Kari is part of a group of assassins and is tasked with killing a wealthy criminal overlord. As she goes to assassinate him, she fails and kills two people that she had hoped to spare. Disgraced and filled with guilt, she takes a blood oath to never shoot again. A few years later, she reunites with an old friend who offers her work as a courier. In a twist of fate, she finds out that her new employer was the man she once failed to kill. Still feeling remorse for killing his wife, she chooses to try and right the wrong after learning that he is still being targeted by her old crew.
22.05 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 15:33
A cat and a mouse embark on a not-so epic journey, forming an unlikely friendship along the way.
10.64 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 15:44
Within the Eternal Worm, a world slides inexorably beneath bioluminescent suns... In the steppelands of the Bolus lives Chicken, a scout of his people, the kobolds, who are a savage lizard-like race. When an orc girl named Penelope shows up half-dead out of the desert, he and his tribe are plunged into disaster. The orcish clans are uniting under an indestructible dark lord, who has some strange new ideas, and who intends to conquer the whole of the desert wastes. But all is not well among the elite of the new city of Hurraggh, as the former khans work to steer their eccentric new ruler. Could Chicken be the prophetic hero, as foretold by Amerigo, his aquatic herald and fish-out-of-water companion? Will the power Chicken unearths be enough to save his people and fulfill his destiny? What misadventures await these unlikely pawns of fate? A Helminverse Novel. Cover and chapter art courtesy of Elchaart.
57.52 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 15:49
What would you do if you woke up without a clue who you were? Would you end up repeating everything over again, repeating your mistakes? Or would you prove that people are more than their past? You woke up in a mechanical body in a long-decayed compound, can you live this life better than the last? Do you seek out your origin... or do you embrace this chance to flee those fleeting and bittersweet memories? Join C-13 on his new chance at life, live his struggles in this dystopian cyberpunk world, watch him grow into the person he was always meant to be, and don't forget, reality is what we perceive it to be. [participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge] *Currently under rewrite, will post second edition for beta reading when complete!*
36.30 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 16:10
Ryan Geever | horror | Complete
Release Window: [3/14-04/03] Six players. One gun. One way out. Lucas Gray has no idea who he is or why he was captured to participate in the mysterious Roulette Game--A death game centered around trust in complete strangers in order to avoid being shot and killed. Pieces of the puzzle will begin to come together and a terrible truth shall be revealed. Trigger Warnings: Death, Gore, Animal Violence, Decay
44.51 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 16:12
Ryan Geever | mystery | Complete
THE ORIGINS OF RADICAL-9. Taking place four years before the beginning of Radical-9, Gavin Daniels is kidnapped from his abandoned college campus and uncovers the terrible origins behind the Radical-9 Virus and the motivations behind the mastermind behind it all, Jack Adata, before he ever became Game Master of Elysium. Trigger Warnings: Death, Violence, Murder, Blood
35.49 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 16:18
After dying, a young man who hates humans is awakened by a voice that proclaims itself God.Proposing to be reincarnated in a different world, he will meet other gods who act strange.He doesn't turn out as he expected, because in the blink of an eye everything changes.What will become of him after discovering the truth? The sequel is "Is it right to fear love?". (Trilogy free on Kindle Unlimited and available on Amazon: http://mybook.to/EsCoTeMEN)
29.13 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 16:21
Millions of years ago, the magical races set about exploring space. When the humans started rejecting and persecuting them, only some chose to stay and help humanity thrive. Now, humanity is coming a little too close to discovering the magical world that lives alongside them. Unable to leave the planet, the magical races retreat to places on the earth that are uninhabitable to humans. Can they contact their space faring brethren before the humans discover them? Or will there be a genocidal war?
39.48 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 16:43
This is a short story based in the world of Wet World Wonderland. The Machine is reborn, inspired by a great light he will journey to find it once more, giving everything he has as he upholds his prime directive.
7.99 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 16:44
Emersyn Hart | tragedy | Complete
This story was written for the Royal Road Community Magazine Jan 2024 Ezekiel craved one thing: knowledge to become immortal. Each day he studies in a library worn down by time, hidden away past the forest. Each day, he returns with the same information. Immortality may have existed, but it can't exist anymore. The first human girl visits his hometown. Enamoured by her desire to fill her life with adventure, Ezekiel shares the library with the traveller. What was supposed to be a simple test of resolve was anything but. Secrets are uncovered. Decisions must be made. What to Expect: - 1.5k - 3k word chapters - Enemies to Lovers Romance Side Plot - A medium paced story - Non-human x Human relationship
14.70 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 16:48
Sabban Vint & his fellow graduates of the 117th cadet core, are exhilarated at the chance to serve alongside the legendary ace pilots of IAFS - However they will soon learn that not all soldiers are heroes nor all pilots aces - Someone needs to don the redshirt, to bellow the Wilhelm-Scream - To pilot the mighty V-MBT-Neo-M - The Nemo.Bela Grimizanis considered the best of the best, regardless of any rumours her subordinates might speak of - But are years of training, experience & raw talent enough to counter someone with faith on their side?'Lucky' Luke.Luke is his middle name actually but it's what everyone calls him.That's the sort of place he lives - A place where a legend is required when war comes beckoning at their doors... Now on Royal Road!This is a series of short stories that take place in the world of the UnderCurrent.A world where 'plot-armour' is usually something the enemy have & where the machine you pilot may very well decide a battle before it ever begins.---- Now availableon Royal-Road!For my review of 'Zeta Gundam' I wrote a short story detailing what the lives of the poor everyday background pilots must be like - In a war predicated on the fact that one man said another's name; "Sounds like a girl's name" - Leading to the deaths of 1000s. Since then I've begun writing an original novel, carrying over the characters from here, called 'UnderCurrent'.These stories can be read without knowledge of UnderCurrent and likewise it can be read without knowledge of this. Optimally however it may benefit you to read UnderCurrent to have complete context, the following are some words that may not always be in all of the stories should you choose to skip from tale to tale;Vijaik - A blanket term for mechs made of regular metals. They come in a variety of designs.Casnel - Specifically refers to any mech made of the rare metal 'Goibniu'. They are exceptionally advanced and powerful machines.Bhaile and Abhaile - The planets of UnderCurrent's people.IAFS - 'Independent Alliance of Free States', a rebel faction backed by private corporations, seeking change for the solar-system.TSU - 'The States Union', ruling body of all controlled space, known for often-times being callous and extreme in method.Remembrance - A somewhat 'wild-card' faction made up of former rebellion survivors operating from the 'Remembrance' continent. ----Thanks for reading= =M.
39.68 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 16:53
arianedartagnan | action | Complete
Slinking through the seedy underbelly of haunted, crime-ridden Doskvol, young Isha Yara juggles allegiances to two rival gangs while trying desperately to escape her family. Meanwhile, the part-demon Ashlyn Slane longs to rise in the cult of That Which Hungers. And as for Faith Karstas, she is bored. So, so bored. When Ash discovers that a gang leader needs help removing an enemy, he immediately recruits Isha and Faith. Together, the three form a crew of nameless assassins.... (A Blades in the Dark RPG adventure)
189.59 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 12:58
Aladar Bajusz | comedy | Complete
Curiosity, the driving force behind man's insatiable thirst for knowledge, usually needs a person, a collective, something to enact his will.Until now.Using a loophole so ancient everyone forgot about it, it hijacked a human body and took it on a reality bending adventure though the universe.The problem is, an idea is not meant to be a person.And there is only so much abuse the laws of the universe can take before it starts crumbling around everyone.Just to answer a simple question.What if? [participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge] [Successfully completed the Writathon challenge. Story is now complete)
43.93 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 17:25
Jeffrey B Wolf | comedy | Complete
Thisis a short slice of life urban fantasy story where a partial vampire gets more than he bargained for from his recently ordered meal.
1.71 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 17:24
cerealsariel | drama | Complete
Skin never forgets. And neither did she. After losing everything, tonight she's taking revenge. Winner of the Huddler's Challenge short story contest!Full story is out now!
8.60 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 17:15
Anthony215 | horror | Complete
A group of tourists are now forced to survive after an island that was once home to a famous resort on the beautiful island of Banoi becomes ground zero to a zombie apocalypse. They will have to navigate their way through hell on paradise and attempt to make it off the island that was once home to a beautiful resort. Will they find their way off the island and survive or will they become victims to the one thing they are running from?
20.42 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 17:32
C.J. May (Goddess of Records) | horror | Complete
Feed a bat a special mushroom and what do you get? Bright red lard that burns longer and hotter than kerosene. For those daring enough to eat it, it can lead to superpowers, or even immortality. Feed that same fungus to a child, and well& there's no telling what powers their lard will produce. When Kid's class is abducted by an evil man and taken to the slaughterhouse, she does everything in her power to save them. But how far can she go, when the abattoir descends dozens of levels below the earth? And rumor has it there's something even more monstrous than the man, and it's hungry for more& An unlikely hero, Kid, teams up with Old Man Snaggletooth and embarks on the adventure of a lifetime: to save her class, or die trying.
8.44 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 17:31
On the day of his 10th birthday Terry Andrew (an anxious kid) develops power beyond any mortal person. Terry's powers are causing him problems in his life. Terry must take control of his power before his power controls him.
7.50 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 17:44
XombieHamster | mystery | Complete
A vampire was destroyed in the city of Two Rivers. Her second death points detectives Alton and Cook of the Unjust Existence Extermination Investigation Force in the direction of an agent of a foreign power, and suggests the existence of a greater vampiric plot that undermines the reputation of the city for fair treatment of living-impaired citizens. Set in the world of Manifest Destiny - a shared hombrew D&D 3.5/Pathfinder 1 campaign setting that has been in use since 2007, this is a fantasy police procedural similar in style to Law & Order. Retired player characters make cameo appearances. This work originally won NaNoWriMo in 2015, and will update every Saturday until complete.
29.60 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 17:42
Miss hearty | mystery | Complete
Avalon is going back to Hogwarts for her second year. she is looking forward to going back. but when a dark wizard escapes out of prizon her 2nd year may be in danger Please rate my stories.
8.48 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 17:36