MichaelJSullivan | contemporary | Complete
I admit it; I'm a long-time gaming geek. When I started back in 1984, I played on a Compaq DeskPro outfitted with an 8 MHz 8086 CPU and an awesome monochrome display adapter. I said I was a geek, remember? During the golden age of computer gaming, otherwise known as the 1990s, each month brought quantum innovations, spurring a host of inventive game designs. For me, the pinnacle was reached with the invention of the MMORPG (massive multiplayer online role-playing game), and my wife and I became lost in the world ofEverquestfrom 1999 to 2001. In the land of Norrath, we made many friends as we rose from a pair of pathetic magic users to guild legends, and I saw how the lines blurred betweenrealityand thevirtualworld. People speak of how computer games are a waste of time. But a great many good things grew out of those days. One of them was a fertile seed of an idea that I pondered well over a decade ago...and still do. This story is the result. What people are saying about "The Game" "An impressive and thought-provoking short story." - Mikel on Goodreads "The Game" is a wonderful short story, asking profound questions about existence and the meaning of life. I really enjoyed and be glad to see more from Troth." - Gil Estel on Goodreads "Great short story...different from much of Michael's writing (at least that I am familiar with). Definitely thought-provoking and chilling towards the end." - Gabe Erwin on Goodreads ". . . this one is just . . . brilliant! Do yourself a favor, everyone, and just read it." - Christomir Rackov on Goodreads.
4.38 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 16:52
Aest Belequa | one_shot | Complete
The Highwayman leaves no survivors. He hasn't in over a century of terror on the Old King's Road. His reputation for ruthlessness and immortality is his greatest weapon. When a dying noble begs him to spare his daughter, the Highwayman is faced with a choice; he can protect his reputation, or he can do the right thing. One choice lets his myth live on forever. The other may mean the Highwayman's end. Edit: I'm incredibly honored to have won the January 2024 Community Magazine Contest. Thank you all for reading!
5.10 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 18:13
Queenofthefuzzybugs | comedy | Complete
Once upon a time, there lived two great and mighty spirits on the mountain. One loved humans, the other hated them. When their differences could not be reconciled, they came to blows, and the human loving spirit was chased out. The banished spirit wandered the world. Rather than an exile, the spirit viewed her situation as an extended vacation. She saw all the sights and people she'd only ever heard about on the mountain. But it was a little lonely. No one could see her or hear her. She was a rootless spirit with no place to call home. And then, one day, she found a friend. When anger and jealousy take everything, only love can create something new. This is the story of perseverance, sacrifice, and forgiveness. Discord for FREE STUFF: https://discord.gg/Q2tQhQH ---Book 1: Empress of Blue Flower Mountain - Complete Book 2:Emperor of Blue Flower Mountain - In Progress Book 3:Princes of Blue Flower Mountain - N/ACover drawn by me, the Author! Lincensed under: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
19.61 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-20 13:13
Years ago, a mysterious egg-like shape appeared in deep space. The naturally curious humans constructed a research station to study the anomaly, which is currently manned by a relief team waiting for the next batch of researchers. Simon, the sanitation officer, is obsessed with the egg and hopes it will lead to newfound fame and discovery. What it contains however will change the course of his life forever.
4.16 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 14:35
Joe Kuster | sci_fi | Complete
"By far, the greatest danger of Artificial Intelligence is that people conclude too early that they understand it." Eliezer Yudkowsky Hey all, we're moving over to book 2. This content is in a state of transition. The book is now availble on Amazon (includes extra chapters): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W1534R8/ Artificial intelligence was nearly mankind's last invention. AI took off like a rocket, then when it racked up an impressive death toll, it crashed before it could blossom and took most high-tech industries with it. Resistance and fears became deep-set. Two decades after the infamous Rev. 4.6 incidents, humanity hasn't quit dreaming of the wealth and power that could be at their fingertips. A new generation of mega-corporations rose from the ashes. When one melds a quantum computer to a barely functional mental patient as a PR move, there are those who seek to profit, those who want to destroy it, and Alex. Alex Sage is a typical college student trying to keep up his grades and maybe find a meaningful connection with the fairer sex. Then, an automated semi crashes into his home, killing his family and turning his head into a pin cushion in the process. Alex awakens to find most of his memories gone and an illegal AI hidden in his brain implant. Now the pet project of a tech billionaire and heavily in debt, Alex struggles to stay valuable enough to be kept online. Still grappling with the repercussions of his injuries, and threats from a dangerous anti-augmentation political movement, there are no easy answers and threats loom around every corner. Alex must use whatever resources he can to escape from under the thumb of a ruthless corporation, while keeping those he comes to love safe. Chapters will stay up on RRL until Aug 10. It'll go up on Kindle Unlimited after that. How do you get those extra chapters I didn't have planned for RR? If you want them, they'll be in the published book. Book 2 will still make sense without them - I made sure of that. But... isn't $3 a lot for extra chapters? Think of it as tipping me for a good job and you'd also be getting my eternal thanks. If you enjoyed it so much that the idea of missing out a few chapters haunts you, I did my job as an author and made an engaging story. What's in those extra chapters? Resolving a few issues, set up for the cybernetic revolution, a rather intense sex scene with a new partner, revelations of who's really pulling strings, and a bit of set up for book 2. Complaints that people missed out on itwhen it was published here won't help (sorry!). I posted this for the folks who helped me shape the book, which is you all! (Again, yay!) But... Why! Why not keep it all on RR forever? My editor likes being paid for one. For two, I'd like the ability to get broader readership. If I break even on editor costs, I'll be incredibly happy. What about book 2? Drafts for Book 2 will go up around Sept 10. My draft of Book 2 is done, and it will be handed to the editor once Book 1 is published. Feedback has been even more positive. Beta readers devoured it and wanted more. I'll add a link to Book 2 once it's up on RR. I'm more or less, using you all for Beta Readers, so you get it before it's "canon" and edited. I invite active and meaningful feedback during this process. In return, you get early access to chapters. That does mean that the book content or plot might be adjusted before it gets published as I refine it. Sex Y/N? Yes. I heard the feedback, 90% wanted it explicit. You all will get the "full" experience. Will I dump all of book 2 here? Honestly, I'm not sure yet. At a minimum, it'll be up to the 75% mark as we collect feedback, much like what I did with book 1. It really depends on how good the feedback is and how nice people are. Lots of support + meaningful feedback to make it better =higherlikelihood you get all the book. Will be it up here indefinitely? No, it'll probably go up on KU at some point, but I'll make sure there's enough time for a large readership to grab it here. Then we move to book 3 which already is around 60K words already. What about other adventures in the same universe/characters? Yep. Absolutely. Nothing ready to share yet though. I plan to keep those side chapters and more slice of life stories as RR exclusive. Since I'm carving this off in book-sized segments, I'll have to figure out where those disconnected story arcs belong. I'm open to suggestions.
7.36 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 18:19
B. A. Baker (Thedude3445) | satire | Complete
The Soul Palace System has ruled the world of Wuweizi for countless eons, but there is a new magic afoot--or should we say, avine. Xi Gua Lao, an aspiring daoist, embarks on an adventure that leads him to an up close and personal encounter with the one thing he never expected: Vine Waifus. Vine Waifu created with Artbreeder. Cover by me. Audiobook narration by Kgy121. Read other Vines: Chaos Vines OnlineVINAL FANTASYVines: A Short StoryThe Vines of Bramblekeep When Immortal Ascension Fails Divine Thorns
20.78 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:15
Maiku_Senpai | tragedy | Complete
Just a short Radiohead story I made about the Kid A and Amnesiac universe...
0.32 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 17:50
In the depths of the past a cat picked up the sword.He only knew simple jabs, and he was not driven to improve.However... Blade of Exaction is a crackfic about combat, and should be taken as such.
0.71 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 17:44
Kaylaellen92 | contemporary | Complete
Kevin's life changed forever when a mysterious girl named Zoey came knocking at his door. After his wife died, Kevin felt guilty that, as a doctor, he was unable to save her. He left his career and previous life and now liveswith his tiny dog, Ghost, across from the cemetery where he is the groundsman. He never dreamed his life would turn out thisway. Then one day, a mysterious girl knocks on his door. When Zoey comes into his life, he is intrigued when he realizes she has nomemory of her past. Kevin shares his home and eventually his love with this mysterious girl. When he discovers the truth about her,can their relationship survive?
8.21 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 14:10
fsarbolaez | satire | Complete
A new island rises off the coast after a major earthquake. Soon, small valuable gems are discovered, while the civilians and government begin coming into conflict with one another. However, something primordial stirs deep within the land and under the waves. (Content Warning: Contains foul language, violence, gore, xenophobia, traumatic experience, and moments of allusions to assault, self-harm, and harm ideation)
9.55 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 18:15
Larkspur Wren | satire | Complete
[Participant in the Royal Road Community Magazine, January 2024] Legend tells of a vagrant herofearless in the truest sense of the wordfor whom no opponent was too strong and no odds too steep. He travelled the Four Seas, quashing evil and uplifting downtrodden folk everywhere he went. But when his latest quest puts the Fearless Bladesman on a collision course with the one thing he fears in the world, he's forced to confront his own mortalityand the measure of a life truly lived.
4.82 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:11
L.P. Candour | historical | Complete
Raoul is the very definition of a typical village boy; he eats, he plays, and he talks to wolves. He doesn't mind the monotonous days in the village and is willing to spend the rest of his life here; however, when soldiers return from a victorious war and have to pass through his village, Raoul will find that there are disagreements to be had regarding not just wolves, but bread as well. Disagreements thereby turn into misunderstandings, and misunderstandings turn into a deadly witch hunt for Raoul and the wolves. Now suddenly, the boy finds that his life is not so typical after all. One question remains: Will he be able to survive in a life turned upside down?
11.74 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:38
Christopher Jude | one_shot | Complete
This (short)story is Completed! Even if you're not a fan of short stories I think its definitely worth giving it a shot. Chapter 1 is here, the rest of the novella is (free on amazon until sometime on Saturday 4/29) Or available anytime on amazon (Kindle Unlimited too) Birth Status: Corporation-Dron.... ahem, "Corporation-Asset". That's crap though. Free isn't like the rest of the drones... well, except for her friend Three, he's alright for the "Mr. Corpo Poster-Boy" that he is. But she isn't like any of them. She was FreeBorn, and one day soon, she'll sail further than any Asset has ever seen, break her way into the High-Priority Personnel DataStack at the very heart of the CodeSea, and prove it. The setting is cyberpunk-fantasy and it's for January's community contest with the prompt 'uncharted waters'.
2.02 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 12:28
Kitsune's Inkwell | comedy | Complete
A series of shorts set in a mash-up of the Pokemon Universe and Baldur's Gate 3. A pop-up event just for fun!
4.00 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 14:21
Radiant Summer moon (TravisW) | comedy | Complete
Like most love stories this one takes place in the not so distant future.
2.57 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 12:11
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
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
Goreman the Gormless | mystery | Complete
The strange record of a cult that worshipped honey and the mysterious death of their leader
0.64 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 14:41
NicholasDuval | one_shot | Complete
A young spellcaster is banished from her community for witchcraft and exiled into a dark, ancient forest. While lost among the trees, she discovers a lonely devil. Together, they form a bond that could blossom into love... and save their new home.
11.56 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 19:02
Even aliens have legal troubles. Whenever an intergalactic being runs into trouble on earth, Lord Farkvold, the High Councilman of the Planets of Slatt, contacts Earth attorneys Marsh and Henry to help extra-terrestrials avoid unwanted attention and jail.
7.58 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:18
