Magic runs thick in the veins of every creature in the woods of Iryndor, in one twisted way or another. It could be beautiful, it could be benign. It could be breathtakingly evil. Rhae has lived in these enchanted woods all her life, a loyal member of the Sisters of Breath. She is familiar with the cold winters, and the looming threat of what lurks in the dark. But one day, she finds something else: a stranger, lacking the ever-present hum of power that hums through her own veins. Though at first wary, Rhae is soon enthralled by his tales of the mundane and ordinary. But in a world of magic, there is no place for the earthly. While an enchanting tale of love and its strength, "A Melody of Ice" also provides a chilling reminder of betrayal's sting, and what it can awaken within us all. ONC 2024 entry under prompt #95. Cover images retrieved from Pixabay.

Ansel Narth finds himself wrongly accused of the realm's most heinous crime, plunging him into a treacherous web of deceit. While the murder of the beloved Queen of Reven stains Ansel's name and tarnishes the reputation of his loyal comrades, the Foundlings, the Queen's only son, Prince Dayne, seeks relentless revenge. Haunted by visions of an impending apocalypse, Ansel embarks on a perilous journey to the New Lands, desperate to escape his wrongful imprisonment and find a new place to call home. Kazmere Vale, the mastermind behind the creation of the Foundlings, witnesses the crumbling of his hard-won achievements. Trapped within the unforgiving walls of Skyprison, Kazmere faces a battle for survival and an unrelenting quest for truth surrounding the Queen's murder. Amidst despair, he finds solace in enigmatic allies who offer assistance, but at a steep price. With their aid, can Kazmere clear the Foundlings' name, restore their reputation, and unveil the malevolent force responsible for their downfall? The Impact Chronicles Book One **Mature for violence and sex**

TRASHSCARF HAS MOVED TO ROYAL ROAD, same name, same author. Thanks! A cheerful, funny, cozy sort of whimsical fantasy, like Hitch-Hiker's Guide/Discworld. No smut, just some bad puns and dumb jokes, lots of obscure references, some actual Interesting Facts, a bit of Discordian philosophy, and a guy with a talking mustache. If you'd like to see this story continue, drop me a note! Thanks!

The deposed third prince doesn't want to die. Eluding ambushers and outrunning soldiers is exhausting, even with help from his strange allies. If only his brother believed him when he said he never wanted the throne. Daily updates for the first week, then updates will be on Wednesdays.

The internet and tabloid press are buzzing with rumours about the disappearance of the mysterious billionaire street artist Crypto, the UK's hottest property in the global art world. No new pieces have appeared in over eight months, and their publicist has released a statement that they have had no contact. The press and the public all seem to think that it is another elaborate 'art prank'. Callie, a homeless young artist who paints under the tag 'Ghost One', aspires to make a name for herself on the London scene. Her only focus is finding a way to leave behind the dirty streets, and the dangers that lurk in places where most people never set foot. When her rival, the leader of the five-strong all-girl graffiti crew, The Jubilee Queens, turns up dead in an underground tunnel, bled out beneath the electrified rails, the police and coroner rule that it is a result of suicide. But then three more Queens appear on missing persons posters, and Callie knows that there must be something much darker at play. Those girls were way too in love with themselves to ever do a thing like that. With only a can of spray paint to her name, and a desire to uncover the truth, Callie sets out on an adventure quite unlike any other.

Felix Swift is a teenager with a big problem; He just can't stay awake. And falling asleep at the wrong moment has already caused him more trouble in the past year than most people will ever experience. Relocating to the countryside with his family brings with it a whole new set of problems. Missing persons, freak storms, crop circles, all-night raves, the local gang, not to mention the challenge of baby-sitting his annoying little brother. His time in the 'arse-end of nowhere' is proving to be every bit as wild as his years growing up in South London. But as Felix soon discovers, village life also holds the keys and the clues to the adventure of a lifetime, and an opportunity to nurture the seeds of friendships that will last forever. ***************************************************************************** Dear Readers, If you are enjoying The Brightlings, please don't forget to vote for each chapter, and feel free to comment (provided you don't post spoilers). Receiving the tiny little stars and additional interaction really spurs me on, and certainly helps to point more people towards my story. I'd love to hear from you, if you like what you are reading, but I'm afraid that I can't promise an instant reply as I'm pretty flat out these days. Finally, it really shouldn't need to be written here, but just a quick note with regards to intellectual copyright and my use of this platform to write/publish The Brightlings; All rights reserved. This work is all of my own creation, and I retain the right to publish it elsewhere, or to remove it from this platform at any time in the future should I choose to do so. ---- I will not accept any excuses from those that copy or intend to pass this work off as their own, or republish it elsewhere without my permission. ---- Ok.... so now that is out of the way, there's nothing left to say, except "buckle up, hold on tight, and enjoy the ride!" Cheers, Ric #1 Environment #1 Tunnel