Sword of Order (Warrior of Souls Book 0)

by S Mays

  “I’m sure. I just wish Abigail were still alive to see this moment. My research is on the verge of completion, and Jessica… Jessica has made me proud.”

  “I understand. She was a very special woman.”

  “Yes…she was. I miss her so much. Especially now. Jessica’s grown quickly. She reminds me so much of Abigail now.”

  “She’s a lot like her mother. That weapon you gave her will be a huge boon to her.”

  “Yes, I worked like mad to finish the GP project so that she would have an advantage during her test. With that sword, she should be unstoppable.”

  A voice boomed over the intercom, “Overseer Luvkrafft, the transport has arrived.”

  “If you’ll excuse me, I have several Stalkers and a Slayer who want new toys,” Jake said, patting Bilford on the shoulder.

  “Lord help whoever gets in their way once they have those weapons,” Bilford replied.

  ***

  “You wanted to chat?” Bilford asked, walking into Jessica’s bedroom.

  “Grandfather, what do you know about the Stalker Test?” Jessica asked, looking up from her computer monitor.

  “Well, we aren’t supposed to talk about it, but, seeing as how there’s no one around to tell me otherwise, I’ll tell you everything I know,” the old man said with a wink. He closed the door behind him. “I’ve been present for three of them. Mine, your father’s, and your mother’s. I’ve heard about two others, Faith’s and…one where the candidate failed. For mine, I had to defeat a maze filled with a medusa and a minotaur. A classic scenario.”

  “How did you do it?”

  “I burned the maze to the ground with a Floor of Fire spell, while levitating high above the arena. They found the creatures’ bones in the center of the maze after the flames had died down. The administration was none too pleased with that, as that hedge maze took months to cultivate.”

  “What about my mother’s test?”

  “Abigail was tasked with retrieving a key from a castle full of undead. She made it look easy. Poor girl looked like she’d bathed in blood and gore when she emerged. I recall there was still a skeletal hand attached to her shoulder as she clambered from the moat after diving from the outer wall. Zombie crocodiles were snapping at her behind just as she pulled herself up. I shouldn’t have laughed, but I couldn’t help it.”

  “What about Faith?”

  “Faith battled with a demon-possessed priest for twelve hours straight. They demolished an entire church in the process. It’s extremely rare for the Council to use demons in their tests. Too dangerous.”

  “And Father’s test?”

  “Your father’s test was the stuff of legend. He had to retrieve a dagger from the middle of an underground lake. He had nothing but his swim trunks and a tank of air when he dove in. The water was ice cold, with limited visibility. He had to swim to the bottom and crawl around the muck and slime, feeling as he went. The entire time, an ominous shadow passed over and around him, as there was some large beast stalking him. Just as he found the dagger, the creature struck. It was an undead sea serpent, with a long neck with exposed vertebrae, a rotting torso, and flippers,” he said, motioning with his arms to describe the beast.

  Jessica chuckled inwardly at the display. It reminded her of when her grandfather had told her stories as a child.

  “Your father was dwarfed by the enormous leviathan. His strength was tested as he fought to keep the beast’s jaws from clamping down on his exposed flesh. One bite meant he’d be turned undead himself. In a desperate maneuver, he shoved his air tank into the beast’s mouth and swam as far as he could, just as it crushed the tank. Its head exploded, and the ghastly decaying body sank to the bottom of the lake. Your father emerged a moment later, gasping for air.”

  “This all sounds rather unbelievable, Grandfather.”

  “I swear every word is truth!” he said, smiling.

  “What do you think my test will be like?”

  “It’s better not to think about it. Leave your mind open. Be ready for anything.”

  A firm knock at the door interrupted their conversation.

  “Yes?” Jessica asked, wondering who it might be. Her father was busy in his laboratory.

  Faith peered into the room. “Am I disturbing anything?”

  “Faith!” Jessica shouted before collecting herself. “I mean, it’s good to see you again.”

  “No need to be so formal, Jessica. Hello, Bilford,” Faith said, entering. Bilford returned her greeting with a slight nod and a smile. Jessica noticed she had a short cylinder on her back in a harness.

  “You have your God Particle weapon?”

  Faith smiled, pulling the short staff free. “Yes, it took a few attempts, but it worked.” Faith focused, causing the weapon to extend from both the bottom and the top, tripling in length. A blade similar in shape to her old guandao’s formed at the top end. “It will take a lot of practice to get used to the reduced weight, but it will be worth it. Her name is Thunder.”

  “That’s a very appropriate name,” Jessica said, inspecting the weapon. “The shaft material is Knightium?” Knightium was an extremely rare alloy developed many years ago. It was the strongest substance on Earth. Knightium cost a fortune to produce, and the rare elements used to manufacture it were in limited supply.

  “Yes. I was surprised your father had so much on hand. This is the latest version, too. There’s not a lot of it being produced yet.”

  “Father has a way of getting rare materials,” Jessica admitted.

  “May I see Casca?” Faith asked.

  Jessica pulled her sword from the hilt and extended it, then let Faith study it. “It’s not as big as my usual sword.”

  “Girl, it’s not the size, but how you use it,” Faith said, winking at Bilford. They shared a laugh.

  “Humorous sexual innuendo?” Jessica asked.

  Faith sighed and said, “You will need to learn to play along with others if you are going to blend in. Even if their joke falls flat, laugh like you mean it.”

  Jessica laughed. It was one she had practiced hundreds of times after watching numerous videos.

  “That’s not too bad,” Faith said.

  “Are you going to assist my father with his investigation in California?” Jessica asked.

  “No, your father will have the full support of another facility. Sending an Overseer and a Stalker to investigate warehouse thieves would be a huge waste of resources. Jessica, I just wanted to wish you luck on your test before I leave. Remember your training. Keep your focus, and you will succeed. I may be able to make the trip to Rome myself, but I have a few things to wrap up first.”

  “Thank you, Faith. Thank you for everything,” Jessica said, holding out her hand.

  The large woman grasped it firmly. “It’s my duty…and my pleasure. Keep your faith and your wits about you. God bless you,” Faith said. Thunder shrank to a more manageable size. She slipped the weapon back into its holster. She waved as she exited the room.

  Jessica sat quietly after Faith had left. “You miss her?” Bilford asked.

  Jessica thought back to the adventures and training she’d shared with Faith. She did miss her. She’d been lonely since she had left.

  “I understand. Don’t worry, you’ll make new friends as time goes on. You can visit Faith whenever time allows. For now, you must focus on preparing for your test.”

  ***

  Jessica stood at the center of the room. Five men and two werewolves surrounded her. All at once, they attacked. She was unarmed, but her opponents wielded either stun batons or claws and fangs.

  She caught the arm of the first man who rushed in and directed his baton into the man behind her. He fell, shocked into unconsciousness. She flipped over the man she was holding and kicked a third opponent in the face, sending him sprawling. She twisted the man’s arm around, causing him to shock himself. At the last second, she let go of him to avoid being stunned herself. The first werewolf slashed just above her he
ad, but she ducked at the last instant. She dropped down and kicked the creature in the groin. It bent over, howling in pain, just as she kicked its head. It stumbled backward.

  Then she jumped to her feet and disarmed the third man, punching him in the throat at the same time. She swung him around, launching him into the second werewolf, who stumbled over him. Flipping backward, she came to rest, now wielding two of the stun batons. She brought them together on either side of the head of the werewolf she had first attacked, who was holding its muzzle and its groin. The combined electrical current was enough to knock it out. She grabbed the beast by the head and fell backward with it, flipping it up with her legs. It crashed into the fourth man. The other werewolf slashed across her back, tearing the protective outer layer of her suit. The force of the blow sent her tumbling toward the fifth human opponent. She attempted to dodge his attack, but was off-balance. The baton nicked the edge of her hand. The electrical current flowed into her left arm, numbing it. She wheeled around, and her roundhouse kick flipped the man over. The werewolf leapt upon her, pinning her to the floor. Straining, she attempted to rise, but it weighed several hundred pounds. Her chi faded.

  “End program,” she said with a sigh. The werewolf stood and backed away from her, falling still. The men on the floor groaned and helped each other up.

  “Jessica, the next time you want to train, please lose my phone number,” one of them whined.

  “This training is for your benefit as well as mine,” she said.

  “We won’t be very effective on missions if we are beat all to hell,” another said. “Shouldn’t you start resting up for your test? You are going to exhaust yourself.”

  He was right. Her test was in two days. Her father had already left for California. She was leaving with her grandfather and Sam tomorrow for Rome. She’d been overtraining. She’d have to take it easy and replenish her chi during the remaining time.

  The group of soldiers exited the room. The two werewolf training robots followed. Her father had helped design the robots for training sessions. They were named Romulus and Remus. Years ago, there had been several of the robots stationed at most of the Order facilities, but they were expensive to produce and repair. They were very effective at mimicking werewolves in combat situations, and were very strong and durable, but from a fiscal standpoint, the organization simply couldn’t justify their use. The Farm’s two werewolves were the last two in existence. Jessica had learned from her father how to repair and program them, but parts were becoming scarcer, so they rarely brought them out for training sessions.

  “Thanks for the help, guys,” she said to the men as they left.

  “Yeah, yeah. Good luck with your test, Jess,” one of them shouted back, waving his hand as he limped through the doorway of the training room.

  Jessica sat, pondering her performance. She’d improved, but would it be enough to pass the Stalker Test? Were several soldiers and two robots even comparable to the threats she would face? If only there was more time to train. Initially, she’d felt honored to be selected at such an early age, but now she realized it was a detriment.

  ***

  “I can’t wait to get back to Rome!” Sam shouted, lugging a massive suitcase. “Those women… The stories I could tell you about those women…” he muttered, picking up the case which contained his favorite assault rifle. He impatiently waited for Bilford and Jessica to follow.

  “We are not going to Rome for pleasure,” Bilford said. A large sack was hovering behind him. “Don’t distract Jessica with your nonsense. I am well aware of the women in Rome. Although you should have seen them a thousand years ago. Back when I was a young man… Well, er, just you never mind.”

  Jessica wheeled her suitcase behind her. She barely heard the discussion ahead. I’m going to take the Stalker Test. Like my mother and my father. This is what I’ve trained for all my life. Am I capable?

  Bilford and Sam finished loading the craft. Her grandfather turned. “Jessica?”

  She banished her doubts and stepped past them into the craft, where she tossed her bag behind the seat.

  “Are you two coming?”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “This is my crew?” Jake asked, walking past the six men lined up in front of him.

  “This is all we can spare. These are fine soldiers, the best we have to offer,” Overseer Hetfeld explained.

  Jake looked unconvinced. He should have brought a few of his own men, but with him, Sam, and Bilford gone, he wanted every soldier at the Farm available in case of an emergency.

  “They will do. What is the status of the cargo ship?”

  “It should arrive in port around eight o’clock tonight,” Hetfeld said.

  “I want to take a fast boat out to meet it before it gets to port. Everyone is to be heavily armed. Two melee with light firearms and three long-range gunners. One heavy gunner.”

  “You aren’t taking any chances, are you?”

  “No, I can’t afford to. I should have flown directly to the ship.”

  “I heard your daughter is taking the Stalker Test while you’re here. You didn’t want to be there for that?”

  Hetfeld seemed more than a little annoyed with Jake’s arrival. Was there something more to the situation? The attacks were occurring in his jurisdiction, and he’d failed to stop them. Could he be part of the leak?

  “Jessica will pass the test easily. She doesn’t need me to be there. I’ll congratulate her when I get back. Gear up, men. We are leaving in thirty minutes.”

  ***

  Jake left four of the soldiers at the transport truck while he and the other two took a boat out to meet the transport ship. They met the craft five miles from port and climbed a rope ladder to board. The captain of the ship met them.

  “Ahoy. I’m Captain Zanger. Welcome aboard the Lost Prophet. I wasn’t expecting an armed escort. Well, not an additional escort,” the captain said, motioning toward the soldiers, turrets, drones, and other armaments hidden around the ship. The Order had no fear of piracy.

  Jake reached out to shake Captain Zanger’s grizzled hand. “Captain Zanger, it’s a pleasure. I’m Overseer Luvkrafft. I’ve heard tales of some of your exploits. From what I understand, you’ve never lost a ship or a shipment.”

  “That’s true. But it ain’t never been easy sailing. You might be surprised how often the Underworlders try to attack our shipments. Damned if I know how they know when we’re sailing or where we’re goin’.”

  “They have their methods, just as we have ours. Hackers, scryers, seers, and whatnot. Ours are just usually one step ahead of theirs. Have you had any trouble on this voyage?”

  “Nay, nothing to report. I’ve been bored off my arse this whole trip. Leveled up my paladin to level eighty, though. Can’t wait to start raidin’ them dungeons.”

  “Er, yes,” Jake said, unsure of how to respond. Captain Zanger had a reputation as an oddball, but his record spoke for itself. “How long until we reach port? I’m expecting trouble once we get there, but I hope I’m wrong.”

  “’Bout forty minutes,” Captain Zanger responded. “Beautiful night tonight.”

  “Yes, it is,” Jake agreed, looking at the tiny lights dotting the coast. The cool salt spray caressed his cheeks. He looked at his watch. Jessica should have arrived in Rome by now. Despite his assurances to Hetfeld, he was worried.

  Jessica was still young and inexperienced. The Stalker tests were made to probe the mettle of each warrior — to focus on their flaws and exploit them. He himself had no love of water, but his test had been underwater. Abigail’s had focused on her fear of death and isolation. What were Jessica’s fears? He didn’t even know. She was just as strong as her mother, but he felt he’d lost his connection to her once she’d started her Stalker training. He rarely saw her, and she had never been one to open up to others. He wasn’t sure if her isolated upbringing had been healthy, especially surrounded by the death and destruction being part of the Order entailed. His thoughts drifted
to the night everything had changed.

  ***

  “Ready to move in,” Jake said into his helmet. A HUD readout on his visor notified him of relevant data such as squad member position, biometric readouts of individual soldiers, and location of targets marked by members of the team. With a finger motion with his haptic gloves or a voice command, he could shift his vision to infrared or several other modes. Five soldiers surrounded him, all clad in the same black heavy combat armor. The suits were completely sealed, shielding the wearer from environmental hazards. The Armored Uplinked Guardian suits were the top assault armor available to Order soldiers. Resistant to heat, cold, medium arms fire, and minor energy attacks, they protected the wearer from a myriad of external threats. Jake was proud to have contributed to the AUG program over the years. The technology was far more advanced than regular body armor, resulting in agents surviving what normally would have been fatal attacks. They were still working on the movement, speed, and flexibility, however. Agents who relied on speed complained that the armor was heavy and slowed them down in combat. Can’t please everyone.

  Abigail lay hidden in the brush ahead of the squad. She was one of the suit’s critics. Not many of the Stalkers approved of the suits. “Too bulky, too slow, too obvious,” she’d said when she’d first tried the suit on. “A van is arriving at the front entrance. Everyone, hold position,” she whispered.

  Jake shook his head. If she’d kept the visor down, there would be no need to whisper.

  They had been sent to the house because it was reportedly occupied by demon worshipers. Normally, the Order wouldn’t bother with such a nuisance, but this particular sect had recently been suspected of kidnapping local residents. A drone had been dispatched for a flyover and had recorded unusual supernatural readings. Whatever the cult was up to, it wasn’t good.

  The rusty old van backed up to the front door of the house. Two people exited from the front, carrying AK-47 assault rifles. The sliding door opened. A man emerged, carrying a large, wriggling duffle bag over his shoulder. Muffled screams emerged from the bag. The front door opened, revealing a guard with a shotgun. The men entered the house.