The End of Days (The Soul Stone Trilogy Book 3)

by Matt Moss

  “Like hell, you will,” Rico threatened. He punched the guard that spoke in the face, sending him sprawling back, and unleashing his fury on the other four. His rage fueled him, and there was no need to soul tap to dispatch the guards. He didn’t want to make more of a scene than he had to. Wiping the hair back from his face after he finished the fourth, he looked to Jenny and saw the guard hauling her towards the executioner’s block. He left the gawking crowd of people that gathered around and ran after her. Being dragged up the stairs, she struggled against the guard but couldn’t break free. “Rico!” she screamed as the guard drug her by the hair.

  “Let her go, you son of a bitch,” Rico yelled, running. As he drew close, he saw Karn marching towards them from around the side of the temple cornerstone, coming from the direction of the cells. Behind him, three men marched out with sacks over their heads, accompanied by twenty guards.

  “Stand down, Rico,” Karn called out.

  Despite Karn’s warning, Rico didn’t slow down. Running still, he pulled his blade and cut the man’s arm off that held Jenny by her hair. The guard screamed in horror as blood spewed from his shoulder, and tripped over the last step to fall beside the executioner’s block. Jenny scrambled into Rico’s arms, shaking in fear and tears streaming down her face.

  “You shouldn’t have done that,” Karn said in approach.

  “What’s the meaning of this?” Rico spat back, pointing at the wounded guard, standing in front of Jenny to protect her—the sword held down by his side.

  Karn looked at the blade, then at Jenny, then to Rico’s eye. “She has been found guilty of killing governor Vaylesh and conspiring against the Religion. Her sentence is death.”

  “Over my dead body,” Rico threatened and pushed Jenny far behind him, holding the sword at ready. Karn frowned and looked down at the guard rolling on the ground in a puddle of his own blood, crying in pain. Commander Karn raised his hand. Twenty of his guards marched the prisoners beside him and removed the covers from their heads. Rico’s eyes went wide as Hoss, Uurs, and Neptune were the one’s to be sentenced to death. Their mouths were gagged, but they looked at him with hopeful eyes, desperately wanting him to save them.

  Rat came into view from behind the guards. “These men were with her,” he said, pointing to Jenny. “I saw it with my own eyes. They killed Vaylesh.”

  “Liar,” Rico snarled. He turned to Jenny, searching for an answer.

  “It’s true,” she said and found her courage. “And if it were up to me, I’d see you all killed, along with the high priest.” She spat at the men, and everyone in the crowd within earshot gasped, watching with anticipation. Rat smirked. “You see? She’s an enemy of the Religion. Even though she bares the mark, she is a heretic.”

  “I don’t care what you brand her as. Nobody touches her again. The next who tries is a dead man,” Rico stated.

  “Get out of the way, Rico,” Karn said, dressed in battle armor, his hand tightening around the hilt of his giant sword.

  Rico looked down at his feet, his eyes furious and his body shaking with anger waiting to explode. “Don’t make me do this. Nobody needs to die today.”

  Karn pulled his sword. “That’s where you’re wrong. The accused will die today.”

  Rico soul tapped and lunged towards Karn with fury. Karn caught Rico’s sword hand and crushed it with his fist, forcing the blade from Rico’s hand. Rico cried and pulled a dagger from his belt, bringing it into Karn’s ribcage. The giant grunted as the blade went in. He picked Rico up like a rag doll and head-butted him to the ground. His giant boot crashed into Rico’s skull, his eyes rolling back from the impact. Karn picked him up and threw him towards the executioner’s block. “I told you to stand down. Just because you’re Victor’s new pet doesn’t make you above the law.”

  Jenny ran to Rico. She brushed the hair from his face, revealing a fresh cut and the bright red blood that flowed from it. She shook him, crying. “Rico. Get up. Get up.” His eyes found hers and he struggled to his knees, then to his feet as she helped him stand. “Jenny…”

  Karn ripped her away from Rico and marched her beside the block, rolling the wounded guard away with his foot. Stumbling like a drunkard, Rico followed and clenched his unbroken fist with determination. The guards moved to apprehend him, but Karn held a hand up to them, seeing Rico no longer a threat. He stood next to Jenny, a hand gripping her shoulder as she weeped, and called for the first prisoner. The guards led Hoss to the block and pressed his head upon the stone. Another guard held the executioner’s axe and stood ready beside the block, awaiting the command. Karn nodded.

  The guild leader struggled, but it was no use. “To hell with all of…” Hoss said, his words cut off as the axe fell. Though they’d seen it before, the crowd of people grimaced as the head rolled upon the ground. The stone ran red as the body was removed, already prepared for the next. Rico nearly fell as he stared at the sight, lightheaded and not believing this to be real. Uurs was next.

  The faceless man didn’t fight, didn’t protest. He went to the block as though it was his duty. With his mask removed, his face could be seen and was scarred with burns, pale from not seeing the sun. Wordless, he closed his eyes and accepted his fate as the axe fell.

  “All of you will burn for this,” Neptune promised as he watched his friends die. He looked to the crowd of people that stood and watched. “Every one of you pieces of shit will burn for this!” The crowd hissed and cursed his name as the guards hauled the sea dog to the stone. He kicked and clawed, raging against the men who held him. Rico swayed in his stance and watched helplessly, drool falling from his lip, still reeling from Karn’s boot. Neptune craned his neck to look at the executioner. “You sure you want to do this, son?”

  Neptune’s head left his body, rolling with a grimace of pleasure and pain playing across his still face.

  Rico cried out with pain, slowly realizing what was happening, his senses starting to return to him but his strength still diminished.

  Karn placed Jenny upon the stone. The guards held her head in place, wetting her cheek with the other mens’ blood. Rico looked to the headless bodies that were piled behind. He looked into Jenny’s eyes. Slowly, one foot after the other, he walked towards her. His hand reached for her, almost touching. Karn gripped Rico’s hand and kneeled down low, bringing Rico with him, his other massive hand gripped firmly around the back of Rico’s neck. The executioner raised the axe, and Rico knew that he could do nothing to stop it. Jenny’s eyes stared into his, like a wounded deer in the last moments of life, begging him to save her.

  Rico soul tapped the best he could and fought to save her. It took Karn by surprise and the giant nearly stumbled backwards. He lurched forward and stopped Rico with the help of the other guards. He landed a heavy fist across Rico’s jaw and subdued him.

  “Proceed,” Karn told the executioner.

  Again, the executioner raised the axe.

  No longer able to fight, Rico turned his head away.

  Karn forced him to watch, his other hand gripping Rico’s face. “No. You need to see this.”

  Tears welled and streamed from Rico’s eyes. “I’m not strong enough. I’m sorry, Jenny. I’m so sorry,” he cried. Time stopped as the axe fell, and he closed his eyes before it touched her neck. He would never see her like this. She would reside in his memory forever, reliving the morning that they shared with one another as they walked along the docks, through the city, alive and in love.

  Pain and sorrow consumed his body, leaving room for nothing else.

  Karn let go and Rico collapsed to the ground. The guards piled the bodies on top of one another while Karn went to fetch a wagon. Rico lie on is back and stared up at the blue sky, thinking this could be a dream, that it couldn’t be real. His head rolled to the side and he saw the church. Anger welled up inside him as he thought of Victor. “It was you that gave the order. This is your fault,” Rico choked out. He lie there until his senses returned. Finding strength, he picked up his
sword and marched towards the executioner’s block. The executioner was unarmed and using his foot to roll a head towards the bodies.

  “Hey,” Rico said. The man turned around. The sword sliced through the executioner’s neck with ease and, headless, he fell to the ground. In surprise, the other guards cursed and drew swords on Rico. Rico soul tapped, his eyes flashing dangerously. “I wouldn’t,” he threatened. Fear gripped them and froze them in place. Rico marched towards the gardens.

  He saw Victor.

  “Good, my son. Feel the world spinning around you, it’s energy, rushing like a river. Dive into that and feel the power. Breathe,” Victor instructed as Cain trained under his tutelage.

  Rico marched up, bloody sword still in hand.

  Victor sensed him coming and turned in greeting. “Ah, my other apprentice. It’s time for your lesson.”

  “You’re finished,” Rico growled, his steps quickening. He raised the sword up and saw the look of fear in Victor’s eyes as the priest stood in place. With the end in sight, Rico brought the sword down hard and fast, aiming to cut the high priest from neck to waist. The sword rang out and Rico’s hands went numb as Cain blocked the blow with his sword. Rico spat and spun back. “This isn’t between us, Cain! He killed Jenny, and now he’s going to pay.”

  Victor frowned and spoke behind Cain who defended him. “Ah, yes. The street whore who murdered poor Vaylesh. I remember her name. She betrayed the Religion.”

  Rico lunged and Cain parried. They exchanged blows, none breaking through skin or drawing blood. “Get out of the way!” Rico told Cain.

  “No, Rico. You’ve gone mad. Can’t you see?” Cain replied in the midst of the duel.

  “Remember your training, my son,” Victor told Cain. “You’re better than him.” He grinned at Rico.

  Rico cursed and tapped further, his speed blinding fast. Cain breathed and tapped along with him. The skirmish went back and forth, each man comparable in strength and speed. Normally, Rico would have the advantage due to years of battle-hardened experience, but his head was clouded with emotion and his body was still weak from the damage that Karn inflicted. With a broken hand, he was at a disadvantage. Cain took advantage of Rico’s injury and delivered a barrage of two-handed strikes. The onslaught disarmed Rico without hurting him, causing the sword to fly up in the air and find Cain’s hand. Dual wielding, Cain threatened Rico. “Go cool down and we can discuss this later. Don’t make me do something that I’ll regret.” Seeing that Rico was no longer a threat, he turned to Victor, smiling with pride.

  Victor was pleased and nodded to his apprentice. His eyes hardened as Rico pulled a knife and lunged towards him. Cain saw the look of fear in his master’s eyes and turned, bringing the blades around in instinct. The knife fell to the ground, and Rico’s hand with it. He screamed as blood spewed from his wrist, bringing the injured arm to his stomach to stifle the flow.

  “I…I’m sorry Rico. I didn’t mean…” Cain stammered as Rico bellowed in horror. Cain turned to Victor in desperation. “Help him. Heal his hand. Please.”

  Victor grinned as Rico glared at him with hate. “Would you like that?” he asked Rico. “Would you like me to heal you?”

  “Go to hell. Both of you,” Rico cursed and collapsed to the ground, cradling his wound as it soaked his tunic with blood, washing away the scent that Jenny left. He hung his head low and weeped.

  Victor shook his head. “What a disappointment. I thought you were something special.” He bent down low and looked at Rico. “You’re not.”

  Rico raised his hate-filled eyes and met Victor’s.

  “There it is,” Victor noted, seeing the rage build inside him. “Can you feel that? That is power; true power. When you learn to control it, you will be unstoppable.” Victor turned and walked away.

  Cain stepped towards Victor. “Aren’t you going to heal him?”

  Victor stopped. “No. If he truly wants to learn, then he must train harder and heed my counsel.” He looked at Rico. “If he does this, his power will grow and he won’t need me to heal him. He will heal himself.” The high priest walked away, his bare feet gliding across the grass beneath his white robe as he went towards the church.

  Cain turned back to Rico and tossed the sword on the ground in front of him. “I’m sorry, Rico. But I told you stop. Damn you for making me do that.” He waited for a response, but Rico just sat there, brooding and rocking back and forth, cradling his arm in his stomach. Cain left him alone.

  After they were out of sight and he had time to breathe, Rico ripped his shirt off and bound it tightly around his wound. He felt defeated, lost, no longer wanting to live. He looked at his sword that lie on the grass, blood now dried on the blade. He left it and began to walk away.

  The image of Jenny struck his mind, stopping him in his tracks. She spoke to him and told him to fight for her. To fight for Thomas. To fight for everyone.

  He turned his eyes back to the sword. Alright, Jenny. For you. He picked up the blade and took it with him. In that moment, he realized that he’d been going at it for all of the wrong reasons. I’m a fool. I longed for power and look what it got me. I’ve been on the wrong side for too long.

  He turned his eye to the sky. I promise, Jenny. I will avenge you. That is my purpose and I will live to see it through. Afterwards, we’ll settle up, somehow. I will see you again.

  Something stirred inside him and, in that moment, he knew that living for something other than himself had given him purpose—even if that purpose was revenge. Like the fire in a forge, it set his soul on fire.

  And he would burn it all to the ground to see justice served.

  His grip tightened around the hilt of the sword.

  I will avenge you, Jenny…

  TWENTY-FOUR

  Rain fell from the sky as Joko and Torin stood above the Garden of Stones, water pouring down into the holes in the ground where the standing stones once stood. They climbed down the rope and into the sacred cave for the first time since Victor defeated Moses and drove Joko away. The garden didn’t shine the way it once did, the colors of the stones were no longer lit inside of the cave. It was just a normal cave now, the stones long removed from their home.

  “This place has been defiled,” Joko said in sorrow and guilt.

  “Yeah,” Torin absentmindedly replied as he pulled a soul stone from is pocket, lighting the way in front of him. “There’s nothing left. Not even the big ones.” He turned to Joko, lighting his face with a blue hue. “How is that possible?”

  Joko shrugged. “I moved the standing stones. How is that possible?” he said as a matter of fact.

  “Good point,” Torin said. “I guess Victor took every last one of them. I don’t know what powers those massive stones hold, but knowing Victor, he’ll figure out a way to use them. That’s not good.”

  Torin walked around the cave in search of more stones, but none were found. After a span, they stopped looking.

  “It’s okay, Torin. We have enough stones at the camp.”

  They climbed to the surface and the rain continued to soak the land. Joko put a hand on Torin’s shoulder. “Thank you for bringing me here one last time.”

  “You mean you finally came to peace with this place? You’re good with everything that happened?” Torin asked. Joko looked around the ground. Torin knew Joko still mourned the death of his master, Moses, and that the memory of losing him in this place was still fresh in his mind. Joko looked into Torin’s eyes and nodded. “I am at peace. Still unforgiven, but that’s alright.”

  Torin grinned and patted him on the back. “Come on, friend. Let’s go home. We have much work to do.”

  The Order left the refuge of the camp and gathered on the training grounds of the Grand Highlands. Arkin and Lyla had led the people there, giving them the opportunity to return to their home and reconcile the past. He stood in front of the people and found mixed emotions among them. Like him, their ties to this place ran deep.

  He looked down, deep in tho
ught as he raised his voice to be heard. “This is our home. This is the home of our fathers, our mothers, our sons and daughters.” He looked up with love in his eyes. “And it can never be taken away.”

  “Aye!” Torin bellowed in agreement and the people resounded the call.

  Arkin admired the people with pride. “They can tear down our houses and burn our farms, but they can’t take away our home. It’s us—you, me—all of us that make up this place. And as long as we still draw breath, this place is alive and well.”

  Again the people cheered and Torin rallied them to him. “Come with me. Today, we rebuild our home.”

  Spirits among the people were high as they followed Torin from the Lodge and into the burnt remains of the town. Torin had begun rebuilding months ago, and was now committing his work to the people, instructing them where to go and what to do. Each gladly went to work with hammer and nail and saw.

  Arkin and Lyla followed them and watched from the Lodge. Lyla laughed and pointed to Torin and a group of children playing together in the streets. As they caught Arkin’s eye, more adults joined in with buckets of water and the war was on. Arkin chuckled and looked to Lyla. “Shall we join them?”

  She gripped his hand, looked deep into his eyes and grinned. “It would be a shame not to.”

  They joined the villagers, and turned the street into a muddy mess as more buckets of water were fetched and tossed about. As a group of kids ganged up on Torin, Arkin stepped towards them and crossed his arms. “Let me show you how it’s done, kids. Stand aside.” The children climbed off the big man as he wrestled two more to the ground. Torin stood, chest heaving, and met Arkin’s eye. “Let’s see what you got, then…boy.”

  “Don't call me boy," Arkin growled then charged Torin with a shout. He ran into the big man, barely budging him, and the two locked hold of one another. The wrestling match went to the ground and both rolled around in the mud in jest. Lyla egged the children on. “Now’s your chance. Go get them.” The children screamed and jumped on top of Arkin and Torin, pounding them with their fists, kicking and laughing all the while.