Onc26 Stories

The Open Novella Contest is back for 2026! Join fellow storytellers and plant the seed of a tale that will blossom into a 20,000+ word novella within 12 weeks! Your epic quest begins February 1st, 2026, so mark your calendars with this date!

For Centuries Grim has been collecting souls. It's what he does, it's his purpose. One day, while collecting a soul in the park, he comes across a lost puppy. For reasons he can't explain, the urge to return the small dog to his owner is overwhelming. He soon finds the animal's owner, a woman in her mid-twenties named Maria. He is struck down by her beauty and realizes that he had once claimed the soul of someone she loved. He becomes even more conflicted when he realizes he has just one year to claim her soul.

(18. Prompt) At eighteen, Alice begin dreaming of a stranger who feels like her other half. When they finally meet in real life, everything she thought she knew about love and reality begins to shift.

An ancient relic, intertwined fate and lives bound by a 50 BCE mystery. An Indian archaeologist and the reluctant son of a powerful chairman find themselves drawn into a truth buried beneath time as a forgotten kingdom begins to awaken and destinies demand revelation.

When a magic mirror brings forth an army of reflections to invade her kingdom at her father's wedding to his new bride, Mechtild, Princess Aneira will do anything to save her land. Taken captive by her new stepmother, Aneira escapes Mechthild's clutches through the very mirror that brought the reflections into a far-off land of ice and snow. Hunted by Mechthild's reflections, Aneira quickly learns she won't have to battle Mechthild alone when she finds seven knights with magic powers fighting. Granted a quest to restore both their lands Aneira must travel to plant a golden apple in the center of a tundra and if she has any hope of succeeding, she'll need help from a reflection, one of Mechthild's very own soldiers to guide her along the way. Enjoy this Snow White-inspired story based on ONC prompt 105: You're chatting with someone when you suddenly notice the mirror behind them shows everything except their reflection.

I am writing this to compete in the ONC 2026 (Open Novella Contest) Sapphire remembers when magic enlightened the lives of all she knew. The problem is... that was over a hundred years ago. Things have changed, and even though she hasn't changed at all, everyone seems completely determined to destroy the peace. Her own people don't even seem to recognize she's one of them. With her life and freedom on the line, an unusual choice of weapon triggers a change in the world that guides her down a new path. #36. You're told to choose a weapon before battle, but when you approach the table, the only options laid out are musical instruments.

25-year-old Melody Marsh doesn't believe in magic. She might call herself a witch, but her witchcraft is just knowlegde of plants and a skill for healing people. Magic is just a thing of fairytales and legends, she believes. Until one day a massive black dragon appears in her garden, with his dirty, heavy feet right on her precious plants. He's a messenger of the gods and Melody was chosen for a quest. So after recovering from the trauma caused by the mass murder on her plants, Melody follows the dragon on a journey over the seven seas to the world's edge. It's there where she gets the chance to change one regret from her past, but everything has a catch. What's the right decision in the eyes of fate, when fate herself has been looking over Meldoy all her life? ______________ Written for the English edition of the Open Novella Contest (ONC) 2026. Based on prompt 74: You are offered the chance to rewrite one regret from your past, but doing so requires giving up a memory you treasure. The living library awaits your decision.

Bee's life is sort of stable: she has a flat, a bipolar diagnosis she's getting a handle on. Well, as much as possible, when her reckless and unruly personality shines through. Theo - her childhood neighbour, moral compass, and lifelong critic - has moved back into the apartment across the courtyard. Now he's in her bar. In her kitchen. In her friend group. And, judging by the way he pointed at the window last night, extremely aware of which bedroom is hers. They've spent the last decade living separate lives on purpose. Different cities, different people, one annual birthday party where they confirm they're still wildly incompatible and leave again. But Theo isn't leaving this time. And apparently, neither is the possibility of whatever they've spent ten years avoiding. Prompt: You will meet many people in your life. Many will come and go, but some will leave footprints on your heart.

A series of murders, a school magazine and an obnoxious colleague in the way. Suspicious letters pop up in the magazine Zoey Tan heads, she is forced to find the perpetuator who has landed her in the trouble. When the perpetuator proves to be more than just trouble to her, things take a deeper dive. When his low-key persona slips, Yuvan Tejas desperately tries to re-assemble it and protect those who shelter under it. When murder dots the city and the murderer seems closer than he thought possible, tides turn. Together they discover a truth that shakes their worlds.

THE LAST SIGNATURE The ink that doesn't fade. Eli never believed his brother's death was an accident. He just never had proof. Until Nora found the yearbook. Hidden inside a wall. Filled with names written in ink that doesn't age. Names that belong to students who all graduated normally, lived quietly - and died exactly three hundred and sixty-five days later. No headlines. No investigations. Just a pattern so clean it could only be deliberate. Now there are five of them who know. One name already inside that shouldn't be. Eleven weeks until the rest of them walk across that stage. And something ancient, patient, and nameless has been collecting signatures for a very long time. It isn't finished yet.

"Here is the information about your target." The file was handed to Taehyung, along with a shoulder pat. "You got three weeks. I'll let you know when it's the time, then finish him without any suspicions." "Park Jimin, Age 23, the only heir of Park Seojun, the chairman of the biggest real estate group - Park corp..." "Tsk." He clicked his tongue. "It's my first time getting a target the same age as me." ──────⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────── "Hello Jungkook. I've sent you the details of your next target." The female voice said from the other side. Park Jimin, age 23... "He is too pretty to die soon, you know?" Jungkook's laugh echoed in the silence of the office room. ──────⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────── Taehyung and Jungkook - assassins from rival organizations called Shadows and Crimsons respectively. Same target - Park Jimin, 23, blind... What did a blind heir possible do to make two powerful organization want him dead? Will he survive the flames of hate this time? Will they find out the truths behind the flames that never died? ──────⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────

Against the backdrop of a damp, golden London autumn... ​In 2026 London, history professor Sarah uncovers a centuries-old letter hidden behind an old framed painting in her new flat. As she deciphers its secrets, she becomes entwined in a long-lost love and a mystery that spans generations-leading her to a man who holds the final piece of the puzzle." Participation in the Open Novella Contest 2026 Prompt used: #79 © 2026 by Nermein Sami El-Kurdi. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission is strictly prohibited #onc2026 #opennovellacontest2026 #oncprompt79

Zirion is their home, the only one they can remember. Their colonial ship and the first city were abandoned long ago. Since then, with rifles and dwindling technology, the humans have spread across the lush planet, pushing its primitive inhabitants to the brink of extinction. In the past, the original Zirion race left behind a human child merged with the Flow, the pulse of the planet. Known as Sybil, she was a milestone for humankind, fusing human DNA with the planet's life force, able to withstand the dangerous pollen tides and predict the dangers hiding in the shadows of the jagged peaks. But centuries of shizms, civil wars and raids left the Sybil Protocol in tatters. Now only the expendable or sickly children undergo the procedure, a far cry from once perfected formula, leaving some of the survivors disfigured and exiled. Rhea is one of the last "Flowers", a human hybrid working as a scout for the Bastion, the self-proclaimed capital ruled by the Trinity Council. Shunned as a strange necessity, she tries to uncover the secret of the rapid changes on Zirion that endanger the human population. The planet itself is turning frenzied with hunger. The gravitational anomalies cause fear and apocalyptic predictions. While the Trinity Council tighten its grasp over the population, Rhea and her team seek a solution in the ruins of the old species that once lived on the planet. Uncovering secrets of the aliens who mysteriously vanished, averting extinction, she will have to answer a universal question: Is there a price too high for survival? And who should pay it? ONC 2026 Prompt used: 93. Buried beneath the ruins lies an artifact that whispers memories of an ancient being. The first memory it reveals is a warning and it's meant for you.

One year ago, Elliot disappeared. When a strange flower spirited her to the Fae filled d'Oré Isles, Serena is dedicated to finding her twin or uncovering answers. But will the price be higher than she can pay, and will she be able to convince the King to help her in her quest? Welcome to my Open Novella Contest 2026 entry! Over the next 12 weeks, I'll be participating in the Open Novella Contest and writing novella of no more than 40,000 words. From this year's prompts, I've chosen Prompt 2 as my main: The first flower to bloom in spring isn't just a sign of the seasons changing. It's a portal. When you touch it, you're transported into a magical world you never knew existed. I look forward to creating a story for you. I'd love if you would support me and my novella by sharing, commenting, voting, adding it to your lists, and, of course, reading along! Ongoing Word Count: 11,470(ish) Last edit for typos and comments: 18 February. Cover art created by myself on Canvas with Wattpad provided banners. Chapter art created on Pinterest - I own no part of that art. No part of this novella was created with AI. No part of this novella existed before 1 February 2026.

A loyal dog will drink saltwater. In the Kingdom of Bevran, vagabonds are offered shelter within the walls of the castle. Orthrus, tired of running for his life, scavenging off of the dead, and never escaping the cold, couldn't think of anything better. But it seems the Queen of Bevran has secrets, plans for invading the Kingdom of Khis. Orthrus and his fellow vagabonds seek to understand how they fit into all of this, what purpose they serve in their Queen's grand schemes. What Orthrus can't figure out is why the Queen would keep her desires secret when Khis is their enemy, the reason Bevran has fallen into ruin. Any Bevrani would devout themselves to defeating their oppressor, no? When the truth comes out, Orthrus must decide on what he's willing to sacrifice in order to survive. ♙♙♙ For the Open Novella Contest 2026 | Cover designed by me | Prompt 80 Current Word Count - 2,000

ONC26 [temporary Cover] ... Worn down by centuries of pain, loneliness and war, Ambrose hates nothing more than his endless life. Hence, he finally made the decision to end it. But as he jams the knife between his rips the death herself stops him. Over and over again. She's his last obstacle, but he's her biggest desire. Because while the centuries passed by, she obsessively felt in love with him. So, it's on her to prove to him life is worth living. On a creature that never tasted life. "You're not allowed to end something as beautiful as life" "You're one to talk" "You're the first one, who has ever made me envious of living" "Then you know nothing about life"

After discovered the opposition power and their fragments identity, Scarlet Bright and Lithanine "Lilith" Diesel continue their journey, discovered a new friend, Lucin and Lilith just discovered the new power. And not just that, Lilith will find new fragment identity soon or later. This story was Al-generative chat and edited by me to keep the fixed plot.

In an empire scarred by the haunting Nitara Lake Incident, the Meteor Earth institution becomes a volatile crossroads for those destined to shape the future. Ren Starlight, the Crown Prince, arrives under a veil of secrecy, struggling to balance his hidden identity with the realities of ordinary life. Alongside him are his cousins, Aaron and Tian, whose loyalty provides a thin shield against the growing chaos. Ren's heart is tethered to Emmy, his girlfriend, whose mysterious past makes her a target of evil. The delicate balance of Ren's life is thrown into turmoil by Ishaan, a shameless and roguish troublemaker whose presence masks a hardened past. As monsters emerge from the shadows and the weight of empires threatens to crush them, an unexpected and complex connection sparks between Ren and Ishaan. Bound by a brewing love triangle, they must navigate a path through betrayal, family duty, heartbreak and forbidden feelings to claim their own fates.

Fifty years ago, the sky broke. A city fell from the clouds, and from its ruins came the Refractors - humans who resonate with the power of the fallen world. Now, when an underground researcher surfaces with a link to the Glass Horizon event, two assassins from rival factions are deployed to the same kill zone. Rhodian is precise, methodical, a weapon tuned to the pulse of the fall. Ash is chaos incarnate, chasing a past that won't stay buried. When they collide in the same kill zone, their clash ignites something neither faction can control. As they realise there is more to the mission than they originally thought, Rhodian and Ash are forced into a deadly orbit around each other. Two halves of a catastrophic resonance. The only ones capable of stopping what's coming. If they don't destroy each other first.

In a dystopian future, an acidic flood reigns and the only signs of old life lie in the deep. Alex - an outcast with an inquisitive mind and a set of strangely specific skills - must navigate a world where she is shunned from the safety of the domes and stuck in the water. One day, while exploring a set of deep-sea ruins, she is haunted by a mysterious spirit; a spirit that seems to be warning her of something. The problem is, this ancient being doesn't seem to have any memory of its previous life. With a newly-possessed fish at her side, she must now uncover a secret organisation, find out what it means to do and save both humans and spirits from their plans. --- This is my entry for the Open Novella Contest 2026. Prompts used: 93, 86 (I have listed them in the author's note) --- #1 oceanpunk | 19/2/26 #1 explorer | 19/2/26 #1 deepsea | 23/2/26 #2 flood | 27/2/26 --- © 2026 | This is original work. Any references to other persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Please do not adapt in any way without the author's permission.