Fantasy
The Last Goodbye Beneath the Lights
The engine hummed as my fingers grazed the cool leather of the steering wheel. With a steady breath, I pressed the button, and the window slid down, allowing the night air to creep in. I turned my head one last time, my gaze locking onto faces I had known for a lifetime—faces I would soon become nothing more than a memory to.
By arafat chowdhury2 years ago in Fiction
The Clockmaker’s Daughter
No one in the town of Bellmere remembered when the clock last chimed. It had stood in the heart of Ashleaf Park for as long as anyone could remember—silent, still, and watching. Children threw stones at its base. Artists sketched its towering Gothic frame. Teenagers carved their initials into the stone benches surrounding it. But no one expected it to work. It was just... there. A monument to memory, or perhaps to forgetting.
By Alpha Cortex2 years ago in Fiction
Wonderment
The rough-hewn field stones that composed the tower wall almost started to feel soft every time she leaned against them. The effort of holding herself up was becoming so tiresome that it was preferable to lie on the dirt and straw floor than keep standing.
By K.B. Silver 2 years ago in Fiction
Born From Flame
The first time the Phoenix returned, the sky split open. It had been a thousand years since the Great Silence—the age when fire vanished from the mountains and magic bled out of the earth. The world had dimmed, slowly and cruelly. Oceans cooled. Forests curled in on themselves. The stars forgot their names.
By Alpha Cortex2 years ago in Fiction
The Passenger’s Secret
Chapter 1: The Fare That Vanished Lila Cruz had driven three drunk college students, a silent nun, and a man who argued with his Bluetooth earpiece before *she* got in. The woman slid into the backseat at 1:17 a.m., her face obscured by a black hoodie. No hello. Just an address punched into the app: 17 Riverfront Drive.
By Digital Home Library by Masud Rana2 years ago in Fiction
The Forgotten Kingdom Hidden Beneath the Ocean
The ocean, vast and mysterious, has held countless secrets within its depths for millennia. Beneath the relentless waves, beyond the reach of modern technology, lies an ancient kingdom long forgotten by the world above. This forgotten empire, with its towering cities and majestic palaces, was once a beacon of knowledge and power—until it was lost to the sea. Its civilization, full of untold wonders and treasures, has been swallowed by time and water, leaving only echoes of its existence. It is a place where myths and reality blur, a place waiting for the right moment to rise once more. Dr. Eleanor Carter had always been obsessed with myths of lost civilizations. As a marine archaeologist, she had spent years chasing legends, but none fascinated her more than the whispers of a sunken kingdom somewhere in the Atlantic. The locals of a small coastal town spoke in hushed tones about the ‘Kingdom of Valtara’—a grand empire swallowed by the sea thousands of years ago, its riches and wisdom lost to humanity. But they also warned that Valtara was not entirely gone; it merely slept beneath the waves, waiting for its rightful ruler to return. Intrigued, Eleanor embarked on an expedition with her team, setting sail aboard the deep-sea research vessel The Neptune’s Call. Guided by ancient maps and satellite imaging, they ventured to a remote part of the ocean, where the depths plunged into a vast abyss. As they deployed the submersible, anticipation hung in the air. Would they find ruins, or was it just another legend? As the submersible descended, the darkness swallowed them whole. The only light came from their floodlights, cutting through the murky waters. Then, through the gloom, structures began to emerge—impossibly tall spires covered in coral, immense domes with intricate carvings, and streets paved with what looked like shimmering gold. The kingdom was real. Their cameras recorded everything as they maneuvered through what appeared to be a palace entrance. Giant statues, half-buried in sand, depicted figures wearing elaborate armor and crowns. Ancient glyphs lined the walls, pulsating faintly as if responding to their presence. It was as though the kingdom still breathed, slumbering in the deep. Then came the discovery that changed everything. In the grandest hall, atop a throne of iridescent stone, sat a figure. Not a statue, not a skeleton, but a man—preserved as if he had just fallen asleep. His attire was unlike anything seen before, encrusted with gemstones and detailed embroidery that defied the ravages of time. In his hands, he clutched a trident, its surface gleaming despite being underwater for centuries. Eleanor felt an inexplicable pull toward him. As she approached, her fingers brushed the ancient weapon. A sudden tremor shook the seabed. The city around them groaned as if awakening from a long slumber. The glyphs on the walls shone brighter, illuminating the chamber in a soft blue glow. Then, the figure’s eyes snapped open. A deep, resounding voice filled their comms, though no one had spoken. “Who dares disturb the slumber of Valtara?” The king’s gaze locked onto Eleanor, and she felt as if the ocean itself had come alive. He rose from the throne, water swirling around him, yet he did not float. Instead, the water obeyed him, moving as if it were an extension of his will. “My kingdom was betrayed,” he continued. “But now, the time has come to rise again.” The ocean floor trembled. All around them, structures shifted, repairing themselves as if reversing time. Statues reassembled, roads smoothed, and light emanated from long-dead lanterns. The lost kingdom was reawakening. Eleanor and her team, awestruck, barely had time to react before the city began its slow ascent, rising from the abyss toward the surface world. As The Neptune’s Call scrambled to the surface, satellites around the world picked up an anomaly—an entire landmass emerging from the depths. The world watched in disbelief as an ancient civilization, thought to be mere myth, reclaimed its place in history. Eleanor knew this was just the beginning. The return of Valtara would change everything humans understood about history, power, and the unknown forces hidden beneath the waves. And standing at the center of it all was a king who had waited millennia to reclaim his throne. The ocean had given back its secret, but at what cost? The world would soon find out.
By Gift Abotsi 2 years ago in Fiction
War Bride. Top Story - April 2025.
Princess Kathryn hadn't expected to actually marry her kidnapper. Kathryn would have done her duty as it was laid before her - she'd fantasized only briefly about shipwrecks and daring rescues, or the carriage breaking a wheel and necessitating that they turn back - on her way to her wedding. The price of a princess's privilege was that her life was not hers to command, but at the service of her people. That didn't mean that she couldn't have quiet complaints about marrying someone nearly her father's age, as Duke James of Slesian was.
By Natasja Rose2 years ago in Fiction
The Wind That Cries. AI-Generated.
Whispers in the Dark The village of Ravens hollow was known for its silence. Even the wind, when it passed through the skeletal trees, carried no voice. But one night, as the autumn moon hung low, a soundless cry drifted through the air. It wasn’t a wail, nor a whisper, yet it sent chills through the villagers who heard nothing—only felt it in their bones. Echoes of the Forgotten Clara, the baker’s daughter, had always felt the weight of silence pressing against her. Her grandmother used to tell her stories of voices lost to the wind, souls that could not be heard but still longed to be remembered. One evening, as Clara wandered through the outskirts of the village, she felt it again—that phantom sorrow brushing against her skin. The Last Light Before Midnight That night, the lantern outside Clara’s window flickered wildly, though there was no breeze. She stepped outside, drawn by an unseen force, and found herself at the old well at the village’s edge. Midnight loomed, and with it, the shadows of the past grew darker. The wind stirred, whispering something just beyond her understanding. She leaned in closer. Shadows on the Horizon A gust of wind swept through the trees, carrying with it a presence unseen. Shadows moved where none should have been. Clara realized she was not alone. The silence was not empty—it was filled with those who had been forgotten, trapped in a realm where their screams had no sound. A whisper brushed against her ear, not heard but felt. Help us. Silent Screams in the Wind Clara could no longer ignore the voices of the unseen. The wind carried their pain, their longing to be set free. With trembling hands, she knelt by the well and whispered their names—names from forgotten graves, names she had only read in dust-covered books. As the final name passed her lips, the wind howled—not in sorrow, but in release. The silence lifted, and for the first time in centuries, the wind carried a voice again. The next morning, the villagers awoke to something new. The trees rustled, the air hummed, and the wind no longer cried—it sang.
By Chinonso Ogbonna2 years ago in Fiction
The Forbidden Testament: Solomon’s Secrets of Power Over Spirits. AI-Generated.
Chapter 1: The Hidden Scrolls The moon hung low over Jerusalem, bathing the Temple in silver light. King Solomon, son of David, sat in his chamber, a parchment spread before him, its ink glistening like blood. It was a testament—one never meant to be read by mortal eyes.
By Chinonso Ogbonna2 years ago in Fiction
The Ghost Train
Chapter 6: The First Stop The rhythmic clacking of wheels on the track slowed gradually, the first indication that the Infinity Line was approaching a station. Sarah's phone battery had dwindled to fifteen percent despite being fully charged when she boarded, but she activated the camera anyway, determined to document whatever came next.
By Shane D. Spear2 years ago in Fiction
The Clocks of Holloway
The Festival of Shadows The town of Holloway thrived on its mysteries. Nestled between misty mountains, its annual Festival of Shadows celebrated the legend of Elias Holloway, a 19th-century clockmaker who vanished—along with his fortune—after a fire destroyed his workshop. This year, the festival’s scavenger hunt promised a $10,000 prize, drawing teams from neighboring towns. But for childhood friends Jamie, Alex, Sam, and Riley, it was about more than money. It was a chance to prove themselves.
By Digital Home Library by Masud Rana2 years ago in Fiction
