Dark Shadows
- Reads 55
- Votes 6
- Parts 3
Ongoing28m
Last published Mon, Nov 17, 2025
For the first time in its history, the kingdom of Ibiri crowns a woman as heir-and the neighboring empire of Sovin vows that she will never rule.
Through years of manipulation, propaganda, and bloodshed, Sovin turns Princess Eloiza into an enemy of her own people, until the day she comes of age and invasion becomes inevitable.
As borders collapse and terror sweeps through her homeland, Ibiri's desperate nobles force the king to accept the one fate their bloodline has feared for centuries: a pact with the enemy.
To buy peace, Eloiza is sent to Sovin as the future bride of the very prince raised to conquer her world.
Far from home and surrounded by those who celebrate her downfall, the princess becomes a royal hostage in all but name. But victory is never as simple as Sovin imagined. Loyalties crack. Brothers spill brothers' blood. Fathers fall to their sons. Ambition tightens its grip, and the weak are devoured.
And while Ibiri and Sovin tear each other apart in their struggle for power, something ancient-something that once reduced empires to ash-awakens across the sea.
The shadows of the old world are rising again, and they are moving toward the present.
All Rights Reserved
#907
highfantasy
Join the largest storytelling communityGet personalized story recommendations, save your favourites to your library, and comment and vote to grow your community.
You may also like
Two Moons
For centuries, the House of Viridelle has borne the gift-and curse-of Sight. Selene Viridelle, the last of her line, carries more than visions in her blood; she carries the weight of an ancient prophecy foretelling that a child would shape the fate of kingdoms. Now, the prophecy seems to be at last coming to pass... and not in the way she hoped. Forced into an arranged marriage to King Zahir of Qamara, Selene faces a gilded cage. The king seeks not love, but power-wishing for his heirs to inherit her magic and bind it forever to his throne. As a week-long celebration leads up to the wedding, whispers of rebellion and water shortages stir unrest among Qamara's people, threatening to spill into the surrounding kingdoms. When Selene's visions turn dark, revealing that staying in Qamara means death, she seizes her chance for escape-falling in with a secretive band investigating the kingdom's water crisis. Among them is a brilliant but guarded engineer, Renric, whose haunted eyes hide royal blood long thought lost... and Darian, his charismatic, ruthless companion whose loyalty conceals dangerous ambition. The two men share a bond forged in war and secrets-but one that fractures under Selene's presence, unraveling into betrayal and hidden rivalries. Every secret revealed brings Selene closer to the truth-and to a love that could rewrite the destiny carved in her blood. But in a land of lies and legacy, even love may not survive the coming storm. ***TRIGGER WARNINGS: Abuse, emotional manipulation, domestic violence, toxic relationships, drug and alcohol use, eating disorders, murder, and light mention of self-harm and suicide ideation.***
Legacy: ReEternia
In a world on the brink of ruin, two ordinary friends, Shinichi and Tatsu, are ripped from their peaceful lives and thrust into the fantastical realm of Eternia. Prophecies call them the Starbound Heroes, chosen to unite fractured kingdoms and fight the dark forces of the Eclipse, a malevolent power threatening to consume the world. Guided by an unshakable bond of brotherhood, Shinichi and Tatsu rise as leaders while unlocking their hidden powers, drawing allies-and admirers-along the way. From the noble Princess Seryn to the fierce beast tamer Lyra and the gentle healer Elara, their journey is as much about navigating blooming romances as it is about saving Eternia. Amidst battles and betrayals, Tatsu's older sister, Lino, joins the group, torn between her protective instincts, her lingering feelings for Shinichi, and the life she left behind. As friendships deepen and conflicts arise, secrets of the Eclipse emerge, forcing the heroes to question fate, loyalty, and their place in a world teetering on the edge. With epic battles, lighthearted moments, and a story of love and self-discovery, Legacy: ReEternia delivers an unforgettable tale of heroes, fractured legacies, and the promise of rebirth in a world yearning for salvation. Will Shinichi and Tatsu forge their legacy, or will the Eclipse consume everything they hold dear?Complete
Fate
After being hunted in their homeland of Abeillnuv for nearly their entire lives, nomads Tonius and Elyssa decide that it's time to move on, to leave the realm they'd called home and finally escape the tyrant they'd spent seasons running from. It seemed like an easy enough task. Go West to Haven, charter a ship and they'd be on their way, leaving behind a lifetime of memories and worries. Unfortunately, things are a little more complicated than either of them could have anticipated. A war coming, a battle that will rage across Abeillnuv like a wildfire, with the two of them caught right in the middle of it. What should have been a simple journey West, something they had done several times before, suddenly becomes a fight for their lives as sides are taken and secrets long buried resurface. After all, everything comes with a price. Book One of IntertwinedComplete
Of Dragon and Sorrows - Book 1
A Kingdom Forged in Blood. A War Born of Lies. A Destiny Written Beneath the Moon.** For ten long years, the Noble Houses of Devraen and the Tribe of the Sea have drowned the North in frost and fury. What began as a single act of violence has become a war of pride, grief, and vengeance - a war no one truly understands. When the battlefield falls silent and the last embers die, Meher - the fallen heir of the Tribe of the Sea - must kneel before the king he once swore to destroy. With lives bleeding out behind him and his honor in chains, he accepts a bitter truth: Sometimes, peace demands more courage than war. But Devraen is not built on mercy. Beneath golden crowns and sacred banners, shadows move. Truth is twisted. Allegiances rot. And a serpent in black armor smiles beneath a borrowed light. As Meher and Amane uncover whispers of a hidden force - one that fueled the conflict for its own design - they must choose: Serve the kingdom that shattered them... or expose a darkness ancient as the snow, patient as the sea. Loyalties will break. Secrets will rise. And the North will learn: Not all enemies wield swords. Some wear crowns. Some offer peace. And some... are born in shadow. Genres: Epic Fantasy • Medieval Intrigue • War & Politics • Slow-Burn Power Struggle • Loyalty vs Destiny For readers who love: The Witcher, Game of Thrones, Vinland Saga, political intrigue, tragic heroes, and worlds carved by snow and steel
Twisted Storms
"Warrior, Fallen Princess, Survivor. A war looms and she must fight not only for her kingdom but for her very soul" After years of exile Khali Virella the dark princess once bound by duty and blood, is summoned back to her homeland Vallisk. Whispers of war spread like wildfire, beasts of shadow and bone creep across the land, and an ancient enemy long thought vanquished stirs once more. Khali has no intention of bending to her family's will, not when grief still consumes her but duty binds her to a grim task: training the next generation of rulers to fight. However, her most difficult task is to work alongside Elias Rurik. Their past is steeped in blood, and his presence ignites a storm of fury within her. With kingdoms on the edge of destruction, Khali discovers something far worse than ancient horrors-a truth that threatens to break the chains she has formed around her heart. Khali must navigate a court of vipers, uncover the truth about her past. But as darkness rises, one truth becomes clear: the greatest threat is not the creatures of the past, but the secrets buried within her heart.Complete
Daughter of the Wind
"She steadied her breathing and stood up. It was time to keep moving. The Tormentor would find her again, but she needed distance from what she had done. The bargain had been struck; the curse had been placed. Her fate was sealed with every step she took towards the south." The Kingdom of Svaleta stands on a precipice. War is on brewing in the north, with the elven Aliri Empire funding bandit raids across the border. To the south, the ancient forest of Narandir is stirring. Strange beasts are lurking, the body count is rising, and fear is spreading. The king sits in his palace demanding apathy. In the midst of this gathering storm, Belkai Androva is smuggled across the north-eastern border. The young mage harbours a dark secret as she makes her way through the countryside, but people are starting to notice the trail of bodies left in her wake. The world is changing, and this mysterious figure may hold the key to Svaleta's survival. * This story will also be posted on Royal Road under the same title.Complete
The Sun's Eclipse
The Kingdom of Lyphora, a place of endless light and divine radiance, stands in stark opposition to the Kingdom of Tenebris, a shadowy empire of mystery, secrecy, and dark magic. For generations, the two kingdoms have fought a war driven by their elemental powers, one wielding the force of light and life, the other controlling the vast shadows of death and decay. Princess Lucia of Lyphora and Prince Darius of Tenebris, both destined to rule their realms, are sent on a secret mission to each other's kingdom, cloaked in disguises. Disguised as mere travelers, they form a forbidden bond, unaware that they are the heirs of their respective thrones. Aurelia's light powers and Darius' shadow magic cause a strange and magnetic energy between them. As they slowly fall in love, they are forced to confront their differences and the deeply rooted hatred between their people. But when their true identities are revealed, their love might be the only way to stop a war that has raged for centuries, or it could bring about a destruction far worse than they could have imagined. A/N: CREDITS TO RIGHTFUL OWNERSComplete
The Secrets of the Itaryian Spring
Every ten years, spring returns to the realm of Itaryia. And with it - the Gathering. For one year, the five ancient kingdoms reunite to preserve a fragile peace. But this time, the Council resurrects the Rings of Union - a forbidden ritual that binds royal heirs into marriages chosen by magic itself. Esra of Altamir, the quiet princess who prefers science to politics, never expected her name to be called. Yet when the spell begins, something goes terribly wrong. Her eyes, meant to turn the color of her husband's, flash crimson - a hue unseen for centuries - before splitting into two mismatched shades. The omen shatters the ceremony. The prince she was to wed turns into a beast before the court. The earth trembles. Her father falls trying to protect her. And Esra's destiny fractures in an instant. Fleeing across the sea with enemies at her back and secrets in her blood, Esra discovers that her curse is the key to an ancient power - one that could either restore spring... or end it forever. A story of magic, identity, and impossible love. The Secrets of the Itaryian Spring is a lush, cinematic fantasy about the cost of destiny - where beauty is dangerous, and every choice can reshape the world.Complete
Legend of the Swords
Meet Erilyn, a master assassin whose blade guards her kingdom's fragile peace against the encroaching darkness of aristocratic corruption. Skilled in the art of deception and ruthless in her pursuits, she navigates the treacherous underworld with precision and cunning. Yet, fate takes a dramatic turn when the very aristocrats she despises unearth her identity as the long-lost twin princess. Suddenly thrust into a world of opulence and intrigue, Erilyn must reconcile her lethal instincts with the weight of royal responsibility. As she grapples with her newfound status as the next in line for the throne, Erilyn faces a daunting challenge: to wield power with grace and wisdom, or risk losing everything she holds dear. Can she shed the bloodstained cloak of her past and embrace her royal birthright, or will the shadows of her former life consume her and bring ruin upon her kingdom? In this gripping tale of identity, duty, and redemption, follow Erilyn's journey as she navigates her newfound influence in politics and power. With each step, she must confront the demons of her past and forge a path towards a future where she can both protect her people and reclaim her own soul.Complete
The Sorceress's Blade and The Crown of Ash
In a world where ancient secrets and modern ambitions collide, Nyara, a Queen in a war torn kingdom, is given a family heirloom that holds the key to humanity's future-and its darkest past. As shadowy forces converge, alliances form and fracture, propelling her into a high-stakes journey. With every revelation, the line between hero and villain blurs, leaving her to question not only the trustworthiness of her companions but her own motives. In a tale brimming with danger, intrigue, and heart, she must face the ultimate question: What would you sacrifice to change the world? ** Characters have no to limited physical description to encourage all readers to view themselves as the protagonist**Complete
For centuries, the House of Viridelle has borne the gift-and curse-of Sight. Selene Viridelle, the last of her line, carries more than visions in her blood; she carries the weight of an ancient prophecy foretelling that a child would shape the fate of kingdoms. Now, the prophecy seems to be at last coming to pass... and not in the way she hoped. Forced into an arranged marriage to King Zahir of Qamara, Selene faces a gilded cage. The king seeks not love, but power-wishing for his heirs to inherit her magic and bind it forever to his throne. As a week-long celebration leads up to the wedding, whispers of rebellion and water shortages stir unrest among Qamara's people, threatening to spill into the surrounding kingdoms. When Selene's visions turn dark, revealing that staying in Qamara means death, she seizes her chance for escape-falling in with a secretive band investigating the kingdom's water crisis. Among them is a brilliant but guarded engineer, Renric, whose haunted eyes hide royal blood long thought lost... and Darian, his charismatic, ruthless companion whose loyalty conceals dangerous ambition. The two men share a bond forged in war and secrets-but one that fractures under Selene's presence, unraveling into betrayal and hidden rivalries. Every secret revealed brings Selene closer to the truth-and to a love that could rewrite the destiny carved in her blood. But in a land of lies and legacy, even love may not survive the coming storm. ***TRIGGER WARNINGS: Abuse, emotional manipulation, domestic violence, toxic relationships, drug and alcohol use, eating disorders, murder, and light mention of self-harm and suicide ideation.***
More detailsContent Guidelines