Fantasy
The Fate Machine
The old machine sat silent and motionless on the desk; dormant, yet still beckoning the author. It was dented and dinged in various places, the gold coating it once wore was tarnished and chipped. Though its insides were exposed, nobody knew how the machine worked.
By Eric Boring11 months ago in Fiction
The Boy Who Spoke to Shadows. AI-Generated.
The Boy Who Spoke to Shadows Rayan was eight when he first noticed the extra shadow. It appeared on a quiet November night — the kind where the cold crept under doors, and the moon shone bright enough to make the whole room glow silver. He had woken from a dream he couldn’t remember, his heart beating too fast, his throat too dry.
By shakir hamid12 months ago in Fiction
The Library That Remembered Her. AI-Generated.
The Library That Remembered Her Arman had not planned to walk that way. He never did. The old district near the abandoned harbor was a place he avoided — every street carried the faint echo of her laughter. But that night, the wind felt oddly familiar, almost like someone was guiding him by the sleeve. Before he could realize where his feet were leading, he was standing in front of a building he had never seen before.
By shakir hamid12 months ago in Fiction
Real-Life Superpowers: The People Who Are Basically X-Men
If you’re anything like me, you probably spent a lot of your childhood (and maybe even some of your adult life) wishing for superpowers. I always dreamed of teleportation, mostly for very practical reasons. Imagine sleeping until two minutes before you need to clock in, then zipping straight to work! Or being able to eat that amazing street food in Tokyo, then have dessert in Paris, all without dealing with airport security and airfares. Talk about convenience! Funnily enough, there were a few powers I definitely didn't want. Flying seemed cold, and I figured people would probably try to shoot down random objects in the sky. Invisibility? Too risky, I don't want to get hit by a car that can't see me! And reading minds? No thanks. I’m fine not knowing if someone secretly dislikes my new shirt.
By Areeba Umair12 months ago in Fiction
The majesty . Content Warning.
The Majesty In a small, rich city called Baybal, there lived a very old woman. It was announced to the people of the city that the woman had to announce the new king who was going to take over. This came as a surprise to the bitter and wicked Kai, the first son of the woman, Sally.
By Uhone Matshele 12 months ago in Fiction
Robbers who?. AI-Generated.
It was late in the evening when four men gathered in a small apartment. The air smelled faintly of rain, and the streets outside were quiet. Inside, the room was lit by a single overhead light, and a table in the center was covered with papers, maps, and coffee cups. The men had been preparing for days, but tonight, everything would come together.
By William Ebden.12 months ago in Fiction
Potion Assignment
Harper stared at the page of her potion textbook, her eyebrows furrowed in frustration. She tapped the wooden spoon against the palm of her other hand. The more she stared at this recipe, the more frustrated and bewildered she became. Why couldn't she make this potion right? She had done what it had said, so why was it coming out as a disaster? The first time resulted in a rancid-smelling substance with a gross color to match. The second attempt ended with the mixture becoming burnt. Thankfully, she managed to get the blackened crust out of her mini-cauldron, but the situation was still frustrating. Of all her classes, Potions was the one she struggled with the most. A low growl came out of Harper's teeth-clenched mouth. She had to get this potion right; her mom would kill her if she failed this assignment. She was barely keeping a passing grade in Potions as it was. "Still stuck on that potion?" A voice snapped Harper out of her concentration, and she turned to see who it was. Her familiar, Ray, stared at her with a neutral, drowsy expression, as if he had just woken up from a nap. Harper sighed, "Yes," she said, despondent. "I cannot fail this assignment, Ray. I've added and done everything this recipe told me, so why did it come out wrong the first two times?" The cream-colored cat hopped up on the storage chest, his peridot green eyes looking at her critically. "Are you sure you're actually following the recipe?" he asked. The young witch turned to him, her brows knitted, irritated. "What kind of question is that?" Ray quirked up a brow. "Harper, I think we both know that when it comes to potions, you have a habit of viewing the recipe instructions as 'suggestions.' Not to mention, you get impatient and try to speed up the process." "I don't do that!" The young witch denied indignantly. The familiar gave her a deadpan look the way only a cat could. "Harp, you once turned the heat on a flicker stand up to high so the potion would finish faster. Which ended up boiling over when you weren't paying attention and ended up ruining the potion." "W-well, I-" "Then there was the time," Ray interrupted. "You substituted Spring Moss for Cavern Lichen because 'it's basically the same thing.' Remember how that ended?" Harper winced at the memory. She had to clean lichen off places in the Potions classroom for three weeks. Harper shook her head out of the memory and adopted a defensive expression. "Excuse me for trying to get potions done quickly." "And that's your problem." "Huh?" "Trying to get them done quickly." Ray clarified, "Potion-making isn't something to take lightly, you know?" Harper huffed "I know." "Do you?" questioned the feline familiar. "Because it never seems to stick." The young witch looked downcast. Ray sighed. He had to be blunt with his master. Better to get the lesson in now than have her never learn, that's how people make huge mistakes later in life. "Look, I'm only telling you this because I know you can improve," Ray said empathically. "Potion brewing is pretty easy once you're patient with the process. You don't want to have to rely on potion shops for the rest of your life, do you?" Harper sighed. "No." She admitted. The feline familiar nodded approvingly. "Good. Now, you're going to complete that potion and really follow the instructions. I'll be supervising you the whole time. Any straying from the recipe and I will halt you, no if, ands, or buts. Understood?" Harper fidgeted with the wooden spoon, thoughtfully. Any other time, she would've stubbornly said she could figure it out on her own, but she really needed to get this potion done. She couldn't afford to be hard-headed. Taking a breath, she swallowed her pride and nodded. "Understood." The feline familiar nodded approvingly. "Great. Now, let's get started." Quickly lighting a fire underneath her mini-cauldron, Harper got to work. Ray watched over as she measured and added the correct ingredients. Whenever the brunette would try to add more of what was needed or try to turn the flame hotter, Ray stuck to his work and reprimanded her. Finally, after twenty-five minutes, the potion was completed. Harper felt a warm sense of pride and satisfaction as she smiled widely at the finished product. "I can't believe it...I did it!" Ray smiled warmly. "Good job." Harper carefully poured the potion into a vial, corked it, and tied a tag around it, labeling it as her homework. The young girl turned to Ray. "Thanks for helping me with this." "Of course, what would you do without me?" Ray inquired, jokingly. Harper rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Now, let's hope you can have another success without me watching over you. Give your potions teacher some peace for a change!" Leave it to Ray to make a smart comment when she's feeling on top.
By Amirah Moody12 months ago in Fiction
Charisse. Top Story - November 2025.
The train hissed into Oradea like a serpent exhaling secrets. Elara Moranu stepped down, gloved hand clutching the parcel that had arrived weeks ago. No return address, only a crimson wax seal and a name written in calligraphic blood: Casa Moranu.
By Sai Marie Johnson12 months ago in Fiction
