With Natalya suddenly struck by immobilizing terror with her body hunched over cowering, Xenia turned to Constance and grabbed the back of her neck pulling her in for a kiss, “I missed you Constance.”
The two girls kissed like long-separated lovers until a man to the side softly cleared his throat, “Forgive me if I am interrupting, but if you are going to kill me please get it over with.”
Constance smiled at Xenia and said, “Can I kill this one too? Please Xenia.”
Xenia released her hold of Constance, “Not today I am afraid.” She walked over to John and put her hands on her hips, “You have a friend who ranks very highly in the United States government. As part of our deal, he gave me information on the whereabouts of Constance but made me promise, cross my heart and hope to die, that I wouldn’t kill you.”
John furrowed his brow, “Who did you make this deal with?” John was wary of her information. He couldn’t think of a single person who would betray the United States government at a level high enough to know information about Star Point Base.
Xenia turned and began to walk off with Constance, “Ask around. Maybe someone will tell you. But not me.” She then looked back, “On second thought, maybe keep quiet. If anyone finds out about this deal, I will let Constance kill you.” She then looked to Natalya and shrugged her shoulders, “Or worse.”
John gulped. He knew Natalya was better off dead. But instead, she was alive, and every sensory input she received made her fear for her life stricken with anxiety for the rest of her life likely.
Xenia and Constance walked out of the holding facility doors and into the courtyard where they were welcomed by hundreds of soldiers on the roofs of nearby buildings and on the ground in front of them.
The next in command walked forward, “Every single gun I have under my command is pointed at your pretty little face. I know you are powerful, but do you want to test your might against a thousand simultaneous rounds?”
He stood smugly and said, “I’m Colonel Gray, and I hereby order your surrender to the United States Armed Forces.”
Xenia laughed, “Colonel Gray, you are a huge fool. Constance and I were planning to be on our way with no more death. And yet here you are. Offering you and your squadrons up on a silver platter.” She folded her arms and tapped her finger, “What am I to do?”
Colonel Gray shouted, “You are to die! Fire men!”
With almost no effort, Xenia created a sphere or red ki around her and Constance as the soldiers rained down tens of thousands of rounds of bullets from their machine guns.
The bullets all made impact with the ki energy shield Xenia had created. Hardly a ripple could be seen from the impact of the tens of thousands of bullets as the energy shield stood strong protecting both Xenia and Constance.
Then, just as quickly as the sound of machine guns started, it stopped. Xenia lowered her shield and stood with a smile. In her state of Bloodlust with her red hair, she easily bloodbent every soldier commanding their bodies to cease firing.
Colonel Gray was the exception as he stood freely looking around and up at his soldiers, “I said fire God damnit! Kill her!” He pointed his finger at Xenia and grit his teeth.
However, he then heard the shifting of a thousand guns as they aimed directly at him. Xenia walked up to him and ran her hand along his chest and back as she walked around him saying, “I have shown that I can survive a thousand bullets. Now let’s see if you can.”
She walked back to Constance and said, “Fire.” She then proceeded to bloodbend every soldier present to fire their weapons on Colonel Gray. As tens of thousands of bullets rained down on his position, his body was torn to shreds.
The power of thousands of high-powered rounds concentrated on such a relatively small target left only unrecognizable meat where Colonel Gray once stood.
Xenia held her hand up, and the gunfire stopped instantly. She looked around, “Now that you have all played your part in killing a senior officer of the United States Armed Forces, I welcome you all to join my army if you wish.”
The men looked on curiously as she continued, “I am a stronger leader. A smarter leader. And I pay better. Much better.” She and Constance began to stride towards her jet as they ascended into it.
Xenia called out, “If you wish to join my forces you need only show up at the BloodStar Citadel in Kansas City.” She winked down at the men and said, “Hope to see you there boys!”
The latch began to close on Xenia and Constance as they strapped in and took off vertically. Once in the air, Xenia made her exit at supersonic speeds leaving a loud sonic boom overhead.
___________________________
No more than 30 minutes later, Jacek and Karasu looked out of the window aboard Air Force One as they approached Star Point Base.
They looked on to a plume of smoke rising into the air with shards of fighter jets littering the grounds leading up to the base. Jacek looked to Karasu, “The base is surprisingly intact at least. And I see men on the ground. All signs point to at least small victories.”
Karasu nodded, “It is better than a wake of total bloodshed. But, nonetheless, it looks like we are too late.”
After landing, the two leaders alighted the plane to be greeted by Captain Beckum, “Lord Heraklinos and Master Karasu. Welcome to Star Point Base!”
Jacek looked to the captain, “At ease soldier. I need to know every single detail that has occurred here in the last hour. Where is your senior officer? A base such as this should have at least a colonel present.”
Captain Beckum gulped audibly, “The colonel is dead, sir.”
Jacek sighed a deep breath of sadness, “Take me to the sight of his death then and tell me what happened.”
The captain led them to the courtyard outside of the holding facility and motioned to the pile of unrecognizable flesh and meat that was Colonel Gray, “There is what is left of the Colonel, sirs.”
Karasu and Jacek both assumed a look of disgust as they looked on at the remains of the senior officer.
Karasu then turned to the captain, “Does this mean Natalya Belova, the Second Seat is also dead?”
Before the captain could reply, Jacek also quickly interjected, “And what of Master Chief Washington?”
The captain gladly reported, “The Master Chief is alive and well.” His face then turned dour as he said, “Natalya is also alive. But she is unwell.”
The captain pointed to the doors of the holding facility and said, “They are both in there. Tread lightly sirs. They saw the worst of this encounter.”
Jacek pushed through the doors first closely followed by Karasu. They immediately saw from afar a crazed and insane Natalya Belova who darted into the darkness crying as she saw them enter the room. The two men looked at each other and proceeded.
As they approached closer to Natalya, Master Chief stood from the shadows and called to them, “Lord Heraklinos! Master Karasu!”
The two of them changed directions to meet with the Master Chief as they asked him, “What is wrong with Natalya?”
He shook his head, “I don’t know for certain. But Constance did something to her, and she has been like that ever since. She seems to be afraid, deathly afraid of anything and everything.”
Karasu sneered, “And how did you survive unscathed? Why were they able to rescue Constance Khan who was under your domain?”
He sighed and said, “I have a detailed report I plan to outline, but the bottom line is that my domain wasn’t powerful enough to even put a dent in Xenia’s power. She overwhelmed my domain and challenged Natalya to a duel. Once she won, she allowed Constance to have her revenge.”
Jacek said, “Load her up in the transport. We will send her back to the Heraklinos Empire. The best ki healers in the world, save for the one who did this to her, are in my homeland.”
Karasu stared at Natalya who was a mere shadow of her former self, and he felt a tinge of pain inside knowing that she would never be the same. He now could only hold on tightly to his top student, Katya Nova.
Karasu then looked up and said, “None of this explains how you are still standing completely unharmed. I trust you Master Chief, but this will require an explanation to cast aside not just my suspicion but the suspicions of others as well.”
John nodded, “Once she was through with Constance, she turned to me. Xenia and I have met before, so she treated me very much like an old acquaintance. I don’t think this is why she spared me though. I think she sees my domain skill as a valuable asset. One she hopes to roll into her own guard once she conquers the United States.”
Karasu and Jacek nodded quietly to themselves, and Karasu said, “That does sound like Xenia.” He then shot a glance to John, “Consider yourself very lucky Master Chief.”
Karasu turned and prepared to exit the holding facility; however, something he noticed stopped him in his tracks. He thought to himself, “A long streak along the building is missing?” He then looked back along the angle of the streak and found that it led directly to where the duel reportedly took place.
He continued in thought, “Natalya was able to use the Void Strike in a duel against Xenia? Had she really developed the mastery to execute it in a practical fashion in battle? An impressive way to go, but this is also troublesome. Xenia will now know of my clan’s trump card. Hmm.”
Jacek walked up behind him and said, “Is everything alright Karasu?”
Karasu nodded, “Yes, as alright as things can be I suppose.”
Jacek nodded and grunted in agreement as they both walked out of the holding facility.
Jacek addressed the captain standing at attention and waiting for them, “Captain! Where are all of your men? This is a Level 4 base. It should be teaming with soldiers and yet by your report after the initial air skirmishes, very few soldiers were lost. Where are they?”
The captain responded, “After being bloodbent to fire upon our colonel, Xenia made an offer for us to join her. Regrettably, many of the men took transports to take her up on her offer. They are en route to the BloodStar Citadel as we speak. Another portion of the men decided to defect entirely from the war after feeling and hearing the squelching and abnormal flow of blood from within their body as it was controlled. That is not an experience everyone comes back from.”
Jacek nodded, “Understood Captain. Go get some rest.”
The captain saluted Jacek and made for his quarters. Jacek looked to Karasu and took a deep breath, “We were late this time. Let’s make sure it doesn’t happen again. Let’s begin by wiping the BloodStar presence from United States land. I want that citadel taken down as quickly as possible.”
Karasu nodded, “I quite agree its presence is problematic. It is the seat of their power in our own land.”
Jacek walked ahead with his hands behind his back, “Let us return to the remainder of the leadership and formulate a plan to put siege to their citadel. They have an immense amount of power, and they have a strong defensive position. But they will always need supplies.”
With Natalya suddenly struck by immobilizing terror with her body hunched over cowering, Xenia turned to Constance and grabbed the back of her neck pulling her in for a kiss, “I missed you Constance.”
The two girls kissed like long-separated lovers until a man to the side softly cleared his throat, “Forgive me if I am interrupting, but if you are going to kill me please get it over with.”
Constance smiled at Xenia and said, “Can I kill this one too? Please Xenia.”
Xenia released her hold of Constance, “Not today I am afraid.” She walked over to John and put her hands on her hips, “You have a friend who ranks very highly in the United States government. As part of our deal, he gave me information on the whereabouts of Constance but made me promise, cross my heart and hope to die, that I wouldn’t kill you.”
John furrowed his brow, “Who did you make this deal with?” John was wary of her information. He couldn’t think of a single person who would betray the United States government at a level high enough to know information about Star Point Base.
Xenia turned and began to walk off with Constance, “Ask around. Maybe someone will tell you. But not me.” She then looked back, “On second thought, maybe keep quiet. If anyone finds out about this deal, I will let Constance kill you.” She then looked to Natalya and shrugged her shoulders, “Or worse.”
John gulped. He knew Natalya was better off dead. But instead, she was alive, and every sensory input she received made her fear for her life stricken with anxiety for the rest of her life likely.
Xenia and Constance walked out of the holding facility doors and into the courtyard where they were welcomed by hundreds of soldiers on the roofs of nearby buildings and on the ground in front of them.
The next in command walked forward, “Every single gun I have under my command is pointed at your pretty little face. I know you are powerful, but do you want to test your might against a thousand simultaneous rounds?”
He stood smugly and said, “I’m Colonel Gray, and I hereby order your surrender to the United States Armed Forces.”
Xenia laughed, “Colonel Gray, you are a huge fool. Constance and I were planning to be on our way with no more death. And yet here you are. Offering you and your squadrons up on a silver platter.” She folded her arms and tapped her finger, “What am I to do?”
Colonel Gray shouted, “You are to die! Fire men!”
With almost no effort, Xenia created a sphere or red ki around her and Constance as the soldiers rained down tens of thousands of rounds of bullets from their machine guns.
The bullets all made impact with the ki energy shield Xenia had created. Hardly a ripple could be seen from the impact of the tens of thousands of bullets as the energy shield stood strong protecting both Xenia and Constance.
Then, just as quickly as the sound of machine guns started, it stopped. Xenia lowered her shield and stood with a smile. In her state of Bloodlust with her red hair, she easily bloodbent every soldier commanding their bodies to cease firing.
Colonel Gray was the exception as he stood freely looking around and up at his soldiers, “I said fire God damnit! Kill her!” He pointed his finger at Xenia and grit his teeth.
However, he then heard the shifting of a thousand guns as they aimed directly at him. Xenia walked up to him and ran her hand along his chest and back as she walked around him saying, “I have shown that I can survive a thousand bullets. Now let’s see if you can.”
She walked back to Constance and said, “Fire.” She then proceeded to bloodbend every soldier present to fire their weapons on Colonel Gray. As tens of thousands of bullets rained down on his position, his body was torn to shreds.
The power of thousands of high-powered rounds concentrated on such a relatively small target left only unrecognizable meat where Colonel Gray once stood.
Xenia held her hand up, and the gunfire stopped instantly. She looked around, “Now that you have all played your part in killing a senior officer of the United States Armed Forces, I welcome you all to join my army if you wish.”
The men looked on curiously as she continued, “I am a stronger leader. A smarter leader. And I pay better. Much better.” She and Constance began to stride towards her jet as they ascended into it.
Xenia called out, “If you wish to join my forces you need only show up at the BloodStar Citadel in Kansas City.” She winked down at the men and said, “Hope to see you there boys!”
The latch began to close on Xenia and Constance as they strapped in and took off vertically. Once in the air, Xenia made her exit at supersonic speeds leaving a loud sonic boom overhead.
___________________________
No more than 30 minutes later, Jacek and Karasu looked out of the window aboard Air Force One as they approached Star Point Base.
They looked on to a plume of smoke rising into the air with shards of fighter jets littering the grounds leading up to the base. Jacek looked to Karasu, “The base is surprisingly intact at least. And I see men on the ground. All signs point to at least small victories.”
Karasu nodded, “It is better than a wake of total bloodshed. But, nonetheless, it looks like we are too late.”
After landing, the two leaders alighted the plane to be greeted by Captain Beckum, “Lord Heraklinos and Master Karasu. Welcome to Star Point Base!”
Jacek looked to the captain, “At ease soldier. I need to know every single detail that has occurred here in the last hour. Where is your senior officer? A base such as this should have at least a colonel present.”
Captain Beckum gulped audibly, “The colonel is dead, sir.”
Jacek sighed a deep breath of sadness, “Take me to the sight of his death then and tell me what happened.”
The captain led them to the courtyard outside of the holding facility and motioned to the pile of unrecognizable flesh and meat that was Colonel Gray, “There is what is left of the Colonel, sirs.”
Karasu and Jacek both assumed a look of disgust as they looked on at the remains of the senior officer.
Karasu then turned to the captain, “Does this mean Natalya Belova, the Second Seat is also dead?”
Before the captain could reply, Jacek also quickly interjected, “And what of Master Chief Washington?”
The captain gladly reported, “The Master Chief is alive and well.” His face then turned dour as he said, “Natalya is also alive. But she is unwell.”
The captain pointed to the doors of the holding facility and said, “They are both in there. Tread lightly sirs. They saw the worst of this encounter.”
Jacek pushed through the doors first closely followed by Karasu. They immediately saw from afar a crazed and insane Natalya Belova who darted into the darkness crying as she saw them enter the room. The two men looked at each other and proceeded.
As they approached closer to Natalya, Master Chief stood from the shadows and called to them, “Lord Heraklinos! Master Karasu!”
The two of them changed directions to meet with the Master Chief as they asked him, “What is wrong with Natalya?”
He shook his head, “I don’t know for certain. But Constance did something to her, and she has been like that ever since. She seems to be afraid, deathly afraid of anything and everything.”
Karasu sneered, “And how did you survive unscathed? Why were they able to rescue Constance Khan who was under your domain?”
He sighed and said, “I have a detailed report I plan to outline, but the bottom line is that my domain wasn’t powerful enough to even put a dent in Xenia’s power. She overwhelmed my domain and challenged Natalya to a duel. Once she won, she allowed Constance to have her revenge.”
Jacek said, “Load her up in the transport. We will send her back to the Heraklinos Empire. The best ki healers in the world, save for the one who did this to her, are in my homeland.”
Karasu stared at Natalya who was a mere shadow of her former self, and he felt a tinge of pain inside knowing that she would never be the same. He now could only hold on tightly to his top student, Katya Nova.
Karasu then looked up and said, “None of this explains how you are still standing completely unharmed. I trust you Master Chief, but this will require an explanation to cast aside not just my suspicion but the suspicions of others as well.”
John nodded, “Once she was through with Constance, she turned to me. Xenia and I have met before, so she treated me very much like an old acquaintance. I don’t think this is why she spared me though. I think she sees my domain skill as a valuable asset. One she hopes to roll into her own guard once she conquers the United States.”
Karasu and Jacek nodded quietly to themselves, and Karasu said, “That does sound like Xenia.” He then shot a glance to John, “Consider yourself very lucky Master Chief.”
Karasu turned and prepared to exit the holding facility; however, something he noticed stopped him in his tracks. He thought to himself, “A long streak along the building is missing?” He then looked back along the angle of the streak and found that it led directly to where the duel reportedly took place.
He continued in thought, “Natalya was able to use the Void Strike in a duel against Xenia? Had she really developed the mastery to execute it in a practical fashion in battle? An impressive way to go, but this is also troublesome. Xenia will now know of my clan’s trump card. Hmm.”
Jacek walked up behind him and said, “Is everything alright Karasu?”
Karasu nodded, “Yes, as alright as things can be I suppose.”
Jacek nodded and grunted in agreement as they both walked out of the holding facility.
Jacek addressed the captain standing at attention and waiting for them, “Captain! Where are all of your men? This is a Level 4 base. It should be teaming with soldiers and yet by your report after the initial air skirmishes, very few soldiers were lost. Where are they?”
The captain responded, “After being bloodbent to fire upon our colonel, Xenia made an offer for us to join her. Regrettably, many of the men took transports to take her up on her offer. They are en route to the BloodStar Citadel as we speak. Another portion of the men decided to defect entirely from the war after feeling and hearing the squelching and abnormal flow of blood from within their body as it was controlled. That is not an experience everyone comes back from.”
Jacek nodded, “Understood Captain. Go get some rest.”
The captain saluted Jacek and made for his quarters. Jacek looked to Karasu and took a deep breath, “We were late this time. Let’s make sure it doesn’t happen again. Let’s begin by wiping the BloodStar presence from United States land. I want that citadel taken down as quickly as possible.”
Karasu nodded, “I quite agree its presence is problematic. It is the seat of their power in our own land.”
Jacek walked ahead with his hands behind his back, “Let us return to the remainder of the leadership and formulate a plan to put siege to their citadel. They have an immense amount of power, and they have a strong defensive position. But they will always need supplies.”
