AuthorShawnWilson

Formation Master - Chapter 4: Supply Chain Problems

CHAPTER 4: SUPPLY CHAIN PROBLEMS

Wei Chen woke to sunlight streaming through his window and the uncomfortable realization that today was the evaluation.

His body had finally stopped complaining about the qi deviation, which was good timing. He could move without pain, his meridians felt stable, and his qi reserves had recovered enough to activate formations without immediately collapsing afterward.

Progress is measured in small victories.

He sat up and took st...

Formation Master - Chapter 3: Proof of Concept

CHAPTER 3: PROOF OF CONCEPT

Wei Chen woke before dawn with a plan.

His body still protested movement, but the complaints were quieter now. Two days of recovery had taken the edge off the qi deviation damage. He could walk without swaying, and his meridians had stopped feeling like someone had dragged broken glass through them.

Progress, even if it was minimal.

He sat up and pulled out the formation manual Lin Mei had given him. Basic Formation Theory, Volume One. The c...

Formation Master - Chapter 2: Market Research

CHAPTER 2: MARKET RESEARCH

Wei Chen woke to his body screaming at him.

Every muscle had opinions about yesterday's activities, and none of them were positive. Sitting up took actual effort, which was embarrassing for someone who was technically seventeen years old.

Chen Wei's body had been through worse than a failed breakthrough. It had been through three years of inadequate nutrition, stress cultivation, and the kind of grinding poverty that meant choosing between food and...

Formation Master - Chapter 1: System Error

I've been cooking a cultivation story for a while. So I figured I'd toss it out up here and get some feedback before putting it on RR. it's my take on cultivation.

**********

Wei Chen died at thirty-two, burned out and alone at his desk.

He woke up sixteen, broke, and three days from expulsion from a cultivation sect, in a body that failed its breakthrough and could barely stand.

In a world where power is everything, Wei Chen has the weakest cultiva...

BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 044

Dawn came early in Kvellholl, though inside the mountain it made little difference. Einar woke to the sound of warriors preparing for the day, the familiar sounds of weapons being checked and gear organized.

The scouting party gathered at the eastern gate as the first light touched the mountain peaks above. Einar arrived to find Thorodd already there, his axes strapped across his back. Osvif was nearby, naturally carrying his notebook, already jotting things in it, despite an axe hangin...

BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 59

Chapter 59

The first day began before dawn.

Einar woke to find Thorodd already in the training yard, running the warriors through drills. Not the casual practice they had done on the road, but proper combat training. Shield walls, flanking maneuvers, coordination under pressure.

"We got sloppy," Thorodd said when Einar joined him. "That fight on the bridge showed it. We reacted well, but we should have been ready before they even emerged from the tree line."

Einar watc...

BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 58

Chapter 58

The wagons rolled through Kopanes with an escort fit for a king. Citizens lined the streets, craning their necks for a glimpse of what the returning warriors had brought. Word had already spread—dwarven steel, rare ores, treasures from Nidavellir itself.

Einar rode at the front beside Thorodd, hyperaware of every eye on them, every whisper that followed in their wake. The king's soldiers rode at the rear, their presence both protection and reminder of...

BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 57

Chaper 57

Einar's horse surged forward, hooves pounding against the bridge's wooden planks as he raced back toward his warband. Behind him, he could hear the king's soldiers following, their armor clanking in rhythm with their mounts.

The bandits were fifty yards from the wagons now, maybe less. Einar counted quickly. 

Thirty, at least, possibly more, based on what's still emerging from the tree line. 

They moved with the coordination of men who had ...

BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 56

"The world snapped back into focus as Einar stepped through the portal, and for a moment, his body remembered every other time he had crossed between realms. The familiar jolt of cold, then heat, then the strange pressure that made his ears pop and his teeth ache all hit him at once before fading into nothing.

Midgard.

The air was different here. Lighter, somehow. Less dense than the mountain-filtered atmosphere of Nidavellir. He took a deep breath and tasted the familiar...

BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 55

Chapter 55

The walls of Mighahm appeared through the tunnel's end like an old friend waiting to greet them. Einar felt some of the tension in his shoulders ease as the familiar gates came into view, the intricate stonework a testament to dwarven craftsmanship that had stood for centuries.

"Home," Bartia said quietly from beside him. "Or close enough to it."

The gates began their complicated dance of opening, metal sliding and stone lowering as the guards recognized the carav...

BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 54

The gates of Kvellholl stood open before them. The morning light spilled in from the exterior passages, bright and welcoming after their time in the mountain's depths.

Einar stood at the front of his pack, watching as the last of their wagons were loaded. They had more supplies than when they arrived, more weapons, more armor, more materials for runes than he had dared hope for. The dwarves had been generous in their gratitude.

Vrádni approached, his patrol of twenty warriors for...

BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 53

The great hall of Kvellholl had been transformed. Where once the solemn weight of ancient stone had pressed down upon all who entered, now the air itself seemed to vibrate with celebration. Torches blazed from every sconce, their flames dancing in time with the music that filled the cavernous space. Dwarven drums thundered a rhythm that Einar felt in his bones, accompanied by the bright notes of stringed instruments he had no name for.

Tables stretched the length of the hall, groaning u...

BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 52

Chapter 52

The work began before the blood had even dried.

Osvif stood over Voldrak's corpse, his red hair matted with sweat and ash, surveying the massive body with the calculating eye of a merchant. Around him, Vikings moved with practiced efficiency, already stripping materials from the two lesser giants on the flanks.

"This is going to take a while," he muttered, then raised his voice. "I need cutting teams over here! And someone send word to the outpost—we need wagons...

BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 51

Chapter 51

The dwarven outpost sat on a rocky plateau overlooking the volcanic pass. From this vantage point, Einar could see exactly why Voldrak had claimed this territory. Lava flows carved the landscape into a maze of narrow passages and elevated positions, with plumes of steam rising from vents scattered across the blackened stone.

Perfect terrain for an ambush. Perfect terrain for a slaughter.

They'd arrived two days ago, making a show of reinforcing the outpos...

BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 50

Chapter 50

The war room was carved from solid stone, its walls lined with maps and tactical diagrams that stretched back centuries. Captain Akrini stood at the center table, his expression grim as he pointed to a detailed map of the volcanic pass.

"This is where we lost them," the dwarven captain said, his finger tapping a narrow section between two lava flows. "Forty of my best warriors. I led them myself."

Einar leaned forward, studying the terrain. Thorodd and Osvif flank...

BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Three days.

That's how long it had taken to prepare for what came next.

Einar wiped the sweat from his brow as he lowered his shield, the weight of it now feeling lighter than when they'd started. Around him, thirty-five warriors stood in various states of exhaustion, their breathing heavy but controlled. The training grounds outside Kvellholl's guest quarters had become their home for the last seventy-two hours.

"That's enough," he called out, his ...

BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 48

The return to Kvellholl took two days.

The caravan made good time through the now-secure Shadowpath, and the journey back from Irondeep was uneventful. But the Vikings carried their dead with them, four bodies wrapped in cloth and preserved by Thorve's magic. Two from the den assault, two from the caravan battle.

Einar walked at the front of the column, his mind already working through the implications of what they'd learned. The Karg-kin hadn't been random predators. They'd been ...

BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Jepi studied the entrance to the Shadowpath Canyon with a critical eye, noting the high walls, narrow passage, and countless overhangs that could hide attackers. Everything about this place screamed "ambush waiting to happen."

Totally the perfect vacation spot… Just what I always wanted.

Behind him, the caravan was making final preparations. Four wagons, each loaded with trade goods and supplies for Irondeep. Twelve dwarven guards in heavy plate, lookin...

BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Dawn painted the peaks above Kvellholl in shades of gold and crimson as the den assault team gathered at the eastern gate. Twenty Vikings stood ready, weapons checked and rechecked, faces set with grim determination. Bartia and Stefi joined them, the two dwarves moving with the quiet confidence of experienced warriors.

Einar studied his team one final time. Thorodd was adjusting the straps on his axes, his face calm despite the battle ahead. Skardi stood near the back, ...

BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 45

Chapter 45

The morning after the war council, Einar woke early and made his way to Mystic Fotgror's workshop. The ancient dwarf had promised magical support for the mission, and Einar wanted to understand exactly what they'd be working with.

The workshop was located deep within Kvellholl, accessible through a series of passages that wound past the main forges. Einar could hear the constant ring of hammers on metal, the roar of furnaces, and the occasional shout of a smith calling ...

BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Dawn came early in Kvellholl, though inside the mountain it made little difference. Einar woke to the sound of warriors preparing for the day, the familiar sounds of weapons being checked and gear organized.

The scouting party gathered at the eastern gate as the first light touched the mountain peaks above. Einar arrived to find Thorodd already there, his axes strapped across his back. Osvif was nearby, naturally carrying his notebook, already jotting things in it, desp...

Friday Fun - Some update and a request

Hey all! It's friday, next week is thanksgiving here in America, so I'll have my kids home and might be a little less on.

BUT I have a few things to report and some questions to ask.

First Battle through the 9 realms - Book 3 is done.

I'm going to do something REALLY rare... I'm going to go ahead and push out all the chapters. you're going to get a lot of emails.

Then I'm going to create a post and ask you all to help me fix any issues you found in bo...

Chapter 25 - The Creation of Arin

The afternoon passed quietly. Marta's lunch was simple but filling, though Arin couldn't partake. Instead, he rested in the cellar, processing everything that had happened since arriving in Greengate. The guild membership. Meeting Kelsa and Peck. The warning about the Purity Movement. Tomorrow's meeting with Mira's parents.

So much to think about. So many new things.

As the sun began to set, Arin flowed up from the cellar to find Jorin waiting for him in the kitchen.

UL1 - Book 11 - Chapter 088

Batrire fought back the desire to cry out as Max’s flames washed over her for well over the hundredth time. Her skin melted away, replaced as the healing over time spell she had cast on herself fought against the torrent of magic.

Focus… find the flow of mana…

Over and over she had repeated that mantra, her mind set as she tried to sense the flow of mana around her in the arena area they were practicing.  It was there, just on the edges of her skin and the firs...

Loopbreaker - Book 2 - Chapter 12

[ Swordmanship Increased - 73 Elite ]

[ Tracking Increased - 15 Novice ]

[ Stealth Increased - 14 Novice ]

[ Pain Resistance Increased - 59 Advanced ]

[ Power Strike Increased - 56 Advanced ]

[ Strong Bones Increased - 58 Advanced ]

[ Quick Attack Increased - 46 Advanced ]

[ Guarded Stance Increased - 34 Proficient ]

[ Riposte Increased - 38 Proficient ]

[ Thick Skin Increased - 30 Proficient ]

[ Iron Wall Increased - 28 Proficient ]...

BTtNR - Book 3 - Chapter 043

The summons came on the afternoon of the fourth day.

Einar was in the training yard with Thorodd and Skardi, running through weapon drills to keep their muscles from getting stiff, when a young dwarf messenger appeared. The boy couldn't have been more than a hundred years old, his beard barely past his chin.

"Einar Sibbison? Quartermaster Stenri requests your presence. He says to bring your pack leaders."

"Where?" Einar asked, lowering his practice axe.

"The war room. ...

UL1 - Book 11 - Chapter 087 -

Max’s left sword blocked the claws that came at his face. His right hand gripped the other clawed hand that was trying to win this battle of strength.

“You’re going to have to try harder,” Max said, between blows. “You’re depending too much on me playing fair.”

“Fair?” Rakonath huffed. A second later, flames erupted from his mouth, washing over Max, who ignored them, unable to be hurt by his dragon’s attack.

A stone pillar shot upward from the floor, catc...

Loopbreaker - Book 2 - Chapter 11

Francis saw the larger one in the middle point at him with a stone axe. It growled and one on the end came toward him.

Unlike the Rhinokin who seemed more comfortable charging on all four legs, these bears walked like a man.  

His opponent carried a large stone hammer and gave a few practice swings before smashing it into the icy ground, sending up a spray of white.

Okay… so I don’t want to get hit by that.

Francis prepared himself, mostly uninju...

Chapter 24 - The Creation of Arin

Arin woke to unfamiliar sounds.

Instead of birds announcing a new day and the rustling leaves, Arin heard cart wheels on cobblestones, distant conversations, and the pounding of a blacksmith's hammer. The cellar was cool and dark, exactly as Marta had promised, but it lacked the comfort of his tree hollow.

This is civilization. This is what humans build when they have safety.

He flowed up the cellar stairs, squeezing under the door rather than trying to open it. The...

UL1 - Book 11 - Chapter 086 -

Max watched as Jazzjak continued to grumble, scanning whatever data he was looking at on the table he always carried.  Multiple times, both he and Bob had tried to find a way to interact with that tablet and do what their helper could, yet each time, Jazzjak was right about them being locked out.

I wonder what language all that is in since our Omnilingualism skill cannot understand it. You’d think we’d be able to crack the code, especially with how Jazzjak tells us what eac...