Fantasy

The Terror Begins
The river ran backwards on the day the Queen disappeared. I wipe back my tears and think with relief that years from now, villagers may gossip and be in awe about that remarkable event, in which even hardened hearts witnessed the hand of the almighty. But who could foresee that I, the young Sir William, the only son of her majesty, Queen Anne Phillips of the kingdom of Coventry, are but hours away from being tossed into a solitary, dirty cell by his mother’s new lover and confidante, the Earl of Canterbury, Thomas Grey, to be cured of madness I do not have? So, as I look outside my window in my chambers where I am held under house arrest, I take out my pen and paper and write to my friend, who happens to be a barrister.
By C C Farley2 years ago in Fiction
317 A Winter's Tale: Winter Snowmelt — Sublimation
Ice becomes water vapor instantly in a process called sublimation. It seldom happens with snow on the ground, which first melts into liquid. And the distinction between sublimation and the sublime is a linguistic side trip that has lost its connection.
By Gerard DiLeo2 years ago in Fiction
When the Shadows Speak
Ella stood at the edge of the forest, her heart racing. The sun had gone down low, casting long shadows. Their voice was soft, yet beckoning, as they spoke her name.
By Sibgha2 years ago in Fiction
The Hilariously Tragic Tale of Kasia, Asha, and Athul
Kraków, Poland—a city where history mingles with modern life, cobblestone streets carry centuries-old secrets, and every corner café has its own story. It’s here that our hilariously tragic love story unfolds.
By Vishnu2 years ago in Fiction
Of Elves and Dragons. Top Story - November 2024.
Chapter One, A Beginning The river ran backwards the day the Queen vanished. The oceans fed by the river turned red. The seven suns of Nardor fell from the sky, leaving the seven kingdoms under a dark, never-ending night. Spring flowers wilted. Ancient trees burst into flames. Dragons woke from their graves. Mountains crumbled. Cities washed away in flood waters that surged from diurnal tides. White magic disappeared. Tentacles of dark sorcery stretched a sinister blackness into the lands. Seals placed on the Temple of Aragon were broken. And an ancient prophecy was begun when a pair of Druid eyes opened for the first time in a thousand years deep within the temple's depths.
By The Invisible Writer2 years ago in Fiction
The Nosuch Place
The river ran backwards the day the Queen vanished. He staggered towards the riverbank, watching how the water surged in reverse. He should’ve been curious, should’ve found the defiance of its nature most suspicious. But he didn’t care. Not right then. He was starving. How long had it been since he had a decent meal? He pushed the thought from his head. Right now, it wasn’t his hunger that concerned him the most. His body was bowed and crooked from the strain of carrying the weight for too long. Too weak to walk, he fell to his hands and knees and began to crawl, dragging himself over knotted roots and damp clumps of leaves until finally, reaching the clay bank of the river, and bringing his face close to the surface. His pale lips brushed the frigid water.
By M. Fritz Wunderli2 years ago in Fiction
The Unsettling
The river ran backwards on the day the Queen vanished. That’s what they say, and to be fair it's an adequate if unimaginative description of what transpired, but the common folk around here aren’t know for their poetry or prose. I won’t fault them for that, or their ignorance of the events that led to the river running backwards. It is on that note that I feel obliged to provide some context, seeing as I was there after all. There was strangeness occurring in the river and I had embarked upon a quest for knowledge as to the reason why, all signs up to that point had led to the Queens involvement but I had to be sure. It’s not proper to accuse without getting the facts after all.
By Addison M2 years ago in Fiction
The Sacrifice- Prologue . Content Warning.
Everything is in order. I've checked and double-checked with everyone. All the players know their place and what to do. I glance around the room, and every tribe on Atija is here. The royal family of the Juerfea just showed. The Illurian Chief and her tribe and the Empress of the Uskiu, Lumeria, and her people are hosting. This is perfect. All the plans are falling into place, and everyone will be present for this year's spectacle. It takes months of preparation for The Sol Festival. Every three years, we come together on the Deep of Portia to celebrate the convergence of our suns. The festival is always so lively and exuberant, and this year will be no different. We will make this sol festival one to remember.
By Umbele Ink2 years ago in Fiction
Prophecy of Reflective Memories
The river ran backwards on the day the Queen vanished. In Cirmol, a city where mourning bells toll, no one even noticed. Their queen, beloved by her people and guardian of the ancient seals, had vanished—her existence removed from the minds of those under the bells’ sway.
By Panda of Pandemonium2 years ago in Fiction
The Empty Kingdom
The river ran backwards on the day the Queen vanished. The golden hour, which once symbolized her waking each day, maintained a steady, somber blue. The short, cut grass in the valleys beyond her palace did not gain their ritual dew. The once-pleasant morning breeze stifled the air. Lethargic wildlife cluttered the massive forests. Only a few rose from their nests.
By Nicholas Grogan2 years ago in Fiction
In the End
In the end, when all is still, And time has bent to nature's will, When echoes fade and shadows lean, What will remain, and what is seen?
By FRANCIS IKEGBUNAM2 years ago in Fiction
The Door That Shouldn’t Exist
Oliver had been living in the same old apartment for years, a quaint, creaky place that held more charm than comfort. He liked the familiarity of it all—its worn wooden floors, its perpetually stuck windows, and the peeling wallpaper with faded rose patterns. It was home. But one night, something changed.
By Parth Bharatvanshi2 years ago in Fiction