Fantasy
Harper's Hill, Chapter 27: The Hidden Journal
Camille knew a ghost was following her, but she didn't know why. She had been experiencing more supernatural events lately... The clocks stopping at particular times, animals looking at her weirdly, but mostly, she had been seeing a woman. This woman looked so familiar to her, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
By Amanda Doyleabout a year ago in Chapters
Veil of the Firstborn Part 1
The storm had been waiting for them. By the time Vaelin and Elira crested the ridge into the northern wastelands, the sky was a crushed, bruised gray, torn open by claws of black lightning. The earth itself seemed uneasy, heaving shallow tremors beneath their boots. A metallic tang hung on the air, as if the ground were bleeding somewhere unseen. Neither of them spoke for a while. In the growing distance ahead, the remains of Hearthdeep, once a proud trade town, smoldered like the dying embers of a forgotten hearth. Stone buildings, once tall and proud, were now half-swallowed by broken earth and choking vines.
By Richard Baileyabout a year ago in Chapters
1/0: Entries from the End Times
“I’ll quit.” I stopped sipping the rich, white broth directly from the well. “I’ll quit,” Etan repeated through a mouthful of tender dark meat he’d torn from the chicken’s leg. “I’ve let you down twice now, and I’ll be damned – well, I am damned – I’ll be double damned if I do it a third time.” He reached out to place a reassuring hand on my upper arm, but then immediately retracted it as if he were a leper and he didn’t want to infect me with his touch. “I’m telling you, so you’ll hold me to it. I’ll quit.”
By Wen Xiaoshengabout a year ago in Chapters
New York: The City That Never Sleeps
The City That Never Sleeps, New York New York City, often referred to simply as “New York,” is one of the most iconic cities in the world. It is a global center for finance, art, fashion, and entertainment due to its towering skyscrapers, bustling streets, and extensive cultural heritage. Known as “The Big Apple,” New York offers a unique blend of history, diversity, and modern innovation that continues to captivate millions of residents and visitors alike.
By Abid Sadifabout a year ago in Chapters
The Broken Word – Part 5
The days that followed should have been a time of peace. The clans, cautiously at first, resumed old trade routes and opened council fires. The blood feud that had festered was soothed, if not fully healed. Word traveled across the provinces that the rift had been mended—and with it, Elira's name grew in places she'd rather have stayed forgotten.
By Richard Baileyabout a year ago in Chapters
The Firelight Flame
The Firelight Flame In the heart of an ancient forest, where time seemed to stand still and shadows whispered secrets of the forgotten past, there existed a realm that no mortal could ever truly enter. It was a world of illusions, a place where reality bent and twisted with the flicker of a flame. This was the Realm of the Firelight Flame, a world veiled in mystery, where dreams and nightmares coexisted. A young traveler named Arin wandered through the forest, his feet light upon the moss-covered ground, his heart heavy with an unspoken longing. He had heard rumors of the Firelight Flame for as long as he could remember—a legendary flame said to possess the power to change destinies, to grant wishes, and to open gateways to hidden realms. But it was also said that the flame was elusive, always just beyond reach, leading those who sought it into perilous places where reality itself could unravel. Arin’s journey began with a personal mission: to find his sister, Elara, who had vanished from their village years ago, leaving behind only a faint trail of smoke and whispers. The villagers spoke in hushed tones of a woman who had followed the call of the Firelight Flame, and none who ventured into the forest in search of it had ever returned the same. Some returned mad, others hollowed by their experiences, but none brought back the answers they sought. Determined, Arin entered the forest alone, armed with only his courage and the belief that the Firelight Flame could help him find Elara, or at least understand the truth of what had happened to her. For days, he wandered deeper into the forest, following an ethereal light that seemed to flicker in the distance, just out of reach. The air grew heavier with each passing moment, thick with a strange, tangible energy. The trees, ancient and towering, whispered among themselves, their leaves rustling in patterns that felt almost deliberate. Arin had no choice but to trust his instincts, even as the world around him seemed to twist and shimmer. At last, on the seventh night, the forest opened up into a clearing. In its center stood a massive stone altar, old and worn, but still pulsing with the energy of an ancient force. And there, atop the altar, flickered a single flame. It was not like any flame Arin had ever seen. Its light was golden, almost molten, but it shifted and changed, as though it were not quite of this world. As he stepped closer, the flame seemed to beckon, calling to him in a language he couldn’t understand but felt deep within his soul. His heart raced, his hands trembling as he reached out toward the fire. The moment his fingers brushed the flame, a wave of warmth and power surged through him. His vision blurred, and the world around him seemed to melt away. In its place, he saw visions—flashes of a life that was not his own. He saw Elara, standing in a realm of shifting colors, her eyes wide with wonder and fear as she gazed into the fire. But as quickly as the vision came, it was gone, replaced by another. This time, Arin saw himself, older, standing before the flame once more, but this time it was not a flame of light—it was a flame of darkness, consuming everything in its path. He saw the destruction of villages, the crumbling of kingdoms, and the endless fire spreading across the land. He felt the weight of responsibility, of choices he had yet to make. Suddenly, the visions stopped. Arin blinked, disoriented, as the world returned to its normal state. The flame flickered on the altar, now smaller and weaker than before. But the air was thick with a sense of urgency, as though time itself was slipping away. A voice, soft yet powerful, echoed through the clearing. "Choose, Arin." The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. Arin turned, but there was no one in sight. His heart pounded in his chest, and he took a step back, unsure of what to do next. "Choose what?" he called out, his voice trembling. The flame responded with a pulse of light, and suddenly, a figure appeared before him—a woman, tall and graceful, with eyes that burned like the fire itself. Her presence was both comforting and terrifying. "You seek your sister," she said, her voice like the crackling of firewood. "But what will you do when you find her? The Firelight Flame grants power, but it is not without its price." Arin took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing thoughts. "I need to find her. I must know what happened to her. She was taken by the flame." The woman’s expression softened, but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. "The flame did not take her, Arin. It is a guide, not a captor. But it can show you the truth, and it can offer you choices. What you seek is not always what you desire." Arin hesitated. The visions he had seen, the destruction, the power—it was all too much. But he had come so far. Elara was somewhere in this world, and the flame might be the only way to find her. "I will face the truth," he said, his voice steady now. "I will choose to understand." The woman nodded. "Then step forward. The flame will show you the path, but beware, for once you walk it, you cannot return." Arin took a deep breath and stepped closer to the altar. The flame flickered brighter, its light enveloping him in warmth and power. As he reached out to touch it again, the world shifted once more. In that moment, he understood. The Firelight Flame was not just a force of power—it was a mirror, reflecting the deepest desires, fears, and choices of those who sought it. It would lead him to Elara, but it would also reveal the cost of what he was willing to sacrifice. And so, as the flame burned brightly, Arin stepped into the unknown, prepared to face the mysteries of the Illusory Realm, knowing that in the end, only he could choose the destiny he sought.
By Rana Ram'sabout a year ago in Chapters
The Unexpected Twist
"The Unexpected Twist" refers to a situation where something surprising happens that no one saw coming. It is like when a story, event, or plan takes an unexpected turn, and it changes the outcome in a surprising way. This kind of twist often shocks the audience because it is completely different from what they thought would happen. People love these twists because they make things more exciting and unpredictable. They create suspense and keep the audience interested in the story.
By Urooj Khanabout a year ago in Chapters
The Broken Word – Part 4
Elira’s voice had returned, but the power it carried was no longer hers alone. Each syllable of the Binding Tongue pulsed with a second heartbeat—Marrek’s influence embedded like a splinter beneath the skin of her magic. Her speech wavered between liberation and control, and though she stood stronger now, every invocation whispered danger.
By Richard Baileyabout a year ago in Chapters
The Broken Word – Part 3
The route to the Thorned Archive’s remnants lay through the Hollowwood—a forest not mapped by any cartographer still in possession of their sanity. Trees grew in spirals, bark blackened with old warding runes, and fog clung low to the mossy ground like breath that wouldn’t leave.
By Richard Baileyabout a year ago in Chapters
Mr. Village Boy
Mr. Village Boy Episode 1 Written by Iqbal Hossain It was my first day at university. As soon as I walked through the gate— Smack!! — “Hey, you rude boy! Do you feel like bumping into girls on purpose?” I said nothing, just listened. — “And why are you staring like that? Does looking at girls make you freeze or what?” — (Nipa) — “No, I mean… actually, sister…” — (Me) — “Oh! So now I’m your sister, huh?” — (Nipa) — “Come on, Nipa, let it go.” — (Her friend) — “Look at him! Looks like he came straight out of the jungle.” — (Another friend) — “Yeah, you’re right. Boys like this are always like that.” — “Let’s go, we’re already late.” — (Nipa) — “Yeah, let’s not waste time talking to these ‘village boys.’” — (Friend) As soon as Nipa said “let’s go,” they all left, and I just stood there. Honestly, I wasn’t even staring at her. I was walking on my side, and she suddenly bumped into me. And yet, I got slapped and scolded for it. I was left wondering—what exactly did I do wrong? Nothing felt good after that. First day at university, and this is my welcome! Anyway, I needed to find my classroom first. Then I’d figure everything else out. After a lot of effort, I found the classroom and walked in— — “Hey look, look! The village boy is our classmate!” — (Friend, laughing) — “No one sit next to this guy.” — (Nipa) I couldn’t figure out why this girl had it out for me so suddenly. Maybe she just didn’t want me to sit anywhere, or maybe there were no seats, so she was trying to push me out. Still, I decided to walk up to the front and sit. — “Hey ‘village boy,’ didn’t I tell you not to sit near us?” — (A guy) — “Well, I mean… there’s no empty seat, so I thought I’d sit here.” — (Me) — “So what if there’s no empty seat? Go sit on the floor at the very back.” — (Nipa, laughing) — “But there’s a seat here.” — (Me) — “Why do you talk so much?” — (Guy next to me) — “Nipa’s the richest girl in this university. If she wants, she can have you kicked out. So just do as she says.” — (Guy) — “Okay, okay… I’ll go sit on the floor in the back. But please ask her not to make a scene.” — (Me) — “Good boy! Now you get it!” — (Nipa) — “Yeah, yeah…” — (Me) — “Go sit on the floor. Who knows what Nipa will do otherwise.” — (Guy) I quietly went and sat on the floor. As soon as I sat, everyone started laughing— — “Nipa, you totally made him your puppet!” And they kept laughing… I felt my head bowing lower, burning with embarrassment. Just then, a girl said— — “If you want, you can sit next to me.” — (Girl next to me) As soon as she said that, I hurried over and sat beside her. The others kept joking— — “Look, one ‘village girl’ called the ‘village boy’ to sit beside her!” — “What a match! The village girl and village boy sitting together!” And right at that moment, Nipa said— To be continued... If you like it, let me know — I’ll post the next episode! ---
By Story writesabout a year ago in Chapters
