Song of the Void

Vihyungrang | sci_fi | Complete

A great race faces extinction and tries to leave a legacy for the future. Young races building on the ruins of the old. What happens when one of the old ones wakes up and finds the universe changed? Will she try to find new meaning? Will she try to help the younger races or will she punish the grave-robbers for their sacrilege? Or will the eternal servant of her people try and finally find some happiness of her own?

222.62 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 17:31

Restart (Reborn as a Reluctant Demon Lord, Book 2)

TitusGM | tragedy | Complete

This is book 2 of the series! If you haven't read book 1 (which you can find here https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/34776/new-game-reborn-as-a-reluctant-demon-lord-book) then you should probably do that first to avoid spoiling yourself in the synopsis. But that's just a suggestion. If you want to be confused, go ahead. Have I used enough space so that you can't see this in the preview yet? Okay, good. ----- For a [Demon Lord], not even death is the end. So, after death, I found myself revived once again in the world of Placeholder as a grotesque monstrosity. That was my first reincarnation, but it would not be anywhere near my last. Disillusioned with the admins and their quests, and wanting nothing more than to fix the mistakes of my past, I set out with a new goal in mind. To bring back the woman I loved. Or maybe... to ensure that she never died in the first place.

248.68 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 18:06

Xianshi Inn (A contemporary Xianxia novel)

EgaoChan | satire | Complete

He left his home, unwillingly, to a realm of cultivation, Xianshu, mythical manuals and Dao. And now he's here due to a failed attempt at going home, a place bears a lot of resemblance but not the same. "At least it's close enough here. I'll get there on my next jump." Jianmen Yu said to himself, "But while I'm prepping, let me do my old job here for a bit." And there we have it, "Xianshi Inn", run by a cultivator, who's not of this world. Don't mess with it or its employees, the owner will kick your ass, no matter who you are, no matter WHAT you are. The full book of this novel is now available on Amazon, if you would like to support me and my work, head to Amazon and search "Xianshi Inn"! New book from Egao Chan "Poison City" is available and serializing! Check it out!

392.00 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-21 13:24

The Killing Cat: Vengeance of the Wicked Girl

Mikkei | contemporary | Complete

In an alternative school for delinquent girls Holly Hayfield has no place to belong. Her kind and gentle nature is seen as weakness by the other students. They don't know that she has a dark past just like the rest of them. To make matters worse, the resident sociopath, Valentina, wants Holly's help with a mysterious plan to take over the school. Holly's quest to find a place to belong is hijacked when she uncovers the corpse of a former student. From that moment on mysteries and conspiracies enshroud the school. What begins as the far-fetched urban legend of the Killing Cat turns into grim reality. Will Holly make a place for herself in this dangerous new environment? Or will the school collapse in the shadow of a vengeful spirit? [Cover Details: The girl is Malorie, the former student that the synopsis refers to. She is holding the mask of the Killing Cat (Vigilante/Serial Killer). The cat with her is Nyx, the original Killing Cat.]

282.16 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:19

The Way Ahead

NorskDaedalus | drama | Complete

Get The Way Ahead on Amazon! Volume 1 Volume 2 Volume 3 What do you do when you don't fit in? Edwin never really felt many connections to other people, but as a physics student, that was fine. He didn't really need it, anyway. He was content to peel back the mysteries of the universe... not that there were many left to find. Modern-day research was just too well-established, too well-trodden for any single enthusiast to make any significant headway. But that doesn't apply to other worlds. Not ones where magic and Skills run rampant, where well-defined roles and Classes dominate much of society with little room for novel experimentation from its residents. That kind of world would be perfect for an overeager, newly-minted Alchemist to make his mark. Things are never that easy, though. The Way Ahead is a very slice-of-life story following the story of someone trying to find his place in a world that doesn't know what to do with him. Expect lots of science, lots of alchemy, a few sarcastic quips by the System, and lots of exploration involving the world, self-discovery, and above all, science. After all, further research is always required. Updates Wednesdays. Congratulations! For writing a story during the month of November, you have unlocked the Royal Road Writathon Participant path!

285.73 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:36

Reaper of Cantrips

WinnieSallow | horror | Complete

On the alien planet of Scaldigir, where the people are grey, there are average individuals, and then, there are arcanes. Every arcane gets one power, except for the reapers. They can take as many powers as they want, so long as they lift them from the bodies of the dead and the dying. It's a useful power that could preserve the best abilities among the arcanes  in theory. Thus far, every reaper has been too impatient to wait for the deaths of their comrades. Murder and neglect; the words are synonymous with reaper. That's how everyone else sees it. Pan, the last of the reapers, doesn't think she's that bad. She hides among the arcanes as a ghost seer. She's content, with being the one and only reaper, not to mention a secret, until she meets a special ghost. Updates Monday, Wednesday, Friday Revisions completed in April 2021

283.82 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 12:13

New Game (Reborn as a Reluctant Demon Lord, Book 1)

TitusGM | tragedy | Complete

Portal Fantasy. Isekai. A daydream of nerds everywhere, leaving behind their boring world and living in a fantasy one that is full of adventure. A daydream that became a reality for me and 1000 other Comic-Con attendees. Except for me, it was more of a nightmare. Wanting nothing more than to find a way home, and also saddled with being the world's new [Demon Lord], I found myself trapped in a gamelike world and also somehow a part of the [Hero's] party. So join me as I tell the tale of my struggles. A tale of levels and skills. A tale of cagey game admins and bugs. And a tale of our party's grand quest to defeat... Well... Me. ---- What to expect from this book? 1. A main character who is not overpowered (and instead has to go fromnear-useless to strong. Not just weak to strong). If you are looking for an OP [Demon Lord] who laughs at his weakling enemies... This isn't for you. 2. A meandering pace as the characters aren't told how a lot of the world works and have to figure it out themselves. (And because there are a lot of characters. Whose idea was it to have a party of 9? I blame Jake) 3. A tragedy. A lot of things arenot going to go well for the protagonist. (Not that everything is tragedy all the time. There is humor, laughter, friendship, and even a mascot monster character who got way more popular than I expected. But this is not a story that will leave you uplifted and inspired after every time you read it). ---- Release Schedule and publishing information: Book 1 is complete! I will include a link to book 2 once it has been started. Feel free to give feedback, positive or negative. ---- Other notes Book 1? Yes, this says Book 1. There are probably going to be 3 books. No, the plot as you can guess is not going to be tortured to drag out all the way to book 3. That would be ridiculous. If you can guess the plot of books 2 or 3 at any point before the last chapter of book 1, please use your clairvoyant powers for something more productive. TitusGM? This story is intentionally told under the username TitusGM because the idea is that he was the one actually writing everything down what happened after it all is over. I initially planned to answer everything in character on this site, but that just really didn't work out. If you want an in character response to a comment, simply prefix it with IC: (I also try to leave that as a reminder in the author's note after each new chapter) Cover art? Made by a friend who shall remain nameless at this time by his request

212.00 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:40

Direwolf

bamber_344 | horror | Complete

Roxanne Kindley is just a regular high-school girl. She has a few friends, a few people she'd rather avoid, and an infatuation with a girl she's never spoken to. Pretty typical. Things take a strange turn however, when Roxy helps a bizarrely intelligent wolf while on a walk through the woods behind her house. Not long after, a certain girl takes a sudden interest in her, and Roxy can only begin to wonder where this will lead as it seems her new friend holds a terrifying secret. If you enjoyed Direwolf, follow me on tumblr (www.tumblr.com/bamber344) for news about future projects! (cover art by the incredibly talented @themissakat, check them out!) (crossposted on Scribblehub)

211.93 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:49

Sidonian Vigor

Nekomota | horror | Complete

The Sidonian Empire stands with pride to spite and take vengeance, in the name of its leader, the Lady Sidonia. Alisson Vi Nuam and Celistine Regadonia; the master and the apprentice, although meek, must push outside their boundaries if they wish to survive, and aid their fellow comrades in victory. Victory however, means victory against the entire world. Sidonian forces are of course higher quality than the rest of the human scum on the continent, but quality over quantity can only get you so far when you're outnumbered by such a large factor. Decrepit beasts roam the tunnels under the ground, and humans are all too happy to squash another subhuman nation such as Sidonia. With a sudden surprise attack launched on Sidonia, and war being declared, it's only a matter of time until the vastly larger human armies march down the continent and overwhelm the speck at the bottom of the map that is Sidonia. However, the orders Alisson receives one fateful day may be the key to his species survival, or an elaborate way of saying die'. Either way, orders are orders, and even if the Lady Sidonia did tell him to take his own life, he would do so in a heartbeat, as would any Sidonian as Alisson could imagine. This sentiment however, unbeknownst to Alisson, is subject to change, especially when he receives a brand-new apprentice to follow him everywhere. She may prove yet to be Alisson's first real friend. Because what's a better method of bonding than being hunted by both human and monster alike? Updates sparsely every couple weeks; this is a hobby, not my jobby :) Takes inspiration from everything from Metro 2033 by Dmitry Glukovsky to the Spice and Wolf series by Isuna Hasekura. The main characters are not overly powerful, there is no cultivation, and there are no levels. The world isn't defined or spoonfed to the reader, and care has been taken to make sure every character seems human, no matter their importance to the plot. Please feel free to reach out to me about any grammar issues, questions, or critique, leave comments, or leave reviews, anything helps

373.24 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 18:00

Manaseared (COMPLETED)

JurassicClark | romance | Complete

Manaseared is a long-term character study on what it might really be like to form an adventuring party, learn spells, and go on epic quests. By the end, its protagonists--a chaotic evil sorceress, a charismatic young warrior, and many others--will have mastered their abilities and earned great power. But it's a long road to get there. And along the way, they're sure to learn why normal, sane people try to avoid dungeons--and don't run straight into them. COMPLETED; 512k words. THE CROW, set five years after Manaseared's climax, is now available on RR!

290.28 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-21 16:24

Ebony Chitin - Eclipse

slayerbat | romance | Complete

Richard Adams is something of a talented alchemist. One of the few magical professions that have anything to do with some kind of science. Everything was going swimmingly, until the 'cold night' incident happened. With it being determined as his fault, that such a thing happened. He was promptly exiled until he could return to Eclipse with a new 'discovery' for his field. What he didn't expect; was that he'd run into a strange humanoid monster that could seemingly heal any life threatening wound in a matter of seconds. Certainly this would be what he needs to become a master alchemist. The first step on a multi series journey. Please excuse the earliest chapters and their poor grammer. Ebony Chitin follows Richard Adams, and Mimi on their Journey to understand each other and the world around them. Due the the exploratory nature of such a claim, it will cover many different topics. This was my first attempt at actually writing a story, and because of that I will not edit it. I'd suggest reading the second part as it comes out as most of the things within this book will be recapped. Though if it becomes popular I hope it might inspire some of you readers to write your own stories. Cover Art by Rose Dragon

313.12 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 18:21

Royal Road Community Magazine [January 2024 Edition]

RRM | one_shot | Complete

Official page for the [Royal Road Community Magazine] Contest. This page includes the first chapters of all entries submitted before January 10th, 2024. Check out the first chapter for more details.

205.02 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 09:56

The Holy Fool: Darkness & Hellfire (A reverse isekai GameLit)

spjones | action | Complete

After a lifetime of fighting as the Hero of the Holy Gods, Althea finally managed to beat down the Darkness and Hellfire God. However, as she gave him the final blow, thinking that it was the end of her fight, the very Holy Gods that she had been fighting for, descended and betrayed her, taking her Holy Power and leaving her to die along with the defeated God, who only called her a foolish girl. From the darkness of death, she finds herself alive again in a completely unknown place, surrounded by artifacts she had never seen. Paintings that glow from black mirrors, large roads full of artifacts called cars', and an impossibly large city are the things that she is now faced with. Having her Holy Power replaced with Darkness and Hellfire, she has to choose between living free, getting vengeance, or becoming a hero once again in this strange world.

233.54 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 13:18

Bridging The Gap; The Final Records In Unova: An Autobiography

QueensBorough | psychological | Complete

The sequel to A New Life Through The Eyes Of Kanto: An Autobiography, picks up two years later. Beginning with June helpinga physically and mentally recovering Gary (no relation to Pokemon Professor Gary Oak) escape his overprotective mother's house, the two end up on a plane to the Unova region with more than a little help. Unaware of the horrifying futureawaitingthem there, an unbelievable connection to their previous adventures in Kanto, slowly unveils.

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

The Acts of Androkles

Ryan English | action | Complete

Elevator pitch: '300' meets 'Lone Wolf and Cub'. A retired veteran has to keepsome orphans from being eaten by horrible monsters. Androkles, son of Paramonos, spent twenty-five years in the world's greatest army trying to earn enough money to buy back his good name. He's battle-scarred, weary, and heartbroken after decades of watching dear friends die, but he survived. He's ready to retire and be welcomed as a hero, finally able to see the reward he sacrificed so much to achieve. There's only one problem: his wife just fled civilization with all his hard-won savings. Now he must pursue her north, through desperate bandits, ravening beasts, and worse. But after he rescues a pair of orphans from starvation, he is faced with his most difficult challenge yet: a question that goes to the very heart of honor. The consequences might be deeper than he realizes, and it's not just his life on the line& This fiction page contains the professionally-published novel Obstacles as well as the two complete sequels, Doubts and Burdens. Any time skips are deliberate. Book title is in the chapter heading. Chapter labelled "2.1, 2.2, etc" are chapters that were not posted all at once. Although the trilogy is complete, I'll return someday to write another book in this series, perhaps several. But for now, please take a look at my new fiction, The Land of Broken Roads. https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/69480/the-land-of-broken-roads Also, my brother Miles has joined Royal Road for the first time and is posting his 4th novel here. It's very good. Please take a look: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/69512/bog-standard-isekai

214.88 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-20 13:11

The Power of Ten, Book Three : The Human Race

RE Druin | action | Complete

This story TWICE Completed the Royal Road Writathon challenge! Successor Book to Power of Ten Book One: Sama Rantha, and Book Two: The Far Future. Chapters began 9/5/2020. Chapters are around 2000 words (4 Word Pages), the author updating daily since Dec. 26, 2018. This story is basically completed as it stands, at 500 chapters of daily updates. Book Four: The Power of Ten: Dynamo, is continuing with the daily updates! Ebook: The original Power of Ten Series: The First Day, Part One, and Two, and the First Week, Parts One and Two! The Power of Ten Series PageAnd Part Two!Part Two of The First Day! ---------------------------- A shard severed from a soul, full of Karma, but needing a body and life of its own. The first true Rantha Hagbloods. A Shrouded Earth invaded by magic, struggling to once again see the sky. Three souls with the full knowledge of Power of Ten are on a world in need of something to break the stalemate and suppression of the Shroud of Undeath. It's going to take gold, and Gear, and Levels, but the undead aren't the only enemies that they'll be facing as they strive to liberate a world, and guide it towards the Light of Heaven. =========== Power of Ten has a Patreon for anyone who wants to read advance chapters (up to 35 ahead, and you can even pay annually!). We use a Google Docs system, sending out access emails to our Patrons once Patreon confirms things to our Patrons' gmail accounts. Help support PoT today! :) For those who would like to support me, my Patreon Link is at: Contribute Goldweight to Save the World! The Original Power of Ten/Sama, the Tip of the Spear, is being posted at: Tremble, She Comes! Books One and Two for Sama Rantha are at: Rantha Hags Forever! The permanent Discord Link is: Your Friendly Allegiance LInk is active! I always have Discord up if I'm online, although I may be busy writing and not see it right away...

627.47 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-21 11:17

The Power of Ten, Book Five: Versatile Wizardry

RE Druin | adventure | Complete

(This story is now complete) Book Five: Versatile Wizard began on 2/17/23 after Book Four: Dynamo concluded. Cover by Jack of Hearts! He did great work! Participant in the April/2023 and Nov/2023 Writathon challenges! --------------- The last of the soul-shards of Aelryinth is cut free, and is drawn through astral space to a new realm... one with no exposure to the gods, powers, and system of the Power of Ten at all. It is a world of Magery, where Elements of Magic is the science, the power is in people, and humanity dwells alongside countless magical creatures who actively contest the world with them... yet is still remarkably similar to our own in many ways. Shard Zeben will have to hit the ground running and make some major adjustments in a gamer's outlook as she introduces the mages of this world to what it means to be a truly versatile wizard... and to bring the Light of Heaven to a world that has no such thing! --- Ebooks in the Power of Ten Series (Kindle): Power of Ten: Series Page for the First Day, the First Week, and the First Month! Based on, but not set in, the world of, the Chinese Webnovel Versatile Mage. The magic system is a guideline, and gets modified a great deal and fleshed-out for completion, because wizards are total geeks about that stuff and it's what they do. No smut, no harem, sex is offscreen, profanity is mild. There'll be occasional numbers, occasional Assays of progress, and a lot of trying to work out how the magic is actually functioning. Here is the link to the Fictions Page for the preceding Books One through Four: Books One through Five of the Power of Ten!

509.54 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:28

Tori Transmigrated

Aila Aurie | comedy | Complete

The last thing 40-year-old project manager Tori Felix remembered was scrolling through a wiki article about a dating sim game franchise while on the shinkansen. Then she was hurled forward to the sound of metal creaking, the smell of smoke, and was knocked out. When Tori woke, she was in a lavish four poster bed with a splitting headache and in the bruised teenage body of a Marquis' arrogant daughter from the popular dating sim "The Romance of Soleil". Problem #1: There is a possibility she's dead in her world. This meant she couldn't meet up with her friends. Also, her tickets to Universal Studios were useless now. Problem #2: This body may be young, but weaker than her original. And where were her boobs? Lastly, Problem #3: She now inhabited the body of Victoria de Guevera; the villainess of "The Romance of Soleil" whose final ending, according to the wiki article, was a violent death at the hands of sex slavers. With just a few weeks before the heroine and the villainess collide, there is no time for an existential crisis. Tori took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and whispered her personal mantra: "Assess the situation, then make a plan of action. You don't want to die like a b-tch."

1,570.00 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-20 13:38

The Demon Lord's Lover

redknight3996 | romance | Complete

Julius Goldforge knows howthe world works. He knows his role. Really, it's destiny by this point. The mentor dies, the hero gains motivation, and the demon lord falls to their blade. Except...something's clearly gone wrong here. Written by Redknight3996 and Indismile, The Demon Lord's Lover is a fantasy comedy/romance featuring a jaded, middle-aged adventurer who's damn sure he's going to die on this new journey with his students and the ambitious Empress of the Dark Lands, whose drive to conquer the entire world winds up putting both him and her on a bizarre course of attraction and impulsive decision making. Includes (but is not limited to): action, adventure, big fights, elemental-themed temples, demons, angels, fumbling romance, competence, incompetence, nudist druids, the crimes of the past influencing the current age in myriad ways, interpersonal issues, fatalism, and being a decent uncle to one's adoptive family. (We've also got a discord~! https://discord.gg/Mbba6g7)

237.62 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-21 15:05

Fallout: Vault X

FourPin | drama | Complete

An original novel set in the Fallout universe, written to be accessible to all, featuring unique people and places. Vol.IIl (3) out now Fallout: Vault X tells the story of John. A vault dweller, who spent every day of his twenty five years underground. Like his father, and his father before him. Proud to live in the last remaining bastion of humanity, all that survived The Great War of the atomic age. Hidden deep below the surface of the earth, toiling under brutal conditions. Year after year, decade upon decade. All to expand into the natural cave system the Vault occupied, building for the future. However, John knew what his forefathers did not, that everything he'd been taught was a lie. After finishing school at the age of ten, John received his standard issue pipboy. An arm mounted personal computer, worn by everyone in the Vault. Used to coordinate the relentless pace of expansion, needed to work as an apprentice. To learn the craft that would be his life's work. A noble calling to ensure a future for all that remained of the human race. A quirk of fate saw John equipped not with the crude, clunky, pipboy model his father wore. That almost everyone around him wore. His looked smaller, sleeker, finished in a jet black sheen. And capable of doing far more than its drab counterparts. The world above had been ravaged by atomic flames, yet life clung to its bones. The Red Valley fared better than most in the century since the bombs fell. The clean water and rich soil protected by rolling hills. All spared from direct strikes, for the most part. Life survived here. Trees spawned from charred ground, misshapen, green leaves turned red. Along with simple crops, grown wild at first, then cultivated by the survivors. The scavengers of the old world were inventive, hardy people. All determined to rebuild in the ruins of a world they never knew. In the decades that passed settlements emerged. They grew, spreading along the valley floor. Reclaiming the pre-war remnants of the once industrialised heartland. Salvaging the robotic wonders of a bygone age to build their walls and work their fields. To protect them in the dark of the wasteland. But such things are uncommon in this world, and the rarer something is, the greater its value. And the worth of pre-war technology had not gone unnoticed. The last, real, power in this world rested in the mechanised hands of The Brotherhood of Steel. Forged from the mortally wounded old world military. The Brotherhood used its access to the weapons made for a conflict no one won to strike out into the wastes. Men and women were equipped with advanced armour, aerial transportation, high grade weaponry. Accompanied by the training, strength, and will, to put them to use. They established chapters and set up outputs far and wide. All dedicated to a single purpose. To ensure the technology left abandoned by its long dead creators didn't fall into the wrong hands. Namely, any hands that were not their own. This is the world John escaped into. A place of horrors brought forth from atomic fire. A place where survival meant battling against the darkness. Fighting a war each day to get to the next. And war...war never changes

332.17 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:28