Elsewhere, it was nearly 2:00 am in the morning as Senator Arthur Davis found himself within the White House elevator traveling downwards to the subterranean meeting room with the President and the remainder of the war council. He had just returned from his trip from the BloodStar Empire, and he was exhausted. However, the council would not wait to hear his news.
Flanked by two secret service agents, Davis felt safe but also knew they offered little protection against the true dangers of the world. He sighed with exhaustion as the elevator dinged upon arrival. The doors opened, and the agents escorted him to the high-tech and secure meeting room.
As he entered, he heard numerous voices attempting to talk over one another in what was a very active meeting given the time of night. President Monroe turned to see the door open as Arthur walked in, “Senator Davis! At last, we might finally get some useful information to help break our current standstill.”
Senator Davis gulped at the scene. It was apparent that there lay a split amongst the opinions in the room. Unfortunately, he did not come baring any definitive news.
He walked silently to the podium and softly said, “Where to start. Let’s see.”
Senator Hammond rashly called out, “Is she dead or not? Start there!”
Arthur gave a half smile and said, “I wish it were that simple.”
Vice President Morrow shook his head and crossed his arms in his seat, “Great. This isn’t the news we were hoping for. Is it Senator?”
Arthur shook his head, “I’m afraid it’s complicated.”
President Monroe finally took his seat after pacing back and forth, “Fine. Let’s let him brief us. If it’s complicated, we shall do our best to hold all questions until you are finished.”
Arthur nodded, “Thank you Mr. President.” Arthur then cleared his throat, “You have undoubtedly heard the circulating reports of King Ramses and Queen Zara attesting to the confirmation of Xenia’s death.”
The audience nodded in response before he continued, “Well. I was there. I stood shoulder to shoulder with them both before they entered the ceremonial sanctuary to view the fallen Xenia BloodStar.”
He loosened his tie and continued, “They were in the ceremonial chamber for no more than a few minutes before they exited with solemn expressions. Then, it was my turn.”
Arthur paused, and Hammond raised his hands, “Well? And then?”
Arthur replied, “And then I wasn’t invited in.”
The council had a physical reaction to his response. President Monroe raised his voice, “So you went all the way to the BloodStar Empire and Empress Victoria denied you entrance to view her daughter’s body? Does she know that her actions carry earth-moving consequences in situations like this?!”
Arthur nodded, “She knows. She and I took a walk. She imparted to me that she was well aware of how highly Xenia valued her relationship with me. More importantly, she noted that because of my and indeed our relationship with Xenia, she urged us all to maintain a friendly alignment with the BloodStar Empire. She simply said to trust her.”
Vice President Monroe threw a stack of papers from his desk as he raged, “Trust her?! Trust her?!” He stood up and began to pace, “We have to decide whether to submit to the Master Families of the world or sacrifice our country in bloodshed to the Holy Light Empire… and she wants us to simply trust her?!”
Arthur raised his hands, “If everyone would take their seats. I have some musings of my own regarding these actions. Much more tempered musings given the time I have had to contemplate the events on my travels home.”
They all took their seats at Arthur’s request, and he began, “What is in that ceremonial sanctuary? I do think within those chambers lies Xenia or her body. Personally. I think she is heavily injured. On the verge of death. I think King Ramses and Queen Zara are playing the odds, and I think the odds are that a heavily injured Xenia is set to die. I also think that Empress Victoria knows the odds of her daughter’s recovery, but I also think she is hopeful.”
He walked from the podium and took his own seat amongst the council, “She said to trust her. She clearly didn’t want me to see Xenia because I too would’ve assumed her dead. I believe Xenia truly must be on the verge of death, and I believe Empress Victoria is desperate for an ally on the world stage. Now that Xenia is dead or dying… I think Victoria is counting on her daughter’s recovery. And if not… I think she is willing to battle alongside us herself.”
President Monroe held up his hands and said, “Whoa whoa whoa. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. If Empress Victoria intends to fight, we will have more than just the Holy Light Empire to worry about. If she engages one Master Family, she is engaging them all. They have no tolerance for her given her history. And if we can’t count on that route, we are left hoping that Xenia recovers? I don’t like the sound of that all.”
Arthur took a deep breath, “I don’t like the sound of it either. But, what other options do we have?”
Hammond grunted, “We don’t have any good options, and that is why no one will be pleased when we ultimately go with a bad option.”
President Monroe blew Hammond’s comment off and said, “Is submitting to rulership under a Master Family other than the Holy Light Empire such a bad idea? We could preserve our culture and many of our liberties rather than dying in vain.”
Arthur immediately said, “My state, Texas, lies on the border of the Holy Light Empire. Houston has already been annihilated. Texans won’t simply give up. They will fight with or without aid from the BloodStar Empire. The people of my state have always had a standing decision. We fight. That is as true today as it was hundreds of years ago. If you want Texas, come and take it!”
President Monroe stood up angered and shouted, “Then it is your job to save them from themselves in this losing battle!”
Vice President Morrow stood up and calmly said, “Gentleman. Gentleman. Please.” He looked at both of them silently allowing the tension to simmer down and said, “Let’s all get some rest. We have many avenues to consider going forward, and we won’t get far if we debate the merits of each at this time of night while exhausted.”
The council agreed as each member nodded their heads. Several members also yawned. President Monroe nodded, “I think that’s a good idea. Some of us could use some fresh air it seems. This meeting is adjourned.”
__________________________________________________
The next morning Jacek had awoken early before sunrise to begin his training. He found himself on the royal grounds practicing ki blasts. His powerful blasts left the countryside torn up, and his training looked more akin to terraforming than martial arts.
“aahhhHHHHHH!!!” Jacek’s shirt began to bulge from his underlying muscles gathering the entirety of his ki into a flame-like collection around his body. He gave a loud battle cry as the ki energy surged around him more and more until finally a threshold was met which sent his ki parabolic.
As his energy surged further and further around him, his shirt began to shred into the ki leaving him shirtless as he continued to roar. Once Jacek had tamed the flickering ki around him into a calm state of frightening power, he stood hyperventilating.
After a few moments of catching his breath, he roared once again, “AAARRRHHHH!!” A missile like trail of ki shot forth from his body and into the sky. The trail of powerful ki lit up the morning sky as it ascended.
Once in the air, the massive ki blast then arched downwards. Citizens of the Heraklinos Empire stood in awe from miles around at the brilliant display in the sky. And as the ki blast shot down from the sky, the people then braced themselves.
The mighty blast slammed into the ground rocking the Earth for miles around. Huge chunks of rock and land went flying. Jacek maintained his aura around him to block himself from the flying debris.
A rock fragment the size of a bus flew directly at him, and he merely roared with his aura as the giant fragment slammed into him nearly disintegrating into a million pieces upon contact.
Jarek looked on from afar in his palace tower thinking to himself, “He is improving by leaps and bounds. Such a concentrated blast, and yet, his ki reserves are hardly touched. He has finally turned his stamina from a weakness to a strength I daresay.”
Jarek mused to himself more, “The fighters to help train him in the Perfect Warrior technique should be here soon. He will be ready. No. He will be more than ready.”
On the ground, Jacek suddenly heard a call to him. An attendant used a loudspeaker from afar as to avoid certain death, “Lord Heraklinos! Master Sage wishes to see you now.”
Jacek called back, “Tell her I will be in shortly after my training.”
The attendant called once more on the loud speaker, “Excuse my persistence my Lord. Master Sage has asked me to relay to you that if you are more than a second late past 10:30 am, she will be sure to make her displeasure known to you.”
Jacek looked at the clock tower in the distance. It read: ‘10:26 am’. He then looked to the attendant and gave a disgruntled scowl. He was shirtless and his pants were ragged having barely survived his training. He thought to himself, “Fine. If she wants to see me immediately then she can bear my lack of readiness.”
He diffused the ki around his body and made way for Master Sage’s suite within the palace.
If there was one thing Jacek didn’t particularly care for it was having his training interrupted. He marched through the palace grounds, down the hallway, and around several corners as he rapidly approached Mistress Sage’s suite.
As he approached, his pace didn’t slow, and as he reached her set of double doors, he walked right in without knocking or waiting for any kind of invitation at all.
He walked in to find the welcome area empty, and he called out, “Erika! This had better be good. I was in the middle of intense training.”
The door suddenly closed behind him, and he jumped. He turned to see Erika who had been standing behind the door against the wall. And his jaw dropped.
Standing before him was Erika in a leather outfit quite reminiscent of Xenia’s military outfit. Jacek knew this was no mistake; she was paying attention to everything he liked, and she was acting on every bit of it.
She walked towards him slowly as he stood staring, “Was interrupting your training a bad decision?”
Jacek began to answer; however, she interrupted him abruptly, “Good. The first of many. Because right now, we are only going to make bad decisions.”
She tore the tattered clothing from his body as the two began. Outside the room, an attendant had heard enough to know it was his cue to leave them in privacy.
Elsewhere, it was nearly 2:00 am in the morning as Senator Arthur Davis found himself within the White House elevator traveling downwards to the subterranean meeting room with the President and the remainder of the war council. He had just returned from his trip from the BloodStar Empire, and he was exhausted. However, the council would not wait to hear his news.
Flanked by two secret service agents, Davis felt safe but also knew they offered little protection against the true dangers of the world. He sighed with exhaustion as the elevator dinged upon arrival. The doors opened, and the agents escorted him to the high-tech and secure meeting room.
As he entered, he heard numerous voices attempting to talk over one another in what was a very active meeting given the time of night. President Monroe turned to see the door open as Arthur walked in, “Senator Davis! At last, we might finally get some useful information to help break our current standstill.”
Senator Davis gulped at the scene. It was apparent that there lay a split amongst the opinions in the room. Unfortunately, he did not come baring any definitive news.
He walked silently to the podium and softly said, “Where to start. Let’s see.”
Senator Hammond rashly called out, “Is she dead or not? Start there!”
Arthur gave a half smile and said, “I wish it were that simple.”
Vice President Morrow shook his head and crossed his arms in his seat, “Great. This isn’t the news we were hoping for. Is it Senator?”
Arthur shook his head, “I’m afraid it’s complicated.”
President Monroe finally took his seat after pacing back and forth, “Fine. Let’s let him brief us. If it’s complicated, we shall do our best to hold all questions until you are finished.”
Arthur nodded, “Thank you Mr. President.” Arthur then cleared his throat, “You have undoubtedly heard the circulating reports of King Ramses and Queen Zara attesting to the confirmation of Xenia’s death.”
The audience nodded in response before he continued, “Well. I was there. I stood shoulder to shoulder with them both before they entered the ceremonial sanctuary to view the fallen Xenia BloodStar.”
He loosened his tie and continued, “They were in the ceremonial chamber for no more than a few minutes before they exited with solemn expressions. Then, it was my turn.”
Arthur paused, and Hammond raised his hands, “Well? And then?”
Arthur replied, “And then I wasn’t invited in.”
The council had a physical reaction to his response. President Monroe raised his voice, “So you went all the way to the BloodStar Empire and Empress Victoria denied you entrance to view her daughter’s body? Does she know that her actions carry earth-moving consequences in situations like this?!”
Arthur nodded, “She knows. She and I took a walk. She imparted to me that she was well aware of how highly Xenia valued her relationship with me. More importantly, she noted that because of my and indeed our relationship with Xenia, she urged us all to maintain a friendly alignment with the BloodStar Empire. She simply said to trust her.”
Vice President Monroe threw a stack of papers from his desk as he raged, “Trust her?! Trust her?!” He stood up and began to pace, “We have to decide whether to submit to the Master Families of the world or sacrifice our country in bloodshed to the Holy Light Empire… and she wants us to simply trust her?!”
Arthur raised his hands, “If everyone would take their seats. I have some musings of my own regarding these actions. Much more tempered musings given the time I have had to contemplate the events on my travels home.”
They all took their seats at Arthur’s request, and he began, “What is in that ceremonial sanctuary? I do think within those chambers lies Xenia or her body. Personally. I think she is heavily injured. On the verge of death. I think King Ramses and Queen Zara are playing the odds, and I think the odds are that a heavily injured Xenia is set to die. I also think that Empress Victoria knows the odds of her daughter’s recovery, but I also think she is hopeful.”
He walked from the podium and took his own seat amongst the council, “She said to trust her. She clearly didn’t want me to see Xenia because I too would’ve assumed her dead. I believe Xenia truly must be on the verge of death, and I believe Empress Victoria is desperate for an ally on the world stage. Now that Xenia is dead or dying… I think Victoria is counting on her daughter’s recovery. And if not… I think she is willing to battle alongside us herself.”
President Monroe held up his hands and said, “Whoa whoa whoa. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. If Empress Victoria intends to fight, we will have more than just the Holy Light Empire to worry about. If she engages one Master Family, she is engaging them all. They have no tolerance for her given her history. And if we can’t count on that route, we are left hoping that Xenia recovers? I don’t like the sound of that all.”
Arthur took a deep breath, “I don’t like the sound of it either. But, what other options do we have?”
Hammond grunted, “We don’t have any good options, and that is why no one will be pleased when we ultimately go with a bad option.”
President Monroe blew Hammond’s comment off and said, “Is submitting to rulership under a Master Family other than the Holy Light Empire such a bad idea? We could preserve our culture and many of our liberties rather than dying in vain.”
Arthur immediately said, “My state, Texas, lies on the border of the Holy Light Empire. Houston has already been annihilated. Texans won’t simply give up. They will fight with or without aid from the BloodStar Empire. The people of my state have always had a standing decision. We fight. That is as true today as it was hundreds of years ago. If you want Texas, come and take it!”
President Monroe stood up angered and shouted, “Then it is your job to save them from themselves in this losing battle!”
Vice President Morrow stood up and calmly said, “Gentleman. Gentleman. Please.” He looked at both of them silently allowing the tension to simmer down and said, “Let’s all get some rest. We have many avenues to consider going forward, and we won’t get far if we debate the merits of each at this time of night while exhausted.”
The council agreed as each member nodded their heads. Several members also yawned. President Monroe nodded, “I think that’s a good idea. Some of us could use some fresh air it seems. This meeting is adjourned.”
__________________________________________________
The next morning Jacek had awoken early before sunrise to begin his training. He found himself on the royal grounds practicing ki blasts. His powerful blasts left the countryside torn up, and his training looked more akin to terraforming than martial arts.
“aahhhHHHHHH!!!” Jacek’s shirt began to bulge from his underlying muscles gathering the entirety of his ki into a flame-like collection around his body. He gave a loud battle cry as the ki energy surged around him more and more until finally a threshold was met which sent his ki parabolic.
As his energy surged further and further around him, his shirt began to shred into the ki leaving him shirtless as he continued to roar. Once Jacek had tamed the flickering ki around him into a calm state of frightening power, he stood hyperventilating.
After a few moments of catching his breath, he roared once again, “AAARRRHHHH!!” A missile like trail of ki shot forth from his body and into the sky. The trail of powerful ki lit up the morning sky as it ascended.
Once in the air, the massive ki blast then arched downwards. Citizens of the Heraklinos Empire stood in awe from miles around at the brilliant display in the sky. And as the ki blast shot down from the sky, the people then braced themselves.
The mighty blast slammed into the ground rocking the Earth for miles around. Huge chunks of rock and land went flying. Jacek maintained his aura around him to block himself from the flying debris.
A rock fragment the size of a bus flew directly at him, and he merely roared with his aura as the giant fragment slammed into him nearly disintegrating into a million pieces upon contact.
Jarek looked on from afar in his palace tower thinking to himself, “He is improving by leaps and bounds. Such a concentrated blast, and yet, his ki reserves are hardly touched. He has finally turned his stamina from a weakness to a strength I daresay.”
Jarek mused to himself more, “The fighters to help train him in the Perfect Warrior technique should be here soon. He will be ready. No. He will be more than ready.”
On the ground, Jacek suddenly heard a call to him. An attendant used a loudspeaker from afar as to avoid certain death, “Lord Heraklinos! Master Sage wishes to see you now.”
Jacek called back, “Tell her I will be in shortly after my training.”
The attendant called once more on the loud speaker, “Excuse my persistence my Lord. Master Sage has asked me to relay to you that if you are more than a second late past 10:30 am, she will be sure to make her displeasure known to you.”
Jacek looked at the clock tower in the distance. It read: ‘10:26 am’. He then looked to the attendant and gave a disgruntled scowl. He was shirtless and his pants were ragged having barely survived his training. He thought to himself, “Fine. If she wants to see me immediately then she can bear my lack of readiness.”
He diffused the ki around his body and made way for Master Sage’s suite within the palace.
If there was one thing Jacek didn’t particularly care for it was having his training interrupted. He marched through the palace grounds, down the hallway, and around several corners as he rapidly approached Mistress Sage’s suite.
As he approached, his pace didn’t slow, and as he reached her set of double doors, he walked right in without knocking or waiting for any kind of invitation at all.
He walked in to find the welcome area empty, and he called out, “Erika! This had better be good. I was in the middle of intense training.”
The door suddenly closed behind him, and he jumped. He turned to see Erika who had been standing behind the door against the wall. And his jaw dropped.
Standing before him was Erika in a leather outfit quite reminiscent of Xenia’s military outfit. Jacek knew this was no mistake; she was paying attention to everything he liked, and she was acting on every bit of it.
She walked towards him slowly as he stood staring, “Was interrupting your training a bad decision?”
Jacek began to answer; however, she interrupted him abruptly, “Good. The first of many. Because right now, we are only going to make bad decisions.”
She tore the tattered clothing from his body as the two began. Outside the room, an attendant had heard enough to know it was his cue to leave them in privacy.
