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Iain M Banks Last Culture

The last Shadows

The war against the Twelve was not swift. It was a battle fought in the shadows of a dying world, a conflict that raged through cities swallowed by nature and wastelands stained with the echoes of fallen empires. As the Last Shadows turned to the service of the dark god, their power grew beyond mortal comprehension. They bent the elements, tore apart the very fabric of reality, and reshaped the lands with their will. Under their rule, the world twisted, the strongholds they once built becoming temples of their newfound master. Humanity, once protected by them, became enslaved to their desires. Worshippers of the dark faith flocked to them, forming the Cult of the Abyss, an organization that worked to spread their influence across the lands. Yet even as they stood as godlike rulers, whispers spread of a man who would challenge them. Alexandra the Great, a warrior of flesh and blood, defied the titans of the old world with nothing but steel and will. His forces were small at first—scattered survivors, mercenaries, and zealots from the churches of the Five Gods who believed he was the chosen one to purge the darkness. As word of his victories spread, more rallied to his banner. The Faithbound Orders, the warrior monks of the Gods of Strength and Dominion, anointed him as their champion, granting him weapons forged in the flames of divine power. The first battle between Alexandra and the Last Shadows took place in the ruins of Avalon, where the Twelfth Shadow ruled. It was there that Alexandra revealed the first of the Cold Weapons, blades that could sever the connection between an Ascendant and their power. The battle was long and brutal, but when Alexandra drove his sword into the Twelfth Shadow’s chest, something unprecedented happened—the once-immortal titan fell, his essence shattered, his influence extinguished. This victory marked the beginning of the true war. One by one, the Last Shadows fell, their reign unraveling under the might of Alexandra’s forces. The strongholds of the dark faith crumbled, the Cult of the Abyss fractured, and the chains binding humanity were broken. But victory did not come without cost. Alexandra's war was not only against the Twelve, but against the corruption that they left behind. Each battle took a piece of him—his humanity, his soul. By the time he reached the First Shadow, the one who had risen from the burning ruins, Alexandra was no longer the man he once was. The weight of countless deaths, the burden of power, and the whispers of the same dark forces that had tempted the Twelve bore down upon him. When the First Shadow finally fell, Alexandra stood alone on the battlefield. The churches that had once supported him now feared him, for he had become something more than human, yet not entirely divine. He had slain the Last Shadows, but at what cost? In the aftermath, he vanished from history. Some say he walked into the abyss to face the god who had corrupted the Twelve. Others claim he ascended, becoming something beyond mortal understanding. But the truth remains lost to time. With the fall of the Last Shadows, the world changed once more. The Re-Civilization Era had begun. The Age of Reclamation was on the horizon. But even as peace settled upon the world, the name of the missing warrior remained spoken in whispers. For many feared that one day, Alexandra the Great would return—and if he did, would he be a savior once more, or something far worse?
Shamelesswritter23 · 2.7K Views

Sword M

(SPOILER ALERT!!!!:) In a realm crushed under the iron fist of the ruthless tyrant Dextin, hope flickers like a dying ember. The story explodes in a moment of shocking defiance when the ancient, sentient Red Katana chooses Dran, a battle-scarred elite soldier, as its wielder. This isn't some destined hero; Dran is a man tormented by personal tragedy, his wife brutally murdered by Dextin himself. His desperate whisper—"Why the hell did you choose me?"—sets the stage for a rebellion born not of prophecy, but of raw, agonizing pain and a thirst for vengeance. The palace becomes a battleground of wills and blades. Dran's initial, impulsive strike against Dextin ignites an inferno, both literally and figuratively, as the palace burns and loyalties shift. Witnessing Dran's unyielding spirit, the oppressed elite soldiers, led by the steadfast Aingo, finally find their courage, abandoning their tyrant. While Dran faces Dextin in a brutal, no-holds-barred duel, Aingo orchestrates a desperate prison break, freeing countless villagers and sending Neon to protect Dran's young son, Rider. The climax is a devastating, fiery dance of death between Dran and Dextin, each fueled by a personal, consuming hatred. Despite suffering grievous wounds, Dran unleashes the Red Katana's full, unbridled power in a final, sacrificial attack. Though he falls, his dying wish to Aingo—to raise Rider as a warrior and the future wielder of the Red Katana—cements a new legacy. The Red Katana, now dormant but bound to the true Sword Master, awaits its next champion. Seventeen years later, the echoes of Dran's sacrifice linger, poised to awaken a new dawn for a land still yearning for true freedom.
Lil_Div · 3.9K Views

Flower Between The Banks

In the city of Valoria, where the splendor of opulent palaces dances to the tune of luxury while alleys drown in oblivion, fate weaves its first threads. There, Aaron, a young man forged by life's harshness, discovers what resembles a miracle: a rare "flower," Rosen, a noble girl lost from her family and luminous world. Aaron's humble home and his kind aunt Venice open their doors to her, and Rosen, hidden from her parents' eyes, becomes one of Aaron's family. Rosen, the delicate flower of wealth, blossoms in the harsh confines of poverty, in a world that was never hers. Deep feelings are born within her for Aaron, who saw in her only the innocence he nurtured. Love and sacrifice drive him to a heartbreaking decision, and he departs, leaving behind a heart pulsating with anticipation and a soul clinging to threads of hope. But fate, with its resounding blows, returns Rosen to the shores of her former world, erasing every trace of the past. She returns to her family, who had long searched for her, but she becomes a body without memory, lost between a wealthy present and forgotten memories. Meanwhile, Aaron returns to find a painful void; his aunt has passed away, and his "flower" has vanished without a trace. He embarks on an arduous search journey that extends for years, until fate wills them to meet again in a fleeting encounter that opens the doors to a major shock. Does Aaron hold the key to restoring what was lost? And can his forgotten "flower" awaken from her slumber to rewrite their love story between banks that were never truly part of her? "Flower Between The Banks" is a captivating journey through fate, love, and loss, telling the tale of two hearts searching for a way back in a world that forgets
ZeZe96 · 2K Views

C M

Mehrajān's heart is a fragile mosaic, pieced together by moments with the one person who defined her world—Muazam. In this reflective and raw exploration of love and loss, Mehrajān finds herself looking back at the memories of the boy she loved, the boy who was always just out of reach. Each chapter is a separate fragment of their intertwined lives, capturing a single moment that was forever marked by him. In one chapter, Mehrajān stands frozen in her kitchen, hearing a conversation between Muazam and her aunt that shatters her heart. His rejection of her—the very person who had quietly fallen for him—leaves her feeling lost and betrayed. Yet, this is only one of the many moments that have shaped her emotional landscape. Every recollection is a mixture of passion, pain, and nostalgia—memories of fleeting glances, whispered words, and unspoken connections that shaped her world. The narrative doesn't follow a linear path but instead unfolds like a scattered collection of thoughts and emotions, each memory tied to Muazam, each one a chapter of her heart. Through these fragments, Mehrajān grapples with the complexity of love, the sorrow of unrequited feelings, and the confusion of growing up in a world of family expectations and personal desires. [ CHOOSE ME ] is not just a love story—it's a tender journey through a girl’s heart, where love is never simple, and the memory of someone can change everything. Through each chapter, readers will find themselves drawn into Mehrajān’s world, feeling the weight of her unspoken love and the bittersweet truth that sometimes, memories are all that remain.
Marwa_Tahir · 15.5K Views
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