volume.The first volume is up. I will take a few days to rewrite a few chapters. Afterwards, updates will proceed as usual.Current rewrite progress 17/59 chapters rewrited.This is my first real novel, any kind of criticism or feedback is appreciated. I am looking for an editor, if someone wants to help me avoid typos please contact me. The cover is a detail of Faust in His Studyby Ary Scheffer, c. 1831, watercolor and gouache on paper.

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

group hug

CitrusIsUndecided | psychological | Complete

want one? a hug, i mean. one page story by the ever-obscure author of Schneiders Guide. warning: features a familiar lack of capitalization and a certain brand of nonsense usually associated with LSD.

0.38 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 17:42

Magic College

Damaged | adventure | Complete

Kazuma Wilson was a young man who'd grown up knowing only his father. Sequestered away from his deceased mother's family, he became practical and capable of making do with a less than opulent life. When it came time for him to graduate from high school and enter the wider world, however, his Aunt came to visit and offer him a place at a collegepaid in full. Despite his father telling him little of his mother's family, Kaz took the opportunity his father couldn't afford to give him. The college, however, is far different than anything he could have imagined. This is a fantasy story set in a modern world. A vampire organizes social events, a fey creature runs the local watering hole, and if you go fishing you might run into a garappa trying to catch his dinner. Kazuma is plunged into the deeper world he never knew existed, and though the tide might be fighting him, he learns to swim. Blending elements of magic and spiritualism from many pantheons (that all exist in this world), I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I do writing it. This story will be published on a bi-monthly basis. Much is already written, but I intend to maintain a healthy buffer so there won't be any interruptions. Coverart created with permission from all sources, none requiring attribution.

111.91 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 18:24

The New Magnolia: Red Fungus, White Spore

Hokage of Literature | psychological | Complete

The art for this cover was drawn by StarsColdNight whose account you can find on DeviantArt and BookCoversRealm for some great and splendid artwork at fair prices. Rillia flees from the Red Mountain Ant Colony and her country of Wassergras, hoping to find and explore the Primeval World, a legendary and untamed world she has only read about. However, after a surprise storm nearly drowns her, she is saved by Jason, a shrunken human with little memory of his past life. He is the first in a series of new allies she meets along with Melsil, the mushroom swordsman and Vesha the crawfish. A storm is brewing in Wassergras of political intrigue, prejudice and schemes within schemes that threaten to tear apart their world. Rillia must put her traveling plans on hold as she and her newly made friends work to defeat this threatone that has been waging since the dawn of the world between the forces that created it.

50.93 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 10:40

Parasite

panda___god | romance | Complete

A short story about what could have been. Author's Note: Each chapter is supposed to be read as a diary entry. An indeterminate amount of time passes in between each day, but the day numbers provide a rough frame of reference. All of the chapters can be read in a few minutes, but each day has its own chapter.

1.10 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 13:33