Matthew Roland's Blog, page 3

REVIEW: "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" - PART 1

The numerous controversies and overall divided reaction to the latest Star Wars trilogy have caused an overwhelming abundance of forcefully-expressed opinions, verdicts, and sentiments over the past five years. However, one thing most people couldn't have possibly seen coming was making a high majority of the Star Wars fanbase look back fondly upon the oft-maligned prequels––and their central character––Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, aka Hayden Christensen. But that's exactly what they've done: the days of rabid prequel-bashing are officially over. They're history. The tables have been turned. In the words of one Twitter user, "I don’t think I’ve ever seen Star Wars fans united in agreement over a single topic quite like the fact that Hayden Christensen has to be in Ep IX." [NOTE: the following is rife with spoilers and numerous plot reveals, so if you haven't yet viewed "Star Wars: Episode IV: The Rise of Skywalker," I suggest you return at a later time] Showing Us Why It's no secret that the single, most important thing this newest sequence of films had to do was justify. Its. Existence. There had to be shown beyond a shadow of a doubt that there was a profound reason (one greater than nostalgia or money-making) to continue the story of the original, six-film saga. 2015's The Force Awakens was (almost) a step in the right direction. I say "almost" because the film was absolutely steeped in nostalgia––and too often revisited plot points from A New Hope. But it did do a solid job of laying the groundwork for the next two sequels. And with its successful release and subsequent reception, anticipations and expectations were running high. Then we got The Last Jedi. So many varied and heated opinions have already been voiced on this issue, I won't go into any great detail concerning the film. However, it should be noted that, though not nearly being as bad as some have made it out to be, Jedi didn't do the final installment any favors with its almost flagrant disregard for classic Star Wars tradition. Don't get me wrong: The Last Jedi got a lot of things right. But, truth be told, I felt the narrative as a whole didn't cover enough ground to give the sequel adequate breathing room with which to complete the saga on a satisfying note. But even with those misgivings, I decided to reserve judgment until I had seen the last film, always assuming that the powers-that-be had a definitive outline they were sticking to. However, after watching Rise of Skywalker and reading the many various commentaries about all that went on during the film's production, it seems as though that assumption was wrong. And after 287 minutes of screentime (the sum-total of Force & Jedi), it still had to be proven why we needed a new trilogy in the first place. Lucas's Vision Interestingly, though, Lucas himself had a definitive plan and vision for the final three episodes and––despite sounding somewhat crazy, it looks as though they might have been able to address and solve that aforementioned dilemma. He recently revealed his plans for the trilogy just last year. Make of them what you will: “[The next three Star Wars films] were going to get into a microbiotic world. But there’s this world of creatures that operate differently than we do. I call them the Whills. And the Whills are the ones who actually control the universe. They feed off the Force… If I’d held onto the company, I could have done it, and then it would have been done. Of course, a lot of the fans would have hated it, just like they did Phantom Menace and everything, but at least the whole story from beginning to end would be told.” “Back in the day, I used to say ultimately what this means is we were just cars, vehicles for the Whills to travel around in...We’re vessels for them. And the conduit is the midichlorians. The midichlorians are the ones that communicate with the Whills. The Whills, in a general sense, they are the Force… All the way back to—with the Force and the Jedi and everything—the whole concept of how things happen was laid out completely from [the beginning] to the end. But I never got to finish. I never got to tell people about it.” Further details that have since been reported are as follows: 1) instead of being around the same age as Luke, Leia, and Han, the main characters would have been teenagers, 2) instead of being an old recluse, Luke would have been in his 30's and 40's and would have a love interest, 3) emphasis would've been placed on Leia's force sensitivity (Rian Johnson attempted to pull this off in The Last Jedi, but as Ben Sherlock of screenrant.com put it, "However, it’s unknown if his version of events had Leia flying around the deep emptiness of space like she’d suddenly become Mary Poppins. The problem with that scene was that it made the established mythology of the Force immediately inconsistent."), and 4) Luke would have died in the final movie, not in Episode VIII. While much of the Star Wars fandom criticized Luke's exile and subsequent actions as uncharacteristic, those were actually in Lucas's original treatments. Again, Sherlock reports that "The difference is that instead of waiting until the very end of Episode VII to reveal him, Lucas would’ve brought in Luke much earlier. A young stalwart named Kira (who was later renamed Rey) would find him and become the beacon of hope that keeps him going as he trained her in the ways of the Force. It was in the portrayal of this crucial character development that The Last Jedi stumbled." Lucas has also openly criticized Disney’s decision to go "retro" with The Force Awakens: “They wanted to do a retro movie. I don’t like that. Every movie, I work very hard to make them completely different, with different planets, with different spaceships, make it new.” As we all know, Lucas turned over his story treatments for all three episodes after the acquisition of Lucasfilm by Disney, but they reportedly "discarded" his story ideas. Personally, I would've liked to see Lucas's vision carried out, but in the end, that is no longer of any consequence, save for us to ruminate on what could've been. By the time The Rise of Skywalker rolled around, Disney found itself in the predicament of having to resolve three trilogies and multiple plot threads in one movie. As I stated earlier, The Last Jedi didn't help on that count: instead of helping resolve a few of Abrams' mystery boxes, Jedi either shoved them aside by saying they weren't important or created completely new questions that needed to be addressed (such as: if Rey is truly a nobody and can yet harness such remarkable power, what are the implications for Anakin Skywalker, the "Chosen One" and purportedly the most powerful Jedi who ever lived?) This is very much a stern reminder that only goes to show how essential it is to plan out your story beats before executing them (especially in a series of interlinked & contiguous films: one can get away with a lot more, and has much more room to operate in books than onscreen). Besides, Star Wars films are interlocked into a series of trilogies––and thus (as was later lamented by screenwriter Chris Terrio), it was not possible to split Rise of Skywalker into two parts, which might have resulted in a much different critical reception. Palpatine's Return has Significant Implications With so many things at stake, J.J. Abrams was chosen to replace the previously-announced director, Colin Trevorrow, and with the help of Chris Terrio, wrote a completely new script. It has since been revealed that his main contribution and "answer" to the film's many obstacles was the suggestion to bring back Ian McDiarmid's Emperor Palpatine (also known as Darth Sidious), with the hope that his inclusion would win over those who weren't yet convinced the new films were justifiable. Because, make no mistake: if Palpatine is involved, things "matter"––hence the reason why tickets are still selling by the bucketload. This decision, which had the potential to either be really good or really not good makes perfect sense (seeing as it was now likely too late to breathe life into Lucas's story ideas). In the words of Abrams himself: “Well, when you look at this as nine chapters of a story, perhaps the weirder thing would be if Palpatine didn’t return. You just look at what he talks about, who he is, how important he is, what the story is—strangely, his absence entirely from the third trilogy would be conspicuous. It would be very weird.” If you don't remember, in Episode 6, Anakin/Vader, in a moment of tortured indecision, sacrifices himself to save his son, Luke, by hurling Palpatine into an endless shaft. His surviving organs are fried to a crisp by the Emperor's lightning, and his sacrifice and death bring a (one would think) definitive end to the Story of Skywalker. As Hannah Collins of CBR.com asserts, "In his dying moments, Luke removes Vader's mask so that he can see his son "with [his] own eyes," allowing him to die a heroes' death as Anakin Skywalker, the man who sacrificed himself to end his master's reign of terror on the galaxy. It's one of the most iconic heel-turn moments of redemption in cinema history. Except that, as of The Rise of Skywalker, this is no longer true. We now know that, much like Darth Maul, the Emperor's first apprentice, Palpatine wasn't stopped for good, even after tumbling to what should have been inescapable doom. Even the promise of his return irreparably damages Vader's legacy. At best, Vader simply stalled Palpatine for a couple of decades, which doesn't have the same noble ring to it." One must think the producers and screenwriters at least considered the fact that such a move could seriously undermine the story of the original six films. Therefore, it would need to be executed with care; and it would need to be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that such a return was both necessary and conceivable. Now, on to the film itself! TO BE CONTINUED: REVIEW: "THE RISE OF SKYWALKER" - PART 2

EXCLUSIVE FICTION: Prologue to "Fallen Son"

RAVAGERS ACROSS A STARRY SKY LASER FIRE REVERBERATED thunderously through the white-walled corridor. Accompanying this was the sound of pounding feet against...

Draft #2: Finished!

I'm excited to announce that the second draft of Swords Unhallowed, which I commenced sometime in September, is finished. This draft went much better than th...

3 Reasons Romantic Relationships Fall Apart (and the One Thing that's Missing)

I think it’s safe to say that often, romantic relationships don’t start out strong. Especially among teenagers. Several years back, I had a teammate on my senior league baseball team, who must have been about fifteen years old. This guy—who had a girlfriend—became the focal point for a great deal of needling and teasing because he and his girlfriend would literally break up and get back together every few days. It got to the point that we (who were by the way, very responsible and mature fifteen-year-olds ourselves) would stop whatever we were doing just to gawk as this guy made up with his girlfriend across the field. Eventually, that relationship ended like so many others—for good, finally. While my own experiences with romance have not been quite as extreme, I have, however, learned several things in accordance with God’s Word that I hope will guide me to make wiser decisions in the future. But first off, I think it’s important to examine why relationships fall apart with such consistency. 1. WE AREN’T READY Most teenage romances are formed for one or more of the following three reasons: 1) the sake of “having a relationship,” 2) because a relationship with someone more popular would produce a rise in societal ranks, and 3) for the sole purpose of experiencing the emotional and physical pleasures of romantic love without the burden of responsibility. As such, many teenagers aren’t emotionally (not to mention monetarily) prepared for a real commitment. 2. UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS A great many people (myself included) have fallen into the trap of thinking a romance will be a blissful walk in the park, devoid of pitfalls and snags, and just like every story they’ve ever watched or read about. However, as these same people can now testify, this is simply not the case. Most assuredly, there will be definite “highs.” But those highs are never without their lows—or else they wouldn’t be highs, to begin with, in the first place. Reality only goes to show that the actual maintaining of a healthy and fruitful relationship requires effort. It requires dedication and also patience. And last, but certainly not least, it demands love and attention. If you happen to be in a romantic relationship, then don’t be shocked, hurt, or disappointed when the other person messes up. We need to understand that nobody is perfect and that even our closest friends will fail us. We’re human, and as fallen creatures, we’re sinful. We will make mistakes. 3. SELFISHNESS If one were to actually take the time to carefully examine all of the individual factors that result in the dissolution of a relationship between two persons, then they would quickly come to see that many of these happenings arise from one thing and one thing only: selfishness. Humans are continually motivated by the insatiable desires of their flesh, and when those desires are not in submission to God’s will, it can lead to a whole host of complications. Ranging from “hidden hurts” to perceived offenses, and all the like, selfishness in its many forms and guises can bring down many years’ worth of love and trust with the snap of a finger. HIM + HER + GOD Any romantic relationship will not be without blemish. There will be hurdles, obstacles, and storms that wear you down and cause you to question why you loved that person in the first place. You will struggle, say the wrong things, and mess up more times you than you can count. But that’s where God comes in. I’ve often heard relationships described as a triangle. Man and woman are placed at the lower end of the triangle, opposite the other, while God reigns supremely from atop the uppermost pinnacle. God is love, He is just, and His ways are pure. Therefore, if two people are well-acquainted with His ways, it is only all the more likely that these selfsame persons will grow more devoted to each other as they draw nearer to Him—for Godliness is a virtue that quells and washes away all sin, immorality, and wrongdoing. Sadly, because of selfishness, relationships that last “until death do us part” are becoming the exception rather than the norm. This issue of selfishness is more clearly seen and exemplified in a person’s overall attitude towards said relationship: if their underlying motives are to fulfill their own needs and desires—rather than that of the other person––then hurt, resentment, and animosity can only ensue. In a close relationship with someone of the opposite sex, you need to ask yourself these questions: 1. How can both of us be drawn closer to God through this?
2. How can this be used as a Godly example to both of my fellow peers and those who look up to me?
3. How can God be glorified through this relationship? To avoid the traps and pitfalls that so many others fall prey to, both members must conform themselves to God’s standards as laid out in His word and, first and foremost, keep their eyes focused and open wide upon Him. DON’T BE IN LOVE WITH BEING IN LOVE Stop being in love . . . with being in love. While it can sting to hear, you don’t have to be in a relationship. As Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 7:32, you don’t have to be in love to live a happy and fulfilling life. The teenage years are, undoubtedly, the most impressionable and impactful time in your life, for in them you are learning how to think, what to think, and why you think what you think. While romantic relationships can certainly be beneficial, they also have the potential to distract you from the more immediate and important things in life. They can hinder or even hurt your other friendships, prevent you from learning to live responsibly, and even likelier, usurp God’s place in your heart. Now, don’t get me wrong. Every person, every situation, every relationship is different. There is no set line or rule of when to which we must adhere. But if you’re not currently in one, I’d encourage you to not be biting at the bit and itching to find true love. Instead, be patient and uncomplaining, trusting that if you hold fast to Him, God will work things out for you. As Paul affirms in Romans 8:28, “[For,] we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Embrace your singleness. View it as a gift from God and an opportunity to grow closer to Him and more rooted in His word. Allow things to take place in His appropriate timing. If you believe in His word and hold fast to Him alone, then He already has a perfect plan for your life—regardless if it encompasses marriage or not—and He will see that plan through to the very end. [the above was taken from Matthew's post on therebelution.com, which was originally published on Nov 23, 2019]

What the Stars Teach Us About Sharing Kindness

When the light of the sun slips below the horizon, and darkness falls, the stars shine their brightest. From down on this fallen earth, we see them glistening from afar and wonder. We see them, we imagine them, we dream of them. We gaze upon them unabashedly, for they are unquestionably beautiful, and though we try and count their number, we are left breathless and utterly fascinated by the sight of them. Perhaps we’re left in such awe because they seem to provide a reprieve from our own trials and tribulations. Maybe we hold them in such high regard because they are brighter than any light this dark planet can hope to furnish us with. Or, very possibly, we admire them because our worries and anxieties simply pale in comparison to their beauty and “bigness.” In Isaiah 40:26 it is said, “Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these stars, the one who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatest of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing.” They may shine, but this downtrodden world is a wormhole for all that is good; full of endless perils, it seeks with all that it has and is to wholly extinguish the little light yet remaining. At times, this life we live can feel so much like a brutal struggle just to stay faithful to who we are called to be and what we believe in. We strive to hold onto hope, fearing that it shall slip from our grasp. But though hope sometimes seems lost and even bleaker despair may hover ominously, the smallest of lights can still brighten the darkest of nights, and in His great mercy, our Father in heaven has provided a way of escape for those wayward ones. And we, His children––regardless of how we may be faring––have a responsibility and obligation to provide the light that illuminates the lives of others. THE LIGHT WE CHOOSE TO GIVE In painting a vivid picture of Man’s sheer inadequacies and deficiency, the Bible uses analogies and correlations to draw stark contrasts between Light and Darkness. Take John 3:19-21 for instance: “This is the judgement, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought by God.” Light in of itself is a profound rendering for kindness, virtue, purity, and most of all, love. In much the same way, Darkness is an acute depiction of sin, in its many forms and guises. With this in mind, we must take time to ask ourselves this very question: If the outpouring of light is a metaphor for kindness and virtue, what then is the light we choose to give? Now, try and picture this: with the way in which we interact with others in our everyday lives, measuring the brilliance of our light, we can now begin to see something of what this looks like upfront. From our vantage point, we perceive people with great orbs of light, some with small, barely-discernible lights, and others with none at all. Those with the feeble, barely-seeable lights, are those persons whose thoughts are turned so inward that they consume the light they would emit––a clear illustration of selfishness. Likewise, those with lustrous spheres of irradiant light, are those who would be deemed altruistic, considerate, and wholly ungrudging in the light they have to give––a characterization of unselfishness. So are you altruistic? Are you considerate? Will you be wholly ungrudging in the light you have to give? And are you willing to sacrifice your own needs and comforts in order to both literally and figuratively, be the spark the lights the dark? JUST LIKE THE STARS OF THE SKY… Who knows? With a kind word, you just might inadvertently avert a horrendous tragedy from occurring and bring hope to a hopeless soul. Take the scenario of a lonely misfit, who has spent his life playing prey to the constant abuse of devaluing and disparaging words. At long last, this rejected, lonesome individual might decide to end it all by taking his rage out on others. With one kind act, you can straightaway give such an individual hope, where once he had none at all. With very little effort, you will always have the prospective chance to fill the void of his spirit with sudden, renewed luster––thus preventing his soul from being laid waste by the ravaging darkness. Many lose that hope, and to them, the light that once shone so clearly is now wholly consumed, and they are at last, utterly overwhelmed and devoured by depression and despair. Just like beacons of unalloyed light shining out over a sea upon which night has fallen, we should aspire to provide the candle to these despairing ones, so that they might at last burn away the black webs of fear, dread, and hopeless foresight that has brought such anguish to their burdened souls. “Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven,” reads Daniel 12:3, “and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” Those who indeed “shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of the heavens” just like the stars above, are the embodiment of that selfsame candle once spoken of: the flaring light that illuminates the lives of others and that flickering spark that lights the darkness abounding. “Do all things without grumbling or disputing,” Philippians 2:14-16 tells us, “so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.” Like a star, so can we align and thus draw an analogy with the life of any one person. Even after a star dies out, the light of its permeating essence does not reach us until many years later, and in much the same way, the life one lives can have an equally lasting effect. As a friend of mine once told me, “…like the stars of the sky, we burn on. And the light we give will continue to travel through time itself, affecting those who would look up and see it, long after we have been snuffed out. Just like the stars of the sky…” How will your light shine? [the above was taken from Matthew's post on therebelution.com, which was originally published on Oct 28, 2019]

EXCLUSIVE FICTION: Prologue to "Fallen Son"

RAVAGERS ACROSS A STARRY SKY LASER FIRE REVERBERATED thunderously through the white-walled corridor. Accompanying this was the sound of pounding feet against the white-paneled encasing which made up the walls, floor, and ceiling of the star station. Jotham, a chief investigator into suspect matters and occurrences in the Sector of Arethalia, was host to one of those pairs of feet. Alongside him, Ziragen, his cadet, also hastened for the exit a little ways ahead of them. It would lead them to the landing pad of the star station, where their ship was docked and primed for a quick getaway. Hopefully. There was a small chance that Ziragen had forgotten Jotham’s previous instructions and had not left the ship set as a compulsory bolt for freedom, just in case they happened to run into any kind of trouble. Which they had. That was not to be unexpected. Retrospectively, they knew that it was likely they would run into some trouble. It was hard to dismiss this possibility when one attempted to thieve important documents from one of the most powerful beings in the Cosmos. Moreover, trouble of some kind always seemed to be afoot when Jotham and Ziragen were involved in some capacity. Back to business, thought Jotham. Door. Escape. Avoid (if practical, of course) getting blasted to pieces. Put considerable distance between them and us. By ‘them’ he meant, of course, the Rectoniers––specially trained guards who were in charge of guarding things (and in some rare instances, people) from being examined by other, interested persons. Which happened to also explain why Jotham and his cadet were being chased by a bunch of mad psychopaths who had come to the understanding just moments ago, that they had been had. And quite easily, at that. They hadn’t been really happy about that, but then again, they weren’t expected to be. “Zir!” shouted Jotham over his shoulder. Ziragen looked up and flashed him a smile, in the process, displaying a mouth full of pristine white teeth. Jotham ignored his usual show of atypical cheerfulness. “Once we reach the Landing Hangar, get yourself in the Flak Seat and make sure none try and make chase while I work on getting us out of here!” “Sure thing,” said Ziragen, flashing another grin. Thundering starships, is there ever a time when his spirits aren’t hightailing it in some degree of elation or another? “Duck! One’s coming in from the rear and crossing at your right,” came Ziragen’s overly-calm voice over the emphatic din. Ziragen, of course, didn’t mean that a duck was veering towards Jotham from his right. He meant that a blast of scorching-hot plasma was on the point of smoking a hole through his side, which would then render Jotham quite dead. Ziragen had an uncanny ability to sense when things might occur before they had even transpired. That was, in some part, what had interested Jotham so much in him in the first place. Of course, if one expended one’s thought upon the matter for any short period of time, that was an ability that would be quite handy to have lying around. So he ducked. Immediately, a blast of hot air seared past him, just where his head had been. “That’s eight,” came Ziragen’s voice from behind him. Jotham didn’t turn to look, but he knew that a grin was splitting Ziragen’s face from ear to ear. “You forgot that I still lead you by one,” he replied cooly. “Nine times have I saved your life, compared to your paltry eight.” “Irrefutably so, but soon I will have the mastery, in part due to the advantage of my youth, Master Guru. You are only going to get older, while I will indubitably prevail as I blossom in the flower of my youth.” Jotham could only roll his eyes. Ziragen knew full well how it annoyed him so when he took the liberty to call him that. Master Guru, indeed! “Ready yourself, Ziragen, we approach our destination,” he said, turning a deaf ear to Ziragen’s meandering words. Responding contemporaneously to his own order, Jotham clenched his hand into a fist, impressing upon the button that would actuate the protective face visor to unfold over his face. Straightaway, his surroundings were profoundly transformed and visualized to the highest degree––by means of the visor’s self-enacted lens, which allowed him to see and perceive things or people in a much more introspective way than he could have otherwise done. Before them, a vaulted black door loomed, stark against the all-encompassing white walls that ran abutted to it. It was, of course, bolted shut and made of pure steel––no amount of pushing or hammering on their part could possibly be contrived to make it passable. Be that as it may, Jotham was unworried. He was always prepared for any obstreperous event that might venture to arise. In conjunction with his long strides, he slipped a hand into his coat and pulled out small time-bomb. With effortless ease, he flipped the switch, thus activating it. The seconds began to tick away. 0.05 The dark-clothed Rectoniers were gaining on them now. Jotham could hear their breath. 0.04 Blaster fire swished dangerously close to his side, burning through a part of his cloak. 0.03 “Now might be an appropriate time, Master Jotham!” said Ziragen, tenuous consternation laced in an undercurrent through his voice. 0.02 They were just several yards away from the barricade and hurtling towards it fast. 0.01 Jotham tossed it in an underhanded motion. It hit the door and detonated simultaneously, inducing the door to burst asunder in a powerful blast of vaporous red light. The burnished metal that still remained attached to the frame curled back from the severe heat, allowing Jotham enough room to leap through without mutilating himself. Ziragen followed right behind him. Incomparable timing, thought Jotham to himself. Having cleared the doorway, they burst onto the Landing Hangar and sped towards the ship, which sat, engine running idly, just some yards away. Blast! thought Jotham. “What did I tell you about leaving the engine running idly, as all the while, our fuel burns away into irreplaceable nothingness?! Where in Herald’s Spire, do you believe this stuff grows on? Most certainly not out of a nullity! Thrice-blast it! Now, in addition to potential pursuers, we’re also low on fuel, due in part, to your seeming ineptitude. The former could engender any number of problems! We certainly don’t need a second complication pervading the already-clouded waters.” Jotham spared a glare back at Ziragen, whom he saw frowning to himself. Well, that’s most agreeably a rare sight. “You said to keep it going, in case we were compelled to get going fast.” “I said to leave it in such a condition, so that might actually have a chance at absconding ourselves at any due minute at which we might so choose, not keep the blasted engine running! For once wouldn’t it help if yo––” He was cut off by a massive explosion behind him. Glancing back over his right shoulder, he saw that he had been close to being hit. Too close. “Never mind!” he shouted over the vibrant array of objects exploding and shells imploding. “Let’s get out of here before we get torqued!” “Agreed!” “Reaching the ship, Jotham slammed his hand down on the small box that protruded from the ship’s side, causing the hatch to slide open. Making a mad dash to the Pilot’s seat, he leapt into it and prepared to take off. Behind him, he heard Ziragen run into the ‘Flak Chamber,’ as they so called it. He would be lining up the big guns. Adjusting his headset and pushing his dark, semi-long hair out of his eyes, Jotham pulled on the throttle, prompting the engines to roar with new fervor. Pulling back on a lever at his side, the ship began to slowly rise from the landing dock. “You on it?!” he shouted into his mike. “Yep, targets lined up, guns ready. Let’s burn this gas!” Certainly easy for him to say. The ship swiveled around smoothly in the air, as Jotham prepped it for takeoff. In direct unison, he caught the sound Ziragen’s whoops fill his ear and the sudden spattering of laser fire, as he went to work at impeding their pursuers from giving chase to them. Outside, he could hear a resounding chorus of shouts and cries, as their belligerent adversaries were blasted into oblivion. Then, “Oops,” said Ziragen in his ear. “Too soon. They’re alerted, and a small assortment is heading in the direction of the other ships in the hanger. They’re gonna try and blast us to bits in the air. They must want those plans we purloined off ‘em something desperate.” If he only knew, though Jotham. Lord Cadmus would not be happy in the slightest if news of his most recent ‘endeavors’ managed to reach the ears of the Galactic Council. He was on thin ice as it was. Jotham hoped that with this particular piece of evidence, he might be able to incriminate him in front of the Head Sovereigns and have his tyrannical regime dealt with once and for all. Besides him being a viable existential threat to the entire galaxy, Jotham had other reasons of his own. Personal reasons. Something most other people wouldn’t understand. “We’ve got to shoot them down before they get in the air!” He shouted over his shoulder. “We can risk letting them follow us, especially when we’re this low on fuel!” The fuel gauge showed that they had 27% left in the reserves. Looking in his mirrors, Jotham sighted their opponents and steered the ship closer to them. “I’m getting you into position,” he said. “Gun ‘em down!” The resonance of laser fire again filled his ears. Looking through his window, which commanded a view of the entire scene, he saw it tearing through the line of ships that rested on the pad. Brilliant explosions of white, orange, and red plumed forth in the air below them, as ship after ship was blown up. “Ye––!” Ziragen’s whoop was cut short as a bolt of red fire impacted the side of the ship, engendering a purposive aperture through which now gushed bitingly cold air. Blast! thought Jotham. I forgot to put up the shields! Of all the lame-brained things I could have forgotten… “Shields, Master Guru, the shields. They’re kinda important, you know,” came Ziragen’s mildly calm voice through his earpiece. “They designed specifically to protect us from hawkish intrusions, such as that annoying missile that just––” Jotham didn’t have time for Ziragen’s uncensored elucidation. “Yes, I know! Cease with the pointlessly incessant commentary; you’re merely serving to be a distraction, not a help.” “Just a reminder, Master Jotham.” Jotham could practically hear Ziragen’s all but assured smile in his voice. “Sibrai, I need the shields, and I need that orifice sealed up now!” said Jotham. A shimmering blue apparition appeared at his right. A head nodded in compliance in concurrence with a feminine repose. “Yes, Master Jotham.” Immediately, a blue haze materialized around the entire ship, before coruscating into obscurity. “Shield is up,” grunted Jotham. “So I’ve noticed.” “For once, you’re short on words. A blissful wonder that is.” “Actually, I was just going to tell you that several Rectoniers have managed to put up their shields, while I was busy obliterating their friends and are in currently in the process of attempting to blast us into oblivion.” At that moment, small red fires appeared on one of Jotham’s screens, as if to just prove the verity of Ziragen’s words. In his mirrors, Jotham could see several ships rising into the air, guns leveling at them. “Abort!” said Jotham. “We’ll lose them in space.” “And if we can’t before…?” Jotham paused momentarily, then said, “We find somewhere secluded to land on a nearby planet.” If we don’t run out of fuel first, he thought. Several pulls here, a couple pushes there, and the ship shot into space, engines roaring and fires burning. Darkness blanketed all that rose into the depths of its ever-pervading firmament, and thousands of stars shimmered brightly, their celestial forms like twinkling lights in a sea of the purest blue. Such a beautiful sight. Even in his forty-five plus years, Jotham was still thrilled by the sight of them. Ziragen didn’t understand this feeling. At nineteen years in the world, he was still cocky, wayward, and thought himself on top of the world, even when he was being pursued by mad alien-freaks whose sole intent was to wipe his pathetic life-form off the face of the universe. His thoughts were broken by Ziragen’s warning voice. “We’re trailed by six fighters, although one seems to be having trouble with his shields and is wobbling about haphazardly. It might be one that I previously hit, but didn’t entirely knock out all the way. “Blast it out of the sky.” “Okay, locked on.” A deafening eruption sounded through the air and Jotham promptly sensed shock waves rolling against their ship’s sheeny exterior: clear and convincing evidence that Ziragen had done just that. One down, five to go. And the five remaining weren’t phased a bit: they continued to persist in their condemning opprobrium, bombarding the ship again and again. That such small ships can inflict so much damage… “What is their problem?!!” Jotham grimaced as Ziragen’s voice rattled forcibly through his ear. Ignoring lingering vestiges of Ziragen’s exasperation that so chose to bear through his voice, Jotham said, “Sibrai, how much damage have the shields sustained?” The selfsame shimmering figure appeared before him again. “My data says that we are down to an overall capacity of 56% At the rate we’re dropping, and if we proceed to maintain this deluge of torrential bombardment, we have precisely ten minutes before we reach a level of 0%. At that point, we will likely be smattered into a million pieces and cease to exist.” “So, in other words, it speaks volumes.” “Yes, Master Jotham, that would be an accurate description. It certainly is decorous that you have been privileged with the capability to comprehend your own fate.” Great, now his artificial intelligence was speaking in snide undertones to him. “They’re gaining on us.” Ziragen’s voice had taken on a clipped edge. Jotham sharply pivoted his attention from the A.I. back to the former. “Fire! Break down their shields! You want me to do it for you?!” “I’m trying. It’s just that they’re much smaller than they appear and they stay out of my range by darting and swerving, and it’s a lot more difficult than it looks, and I’m having trouble maintaining my patience.” Jotham smirked. It certainly is. He wiped a hand across his brow and closed his eyes as a sudden wave of weariness overtook him. “Figure it out, Ziragen. We’re running short on time and fuel, and your ineptness isn’t helping anything either.” For a moment there was silence and Jotham could almost visualize Ziragen contemplating the situation in his mind, brow furrowed in consternation. Then, “Requesting permission to initialize Project–038.” Jotham smiled; he wished he had thought of that. “Permission granted. And Ziragen?” “What?” “No crazy antics like last time.” “You have my word, Master Guru.” The line went dead; Ziragen had taken off his headset in mind of his new undertaking. Jotham growled in the back of his throat. “Shields down to 29%” interrupted Sibrai. Already? “Our fuel reserves are also down to 14% My readings advise that we find a place to land, as soon as can be possible.” Wonderful. “Working on that,” he said. “Sibrai, what planets in this sector can we conceivably land on, before we run out of fuel?” “Ashkelon is the nearest planetoid we can conceivably land on, Master Jotham.” Jotham squinted at the readings on his dashboard. “Uhh…does there happen to be any other planet besides Ashkelon?” He did not wish to debark on Ashkelon if he could help it, as it happened to be home to Cadmus, who was said to keep a strong guard against all who would have the temerity to cross the threshold of his domain. “I’m sorry, Master Jotham. Ashkelon is the only one available to us from where we are currently situated. I suggest taking action in a most punctual function as you can enable yourself to do. Would you like me to set a course to Ashkelon?” Jotham sighed inwardly. Fine. “Please do.” “Ok, the tripod is set up, and we are ready to rock and roll,” said Ziragen into his ear. “Alright, I’m opening the hatchway. And remember what I said about no crazy antics.” “I remember,” came Ziragen’s nettled voice. “Good. Let’s do this.” There was a sudden rush of air behind him as he opened the hatchway. A thunderous BOOM! filled the air and in his rearview mirrors, Jotham caught sight of a massive plume of smoke, balloon into a mushroom cloud behind them. “Hah-hah! Got them suckers good!” The smoke, however, was wafting in both directions. Jotham’s eyes began to water, and he coughed. “Hey! Watch where you point that thing!” he snarled. “My bad.” As well you should be. “That should hold them for now,” said Ziragen. “Close the hatchway and let’s get out of here, while we have a distinctive chance in our sights.” “Fuel level down to 10%,” announced Sibrai. Yup, that’s a problem. Ziragen appeared beside him and slipped into the copilot’s seat. “We fully disperse of them?” he asked. Jotham eyed his mirrors. The mushroom cloud of inky grey was getting farther and farther away. As of yet, nothing had emerged from it. “Yes. It appears as if we outmaneuvered them. It might take them a while to find their way out of your elliptic fog.” “Right on!” Then Ziragen saw the coordinates for their destination. “Ashkelon?! Why in all of Arethraelia are we landing there?!” Before, them Ashkelon rose into view. A red, featureless-seeming wasteland, it was patterned by craters and the red rock that was so inherent to its natural makeup. Jotham took some time before answering. “That is due, in part––actually, now that I think of it, completely due––to you inattentively leaving our engine running, when I clearly told you to do the exact opposite of said action.” “Ah…sorry about that.” “I’m sure you are.” They were drawing close now. Very close. Jotham began to ease back on the throttle now, as their descent became imminent. “Fuel level has reached 6%.” Jotham ignored Sibrai’s monotone of a voice and instead focused on the task at hand: alighting safely upon Ashkelon’s surface as covertly as possible. Ashkelon’s facade drew closer and closer. “500 feet from the surface level,” Sibrai intoned. Jotham eased up even more on the throttle and tried to quiet the engines as much as he dared. The least-clamorous entrance they made, the better. “100 feet from the surface level.” The atmosphere, which consisted of a dark, hazy murk of yellow-tainted clouds, inlaid with streaks of swirling black, seemed to push in on them from all around, thick and oppressive. As Sibrai informed them that they were currently 10 feet from the surface level, Jotham turned to Ziragen. “Now, let’s hope we can do this without being apprehended by Cadmus’s cronies. Next time, take care to listen to everything I say, so that we can avoid placing ourselves in situations such as this and hopefully, not entangle ourselves in––” At that instant, there was a loud thump against the ship’s side, and Jotham’s head slammed forward into the control panel, causing a shower of sparks to spray upwards. “Shield’s integrity compromised. A capsize of the ship’s external structures is imminent,” said Sibrai. The warning alarm began to ring. Jotham had just enough time to realize that the ship had been hit with an exceptionally-powerful force when it was rocked again. Instead of falling forward this time, Jotham snapped backwards, the only thing keeping him in his seat being his seatbelt. At the same time, Ziragen cried out in pain. Disoriented and momentarily having lost his bearings, Jotham instinctively reached down to his hip for his blaster. With a loud, creaky strain, the ship upended itself and then nosedived into the ground. All around them, glass shattered as someplace, somewhere, an aperture was made in one of the windows. The ship was close enough to the surface that it didn’t jar as much as it might have in other circumstances, but it still managed to send a vibrating and painful jolt down Jotham’s body. Upon impact, the fuselage cracked and seemed to fracture with the resound and reverberation of a massive thunder roll. Jotham undid his seatbelt, at the same time coughing from the thick, putrid smoke now wafting in his direction. Then, the ship simply split. It literally split in two. From top to bottom, it cracked and splintered, and the dusky smog-infested sky appeared overhead, growing wider as an ever-widening fissure ran down its side with a torrential outburst. Jotham stumbled at the jarring impact and then went flying forward, the ship rolling over on its side. Coughing, choking on the foul air and bleeding in a thousand places, Jotham half-ran, half-staggered through a large breach in the ship’s side. He couldn’t see Ziragen, didn’t know where he was. Yanking himself out of the way of a piece of falling debris that very nearly impaled him, he began to crawl his way to a clump of ragged and sickly bushes that jutted out of the uneven landscape. Wreckage was flying everywhere, and the smoke was growing by the second. Having made his way safely to the bushes where he could not be seen, he turned about and looked at the ship in sudden, mounting shock. He stared in ever-growing horror as the grasping knowledge finally told hold of him and he realized what was truly happening: someone or something was pulling the ship apart. Then, as he watched from afar, the ship stopped shaking. In the haze, a figure descended. The figure was clad in scarlet, the very hue of fire itself, and it landed on the ground with another resounding BOOM. Straightening, the figure strode with authority and purpose to the dismembered ship, a flowing black cape whipping in the wind behind him. Jotham swallowed. The insignia that was emblazoned on the back of the cape was that of Cadmus. Like a specter of the night, the figure disappeared into one of the many gaping apertures that had been created during the ship’s demolition. Moments later, he appeared, hauling some unknown thing out of the burning wreckage. With his face turned towards him, Jotham got a good look at their adversary’s features. If it weren’t for the dark red eyes that glared out from the figure’s head, he would have sworn that he was human. The figure turned away, and Jotham got an even better look at what it was that he was dragging with him: Ziragen. Upon this, he froze. Ziragen had the plans. The figure wasted no time. Without pausing to look for anyone else who might have been onboard, he vaulted into the air, disappearing into the dusky night. It took some time for Jotham to process everything that had just happened, and realize at the same time that he was stranded. Not only that––but without Ziragen or the plans. There was only one thing he could do now. Quickly, he reached inside one of his pockets and pulled out a circular, orb-shaped object. He eyed it for a moment, then, making his decision, pressed down on the red button in the middle. Immediately, a small flickering of blue lights blinked in and out twice, assuring him that the signal had been sent. Satisfied, he put it back and began to plan out his next move.

Draft #2: Finished!

I'm excited to announce that the second draft of Swords Unhallowed, which I commenced sometime in September, is finished. This draft went much better than the previous one, and I feel more confident going forward about the next drafting period than I did after completing Draft #1. As I've already stated, this is the second of five planned drafts. For those that don't remember, the first (completed on July 29), came in at 90,003 words and 354 MS pages. The second has come in at 107,261––over 17K more, and 422 MS pages, completely eclipsing the previous count. This was expected, and I also anticipate the third to expand as well––possibly reaching 125K. The reasons for this "expansion" stems from the fleshing out of characters, story development, and further elaboration on the events taking place. Once I have completed the third, I will (hopefully) be able to divulge considerably more information and details regarding the story, ranging from a definitive character cast to an in-depth analysis of the story's core themes, and my overall vision. However, at the present moment, all I can say is that Swords Unhallowed consists of one prelude, 13 chapters, and two interludes. Additionally, I've posted the Prelude in two installments on Wattpad. Although it is not at all in the form I would like it to be in, it is still (with the exception of the 1st & 3rd chapters) much more polished than the rest of the narrative. If you're interested in reading it, you can read in here and respond with any feedback you may have. It should also be noted that the Prelude should not be taken as representative of the rest of the narrative proceeding. The tone, which is grim, dark, and somber in the Prelude, lightens considerably in the chapters that follow. I wouldn't call it a comedy, but I have worked hard to infuse ample amounts of humor and absurdity. What's Next? Like the draft before it, I am taking an immediate break from anything fantasy-related for a month, at the very least. The earliest you could see me commence work on the third draft would be on the very eve of Christmas or the first part of January. I've put a lot of time, effort, and energy into getting in the heads of my characters, in addition to figuring out exactly what story it is I want to tell; and this takes a toll, both emotionally and creatively. For the next month or so, my tentative plan is to work on such projects as This Is Love, and Walking in the Light, including the writing of more articles for The Rebelution. My wish is also to spend some time reading––something I have not had the opportunity to do much this year. That said, I'll continue to keep you updated on all my various projects and updates!

Tolerance––Or Truth?

Is truth tolerant? In an age where we are increasingly being impressed with the mindset that we need to be tolerant, the principle of what truth is and has a...

SERIALIZATION: Episode 3 of "The Doom of Innocence"

WELL-NIGH AN HOUR later, Urathane sat in his study, slumped over Jerushin’s enigmatic letter at his desk. He had spent some time poring over its contents, an...

SERIALIZATION: Episode 2 of "The Doom of Innocence"

THE FOLLOWING DAYS passed without much to anything of importance occurring, and Urathane contented himself with various tasks to occupy his time; and when th...