Iowa Short Fiction Contest

Roya Amani, a brilliant but sociopathic writer, is infamous for her dark and tragic stories. Among her creations is Emris Malachai, the invincible yet lonely hero who meets an untimely and unfair death. When Emris inexplicably comes to life, furious at the hand that killed him, he invades Roya's world, intent on revenge. But their clash becomes something more-an electrifying battle of wits, pranks, and volatile emotions. As Roya's cold indifference meets Emris's fiery arrogance, hatred begins to blur into a dangerous attraction. Both broken in their own ways, they test the limits of control, power, and the thin line between love and destruction. In a storm of manipulation, torment, and unexpected vulnerability, they must navigate a world where the boundaries between creator and creation shatter. But as they unravel their connection, a sinister force looms, threatening to end their twisted story before it even begins.

In this world, ascending to upper realms is a matter of resources and ability. No matter the status or power level, if you have the money and the willingness to, you can live in any realm of your choosing. However, the higher the realm, the more power there is to tap into and cultivate. Who is brave enough to seek the Supremacy and rule the world? By: Jerlani

Jason Carter always believed he was destined for mediocrity. His death was as unremarkable as his life—a freak accident that left no mark behind. But death is only the beginning. Jason awakens in a futuristic universe brimming with colossal megacities, interstellar travel, and worlds dominated by beings with superpowers, or Aspects. From the fiery strength of Solar Titans to the mind-bending abilities of Cerebrants, every individual is born with an Aspect—a manifestation of their core essence. In this world, power determines your worth. The weak are crushed. The strong rise to rule. Jason soon discovers that he, too, has an Aspect. But it’s not what anyone expects. Unlike most, Jason’s ability defies logic and categorization. It allows him to mimic and evolve the powers of beings he knew were fictional. Thrust into the harsh arena of survival, where warlords, bounty hunters, and galactic tyrants vie for supremacy, Jason quickly realizes that knowledge is power, and power is survival. As he carves a name for himself, Jason begins to uncover chilling truths about the origin of the Aspects and the universe itself. Each power has a price and the collectors were watching, waiting. With the fate of countless worlds hanging in the balance, Jason must rise beyond his limits and become something far more than a man with a stolen power. He must become the Ascendant, a force strong enough to challenge gods themselves. But in a universe built on power, Jason knows one truth above all: "Adapt. Survive. Conquer."

Benedict Alessio stands out from other school children due to his multifaceted personality which people said that it was an attribute of his "opulent" family history. (Like some OP guy you like) But when he unexpectedly enters a questionable international art contest his life takes a tragic turn. As a result of this incident, he finds himself in an odd situation where fantasy and reality collide and characters from various realms fight frantically. To go back to his world personal world, Benedict must eventually use his unique skills and heritage to navigate this world and- [Due to circumstances, this synopsis was interfered with by the author to say that this isn't the first part and soon the other stories will be released] [The author smiles but slightly undecided] [The author asks for help in reviews and votes] [The author needs a job and asks for sponsorship] [*the author seems greedy*]

random stories that were written for my children, 19 years worth of short stories.

A short story series consisting of a few stories. First up is a misunderstanding between a married couple and their reconciliation. Second is an odd couple: a man and his ghost girlfriend. Many stories will come so will probably update the synopsis every now and then. I will change the writing style and put some raunchy parts in it. (update) This is starting to become a continuous mess. I hope I can finish it decently.

Short R18 Stories. Male lead.

Just some stories because I want to write. Sorry for the bad English (not my first language).

If you want to read short, interesting stories to pass time, then give this a try.

two unhinged boys trying to make their own in a totally normal city. What is the worst that could happen?

I put together these shorts in my spare time. each chapter is a short, there may be continuations of the short stories if you ask, or if I feel like it needs more!! ** I will put up warnings so people wont feel uncomfortable with the short, if you think you will be, please move on, my stories or that short may not be for you** More tags since I can find them: #Fantasy #swearing #shortstories

All the story here is only fictional

Centuries ago, a mysterious energy called "Mana" revolutionized society, but it led humans to face an unprecedented crisis: the "Great Fall". After centuries of intensive use of mana, flora and fauna mutated, becoming more powerful and intelligent. Confronted with this threat, humanity takes refuge in the bastions, the 21 fortresses, to survive. Humans also begin to mutate, developing greater physical and intellectual abilities, as well as special powers called "systems" and "stigmata". However, a scientist warns of an even more devastating imminent threat: insects, organized and cruel, will mutate in turn. To counter this imminent threat, humans begin to study the beasts and learn to cultivate Mana like them. Mana exercises are created to accelerate this process and copy some of the characteristics, but changing exercises is difficult and risky. As the world struggles for survival, Rin, a semi-awakened with the power to perceive everything around him, finds himself at the heart of this turmoil, determined to find his place in a world in chaos and to protect those he loves from the surrounding dangers. ***************************************** Participate in WSA 2024

Gray World is dominated by the will of Gods and thrives under the control of iron gears and steam. It is a place where faith is not a passive devotion but a currency—traded, bought, and sold by churches that wield their gods' influence as weapons. It is a place where value is absolute, value is everything, shaping every belief and controlling every life. Run by ironclad reign of Church of Steel, every life here reeks of smoke and decay, while the Church of Sacrifice whispers promises of salvation through pain and sacrifice. Yet, amidst this ever existing Gods of sacrifice, iron, and decay, a new God descends—one who was once known as The Faceless One, God of Confusion, Keeper of secrets, Messiah of messengers by en masse: the God of Fiction. God of Fiction, Ashur, reincarnates after dying by the wiles of God of Sacrifice and others. Unlike other gods, Ashur, does not demand worship through suffering or material devotion. Instead, he brings something far more dangerous: the ability to weave fantasies into existence, to blur the line between fiction and reality. "Is fiction not a truth waiting to be realized?" Whispers spread among the people—rumors of a church that doesn't preach, of a god who offers not suffering but something far more seductive: choice. They speak of dreams too vivid to be mere illusions and realities that seem to bend to their imaginations. What is fiction, if not another form of reality? When the masses begin to believe, does belief not shape the world itself? As his own proclamation goes— [To not exist does not mean one truly does not exist, for to be known is also a form of existence.] ﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌ [This book has been dropped] [If you want to read something after it, I would recommend, “Death Game: Beyond Reality“]

This little book, this short collection of short stories, wasn't made to conquer the world. It was created to send a message, to reach people, to whisper in their ears with just one short phase: "I exist". All these stories hace just that in common, that whisper.

Each chapter is a short story all on its own. You can read from any point. A Dog named Jupiter: A dog has a really rough day, escaping a kill shelter and saving someone. Sacrifice: It is about a mom who would give her own life for her child. Famila Arcam: A vampire daughter versus her Vampire father to save him. Fairy and Death: A fairy meets death. She wants her friend back. Light: A soldier fighting the darkness falters. Light steps in. Atlantis: The fall of the ancient city. The Thirteen Members: A man who planed the down fall and wants a change brought to his nation. Dark: A self insert of me talking to a thing that doubts humanity. The Serenity of his death: A dying man tries to make it to his daughter. What Over Takes: A possessed woman and her demons. Voices: A woman finds herself trapped in her mind, coming to terms with her own personal horrors. The Myth of the Star Luminary: A Grand father tells his grandson the tell of Lumi the Star who fades. His grand son feels he is inadequate.

A collection of short stories (Primarily ones written by me, but if you want yours added email me at DeJeL@myself.com). These short stories will rarely have anything in common, however if the author is one other than myself it will be listed directly under the title. (each short story will be it's own chapter.)

A collection of short stories to allow others to read them.

As the title show all stories are short or maybe continued in some random chapter. This novel will be updated slowly because all stories are impromptu to what my mind comes out with. Note: this novel contains grammatical error because im not that good when it comes to English but if you can help correct it I'll be gladly to change it. Thank you for reading

The vast scale of our universe has lead us to believe that we must be alone. However, this isn't the case. Fane, a member of a highly advanced spacefaring civilization, is suddenly summoned to a medieval world, reminiscent of Old Earth's Dark Ages. On the surface, kingdoms wage endless wars, while beneath, a mysterious dungeon sprawls, its labyrinthine corridors constantly shifting like the gears of a clock. Yet, this world is not the only one drawn into the chaos. Two others have also been pulled into the fray, bringing with them powerful crystalline mages and ancient gods long thought forgotten. Now, Fane must fight to survive alongside native warriors and foreign entities alike, all while unraveling the cryptic mysteries of this strange and dangerous realm. Survival is only the beginning - deciphering the truth could change everything. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Hello! Thanks for checking out my work! I'm not the greatest author, but I plan to consistently update this project, even if I have to write significantly slower than what you typically find on this platform. (My apologies!) Below, you will find some key notes that might be nice to see before becoming invested. PACE: 1 ch/week For now, I plan to write roughly 1 chapter / week. However, this might change in the future as I acclimate to writing more frequently. (Or if this story randomly becomes very successful.) MONEY: At least first 50 ch FREE I know I just mentioned this story becoming "successful", which typically entails paying the author and bla bla bla. BUT! I like the idea of this just being my story with no hooks or lines for a while. I plan to make the greater first chunk of the story free. TRENDS: ~~Overpowered~~ Honestly, I hate the concept of things being "overpowered". It reminds me of the first time I hacked my favorite childhood videogame. (It sucked the fun out of it completely.) That being said, I want this story to involve genuine challenges that take effort or risk to overcome. GENRE: Action, Mystery I would like this story to focus primarily around Action and Mystery. There might be some mild things tossed into the fray like comedy and romance, but don't expect anything too raunchy. DISCORD: -not yet implemented- I may eventually start a discord for this story. It could make a good library for supporting lore or artwork, as well as a place for people to discuss their theories or leave feedback. For now, this discord doesn't yet exist, but I will update you here when/if that changes. OTHER STORIES: Paused A few of you may have known me from my previous stories. I know, you may be pretty bummed that I haven't updated either in a really long time. There were some pretty hefty flaws in those stories that I kind of beat myself up over. (I actually formed this story while trying to restructure the surface world for 'Reincarnated as a Haunted Machine'.) For now, this will be my only work, as the world I live in has become rather complicated in recent years. Perhaps at some point, I will return to my other works, but for the foreseeable future, this story will be my one true love.

This collection of curated short stories spans several genres, including science fiction, surrealism, absurdism, nihilism, fantasy, horror and comedy. P.S.: This is an Anthology.