Chapter 22: Sparring Match

Chapter 22: Sparring Match

Vega and Jacek spent the time preparing for the sparring match. Vega held a punching bag as Jacek threw punches at it.

Vega said, “Hey man, don’t screw this up! The entire fortress will be watching.”

Jacek began to sweat as he threw his punches and said, “I fight against rebels every day. I am on the front lines every day. She may have a higher black belt designation, but she does not have real experience. And in battle, experience is what counts!”

Jacek threw a massive punch that pulverized the punching bag into two separate pieces.

Vega thought nothing of it and said, “Hey! She’s also super hot. Way hotter than Erika. Don’t screw that up either!”

Jacek laughed and said, “Erika will come around. I am not interested in Xenia.”

Vega laughed, “It’s okay to wait for Erika to come around. But don’t lie to me and say you haven’t thought about being with Xenia.”

Jacek laughed with him and said, “Okay, maybe I thought about it. But just thought about it!”

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The clock rang 2 o’clock as two chimes were heard throughout the courtyard within the Saber Province Fortress.

The entire fortress was excused from duty to attend the sparring match on the fields within the fortress. Xenia stood on the grassy plain on the far end of the sparring square that measured 50 yards long and 30 yards wide. Jacek stood on the opposite end.

Xenia still wore her sexy gym outfit; however, she had donned her 10th degree black belt around her waist.

Jacek wore a classic black karate gi with his 7th degree black belt tied around his waist.

Teams of soldiers were tasked to create an invisible ki barrier around the perimeter of the square to prevent their ki from escaping and injuring others.

Vega took the microphone and began, “Ladies and gentlemen, all the way from the BloodStar Empire, she is one of four 10th degree black belts in the entire world, she is a Princess and a General, she is single... I mean... she is extremely talented... Xenia BloodStar!”

The crowd gave a polite clap. Xenia was underwhelmed with her welcome. At her own colosseum, the ground beneath her shook like an earthquake when she was introduced.

Vega then pointed to Jacek, “He has the homefield advantage, he is battle-tested, he is one of the strongest ki users in the world... your leader... your Lord... Jacek Heraklinos!”

The crowd went absolutely nuts. Cheering, stomping, waving, and more came from the crowd as they cheered their leader on.This chapter was first shared on the Ñøv€lß1n platform.

Vega then took the microphone and yelled, “Ready! Set! Fight!”

The match began. Xenia stood in place staring her opponent down, waiting for him to make the first move.

Jacek laughed and muttered to himself, “Your first mistake.” He formed a massive ball of ki between his palms gathering the energy at his waist. He then shot the ball into the sky. The ball hovered in the air only for a few seconds. It then split into twenty different smaller balls of ki and formed a dome array around Xenia before raining down on her.

Each ki ball exploded upon impact creating a dust cloud as multiple small explosions occurred. The sparring field went silent, and the crowd looked on with anticipation as spectators speculated, “Did the Lord go too hard on her? Is she dead? That would not be good. We may have overestimated the Princess’s strength.”

Jacek sent a punch flying with all of his might, and the force of his punch sent a shock wave that cleared the dust quickly. Standing in her original spot without a single scratch was Xenia BloodStar.

Jacek seeing nothing continued to fight. However, Xenia was acutely aware of that sound. It was an incoming air attack. She subtly bloodbent Jacek slowing his movements. He wasn’t sure what had happened to him, but he did take a moment to realize the look of concern on Xenia’s face.

He then willingly turned around again and looked to the sky. A large missile came roaring out of the clouds and subsequently slammed into the fortress wall blowing debris everywhere.

Vega yelled, “Battle stations! We are under attack!”

Everyone scrambled to take their positions; however, as they did, a large helicopter flew overhead. A sinister appearing man leaned out of the side of the open-door helicopter and called down, “Lord Heraklinos! Meet me at the Saber Canyon Falls in one hour!”

Jacek formed a massive ki energy blast in his right hand and grit his teeth. The sinister man laughed and called out, “Oh I wouldn’t do that!” The man then pointed inside of the helicopter where he revealed to have already taken three hostages before the rocket attack.

Jacek was furious to see his men tied up, and he re-absorbed his ki into his body. He yelled up at the man, “One hour!”

The helicopter whirred away leaving Jacek fuming. He yelled to Vega, “I need the Kodiak Legion ready to move in 10 minutes! We are heading to the canyon.”

Xenia walked up to him and put her hand on his chest as she healed him and asked, “And what about me, darling?”

Jacek’s mind couldn’t process everything happening. They had just been attacked by a rebellion leader. He was being healed inexplicably. And his honored guest had just called him darling.

Xenia took her hand off his chest and said, “Forgive me. I only mean to heal you so that you may rescue your men at full power.”

Jacek smiled and said, “Thank you. And what was addressing me as darling all about?”

Xenia looked away and said, “Nothing.” She then turned back to face him and said, “I am requesting permission to join your rescue mission.”

Jacek immediately answered, “Absolutely not. I cannot let a Princess die in my country on my watch.”

Xenia then looked around, “I see many injured but none dead. Agree to have me heal them all and let me join you.”

Xenia knew Jacek’s heart was owned by his men and women serving under him. This was a deal he could not pass up. He pursed his lips and finally said, “Fine. Deal! Get to it!”

Xenia walked around the fortress healing every wound she could find ranging from small cuts from the shockwave knocking people to the ground to the worst injury... a man’s body half crushed under a concrete fragment from the fortress wall.

The Heraklinos men and women were mightily impressed with Xenia as they thanked her profusely. They lauded her with praise, “You are an angel, Princess! Thank you for being here today! Please go with Jacek and keep our men safe out there as well!”

Xenia made quick work of her healing duties and used the extra time to change out of her sparring outfit and into her black leather General outfit.

She walked back out of her room and through the fortress in her dominant black leather outfit complete with boots and gloves. She had a serious aura about her, and the people looking on suddenly realized why she was addressed as General rather than Princess in her homeland.

She walked up to a stunned and staring Jacek and said, “Shall we head out? We must make haste if we are to meet this enemy’s demands, yes?”

Jacek was stunned at her beauty and her dominant outfit. He couldn’t help but think to himself, “Holy shit! Vega was right. This girl is smoking hot, powerful, smart, and ... dominant.”

He snapped out of it and turned to his men, “Kodiak Legion! I call on you, my finest warriors to follow me on this dangerous mission. General Xenia will be accompanying us. Let’s head out!”

The men let out a collective, “Hoorah!” as they began to march out of the partially intact fortress gates.