Onc2026 Stories

A soul collector bound by cold logic faces a cosmic glitch when a dying puppy greets him not with fear, but with a wagging tail. ​Synopsis: In the monochromatic world of the Afterlife Assistant, his existence is a never-ending cycle of ticking names off "The List." ​Everything changes on a rainy Tuesday when 149Hub, Reaper 149 is a top-tier soul collector known for his surgical precision and lack of empathy. Accompanied by his rule-abiding encounters a discarded cardboard box. Inside isn't a human soul meauesday harvest, but a shivering, golden-furred puppy. When the creature licks his frozen hand, a spark of forbidden warmth ignites. Choosing to ignore his next high-priority target, 149 embarks on a rogue mission through the living city to find the puppy's owner. But as the clock ticks and "Soul Hunters" close in to correct his insubordination, 149 discovers that the puppy's fate is inextricably linked to the very soul he was ordered to take. Title: The Reaper's Detour Codename: Reaper 149 Genre: Urban Fantasy

Chronicle of Nadhjra & Other Untold Stories Some legends are too small to become entire novels... Yet too important to be forgotten. Journey beyond the main saga of Infinite Fighters into a collection of hidden chronicles, forgotten origins, secret experiments, legendary weapons, ancient kingdoms, and untold adventures that shaped the world of Seona long before - and long after - the events of the main story. Discover how Karl Adrian took his first steps toward the impossible dream that would one day become Hyperstring Quantum Technology. Uncover forgotten histories surrounding Kael Adravion, Zedwan, Lysa, and many other heroes whose stories were never fully told. Every chapter reveals another piece of Seona's vast history... Some are legends. Some are memories. Some are secrets that were never meant to be discovered. Welcome to the hidden chronicles of Infinite Fighters untold stories. Also witness the immortal will of Nadhjra, the mysterious weapon that has lived through countless forms. A will that has lived countless lives, surviving every vessel and every war. From spear to katana, from shadows to legend, Nadhjra chooses only those worthy to wield her. A tales of silent endurance, judgment, and the last guardian who learns the meaning of true worth. Will she choose you?

When her office burns down an editor must work together with the most infuriating man alive or risk the promotion she's been working her entire career for. **** Chielozonam 'Elo' Williams is doing great. All things considered. It doesn't matter that the job she loves as editor at PerfectRomance, the publishing imprint she's been working at for the past five years has started to feel more like a chore these days. It doesn't matter that her judgemental father might be right about her wasting her life away by not using her full potential. What really matters is getting her dream promotion and enjoying the prime years of her youth. That is until the unthinkable happens. After Elo's office building burns down overnight she's forced to share an office with the one person that makes her blood boil: Connor Price. Archenemies since their days at college Connor makes getting under her skin an art form. He's brash and rude and irritates her like nobody else can with his scathing looks and contemptible behavior. It's not long before they're locked in a battle of wits, neither willing to back down or give up. When they have to work together to acquire a potentially lucrative manuscript, they are forced to put aside their long-standing animosity for an adventure that will blur the line between hate and desire until neither of them can tell where the fighting ends and the falling begins. PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION meets ANYONE BUT YOU meets THE HATING GAME in this contemporary rom-com about resilience, self-discovery and two sworn enemies who can't tell the difference between wanting to kiss or kill each other. An ONC 2026 story inspired by prompt 40. THIS NOVEL IS ONLY AVAILABLE ON WATTPAD AND INKITT. IF YOU ARE READING THIS ANYWHERE ELSE, PLEASE INFORM THE AUTHOR VIA WATTPAD, AS YOU MAY BE READING FROM A MIRROR SITE WHERE IT HAS BEEN PLAGIARIZED AND YOUR DEVICE MAY BE SUBJECTED TO A MALWARE ATTACK.

When a cautious Formula One engineer crosses paths with a damaged comeback driver, she discovers that the most dangerous variable she should assess in the sport isn't speed-but attachment. ✦✦✦ Adriana Santos has always known her place on a championship-winning Formula One team is contingent. Excellence, she learned early, is not the same as security. She works in a role the paddock barely understands-simulating failures before they happen, answering 'what ifs' before they become 'what went wrong', and treating the car like a living thing whose future rests in her hands. Her work is quiet, precise, and easily erased the moment she becomes inconvenient. She is careful because she has to be. She knows Joshua Thomas long before she meets him: the driver who changed his name to fit in, the anomaly on a rival team forever tipped for titles. To Adriana, he's a reaction curve that never quite returned to baseline after last season's crash. His comeback is framed as resilience. Many are simply waiting to see him fail. They meet by accident, in a moment stripped of his usual extravagance and pretence. Adriana notices what she always notices-the face behind the mask, the way he laughs through failure like it doesn't frighten him. Adriana doesn't forget him, though. She keeps her distance but Joshua doesn't, and their reluctant friendship begins to bend into something riskier. And they both know exactly what it could cost them. ✦✦✦ ✦ Open Novella Contest 2026 | Prompts 24, 29, 30, 44 ᴄᴏᴘʏʀɪɢʜᴛ © 2026 ʙʏ ᴀᴜᴅʀᴇʏ ᴀʟʟ ʀɪɢʜᴛꜱ ʀᴇꜱᴇʀᴠᴇᴅ.

➳➳➳ new cover by x_luminous_x ➳➳➳ What if the dragon wasn't the knight's worst adversary, but their brother in arms? What if the wolf, instead of being the hunter's age-old enemy, became their closest companion? ➳➳➳ After 150 years of peace, dragons wings once again darken Sïrvean skies. At 18 years old, Soera is little more than a rebellious young woman. She spends all her days hunting in the forest, her faithful wolf by her side. Until the day her father reveals the purpose she was born to fulfill. Her ancestry is one of guardians of an ancient shrine... And the soul of a 150 years old Dragonslayer bound to it, with boredom and viciousness matching her age That same day, a dragon rider lands on Sïrvean ground. She is supposed to end his life immediately. Instead, she ends up stranded in the wilderness with him and his dragon. If she wants to survive, she must join forces with her sworn enemy. ➳➳➳ The ancient walls scream for revenge. The spirits of Soera's ancestors yearn for blood. Soera must choose between duty to her bloodline and the call of her heart.

Melinda starts her first day as shift manager of Cozy Retreat with a personal disaster. After spilling coffee into the lap of the most influential food blogger online, she is sure her brief carreer as shift manager was over. An unexpected connection forms and all she needs to do is believe she deserves a second chance. But can Melinda trust her heart as she struggles to keep the secrets of her past and the footprints of her memories beat a path to her door? @XxxSistersxxX is my cover artist. Thank you for the amazing work.

Cassidy Marlow is a senior who likes to keep her life simple and fun. School, music, friends, and books are all she needs to stay sane. Between scrolling through posts and daydreaming, she doesn't expect much to shake up her carefully balanced world. That is, until, the new kid appears and Cass just so happens to be interested. Asher Park, a senior as well, likes to keep to himself. He struggles with isolation, hiding behind his careful smiles and guitar. And beneath everything...lies a secret that's captivated millions. Starting at a new school feels impossible, until he notices the one girl who actually tries to see him. As Cassidy's and Asher's worlds collide, identities and growing feelings start to develop. Shadowy online threats, comments, and bullying starts to hit at them relentlessly and puts them both at risk. Cass must navigate her own heart while helping the boy she's coming to know, bit by bit. Maybe some connections are worth risking everything for. ***Cover by @Julieiswriting*** ----------- Open Novella Contest (ONC 2026) - LONGLIST - Prompt 23: You discover the quiet transfer student in your class is actually a world-famous pop star hiding in plain sight, and their secret begins to reshape both your lives. - Prompt 78: You begin to realize that nothing is quite what it seems. Highest rankings: [04.18.26] #1 - songwriter [05.25.26] #3 - opennovellacontest2026 [05.25.26] #3 - theatre [08.02.26] #3 - cyberbullying

William Grombo is a librarian who tries to forget the fact that he has super powers, but then he meets Kaya Ravens, who is just as obsessed with super heroes as he once was. But like William, Kaya hides a secret she doesn't want anyone to know.

ALIEN AMONG US is a contemporary sci-fi novella that will give you the giggles, tug at your heartstrings, and leave you wondering if there really is life beyond the stars. ************************************************************************ Entered into the Open Novella Contest 2026 | @OpenNovellaContest - Rules & Guidelines: here: https://www.wattpad.com/story/406004197-open-novella-contest-2026 **Main Prompt** 25. You live with four other housemates, but one of them is secretly an alien trying to learn how to act human. ©2026 E. S. Elias, All Rights Reserved. Book Created & Published to Wattpad: 02.01.2026 Book Marked as Completed: 00.00.2026 Book Cover: Me @DesignsbyEH Word Count: 2,222 / 20,000 Goals: ✔ Round 1 ✔ | 2,000 words ✔ | Round 2 ✔ | 8,000 words ✔ Round 3 _ | 20,000 words LONGLIST _ | SHORTLIST _ Round Winner? _ | Honorable Mention? _ | Ambassadors' Pick? _ Mentioned in Ambassador Newsletter _ Top-5 Winner? _ Rankings: #ONC2026: #ONC #2 02.03.2026

Ian has always had very vivid dreams that feel like memories. Seeing people she's never met before and even places she has never been to before. Her therapist told her that there are just dreams and not memories. She performances hypnosis to help her shut out her memories. But not all dreams have disappeared. The moment she arrives in a town called "Zoey." Upon her arrival, she continues to be mistaken for Anna. But the question is: Who is Anna?

❝ DON'T GET LOST IN THE WOODS FOR THEY ARE HUNGRY ❞ Vesnyana died a long time ago. As a rusalka, she is now bound to haunt the waters that took her life-and drown hapless folks in their cold depths to sate her endless hunger. However, her greatest desire remains unfulfilled: to become human again. That is, until the summer solstice, which drives young lovers into the trees in search of the magical fern flower. But only one of them is truly determined to find it. Which is but a game for other youths in the village of Lasow, to Yara seems like the only way to free herself from her sorrows. Little does she know there are far greater ones to come: A new priest arrives, eager to fight the old beliefs and driven by his own dangerous desires. Prophecies and dark omens plaguing Yara and her friend Levik speak of fire on the horizon. And the shadows on the wall start speaking. When death comes riding into Lasow, Yara has to decide whom to trust-and what wishes might be dangerous enough they could cost all of their lives. _______ ONC 2026 ENTRY: PROMPTS 16, 104, 114

One moment, Avery was the author. The next... she woke up inside her own novel. Her characters are alive. Her plot is wrong. And Aiden-the man she wrote to break hearts- is looking at her like she's his. The scariest part? She's no longer the one holding the pen. Every page pulls her deeper, every twist makes her question who's really writing the story-her, or something else entirely. And somewhere between fiction and reality, she'll have to decide... does she want to escape this world? Or rewrite it forever? [New chapter: Every week on Monday.]

𝑯𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒎𝒆. 𝑺𝒐 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒉𝒊𝒎. 𝑴𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝒓𝒖𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒓. ~•~★~•~ Avyxia Kleymor's peaceful life was shattered when an elvin assassin murdered her parents before her very eyes. Kneeling in a pool of her mother's blood, Avyxia vowed to find the person who took everything from her. Rage and sorrow consumed her young heart as her life gained a new and horrible purpose: vengeance at any cost. ~•~ 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙩: 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙧, 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮, 𝙥𝙤𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚. ★OPEN NOVELLA CONTEST 2026 ★Cover art not by me ★Thanks for reading! «Tales Of Yvenia» ~•~★~•~

In a dystopian future, an acidic flood reigns and the only signs of old life lie in the deep. Alex - an outcast with an inquisitive mind and a set of strangely specific skills - must navigate a world where she is shunned from the safety of the domes and stuck in the water. One day, while exploring a set of deep-sea ruins, she is haunted by a mysterious spirit; a spirit that seems to be warning her of something. The problem is, this ancient being doesn't seem to have any memory of its previous life. With a newly-possessed fish at her side, she must now uncover a secret organisation, find out what it means to do and save both humans and spirits from their plans. --- This is my entry for the Open Novella Contest 2026. Prompts used: 93, 86 (I have listed them in the author's note) --- | 🌟 Longlisted for the Open Novella Contest 2026 | #1 oceanpunk #1 explorer #1 deepsea #1 flood #1 climatechange #2 acid --- © 2026 | This is original work. Any references to other persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Please do not adapt in any way without the author's permission.

Ian Deavor thinks he's having a usual blind date, but instead he has a strange encounter with a woman who does not seem all quite normal. And she never speaks once during the whole meeting. Instead she gives him a mysterious message that just might change his whole life, and it all starts by being given a key and an address. Playlist for story is on Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkn3Qm_wfzKHEhzX3dVdaCrbSobXqpPpm&si=TqgKO5yu8H_1U-We

⭐️ ONC 2026 Round 1 Winner ⭐️|| Once, he was the Morning Star. Now, he is the Abyss. Betrayed by his own clan and cast into a lightless void, Riven survived by becoming the very darkness that tried to crush him. Transformed into a living Singularity-a creature of dense dark matter and eternal hunger-he is convinced he is a hideous monster beyond redemption. Lyra fell from the sky with no memories and a volatile star, the Regulus Core, burning inside her chest. Protected by Asterion, the flawless and cold Silver High Fae she has grown to love, she lives a life of borrowed safety. But when she stumbles upon a broken, dying creature in a crystal cave, Lyra doesn't see a monster. She offers him her light, saving his life and unknowingly waking the heart of the Abyss. Riven would devour the world to protect her. Yet, believing himself too ugly and broken to stand beside her light-especially when she belongs to Asterion, the very man who once executed him-Riven makes a heartbreaking choice. Unaware that his abyssal metamorphosis has actually forged him into a breathtakingly lethal Prince of Darkness, Riven hides his face behind a silver mask and walks away to claim the throne of the Night Court. In a universe where light and gravity violently collide, can a fallen star ever reclaim the sun that saved him? Or will the shadows consume them both?

"When the star-flower blooms beyond its mountain, The one who endures shall mend the fracture of worlds. Neither sky nor stone shall sway her heart, For through her steps, the frozen paths shall thaw." Astraea Edelweiss has always dreamed of seeing her favorite flower in real life. She never imagined it would find her. One star-shaped bloom appears overnight in her backyard-and the moment she touches it, Astraea is hurled into a world of magic, prophecy, and danger. A realm built on a prophecy meant for a savior she is not. The Keepers admit their mistake: they summoned the wrong human. The realm is fracturing. Winter spreads unchecked. Monsters slip through cracks in reality. They want her gone. But Astraea refuses to leave. Not to fulfill the prophecy-but to rewrite it. She discovers the truth long buried in ancient scrolls: the prophecy never said "he." It said: "The one who endures." In a world that rejects her, with fate stacked against her, Astraea must defy magic, challenge myths, and prove that endurance-and courage-has no gender. Book Cover: Created by a good friend of mine.

In the silk-producing valleys of the Kingdom of Naples, Renza, the daughter of a respected silk merchant, has been raised within the careful order of family and tradition. Lucien arrives as a restless outsider, marked by a past he cannot escape. Around them move others bound by secrecy and survival, including a spy for the Inquisition trained to live between two worlds. As tensions deepen and suspicion spreads through Silk County, their lives draw toward a tragic event history has nearly erased. Echoing the ancient myth of Galatea and Acis in a 16th century setting, Silk County explores how love endures in fragile and often dangerous spaces, where even the most delicate threads can bind souls across time. #ONC2026 contest. Story is complete. Prompts: #16 - Into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul. And a slightly modified version of #104 - while wandering through the woods, you dismiss the rustling behind you as nothing more than the wind through the trees until you turn around realize it isn't wind at all. Content Note: This story contains references to non-graphic sexual situations. It also draws on historical accounts of the Inquisition, including themes of religious persecution and some chapters contain acts of violence. While these elements, as well as 16th century attitudes toward women, are handled with care, they reflect the realities of the period and may be difficult for some readers. They do not reflect this author's viewpoint.

Edmund comes to the remote village of Black Thickett to escape the life grief has carved out of him. He wants silence. Distance. A place where memories can't follow. But Black Thickett is wrong in quiet, unsettling ways. The broken road becomes perfectly smooth the moment he crosses the boundary. The cottages are too neat, too deliberate. And on a noticeboard full of dry flyers, only one poster is wet. A missing boy, smiling as if he doesn't know he's lost. The villagers won't talk about the disappearances. The forest at the edge of the village seems to breathe, and the deeper Edmund goes, the calmer he feels... dangerously calm. The forest can quiet his pain. It can ease his grief. It can make him forget. But not everything that heals you wants you to survive.

Nineteen-year-old Lenora Cullen is following a strict plan. Attend classes during the day and work part-time to save enough for moving out of her uncle's house. Lately, she has begun night shifts at Ocean Brew, a secluded coastal coffee shop, for better pay. Customers come and go except for one. Brian Dormer, the quiet boy who sits near the ocean view window with his laptop and papers. It's hard not to notice a regular who orders the same thing and leaves at closing hours. These two interacted as a normal barista and customer until one fateful night. Lenora did not expect her life to take a drastic turn when she accidentally spilled coffee on him. That one unpredictable moment is about to change the lives of these two strangers, forming a life-changing friendship. - #ONC2026 PROMPT 19: When you accidentally spill coffee on someone, the moment that should've ruined your day becomes the beginning of a surprising and life-changing friendship.