Paragon Of Death

My name is Joe Mzalendo. Mine country is Credonia, a third-world country. Born and raised here, I loved my country just like every other patriotic citizen. As I grew up, all I ever wanted was a good degree and a good job with the government. All that I looked forward to so that I could help others and see to it that things went the right way. I had a dream of transforming my country through fighting and nipping Corruption by the roots. I thought getting in was the right move and the only way to make a change. In the end, I was all wrong. I found myself imprisoned by powers I couldn't control and forces I could not break. Without options, I watched people suffer as I did nothing. It was a stab through my heart. I had to live with the knife through my heart and in pain. It was either that and try to help those I could or die. I not only walked with death but saw it most of the time. It was then that I learned; some things are better done from a distance. I learnt never to put out a conflagration from inside a blazing house.

“Attention, everyone,” The reporter's voice cut through the air on the television and radio. “A severe thunderstorm with extreme lightning will hit the city tonight. The metrological department predicts that this lightning is likely to produce a high-power outage. Please, everyone, stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel. Be safe.”  Within a few minutes, the warning became a reality. A massive lightning strike split the sky with a loud noise lasting for 5 minutes. Everyone in the house squeezed their eyes shut, clamping their hands over their ears in primal fear.   Then, just as suddenly, everything went blank--- Not just the lights, but all sensation, leaving only a profound darkness and death silence.  When their eyes opened, everything seemed dark, no buildings, no vehicles, no familiar faces--- only the towering trees of a dense forest surrounded them.    Before the confusion could completely overwhelm them.  The beam of light flashed in the dark, and an AI automatic voice announced: “Welcome to Game of Earth Signs”. "Earth Signs Game" story based on psychological thriller and survival. 250+ people are trapped in a deadly arena, forced to survive terrifying challenges based on Water, Air, Fire, Sky, and Land, including puzzles, riddles, memory tests, and brutal physical trials.

"You're nothing but a stain on the Kinkaid name," his father spat, the words sharp enough to leave a wound that would never heal. "Look at you, still clinging to that name like it means anything. You’re not a Kinkaid. You’re just the mistake we all regret." Laxus Kinkaid had everything taken away from him by his father and handed it over to his Favourite Son, Luther. From his inheritance, to his own fiance, and there was nothing he could do, after all he was the bastard of the family. Giving up, he decides to move on and start his life afresh but he was never able to escape his family's torment. Eventually, he learns the truth about his father's wealth; His father did not earn his wealth, he took everything from his mother in a plan with her sister resulting in her death moments after she gave birth to Laxus. This marks the beginning of his battle for his birthright and his vengeance. But, will Laxus prevail, or will he fall victim to his family's iron claw just like his mother?

"Come on, waiter," Tom taunted, his voice dripping with contempt. "You should lick it up while it's still cool," he added with a sly chuckle as his friends eagerly removed their phones to capture August’s humiliation for their amusement. August was devastated, the money he had been saving for the past eight months barely amounted to $180. How would he muster $800 to spare himself from this humiliating ordeal? Stooping that low to lick the liquor on the floor was an option he rather succumbed to death sooner than consider.  "Please, give me until tomorrow. I'll find a way to borrow the money and pay you back," August pleaded, desperation creeping into his voice. But Tom was not having it with him. “No waiter, everything starts and end today. If you are going to pay me the money then is going to be today and right now, or I will have to force you to lick up the liquor”. August's devastation intensified as he realized the gravity of the situation, this was not optional like Tom presented it the first time. His intentions were clear; he did not at all cared about the money all he wanted was to have August lick the floor for their amusement.

They say children who have never known peace and children who have never known war have completely different values. Without a doubt, most kids fell under the category of the latter, but what happens when an unforseen circumstance takes away that life of bliss and pulls one into a more perilous life? Nox, a hybrid between two accursed races grew up with all the love and care his parents could muster, although criticized for being an abomination who shouldn't have existed, he didn't pay heed to the whispers and malicious words directed at him, as long as his parents were with him, nothing else mattered. However that peaceful life was short-lived. On a dreadful day, an organization known as the cult of d'rauh, massacred his pack and parents in cold blood, in pursuit of something within the pack's possession. He barely managed to escape death, following the last wish of his dying mother and his father. But was it truly that simple? Was there a hidden agenda behind the veil of the senseless slaughter of his kin? Well it didn't matter, whatever the reason was, Nox had no desire to know, only the desire for revenge lingered.

Shadowborne Estate lies on the isolated peaks of Mount Umbra. It is home to the most feared family of assassins in the world, known by only one name: the Shadowborne. Their name raises terror in the mouths of kingdoms, and death arrives silently with no errors whatsoever. They were trained from childhood, each a master with unique skills as honed by brutal discipline and unbreakable loyalty to the family's legacy. But with the arrival of Kael, the youngest successor, who starts to question the moral aspect of their profession, cracks begin to form within the otherwise ironclad code of the family. Curiosity and a yearning for freedom drive Kael to uncover secrets buried within the Shadowborne archives truths related to their origin, their cursed lineage, and the price of their mastery. Kael's rebellion sets off a chain reaction that pits him against his ruthless siblings, all of whom will stop at nothing to uphold the Shadowborne legacy. As alliances shift and betrayals mount, Kael has to decide whether to destroy the legacy he was born into or embrace it to protect those he loves. The Shadowborne Legacy is about the thin line between duty and defiance, entwining the tale of dark secrets, complex family bonds, and the battle for identity over generations of shadows.

"You think you can stop me, Aiden? You're nothing but a pawn in this game." Malrik's voice echoed through the cold, sterile darkness of the virtual world, laced with malice. "In The Abyss, I am the ruler. And you will fall, just like everyone else." Aiden Cross never wanted to return to The Abyss. But when his sister’s mysterious death resurfaces in the form of a cryptic message, he’s pulled back into the deadly virtual world he tried to escape. Now, he must navigate shifting alliances, face dangerous enemies, and confront a hidden AI that holds the key to everything. But with every step, the line between reality and illusion blurs—each move he makes seems to play into the hands of the malevolent forces that control it all. In the fight to uncover the truth and save humanity, Aiden will have to decide: is he a hero, or is he just another pawn in a game he doesn’t understand? But when the virtual world begins to merge with reality... Will Aiden be able to stop Malrik before it’s too late? Or will the game consume him entirely? The countdown has begun. The question is... who will survive the game?

Description: Moving past the death of his only friend and teacher. Orb heads into the world to find a way to die happy and fulfilled. Though the boy who lives in the present carries the weight of something that lived in the past. A curse, a blessing, a legacy. The story of those who carry things they should never have had to, and the choices of their lives which affect them and the world as a whole. Three chapters a week. link to cover artist: https://www.fiverr.com/winda_chu?source=inbox  Usually, somewhere between 2000 and 3000 words per chapter. Notice: This will be a long, long story, so it will be a slow burn for at least the first two arcs. But if you are interested in a long, wide-ranging story, I hope you will read. Notice 2: I will be fixing the grammar of the chapter within my story, around 5 per day, starting from 25/05/2025. I have heard the grammar in the earlier chapter has been an issue for many, and admittedly, I have always sucked at that aspect, which I have gotten a lot better at over the years, so I will be redoing that. Logs and other special chapters are not included in this five-chapter count. Notice 3: All corrections are done.

In the land of Yigena where two suns rise and set. Four kingdoms coexist with each other. With the Silver Bloods riding their dragons as they lead their nations, the Red Bloods struggle for power. It has been like this for centuries. From the eastern kingdom of Raxes, an outcast named Ryzen, and his twin sister, Raya, faces the daunting annual coming-of-age ceremony for all the sixteen years old in the kingdom. Being born from the cursed Red Bloods, they either become the rich red blood's slave or become the Avatar. Being the Avatar means death, for whoever crosses the wall never makes it back alive. But the gods never answer their prayers; his twin sister got selected to be an Avatar. Fear-stricken, he made a drastic choice. Now he is Raya Rozenhart, the new Avatar, chained to guard the kingdom against the terror outside the wall. Leaving his old self, he faces the unknown. But his tale has yet to start when the horrors outside the wall grow stronger each day. Sent to conquest to find the people who can only save the land, he sets off to search high and low for the seven mythical criminals.

In the darkest corners of Marseille, where hope sinks faster than a rusted anchor, an overdose should have been the end for Jean Valéry. But for this broken Navy veteran, death was only a doorway. He awoke with another soul burning within him—that of the Black Sea Alchemist, the failed guardian of Atlantis, whispering of ancient magic and the vengeance of the deep. Every corner of the Old Port is now his laboratory, every drop of polluted saltwater an ingredient for deadly potions and poisons. Fractured memories guide him, while a raw and dangerous alchemical power demands release. But Marseille is not only a haven for crime bosses. Deep within its murky waters, an ancient power has awakened, demanding accountability for the failures of his past reincarnations. To save the city, he must first seize it from the grip of the underworld. To atone for the sins of the past, he must become a monster in the present. This is not a story about the rise of a hero. This is a story of transmutation—how a broken man is melted down in the crucible of magic, malice, and destiny. The question isn't whether he will survive, but what he will become afterward: an unbeatable crime king, or a protector damned by the sea?