May is always a crazy month.
School ends, I get older, take my family vacation, and about 100 other things.
That said, I'm completely blown away for how this year has gone.
I'll be 49 in a few days (dang almost 1/2 to 100) and I wanted to share a few updates as well as plans.
Ultimate Level 1
It's hard not to mention this one first but wow is all I can say. Every day I write and am blown away by the love for ...
2024-05-13 13:50:18 +0000 UTC View PostPhillip’s side hurt, and he felt the wet, sticky liquid running down his left leg.
Two more ogres lay on the ground nearby. The one with the shield had broken his nose with a well-timed kick but still died. The taste of blood and the pain of breathing had made the third fight harder.
The ogre with two clubs had waited its turn, happy to have a chance at being the one to defeat him.
Blood bubbled from its throat, where he had managed to kill it.
The ...
2024-05-13 13:00:24 +0000 UTC View PostLike an arrow fired from a bow, Phillip was moving. The entire group was hesitating, not sure what to do, as one of their greatest hopes of winning this battle was down, and the other dragon moved toward it.
Tears were streaming down his face as anger and rage boiled inside him. Pain and agony like nothing he had felt before burned within. A barrier stood in his way, and with a single jump that he hadn’t realized he could make, Phillip was over it, landing and rolling as he moved.
... 2024-05-10 14:00:01 +0000 UTC View PostAn axe head slammed into Frederick’s shoulder, and the pain of it hurt from the impact but not a cut that would have killed many. The black scales that protected him there absorbed part of the blow.
The barbarian that had done it roared in anger, and as he tried to lift his axe and attack again, a hammer caught him in the chest.
Frederick didn’t have to look to know the redheaded dwarf. Thoria had ended the life of another.
I can see you. You’re going to have t...
2024-05-10 13:00:33 +0000 UTC View Post“This seems so broken,” Cordellia muttered as they continued to plow their way through the first floor. “You all really have no idea how fast we are going compared to most, do you?”
Fowl shrugged and grunted. “We don’t talk about that anymore. That’s so pre-tower day stuff.”
Tanila started to laugh and gave Batrire a gentle shove as she groaned.
“Seriously though,” Cordellia continued. “We are destroying this place.”
“Maybe it's th...
2024-05-10 13:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostThey all turned to the chest, admiring how it was red like the scales of the rare spawn they had just defeated. Decorating the outside of the chest was a massive lizardman, its scales resembling the gems they collected from the normal creatures they killed.
“Any idea what’s inside?” Max asked Cordellia.
She shook her head and grinned, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. “You have no idea how excited I am right now.”
Fowl started to chuckle, b...
2024-05-09 13:00:02 +0000 UTC View PostPhillip couldn’t help but stare across the battlefield and wonder what Frederick was facing. Looking at an army of thirty thousand created a twinge of pain as the enemy roared and mocked them across the six-hundred-yard expanse between them.
“You certain we can take out those fortifications, sir?”
Turning to look at the officer assigned to him, Phillip nodded. “Seargent Pulak, we don’t have any other choice. For now, we wait for the orders to attack.”
The man and...
2024-05-09 13:00:01 +0000 UTC View Post“Nice work!” Max shouted as he spun back to face Cordellia behind him. “You do put some damage out with that bow!”
Cordellia blushed a little, still struggling with the knowledge that one of the elven princesses was in her party.
“Are you all aware that gems don’t normally drop like this?” Cordellia asked. “I mean usually it’s one or two at most for a normal pack of five.”
“Everett told us,” Tanila replied. “Another thing we like t...
2024-05-08 13:00:02 +0000 UTC View PostI cannot hit them from here! You need to get closer! My magic just fizzles out from this height!
There is nothing we can do! Foros is not in position yet and we will be in danger of the siege weapons if I get closer.
Are you telling me that you cannot dodge them from this distance? I have seen you fly before and know that you are capable of that.
The sensation of frustration Ava felt coming from Amaranth made her wonder if she h...
2024-05-08 13:00:01 +0000 UTC View Post“Help that rider!” Sedel shouted as she pointed to the army of barbarians charging toward Frederick.
The dozen archers next to her drew back and unleashed arrows so quickly the dwarves who stood near them, ready to replace the baskets were in shock.
Like rain, death fell from above, arching over the battle ground and into the mass of unprotected torsos. Screams of pain and agony ripped through the barbarian horde.
“What are those fools doing?” Dagan...
2024-05-07 13:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostSitting in the tub and holding Tanila close, Max closed his eyes, trying to let the memories of the last four hours fade away.
“You ok?” Tanila asked, softly kissing his hands while watching the steam rise from the water.
“No… I did… I did what needed to be done, but I don’t know if it was for the right reason.”
She frowned, nodding her head once. “Like Everett, sometimes the actions required of you aren’t easy. Would you still have done it if y...
2024-05-07 13:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostMonday is here and all I can say is I wasn't planning as I should have in regards to having six kids and the end of a school year. So many concerts, performances, track meets, cheer competitions and more.
Good news I enjoy it... bad news it's like 2-3 things every day.
ON to stuff about writing.
Started book 5 and the first chapter lists Max's stats (Fully geared).
All I can say is after reading books 1 & 2 again about 2 weeks ago, those numbers feel soooo ...
2024-05-07 02:33:11 +0000 UTC View PostThe four of them stood there smiling, ignoring the expression on Everett’s face.
“You couldn’t help yourselves, could you?”
As one they burst out laughing, shaking their heads.
“We only killed about a hundred or so,” Fowl said. It’s not like we felt we were in danger.”
“You hear that Everett? Not in danger,” Tom said, a frown on his face since they announced what they had done. “It’s not like the tower can be that dangerous.”
“It...
2024-05-06 13:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post“Hold the line!”
The dwarves near him shouted back as Frederick clashed with the first barrier in their way.
Mother is very adapt at doing what she did.
Tazorath’s words confirmed what Frederick thought he had seen. The yellow dragon had done what he considered impossible, attacking the area where the siege weapons were. Though he couldn’t see it all, the two weapons that fired at her had not missed by much, yet the dragon had turned, rolled, a...
2024-05-06 13:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostThe Story So Far
Welcome back to book four, Ultimate Level 1: New Dreams!
Here is a quick recap of the story so far.
Book 1: Max wanted to be a baker but as we know, a mysterious god (or gods) gave him a black skill. He was assaulted, bound and tossed into a wagon, unsure what would happen next. Getting out he took on the alter identity of Seth Pendal and grew stronger, learning that his black skill, Consume...
2024-05-05 13:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostAll along the stone wall of the dueling fields, young men and women stood shoulder to shoulder while waiting for Bior Glandursson to speak.
The deafening roar of the crowd had made it impossible in the last twenty seconds to hear anything and even the horns that had blown were drowned out.
Finally, everything went mostly silent after a third sounding of the horns.
Torches had been driven into the dirt floor, creating a wide circle of light. All over the seats, lanterns...
2024-05-03 14:15:48 +0000 UTC View PostMagnus looked at the city of Kopanes from the docks and wondered how something so massive could survive.
There had been so many fields that they passed as the shallow boats had carried them upstream. He and the other men had taken turns using the long poles to propel it ahead during the past two days.
“It’s impressive,” Valgard said. “It’s been so long since I have been here.”
The shouting of guards and dock workers telling people to move and ge...
2024-05-03 14:15:29 +0000 UTC View PostLying on the table, the pain that Magnus felt was nothing compared to what it had been when Odin had put the first rune into his body. The taste of blood and metal was in his mouth again and it felt like his whole back was on fire.
The same glow he had seen when Valgard got his rune now illuminated the room once more. The golden light and a crackle of electricity fought to overwhelm Magnus’s senses, yet he ignored all the pain, feeling power beginning to seep into hi...
2024-05-03 14:15:01 +0000 UTC View Post“Happy Birth Day,” Thora said as she kissed Magnus on the forehead. She patted the braids she had just finished putting in his hair, admiring the handiwork. “You remind me so much of him.”
Magnus smiled and nodded, seeing the water welling around her blue eyes as she sniffed and turned, moving back toward the area she cooked in of the house.
“Ready for the celebration?” Valgard asked. “From what I understand, Reinn is going to give you an axe today....
2024-05-03 14:14:32 +0000 UTC View PostSlowly Magnus backed up, knowing the path he needed to take to avoid the trap they had created. Falling in while panicking wouldn’t do anything but get him killed. Not that he was afraid of it, knowing he had a rune, yet the idea of being torn apart by these beasts did little to help alleviate that fear.
Growls and snarls came as saliva dripped from the wolves’ open mouths. They didn’t pause, continuing their movements toward him, each step closing the distance.<...
2024-05-03 14:14:03 +0000 UTC View Post“I’m not certain I can keep this up,” Osvif managed to get out between breaths.
Nodding, Magnus took a few more deep breaths and ignored the sweat running down his entire body.
Both of them had been training for the last month each night and the exhaustion had finally started to let up. Training six days a week with just one day off had been brutal but with a lifetime of working out and knowing how to train, Magnus had developed a program to get their bodie...
2024-05-03 14:13:43 +0000 UTC View PostThe look of anticipation of hearing what Magnus was going to say was gone. Arngrim scowled and wagged the finger at him again.
“Because if you don’t boy I will tell everyone that the troll was your fault! Then what kind of hero would you be after they learn two children died because of you?!”
Shaking his head from side to side, Magnus shrugged.
“I wonder how they would feel knowing that you can sense people’s rune slots and that you have runes on you. W...
2024-05-03 14:11:31 +0000 UTC View PostMagnus looked at the cart of goods they were taking home with them. A single mule led by one of the thralls of Reinn, seemed content to plod along the dirt path.
Thora walked between Magnus and Valgard, an arm encircling an arm on each of them.
Silence beyond the sound of cartwheels turning and the occasional braying of the mule had been their companion as they walked for the last hour, content to feel like things were finally getting better for them all.
...
2024-05-03 14:10:58 +0000 UTC View PostMagnus stood there quietly as Hrein ignored the protest of his wife and daughter, asking him to leave the boy alone.
A space around them had opened up as others saw the way the man glared at the teen boy they knew as Einar. A lanky brown haired boy wasn’t backing down from a man who most believed would snap the kid in a single blow.
“So… Brennor tells me that what I heard was not true. That you used my axe without permission.”
Unable to keep a straight face any...
2024-05-03 14:10:40 +0000 UTC View PostMagnus found himself a sweaty mess from all the games he had been playing, trying to downplay the attention everyone had been giving him.
Guat had seen him once and glared but Magnus had said nothing, a simple nod of acknowledgement and went on. He had ideas on how to possibly try and win the boy over to his side but if he proved impossible, learning how to make Guat submit within the Viking culture was the next step.
An area in the open space that filled the city was ...
2024-05-03 14:10:22 +0000 UTC View PostIt has started… where is that man?
Neither Glynnis nor Amaranth have seen him. The dwarves and wood elves started fighting a little while ago.
You’re not telling me something… it’s just as bad there, isn’t it?
Telling you and distracting you isn’t my goal. We have different objectives, and we must trust the others with theirs. Now, focus; we need to find him.
Kaen continued to search the sky as Pammo...
2024-05-03 13:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostThe last rays of sunlight flowed down the path from the road toward their house.
“Tomorrow I expect the two of you at the longhouse,” Reinn said as Magnus and Valgard started to walk away. “I owe a debt and I will not allow it to hang over me long.”
Nodding once, Valgard turned and put an arm around Magnus’s shoulder, leading him toward the house.
“I mean what I said earlier. I’ll teach you to fight.”
Clearing his throat, Magnus nodded as he felt ...
2024-05-02 20:21:27 +0000 UTC View PostThe troll turned to face Reinn who had managed to spear the creature in the gut on its side, sinking two thirds of the blade into the less hardened flesh.
Valgard’s axe swung at the hand that was coming toward Brennor.
Unlike the others, Magnus didn’t want to announce his presence. He didn’t want the troll to know he was there.
Planting his feet and leading with his hips the axe came down and around as he twisted his whole body. ...
2024-05-02 20:20:55 +0000 UTC View PostA little over an hour of running ended with a sight no one had wanted to find.
One of the farms used to have a handful of animals. The pen that had held them was gone, blood and bits of flesh and a large pile of crap was all that remained. Worse yet was the footprint Magnus finally got to see.
It was three feet long and about a foot wide, letting him figure out for himself just how large the thing must be.
“We’re fools for being out here,” one o...
2024-05-02 20:20:35 +0000 UTC View Post“That’s not possible,” Valgard protested. “There hasn’t been a troll–”
“Stop hiding behind your beliefs and get your spear or axe!” Reinn yelled at the man from the top of his horse. “It is verified that one is inside our realm! Now grab your boy and join the pack coming up the road! We will need to search and find this beast before anyone else dies!”
Not waiting for Magnus or his father to respond, the Lendmann turned his horse and galloped back ...
2024-05-02 20:20:05 +0000 UTC View Post