In the cyber post-apocalypse, the Asteri, a powerful upper class, rule over everything on the planet. Little they dislike survives long on the planet's surface. June, a veteran with more baggage than she'd like to admit and a big heart, has made it her mission to make sure the little guy living in the slums doesn't get forgotten. In the middle of rescuing a bunch of children kidnapped by the local mafia, she encounters a small, strange, and extremely dangerous cyborg child. Marked as property of the Asteri, Sasha comes with baggage of his own... the deadly kind. Between the two of them, can they make a difference on the surface? Or is there no future for anyone on this planet who dares run astray of the Asteri? -Cyberpunk-Eventual cyborg progression-Post-apocalypse-Mechs-Cyborgs-Action!
48.78 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 13:46
Celestiarc | sci_fi | Complete
Korsha's a mage. Born with the blessing of the Third Daughter. A hundred and fifty years ago she'd be harbored as saint in the making. Unfortunately, the Third Daughter goes by a more infamous name now: The Betrayer. Now Korsha lives in service to the Imperial Goddess, acting as one of her many Imperial Binders. As a binder she uses her talents to bind spirits in order to, as her master puts it, give them purpose. Venturing across interstellar space as well as the underworlds of Keshkigal, Korsha will do anything to ensure she redeems herself within the goddess's eyes by serving her master. Yet she's made many mistakes, failed her master numerous times. Above all else, there is one choice, one moment of disobedience that haunts her to this day. It lingers like an embedded knife of guilt whose wounds have long sense healed over. But after someone nearly kills her master and frames her for it, Korsha is forced to travel back to the very place where she failed most. There she will face the incarnation of her guilt. Now caught between the desires of her master and her spirit guardian, Korsha will have to unravel the threads of conspiracy that now surround her. Lest she become bound in them. Part of the Legends of the Fall Universe
49.80 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 13:51
MichaelJSullivan | action | Complete
Royce Melborn (a cynical ex-assassin) and Hadrian Blackwater (an idealistic ex-mercenary) couldn't be more different from one another, but desperate times makes for strange partnerships and sometimes the best friendships are bound by blood - both theirs and those who dare to oppose them. New to Royal Road is two full-length published Riyria novels and one rough draft of a novel to be released next summer. Volume 1: THE DEATH OF DULGATH Three times they tried to kill her. Then a professional was hired. So was Riyria. When the last member of the oldest noble family in Avryn is targeted for assassination, Riyria is hired to foil the plot. Three years have passed since the war-weary ex-mercenary and the cynical ex-assassin joined forces to start life as rogues-for-hire. Things have gone well enough until they're asked to help prevent a murder. Now they must venture into an ancient corner of the world to save a mysterious woman who knows more about Royce than is safe and cares less about herself than is sane. Volume 2: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF WINTER'S DAUGHTER A daughter vanishes. Two rogues are paid a fortune to find her. It isn't enough. When the last member of the oldest noble family in Avryn is targeted for assassination, Riyria is hired to foil the plot. Three years have passed since the war-weary mercenary Hadrian and the cynical ex-assassin Royce joined forces to start life as rogues-for-hire. Things have gone well enough until they're asked to help prevent a murder. Now they must venture into an ancient corner of the world to save a mysterious woman who knows more about Royce than is safe and cares less about herself than is sane. Volume 3: DRUMINDOR He planned to obliterate an entire city. He thought no one could stop him. But he hadn't heard of Riyria. When a master-craftsmen dwarf is fired, he threatens retaliation. The rogues-for-hire known as Riyria are hired to find and stop him. Traveling to the paradise resort of Tur Del Fur, the two are granted a lavish allowance that, along with the easy job, promises to turn the trip into a vacation. Everything would have been perfect except that the disgruntled employee's last name is Berling and target of his wrath is the legendary towers of Drumindor. NOTE: A rough first draft version of Volume 3 was posted one chapter a day starting Nov 1 and the full work was posted on Dec 10. As noted when we started posting, this was only a temporary and the book was removed in January of 2023. This book will launch with a Kickstarter on 2/14/24. Once the book is finalized, it will be reposted on Royal Road. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michael j. Sulivan is a New York Times, USA Today, and Washington Post Bestselling author. He has published 19 novels across 4 series in his fantasy world of Elan: The Riyria Revelations (6 novels - completed series) | The Riyria Chronicles (4 novels - ongoing series) | Legends of the First Empire (6 novels - completed series) | The Rise and Fall (4 novels - completed series). He has nine Goodreads Choice Award nominations, and six of his published novels are Amazon Editor's Picks.The three free novels posted on Royal Road consist of nearly 380,000 words
125.17 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:00
Ira Creasman | contemporary | Complete
Anna Lawrence is a quiet girl who'd rather sit and write poetry than bustle about with her peers. After an incident resulting in a panic attack and a trip to the hospital, Anna's foster mother sends her to stay with her aunt and uncle for the summer. Upon arriving in the small mountain town of Glenwood, Anna finds herself caught in the machinations of another world on the other side of the fog: warring witches, animal-headed skypirates, and the boldest, bravest, most interesting girl Anna has ever met. THROUGH MIST, VEIL, AND SUMMER is my homage to Studio Ghibli films. It's a fantasy romance with a dash of adventure and a sprinkling of self-contemplation. It's a story that moves a little slower, a little quieter. It is my fourth novel, written between October 1, 2017 and January 6, 2019.
45.44 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-20 14:27
Not everyone gets a soul. The rise of industry and mechanization has sent the world's population booming upward, striving relentlessly for the fixed handful of souls that level armies and steer the fate of nations. The remnants of a crumbled empire fight in a grinding, bloody war against their ancient enemy. Not everyone gets a soul, but Michael must - for he is the scion of a lord, and the soulless cannot hold such a title. For five years he has tried to tempt one of the souls freed by its vessel's death. Five years of pain and failure, earning only his father's contempt. At last, one more opportunity to earn his soul has come. But not everyone gets a soul quite like his. Updates weekly on Wednesdays. Cover art by Harry Rowland.
348.78 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 15:49
MeetFearsomeDragons | fantasy | Complete
Regis knows it's an illusion. He's only ever seen Princess Charlotte from afar; only heard her voice when she spoke to a crowd. Sure he's good at reading people, but he knows she of all people will be wearing a perfect mask. The problem is he's in love with the illusion, and it's not going away. So he strikes out on a quest: win the fighting tournament held every year, where she gives out the prize, and hypotheticallyjust hypotheticallyhe can forfeit the monetary winnings and instead ask for a week to be close to her, to get to know the real her, and break the illusion once and for all.
17.35 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 15:52
Matt59Red | historical | Complete
"There is no more a turbulent time to live than during the slow, often violent, fall of a dying empire." Within the borders of the turbulent Revaryn Empire, a young noble named Kaewyn Edderfield is left in charge of his father's land of Greystone Province. Kaewyn however, would prefer to spend his time in taverns or reading books rather than do his duty as acting lord. Now burdened with the responsibility of rule, he must navigate the courtly world of provincial politics where officials, both military and civil, vie for favour and position. Along the way, Kaewyn will meet a plethora of characters. Among them are arrogant scholars, rival nobles as well as new and old friends. Knowing who to place his trust in and who to push aside will be vital if his home of Greystone Province is to survive the coming chaos.
182.73 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:20
[completed the October 2022 and April 2023 Writathon ] In the town of Destiny, Florida (not to be confused with Destin, also in Florida), magic portals open and spew out undead horrors. A few lucky survivors discover that killing the invaders grants magic powers seemingly following popular game or comic book tropes. For Maya Wennefer that's only the beginning of her problems. Invaders from another world, normal people realizing there are easier paths to power, the government's reaction to the new reality; surviving all that is hard, let alone becoming a superhero. As chaos spreads and stronger monsters appear, human greed may yet prove to be more dangerous than any invader. What to expect:Man-eating monsters, unsupervised young adults, mistakes being made, exploration of superpowers, violence, superheroics, cheaty power combos, arrogance, struggle.
112.35 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 17:37
A ritual, with the sole purpose of obtaining immortality, goes horribly wrong. What's left in its aftermath is aboy who receives an inheritance from the Void, a mysterious place that embodies darkness. With a newfound power, he is given a chance to carve his own way into the world.
336.65 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 18:01
The tear in reality led to a new world, one that promised fortune, prestige and a deeper understanding of the universe. Those that entered found only death. Four survivors are stranded in a strange and hostile world, at the mercy of forces they cannot understand. Their only path forward is to travel among the ashes of a broken and dying land searching for a way to survive, to endure - and to make their way back home. Cover art by Harry Rowland.
168.11 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 18:24
ZM-11833 was confused, normally they stood in the display window dressed in the latest fashion for the masses to admire but lately there hadn’t been any cuties arriving at their store. Only these strange new customers with their sickly wet skin and bulging eyes turning up. They really should go to a dermatologist-bot instead. Maybe the perfectly made and fantastically fetching fashion-bot would have to go out for the first time and start to look for some of their adorable prior customers to dress-up in the latest cyber-dress. And if these strange new invaders got in their way they might have to politely break some elongated skulls, after all they weren’t even paying customers. Standard store policy. Upon finding their perfectly 100% willing companion, (don’t believe a word they say otherwise), they realize the parent corporation of their arcology isn’t going to just let an invasion stand, and the pair must make it to the top. After all, what's a little Nuclear fire between friends anyway? Warning may contain cyberpunk robot humor, romance and copious amounts of futuristic clothing. Chapter length 1500 - 2000 words. Also posted on Scribblehub.
26.85 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 18:41
The year is 2061, and the world has ended. In the city of Asclepion, Sabra Kasembe dreams of a superheroic future yet wakes to the taste of blood and ash. When her father is shot six times in a heist gone wrong, she resolves to bring those responsible to justiceno matter where the trail might lead. To do this, she'll need to team up with a washed-up superhero, a brooding robotic woman, and the very man who shot her father. Because he is her only link to a conspiracy that threatens to shake the Functioning World to its core. But it may be impossible to save a world on the brink of apocalypse without pushing it over the edge. As her reckoning approaches, Sabra realizes that her future may not be filled not with the cries of those she's saved, but the screams of her victims... IN SEKHMET'S SHADOW is a complete post-superhero sci-fi thriller, and first of a trilogy (IN SEKHMET'S WAKE, IN SEKHMET'S HANDS.) It is intended for mature audiences and features violence, swearing, and ideas that may be considered traumatic or provocative. But remember this: everyone finds love in the end. Cover art by the phenomenal Tommy Arnold. No Patreon, no Discord -- please show support by following, favoriting, and rating. This is a story for those who want to answer the big questions: can superheroes reconcile the contradictions within capital and themselves, does power corrupt, and is it gay if you're a woman and she's a goth-rock robot? Is it easier to end the world than end capitalism? TOP WEB FICTION LINK: https://topwebfiction.com/listings/in-sekhmets-shadow/ IN SEKHMET'S WAKE IS COMING IN 2024 -- follow this story to be the first to hear of any updates!
107.83 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:22
van | historical | Complete
It will be awesome, they said. It will be an adventure, they said. Like hell it was! Gargh, what is this mess?! Finding himself reincarnated in a world of magic and swords, Aiven started out as a seemingly below-average boy whose only aspiration was to live and enjoy his new life. That is, until he and his friends met the hero, the demon king and some other suspiciously dead people or something. Sigh, just wake me up to my next reincarnation, maybe next time there's TV and a working toilet! [unreliable story summary] Cover Art: AI (app.wombo.art) Note: I've fixed the first part of the story so there would be a lot of mismatched comments on the chapters posted. (I originally planned to delete and repost everything, but I really appreciate the input of others in creating this story that I can't make myself delete them entirely, XD). Book I is completed with Chapter Summaries.
96.01 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:44
Asyouwish0203 | historical | Complete
Time travelled to Taishou Period of Japan, Teru felt very lucky that he got married to such a gorgeous wife. She was perfect, except thatshe couldn't be exposed to sunlight due to a mysterious illness. Her name was Kibutsuji Muzan. Tonight at the street, they bumped into a young, gentle swordsman with unique earrings.
12.04 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:42
Scientists discover that a massive gas cloud in space will cover the solar system in one year.They assure the populace that they recognize the gas and confirm that it is harmless. A year passes, and the fateful day arrives. Eric and Michael go to school like normal, but the world begins to change. System Initiating... Standby... Modification is being chosen.... Standby... Undead System has been chosen... Standby... System starting in 3... 2... 1...
4.59 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 11:47
Brian Law Korn was an average guy living an average life until one day he met his friend, Brender who entrusted him with a strange box and a toaster to be delivered to an unknown location. Little did he know this will change his life forever.This is part 1 of the (hopefully) 3 parts long ToTo's Strange Journey series. This is a parody based on the action-adventure manga/anime JoJo's Bizarre Adventure by Hirohiko Araki
15.61 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:19
Aest Belequa | sci_fi | Complete
Alice grew up idolizing Magical Girls. Now, she's one of them! When murderous machines attack Alice's graduation, she's asked to don the skirt and blazer. Now, she'll need to learn how to use her powers and work with a team of other Girls to protect her city from disaster - all while trying to get herself un-grounded! This was my first story on Royal Road. I'm currently re-writing it as a system apocalypse story, taking it in a completely different direction after the first chapter and a half or so, and tightening up as many of the plot holes as I can. I'm moving a lot slower on this project than my other, Magical Girl Undergrad. Expect The Halcyon System to be available to read in May 2024.
50.63 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 15:27
Leveling systems create overpowered main characters. Cooking systems create master chefs capable of conquering any stomach. Founder systems create monstrous sects from nothing. However, who creates the systems? This is a completely serious story written by the author of The Blue Mage Raised by Dragons. Now available on Amazon.
142.56 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-04-19 15:31
Adelaide West | contemporary | Complete
Julia wanted revenge, but she didn't imagine she'd get a demon to help her with it. Three girls worked together to cast a ritual, and summoned a demon to grant their wishes. Whether its peace of mind, the confidence to not be bullied, or revenge, the demon is willing to please. What matters afterward is the price that has to be paid. Not only by the summoners, but by the ones who have wronged them. --- Cover photo by Mallory Johndrow on Unsplash.com --- [participant in the NaNoWriMo Royal Road challenge]
26.72 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:03
M-Anthony-Harris | historical | Complete
Vealand's jewel twin cities of Portin and Brinhold fell to terror fourty years ago. During their fall a man rose up and saved them. He took the survivors of the fall of the Veaish coast and brought them inland, setting up his new empire inland in the mountain stronghold of Fiell. The Emperor singlehandedly saved the people of Vealand. Everyone knows that and everybody in Vealand adores him as a hero and the savior of their nation. Dren though, says differently. As a Memory Mage and the leader of the Rebellion, he's desperate to prove that the Emperor is a false savior. He bets his life on it. He fails that bet and fails in his last attempt at transfering his memories into the mind of one of the Emperor's Inquisitors. Now it's up two the two most unlikely people, Aris Ravenscroft, the head of Fiell's city guards and Kestrel, a street rat, to save Vealand from a monster that it worships as a savior. Notice, this is a High Fantasy novel, there are no LitRPG or Cultivation elements in it.
92.03 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:35
