The Intrepid's objective was simple: establish a research outpost on the frontier of Confederate space, on the Earthlike planet of Proxmia-3. But before the ship even reaches orbit, cracks begin to show-especially within the Security Forces. Adrian, the calm centre of his unit, becomes the unexpected focus of rising tension-and the fierce loyalty of his best friend, Leanna. A moment of loyalty leaves a warmth he can't ignore. The mission quickly turns upside down when the team makes a discovery that shouldn't be possible.

In the mystical realm of _Winter [Silence, Long Nights]_, the poetic fragment "91. In a kingdom where magic is bound to the changing seasons, one season suddenly disappears" evokes a world where enchantment is woven into nature's cycles, and the abrupt loss of a season hints at imbalance and mystery. This line sets the stage for a tale of magical flux, seasonal symbolism, and the consequences of nature's disruption.

Open Novella Contest 2026 💫✨ In the heart of the fairy realm, where dragons sulk, forests whisper secrets, and wicked imps scheme in glittering castles, one goblin's desperate choice is about to shatter the fragile peace. Once a wealthy trickster, Giggleton lost everything-his fortune, his freedom, and the Gem Maker he stole long ago. Now lonely, starving, and clinging to regret, he makes the dangerous decision to confront Prince Horace, the cruel imp who owns his life. But Horace has no mercy to spare-and a far darker plan in mind. Far away in the magnificent Rune Hall, the sorcerer Hex struggles to protect his wife Rose and their child from the same enemy who once coveted her magic. When Hex leaves home in search of a way to save them, Rose is left alone...and the shadows begin to stir. Goblins lurk. Spells vanish. Strange noises echo through the halls. And deep in the Whispering Woods, something wicked follows her every step. As plots tighten and old sins return, a single spark of rare magic could save the fairy realm-or doom it forever. 104. While wandering in the woods, you dismiss the rustling behind you as nothing more than wind through the trees until you turn around and realise it isn't the wind at all. 3. You don't expect much excitement in your quiet garden until the day a dragon suddenly appears among the flowers.

Rina Vale wakes up marked with a vampire claim she didn't consent to-and accused of belonging to Adrien Kade, the most feared heir in the city. The bite on her throat bears his blood signature so perfectly that even vampire law calls it guilt. But Adrien swears he never touched her. The mark binds Rina to him in every way that matters-pull, heat, hunger-while leaving him untouched, unbound, and dangerously indifferent. In a world where claims mean ownership, that imbalance makes her vulnerable to everyone. The mafia wants her erased. The vampire elders want her contained. And Adrien needs her alive to prove his innocence before his own house kills him for being a liability. As desire collides with resentment and buried memories surface, Rina must uncover the truth if she wants to survive. Was the bite forged? Was her body used for a war everyone fears was designed on purpose? No matter what truths lie ahead, Rina must now decide whether to sever the bond in her blood-or turn it into something chosen, equal, and devastating. -------------------------------------------------------- Entered into the Open Novella Contest 2026 **Main Prompt** 119. You wake after a mafia raid with a vampire bite marking you as claimed, but the vampire heir accused of biting you insists they are innocent. Posted Word Count: 8,541 / 20,000 Requirements Met: ✅ Round 1 ✅ | 2,000 words✅ Round 2 ✅ | 8,000 words ✅ Round 3 ✅ | 20,000 words ✅ LONGLIST _ | SHORTLIST _ Round 1 Qualifier ✅ | Round 2 Qualifier ✅ | Round 3 Qualifier ✅ | Honorable Mention? _ Ambassadors' Pick? ❌ Rankings: #ONC2026: #ONC #OPENNOVELLACONTEST2026

Exousia Potentia "Double Power," is nothing like her occultist mom, The High-Priestess. Instead of running the world of Tarot as the next High Priestess in charge of keeping the major and minor arcana in check, she would rather be a fool living a life without the legacy of the Arcana, in a royal entourage.

Although Garudas and Nagas are enemies, they achieved peace through Metta Pakkha's loving-kindness. Eventually, Metta Pakkha and Thuyupa Raja fell in love, but when Metta Pakkha passed away due to an accident, what will happen next to the Garuda Kingdom and the Naga Kingdom? And will Metta Pakkha be reincarnated? Please stay tuned to this story to find out. Written for ONC 2026 Prompt #3

A loyal hound will drink saltwater. In the Kingdom of Bevran, vagabonds are offered shelter within the walls of the castle. Orthrus, tired of running for his life, scavenging off of the dead, and never escaping the cold, couldn't think of anything better. But it seems the Queen of Bevran has secrets, plans for invading the Kingdom of Khis. Orthrus and his fellow vagabonds seek to understand how they fit into all of this, what purpose they serve in their Queen's grand schemes. What Orthrus can't figure out is why the Queen would keep her desires secret when Khis is their enemy, the reason Bevran has fallen into ruin. Any Bevrani would devout themselves to defeating their oppressor, no? When the truth comes out, Orthrus must decide on what he's willing to sacrifice in order to survive. ♙♙♙ For the Open Novella Contest 2026 | Cover designed by me with image from Pinterest {artist unknown} | Prompt 80 Current Word Count - 39,264

As the head women of The Wilting Society, we welcome you to our sanctuary. Here, we will heal the broken and wilting petals of your tainted soul, but before we are able to heal those petals - you must sacrifice everything for us. ••• Braelyn's life is thrown into an endless spiral of worry when her older sister, Macey, doesn't come home one night, but that one night quickly blends into days, and then trickles into weeks. But the fragments of her life remain untouched, as though she never left; she took nothing with her, she vanished, leaving zero reasons as to why. Braelyn knew something was deeply wrong, her sister wouldn't do something like this; her sister wasn't some runaway, and she knew had to find her. Since macey's disappearance, Braelyn had only been given one trace to her sister on the night she went missing, she had gone to a travelling psychic in the dark alleyways of their quaint town, Bronwick. When braelyn later left that tattered, over-hanging tent, she also left with an invitation. Welcome to The Wilting Society. Will Braelyn be able to track down her sister within the society, or will she stumble across something more sinister? ••• Prompts used - 80. "Monsters don't live under our beds. They live in the recesses of our minds." + 46. "We love broken, beautiful people. And it doesn't get more obviously broken and classically beautiful then you." ••• cover designed by forgettablewords

One bounty. Two hired assassins. A ton of ways everything could go wrong. A renowned assassin from the north meets a Witch assassin from the south, as both compete for a bounty bigger than any they've ever been offered before: to kill a zealous prince with views on his not-quite-dead-yet father's throne. But when they discover more than they bargained, they're not sure who to believe anymore; the angry sister who hired them? Or the surprise sorcerer who claims she, like her brother, is also a fraud? Benedicta--the Scarlet Streak--and Azura--Ash--must learn to work together and decide if splitting the bounty is more important than risking their lives for unanswered questions. *This novella is set in the world of a historical fantasy that I'm currently developing off Wattpad* Based on prompt #32 - "Two assassins from rival organizations are sent on the same secret mission, only to realize the assignment hides a much bigger truth."

Gem Benitez works in the shadow of powerful men. As the trusted assistant to Aidan Han, she is valued for her precision, her discretion, and her ability to endure without complaint. Her body bears the marks of an old fire, but her mind remains sharp - often sharper than those who underestimate her. When Lucien enters her life, he offers something different: attention without pity, honesty without agenda, and a desire that feels dangerously like the validation she craves. Caught between a man who protects her until she can no longer breathe and one who desires her until she no longer recognizes herself, Gem must learn to distinguish devotion from possession before it's too late. As corporate rivalries and personal vendettas converge, Gem discovers that loving two people is not the danger. Belonging to neither may be. ─── ♕ ── ♙ ── ♚ ─── This story is written for the Open Novella Contest v.2026. ✦ ᑭᖇOᗰᑭT 115 ✦ A prophecy claim that you will love two people. One destined to save your life and the other destined to destroy it. The trouble is, you have no idea which is which. ─── ♕ ── ♙ ── ♚ ─── (more description coming soon)