[TJZ'S EXPANDED VERSION IS NOW AVAILABLE IN MY PROFILE!] Believed to be created by the founder of Zecaj, the Jewel of Opulence is said to curse whoever possesses it with endless riches beyond their wildest dreams.
Desperate to get his hands on more...
Hello and welcome to my entry for this year's Open Novella Contest, The Jewel of Zecaj! This is the second time I'm participating in ONC, with the first one being a flop (I blame procrastination and lack of outlining for that, lol). But this time I'm taking the contest more seriously, with the aim of finishing a book for the year.
A little background about this book: I've brainstormed the general idea a little before the end of January (characters, rough outline, etc.), but I already got the idea of the book's world last year. I didn't have an inkling of what I could use the world building for, though, so here's to thank ONC for giving me a chance to implement it for reals.
Say it with me – #thankgodforonc. XD
Anyway, I won't hold you guys out longer! If you're into desert fantasy, treasure hunts, and badass protagonists, then skip the rest of this intro and hop on to the first chapter! ^^
*★*――――*★* Prompts *★*――――*★*
Here are the prompts that caught my fancy, which thankfully fitted the idea I had in mind, but most of their gist are going to appear in the novella later on. Tell me in the comments if you used any one of these too (add a link with it if you've published it already)!
#39: "Fine, make me your villain." — From Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
#54: What good can come from being tangled with a Prince*, especially when you're a commoner without a noble status. (This is the main prompt.)
#99: It's always what/who you least expected that blows your mind away.
[ * ] - I changed it from Duke (#54) to fit a character in the novella.
*★*――――*★* Disclaimer *★*――――*★*
This book, just like the rest of my works posted in my profile, is a first draft. I've run through the chapters with a spelling/grammar checker and that's it. So pointing out stray grammar errors are appreciated.
Also, most of the research I have done about Middle-Eastern/Arab culture (which is the book's main inspiration) doesn't even scratch the surface of its complexity and beauty. I was exposed to the culture during my time in the Middle East and even learned how to understand Arabic, but I'm not by any means a 'pro' about it.
I wish I could go back there to experience the things I haven't tried yet, but I'm stuck in my house because of COVID-19 restrictions (and the lack of money, lol). For the meantime, I'll be learning stuff through Google, but we all know that's not always reliable. Thus, any and all kinds of constructive criticism are very much welcome!
The book is rated as PG-13 for language and violence present overall but not 'Mature' since the latter is not described in detail. Read with discretion.
*★*――――*★* Copyright *★*――――*★*
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations or excerpts.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
If you are reading this story on any platform other than W A T T P A D, you are very likely to be risked by a malware attack. If you wish to read this story in its original, safe form, please go to https://www.wattpad.com/user/akeila_agramunn (or just search the book's title or my username on W A T T P A D just to be sure). Thank you!
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