Ongoing Fictions

British plumber, Aldrich Isengrund donates his body to science only to wake up in the far future as the last survivor of a Federation experiment.

Stuffed with archeotech, Aldrich has been given a chance to live long and prosper, so long as he reaps the great tithe of xenos required to unlock his implanted machines.

How much destruction will one man incite with a battered, plasteel pipe?

Note: Herald of the Stars pacing is appropriate for the galactic scale setting: it is slow. Some knowledge of 40K is assumed, though not essential.

Try my original medieval fantasy: The Rícewelig Crown

|R18+| Welcome to SkinDimensional's hottest new reality show! This season we've scattered a group of ordinary human role-playing game enthusiasts across a unique world of supernatural horror, filled martial arts, monsters, and sexy mayhem. If they ever want to get home, they'll have to play along with our naughty little game! Follow our hero, James Li, as he dives into the grim underworld to grow stronger and make a name for himself. Does he have what it takes to reunite with his friends?

It’s Drop Night, the one night every decade when the gods hand out cards to a lucky few. If you get a deck, you’re a deckbearer capable of great feats—such as controlling frightening monsters.

Wolfe, top enforcer for the Grimm family mob, has already been overlooked on two previous Drop Nights. People of his ilk seldom receive cards, as the god tend to favor people who follow their divine mandates, but that doesn’t mean he can’t hope.

Unfortunately, Wolfe doesn’t have time to celebrate. The rival street gang, the Cobras, has six deckbearers and they’re cutting in on the Grimm family’s trade. Someone has to do the dirty work, and it isn’t going to be the spoiled children of Big Man Grimm.

Against all odds, though, Wolfe does receive a deck, right at midnight.

And he just so happened to receive a rare card everyone would kill to have their own deck…

[Mobsters meet Magic Card Games in this noir litRPG!]

[Copious cussing, lots of violence and dead people, a fair degree of trauma in multiple characters back stories, and a ton of cards and card game rules are present in this book. Some redemption will occur, and the MC verges on anti-herodom.]

[Participant in the April 2024 Royal Road Writathon challenge]

Earth is Lost.

Driven to the brink of extinction and forced to abandon the surface to the impossibly powerful Kaiju that claimed it. Humanity survives only by delving deep into the Earth’s mantle in Subterranean Arks. Doomed to a slow withering end.

Raymond Ryker isn’t a hero. When humanity created their own giant mechanized combat units to fight against the monsters at their door, he was merely one of thousands to step up and fight for the cause. But the best surviving pilot humanity has ever known doesn’t fight for glory or honor. Not even to save the lives he’s sworn his life to protect. He fights to kill the monsters that took everything from him. To Raymond, every Kaiju he kills is merely one more step towards avenging the countless lives lost, cities destroyed, and the world that was taken from him.

When the genius Doctor Beck Wallenstein, creator of the Archangel program and countless other advances in the fight against Kaiju, concocts a mad plan to send a human consciousness back in time to inhabit the body of their younger self. There is no choice but to take the mad gamble, and Ryker immediately volunteers for the program.

But the experiment goes wrong during a critical phase and rather than inhabit the body of his younger teenage self like he should have. Ryker’s mind is transplanted into the body of a newly hatched Kaiju. Trapped in the body of a monster and unable to warn humanity about the cataclysm to come. Ryker takes the burden of saving the world onto his shoulders. He’ll use everything he’s ever learned about the enemies he despises to forge his new body into a weapon to surpass all others. He’ll grow stronger, faster, and evolve every portion of his kaiju DNA to achieve his goal.

The circumstances have changed but the mission remains the same. 

KILL ALL KAIJU!

The Infinity Stones are not to be wielded lightly, as Steve Rogers discovers when he washes up on the shores of Westeros. In a world of swords and spears, what difference can one shield make?

Follow Steve as he makes his way across Planetos, starting in Westeros just before Robert's Rebellion. You can expect wandering knight adventures, Steve doing Steve things when faced with injustice, and the inevitable consequences of setting a super soldier loose on a medieval battlefield.

A Very Cliche Xianxia Harem Story!

In a world where power is everything, Liu Jin only desires to become a great doctor like his father. However, destiny has no end of troubles stored for our hero. Powerful cultivators have their eyes on him. A nasty doctor is spreading rumors about his father. A burning man crosses his path, and his father's past may not be as simple as he suspected. 

The tale of the strongest doctor begins now!

Kaz is a kobold, just trying to survive, grow, and protect his tribe. But his efforts are about to become complicated, as dragons are nesting in a cave nearby, and humans are seeking an ancient, deadly secret in his mountain. Join Kaz as he finds out what magic and cultivation are, gets up close and personal with a dragon of his own, and delves deep into the mountain to find secrets... and a freedom he never dared to hope for.

**The Broken Knife is slow burn and will end up with at least two hundred chapters. It has a weak to strong MC, and I hope you enjoy reading about Kaz's growth as much as I enjoy writing it!**

**NOTE: There are brief depictions of slavery in an escape arc from chapters 90-119. It is neither exploitative nor glorified, but you may want to skim or skip this section if you are uncomfortable with even references to this topic.**

Note: I'll try to release five chapters a week, Monday-Friday. If you can't wait, my Patreon is ten to thirty chapters ahead of Royal Road at any given time (depending on tier). I try to write five chapters a week, 2-3k words per chapter.

Note2: If you're here as a result of my ad campaign, the image of two kobolds arguing was created by Omny87, a very talented artist who also has a Patreon, and kindly gave me permission to use their art!)

Leif Vin is mortally wounded and left for dead at the conclusion of a devastating battle.

The squad he commanded have either fallen or abandoned the fight and all around are the cries and wails of the dying.

With both armies all but wiped out vultures and parasites stalk the aftermath, one such creature finds Leif as the last of his lifeblood stains the muddy ground.

Implanted with the essence of a carnivorous and corrupting tree, Leif loses his levels, memory and humanity.

Reborn as a sapling in the newly formed wilderness that sprung up among the fallen, Leif must piece back together the fragmented shards of his soul and identity.

But before that he must do what all trees must.

Put down roots, stay still and grow. 

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Hey, author here! Here's a few things about Hyperion Evergrowing to make seeing if this is something you might be interested in easier:

This story follows a young man reborn as a carnivorous tree and missing all but one of his marbles. The plot focuses on his progression from feeble sapling to world striding legend. Utilising a litrpg system to quantify stats and skills Leif must engage with the system to evolve his monster class in a never seen before direction.

There are certain advantages to his fairly unique circumstances, though these advantages do not instantly make him a demigod of war capable of defeating all foes with hands tied and eyes closed.

One of the protagonists initial goals is to discover and reclaim his lost humanity, this puts him on the path away from sitting in the ground and doing tree things forever. Progress in this direction starts fairly early on so if you're not interested in seeing a monster attempt to reintegrate into civilised society and all the struggles involved this might not be for you.

Time passes, due to his nature as a monstrous tree Leif has a much longer lifespan than most people. Leif will witness the rise and fall of nations, see the beginning of new eras and observe the very planet change as time marches inexorably onwards. There will be some light kingdom building, but it isn't the focus of the story.

Oh! There's also a subplot involving the origin of the system itself.

Three chapters a week, with updates happening at times convenient to an Australian. 

Enjoy!

The opening of Pandora's Box changed the world, giving rise to an age of superhumans and monsters. Yet mankind was not safe from its own hubris, and in the end, it destroyed itself. It's the end of the world, but Sonya Chernovna has been given a chance for a redo. With her memories of the world to come and her deep hatred of the society that had risen out of Pandora's Light, Sonya sets out to change the future.

Even if it means being the most heinous villain that ever lived.

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Chapters release on Saturday!

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I started this story on a whim and I'm excited to share it with you all!

Inside you'll find an overpowered protagonist with an ability that forces her to think rather than simply decimate everyone in front of her. She'll make mistakes, have her moments of triumph, and moments of utter despair. I plan on a Girl's Love subplot as well as a focus on building her organization and spreading her influence rather than oversaturating the story with action and violence. If you are looking for a perfect person who never makes mistakes and clear moral compass, this is not the story for you.

Tucked away on a quiet street, the bookstore doesn't have an address - but it doesn't need one, as it magically appears to those who are meant to find it.

Okay, so the job ad seemed amazing. I get to take care of this really neat bookstore that has an amazing espresso machine. There is this cute little black cat that sits on the counter and I get to live upstairs. What better opportunity could ever be out there, as I pay off my ungodly student loans?

Little did I know as soon as the paperwork was signed, I find out the cat talks, and magic might just be real?

What to expect: A cozy slice-of-life fantasy with a mysterious cat. Updates every friday.

Formerly titled Transmigrating Into the Main Character's Political Rival

Kayla is a burned-out college graduate who's neck-deep in student debt, stuck in a minimum-wage job, and about to be evicted from her apartment. One morning, she abruptly wakes up in the body of a short-lived villain from a web novel set in Ancient China. Now, Kayla has to deal with living in the body of a man while trying to survive as the doomed political rival of the Seventh Prince. She'd rather roll over and play dead than take on a fight, but fate and the Imperial family seem to have different plans for her. Caught in a web of political intrigue and backstabbing amidst a succession struggle between the Imperial Princes, it will take Kayla every ounce of wit she has to stay alive.

A political fantasy set in Ancient Chinese with elements of magic, transmigration, and time travel. Updated every 5 days, advance chapters available on Patreon.

Discord link here.

A family of three elite mages has defeated Oscanion, a would-be tyrant mage-emperor who had made himself an enemy of humanity. But, it does not feel like victory to white magic prodigy Menelyn: her adoptive father and sister did not survive Oscanion's suicidal final attack, her inadequate shields failing to protect them.

Grieving, ashamed, and seeking the peace she has never known, Menelyn withdraws from the world for a millennium, her vast white mana halting her aging, until troubling signs coax her out of seclusion. Is she able--is she willing--to be what the world needs her to be?

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The first 35 chapters, the original plan, is a complete, finished story. The short story tag is included at the suggestion of many readers because that original story can and should be read in a single sitting, and that is Royal Road's definition of a short story.

Then, there are sequels still being updated, if you want more. The Tale of Twilight, the one currently in progress, is not a short story, already significantly longer than the original.

Valor and Violence is a series of short stories following different, yet all equally colourful, characters set in the same world.

Birth of a Legend, the first short, follows Captain Erskine Erwell, a newly promoted Captain in the Calandorian Royal Navy, charged with protecting his people from all who would do them harm. Great news for the Calandorian citizens, bad news for the Skjar reavers that ravage the shores in search of slaves. But when a small reaver fleet slips the net and escapes to the southern jungles of Marduk, Erwell must fight a war on two fronts; one against the raiders, and a far more difficult war against the hostile landscape. If he can't find allies in this strange land, he may end up being the one in need of saving. 

The Calling follows Ferez Ahud, an aspiring young battlemage charged with the unsavoury job of 'terminating' a rogue member of his college. But how this nobody of a mage became a fugitive remains a mystery, and when the answer is discovered, the tables are turned and the hunter becomes the prey.

A Family Dissassemblance follows a young woman named Elizabeth. She's a simple young gal; sweet, charming, and with a heart of gold. She loves her family, she loves fun, and she loves making things and people explode! 

Blood Reparations picks up Levi's story a little while after he and Erskine parted ways at the end of Birth of a Legend. Read along as Levi struggles to find a solution for his village's woes, battling the attitudes of obnoxious foreign snobs, drakes (again!), and something altogether far more sinister, lurking deep underground...

A Vow of Wind takes us back to the dynamic trio of Ferez, Ingrid, and affable idiot, Leo! This time, the happy couple's comfortable lives of hiring their services out as battlemages is interrupted when Leo asks to tag along on a job. Things escalate quickly in a life or death race from Aderath all the way to the frozen north.

For King and Country is currently in the process of being uploaded. It follows Captain Erskine Erwell as he escorts a servant of the Crown attempting to piece together the truth of a Royal Army unit's disappearance within Calandor's borders. What starts out as a routine hunt to purge corruption and treason escalates as the captain uncovers signs something sinister is happening in the mountains.

BONUS STORY - 'TIS THE SEASON. This has nothing to do with the other stories in the anthology, its just a fun little Christmas story that popped into my head one day that I decided to jot down and throw up for your (hopeful) enjoyment. It follows a young mercenary standing guard over demonic badlands on Christmas Eve. Things start off bad and get rapidly worse as he faces off against threats mere humans were never meant to face. But as the bloody night continues and the body count rises, salvation may come from an unexpected corner...

Content Guidelines: coarse language and violence.

A dungeon core novel. But with bees. A bee dungeon, if you will. Oh, and something about a young man finding his place in the world and maybe learning about the deadly calamity that threatens all of humanity. But mostly the bee thing.

From the author of Terminate the Other World! and The Faceless Minion comes a new series! Schedule is M-F.

Grace Pastel is a young girl who lives a cozy life in Jubilife city with her father, and for her, Pokemon battles are just something that she watches on television or online. Entertainment to be seen at a distance. After turning fifteen, she watched as young people her age got ready for their first journey across Sinnoh, all aiming to become the Champion. She usually scoffed at them, wondering how one could throw away a comfortable life in the city to risk their lives in the wild for an unobtainable goal. And yet when she was asked by her father to deliver a package to her mother living two towns over, something clicked in her brain.

Suddenly, she decided that she wanted to be the very best.

Inspired by Traveler and Practical Guide to Evil. 

Cover by @grimwyer on Discord.

Join the discord here! You can vote on polls, get pinged when a chapter goes up, discuss the story with other readers or ask me questions!

One chapter per day every day around 12 am-2 pm EST, sometimes two when I'm feeling like it. (CURRENT SCHEDULE HAS BEEN ALTERED DUE TO REACHING A PIVOTAL POINT IN THE STORY, THE CHAPTERS COME OUT WHEN THEY'RE READY).

Warning: this is a slow story, there is a romantic subplot, and the tags + content warnings are there for a reason. This story is not actually grimdark, but do not expect something out of the anime. Nobledark would be a more accurate tag that RR does not have, and it is still the darkest large Pokemon fic on the site. 

Crossposting on Scribble/SB/AO3/FFN/QQ/SV

The top percentage Rattata was a legendary existence never before proven to work in the highest levels of professional battling, or any level of professional battling to be honest. But, Joey, a reincarnated youngster, was willing to pull all the stops into making this dream a reality and make his partner ascend into the realm of champions. A pre-canon self-insert.

Kaln wasn’t even trying to slay the dragon, it was just in the way of his revenge.

But he did, and it led to an obstacle greater than the dread dragon himself: his three widows.  Declaring Kaln their new husband by right of conquest, the dragons tempted him with surprisingly beautiful humanoid forms, with the palatial lair and vast riches owned by the beast he had just slain, and Kaln just couldn’t refuse.

After all, a hoard and dragon wives could surely aid in his vengeance.

Unfortunately Kaln’s beautiful new brides are vain, greedy, lazy, selfish, manipulative, violent, arrogant, and generally...dragons.  They are also ancient, incredibly powerful, smarter than him, and only proposed this arrangement to use him in their own schemes.

But sometimes, the people who are the most difficult to love prove most worth the effort.  Sometimes, a delay in your path can lead to the happiness you'd never realized you were searching for all along.  And sometimes, such as when you've upset the world’s balance of power by killing an ancient dragon, protecting that happiness means fending off a world full of opportunists who want a slice of what's yours.

At times like that, it's handy to be married to three horrible monsters.

Captain Henry Donnager expected a quiet career babysitting a dusty relic in Area 51. But when a test unlocks a portal to a world of knights and magic, he's thrust into command of Alpha Team, an elite unit tasked with exploration. 

They join the local Adventurers Guild, seeking to unravel the secrets of this fantastical realm and the ancient gateway's creators. As their quests reveal the potent forces of magic, they inadvertently entangle in the volatile politics between local rivalling factions. 

With American technology and ancient secrets in the balance, Henry's team navigates alliances and hostilities, enlisting local legends and air support in their quest. In a land where dragons loom, they discover that modern warfare's might—Hellfire missiles included—holds its own brand of magic.

The world is in the midst of a golden age. Humanity has been largely united under a single government for two centuries, scarcity has been all but eliminated, and the human lifespan has been extended further than ever before, with many living for five centuries or longer. Yet cracks have begun to form in this utopia. Progress in science has outpaced social values, leading to conflict as the new generation struggles with the prospect of perpetual disenfranchisement under their all-but-unaging elders.

In this era of transition, a class of gifted young arcanists are invited to attend a conclave held by the enigmatic Order of the Universal Panacea, an ancient organization devoted to pursuing the secret of true immortality. Several of the participants, however, have ulterior motives for attending, including Utsushikome of Fusai, a young prodigy of Thanatomancy whose grandfather was once a member.

But unbeknownst to them, there is a curse on the Order of the Universal Panacea. One does not defy death and the natural order lightly. And an uninvited guest may already lurk among them; one that is not human.

In the end, all of them will have to ask: What can be found in this world, that is truly eternal?

The curtain rises on this, mankind's final battle with entropy, and the possible outcomes are death, or a slightly later, more complicated form of death. Even so, please try to enjoy yourself.

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This story is a whodunnit-style murder mystery with a focus on psychological drama and personal horror. The setup is long, but hopefully will reward attentive reading.

Discord: https://discord.gg/RTFjaKTbUe

Cover illustration by Zerovirus.

A lost and terrified Buneary stumbles into the Ruins of Alph, and in his desperation, calls upon forces beyond his understanding for help.

What appears is a girl that he suspects might be human, though he isn't too sure, because Broccoli Bunch has strange powers and the ears and heart of a gentle lopunny. They join forces, determined to become stronger in a world of strange pokemon and stranger friends, where old mysteries need uncovering and new enemies need to be pounded into the dirt.

Chaos Cuddles Cauliflower (Choco to his friends) isn't going to end as just some ordinary buneary. He's determined to get to the top, one hop, skip, and bounce at a time!

This is a side story to my Original fiction story Cinnamon Bun! No knowledge of Cinnamon Bun is necessary to enjoy this one. The story never follows Broccoli's POV, and is instead written from the perspective of the people and pokemon she meets and befriends along her journey!

Expect:
- Lots of cute moments
- Some silliness
- A few nail-biting fights for love and friendship!