The kingdom of Oscensi has a dark secret. Buried deep beneath their castle's chambers is a single prison cell. And within is a boy with destruction at his fingertips. His only company lies with the black flames he conjures, along with the mysterious girl whose visits provide a rare spark of light in his lonely darkness. Until the day the castle falls, and he is gifted his first taste of freedom. Yet this world does not welcome a boy with the talents of a monster. Fighting to both contain his malicious power and keep his life, he finds himself running, trapped by dangers from all sides. After all, how can he trust anyone when he can barely trust himself? -♛- WARNING: Mentions of self harm and suicidal thoughts [beautiful cover by @morsmortalis] ~ Completed ~

To rule the streets, one must learn sacrifice. A smart thief surrounds himself with myth, sacrificing truth. A dangerous thief writes his name in blood, sacrificing his soul. A Thief King gives his heart to no one and lives a life of solitude. Koltin Seaward thought he was all three without sacrifice. In a city where the rich live frivolous lives and the poor barely survive there are two kings. One who earns the title by inheritance, the other paid for in blood. Koltin paid the price and earned the title to rule the underworld, but his world is about to change. To protect those he holds dearest, Koltin has to fight in order to save his family, his city and himself, but at what cost? What will he sacrifice? His heart or his soul...

It's a deadly plan, and it goes like this: First, become a crew member of the Avourienne, a pirate ship notorious for its charismatic captain and wicked ways. Second, trick the ship's cunning strategist, famous for winning every game she's ever played, into believing a delicately spun lie. Third, get close enough to their tyrant king to put a knife through him. Deadly doesn't quite describe such a plan. In fact, inconceivable may be the better word. But Archer Kingsley has a knack for such things, and he feels he's going to pull off this plan with the ease he does most everything. Perhaps he's not quite aware of the absolute hell that's about to break loose, but truthfully, it's so much better that way. Because true adventures are born from uncertainty. * Cover by xxsoteria Mature themes you may encounter in this book: - harsh language (it's a pirate book) - violence (it's a pirate book) - sexual implications (it's a PIRATE book) However, this story does not violate any of Wattpad's mature guidelines and therefore is not marked as such. This is book one in the Venture Series. It is standalone and can be read without any prior knowledge. Featured on the following profile's reading lists: (15x) @adventure (Voyages and Sea Epics) @YAfantasty (New Adult Fantasy) @talesofthedeep (Pirate Tales) @HistoricalFiction (Revolution and Rebellion) @WattpadSeries (Action/Adventure) @WattpadHistoricalRomance (Pirate Adventures) @WattpadRoyals (The Adventure Awaits) @action (Fantasy in Action) @action (Adventure in Action) @antiheroesglaore (Wicked Women) @adultfiction (Journeys to Another Realm) @fantasy (Romantasy) @StoriesUndiscovered (Not This Road Trip Again) @WattpadDarkFantasy (A Kingdom in Shadows) @WattpadDarkFantasy (Out of the Shadows (featured stories)) @Romance (Worlds Apart)

EARTHSEA MEETS ASIAN FOLKLORE --- In a world where spirits are mankind's eternal enemy and sorcery demands execution, exorcists are revered warriors of the Great Goddess. Newly appointed exorcist, Ruqa, arrives in the city of Gessi with only one thing in mind; to become the greatest exorcist ever known to walk the land. But shortly after his arrival, the whole city gets infected with the Black Burning, a deadly plague only spirits could cause, and Ruqa finds himself tasked to get to the bottom of it. The job is simple; find the source, end the plague. But to do so, he must travel to the northern mountains, the birthplace of sorcery, and the only other person fit to help him is a mysterious sorceress whom he just met, and whom he is forced to travel with. At the end of the day, it boils down to neither courage nor merit, but Ruqa's willingness to battle demons, both beyond and within, or risk losing everything he ever dreamed of becoming. --- 21/03/2022: Selected as Wattpad's Asian Fantasy Pick 16/05/2023: Featured on Wattpad's Fantasy profile's Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration reading list. 07/09/2023: Featured on Wattpad's Autumn 2023 Cultivation Month Catalog