group hug

CitrusIsUndecided | psychological | Complete

want one? a hug, i mean. one page story by the ever-obscure author of Schneiders Guide. warning: features a familiar lack of capitalization and a certain brand of nonsense usually associated with LSD.

0.38 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 17:42

Mythical Mage

KurtMKing | adventure | Complete

When eighteen-year-old mage Caleb sacrificed his life to put an end to the Great Demon War, the last thing he expected was to wake up perfectly healthy beside his husband, the warrior Kyron, who had also sacrificed his life to put an end to the war. Their Levels were reset to 0, but they didn't care so much about that - gaining Levels wouldn't be much of an issue for them even with their status as Mythical-Tier people and the higher Experience amounts needed for each Level there. What mattered to them was growing strong enough to enter a location where they could ask the godswhy they had been resurrected a thousand years later. Well, Kyron also found it important to stop Caleb from pulling the metaphorical lever every five seconds, but Caleb wasn't too concerned with that. They ended the Great Demon War, after all - they could handle anything that came their way. Idiots, monsters, natural disasters, dragons in hiding because they knew Caleb would add more than a thousand years of interest to how much they owed him... Caleb was certain a few magical mishaps wouldn't be an issue, either. Important Notes: 1) This is a story about OP young men doing OP things, and they aren't going to get caught up in political shenanigans. 2) This is a mixture of slice-of-life and adventure, and won't have any major life-threatening situations. Refer back to Point 1: this is about OP young men doing OP things. Expect periods of adventure and periods of slice-of-life matter, and only mild amounts of combat. 3) Again, no petty squabbles of any significance. Caleb and Kyron are simply too OP and too uncaring about that sort of thing for it to matter. 4) 99% of this is getting made up as I go. This story isn't meant to be taken seriously, it's just me relieving some stress. That's why the first three points are important and why I'm posting as I go instead of taking time to plan and do editing (so don't expect any editing on this story).

99.53 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 12:07

#ShiorinStories: So, are you coming along then? [hololive English Advent] Shiori Novella Fanfiction

Shirei Kazuhiro | comedy | Complete

#ShiorinStories are Fanfiction Stories made by Novelites, like myself, from Shiori Novella's Writing prompts/Story Starters posted on her Community tab. I'll be posting mine here so they can be read by more people and I hope some of you may love it, and if you also want, you can also tell me what you think and how you feel about the stories I write! Cheers!

0.85 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 13:24

Dragons Waking

gusdefrog | fantasy | Complete

Begun on a whim, to be written in fragments... [participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge] A mythical take on current events and old legends. When mankind retreats, the earth shifts, and the sleeping dragons awake.

52.43 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 13:15

The Binding of Korsha

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

Other-Terrestrial Episode 13 - "Dark Star"

NolanConrey | drama | Complete

Deep in space, a relic temple of an ancient, seemingly lost civilization has been discovered. 25,000 kilometers in width, the station dwarfs even the Earth itself. Captain Brooks must join up with adventurer and explorer Nadian Farland to take the first steps into a place where man was not meant to tread. A place where reality twists and warps, and the echoes of the past still rebound. Into the heart of madness and death.

41.40 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 14:45

Lonely Light (Complete)

unice5656 | romance | Complete

Arael is an otherworldly being from the upper plane, a place similar to Heaven, full of Light. He now dwells on Earth, touched by Darkness, unable to return. When he rescues Sariel, an innocent angel from the clutches of Dark mages, he is no longer alone for the first time in centuries, but knows that he must return her home before she is also stranded on Earth. The question is, does she wish to go? (Pure fantasy romance) - Cover art credit goes to Cassandra DenHartog (www.cassandradenhartog.com)

7.26 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-11 18:58

Law of Shadows

Andur | romance | Complete

Mercs are causing trouble in my city. They are hunting someone, whatever the cost. It's not like I care that some lowly humans died, but if I don't act now it would set a bad example. So what would the hero do? Probably he would save the victims and protect them while the enemies keep coming& Yeah, as if I would ever do something so troublesome! They aren't calling me the demon lord for no reason. I suppose I'll just shoot the victim and be done with it.  Reading Order of the Multiverse-Books  Author's Comment: If you find mistakes, pls tell, thx. I don't like mistakes.[/window] Author's Comment: I was asked about reading my work on other sites. The answer is simple: Currently, I am not active in any other networks than royalroadl.com. Only here, I correct mistakes and errors. If you read it anywhere else and have to pay for it or have to deal with an annoying amount of advertisement, You Are Being Betrayed. You would do good if you make other people in that network aware of it. This is a free project of mine for the purpose of having fun. And if people try to make money with it you shouldn't bother visiting their website. I have no problem with translation and reposting of the story, as long as the person in question isn't doing it for money or stealing my identity. The only one whom I actually allowed to have my work on his website is Armaell who invested the time to compile them into pdf. (http://armaell-library.net/author/andur)

79.01 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:57

Just Deserts: Revised Edition (MHA, OC)

Elbowsnapper | action | Complete

Hisoka Higawara struggles to understand those around him, but he's learning quickly. One day, he makes friends with a girl named Nanami, and his life will never be the same. My Hero Academia. MHA. OC. Sand Manipulation Quirk. Complete. Revised, restructured and rebuilt from the ground up, Just Deserts gets a new coat of paint. Enjoy.

158.97 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-21 10:25

The Riyria Chronicles [WITTY BANTER | EPIC FANTASY | ASSASSINS | THIEVES | MERCENARIES]

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

A Journey of Black and Red

Mecanimus | action | Complete

A conversation with a handsome stranger leaves Ariane chained in a cellar with a strange affliction. She soon discovers that the darkness of the nineteenth century's Deep South hides many dangers. Mages, wolf shifters and the humans who hunt them play a risky game where to stumble is to die, all under the amused gaze of the apex predators of the supernatural world: vampires. It is never healthy to attract the gaze of the aristocracy of the night. It takes much to survive in this merciless world, but Ariane will not let that deter her. The southern belle has a bite, and she is willing to learn and to grow in this hostile new world. She will use whatever means necessary to reclaim her freedom, be it guile, charm, or those intriguing new instincts that make blood so delectable. This is a story of vampires as I believe they should be, with their strengths and weaknesses, with their remnants of humanity and the beast inside. Updates every Friday. Mind the tags. Cover by Antti Hakosaari:https://www.artstation.com/haco Special thanks to Svensonsen for getting me started, as well as Omi Nya, Hesketh, Rhaegar, Yaksher, Selkie and Raven for proofreading my stuff. Thanks to my patrons and you dear readers, for the support. I could not do it without you.Journey is on Amazon, both in ebooks and audio. here is a link to the first one:https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Black-Red-Alex-Gilbert-ebook/dp/B08DK6G8Y8The story probably exists in your local marketplace as well of I can tempt you.

693.78 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 15:25

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

Animation in Blue

Genuine55 | contemporary | Complete

Like any high school student, Sarah just wants to get through her day. It's not her fault she sees phantom fog everywhere she goes. It's not her fault that she suffers from a painful sensitivity to sounds, lights, and teachers who insist on playing music in class. But thankfully Sarah has gotten comfortable with her isolation. Her life begins to change when she discovers that the fog isn't just a hallucination. She can move it around, take it from the air, and infuse it into things she chooses. And she's not the only one. Along with her magic, Sarah finds friends, purpose, and even some confidence as she explores her new life. Updates M/W/F

48.48 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 16:33

Him and Her - An Odd(?) Story

beddedOtaku | contemporary | Complete

A story of two people in their early twenties, an always expressionless(?) Aya, and cool(?) Tyson. Loves, friendships, and the small moments pile up in this odd(?) love story. Tyson, suffering from long-lasting unrequited love, meets Aya, an odd, expressionless girl from his classes. As the curiosity about each other draws them together, it slowly sparks a friendship founded on honesty with which the two deal with one another. It is a story about two ordinary college students with their own, small circumstances, and love which blossoms between the two of them. Check out 1 page comics titled Ay's and Ty's Daily Lives for some funny moments between the two:http://fav.me/dc4q2wf COMPLETED

66.56 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 15:31

Haptic Imperative

AMBLE | contemporary | Complete

The arch-wizard Orton hasn't been an ordinary human for many years, but traveling back into his own past for a fifth chance at defeating the evil magus Gentry puts him back in the year 1997, in his teenaged body as punk-rock dishwasher Dennis Wilkerson. Now he must retrace his steps through his adventure yet again -- recruiting his allies, defeating his enemies, and accruing his spells and powers all over again. But this time, one thing is different -- he's not alone.This novel takes place in the setting of Entangled Shadows, an urban fantasy quantum-physics magic system in development for use in Tabletop RPG play!

77.91 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 15:33

System Only Gives Me Useless Gifts

chocomug | contemporary | Complete

Li Yun grew up with a system that gave him useless gifts. He wanted a reward that could prove the existence of the system, but ended up with abstract gifts like culture. Without physical proof, he was stuck wondering whether his mind was truly sane, all the while dealing with the reality of life. How will the "useless" system help Li Yun navigate medical school, hospital politics, criminal cases, treasure hunting, farming, and cooking? Author's Note: This is a slice-of-life novel about a doctor with a mission-type system. It's written as a faux modern Chinese novel, so there are many 1-off characters and episodic mini-arcs. The tone of the story is very different after the childhood arc and jumpy as it chronicles Li Yun's life. Expect a lot of time skips. This novel is complete. See webnovel for OG, or first draft. See scribblehub for my other authorized post. If you enjoy the novel and would like to contribute to the author's coffee addiction: https://ko-fi.com/chocomug. Amazon for Book 1 & 2 Copyrights of the novel and cover are owned by Chocomug. Novel is free to read and download for personal use, such as offline reading, only.

227.31 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-20 15:22

Peculiar Soul

TMarkos | drama | Complete

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

Chronicles of the last Leïn

Not_Important | drama | Complete

This is the story of a child. One who should be dead, as nothing survives them. But the child fled and was rescued, through an act that broke prophecies and shattered Truth. Even though it was only an extended arm. Now, after excaping true horror, she faces the challenge of the grim reality. She needs to adapt; to survive, but also simply to live. Even though she was never meant to. This a world of fantasy. Magic exists, marvelous creatures roam the lands. But in no way is this reality fantastical, magical, or forgiving. It is one ruled by the Imperatrix. It takes place in an Empire that was created on the ashes of the War. And as it is true everywhere, its rules are made by the powerful, the rich and the mindless masses. [Release schedule is one chapter every two weeks on Fridays 8PM GMT+1 until I get myself in a good writing stride, and then I'll go back to one chapter per week.] (I am an aspiring author working full-time on my passion in the hope of one day being edited in either French or English, as I write in both languages.)

189.06 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 15:50

Power Overwhelming

Vihyungrang | drama | Complete

A particular soul has gone through more reincarnations than it can remember. Used to living quiet and simple lives, the soul is told that the next life would likely be the last one and that it would have to go back home, to the universe where it was first born to live it. A universe that also happens to be the gathering place of other reincarnators and some of the most powerful beings in the multiverse. What can a soul do when thrust in the middle of an emerging conflict? Why would this be the last life the soul can live? And who orchestrated all of this?

318.98 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 17:07