tragedy

Everyone chosen by the Spark must protect others from the Void. Kai's quiet life ends when it chooses him. He fights to get his life back. But chosen by sparks seems glory to others. To Kai, it's a curse that burns him alive. Will he survive till the end or burn while trying to live?

When a global treaty forces every adult, into a final, controlled war, sixteen-year-old Eli is dragged onto the front lines. He survives by hiding his brilliance—until survival demands he stop hiding.

Murim worships heroes. Crimson worships blood. In a world ruled by righteous sects and false Heaven, a child is forged into a weapon within a sect erased from history. Crimson is not a hero. He is an assassin raised on pain, trained through torture, and perfected by betrayal. His blade does not seek justice — only balance paid in blood. As Murim unites under the Heaven-Binding Alliance, villages burn, sects collapse, and whispers spread of a masked killer who leaves survivors begging for death. This is a grimdark tale of: assassins born in shadow righteous sects rotting behind sacred banners psychological torture, brutal combat, and moral decay an anti-hero who becomes worse than the world he hunts There is no mercy. There is no salvation. Only an oath written in blood. If you enjoy dark Murim, ruthless assassins, slow-burn descent into monstrosity, and a world where Heaven itself may bleed, this story is for you.

(this novel takes at year 2029) ———— I was just taking a quiet late-night walk when I found… a child sleeping inside a dumpster. One thing led to another, and suddenly I became the accidental father of a kid no older than ten. The next morning, I woke up from a vivid dream. A mysterious Victorian woman whispering about "calamity, dungeons, portals, another world… yeah, good luck bro." She said all of that in the most casually elegant Victorian tone imaginable. But the real nightmare started when a floating screen appeared in front of me, spouting nonsense about quests and objectives. The day I picked up a child in a dumpster was the day my ordinary life ended. And that was when our story truly began.

He was found as a one-year-old child in the deepest part of the Deadly Forest— a place where no human could survive. Raised by creatures feared by the world, the boy never felt hunger, pain, or emotion. Wherever he went, life slowly withered. Banished by the forest itself, he wandered the world for years until he reached a small town… and a mysterious egg that no human could touch without turning to ash. From that moment, fate began to move. War, sealed emotions, a girl born from a curse, and memories older than the world itself slowly awaken within him. He does not know who he truly is. He does not know why he exists. But one truth remains— If his emotions fully return, the world may not survive.

Ben had nothing. Orphaned at five. Abandoned at nine. At twenty-seven, the only person he had died in a truck accident. But when he chose the pills, the universe didn't allow it. He died saving someone from a fire but couldn't save himself. Now he's Alex, in a mysterious world.

Cyrus, a ragged and impoverished boy, lived in the Round City, the heart of the desert, where money was king and theft was life. Cyrus was a skilled pickpocket, living off the pockets of others, but he felt empty and hollow, as if something was missing. He dreamed of greatness and glory, of travel and discovery, but he never found the opportunity. He was trapped in a cycle of theft and poverty, unable to escape. Then a voice appeared in his mind, a voice that changed everything. The voice was calm and clear, as if someone were speaking to him. The voice said, "You are more than just a thief, Cyrus. You can achieve your dreams, achieve greatness through me." Cyrus heard the voice and felt astonished and afraid, but he couldn't ignore it. He began to doubt his life, the way he lived. He began to see things differently, to feel that there was something bigger than him. The voice in his mind grew louder, and Cyrus felt that he was about to change his life drastically. But will Cyrus be able to break free from the shackles of poverty and theft? Will he be able to achieve his dreams, to attain greatness? This is what we will see in his journey through the steel lands.

Born beneath a quiet winter sky, Princess Elyra of Aurelian was a child of rare kindness in a world ruled by ambition. Gentle, compassionate, and beloved by her people, she grows into a young woman whose heart beats not for power, but for mercy. But kingdoms do not survive on kindness alone. At sixteen, Elyra is forced into a political marriage with the aging King of Varethis a ruler who seeks not love, but an heir. Her father’s failing kingdom demands gold. The southern king demands a son. And Elyra becomes the price paid for both. Far from her home and trapped in a cold, unforgiving court, the young queen struggles to preserve her compassion in a world that sees her as nothing more than a royal womb. It is there that she finds an unexpected ally a knight bound by loyalty to the crown, yet drawn to the light within her. But love in a kingdom built on fear is a dangerous thing. When an incurable illness begins to spread through the palace and whispers of weakness threaten the throne, the king makes a decision that will shatter the realm forever. Betrayal ignites rebellion. Loyalty turns to defiance. And a love once hidden becomes a legend written in grief and blood. In a story of sacrifice, devotion, and the devastating cost of power, The Knight’s Lament asks: How much is a crown worth… when it is bought with a heart?

“The law may be blind, but our bullets never miss. If justice has no place for you, come to our café. Order the bitterest espresso… and we will ensure your enemy tastes a far more bitter remainder of life.” In a dim corner of the city stands an Italian café known as La Mensa. Its aroma is irresistible, its coffee flawless, its service beyond reproach. Yet for those carrying wounds the law cannot heal, La Mensa offers something not written on the menu: Justice. Run by four former high-ranking members of the Italian Mafia who long ago abandoned morality, La Mensa is more than a place to rest. Behind closed doors, they become judge, jury, and Il Boia—the executioner—for the scum who slipped through the grasp of the legal system. One special order. One cup of pitch-black espresso. And one question from the owner, Vincenzo Valenti: “How bitter do you want your enemy to suffer?” The moment you drink, Il Patto di Sangue—the Blood Contract—begins. No mercy. No compassion. They do not come to arrest you; they come to strip everything you own through Espropriazione—confiscation—and dismantle your life down to its very foundation. Behind Venetian maschera and immaculate suits, the team of La Mensa ensures that every sin is paid for at the highest possible price. Because to them, the law may be blind… but their bullets never miss. “Welcome to La Mensa. Please enjoy your espresso.”

Misty was never evil, never cruel—only unlucky enough to be chosen. When lies, betrayal, and public humiliation tear her life apart, she is forced to survive in a world that enjoys watching her fall. This is not a story about justice. It is a story about what remains after dignity, love, and hope are stripped away.

Four hundred years ago, the moon wept blood. From that night onward, demons—known as the Tainted—swarmed the land, feasting on the spiritual energy of the living. The once-peaceful realm descended into chaos. Now, humanity survives behind two massive walls, while the lands beyond decay into a demon-infested wasteland. Join Linyue and her companions who specializes in finding trouble, inventing trouble, and loudly denying they caused the trouble as they stumble upon the buried truths behind the Weeping Moon. Secrets that have remained hidden for centuries and may change everything they know.

Kill, kill, and kill. Blood pooled at my feet. The burning corpse slowly turned to ash. There was nothing left in this world but me. The crazy demon who created hell on earth. Reminisce, that's all that's left. Remembering all those who died by demonic sword in my hands. My friends, my lovers, my enemies. Everyone who ever knew me and bring me kindness. They died because of me. Because I was born a devil. And live as a devil. Fate has always hated me, and I have always hated it. But somehow, at the end of it all, it sent its messenger and offered me something. "Do you want to go back to the past? Do you want to rewrite the past and fix all your mistakes so you don't have to kill all humans on earth? So you can save everyone you love?" This is the tale of my life. The tale of how I lived as a demon who would end the world, and regretted it.

Ember collects debts for a living. He never thought he'd owe one himself. Then he lights a candle he's been saving for no reason. The flame leans toward him like it knows his name. A crack opens in his floor. Something rises from it something that wears brine-soaked rags and regards him like a debt finally come due. Now there is a mark on his wrist. Violet. Pulsing. Growing. His sister used to love candles. Rain lined them on her windowsill. That was before the clinic. Before the bills. Before she stopped asking him to visit. The mark remembers her too. Ember wanted only to survive, to endure, to keep his ledger balanced and his door locked. But the door is already open. The collector is already in the hall. And the debts he's processed for years were never just numbers. They were payments toward something he didn't understand. Now he has to learn what he signed. What it costs. And whether, after everything he's taken from everyone else, there's anything left in him worth collecting.

Fifty years ago, the System appeared. No origin. No explanation. Only judgment. On the morning of their eighteenth birthday, every citizen awakens to a private interface visible only to them. A single question is asked. The System has already reviewed their life in total—their choices, their impulses, their hidden fractures. The answer determines their Demo. The Demo determines whether the dormant Anthroblade within them awakens. Most fail. Some survive. A few become Blades. Henry has spent years being written off. After losing his father to a drunk driver, his mother to grief and addiction, and his younger siblings to the foster system, the world quietly decided who he would become. Teachers adjusted their expectations. Neighbors kept their distance. He learned to endure the weight of other people’s predictions. On his eighteenth birthday, the System asks him: What would you have sacrificed to save your father? He answers without hesitation. Everything. The System pauses. Instead of rejection, it escalates. Henry is thrust into the Demo—an adaptive pocket dimension where the System has full control. There, he earns a rare and dangerous Edge: one that sharpens through suffering. With each trial, his perception deepens. He begins to see fractures in reality itself—probability lines, structural weaknesses, fault lines in people. But his body cannot yet match what his mind can see. As the System intensifies his trials, it is no longer merely judging him. It is studying him. Testing whether the anomaly it detected is strength—or instability. Because Henry did not break when he should have. He did not collapse under loss. He did not become what the world expected. He contained it. And if someone who would sacrifice everything learns how to see the seams of reality… Even a higher power may not remain untouched.

What would you feel if the last remaining happiness in your life—your sister—was murdered right before your eyes by a worthless scum? I felt rage. Hatred. But more than that… I hated myself. Because I couldn’t move. Paralyzed from the neck down, I could only watch as she died. I couldn’t scream. I couldn’t fight. I couldn’t even crawl. Ah~ now they turned to me. Guess they are going to kill me too. But I don't want to die, not when they are alive. In this apocalypse... weakness is a sin. The greatest sin. Here, no rights protect you. Not like they protected us before the apocalypse. Strength. Personal strength is the only authority that truly matters. If you think this is where my story ends— you’re wrong. Because, [Regression possible: Yes/No?] Guess this is my cheat. I will return. Stronger than before. And I will DEVOUR everything that stands in my way. So then… sayonara, readers. "Yes, I accept." *** This is my first novel, so it probably won’t be perfect—but I’ll keep getting better as I write. Give your reviews on this so I can improve where I have to. [Warning: The story includes incest. I’m mentioning it early for readers who tend to avoid that.] [Note: There won't be R18 stuff from the start, so don't come here expecting that from the first chapter. It will take some time before I focus on that.] [Note: The story is slow paced... I think. I am not sure how the pacing will go.] [Most Important Note: There will be yanderes. Lots of them. The MC - Yandere. His sister - Yandere, his mother - Yandere. Most of the female leads will be yanderes. They will either be one at at the start or slowly turn into one. So... lots and lots of yanderes! Yayy!!~~] Character Illustrations are in the Discord. Discord Server: https://discord.gg/kGKAaexz4P

Neva and Rhett—two young souls—find their heartstrings woven in love. But just as passion and peace begin to bloom, fate intervenes. Bleak, haunting circumstances scatter blades across their romance, threatening to tear them apart. Ishmael—a man with a heart of thorns—yearns to mend the wound of losing Neva. And in the end, rays of love and joy filter through the clouds of horror that darken his world—as Neva appears before him once more. Twisted fate entangles them all, revealing the Game of Sphere, as misery scorches their souls. A concealed life beyond turns its pages—one after another—gathering sin and virtue, tragedy and fortune, strength and frailty, creation, love... and hate. Illusion is where we live—in the garden of Eden before the fall of man. Illusion is serenity—an evermore sanguine of love. The vision of paradise in the New Earth sows hope deep in the soul. The delusory pleasures of this world ignite the flames that burn in oceans of fire. Illusive Eden is rapture. Illusive Eden is tragedy. The fall of man—even now bleeds red. The whisper whirls the dawn of a man—he who pretends to be the hero. --- The girl who once vowed to be his forever Now forbids him to ever appear. She refuses to recognize him, Disregarding all he ever was. He vows to protect her. Yet he is the terrifying truth she prays is a lie. He trips her, rips her apart— He's the living tragedy looming over her life. He once was her Elayne, now her hiraeth. He is the villain—pretending to be the hero. --- The Lord is the way— Steady through the wilderness. The King is the truth— Burning through the lies. The Father is the life— Breathing spirit into dust. She kneels before the Ruler, The God who shaped galaxies— He has called her a poet. Her tongue shall be anointed. Her poetry shall be the rivers of His word. She will scatter seeds in broken fields, And He will send the sun. He will send the rain. He will draw the roots down deep. He yields to the Ruler, The God of blazing holiness— He has called him a soldier. His fists shall be unclenched. The sword of the Spirit rests in his grip. He will shield the sower of the seeds, As storms rise against the harvest. His strength will be not his own, But drawn from the marrow of grace. This faith shall shake the mountains, For He has conquered the filth of the flesh. This flame will cleanse the shadows. For He has defeated the darkness. This love shall live on for eternity, For He has overcome the mortal world.

Developing the habit of creating stories only to delete them, Ashfall never expected that one day, while deleting his latest story from a novel website, a strange fog would suddenly appear in his room. Enveloped by nothingness, Ashfall awoke to the whisper of a disembodied voice saying: "Aspirant, welcome to the nightmare spell. Prepare for your judgment!"

The decision has been made—the Noctusborn has awakened. But the price is only now becoming apparent. As Elandor teeters on the brink of collapse under the weight of this power, every remaining choice becomes a sacrifice. The clock is ticking—and this time, time itself becomes his enemy. (Volume 2 of "The Beast Within" series—a direct sequel to "The Awakening of the Noctusborn") Copyright 2026 JJWaka & Wayne Shao. All rights reserved. This work is protected by copyright. Any reproduction, distribution, translation, adaptation, public performance, or other use—even in part—is prohibited without the express written permission of the authors. Publication of this work is reserved exclusively for the authors—regardless of platform, medium, or format. Any further publication or use by third parties, even for non-commercial purposes, is strictly prohibited. All characters, plot lines, texts, musical compositions, sound recordings, visual elements, and other creative content are the intellectual property of the authors.

When magic faded, humanity hoarded it and fled, leaving monsters to fight over the remnants. The humans' last loyal servant, Kaele, is a clay golem awaiting its masters' return. Now it found a way to summon one, an all-powerful hero to save the realm.