8chapterchallenge Stories

September 1806. The janissaries are advancing towards Istanbul, with an army raised by Rumelia ayans, and are threatening everything Nurcan, a witch serving as the defterdar of the Sihirsizler (non-magical) Irad-i Cedid, has worked for during the past twelve years. Fearing for her life, as the Sultan Selim III is about to sacrifice the Irad-i Cedid for internal peace, she flees to the forests of her native Trabzon Eyalet and leaves behind the Sublime Porte's instabiity. Note: This story is written for the 2026 Open Novella Contest, using the following prompts: 16: "And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul." (quote by John Muir) 78: You begin to realize that nothing is quite what it seems. #1 in administration and taxation (February 8, 2026)

After discovered the opposition power and their fragments identity, Scarlet Bright and Lithanine "Lilith" Diesel continue their journey, discovered a new friend, Lucin and Lilith just discovered the new power. And not just that, Lilith will find new fragment identity soon or later. This story was Al-generative chat and edited by me to keep the fixed plot.

She always wanted to be normal and right beneath her soul she believes that rebellion is the only way out of her trapped cage. But life changes when she finally gets out, from the freedom she got to the people she met. Was her freedom really worth it after all??

At Aston prep the only thing more dangerous than the social hierarchy is the silence that follows after a students death. One year ago a scholarship student was found dead. The school called it suicide. The hierarchy called it "a tragedy". But the shadows of the aristocrats never forget. Now, Avarice has entered the lions den as the new scholarship student. She has one goal: stay invisible. But the system doesn't let anyone stay invisible for long. When a candid photo of Avarice and her friend, the vibrant Princess Adelaide appears in her room, with a chilling warning the past begins to repeat itself. One of you belongs. One of you doesn't. While Adelaide laughs it off, Avarice can feel it, someone is watching and someone knows who-- and what she really is. Avarice must make a final decision will she let the system break her or will she make her stand. In a world of seven kingdoms, the truth is the only thing more lethal than a crown. Seven kingdoms. Five ranks. One girl.

July 4th was supposed to be the perfect summer. The ideal chance to escape the parents who made their lives a living hell. A time for romance, secrets... and revenge. But this summer is different-the night of betrayal, chaos, and torment could change their lives forever. What exactly happened that night? A summer no one would forget...

A ship comes across a mysterious beast and now they are at question if they would ever be at peace in the ocean? Can they defeat this mysterious beast? Can they send the strange aquatic monsters back where they belong? The only willing and brave small crew are stepping up to the task.

In the ruthless world of billionaires and betrayal, she was once the queen of his heart-until he shattered hers. Now, reborn from the ashes of her past, she is back with a fierce vengeance. Will she reclaim her throne, or will the dark forces conspiring against her finally bring her down?

[COMPLETE] They were raised as brothers. Torn apart by war. Bound again by a bloody escape. If one bullet could end it all. . . who would pull the trigger?

"Where do you begin if you want to investigate a murder, Bennett?" She asked, the phone pressed against her ears. He didn't ask questions, "The autopsy." * * * The summer before senior year turns out to be everything Sheri never expected when a groom turns up dead at the dress rehearsal for his wedding. Submerged into a dysfunctional world of family secrets and a demanding love triangle, one thing is as clear as day; the killer is walking the same halls as she and lurking in the dark, waiting and watching. Her undoing however would be the one thing she never saw coming, the greatest force of all; Love. * * * Landon Carmichael: he's a douchebag with abandonment issues. choleric 90% of the time but watch out for the tongue of this son of the devil when his sanguine 10% surfaces. perhaps he's the most dangerous in this story. Sheri Abbah: she's insecure and hopelessly codependent. she has only ever been sure of one thing: her feelings for him but that's about to be put to the test. content warning: suicidal thoughts, emotional/psychological issues, family dysfunction, possible trauma. Copyright© 2023 by TheShadyButterfly. TeenFiction/Mystery/Love™

On a warm summer evening, an energetic woman named Elara meandered into the nursery(enchanted garden), drawn by the mumbles of the breeze and the tempting scent of roses. As she wandered through the maze of blooming blooms, she unintentionally found a stupendous blossom greenery that stood separated among the rest. Its petals were a vivacious shade of ruby, and its fragrance consumed the space with a hypnotizing loveliness.

Florence, a young, untenured French teacher in southwest Louisiana, grows unsatisfied with the direction Venomous Agendas High is taking, and must juggle the realities of her own work in addition to saving VA's debate team from closure as she tries to get tenured. In addition, she faces complaints from students and parents as it relates to her courses. Trigger warnings: mentions of sex (but no sexually explicit scenes) and swearing in French (sparsely) This is both my NaNo for 2023 as well as November-December's entry for the 8 Chapter Challenge.

Maeve is on the journey of a lifetime. Not her actual real life, since she is now dead. Her accidental death came with some afterlife challenges. Now she will choose how to live in the present after her untimely death. Maeve has never been considered brave. Her name had echoed through the place where she passed away. This place, she would come to find, was a portal between worlds. The king of time had beckoned her from the void, where he was trapped. He needed a human to help him return to his throne. Maeve, unfortunately, was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She was collected by a mysterious stranger and brought to the void to meet with the king. He asked a great deal from her but offered a choice. Maeve would choose to be brave in that moment and help the king to return home. The gift from the king in recognition of her bravery to help, would be seeing her loved ones again. If that were even possible. The king didn't have a lot of friends in the void and the pair would face many obstacles on their journey to find the truth and redeem the king's throne. Will Maeve be brave enough to complete her quest and find a way back to her former life? Or will she succumb to the treacherous battles she has to face? Will an unlikely stranger come to her aide and what will the king reveal after it is all over? Maeve will be tested and learn to overcome her own insecurities. Along the way, she will meet many new characters that will either help her journey or cause her to lose her identity and become more vulnerable.

Wang Anshi and Sima Guang were best friends, but they parted ways because of their different opinions on Xining Reformation. At that time, Zhao Xu, Emperor of Northern Song Dynasty, was in power. The Northern Song Dynasty tried to appease Liao and Western Xia. The dispute between Reformist Party, leaded by Wang Anshi and Conservative Party, leaded by Sima Guang, increased the political risks and uncertainties of Northern Song Dynasty. At the critical moment, Liao and Western Xia planned a conspiracy to put Northern Song Dynasty in an irreparable situation. The strange case of Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang brought them together to investigate the truth. Then, Northern Song Dynasty won the Battle of Xihe. Zhao Xu was so excited that he gave Wang Anshi his jade belt as a reward. Could Wang Anshi and Sima Guang become best friends again? In the turbulent situation of Northern Song Dynasty, could they put aside their past conflicts and turn danger into safety? Can they fulfill their youthful oath, live and die together, and leave their names in history? Thousands of years later, all things are gone. Only the fragrance of laurel branch remains, and the river flowing in vain, as the sound of eternal injustice. This story is completely fictional. Any similarities are purely coincidental. Couverture: The National Palace Museum Collection. Jiang Tingxi, Sweet Osmanthus (detail), during the Qing Dynasty. © 2024 NATIONAL PALACE MUSEUM.

(Finished short story) Cassian "Cassie" Vail doesn't believe in fate. She barely believes in herself. But when a carnival materializes overnight-its gates yawning open as if expecting her-Cassie feels something she can't explain. A pull. A whisper of a life she doesn't remember living. The lights burn too brightly. The laughter echoes too long. The performers watch her too closely. One in particular-a figure who lingers at the edges, whose eyes gleam with recognition. Someone who knows her. Someone she can't recall. But the carnival isn't just a spectacle-it's a trap. Beneath its crimson-and-gold facade, something ancient stirs, hungry for lost souls. As illusions twist into nightmares and Cassie's own past unravels before her, she faces one terrifying truth: The carnival didn't come for her by accident. And if she doesn't unearth its buried secrets in time, she won't just be another forgotten soul-she'll be trapped here forever.

Two individuals, worlds apart. Christina Pembroke, 20 and power-hungry, has always feasted on her father's wealth and success. Her tricks threaten to unravel it all, leaving her without the safety net she's become so used to. Lucas Kramer, 23, and chasing his dream of becoming a director, has fought every inch of his journey. As his lifelong dream edges closer, he faces a dilemma: will he sacrifice his values for recognition? In a world where their paths cross, can they aid each other on their quest, or will they become each other's downfall? Secrets, ambition, and the pull of destiny converge in: ACTION!

In the heart of the Kingdom of Lilac lies the Lumine Duchy, once a symbol of strength and prosperity. But mismanagement, internal conflicts, and famine had cast a shadow over its glory days, with blame falling squarely on the shoulders of the current Grand Duke. Among the people, a common sentiment echoes: if only a commoner hadn't ascended to the title of Grand Duke, perhaps things wouldn't have taken such a turn for the worse. As Emerald's health declines, she finds herself engulfed in memories of better times when the Duchy thrived and her family was whole. But those moments were overshadowed by the pain and betrayal she endured at the hands of the Grand Duke. From their joyless wedding day to the heartbreak of his infidelity, Emerald's recollections are a painful reminder of all she had lost. Desperate for a chance to right the wrongs of the past, Emerald makes a wish as she sketches, longing for an opportunity to rewrite history. And when she awakens to find herself transported back in time, her determination to alter the course of fate only grows stronger. Emerald sets out to seize control of her destiny, vowing to reclaim her family's legacy and reshape the future of Lumine Duchy. But as she navigates the complexities of the past, Emerald must confront the real enemies and find the true meaning of power. "I WILL BECOME THE DUKE" is a gripping tale of resilience, redemption, and the unwavering strength of a former Duchess determined to save her people and the Duchy from destruction.

This novel is about a girl named Courtney who goes to college and makes friends with people from different backgrounds. They have many adventures together and support each other through thick and thin. Courtney eventually gets a job and moves away. However, she remains close to her friends.

He watches the entire world but he's no God. But if the God that exists sleeps, to whom must the world turn to? It's up to Gemini and his fellow guardians to restore what once was. As the prologue to the main Tolvia series, watch as the foundation for the future heroes are made.

Merran was born into a devastating curse. Either she lives and watches six of her siblings die, or she dies and one of them survives to rule. Problem is. She doesn't know the curse exists or that she has a family. Never mind the fact that the king happens to be her father. The king grew up with the knowledge of the curse dictating his life, he lived everyday waiting for his or his families proposed fate. However, when he was chosen to survive, he made a choice. He wouldn't stand by and let his children endure the same fate. Especially, after watching his own brothers and sisters die. He couldn't bear to put that burden on his own. So, he sent them to the furthest reaches of Aradia and let them grow up in peace, away from him, away from their fate, away from each other. Hoping to use the magic the deaths of his siblings had granted him in an attempt end the curse for good. But the curse won out. Bringing the siblings together for an unavoidable showdown. And, if they fail to honour it, the shield it generates will fall and their home will be overrun by the enemy it was designed to keep out; Forician's; an ancient breed of savage creatures with incredible abilities. So, the king conjures up a competition to make the choice he cannot, to decide who should live and who should die. However, everything isn't as it appears, the true enemies are within the shield, within the kings very court, manipulating everyone for their own purposes. And if Merran doesn't figure out why, an innocent race will be destroyed, and the true monsters will obliterate everything she holds dear...

When Alyson returns to her grandparents' house to help settle what's left of it, she finds herself standing inside seventeen years of memory; both tender and unkind. The walls remember her laughter, the air carries the rhythm of her grandparents' routines, and every object seems to wait for her to finally notice what's changed. In her dreams, Joe appears softer and attentive in the ways he never was when they were younger. Waking up from them feels like forgetting a language she once knew by heart. When they meet again by chance, the conversation feels less like reunion and more like reckoning. Paint Stains is a quiet story about home, inheritance, and the parts of ourselves that remain even after we've outgrown the walls that shaped us.