*UPDATED DESCRIPTION COMING SOON* In a world where humans and other species coexist, Saeris falls prey to the Chosen, a ruthless faction bent on domination after shattering the fragile peace in the land. Rescued and healed by the Dawnbringers, Saeris vows to destroy the Chosen and their leader who wields an ancient artifact to fuel their reign of terror. As the war rages on, Saeris must confront painful truths about her past, face the beings she's been trained to destroy, and make choices that could tear apart everything she's fighting for. In a world on the brink of collapse, the path to peace is uncertain, and nothing comes without sacrifice. TRIGGER WARNING: descriptions of blood and gore, tragic loss, killing, and consensual sex. ••• Start: February 2, 2025 End: April 17, 2025 Word count: 37,049 © D. C. Bolton 2025 © All Rights Reserved

When a powerful witch hunts the demons responsible for her parents' murder, she finds herself face-to-face with one of the very creatures she despises. But this demon is unlike any other. Dangerous, mysterious, and irresistibly charming, he offers her something no one else can-answers about her parents' death and the secrets of the dark forces that haunt her. As their paths intertwine, she finds herself drawn to him in ways she never imagined. But trust is fragile, and the more she learns, the more complicated their connection becomes. Her mission for vengeance soon becomes tangled with her feelings for him, and a forbidden bond starts to grow between them-one that threatens everything she thought she knew about love, loyalty, and the demons she's vowed to destroy. In a world of curses and power, they are two souls bound by tragedy and fate. But their love, born from hatred and deceit, may be the very thing that destroys them both. Will she be able to choose between vengeance and a love that might just save her, or will their doomed connection lead to the death of them both? ----- Written for the Open Novella Contest 2025 Prompt 2 - To be in love with a demon was the last thing on your wishlist ----- Cover by @buterflx1 prologue at the end because of the prologue ban

For centuries the Kingdom of Skjoldgard has been protected against the wild magics of the Fae realm by the Wards. Along its borders, Wardweavers ensure the integrity of the wards, preventing anyone from passing through. But it seems one village bordering the wards has been overlooked. In this forgotten village of Tesche, Raina Everthorne has refused to conform to society's expectations of her, much to the chagrin of everyone who resides there, everyone but Leander, her friend since childhood and fellow adventure-seeker. While the pair are out hunting by the border, they soon learn just how frail the wards have become. When Leander kills a stag sacred to the Fae, one of the legendary magical beings seeks retribution. Having been the one to slay the creature, Leander suffers the consequences and in retaliation, Raina makes a grave mistake: she challenges the Fae who dealt justice upon Leander and finds her life forever changed as she's pulled into the Fae realm. Now she must face the one she challenged no matter the cost.

Exiled for a crime he cannot remember, former war general Kaviroth returns to his tribe upon hearing of an advancing enemy army. Desperate to prove his worth once more, he offers his help - but the shamans have already chosen their path: an ancient, forbidden ritual they believe will save them all. But as the ritual spirals out of control, Kaviroth must confront dark forces tied to his past - the blood he's spilled, and the bones of something ancient. To save his people, he must unravel the truth, before the monster they've summoned destroys everything. This is my entry for the ONC2025 Prompts: 39. An ancient tribe, living for centuries, accidentally summons a monster. Now, they must figure out how to undo the chaos they've unleashed. 13. When you challenge a magical being, the rules are simple: you must finish what you started, no matter the cost.

When a fellow witch is accused of a heinous crime, Rowburta Copperbottom. A witch of minimal magical ability but a thirst for knowledge, must investigate the allegations and then prove at a trial the innocence of her colleague. But, with mysterious enemies trying to thwart her at every turn, Rowburta must rely on far more than her witchly magics to aid her in a race against time to prove that justice isn't just blind, but not averse to a little monetary tipping of the scales, either. Rowburta has more than magic to help, she has the lore. A tale in the Terry Pratchett inspired Godworld, where people are about to meet the world's first Witch Loreyer. An ONC novella, based on Prompt 14: "Not everyone in your coven becomes a witch doctor. But you? You are the witch lawyer and take care of the mystical laws of the magical world."

|ONC 2025 LONGLISTER & ROUND 2 AMBASSADOR'S PICK||1X FEATURED| It has been a week since the old mausoleum at the Nethermly Cemetery collapsed without warning. This week has been full of unexplained deaths and strange sightings. Like every resident of Nethermly, Reverie Ashford had locked herself safely in her house. She planned to enjoy some peace and quiet until the town returned to normal. But of course, the universe seems to hate her: The first newcomer the town has had in centuries had to come knocking at her door. Draven did not want to ask for her help. But his people had been massacred, and if the remaining few didn't act fast, the same would happen to the oblivious residents of Nethermly. He did not want to dig up his past, nor did he want to drag an unwilling girl into this. But they needed every help they could get, and they were running out of time. If they failed, Nethermly would be erased from the map. Prompt 86: Nobody new has come to your hidden town in centuries - until now. Someone appears on your doorstep, claiming they're here to find you. But how do they know your name? Prompt 103: After a catastrophic accident affects an entire town, the residents begin experiencing strange and inexplicable symptoms. ~~~~~~~~~~ Rose Gold Awards 2025: Best First Line 4th place Rose Gold Awards 2025: Paranormal 5th place

Lennox, a young pickpocket, must join a crew of pirates to avenge his lost friend in siren-infested waters. Harlok is a cutthroat place to try and survive, and Lennox knows this all too well. But when his close friend, Cyrus, is offered a job aboard a ship for more riches than either of them know what to do with, Lenn is suspicious. Even more so, when Cyrus simply disappears and never returns. Once Lennox is approached with a similar deal, he vows to figure out what happened to his lost friend or die trying. But the sea cannot be tamed, and secrets dwell in the shadows between waves. With sirens lurking in the deep, it isn't long before Lennox wonders if this mission was a terrible idea, but it is far too late. He's caught in the tides. ───── • ⋆~⎈~⋆ • ───── Status: Complete Story length: 27,000+ words ONC 2025 Prompts: • No one believes you. But you are the only one who can solve this mystery- for all of them. (91) • Next time, ask yourself if your integrity can withstand the truth. (31)

[Completed in 2025] Love is not a blessing, but a curse. In the shadowed halls of the Night Court, where vampires rule with quiet cruelty and ancient tradition, they are bound to an unbreakable destiny. Vampires are bound to their human soulmates, and rejection can kill them. Cassian never wanted to believe in fate, but when he discovers his mate, a human with fire in his veins and rebellion in his heart, he has no choice but to face it. Yet his soulmate does not see their bond as destiny. He sees it as a shackle and is determined to bring down the Night Court, even if it means killing the vampire bound to him. Trapped by an attraction he never desired and a love that could kill him, Cassian has to make a choice. Win the human's love, or die trying. But as whispers of a rebellion begin to rise, love isn't the only obstacle Cassian will have to conquer. ---- Cover by nikavillalba on fiverr

1893. In Victorian London, a world marked by deep class divisions, young worker Henry Hops stumbles upon a secret manuscript by an unknown thinker. Fascinated by the radical ideas regarding the liberation of the working class and the contradictions within society, Henry embarks on a quest to find the mysterious author. A handwritten invitation in the manuscript leads him to an exclusive book club. Henry must decide how to navigate these ideas and how to fight for the rights of the working class, all while grappling with his own emotions, relationships, and the tension between aristocracy and social justice. ONC | 2025