Ghostwriterr

"They say power corrupts... but what if corruption was the price of power?"

Lucian never sought power—he only wanted to save his grandfather. But when he inherits the Book of Envy, a cursed tome that grants desires at a terrible cost, he is thrown into a world where the strong devour the weak.

To master the book, he must train under Veyren, the twisted holder of the Book of Lost. Along the way, he meets Kael, a skilled swordsman with the Book of Blades—a boy whose abilities Lucian secretly covets.

Betrayal, obsession, and an unstoppable hunger for strength drive Lucian down a path of no return.

But what happens when he faces a power too great to steal?

A dark fantasy tale of ambition, sacrifice, and the descent into power.

Hollow Crown: The Book of Envy

Lucian sidestepped, barely avoiding the jagged limb that ripped through the air where his head had been. The ground beneath him cracked from the force.

He swung his katana in retaliation—a clean, perfect strike aimed at its side.

The creature twisted, its shifting mass flowing like liquid, dodging as if it had seen the attack coming.

Elara moved in from the flank, her staff glowing as she shouted, "Bind!"

Golden chains erupted from the ground, wrapping around the creature's arms, pulling tight. The monster hissed, its grotesque, too-wide mouth splitting open in a silent shriek.

He rushed forward, katana flashing.

The moment his blade made contact, the creature shifted again.

Its entire body inverted, bending unnaturally, breaking free from the chains in a single, unnatural snap.

Elara gasped. "It—broke through?!"

A limb slammed into his ribs, sending him flying.

He crashed into the dirt, vision blurring for half a second before he forced himself upright.

His ribs ached. But there was no time for pain.

Elara barely managed to throw up a shield before another strike came for her. The impact sent her skidding backward, her boots carving deep grooves into the earth.

It adapts. It learns. It reacts faster than we do.

The creature could react to his movements. It could predict his attacks.

Lucian gritted his teeth, wiping blood from his lip. "Elara."

She didn't take her eyes off the beast. "I'm listening."

Lucian exhaled. "I'll draw it in. You hit it when it adjusts to me."

Lucian rushed forward again, katana slicing through the air.

The creature moved, reacting instantly—but that was exactly what he wanted.

The moment it dodged, Elara moved.

A blast of pure force slammed into its side.

It reeled—its movements staggered, its body twisting to recover.

The creature shrieked, its form convulsing.

Lucian reached—and the world around him twisted.

Lucian staggered, gasping. The creature's essence resisted, writhing, refusing to be taken.

Something inside him cracked, like stretching a muscle too far. His vision blurred, but he held on.

Power. Movement. The instinctive knowledge of how it fought, how it dodged, how it adapted.

Lucian stood still, breathing heavy. The ache in his body was real, the exhaustion settling in.

Elara watched him carefully, gripping her staff.

She saw that something had changed.

Instead, she smirked. "Well, that was dramatic."

Lucian exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "It worked, didn't it?"

She chuckled, shaking her head. "Barely."

A Battle Earned, A Power Claimed