dead daniel : the end times

CHAPTER 9

The End Times

I heard a story once about how the Outland was created.

I was told it was a writer with

two magician brothers who

were just ordinary people then.

One day, the writer had

a brilliant idea for a

world and jotted it down

on the nearest paper…

One of his magician brothers spell books.

...Huh?

What the hell is

happening out

there..?

It—It can’t be!

It’s all being

destroyed—It’s all

changing— Just

like I wrote!

The writers name was

Mephisto-Traah.

I can create

anything...

The books used to create Summons and to control all entrances to Hell.

All eight were written by him.

The Eight Volumes in the Books of Traah.

You used mine

and Makita’s

magic to destroy

half the planet!

You are

damned,

brother.

Still it carries on.

You must stop writing

these prophecies! You

must stop working with

these creatures!

It won’t end.

Soon, Mephisto-Traah had little use for his brothers

Mire and Makita so he sought to have them killed.

Makita went into hiding in the Void… As for Mire…

He lost his eye as a result of that attack. He

went into solitude for a great time after that.

I was told he came out of that solitude

to stop the coming end times.

Mire believed the prophecies were

finishing themselves and were

beyond any true control or reason.

Soon Mephisto will have accomplished his goal.

Complete absolution. Complete destruction.

The tragedy is Mire failed.

Leaving all of us behind with the

weight of his unknown mission.

Mire-Traah would have saved the world from

burning away and becoming nothing but a memory.

Books of magic?

I’m not even sure

I believe it myself.

Who cares what changed the

world? Who cares where these

‘Summons’ call home? Hell?

That’s the way

it is. We have

to deal with it.

Mire understood this

threat. He was capable.

I don’t know if I can stop

the world from burning.

I have this nagging feeling something bad is on the way.

But, hey, it’s just a story I heard…

Right?

I will keep this brief Officers.

Today you are going on an

intelligence gathering mission.

Rumors coming from

far out say that

somebody is putting

together a mass

amount of Summons.

Wonder what Tip wants?

Like the ones that tore through

the O.S.P Guard-post?

Might be, Jason.

Shiiiit. Let’s go then.

You’re leading this. Take

the team and the resources.

Can we take the

helicopter?

Okay. But keep it

short. We have low

fuel as is, Jason.

Dismissed,

Officers.

Sir. Sir.

Sir, uh, one more

thing if I may?

Colony 74, Saint

Clemens… Was hit.

Nobody survived.

Good luck Officers.

Tippintaw is acting

weird as shit lately.

I feel you there. Old

man is losing it with all

these Summons I bet.

Maybe he’s like us…

He’s scared of dying.

We all feel the shadow looming

over the Outland right now.

Be cool! We aren’t

hostile Power Glove!

No. I warned you

the first time.

Gus!

The hell?! STOP!

STOP!

YOU’LL KILL US BOTH--

Gus!

--GUS!!!

...N-No...It can’t be... We survived

closer calls than that.... Gus…GUS!!! You can’t be dead...

He got Power Glove.

He killed those

Summons too. He

saved us, Albert.

He really cared

about you… I’m done.

I’m finished

with this life. I need to leave

the Outland. Gus…

Summons

been moving

East for hours.

What are they

moving toward?

Well... That’s definitely

not good. Zoom in.

I’d say it was the

biggest Summon

this place has

ever seen.

What do we do?

I have a

feeling he is

down there.

How are things, Mac?

Haven’t slept all night Mayor Duke.

Take a look.

I’m

absolutely

fucked!

I’M SO

SCREWED!

Once that

thing catches

up with me...

I’m...

Daniel. Good to see you.

Lady X... I like

the scarf. You

can see my

situation?

Cute. You

want me to

bail you

out again?

Turn it to ash

and I make

you dinner. Not a bad

offer…

I will get its attention

and you run for its leg.

Don’t die.

You

definitely

owe me.

DANIEL LADY X

WE HAD SENSED YOU

WERE IN THE AREA

KILL

DIE DIE

KILL THEM

KILL

They are your problem!

GO!!

Good luck.

Yeah, yeah.

Hmm. Hey!

That’s far enough!

--AH SHIT--

DANIEL

DIE

DANIEL

YOU WANNA FIGHT?! THEN LET’S SETTLE THIS UP!

I DON’T NEED A GUN!

HGGGNN--!!

I TAKE IT BACK, A GUN

WOULD BE GREAT--

GGGGAA--

...Shit...

No thanks!

You’ve got me

trapped it seems. I will take a lot

of you with me.

And here I thought I had no back-up.

Today was a taste of oblivion and, well…

We won.

Daniel Moore?

I was talking tough, that would have been the end of me.

Truth be told, they saved me.

She’s the most dangerous person in the Outland.

Please tell me

someone saw that.

I can’t die

you

Throw anything

at me and it

will not work

You sure

about that?

I am no longer alone.

The O.S.P, Albert, Alice and Lady X are starting to stand with me.

You can’t mess with Lady X…

Gus died today. We have seen casualties.

And he won’t be the last…

Hi Lady X, I’m Alice. Big fan of yours.

Aw.

…

All this fighting

and killing? I find

it pointless and

Gus dying was the

last straw…

Albert, c’mon…

Dan is back!

We all knew the end times had just begun.

It was this blissful acceptance.

Now we all knew what the Outland was in for.

We could all feel it.

This victory was not an easy one and it reaffirmed my fears.

See you again.