The Death of Jakkob the Great
The Death of Jakkob the Great
written by Jacob P.
Prologue:
Twas a moonlit Tindrem; the capital city of a continent far far away called Myrland. The drunken peasants roaming the streets and the celebration of Christmas swept the lands of Myrland, causing festivities everywhere. One person, however, didn't celebrate . . . that person was Jakkob Pendragon.
Chapter One:
“Rejoice, Krampus has come!” echoed a tavern patron. Every person stood up and ran out the door, hoping to see the great legend itself; every person, but a hooded rough-looking man. You could see the age of his soul just from his posture. “Aren’t you goin’ to the event buddy?” asked the innkeeper. The hooded man looked up from his drink and grinned, but said nothing. The innkeeper stared him down, and he noticed the eyes of the hooded man were a glowing red. Slightly intimidated, he left the man alone.
Hours passed and the night grew stronger, it was a full moon. Just before the innkeeper was about to ask the hooded man to leave so he could close shop, a big ruckus was heard outside. “You think you’re funny, huh? Well come on then!” screamed a man outside. The innkeeper started to run to try to break up whatever was happening when the hooded man stood up and motioned him away. “Come on now, I didn’t do nothing! Please sire, put away your sword!” yelled the other man. The doors busted open from the inside and the two arguing men looked. “Who the **** are you?” asked the man with his sword drawn. They all just looked at each other for a brief moment. “Now listen, this pip-squeak dun’ did me wrong and he’s gotta pay… with blood.” He smiled and went to stab the scrawny defenseless man, except when he looked down, he saw a blade enter him instead.
He cried in pain and dropped his weapon, and as he looked up, all he saw were red glowing eyes. “Please… don’t…” he whispered, and before he could finish, the blade traveled from his stomach to the top of his head and out. The body split nearly in two and fell to the ground. “Holy hell sir, that what quite gruesome! But I suppose he did most definitely pose a threat to me.” the scrawny man said as he looked down at the corpse. “Richard, my name is Richard. Pleasure to meet you under these circumstances good sir. May I ask, whom do I have the pleasure of oweing my gratitude towards” The hooded man, looked down, turned around, and started walking away as he sheathed his weapon. “Come now sir! You just tore this guy to shreds to save my life. Hell, you and I are both covered in his blood! If you can’t tell me your name after something like that, I don’t know what kind of man you are!” yelled Richard. The hooded man turned around and smiled, blood dripped down his face. “You want to know my name?” he asked. Richard nodded and motioned him to proceed. “Most who know me call me Jakkob, and I’m not a man.” Richard looked on, dumbfounded. “Wait, you are Jakkob? As in, the Great?” asked Richard. It starts to rain suddenly, and very heavily. Jakkob nodded solemnly back. Richard continued, “And what do you mean by you are not a man?” Jakkob’s grin turned into a scowl.
Chapter Two:
Both men stood in silence for a moment as a guard approached them. “By the Emperor himself, what the hell happened to this man?” asked the guard belligerently, clearly he has been partying and had a few drinks. Richard stepped forward, “Well you see, this man over here…” he paused, and as he looked back, Jakkob was gone. “Oh… excuse him. That corpse right there, or shall I say that man, was threatening me with a sword. He was actually about to attack me when my newest pal ‘Jakkob the Great’ came in and saved the day.” Richard stated, smiling. The rain was still continuing and now stronger than ever, but the guard took off his helmet, frowning, and asked, “Did you just say, Jakkob the Great?” Richard nodded slowly, sensing something was wrong. “By the gods, that man is more wanted than those crazy new-age Zealots! Which way did he go?” Richard was in a panic, and replied, “Why I didn’t even see him leave! Is he really that wanted? I know his name, but not his story...” The guard put his helmet back on and started running to the palace, yelling, “Excuse me citizen, this is urgent!”
The scrawny man looked down again at the corpse, feeling shocked that he might have just killed the man who saved his life. He started to walk away, and he noticed footprints. He looked around, and then started to follow them very closely. Little did he know Jakkob wasn’t too far away, and as Richard approached a muddy alley, he was grabbed and held up against a wall. “What did you tell him? Did you mention who I was?” asked Jakkob frantically. Just before a reply could be made, the guard tower’s bells started to ring. Jakkob now held the scrawny man by his throat, and was choking him intensely. “You damn fool.” he whispered, as he let go. Richard fell to his knees, extremely shaken up. Coughing, he finally spat out, “They… they don’t know where you are. Keep your hood up and get away as far as you can…” Jakkob laughed, “You really think they aren’t going to close all exits? I can’t get out even if I wanted to.”
Chapter Three:
Now we go back to the guard that might have caught the biggest break in his life…
The palace doors busted open, inside was the royal feast and festivities. “What is the meaning of this!” asked the Emperor. The guard was attempting to catch his breath, and started, “Sire… we have a wanted man in the walls.” He looked around, everyone looking at him uninterested but listening. “Jakkob Pendragon is here sir.” said the guard, and just as he finished, everyone stood up. He continued, “He killed a civilian sir, when I found him.” The Emperor banged his hand on the table, veins in his neck bulging out, and screamed, “Well what the hell are you all standing around for! Begin the search, ring the bell tower, close down the city! If he escapes, there will be hell to pay. Bring him to me alive, I have questions that need to be answered by that swine…” declared the Emperor. Everyone filled out except for the guard. “What is your name son?” asked the Emperor. The guard stood up solemnly, “Frederick Black, sir. And I must say…” he said, before he was interrupted. “Frederick, you are promoted boy. Just the discovery, I praise thee. Now I want you to find this ma… No… Find this monster and bring him to me, and you will be honored greatly. So now, go forth great Lictor of Tindrem, do your Emperor well.
The rain now pouring down, Frederick made his way out to where he last saw Richard as fast as he could. The body of the mutilated man now laid covered by a cloth, he took a peek to see exactly how he was killed. From his stomach to his cranium was a perfectly cut masterpiece, however there was no blood and the guts were not sprawled around. It seemed the cuts were slightly incinerated… Just as he looked up, he saw Richard and a hooded man walking out of an alley. He made a break for them and as he approached, unsheathed his sword. “Stop you two! Hooded man, reveal yourself.” demanded Frederick. Both of the men stopped and turned to look at him. Richard stepped forward, “Listen now, we don’t want any trouble. This man isn’t the one you’re looking for.” he said. Jakkob stepped forward and declared, “No need to lie now Richie.” All Frederick could see of Jakkob’s face was a shadow, and his glowing red eyes. Jakkob pulled his hood down, saying, “Here I am, now what are you going to do about it?”
Chapter Four:
“Come with me, Jakkob. You are an enemy to this land and its people and your crimes
will not go unpunished.” stated Frederick. Jakkob, looked up and down at him, analyzing everything about him. And as he finished up, Jakkob calmly stated, “No.” Frederick leaped forward, striking at Jakkob. Just as his blade approached, Jakkob swiftly dodged to the right with a smirk on his face. This only angered Frederick, and he slashed again at Jakkob, whom of which didn’t even have his weapon drawn. Jakkob evaded once more, and started laughing hysterically. Richard stood on the side, looking enthralled as he watched the art of Jakkob’s movements. Frederick grew tired of the wanted man’s antics and showing of prowess, and he looked over to his right to see Richard. He leaped over and grabbed the man and put his blade to his throat. “Now once again, I urge you to come with me, before your accomplice gets hurt.” said Frederick, frantically. Jakkob stopped laughing, and stood up straight. The men stared each other down for a good minute, and then Jakkob drew his weapon, and exclaimed, “One thing kid, I work alone.” Jakkob then moved in faster than any man could have ever seen, and stabbed through Richard’s heart to Frederick, who was still standing behind his captive.
Richard instantly died, and Frederick and Jakkob were now face-to-face. “You bastard.” softly muttered Frederick. Jakkob smiled, and pulled his blade out of the two men. He sheathed his sword and started to walk away as they both collapsed, and then Jakkob caught himself. “Kid, what’s your name?” he asked Frederick. “What does it matter…” Frederick stated, and coughing horribly, “... I’m a dead man.” Jakkob went and bent down next to him, “This blade has the power of Satan himself and forged through fire, blessed by the Zealots and praised by madmen. Where you were stabbed won’t bleed, and it wasn’t fatal. Now, what’s your…” as Jakkob nearly finished his sentence, he was knocked unconscious from behind. Frederick looked above the fallen monster, and just before he blacked out, saw the Emperor.
Chapter Five:
Jakkob awoke to water being splashed on his face, he tried to jump up but was constrained by chains. “Now you bastard, where is my son?!” screamed the Emperor. Jakkob was still scrambling to escape the contraption, and was shortly met with a kick to his skull. “Where is my son!?” screamed the Emperor louder than before. Jakkob spit out a tooth, and looked at his fate straight in the eyes. “He is…” Jakkob began to say, but was kicked in the ribs. “Don’t you dare lie to me! I will kill you right where you lay!” proclaimed the Emperor. Jakkob was now writhing in pain, but sat back up and murmured, “Dead.” The Emperor looked at him with no emotion whatsoever, and stood up. “Guards.” he said coldly. He continued, “Prepare… for execution… four days.” He walked off, and Jakkob started laughing even more hysterically than before.
It was high noon, New Year’s Eve. The executioner stood with a gigantic axe in the middle of the castle courtyard, waiting for his next victim. The guards started bringing out Jakkob from the prison, who was smiling and cooperative. They put him on his knees next to the chopping block, and awaited the Emperor’s go ahead. “Brutus.” said the Emperor. The executioner looked at him, nodded, and walked away. “On behalf of my late-son. On behalf of the people you have slaughtered, betrayed, and brought grief upon for so many years, you shall die by my hands.” said the Emperor. He took a weapon that was wrapped in cloth, and went on while unwrapping it, “This sword isn’t yours, and it never was. Forged in the Fire Ether, blessed by the Gods of the Zealots, and held as a relic for so many, many years by our ancestors, this is no one man’s sword.” As the cloth fell to the ground, the blade glowed with power. “And so, without further ado. I convict thee, Jakkob Pendragon, of treason to the highest degree, murderer of innocents, and heresy. Now, you die!” He raised the blade above his head as a guard kicked Jakkob’s head to the chopping block. The blade came down, but before it hit the target, there was a fiery explosion from the pits of Hell itself.
Everyone fell to the ground, stunned. When they regained their composure, they all looked to Jakkob, who now held the sword that was set to execute him. The Emperor stood back up, and looked at those glowing red eyes. There was a silence in the courtyard, no bird was chirping, no wind was blowing. Jakkob broke the silence, “Henrik. I convict thee of treason to the highest degree, how say you in your defense?” Emperor Henrik looked on, and began, “You wouldn’t dare…” and as he was speaking, Jakkob moved in faster than any person could move, and decapitated him. “Guilty.” he said, as Henrik’s head fell to the ground. The guards, now moving on pure hatred, moved in after the shock wore off. Jakkob went into a defensive stance ready to take on the world. Guards died left and right, each meeting the same end. Neither side showed any sort of relent, and eventually, Jakkob had the last guard on his knees. “Why shouldn’t I kill you?” he asked. The guard started crying, holding his leg that was bleeding profusely. The two men met with one last glance, and Jakkob raised his sword for execution just as the Emperor did for him. As the blade came down to claim another victim, the guard closed his eyes. But, just before the blade hit his neck, he heard Jakkob’s scream and opened his eyes. There, he saw that from his forearms and down, Jakkob had been dismembered. “You were right, where I was stabbed didn’t bleed and wasn’t fatal. Actually, I feel more alive than ever.” said a familiar voice. Jakkob looked from his now, oozing of blood wounds, to the voice, nearly passing out from the pain. It was Frederick. “You killed our Emperor you son of a *****… ” he stated. Jakkob simply looked back down at his hands, and before he could even get out another word or moan of pain, Frederick took his sword and shoved it straight through Jakkob’s heart. Jakkob fell down face first, dead. Frederick looked down, and said, “Now on the other hand, where you were stabbed will bleed, and was fatal.”
The End.
