Chapter 14: Nobles Voice Their Concerns

Chapter 3 — “Return to Silverleaf”

Scene 1: Back to Civilization
Morning unfurled over the Silverwood like a long-awaited system reboot finally completing its intricate update. The sun, peeking through billowing tendrils of mist, cast a golden hue over the ancient trees, their leaves shimmering like jewels in the amber light. For once, the usual chaos of flickering lights, sudden explosions, and garbled screams was absent, creating an atmosphere that felt almost surreal in its tranquility.

Chapter 43: Council Fallout

Chapter 20 – King of the Mountain (part 1)

Across the Queen’s Rage, every display screen—from the bustling bridge, where officers murmured over navigation charts, to the humming engineering deck alive with the glow of reactor monitors—shifted to a single feed. Crew members paused mid-task, conversations stilled, and even the background hum of the ship seemed to hush as all eyes turned to the monitors:

LIVE SIMULATION — ROYAL SQUAD COMBAT TRAINING
Scenario: King of the Mountain

Alex had a terminal Cancer diagnosis and thought she would die before she got to be the girl she always was inside. That all changes when she's in the wrong place at the right time and gets transported to another world and into the body of a girl. So what if she's not human, she's alive and a girl. Now if only she had her sister with her to navigate this new world and her new responsibilities. Wait, she's here too? The passage of their souls between worlds may have doomed the Earth to apocalypse, but Alex and Michelle won't be there to see it and they have enough problems on their hands.
 

Author's note: I took a long break from this story because I was trying to figure out how to write fighting scenes better, especially since it is a huge part of the story at this time. I think I have come up with a battle sequence that should be intense and fun to read. So I went back to the setup to add more details to getting them armored up. I hope you enjoy the upcoming chapters.

Prologue: Welcome to Aurelia, Meow!

The package was the type that set off alarm bells in parents’ minds while sending a thrill of excitement through teenagers. Its sleek black cardboard exterior exuded an air of mystery, and the silver foil logo gleamed like a tantalizing mirage, catching the light with an almost hypnotic shimmer: AURELIA ONLINE.

Chapter 42: Call to Carter

The next two days stretched on like an endless nightmare for Yuqi and Sapphire. They maneuvered around each other with a tension so thick it was almost palpable, each encounter a choreographed dance of avoidance. Every glance was carefully measured, and every interaction strained with an undercurrent of animosity, as they both played their parts in this twisted charade.

Chapter 41: The Fight

Chapter 40 – Carter

As the days slipped by, the school settled into a tranquil rhythm, the initial thrill of the new dragons gradually fading into the backdrop of everyday life. Yuqi observed with an attentive eye that the once-grand entrances of the other dragons no longer drew gasps of awe; their powers, once flaunted like banners, were now wielded with a quieter grace. Even Sebastian, still reeling from his public embarrassment in the bustling cafeteria, had chosen a path of solitude, keeping his distance with an air of reluctance.

Chapter 39: World Spins

Sapphire and Yuqi hurried home, their hearts racing with a mix of excitement and anxiety. They both understood that what lay ahead would alter the course of their lives—once more. The truth they had guarded closely was about to be unveiled, no longer a secret whispered among a select few but a revelation that would echo through their entire circle of friends.

Chapter 5: Pride

The moment the warm glow of light enveloped me and my vision gradually sharpened, I was greeted by a cascade of intoxicating sensations: the sultry warmth of the air, a heady blend of floral perfumes, and the vibrant hum of animated voices. I had returned to our grand hall—a magnificent space awash in golden candlelight, where the flickering flames danced along the walls, casting playful shadows. Velvet pillows, luxurious and inviting, lay scattered around, while silk-draped columns towered majestically, their rich fabric flowing like water.

Chapter 37: Back to School

Chapter 3: Living My Truth

The suggestion floated through the room like a playful breeze, a whisper of mischief carried on clouds of pillows and bursts of laughter. “Let’s venture to the garden,” someone declared, stretching languidly like a contented cat basking in the afternoon sun. “The lake is simply enchanting at this hour.”

Alex had a terminal Cancer diagnosis and thought she would die before she got to be the girl she always was inside. That all changes when she's in the wrong place at the right time and gets transported to another world and into the body of a girl. So what if she's not human, she's alive and a girl. Now if only she had her sister with her to navigate this new world and her new responsibilities. Wait, she's here too? The passage of their souls between worlds may have doomed the Earth to apocalypse, but Alex and Michelle won't be there to see it and they have enough problems on their hands.
 

Sequel to https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/97020/misadventures-t...

I was a senior in high school when an underground gas leak led to a massive explosion in my neighborhood. The houses that weren’t immediately destroyed caught fire, and it was a while before they could put all the fire out. Everything for blocks was destroyed.

The houses were rebuilt, and I moved back into my family's house... alone.

I realized I didn’t want this. It wasn’t my house, my neighborhood, or my neighbors. They were all a bunch of imitations. The unique houses on my street had been replaced with a bunch of cookie-cutter copies sized like the originals, but not really like them otherwise. I was living in an imitation of the house I grew up in, without any of what made it special. I was alone, next to nobody I knew. The neighbors were strangers who bought the other rebuilt houses from the heirs of my former neighbors. It felt completely artificial, and I wanted to get away.

Alex had a terminal Cancer diagnosis and thought she would die before she got to be the girl she always was inside. That all changes when she's in the wrong place at the right time and gets transported to another world and into the body of a girl. So what if she's not human, she's alive and a girl. Now if only she had her sister with her to navigate this new world and her new responsibilities. Wait, she's here too? The passage of their souls between worlds may have doomed the Earth to apocalypse, but Alex and Michelle won't be there to see it and they have enough problems on their hands.
 

Chapter 34: Christmas Time

The three days leading up to Christmas transformed the Allen household into a dazzling wonderland of festive joy. Every nook and cranny sparkled with holiday splendor, adorned with vibrant, cascading garlands and a multitude of twinkling lights, each one lending a magical glow to the rooms. The air was thick with the delightful aromas of cinnamon and cloves, mingling harmoniously with the sweet scent of freshly baked cookies wafting from the kitchen, creating an atmosphere of warmth and anticipation.

Whenever Greg had a day like the one he had had today, he liked to pick up a new video game. Old, new, any genre, any console (for he owned them all) - none of that mattered. Just that he had some new story, some new world, to immerse himself in, to enable him to substitute this disappointing reality for a new iteration, where the goals were clear and defined, and all effort was duly rewarded. A neat, hand-crafted universe, all contained on a disc, cartridge, or as compressed digital memory on a hard drive.