The Secrets of Soward's Mansion

Trish | contemporary | Complete

[Psychological Thriller] Soward's mansion was once a beautiful, historic example of Victorian architecture, but time has an ironic sense of humor. It's now an eyesore and magnet for crime and vagabonds. I know I'm not the ideal person to restore her, but this is an opportunity to do one last great deed for my town before time finds it funny to ruin me too. What's the worst that could happen? [Winner of the Royal Road Writathon challenge] The Secrets of Soward's Mansionhas been exclusively published on RoyalRoad. All other sites have stolen the story. If you find this title anywhere else, please PM me on RoyalRoad or email me at [email protected]. Thank you!

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

Warhund - A Mind-bending Cyberpunk Noir Thriller

TheDeliciousMeats | drama | Complete

Cyberpunk meets alternative history in this dark mind bending story about an enhanced canine cop with nothing to lose. Warhund explores identity, family, love, loss, rage, and what it means to be alive when technology blurs the lines between life and death. Kerner Braverhund was used to being the underdog. After the Second Continental War ended Kerner decided to put his life as a Jagdkommando behind him and leave his homeland of D鯾i. It was an adjustment, going from being an elite soldier to an anonymous beat cop, but he managed. He hid his past and his anger, tried to integrate, tried to forget. Years later when a chance run-in with the mob ends in a bloody shootout Kerner knows that his days are numbered and he can't hide who he is anymore. So if he's going to die, he's going to go out on his own terms with his head held high. The mob might have numbers in their favor and the police in their pocket. But Kerner is a warhund with a head full of cutting-edge military hardware, unresolved anger issues, and nothing to lose. Whoever said that all dogs go to heaven probably never saw Kerner use a flamethrower. He's not a good boy, he's not dead yet, and he's going to make that everyone else's problem. COMPLETE What to expect: An enhanced canine anti-hero and his psychotic body-jumping war criminal father fighting an uphill battle. Explorations of Identity, purpose, morality and family. Also dog jokes. So many dog jokes. This book was originally called Death by Chocolate but it was later changed to Warhund because it conveyed the idea and tone much better.

46.17 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:13

Blood in the Wilderness

Octavius Minimus | historical | Complete

When a company hiking trip is hijacked for a mad scientist's experiment, things begin to turn strange when a hiker suddenly disappears and others begin to show remarkable new abilities. The search to discover the truth behind these events is complex...and dangerous.

35.36 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:42

In the Service of Lady Scarlet (A psychological horror take on gamelit)

Lack of Poochline | horror | Complete

My dear friend, I have sent you a transcript of a most curious find I bought from a street peddler. In this package you may find a weird, dateless diary where the most lively and mad servant of "Lady Scarlet" details his day to day working in her impossible palace: organizing balls that have a gender, using valuable wine to water the garden, and in general being at her beck and call. But soon after he started writing, he began to notice foreign messages were being written in it by a vandal: "Pierce the heart with the sword of gold! Set it ablaze and sear the wound with the blade! Kill the dragon, Francisco! Kill the dragon before it gets you again, before it consumes you." Armed only with his holy sword and the magic he learned before becoming a butler, he sets out to find who this individual is, what he wants, and which dragon they refer to, as such beasts were seemingly not allowed into the realm of Lady Scarlet. I hope you enjoy this find, and even if you don't, appreciate my work transcribing the pages, molded, stained with, or written in, blood.(This story is a Writathon project.)

30.62 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 17:46

Single Player

m_auctor48 | psychological | Complete

There are many games played on the world of Earth- some virtual, some board-bound, others much more real. For Grey Shor, the Apocalypse brings a game unlike any he's seen before- one that pits him against all manner of monsters, both human and otherwise. In this new reality, he has but a single goal: win. With the Apocalypse comes Evolutions- abilities that combine and level to transcend humanity. For Grey, this means Single Player, a power that allows him to play this new game by his own rules. After fighting through the hell known as the Apocalypse's Tutorial, Grey returns to Earth, finding it poorly prepared for the hell ahead. Armed with information regarding the future and powers ripped straight from myth, he begins a game that will not only find its way to the annals of history, but change them forever. The only way to save the world is to destroy it.  This is a story inspired by Death Note, the System Apocalypse sub genre, and stories like Solo Leveling and The Gamer. Will it appeal to fans of those stories? I can only hope.

42.79 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 18:06

Alta Chimera

Epsilon Twilight | one_shot | Complete

My chimera, my Alta. You were born for greatness. Alta has been trapped for all their life in darkness, a jail warded by demons and other creatures. But as they manage to escape the outside world with a hint of their true lineage, they understand that the outside was far bigger than their prison cell had been. After rescuing a fairy, they shapeshift into one and joins the fairy village, looking to find themselves, rather than their family. Author's synopsis: Gender-fluid, shapeshifting bloodthirsty creature wants to be happy and discover the world. Also fairies. A lot of fairies. WE HAVE ART! [Winner in the Royal Road Writathon challenge April 2023!]

33.36 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-29 18:23

Apostate Konstantin

RemarkTM | horror | Complete

The world is different now. Darker. Much has become a desert, permanently poisoned by radioactive fallout. Nature has reclaimed the rest. Humanity endures, barely, in underground refuges and fortified city-states. It is a time of great hardship. As if that wasn't enough, mankind is now beset by a new horror. Witches. Twisted beings of unimaginable power, these fell creatures stalk the night, preying upon the battered remnants of humanity. Only one mysterious organization has the will to defy their unnatural menace. They are the protectors of the righteous. They are the arbiters of justice. They are the Inquisition. Chief amongst these Holy Crusaders is Inquisitor-Brother Frederick Konstantin. This is the story of his fall.

42.27 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-26 18:50

Isekai Speedrunner: A LitRPG Parody [November 2023 Writathon Participant]

RiaCorvidiva | comedy | Complete

Twenty-nine year old ViewTube extraordinaire and speedrunner Ashley Lancaster is on the road to the big time, only to be thwarted by one small problem: she's dead. But fate has a sense of humor, and she's been given a second chance. Now reincarnated as the protagonist of her favorite game,Legendary Star Odyssey, she'll be able to go back to her old life, if she can survive this one. But that's no challenge at all for this lady -- follow her journey as she uses her vast repertoire of glitches, hacks, and other gamebreaking shenanigans to beatLSO in record time. Her fans are waiting, and she's not one to disappoint! ---- [participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge]. Updates will be 'as I finish chapters'. Cover by Wong40k: https://www.royalroad.com/forums/thread/129666

30.99 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 11:27

Exit Sign: A Theatre of the Mind

RemingtonSloan | contemporary | Complete

Dave sees life as a theatrical performance; he's in the audience, but he didn't buy a ticket. He's not interested in the show, and nothing he can say or do will disrupt the story on the stage. What's to stop him from getting up and leaving? What's to stop him from walking through the door with the exit sign over it? Note: Exit Sign is literary fiction and a psychological drama. It's the first novel I ever wrote. The story is personal, and I'm proud of what's in there. It's been described as Seinfeld meets Sartre and as My Dinner With Andre meets Ralph Bakshi. My goal was to write a story full of sincerity while exploring the heaviness of the human experience. I wanted to write something that helps people wrestle with dread and meaninglessness. Writing Exit Sign certainly helped me figure out a few things in life, so I'm hopeful that it will do the same for a diligent reader. I'll write the sequels one day, but in the meantime I'm focused on my pulpier stories. I wrote Exit Sign for everyone who hates working in a drive through. Just keep going. Keep going forward. You might suffer, but if you love your friends and family along the way, it's worth it. The novel is complete, so there will be regular updates until all of it is posted.

32.62 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 15:40

Youth Unsupervised

Rukie | romance | On going

One summer night, best friends Kaito and Hiromasa save a quiet girl from stepping out in front of a train. After spending a night stuffing their faces and playing games, the girl is gone. Three years later, the trio is reunited. But the once quiet girl is now firey and troubled. Kaito must now learn to balance his feelings for her while trying to unravel the mystery behind her suicide attempt three years prior.

45.86 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-27 15:09

Aegis

Necrontyr525 | sci_fi | Complete

What does one do when they have an indecent ammount of money, the legal ability toleave home and see the universe in all of its grim glory, and the obligation to grow the family's fame and fortune? Why, buy up an ex-Imperial Navy escort ship for a start! Then you can set about carving out your own little chunk of the back end of the Imperium of Man... as soon as you can get it back into working order, of course... and deal with the fact that buying a ship left you just about broke... You get the feeling that, somewhere out there,somthing is laughing at you.Part 1 of the Aegisverse Saga. Second Person is used throughout. If that isn't kosher with you, best to back out now. A Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader fanfictionComplete, with a total of 100 chapters and 309 pages. On the series - This series was first written as a Choose Your own Adventure (CYoA) on the /r/HFY forum. The between chapter votes have been omitted, as they are not part of the story, despite their influence on it. On the the Author's notes - These were included in the original document, and are included here for the purpose of completeness. Spelling, grammatical, and formatting changes have been made in the process of archiving this story and re-formatting it for publication on Royal Road. None of the contents of the story has been substantially affected.Cover by gej302!

49.00 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 12:26

Transformers Revisited

Bobbi-C | sci_fi | Complete

Little did Police Lieutenant Ronald McKenzie know the consequences of his investigating the city's latest incident of urban violence. But then, no one would have. After all, who would have thought one would encounter Autobots and Decepticons, much lessanticipate what would happen to him afterwards. Some Notes: (1) This is a fanfic based on the Transformers franchise. The plot elements are from the Transformers movies, the original cartoon show, the Japanese cartoons and the comics. No declaration of ownership, direct or indirect, is claimed. This is a not-for-profit fanfic. (2) The story has also taken liberties with the Transformers characters, storyline and story elements. I hope that's okay with all of you. Think of this as Transformers on an alternate Earth. (3) The graphics here are collages of publicly-accessible material. No. I.P. infringement is intended.

34.32 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 13:38

The Silver Wheel Game 3: The Chase

J Regan | psychological | Complete

In the final chapter of this three-part series, the Silver Wheel finds itself in the center of a conspiracy that threatens to destroy reality as we know it. Powered by an unshakable vision and an unconquerable intellect, Marie Walker is closer than ever before to accomplishing her nefarious dreams through the unique power offered by the Silver Wheel and its supernatural staff. As allies fall one after the other, those who would prevent further perversion of the Silver Wheel's purpose grow increasingly desperate in their efforts  until it's clear the only way to snatch victory from the ravenous jaws of defeat is with a gamble greater than any could have imagined. Cunning, deception, skill, luck  you'll need every tool at your disposal if you hope to survive the final turn of The Silver Wheel.The final part of a three-part series. You can read part one here, and part two here. Cover art provided by the talented and wonderful nebai.

34.60 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 17:20

Field of Stars

Sway | mystery | Complete

Field of Stars is a beautiful slice of life, romantic drama in which the protagonist, Kaito, and his sister moved in with their aunt after a tragic night they'd both rather forget. It is in the mountainous town of Hakone that he experiences the love found in the bonds of friendship, the unrelenting support of family, and the allure of love between two people meant to be together.

30.72 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-22 18:40

Radical-9 - 7th Anniversary Edition

Ryan Geever | psychological | Complete

The American Government had collapsed. Life became so much harder for people without someone to guide them. Some cities are completely destroyed. it isn't until a mysterious company named ADATA partners with longstanding technological giant TECHNODOME INC. to create an escape for those still surviving--an escape from reality through virtual reality. This escape is known only as ELYSIUM, an interactable online world where the wearer's imagination comes to life inside the world of Elysium, a medieval land recreated with ancient arts of swords and sorcery. In Aurora, Colorado, one of the better-off cities in America, high school senior, ANDREW CRESS begins his escape into the magical world of Elysium, but he soon finds out that his escape might not be much better than the reality he was trying to escape from as death threatens to take him in its loving grace. Trigger Warnings: Implied Sexual Assault, Violence, Murder

49.69 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 10:50

The Last Utopia: A Fantasy Dystopia Story

Sociable Hermit | sci_fi | Complete

On his 18th birthday, Brayden is tested for his magic powers, like all young adults in the utopian city of Astralis. Yet his dreams of a glorious future are crushed once he turns out to be normal... ordinary. However, his hidden talents manifest only days later. As he explores his newfound powers and the city itself, he pulls away the curtain to uncover the city's true, horrific nature, as well as his own future. Buy the full novel here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082RC6G9W You can also support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hermitscave

39.03 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 09:58

Into the Hulk

Necrontyr525 | sci_fi | Complete

Space Hulks : vast amagations of wrecked ships, stray astroids, and precious lost technology. Casth through the hell-scape of the Warp for uncountable yeras, Infested with the Damned and the Alien, and hazardous beyond reason, they are incomparable prizes to anyone who can take them over. Ships that would take hundreds of years to build can be pried from their sides in only decades, relics of bygone eras fetch fortunes large and small, and every data-vault could contain secrets to shake the foundations of reality.Part 3 of the Aegisverse Saga. Second Person is used throughout. If that isn't kosher with you, best to back out now. A Warhammer 40,000Dark Heresy / DeathwatchfanfictionComplete, with a total of53chapters. On the series - This series was first written as a Choose Your own Adventure (CYoA) on the /r/HFY forum. The between chapter votes have been omitted, as they are not part of the story, despite their influence on it. On the the Author's notes - These were included in the original document, and are included here for the purpose of completeness. Spelling, grammatical, and formatting changes have been made in the process of archiving this story and re-formatting it for publication on Royal Road. None of the contents of the story has been substantially affected. Cover by gej302!

37.57 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 11:08

Whimsical Invitations

jay244 | contemporary | Complete

This is a short story and poetry compilation that I will occasionally add to. This poems in this book are now available on amazon.

35.93 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 11:52

Kaleidoscope Book 1: Night has Fallen

Minasharpwrites | mystery | Complete

Marie was spending her time researching a magic circle when a case falls into her kitchen. As a Guardian, she can't pass this up, especially since this involves vampires, the largest group within her territory. Taking this case on might provide her with valuable information as long as she doesn't end up revealing her own secrets. Can she save Mark, a young vampire framed for murder, or will her mutual distrust with his Master cause their demise?

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

Transition and Restart, book four: Fallout

StenDuring | romance | Complete

Caught up in a power struggle between the factions controlling the arrivals Ulf Hammargren and Christina Agerman have to adapt to the sudden changes in their lives. In the background their loyal wingmen, Matsumoto Yukio and Takeida Kyoko, get dragged into the maelstrom together with the Wakayama twins, Noriko and Ryu. Before long events spiral out of control when the fallout of wrecking Red Rose Hell spill out over far more than those participating in the battle. PG13

36.22 Ten thousand words | Updated at 2024-03-25 12:19