(ONC 2025 Longlist) "A missing woman. A chain of murder cases where the corpses refuse to stay dead. A cryptic phone. And an infuriatingly vague mystery texter." Superintendent Inspector Ahsan Kabbo has faced superhuman criminals, underground conspiracies, survived Freadmin's tyranny, and-most terrifying of all-Nishi's cooking. But nothing prepared him for this. Nishi Eumireqa-the woman who drove him insane, saved his life, and then disappeared without a trace after their final battle with the Head Father. No body, no farewell, just... gone. Everyone insists she's dead. Kabbo refuses to believe it. Then his phone starts acting possessed. Creepy messages. Random glitches. A mysterious informant who keeps dangling clues in front of him like a carrot to a very skeptical donkey. "Solve this case," they say, "and I'll think about telling you what you want to know." Kabbo would love to politely decline. Really. But he's bad at ignoring puzzles. Even worse at convincing people he's not crazy for chasing after a woman the world has already buried. Now, he's following cryptic songs, investigating a tea shop that shouldn't exist, and chasing the one woman who may not want to be found. And if he does find her? What's next? What awaits them after that? Will Kabbo outwit the world's most annoying informant? Or, for once in his life, will he have to accept defeat? (Mystery? Check. Thrills? Check. Chaos and comedy? Double check. And a detective who'd rather fight a chocolate mascot than his feelings? Check ♾️. If that's your vibe-welcome home, my dear!)

An ancient tribe, living for centuries, accidentally summons a monster. Now, they must figure out how to undo the chaos they've unleashed.

I didn't think it could get any worse after losing my entire family, being bitten by a zombie and having to search for a cure that probably doesn't even exist. Until we decide to travel with a group of people who hunt and torture zombies for fun... A group of humans infected with the zombie virus must protect themselves from the zombie hunters while racing to find a cure before it's too late.

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. |ONC 2025 LONGLISTER & ROUND 2 AMBASSADOR'S PICK||1X FEATURED| Rose Gold Awards 2025: Best First Line 4th place Rose Gold Awards 2025: Paranormal 5th place

🏅Shortlist 2025 🏅 Detective Michael Wulfe has solved every case that has come across his desk--with a little supernatural help. However, a recent string of unconnected murders leaves him stumped and the people of Keirwood Heights nervous. On top of everything, the police chief is getting dangerously close to Michael's own secret that could end both his career and his life if he doesn't close the case soon. ONC Prompt 87: A skilled detective has solved almost every case that has come across their desk. But one case seems to elude them, with no apparent connections between the murders. That is, until something changes everything. Rated T for violence, but there's no swearing or smut.

"These scars for love, are they worth it?" What's the evidence of someone's existence? Paintings, writings... kindness? For me, it was acknowledgment. Acknowledgment of one's existence. The path to the throne was always stained in red, inked in black on the coarse pages of history. Those pages remember only those mourned or scorned- and I was neither. But I was fine with that. Because as long as your name is spoken, mine must exist somewhere, even if only on the edge of someone's lips. When I was named crown prince of Wu, the court fell into chaos. Scorned by the emperor and ignored by the empress, I clung to the Duke of Canghe, who stood by me. "If I knew you were a snake in disguise, I would have killed you that night." Three years later, the duke raised his banners in rebellion. I looked into his eyes and realized I might have lost everything-or perhaps, nothing was ever truly mine to begin with. *ORIGINAL

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)

Soren never asked to be the only faerie on campus who can see ghosts. Because honestly? It's kind of a nightmare. Between dodging chatty spirits in the hallways, and constantly being late because some 200-year-old ghost will not move from the dorm entrance, Soren has enough problems. And after Soren loses his protective charm, things get worse. The ghosts aren't just harmless annoyances anymore. Some of them are dangerous. The shadows are getting darker, the spirits are getting hungrier, and Soren is seeing things that no faerie should ever be able to see. Soren would love to focus on literally anything else, like figuring out how to make a certain angel fall in love with him or passing his exams, but first? He needs to fix this before he ends up as just another ghost on campus.

It appeared overnight. A puddle, dark and still, in the middle of dry earth. It shouldn't exist. But when Kiran steps closer, it pulls him under. He wakes in a world that is not his own-a world where magic reigns and a ruthless ruler watches him with unreadable eyes. Zephiran. Powerful. Dangerous. Amused. Kiran doesn't belong here. And yet, the puddle chose him. But why? And more importantly... what happens when it comes back?