Blog Archives
Anger Issues
In Mystical Force Vol. 6: The Enemy Within an apprentice faces past trauma and her questionable past as she learns to harness her own powers. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
It was just the natural progression from where Volume 5 left off. At the end of volume 5, Shi-ria took Chiyoko on as her apprentice, so it only made sense to have volume 6 pick up there. I could have just had her learn to harness these powers between books, but it made more sense to show her gradually learning how to use these powers, plus struggling to cope with her anger issues. As anyone with anger issues (myself included) knows, overcoming your own anger is like facing your fears. It’s not a one-and-done deal. Take public speaking for example, a lot of people have that fear, yet giving a speech in front of a crowd doesn’t automatically mean that fear is gone. It takes time and effort to learn to deal with it. The same goes for Chiyoko, learning to control her rage. It becomes second nature to you, like a default program your brain automatically runs. You have to constantly work at it to reprogram your subconscious mind so you don’t automatically fall back into old habits without even realizing it.
Do you have a favorite scene in this installment of the Mystical Force series? One that was especially enjoyable to craft?
Ooo…that’s a tough one. Which do I choose? It’s like asking a parent to pick their favourite child. But if I have to choose, I would probably say it’s the part where we go into the backstory of Dead-Eye Sammie. Personally, I love a good origin story. It helps to explain how and why the characters became who they are, especially for a villain. Villains don’t think of themselves as evil. Only in a comedy/parody or a badly written story do villains act evil simply for evil’s sake. It makes them more relatable to explore what it was that drove them to villainy. I especially liked the part where she found and murdered the man responsible for killing her parents only to learn he was a parent as well; and that in her rash, lust for revenge, she realized that—to quote Obi Wan from Revenge of the Sith, “You’ve become the very thing you swore to destroy.” Plus it gave me a chance to explain a bit more about her home world, the planet T’nubria in the Torathol Empire. I love world-building. I love going onto fan wikis like “Avatar,” “Wookiepedia,” or “Memory Alpha,” and reading up bios on fictional worlds/nations written in the same style as a Wikipedia article about a real-world country. That’s part of the fun of writing sci-fi and fantasy.
The science inserted in the fiction, I felt, was well-balanced. How did you manage to keep it grounded while still providing the fantastic edge science fiction stories usually provide?
Honestly, I don’t even think about it. I remember a quote from the audio commentary on the DVD for 1964’s Mothra vs Godzilla (my favourite movie by the way), talking about Shinichi Sekizawa, who wrote the screenplay for the film. They mentioned how he didn’t consider himself an expert in any scientific field and felt the audience would get lost if bogged down in too many technical details. I’m the same way. Like with my other series Liberator: The People’s Guard I’m no expert in genetics or any of that stuff. As long as the story flows naturally and makes sense from a plot/character perspective, then people will be more forgiving if the science isn’t technically accurate.
Can we look forward to Vol. 7? Where will it take readers?
Oh yes, there will be a volume 7 coming out. Right now I’m working on Liberator Volume 3, so Volume 7 of Mystical Force will come right after that. As for where it will take readers? I’ve been writing for decades now, usually, I write an outline/synopsis like the plot summary you’d seen on Wikipedia for a book or a movie. Usually, I take my story arcs summary and use that as the basis for each specific book. Depending on what I’ve written, some of the story arcs were lengthy and had a lot of detail (several pages worth), others were little more than a brief paragraph. Sometimes I’ll even start writing something only to discard it because it’s just not working. Sometimes if I have a few short stories lying around, I’ll combine them together for a book, essentially having an ‘A’ plot, ‘B’ plot, and maybe even a ‘C’ plot too; so I can’t commit to anything for certain right now. I can, however, tell you this, having not been seen since volume 4, Tokijin and Sister Rose will return and will have to deal with their lingering relationship issues from that book. There will be new villains introduced and the character of Black Ninja, whom I’ve been hinting throughout the series (plus his brief unseen cameo in this book) will finally make an appearance and will lead to even more exciting adventures for future volumes.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Website | Amazon
Chiyoko has been training hard as Shi-ria’s apprentice, and while she has made progress, she hasn’t yet defeated her greatest opponent, her own temper. As her powers grow, Scarlet Knightwalker becomes more worried that Chiyoko will be more easily tempted to use that power to lash out against those who wronged her. Just like the Poison Starfish who want revenge for Shi-ria, Chiyoko and Shinjo dealing a crippling blow to their criminal empire.
To do this, the Poison Starfish have hired the notorious mercenary Dead-Eye Sammie, who also wants revenge against our heroes. To enlist Dead-Eye’s help, the Poison Starfish must go through Dead-Eye’s business partner, the mysterious Ms. Alcro. But in helping the Poison Starfish, is Ms. Alcro helping the same criminals who ruined her life as a child and set her on this dark path years ago? Have she and Dead-Eye become the very criminals they despise?
It’s uneasy alliances and betrayals as heroes and villains clash in a battle of revenge versus justice. Sometimes, the real enemy isn’t your opponent on the battlefield but the darkness within: your own fear, anger, and hatred. But how does one conquer the enemy inside when no weapon can kill or wound it?
Mystical Force Vol. 6: The Enemy Within
In Mystical Force Volume 6: The Enemy Within, Craig Weidhuner continues his action-packed series set in a universe where martial arts, mystical energy, and shadowy criminal empires collide. This volume dives deep into the personal and emotional struggles of Chiyoko, a young apprentice Taman Knight learning to harness her powers, all while navigating trauma and a shadowy past. At the same time, we encounter nefarious characters like Dead-Eye Sammie and the Poison Starfish crime syndicate, whose operations threaten the fragile peace of Teikoku City. The stakes are high, and so is the drama, with intense action sequences, deep emotional revelations, and a clear sense of impending doom.
The story took me through a rollercoaster of emotions. Take the scenes where Chiyoko struggles to heat her tea using her mystical abilities, guided by her master Shi-ria. You can feel her frustration when nothing seems to work and then the palpable thrill when she finally succeeds, filling her with a newfound confidence. That moment was well-done and relatable, a simple yet powerful way to show character growth. But, as much as I loved these tender moments, some of the emotional outbursts felt repetitive, like Chiyoko’s ongoing rage and struggle with her inner darkness. But it does make sense given her backstory with her abusive mother and abandonment issues.
Now, the action scenes are a whole different beast. When Chiyoko goes up against Dead-Eye Sammie in the park, it is gripping from start to finish. The vivid descriptions, Chiyoko’s rage-fueled kicks, and her desperate attempts to summon the Taman’s energy, were thrilling, almost cinematic. And let’s talk about Dead-Eye Sammie! The big twist revealing her true identity was a nice surprise and played well against expectations.
The book also explores philosophical themes related to good and evil, energy balance, and the impact of unchecked emotions. Shi-ria’s lessons about the Kolri and Koldar forces (the mystical energies representing light and darkness) present thought-provoking ideas. However, some readers might find the detailed explanations about inner balance to be lengthy, which could potentially slow down the pacing. That said, the themes were clear and these ideas give the story more depth and elevate it from being just a straightforward action-adventure.
The Enemy Within is perfect for readers looking for fantasy-action with a spiritual twist. It’s a little like Star Wars meets Naruto, with an emphasis on martial arts, mystical energies, and battles that carry real emotional weight. If you enjoy stories of redemption, the struggle between light and darkness, and complex character dynamics, this book is worth the ride.
Pages: 107 | ASIN : B0DG5RJMY8
LITERARY TITAN 