Old Tales Worth Retelling

Mad Sadie | historical | Complete

Most people grew up hearing fairy tales and fables. They're such a part of our cultures that Cinderella has a two-part definition in the Oxford Dictionary, and if someone name-drops Robin Hood everyone instantly knows what they mean. These stories have been told and re-told for literally centuries. In some cases millenniums. So I'm gonna tell them again. Not to "update" them, or because I think I can improve them, but just because I can. Why not. And fair warning: the style of these retellings will be "ditzy catgirl with attention-span problems". I'm not taking these tales seriously, I'm just having fun. Most of these stories will be from HC Andersen, Grimm Bros, or Arabian Nights, because those are the ones I'm most familiar with. If anyone has a specific story they think needs more love, let me know and I'll try to include it! Back when these tales were first penned, "word count" was a foreign concept. So chapter length will probably vary wildly. Sorry. Participant in the Royal Road Writathon.

30.14 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:45

The Errant Otherworlder

The Cabbage Preacher | historical | Complete

"In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death, taxes and trucks whom transport men to other worlds." Meet our titular protagonist Haruto Watanabe, a man who has all the markings of a good protagonist for a generic portal fantasy story. As an overworked office worker, to escape from the grips of crippling capitalist alienation, he had taken up to reading many stories where young men like him were transported to other worlds and enjoyed their lives at a most leisurely pace. Armed with genre-awareness and (what he believes to be) a marketable personality which would make him an easy audience self-insert, he longed for the day the isekai express would take him to his long-awaited adventure to another world. When the fateful day came, where the fair yet harsh mistress that is the fabled truck took Watanabe on one last date to the other side, he was most ready to escape his previous life, ready to embark on an errant so great he'd be most overpowered, his heroics so exceptional and his harem so vast that they would barely fit ten or twenty volumes of an overly long novel made by a desperate author looking for quick cash. Lo and behold however, Watanabe instead found himself in a low fantasy world which lacked severely in the department of any game-like systems, cheat skills or easily charmed damsels in distress. In a setting so antithetical to his established genre savviness or any attempts at power fantasy, how will a man like Watanabe, lacking in strength, wits and courage, manage to survive in a land most foreign to him? The Errant Otherworlder is on indefinite hiatus until the John Brown Isekai is finished.

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

Talbot Company: A Story of War and Suffering

Michael Regal | historical | Complete

Europe is set ablaze in the fire of war as brother turns against brother, stirred to violence by their corrupt governments and churches. In this time of upheaval, free bands such as the honorable(?) Talbot Company make their name by selling their swords to the highest bidders. The company is a family bound by coin and blood. When a Swedish castle falls to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Talbot Company must venture to the wild lands beyond the Oder River to stop war from breaking out over the ambitions of a rogue Polish colonel. The company attracts all manner of characters, among them an English peasant archer, an impoverished conquistador, and a cross-dressing Italian girl who thinks she has what it takes to hold her own amidst the rigors of war. Read on and find out if they have what it takes to survive this time of war and suffering. ----- If you like what you're reading, please consider buying the complete book. That is the only place where the final chapters will be available. Click here to buy on Amazon Click here to view on Goodreads Click here to buy on Smashwords

40.93 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:31

Arcadis Park

javert | contemporary | Complete

Jonah is a college senior who can't seem to score an internship, so she's returned to the summer job that she's had every year since she was old enough to work: lifeguarding at the run down waterpark on the outskirts of her small town. Things take a turn for the worse when a dismembered body is discovered in the lake that feeds the park's attractions, and the whole staff becomes convinced that they are the murderer's next target. [participant in theRoyal RoadWritathon challenge] (this story is complete as of 12/3/19, though no promises I won't make edits at some point lol)

37.12 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:13

Mourning Glory

PublicApology | contemporary | Complete

A year and a half after Elizabeth's suicide, Sara Mera's life settles back to normalcy from a battle of depression. Sara's life is thrown back into that pit of darkness when her hand in the suicide is exposed to the world. In a negative state of mind, she meets the girl who was Elizabeth's best friend who is still suffering from her death. Afraid another tragedy will happen, Sara selfishly becomes friends with the girl but never expected that she would be the one who light's up Sara's world in the darkness. -

39.88 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:14

Swept Away.

Not_Important | contemporary | Complete

After being subjected to a strange drug while on a language trip in Kyoto, Young adult Sias Jourdin is forced to go on the run, his semblance of a normal lifereduced to nothing by the tremendous force of the wave called fate. Even worse than the serial killers, hired assassins and crazy billionaires believing to be able to control magic, His true foe is his own past. As everything happening, every encounter, good or bad,makes him come one step closer to awakening the old, buried demons under his House. I am Sias, the legitimate heir of the Jourdin and the sparkle that ruined it.

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

Cherry On Top

AziaElga | contemporary | Complete

A forbidden relationship with the most popular girl in school is the last thing Chloe Lee expects when she begins bartending. Especially when she doesn't even realize she's gay herself. Desperate for money for her mother's surgery, Singaporean student Chloe Lee illegally serves drinks at a local bar. When equally underage RJ Shin--the richest and most popular girl in school--shows up as a customer, they already have something in common. Their fateful encounter sends both their lives out of control. Chloe's money-making plan is soon derailed by RJ's insistent involvement, a growing hostility at work, and an unfortunate entanglement with RJ's family's politics. Worst of all, Chloe is slowly discovering her sexuality as she falls for RJ. Hard. Suddenly, sacrificing everything for money is no longer an easy choice to make. As secrets unveil and feelings surface, Chloe is forced to reevaluate her life goals and decide what she is willing to sacrifice for love--and what she must sacrifice for herself. If she holds on to more than she can take, she might end up losing everything she values. Life is hard, but love is harder. ***Also published on Wattpad, Tapas, and ScribblehubWord Count: ~65,000-70,000Cover art by @chomk.art on Instagram

36.21 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:08

The Spell Struck Convenience Store.

Spleen23 | contemporary | Complete

Modern day world were magic is hidden, not out of fear, but because it's a limited resource. Mage who was kicked out of his family because his spells go wrong ends up sending the convenience store he works in to a ever changing fantasy landscape after being shot during a robbery. His shooter ends up in a copy in hell, and a Magical Incident Bureau agent is trying to figure out what just what exactly happened and why. Finished work

34.85 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:05

Lemon

EmergencyComplaints | comedy | Complete

Lemon is a good girl, smart as any human, even if she does have four legs and a tail. She lives with her master, the great Wizard Hogarth, who is sometimes a little forgetful, very excitable, and often quite smelly. Hogarth loves making new potions, and Lemon is his trusted assistant! Hogarth has been talking about an upcoming wizards' conference for months, and has been eagerly refining his latest work, the Potion of Unlimited Invincibility. It only works for a minute, but during that time, nothing can hurt him. Unfortunately, he rushed off to the conference and forgot the sample potion! It's up to Lemon to get it to him so his big debut isn't a total flop. It's a long trip, but Lemon has plenty of magic to help her along the way, and her master needs her help! Sometimes, a dog's gotta do what a dog's gotta do to save the day. [participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge]

30.45 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 18:45

Colossus' Dream

Danetello | comedy | Complete

An ancient elemental is awoken in a time that is not his own. He sets off to finally complete the dream he has always had. Armed with the chance granted to him by the strange new system, hewill set off on a journey throughout the ages.

34.89 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 18:37

139 Years to the End of the World

aden_ng | tragedy | Complete

"My name is Milton Jones. I am one hundred and sixty-nine years old. Welcome to the end of the world." Due to a terminal illness, Milton Jones has just 15 days left to live. When the government offered to cryogenically preserve him to save the world, he will become the judge of humanity. Journey with him through an ever-growing dystopian universe, where he will struggle with the meaning of family and the value of life. Discover whether there is still life left in the years to the end of the world, and if it is truly worth saving.

41.42 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 18:17

Seeker

sarvashaktimaan | tragedy | Complete

This is an older story which I do not think is up to my current writing abilities. Read at your own risk. The Gods are dead As they bled dry, so did the magic which gave them birth. In the new era of technology, its pathetic remnants must hide in the shadows or be locked away. In the ancient era of magic two beings often stood out: Galileo, an immortal scholar obsessed with knowledge and Angelica, the most loyal servant of the greatest among the now dead Gods. But why are they worthy of mention? Because after millennia of isolation, the two emerge in the new world beyond their reckoning. The entire story is told from the third person, however, each chapter will be told from the perspective of only one of the characters. This will be signified by the first letter of their names after the chapter number to avoid confusion. I submitted this fiction as a[participant in theRoyal RoadWritathon challenge] as well as a participant in National Novel Writing Month. The original challenge had been to finish this entire faction within the month of November reaching the 55.5k word minimum. This goal had been achieved. I do not own the cover picture

33.88 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-13 16:06

Milton

BigMartyrs | satire | Complete

A Cyberpunk Coming of Age Tale The Apocalypse is ugly. The only lights that work are battery powered or neon. Scroungers kill your neighbors and take control of their bodies. Gang wars run rampant in the perpetual night, as usual, except now, most members have magical spells to defend their turf. Life certainly changed once the Rainbow Letters came. For Milton, things changed for the better. The world became familiar. He could find loot, learn skills, and equip weapons and armor. It was all much easier to understand than the perils of pre-Apocalypse life with its grocery shopping and going outside. Then he discovers Ragnarok, Orchestrator of the Rainbow Letters and all of Milton's problems. The race to figure out why is on. If Milton is to survive long enough to find answers, he must first be strong enough to confront his worst enemy: himself. * This is work in progress and NOT professionally edited. * ** This story is humorous in the begining, but gets very dark around the turning point. Reader discretion is advised.**

38.11 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-13 16:10

Burning Stars, Falling Skies

Cocop (Cale Plamann) | psychological | Complete

Threedak is a simple Dhajtel. Every night she scavenges and hunts for her tribe in the great desert, relying upon her skill and ancestral memories to avoid the night's many dangers. Her life remains largely the same until one night, one of the gleaming angels that hangs in the night sky falls into her desert. Deciding to investigate, she happens upon a scene far beyond her limited understanding. The Dhajtel aren't alone. The galaxy is far vaster and more hostile than Threedak's people can even begin to comprehend. Entrusted with the knowledge and memories of a dead race, it will be up to her to forge Dhajtel society into something that can survive the storm that is to come. - - -(This novel is heavy on Kingdom/Empire Building and is an attempt at fairly hard (grounded in real science) Science Fiction) Cover credit to DrakonStorm - - - A couple authors with reptile MC's have started a discord, feel free to hang out with us.

32.31 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:51

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

Bioloxys Genesis

T.D.Terrell | mystery | Complete

In 2090, climate change, war, and a virus called the Retrophage have ravaged humanity. Most children are stillbirthed, and those who manage to survive are born with a host of defects. Only Gen-perfects, children artificially engineered and grown in artificial wombs, are free from the devastating effects of the Retrophage. A technology exclusively controlled by Bioloxys. Gabriela is a Gen-perfect officer in the security company Taurus. When she learns of the possibility of a ring of implant harvesters, she heads into the lower city with Geraldo, a street-smart officer. Together they uncover an insidious plot that stretches into the highest levels of government, and all clues lead to Bioloxys.

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

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

Lone Man [Choose Your Own Adventure/ Game Book] COMPLETED!

Elysium July | horror | Complete

The kids warned you not to enter the forest, but you didn't listen. Now, you're stuck with nothing but your dead phone and the clothes on your back. You will experience a series of strange events, which include meeting an entity who calls himself Lone Man. Learn more about the forest, the cursed people, and all its strangeness, but don't forget that you have to survive. Remember, your choices influence not only your future but also the characters and the plot itself. The choice is yours to make. There are over 20 different endings! There's only one rule in this game: trust the Lone Man. Warning: Do not read this book from beginning to end. There are options to choose from at the end of each page. Do not try to get all the endings at once; you'll be confused. GO TO PAGE 1  Originally made as a Tiktok slideshow game. Check out my TikTok: @elysiumjuly.

31.05 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-11 15:12

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

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