Tyrant of the Ruined Sun - Chapter 17: Choosing the Battlefield and Half of War

“World conquest was never part of the plan.”Yu Chen was just an ordinary programmer, slaving away at his desk, fixing bugs for a popular kingdom-building game.His life was a cycle of endless work, sleepless nights, and little appreciation. One fateful night, while struggling to fix a game-breaking bug that granted players an absurd amount of upgrade points, his exhausted heart gave out.But death wasn't the end for Yu Chen. He awoke in a world strangly familiar... he had transmigrated into the very game he had been working on, now inhabiting the body of a notorious tyrant emperor, Arkanos Bloodbane, whose empire was on the brink of destruction.Surrounded by enemies, with rebellions simmering within and war on every front, Yu Chen, now Arkanos, quickly realizes the gravity of his situation.But to his shock, he discovers that he still has access to the game's system interface—complete with the million upgrade points from the bug he had tried to fix!With his knowledge of game mechanics, strategic mind, and a wealth of upgrade points, Arkanos sets out to turn the crumbling empire into an unstoppable force. He begins by summoning legendary heroes, deploying advanced technologies never before seen in this world, and revolutionizing his military and infrastructure.As he pushes his empire to greatness, Arkanos must navigate the treacherous politics of the imperial court, fend off treacherous factions, and outmaneuver the rival nations that seek to destroy him. But with each victory, he realizes that this world is not just a game—it's his new reality. The stakes are higher, the dangers more real, and the consequences of failure more dire than ever.[Reminder, contented intended for mature audiences.]

[COMPLETE] Can a royal Romeo and Juliet find their happy ending?

Ayleth, Princess of Zenithra, is secretly trained in hand-to-hand combat, and collects swear words she doesn't know how to use. During the Festival of Peace, in which every royal son on the continent will be at the castle for a month, she is instructed by her parents to find a husband. Yet, Ayleth has never even been kissed—until the very first ball, when she meets the man in the Lion mask.

Etan is a seasoned warrior, and the Prince of Summitras. He attends the Festival hoping to find a powerful wife who will help him conquer the dark sorcery of their bloodsworn enemies, the Kingdom of Zenithra. But at the very first ball, he discovers the masked woman who captures his heart is the Heir to the evil empire.

Ayleth and Etan face an impossible battle. Will their love survive? Or will their parents' dark dealings keep them apart forever?

[Mature content. No sexual violence.]

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“You…” She stepped back. Then back again, her mouth dropped open. “You… You cannot be…”

“I am,” Etan said, and his hair raked back as he pushed his mask off his handsome face. So handsome her heart raced.

His hair was ebony black, his skin a warm brown that threatened to fade in in the winter months. He stared at her with glittering green eyes, over high cheekbones and a noble nose, his jaw tight and shadowed this late in the day. His chin was high over the pillar of his neck that she’d just touched with its hard lines and steel strength, so different to her own. And his chest... She gasped and covered her eyes. She’d humiliated herself revealing her stupid, childish curiosity.

“No, Ayleth. This changes nothing.”

“How can you say that? It changes everything!” She was horrified to realize she was crying.

“Ayleth, please.” His voice cracked on the plea and she stared at him, shoving her mask up and off, despite how it would pull her hair out of the beautiful twist the maid had managed for her.

His eyes locked on hers and she couldn’t think. She couldn’t breathe.

She had met her One. And he was the son of her bloodsworn enemy.

She stared at him as he stepped forward again, offering both hands, palm up. “Touch me,” he whispered. “Hold my hands. This is real, Ayleth. I don’t know how it happened, but this is real. Please don’t deny it.”

She couldn’t resist. She raised a trembling hand to his cheek, letting her palm catch on the scruff of his jaw. He blew out a breath and put his hand over hers, and that jolt that happened whenever they touched shivered through her again.

“Please, Ayleth.”

“I cannot deny it,” she whispered.

The Non-Human Society is a shell of its former self. Its members are scattered and in hiding, and few if any have the will to fight any longer.Joining the Society, Renn has a single goal. To no longer be alone. Yet her membership comes at a price.Renn joins Vim, the Societies Protector, in hopes of preserving the last chance she has at finding a home and a place to belong.What to expect?- An immersive world-building and character focused story!- A typical, but fleshed out, low-fantasy world. Regrettably, the only numbers that go up here are the chapter and word counts...! And my debt, but let's not talk about that.- A more down to earth, sometimes somber story. But there is hope!- A huge world to get lost in. Lots of content. Over 1M words written already!- Side-Stories! Now released once a month.- A tiny sliver of my heart... forever yours!

Alicia Rosalyn Von Heist is the youngest daughter of King Edward of Alvannia. She is an illegitimate child born from a maid in the castle her father has fancied. After her mother died when she was young her father took her home and ‘adopted’ her.