Bleak Midwinter

Prince Arthur Aethersworn of Tashran knows his place: powerless, caged by tradition, and haunted by his lack of magic in a family brimming with it. Under his father’s impassive yet critical eye, he’s forced into training for a throne he can never claim without true power. Just as he’s about to resign to a bleak fate, a mysterious figure with ties to forbidden magic offers Arthur a choice: break free and seek the fabled Dragon's Eyes, or remain bound by royal duty. On this quest, he risks everything: his loyalties, family ties, and deepest beliefs. As he uncovers hidden powers, he faces powerful forces determined to prevent him from changing his destiny. Embark on Arthur's journey, an adventure where casting aside one’s humanity becomes a path, not a barrier to untold power.

Discord Link for those interested [https://discord.gg/TGc9yymDJP] One may think that in order to be a Hero you must have a pure soul, and untainted heart, but in reality such a thing is impossible; now one's soul is pure, nor is anyone's heart untainted, Gods aren't even exempt from this rule. No, a True Hero is someone who knows they have an impure soul and tainted heart, yet they embrace it, instead of attempting to deny their very nature; however, not all True Heros are the same, some have different beliefs and/or ideals. Yet at the end of the day, no matter how terrible or bleak the situation looks, you can always count on a True Hero to act as a beacon of light that'll show you the correct path, but for you to take, you must embark on it yourself.

Eryon Ashbourn finds himself grappling with the harsh reality of being transported to an entirely new world—a world where terrifying monsters roam freely, and humans possess super abilities. In this world, magic interweaves with technology, mythical creatures walk among men, and awakeners shape the destiny of society. At the age of 18, every individual is fated to unlock a unique class, from mage to alchemist, each determined by the whims of destiny. For Eryon, whose future seemed bleak and uncertain, destiny had something far greater in store. [Divine Stealing System Activated] [Kill monsters or humans to steal their abilities and talents] Armed with this extraordinary system, Eryon casts aside the moral compass of his old life, embracing a darker path where power is everything. [Successful Kill: Legendary S-Class Wolf. Ability Gained: Gravity Manipulation] [Successful Kill: Hydra. Ability Gained: Super Regeneration] Adapting to his new surroundings, Eryon enrolls in a prestigious academy, embarking on the path to becoming an awakener while fulfilling his deepest ambitions. But fate has more in store for him. Eryon’s journey takes an unexpected turn when the destiny unveils new, tantalizing threats: [Villain Detected. Eliminate to obtain the Destiny Villain System] [Protagonist Detected. Eliminate to obtain the Protagonist Halo] Unfazed by the moral grayness, Eryon chooses a path few dare to tread. Heroes or villains—it doesn’t matter. All are stepping stones in his pursuit of ultimate power. [Congratulations! System Obtained: Sign-In System] [Congratulations! System Obtained: Super Summoning System] [Congratulations! System Obtained: Demon King System]

A thunderstorm and heavy rain woke up Danny Sage from his final rest in bleak dead of night. Shattered memories assaulted his mind of the final battle he had met his end at the hands of two women but he was alive again reborn with a different name and destiny.

"Level up? Dragons?" Eighteen. The age of Awakening. An important moment where every human in the desolate maga-cities unlocks their Talent, a unique ability to carve a path in this monster-plagued apocalyptic world. Alister Hazenworth, a graduating student, and a rising star at the prestigious Aegis Academy, was destined for greatness. His exceptional athleticism and magical aptitude promise a powerful Talent – a guarantee for a secure life and social status. But fate had different plans. During Alister's Awakening ceremony, it's revealed that he's a Summoner. Instead of admiration, he faces mockery. His once bright future turns bleak as his "friends" desert him for Talents they see as more "useful." left alone, Alister awakens a system. [Host found, system binding...] [System binded successfully.] [Congrats, you have gain the status of 'player'.] [Ding!! Congrats to the player for awakening The Dragonforge - an overlord system.] [Ding!! it has been detected that the player possesses a latent draconic aspect, and as such will only be able to summon dragons!!] [Will the player like to proceed with their first summoning?] Cast aside and underestimated, Alister becomes a force to be reckoned with. He embarks on a journey, building his own dragon army – a crew of majestic wyverns, fearsome drakes, and ancient wyrms. He raids the wastelands, reclaims lost resources, and dismantles the prejudice against summoners. Every day, his power grows, his bond with his dragons deepens, and his legend spreads like wildfire. Discord server: https://discord.gg/zbQwWCSCrn [A/N: This is a slow paced novel, don't expect the protagonist to suddenly start out overpowered and start dominating left and right, he will become an overlord of dragons, yes, but it will take time. (⁠ ⁠╹⁠▽⁠╹⁠ ⁠)] Cover made by me /⁠ᐠ⁠｡⁠ꞈ⁠｡⁠ᐟ⁠\

{WSA Entry 2025} A young man playing games in his basement is struck by a mysterious bolt of lightning, killing him instantly. However, he wakes up in the body of a disgraced young lord, now tasked with managing a ruined, crumbling kingdom. With no experience and a tarnished reputation to overcome, his future seems bleak. Fortunately, he possessed the Omnishop System, a mysterious tool that enabled him to purchase skills and supplies as well as upgrade his existing skills using points. Rebuilding the kingdom is no easy feat, but Alexander has his sights set on more than just survival. With ambition burning in his heart, he dreams of ruling an empire, if he can survive the challenges ahead.

[Webnovel Rising Star ll Contest] What will you do if you are the younger brother of the number one genius under the heavens? What will you do if you know whatever you do, it will barely be a breeze before the raging flood of your brother's actions? Will you envy him, will you hate him, or will you support him and become a side character of an ever changing dangerous world? This is the situation Eugene found himself at, a boy filled with envy and jealousy toward his brother but also can't help to love him with all his heart. Unfortunately, the world never gave them time to process their complex emotions as things change everyday that seek to not just kill them but destroy their very homeland. This is a world that is barely functioning due to the illusion of hope! The more ignorant you are, the more free you are but power comes with responsibility. Knowledge comes with the dangerous realization that the future is bleak and despair is around the corner. Eugene found himself born in a world that ‘Awakened’ as they called it, humans devolved from Apex Predators centuries ago and are barely cattle for the ever evolving beasts and monsters. Two things saved the humans from extinction, and it wasn't their knowledge or weaponry; they are all useless against intelligent beasts that can do better. What saved them was some benevolent beasts that took them as servants, slaves and some as cattle for rearing. The second thing that saved them was the appearance of Gateway that led to various realms in unknown dimensions that aids them to make a pact with willing beasts. They finally gained strength and power and huddled around Gateways and built Settlements. Eugene found himself in a race against time as he dived into an unknown dimension, filled with mystery and danger that might have the answers everyone desire. [Webnovel Rising Star ll Contest] Please show your support through comments and reviews!

Meet Alex Knight, a hardworking young man burdened by crushing debt and a bleak future. When his new boss turns his life into a waking nightmare, Alex finds himself trapped in a job he can't escape, his future held hostage by the whims of a tyrant. Just when he believes he has one anchor left—his girlfriend's love—a devastating betrayal leaves him utterly broken. But then the world changes. The system descends, dragging everyone into a chaotic new reality. Alex becomes the first to sync with it, earning a mysterious title: [Apocalypse Baby] [You have awakened the skill: Exploding Touch] [Anything you touch turns into a bomb.] Armed with a deadly gift, Alex rises from the ashes of his former life to become an unstoppable force in an urban fantasy world where power rules and vengeance drives him forward.

[MATURE CONTENT, DARK FANTASY ROMANCE] Layleen is more than just a wolfless omega—due to her unique appearance, her fate is far from the usual cliché. After enduring years of relentless bullying and abuse from her packmates, she clings to the one glimmer of hope in her bleak existence: her new Alpha. The man she trusts above all else. But to his Luna, Layleen is just her husband's mistress and her very existence is unbearable. Naïve and devoted, Layleen never questions her Alpha’s intentions—until the day her world shatters. Sold off to an allied pack, she is taken by rogues on her way to her new "home." With no wolf and no hope of rescue, she prepares for the worst. But fate has other plans. In the midst of her despair, something impossible happens—she does something she shouldn't have and meets Alpha Ragnar, the ruthless leader of the most feared warrior pack under the Lycan King’s command. Thrust into a life of power and danger, Layleen must navigate a world she was never meant to be part of. The real challenges are only beginning.

"Day 5/40" of daily uploads. Torn between where to direct his life. -------"Assume nothing. Not assuming anything clears your eyes. The eyes of your mind. Understand that there is no conditioning that can prepare you for having coals branded into your eyes, being burnt to death, being raped, drowned, suffocated… repeatedly and endlessly." Arthur Olvasen has to decide on a side. -------"Misfortune is a fact of nature acceptable to women, especially when it falls on other women." And he has to do so as quickly as possible, as the merger and the potential interracial war between Earth and Eden creeps eerily close -------"Human life—no living, breathing life holds any inherent value. Have you not realised this, Michael?! Despite all you have witnessed? It possesses no intrinsic worth!" He has to decide now——The Bad or The Worse. -------"Because chaos is more organised than order itself. Exactly as you taught me."

When Harukou wakes up in an unfamiliar bed, surrounded by luxury and servants calling him Young Master Kael, he quickly realizes something is wrong. He doesn’t remember this place, this name, this life. But as fragments of lost memories creep back, one thing becomes clear: he is no longer Harukou. He is Kael Valor, the weakest son of the most powerful family on the continent. Scorned by his family, ridiculed by the knights, and dismissed as a failure, Kael is a stain on the legendary Valor bloodline. With no talent for swordsmanship, no strength to his name, and a reputation for mischief, his future is nothing but bleak. But when flashes of war and fire begin to surface in his mind... memories that don’t belong to Kael. He starts to question everything. Can he change the fate of this fallen noble? Can he rise from disgrace and prove his worth to a family that has already given up on him? Or will he be crushed under the weight of expectations, destined to live as a weak and forgotten shadow in the house of Valor? In a world where strength is everything, Kael must find his own path, or lose as a bastard of this family.

“What is this?” Rose said, staring at a reflection of her own face, only more aged and weathered. “Now listen to me carefully. The Earth's fate hangs in the balance.” Her future self said, tone grim. “There wasn't anyone else I'd trust my Luyten V with. Use it to fight, defend the world. Or else, everyone is doomed!” That dire message thrusts Rosemary Brahe into a desperate battle against the Altair, a parasitic monstrosity from the outer reaches of reality. In the far-flung future, they all but destroyed the earth and the rest of humanity. But her future self offers a second chance, an opportunity to make things right. Only Rose and her Luyten V stand any chance to break the chains of this bleak fate. Fight Rose! Fight Luyten V! Gain victory for all our sakes! Coverart: Luyten V was created by RiceDeclined. Check them out on Etsy for great commissions. Background was photo by Andre Benz Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/busy-street-lIa03ti94ec?utm_content=creditShareLink&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash

Einar Stonbrol's life in modern times was a bleak one. A struggling alcoholic, he wandered aimlessly, void of purpose or direction. His days blended together in a haze of cheap liquor and broken dreams. But fate, it seemed, had other plans. Reborn in a fantasy world, Einar finds himself in a realm where magic and mythical creatures reign supreme. At first, he's as lost as ever, but something within him stirs. Perhaps it's the thrill of battle, or the camaraderie of his newfound companions, but Einar begins to awaken to his new life. As he navigates this strange new world, Einar discovers that his past experiences – though marred by alcoholism – have granted him unexpected advantages. His tolerance for pain and hardship serves him well in the face of danger, and his sharp wit, once dulled by alcohol, now proves a valuable asset. Determined to make the most of his second chance, Einar sets out to become the strongest being in this realm. He faces formidable foes, forges unbreakable bonds with unlikely allies, and uncovers hidden secrets about his past and the world around him. The mantle of "The Forsaken" follows him, a reminder of his past life's struggles and his newfound purpose. Einar's journey is one of redemption, as he battles to overcome the demons of his past and forge a new destiny. Will he find a way to balance his ambition with the bonds of friendship and the greater good, or will the shadows of his former life consume him once more? In "Einar the Forsaken," the lines between legend and reality blur, and the fate of a world hangs in the balance. Join Einar on his epic quest to reclaim his life and forge a new legacy.

About two hundred and fifty years ago, Earth was a thriving planet filled with bustling life. Having been governed by humans for thousands and thousands of years, if not a million. They had advanced through the ages, continuously creating and making all sorts of inventions in their search for knowledge and power, till they had enough to destroy the world. And yet these things weren’t what almost ended the world, wiping out entirely ninety nine percent of Humanity, and led them to the depth of extinction. Instead it was the Reckoning. The Day Of Reckoning as they called it, took Humanity on a bright lively day like any other. Manifesting Diabolical Creatures across the world as Earth’s atmosphere became corrupted, their lands soiled as it devoured them… Yet in the midst of all these, while the future seemed bleak and non-existent. Along with the disaster brought to Earth, A New Era Opened. A world where most Humans chose to Inherit the Will of their Predecessor and become Bearers, thereby gaining special powers, bizarre abilities also known as Will. … And here we have Flynn, an orphan without any tiresome sad past who could have just lived his life like a common person, protected from the horrors of the world. No ambitious or vengeance quest to seek strength. But after living through the Tribulation, he somehow Inherits two Will. -Only to be thrown into a haze of ancient mysteries, and lurking dangers that hoped to claim his life. Striving hard as he could, he hopes to confront the Unseen Beings behind the wheel... and kill them all.

Arctic enthusiast Huo Yu is transported to a parallel world where he obtains the "Ice Guardian System" and becomes a polar ranger stationed alone at the desolate No. 249 Research Station. Not only can he gain Recognition Points from live-stream viewers, but he also receives Recognition Rewards from endangered Arctic wildlife! • A polar wolf shows affection, gifting an Arctic Survival Bundle through the system. • A baby great auk adores him, awarding a Multi-functional Base Vehicle via the system. As rare creatures flock to Station 249, the bleak outpost evolves into the City of Dreams for ice guardians!

Most of Arlo’s life had been bleak and full of unhappy memories, he struggled everyday to survive, but for what? He had no fixed reason to live but he just did for the sake of it. Unfortunately or fortunately for him, he was chosen by Makutu. A mysterious entity who gives people powers if they are able to overcome the trial it gives them, or else nothing but death awaits them. Now chosen by Makutu, will Arlo survive the trial and gain a magical ability or will he be crushed by the sheer difficulty of it. And even if he does, will he be able to survive in a new word, which he knows nothing about?

Exuberance is a tale about the cursed maiden known as Salem, who wanders the bleak world of Peruvia in search of either meaning or a swift end to her miserable existence. Along the way she encounters a strange race of alien creatures and is flung into an ancient conflict once fought by her mysterious mother. Now struggling with a strange and oppressive parasite found within her, Salem begins her descent into villainy as she attempts to free the world from its misery. She will find love and family on her path, as well as many threatening foes. But above all else Salem is bound to her mission. She must uncover and destroy the mysterious evil that plagues the world, even if it means becoming a sinister queen.

Trillions of years into the future, Earth is gone and the fringes of civilization cling to remnants of what once was. Lead only by the mythologies of the past generations, the future looks bleak until the discovery of a timeless obelisk. The Symphony calls another to the frontiers of space-time, but will this be enough to save an already dying civilization in a universe on its last breath?

Azra is an ordinary man with a modest job and simple ambitions—until his life is cut short in a freak accident on the construction site where he works. But death is only the beginning. Azra wakes up not in the afterlife, but in the body of another "Azra" in a world that both mirrors and deviates drastically from his own. This world bears the scars of nuclear devastation and the ravages of a catastrophic meteor impact that have shaped society in unrecognizable ways. Here, survival is not just a matter of making ends meet, but of adapting to an entirely foreign culture, built on hard-won resilience and primal rules. Facing a harsh environment where resources are scarce and civilization itself is a shadow of what he once knew, Azra must learn to navigate the brutal remnants of a society shaped by disaster. Despite the bleakness, Azra, now a head of a family, Azra had to adapts to his new environment. He rises to the challenges of this apocalyptic world, he begins to forge a life that surpasses his past, one marked by hope, community, and survival against all odds. But with every step forward, Azra faces questions that haunt him: Is he living the life meant for this world’s Azra, or is he carving out a destiny that defies both fate and fear? And can he, in this fractured reality, build a new future that will last? ---------------- ““. Dialogue []. System Dialogue/Electronical Dialogue (). Inner monologue . Sound Effect --------------- Reminder; This Novel is a fictional story. There will be Violence, Gore and Content for Mature Audience that will marked with (X) for a light ones, (XX) for the heavier ones. Do enjoy the story and if you liked them, please review, comment, add to collections. your support is very appreciated and kept me motivated, in this depressing world.

Growing up on the streets of New Pandora after the usurption of Earth, John never expected anything good from life. He survived just to survive, no purpose in mind and no hope. However, even he did not anticipate Awakening and becoming a successor of the Gray Family - an elite family at the peak of the world wielding unimaginable power and wealth. He was born without a Gift and a curse that painted his hair black and filled his eyes with a bleak darkness. Watch as he reaches for the apex of existence and uncovers the hidden plot behind his curse. "In this sixth life, I will have it all!"

[Support the work by adding to library and donating stones, golden tickets, and gifts. privilege is also available.] [Book really shines after the 50th chapter, so stick with it, you’ll love it, I promise!] Orphaned from birth, I lived a lonely and tough life, only finding solace in a novel I read. I was lonely so I enjoyed the hero’s friendships. I was weak so I enjoyed the hero’s strength. I was poor so I enjoyed the hero’s wealth. I lived through the hero’s eyes and was content… But in the end my bleak life pushed me to a depressing death on my desk. ….. Thankfully, while my soul was going through an unknown space, fate had other plans. A dying god’s last words granted me a second life in the novel I had lived vicariously through. This time I will not be weak, this time I will not be lonely, and this time I will find others to love!. Armed with the system, i’ll see the ending with my own eyes! A major theme for this book is Oneness/Simplification/return to origin so that things never get annoying or overwhelming.

"The birth and the continued existence of our universe require extraordinarily precise values of the forces of nature. A little too strong and the universe collapses in on itself and a little too weak, it expands so fast that the creation of stars, planets, and other celestial bodies would not have been possible. Does this hint toward the universe having a sentient creator? Who knows. Regardless of the existence of a creator, there is one question that will probably remain unanswered for eternity and beyond. What created the creator or the universe in case there was no creator?" The world faced an unprecedented crisis. Nearly 25% of the world's population had been reduced to ashes in a single day, the "Dawn of Apocalypse". What followed was destruction on an even larger scale caused by even more bizarre and unexplainable phenomena. The world changed at a pace thought to be unaccomplishable by mankind, but as always there was a class of people for whom the world remained the same more or less. Markus was one such person. Being separated from his family at birth and living on the streets since the tender age of 6 years old, every day was usually a fight for survival. A life where the possibility of sleeping with a full stomach every day seemed bleak, Markus did not have any hopes or dreams, his only reason for living was that death had not yet come to him. One fine day, his life turned upside down and it all changed with a single message: [Welcome, To the Jungle]... ============================================ Release Schedule: At least 6 chapters a week, each chapter 1500 to 2500 words (Usually leaning on the 1500 words side). ============================================ To Readers: In case you have queries, post them in the comment section (of any chapter paragraph or the novel's page itself). I will answer most of them there and the most frequently asked or highly relevant questions will be answered here in the novel's abstract.

{Disclaimer: The women in this book are highly dysfunctional and violent. If you are not a fan of Tsudere's and Yandere's, this might not be your cup of tea, and the MC is an asshole.} Bane Takashi is a criminal with a knack for getting into trouble—big trouble. After one too many bad choices and a whole lot of theft, he’s got half the world gunning for him. Just when things seem bleak, a mysterious transparent blue woman shows up claiming she's an AI from the future, sent to stop the world from going down the drain. Her solution? Bane has to let his current body die so he can jump into a game world, ten years before it even launches. When Bane wakes up in the game, he’s in the body of a 5-year-old, but with all his memories still intact. He's stuck on an island with the Village of Heroes at its heart. It's here that Bane starts mastering every type of magic, mysticism, and even some wild stuff like witchcraft and cultivation, all to gear up for the craziness that is Dominion Online. Things get even more chaotic when Bane meets a fiery woman who seems to have it out for him. But before he can even figure out what’s happening, she’s already planning their wedding! So now, Bane—an immortal human—and his equally immortal and chaotic elf wife are on a wild ride to save the world(s) from these big bads known as the Supreme Ones. His life might not be so bad if she was the only one, but his overwhelming personality ends up pulling a few more dysfunctional women into the mess. It’s a crazy, toxic, and chaotic adventure, and just because Bane’s being called a hero now doesn’t mean he’s leaving his criminal past behind. Discord: https://discord.gg/7ZDTTCq99Z

In the dead of winter, beneath a bleak sky, a lone child flees through a vast, snow-covered forest, chased by men whose swords gleam with deadly intent. His breath is ragged, his steps faltering, but he doesn’t dare slow down. With every crunch of snow beneath armored boots drawing closer, the child knows he’s running out of time. When a single misstep sends him tumbling to the frozen ground, all seems lost. His pursuers close in, their blades raised, ready to strike. But something stirs in the shadows of the forest, something ancient, something watching. The chase may have ended, but the story is just beginning.

erasing oneself in the eyes of a System that is dark and Bleak forever stuck in the darkest pits of oneself and Society that is my world forever wishing I could be sane? but life as it is a riddle ridden in the dark so I shall found the path to enlightenment so here we go life as it is for me the insane and crazy lab geek and jobless bum with a hot friend who could be a way closer to my inner darkness

Pralaya, a young boy named after a god abandoned by even the heavens, endures a living hell at home. Brutalized by his alcoholic father and ignored by his timid mother, Pralaya's very name is a constant reminder of his parents' disdain. He lives in the lower depths of Gaia, a city once envisioned as a utopia but now fractured into rigid social classes. When a sudden explosion rocks the city, Pralaya's bleak existence is violently disrupted, thrusting him into a world far beyond his abusive home. As chaos descends, Pralaya discovers that his cursed name might be more than just a symbol of misfortune, and that the forsaken god within him may hold the key to Gaia's future, and his own survival. Will he succumb to the darkness that surrounds him, or rise to defy his destiny and reshape the entire world

This story follows a man and a child in a fantasy world marked by a bleak, desolate snowy island. The man searching for something forgotten, while the child is on a quest to find his parents. Together, they form an unbreakable bond as they navigate challenges only to discover that the world is not what it seems.

Outcasted after having been accused of a crime he never committed, Solstice already had a bleak outlook on life and people as a whole. Now, after being chosen by the Wyrd, a force that submits people to harrowing fates and forces them to be a part of a chaotic story of its choosing, Solstice's outlook on life had significantly changed afterwards. Solstice now faced with impending doom, finally realized how desperately he wanted to live and have a life of his own although, that is easier said then done. Facing a seemingly omnipresent force, frightening monsters, and worst of all, other people succumbed to the madness, all possessing fantastical powers, he continues to struggle against it all.

In a universe where seven planets revolve under the iron-fisted rule of the Human empire, Wynn, a rat-like boy is born into the bleak backwater planet of Zerith, caught in the web of fate’s cruel design. A boy with ghostly white hair and skin, Wynn was never meant to have a destiny of his own. But fate, it seems, has a different plan. When ????, a ????? from ????, is mysteriously pulled into the world of Wings Of Dawn, a novel she discovered by chance, she finds herself transmigrated into the body of?????. Her initial frustration of being trapped in a foreign world quickly turns into cold calculation. Using her knowledge of the novel, ??? intends to survive by manipulating the world around her, seeking out artifacts and allies—especially Arthur von Scit, the arrogant protagonist destined for greatness.

In the shadows of despair, true love becomes the ultimate salvation. Lila has spent her life trapped in a bleak existence, sacrificing her dreams to care for her alcoholic father. Her days are consumed by relentless routines, and her nights are haunted by feelings of hopelessness. But everything changes when her father’s reckless behavior brings an unexpected and dangerous guest into their crumbling home: Dante, a powerful and enigmatic mafia boss. Dante’s arrival shakes the fragile balance of Lila’s life. His presence is both a threat and a promise of something more. Beneath his cold exterior lies a man carrying his own burdens a man whose path intertwines with Lila’s in ways neither of them could have anticipated. As Lila is drawn into Dante’s dark world, she discovers strength and courage she never knew she possessed. Together, they navigate a treacherous path of danger, betrayal, and redemption. However, as secrets unravel and enemies close in, Lila and Dante must decide if their love is worth the ultimate risk. True Love Saves the Day is a powerful story of resilience, healing, and the transformative power of love to conquer even the darkest nights.