A Descent into Darkness - When Demons take a Magic Academy Hostage...
Community Rating
Description
A Descent into Darkness
In the realm of Magecrown, where magic and mystery weave together a rich tapestry of history, the esteemed Magic Academy has fallen into the malevolent clutches of demonic forces. An unyielding nightmare ensues, imprisoning the academy and its students within a relentless time loop, their once vibrant world reduced to a playground for the demons' twisted games.
Ryland, an unremarkable student blessed with a flawless memory, finds himself in the heart of this darkness. With each passing cycle of the time loop, he alone remembers the terrors and trials, the deceit and despair. In this grim reality, his memory becomes an extraordinary weapon, thrusting him into a role he was ill-prepared for - a double agent navigating the treacherous terrain between survival and subjugation.
As the demons extend their iron grip over his dimension, Ryland strikes a pact of power and survival. He becomes an unwilling "hero" caught in a web of treachery, burdened with the knowledge of the loop and the mounting despair of his peers. With each cycle, he delves deeper into the shadows, using his intimate knowledge of the demonic plans to gather forbidden power, all the while wrestling with the intoxicating allure of the darkness within.
A Descent into Darknessis a haunting journey through a grimdark fantasy world, where lines between hero and villain blur, and the price of victory may just be the protagonist's soul. Ryland's journey tests the limits of his sanity, morality, and the sacrifices he is willing to make for a glimmer of salvation for his world.
As time runs out and the loops become more corrupted, Ryland must make decisions that bend morality to its breaking point. Friends become expendable, and the path becomes littered with the remnants of his former self. In his desperate race against time, will Ryland succumb to the allure of power, or will he find redemption amidst the darkness?
A tale of resistance, resolve, and grim reality, A Descent into Darkness challenges perceptions of heroism and explores the depths of sacrifice, painting a vivid and unflinching portrait of a world consumed by malevolence. Readers who revel in the gritty realism of grimdark scenarios will find themselves immersed in despair, accompanying Ryland on his harrowing journey to liberate his world from the clutches of darkness... but with the risk of becoming an evil overlord even worse than the Demon's menace, taking pleasure in his newfound abilities.
All content warnings included. 18+ Only. This is a dark story, and sometimes humans can be the worst demons. You have been warned.
There will be progression in both the MC power and corruption as he lives through the loop. Also full credit to our AI overlords for providing this story.
Information
- Status
- Hiatus
- Year
- 2023
- Author
- AvidReader82
Tags
Royal Road Stats
- Rating
- 4.1/ 5.0
- Followers
- 15
- Views
- 12,274
Chapters(24 total)
- Chapter 24: Soul MarkOct 23, 2023
- Chapter 23: The ChoiceJul 30, 2023
- Chapter 22: PermanencyJul 29, 2023
- Chapter 21: Throw down the GauntletJul 28, 2023
- Chapter 20: The Bottom of the BarrelJul 27, 2023
- Chapter 19: Temptations of PowerJul 26, 2023
- Chapter 18: ArmbandsJul 25, 2023
- Chapter 17: Ripples in the PondJul 24, 2023
- Chapter 16: A Pebble in the RiverJul 24, 2023
- Chapter 15: Cry Havoc!Jul 23, 2023
- Chapter 14: CompetitionJul 23, 2023
- Chapter 13: MagecrownJul 22, 2023
- Chapter 12: A new Kid in townJul 22, 2023
- Chapter 11: The Day AfterJul 21, 2023
- Chapter 10: To Die or Not to DieJul 21, 2023
- Chapter 9: Lost and FoundJul 21, 2023
- Chapter 8: Deja VuJul 20, 2023
- Chapter 7: Actions have ConsequencesJul 20, 2023
- Chapter 6: HierarchyJul 20, 2023
- Chapter 5: Seeds of hope and doubtJul 19, 2023
Reviews
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Community Reviews(1)
- Daniel ZRoyal Road★★★★ 4.0This story runs with the theme, germinated in Harry Potter with the Voldemort-overrun Hogwarths, of a magical school being ruled by sadist overlords who believe in survival of the fittest.
I am fond of good time loop stories and, while so far the time loop dimension is not particularly significant, as other time loop stories, this has an element of mystery to it which I like.
The style is 3rd person omniscient, often from the pov of many characters. This leads to various tell-not-show, which does not work as a narrative tool and reduces considerably the mystery and the darkness of the story. It also reduces the focus on the psychological development of the mc, which should be a big deal according to the author synopsis. The world also at present looks quite small, stylized and pretty stereotypical. The writing is ok, but with some moving between past and present tense that requires fixing. Overall it is grimdark but not as grimdark as other fictions.
The story has captured my attention so far and, while there are areas for improvement, it is worth giving a go.