The Fate of the Morning

[Royal Road Community Magazine Contest - January 2026] Every few centuries, the Dawn Dragon rekindles the sun—allowing the land, the seas, and all who depend on them to live.  The time has come again. On the eve of the first endless night, a son of the Kōmyō family must ascend to the Red Moon Shrine to wait in prayer for the Dawn Dragon’s return. The pyre he tends will illuminate the way to the dead sun.  Only this time, Hino will be the one to go. Ever overshadowed by her brothers, Hino resolves to be the first Kōmyō to save the world, see the stars, and return to tell the tale. Yet, as her plans unravel, she discovers that not only is the Dawn Dragon not what it seems, but the fate of the morning might be a burden heavier than she could ever have imagined.  What to expect ⛩️ A fantasy setting with a traditional Japanese flavour (Ghibli-esque) 🌙 An out-of-this world adventure (literally an adventure out of this world) 🌱 A bittersweet coming of age Notes: - If you are reading this anywhere other than Royal Road or my Patreon, it has been stolen. Please support this story by heading over to https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/147620/the-fate-of-the-morning and reading there. Thank you! ⁃ cover art and any chapter art generated with Midjourney and edited in Canva or Photoshop ⁃ words are ALL mine (with the rare exception of anything suggested by my human proofreader)