The Second Chance He Didn't Ask For
Knox Ashford died on Earth, hit by a truck while carrying a coffee he didn't even want. After spending over a year as a walking ghost following his girlfriend's fatal overdose, it was almost a relief.
Waking up in Shadowfen? That was the complicated part.
Reborn as a lesser demon in a murder-swamp where everything wants to kill him, Knox gets a System, a 12% survival probability, and absolutely no instruction manual. Armed with gallows humor, half-remembered survival shows, and spite, he starts learning the hard way: which water won't poison you, which monsters you can outrun, and how to sleep in a tree hollow without being eaten.
Then he finds the egg.
A dying Shadow Dragon hatchling, abandoned and alone, her loneliness mirrors his own so perfectly it hurts. Knox saves her by pouring everything he has into their bond, and suddenly he's not just surviving for himself anymore. He's a parent to a tiny, fierce dragon who tries to eat his boots and trusts him absolutely.
With help from judgmental fairies, a living swamp that might be a goddess, and a dragon who thinks everything is either food or a toy, Knox begins building something he thought he'd lost: a home. A family. A reason to keep going.
But Shadowfen has noticed him. And when an ancient dungeon calls, promising power he desperately needs, Knox must choose: stay safe in the home he's built, or risk everything for the strength to protect it.
Five weeks in hell. A complete transformation. And the discovery that broken things can be reforged into something stronger.
What started as survival becomes legend.

A LitRPG progression fantasy about grief, found family, and a man learning that the opposite of depression isn't happiness, it's purpose. Featuring: a demon who can't say no to feature requests, a dragon with attachment issues, fairies who weaponize interior design criticism, and enough emotional damage to fuel an entire power system.

This is my first novel! If you give it some time you will see the quality of writing improve. If you have any suggestions or moments you enjoyed please feel free to comment!  ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ

I'm opening up beta readers for the rewrite. I've been fully focused on this project... 10+ hour days... and I finally feel like the story has come together into something more cohesive, engaging, and fun to experience. If there is interest, then I will set it up!


https://www.scribblehub.com/read/2083006-ashenhearth/chapter/2083016/


Chapter 59 - ~~~Author's Note 2~~~

Chapter 59 - ~Author's Note 2~