The meaning of life is to protect the ego, because it makes the dopamine. Horm is worried that the future is happening too slow.  He's afraid he might miss it.  So he makes a plan to speed things up using dopamine - the brain chemical that drives motivation.  It could work.  Disclaimer - This book ...

It is the year 20XX and something bad happened to Earth and humanity, but much worse to humanity to be precise. The thing it has happened, it is known as a zombie apocalypse by the modern generation. Groups of survivors around the world, seeing their locally Government and Military won't help them ...

A sister and a brother from a ruined kingdom, destined to survive despite the odds. Gates opening to let monsters in from another realm. Powers that are only possible through the Great Solvent. Strange gods call the Parts intricately tie themselves to the fate of the world. A disaster looms and the ...

What exactly is a hidden existence? The foundation and purpose of a hidden existence is to be an anomaly in your multiverse. It is to be able to exist and think without using your brain.  How is such a thing possible? It isn't.  The real goal of a hidden existence is to be able to see what you canno...

Have you ever wondered if a story could be just a breath, a moment suspended in time? This is not your usual collection of tales. Each story here is a brief flicker—tiny, fleeting, and deliberately experimental. Inspired by the myths, shamanic rituals, and folklore of Anatolia, these micro-stories a...

Umar of Sadina, Grandmaster Assassin of the Order, had died. Such is life, old men die from consuming too many drugs when they are about to ascend. But now, as his mind lingers in the afterlife, Umar refuses to be taken by true death. His journey leads him not only through the uncharted parts of his...

Ever since the Immortal Dao perished, no one has shone more brilliantly in the Way of Investigation than the Red Book Detective, Hou Shu. But even the best detectives will lose their purpose if there isn't any case for them to solve. That is especially true for Hou Shu, who had secluded himself amon...

A Programmer's Grand Adventure in the Age of AI: A journey that ultimately explores the meaning of life, filled with Eastern philosophical reflections on the cyclical nature of life and death....

A macabre tale beyond imagination! When Mortician Johnathan Briggs stumbles across a copy of the Necronomicon, and dares to perform one of its necromantic rituals, he unwittingly attracts the attention of sinister otherworldly forces. Entry for the January 2025 Royal Road Community Magazine contest....

Earth, ancestral planet of humanity, forgotten for thousands of years. Finally, one fanatic researcher found clues pointing at the position of this mystical planet. Prof. Dr. Delphi, protected by twelve experienced elites, boarded one spaceship to recreate the history of this forgotten planet. What ...

(Participant in the Royal Road January 2025 Community Magazine Contest) [SHE IS DEAD, BUT THE COLLECTOR GIVES HER LIFE.] The Fervent Indulgent are on a pillaging spree, led on by Beastmaster, father of mutant monsters. Kamali has been murdered by their kin. Yet before her soul can depart, a monster ...

Official page for the [Royal Road Community Magazine] Contest. This page includes the first chapters of all entries submitted before January 10th, 2025.  Check out the first chapter for more details....

In a world where power is determined by a magical artifact known as a Crest, the Crestless are considered outcasts, unable to participate in society’s rigid hierarchy. These Crests grant abilities tailored to their bearers, from elemental control to extraordinary combat skills. However, the more pow...

Short fairy tales about small adventures in which the main characters are animals. The central theme of all stories is friendship....

A story of insecurity, illuminating fires and of reflections in the dark. A researcher tries to grasp simple mundane truths as she steadfastly continues through her own golden path of ashes....

On the cruel planet of Ilithir, intrigue reigns and the weak are trampled upon by the strong in the pursuit of power. Ashara finds herself in a struggle against her siblings as each of the noble Princesses vie for power in the Demora family. All the while, Ashara's father is on the brink of scientif...

In a big estern country, 1958, Zhao Xi was assigned as a incoming party secretary to a small county, but to his wildest dream, he could never image the things followed...... A mysterious girl and A fateful encounter envoked his cruel childhood memory. Deformed "people", some so-called military offic...

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutong have occupied the same space for so long that they'll probably die if they're separated. Not that either of them is smart enough to see what's right in front of their faces. Somehow, they still manage to get to the right place in the end. a.k.a Zhan Zhao has 99 problems, and...

The Blighted Plains are spreading, their corruption seeping into the once-thriving lands of Greystone and beyond. Weeks after the fall of the Spire, the Thorned Sisters find themselves drawn back into the fray, haunted by whispers of a growing darkness tied to the shard Zarya now carries. As tension...

Childhood is a whirlwind of awkward missteps, laugh-out-loud moments, and unforgettable memories—and this book captures it all! Set in the small, unassuming town of Rivermist, Oops! Did That Really Happen? follows the hilarious and heartwarming escapades of a young boy as he navigates school, friend...