ROGUE

ROGUE

by DarkJade

EPISODE I – ACCEPTED

THE YEAR 2152 – EARTH

70 YEARS AFTER ‘DARK SKIES’

A MEDICAL EXCHANGE IN THE BLUE ZONE DISTRICT

“You really should see a Cyber Specialist Rogue…” speaks a dark haired, 40 something year old female, in a medical coat.

Sitting in a Cyber Adjustment chair is Detective CHESTER ROGUE, a black with silver tips haired, fairly rugged looking, yet somewhat handsome man in his early 50’s.

“Yeah… Well… If I do, they’ll just reignite the arms’ militant aspects… No thanks,” Rogue replies, as he looks down at his Cybernetic right arm, its’ electronics open.

She approaches the arm with an instrument, “Still…” she makes some adjustments, which cause his fingers to move.

She closes it up, “There yah go.”

He bends his arm, which appears to be functioning fine.

“Thanks Doc…”

OUTSIDE IN THE STREET, NEAR THE DOCTOR’S OFFICE

Rogue lights a cigarette, and clicks a switch on his key chain, causing the sleek black vehicle before him’s driver side door to open…

He gets in…

“Up…” the ship rises some 100 feet into the air, then propels forward, entering a metropolis sky full of other types of flying vehicles…

…From product, to people transport, to high end cruisers, to ships similar to his own in general design.

“I should go home… There’s no reason for me to be out here tonight…” he thinks to himself, as his ship swoops through the sky, avoiding all other craft.

It was a dark night…

Even for the Blue Zone District.

Lights in the city seamed as seldom stars…

As Rogue’s ship went low, the BOULEVARD was quiet.

…and it was late.

“Better than being home with my cat…”

Rogue’s eyes swept the streets, as if looking for something… Or… Someone.

“It’s better this way. We both need space. Autonomy.”

Suddenly three girls appear on the street, one looks dressed unbelievably, she has red brown hair to her shoulders, light makeup on her beautiful face… She looks to be like 26ish.

The other two are younger, but not nearly the scale of… Anything the first girl is.

The other two girls look scared, but trying to draw attention from drivers by.

” ROSE SCARLETT,” he says under his breath.

He knows her.

The girls see Rogues vehicle approach, and Rose waves the other two girls off, “I got this.”

Rogue pulls up along side the curve, and lowers his dark passenger window.

She leans over to peer in his dark cockpit, “Hi Rogue…”

He puts his cigarette out, raises the window, and drives away.

ART by Salvador Trakal

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Maverick X – The Return

Maverick X

by DarkJade

YEAR 2120

A Black Aero One Man Fighter Ship enters the Y67 Space Station proximity, orbiting the blackened Earth.

“MAVERICK X, WAKE FROM YOUR SLUMBER… YOU’RE HOME” speaks the on board Computer, SHEILA.

A 50 something, silver haired Fighter Pilot awakens within the cockpit…

…out his front window, Y67.

Below, the uninhabited Earth.

“Yeah… I’m awake… Maverick X checking in.”

Maverick X clicks a few colored lit up switches and buttons, then attempts to contact the Space Station.

“Y67, this is Captain Maverick X, returning from Mission 8, do you copy…”

No reply.

“Sheila can you keep trying…”

“AFFIRMATIVE… Y67, THIS IS MAVERICK X’S AERO ONE, RETURNING FROM MISSION 8, DO YOU COPY.”

Meanwhile, Maverick X rises from his leaned back seat, stiff from the 2 year slumber, and turns on a faucet which blasts out cold simulated water.

“Ahh…” he sighs.

“THERE IS NO RESPONSE MAVERICK X… SHALL I TRY TO OPEN THE LANDING DOORS, AND LAND WITHIN.”

Maverick looks confused a bit, but rubs his face, “Yeah… Bring us in.”

Maverick’s Aero One Fighter Ship enters the doors Sheila opens, and the ship lands.

Inside, to his surprise, there’s no living beings within the Flight Docks.

“Sheila, turn on Security Canons… I’m going in, but I don’t want you to let anyone near the ship, copy.”

“COPY MAVERICK X.”

Maverick X grabs a D12 Laser Canon, opens the side door to the ship, and departs the craft.

“KKKKSSSHHHHHH” makes the sound of the doors decompressing.

He steps on the floor of the Flight Docks… They seem dusty, and cold.

He turns back towards his ship, “Take care of her Sheila,” then makes his way through the Flight Docks…

…no Human form to be seen.

Kron’Dark

Art By Liam Sharp

KRON’DARK

by DarkJade

Chapter One

KRON’DARK sat upon his great, black Battle Steed, on a hill overlooking the Kingdom of PENDON.

Beyond its’ great walls which extended for miles around the City, lay death…

And the poor ones who served it.

He was tired… Hungry… And Bitter.

But he knew there were no other villages or towns for miles from here…

…so he made his way steadily down the path.

As he reached the bottom of the hill, and made his way by the many fields of grain, the workers looked at him with dread, and desperation.

Could this one man… This Barbarian be the one who would save us?

The dim, temporary light in their eyes, then went dark again, as their heads dropped, and they carried out their work.

Kron’Dark paid it no mind.

He’d seen it all before.

A people who surrender their free will for a great wall to protect them…

…for a bit of grain, and dead flesh.

Their souls were no longer their own…

…they simply waited the day of reckoning.

“Excuse me sir!” a voice suddenly came from the field to his left.

“Excuse me… But are you Kron-Dark? Have you come to free us?” the desperate young lads voice pleaded.

He must have been maybe 15.

Kron’Dark gave the boy a slow gaze, his dark black eyes exposing the depth of the things that he has known, seen, defeated…

…he then looked away, and rode on.

PICTURE ART – Another Conan

DarkJade-

Black Angel – Rediscovery

Black Angel

by DarkJade

Episode I

Episode II

EPISODE III – REDISCOVERY

NEW YORK CITY

THE ROOFTOP OF JACOB’S APARTMENT

As the sun sets over New York City, Jacob stands atop the rooftop of his apartment building…

And as the sun reaches the sea, his black wings reappear.

“Where Do I Belong…

Surely I Have No Home.

Removed From The Golden City…

I Look Upon The City Of Light

I Must Seek Out The Three…

The First Begins To Come To me.

Suddenly the roof door begins to open, and Jacob takes flight…

From out of the door comes Ella Strom, and Mark T.

“This is where it happened,” Mark T spoke as he stepped to the edge where he nearly lost his life.

“I jumped from that abandoned building, and a hand reached out and caught me just before I fell to my death…” explained Mark T.

Ella steps to the edge of the building looking down, “That’s quite a fall.”

“And you say you saw a dark silhouette of wings, and a hand reached out and grabbed your arm… And this hand had a golden glow around it?” spoke Ella as she peered around the rooftop.

“Right!” Mark T responded anxiously.

“So how much is this going to get me?” he then questioned.

“It depends…” replied Ella.

“On what?” questioned Mart T.

“On what kind of story this ends up being…” she looked at him, “…but don’t worry, it will be at least a couple hundred bucks.”

With this Mark T. smiled, then smacked his hand in excitement.

“You can’t be up here…” a voice came suddenly from behind them…

It was Bruno, the landlord of the apartment building… A semi heavy, short, big mustache, balding Italian fellow with a cigar in his mouth.

“We’re just leaving,” as Ella walked by Bruno, she handed him a $20.

“I don’t want this,” Bruno spoke, insulted…

…and Mark T took it out of Bruno’s hand, “I’ll take it.”

Ella smiled, the two left the rooftop.

Bruno stayed and looked around a bit, when he saw Jacob, his wings gone again, sitting on a far edge… Out of site from where the others were standing.

Jacob was looking down at the streets below.

“Hey, you’re that new tenant, right?” spoke Bruno as he stepped up behind Jacob.

Jacob’s golden white hair looking unnaturally beautiful…

…he wore all white.

“Yes…” with this Jacob stood, “The name is Jacob.”

Bruno took a hit off his stogie, and shook Jacob’s hand.

“Wow… That’s a firm grip,” Bruno spoke as a strong feeling of peace rushed through him.

He sighed, and forgot what he was doing for a moment.

“I heard what you said to those two… So, I’m not allowed on the rooftop?” questioned Jacob.

“Huh? Oh… No… It’s alright… You ain’t doin no harm… Besides, you live here… I just don’t want no strangers, and/or reporters fussen around up here,” explained Bruno.

“Reporters?” questioned Jacob.

“Yeah… The woman… I recognize her… She’s from the New York News… She’s a good writer, but still… I like things to keep pretty private in this building… These people liven here work hard.”

Jacob nodded, and Bruno stepped away.

“Nice meeten you bud…” and Bruno was gone.

Suddenly a little blue eyed, blond curly haired girl’s face appeared in Jacob’s mind…

“Angelice… We don’t have long,” his wings appeared, and he took to the sky.

PICTURE CREDIT – City Of Angels

Black Angel

Black Angel

by DarkJade

“It Wasn’t Going To Be Easy… Obviously, I Wouldn’t Fit In… And Though The World Was Busy, And Vast… There’s No Doubt In My Mind That I’d Feel Alone

I Wasn’t Given Any Orders… Because This Wasn’t, And Isn’t, A Mission

No

The Fact Is I Didn’t Belong There… And I Don’t Belong Here

The First Order Of Business Was/Is To Find A Home…

Not A Easy Task…

But For Now I Began My Journey In A Small Apartment In New York City

City Of Lights

There Are A Lot Of Books I Can Read To Keep Myself Busy For A While…

Lots Of Movies, And Dare I Say T.V.

But Soon Enough I Will Find Myself Lonely

Three Friends…

That’s What I’ve Allowed Myself At Any Given Time

But Keeping My Secret May Prove Difficult

But No One Says I Have To…

In Fact, No One Says Anything At All…”

NEW YORK CITY

4:12 AM

Two young men make there way quickly down an alleyway.

Billy, a Caucasian young man, twenty years in age…

…and his friend Mark, or Mark T, an African American, twenty two years of age.

“Come on man, did you see it?” Mark spoke with urgency to his friend as they quickly made there way down a dark alleyway.

“I saw… Something,” timidly replied Billy.

Mark T suddenly stopped, and brought down a fire escape.

BAM!

It struck the ground very loudly, then Mark T started to climb.

“Ah, come on man…” spoke Billy as he followed his friend.

“It hit the roof of that next building, I’m sure of it,” replied Mark T as he gasped, running out of breath.

The two reached the top of the abandoned building, only to see a faint yellow grey light emanating from the apartment building next to the building they were on.

“Can you see that man!” exclaimed Mark T.

“It’s going to be light soon T, I can’t afford anything else on my record,” spoke Billy in angst.

Mark T walked to the edge of the building, and tried to gauge how far the two rooftops were apart.

Billy looked at him like he was crazy, “No way man, I’m not jumping that.”

“It’s maybe 15, 20 feet,” spoke Mart T, not really paying attention to Billy.

“Try 25… I’m leaving man,” suddenly spoke Billy, and he turned and headed back to the fire escape.

“Do what you gotta do Billy!” spoke Mark T as he stepped many paces back, then ran towards the end, and leaped.

Just as Mark T neared the edge of the other rooftop, trying frantically to grab onto the edge, a hand glowing a light golden yellow grabbed his arm, and he blacked out.

PICTURE CREDIT – Black Angel

Warriors Of Light – Battle On The Border Of Tyr

Warriors of Light – Battle At The Border of Tyr

by DarkJade

Episode I, Episode II, Episode III, Episode IV, Episode V, Episode VI, Episode VII, Episode VIII, Episode IX, Episode X, Episode XI, Episode XII, Episode XIII, Episode XIV

EPISODE XV

Chemney, Odle, Vyle and Sparen (Last Shown In Episode XI) froze in ah as the sheep thrown by the Frost Giant struck the ground before them…

Surprisingly, Chemney was the first to react, quickly putting a stone in his sling, and hurling it at the Giant…

…but missed completely.

Sparen than thrusted both of her arms and hands forward, and spoke three magical words, “Wen Ple Sor”, and a flash of light struck the giants eyes, blinding him…

“AHHHH!” yelled the Frost Giant.

“Come On!” yelled Odle, who directed the group towards running around the Giant, with hopes of reaching the Kingdom of Tyr Forest before the Giant had regained his site…

Vyle ran quickly passed the Dwarf, as he wasn’t all that quick…

Meanwhile the Frost Giant continued to pick up sheep, and hurl them in the Parties general direction… but didn’t hit any of them.

Sparen didn’t move… She instead conjured a magic missile and sent it at the Giant, hitting it in the arm…

“Rarr!! You’ll pay Mage!!” yelled the Giant, whose vision suddenly returned.

Chemney launched another small rock at the giant, but it did no harm… “Sparen, make for the Forest of Tyr!!” yelled Chemney at the Mage.

Vyle, hearing how Sparen had stayed back, stopped running, though she was half way to the Forest…

She kneeled, and launched an arrow at the Giant, but it whacked it out of the air.

The Frost Giant then ran full speed towards Sparen, who didn’t look to be moving at any time soon…

Odle stopped as well, cocked back his crossbow, and let loose a shot…

…but the bolt launched way off target.

“Woops,” spoke Odle in embarrassment.

“Make For The Forest!” yelled Sparen.

Chemney then realized that they should listen to the Mage, “Listen to her… Run!”

Vyle and Odle looked at one another, then made towards the forest…

Chemney as well…

The Frost Giant had nearly reached Sparen when she suddenly disappeared…

“RARRRR NOOOO!” yelled the Giant in frustration… He then started to swing around at air in hopes of finding the vanishing Mage.

Twenty minutes later, somewhat into the Forest of Tyr, Vyle, Odle and Chemney sat by a tree…

Worrying… Waiting… Wondering.

When suddenly Sparen appeared.

“Phew, I hope they have a banquet waiting for us at Tyr,” spoke Sparen with a smile…

Vyle grabbed Sparen and gave her a great hug, “You foolish girl,”… Then realizing she had ’emoted’, withdrew.

Odle grabbed onto Sparen’s hand, “You saved us Mage… You were spectacular,” he exclaimed.

Chemney on the other hand peered back towards the hills where they had battled the Giant… “A bit south for a Frost Giant…”

The Party then quickly made their way through the Forest of Tyr, towards the Kingdom of Tyr, breaking into song as they went.

PICTURE CREDIT – Frost Giant

Warriors Of Light – The North Lands

Warriors of Light – The North Lands

Episode I, Episode II, Episode III, Episode IV, Episode V, Episode VI, Episode VII, Episode VIII, Episode IX, Episode X, Episode XI, Episode XII

“Like Dog Men, They Came At Them With Ferocity… Not Dog Men… Gnolls.”

EPISODE XIII

Dane (Whose Journey Was Last Updated In Episode IX) traveled for nearly a week northward, without incident…

And as he entered the West most point of The North Land’s Mountain Region, the temperatures dropped easily 40 degrees…

Yes, it would be a very cold journey from here out…

But he must not fail his Village of Rona he thought to himself…

He merely pulled the hood of his maroon cloak over his head, grit his teeth, and pushed on…

By near night fall he had come upon a precarious valley… High were its’ peaks, full of sharp rocks both left and right as far as the eye could see…

He knew it was either go through it now, and arrive on the other side in the dark… Or camp here at its’ mouth, which was not a good idea at all.

And so he pushed on.

About half way through his chestnut horse Brehan nayed, and went back on two hooves, when suddenly an arrow whizzed by Dane’s head, sticking in the rocks to his left.

He grabbed the arrow from the rocks, and studied it for a moment, but was unable to discern from what manner of human, or humanoid it had come…

Suddenly a second arrow whizzed by, and that’s when he kicked the side of his horse, and it took off forward…

And as it did an arrow struck Dane’s back causing him to lose his grip on the reigns, and he fell off his horse…

…striking his head, it began to bleed.

Knowing that his short sword would be useless verses attacks from above, he instead pulled his shield off his back, and drew a Wand from his belt…

Two more arrows came, one hit the rocks, the other he whacked away with his shield.

He then waited…

Waited.

Until finally a Gnoll raised his head in order to see if the Warrior was still alive…

…of course… He was.

Dane held up his wand which glowed a blue green, and three blue green glowing arrows appeared…

“Kill him,” he spoke, and the arrows took flight… all three striking the chest of the Gnoll…

It fell over dead, and dropped from the rocks, 55 Feet below.

All went quiet…

Dane could not do anything about the wound in his back, other then pull out the arrow, which he did, without breaking the tip off, which was good… Still, he was bleeding badly…

…both from his back, and the back of his head…

He began to feel dizzy as he tried to stay focused in case they should attack again.

Suddenly he jumped on his horse, and kicked it, “YAH!”

The Gnolls rose up, but their arrows would fall behind Dane’s horse, striking the rocks around him.

After about an hour Dane made it to the end of the valley, but felt very sick from the loss of blood.

He decided he could not wait, and dismounted in order to at least bandage his head, and try to figure out away to wrap some cloth around his back and chest in order to stop the bleeding.

As Dane wrapped his wounds, he decided to rest for an hour or so, and fell asleep.

Two hours later, in the pitch dark, two glowing blue lights seem to be approaching him… Were they Faries?

Suddenly his horse started to nay as they became close to it, and it fell to the ground in pain…

Dane, wounded, knew he wasn’t strong enough to fight whatever they were, so sadly had to leave his horse behind…

He ran for a half an hour, then fell to the ground, and passed out.

PICTURE CREDIT – Gnoll