Chapter 142: The Right Decision Isn’t the Easy Decision

Chapter 142: The Right Decision Isn’t the Easy Decision

Jarek stood with Master Sage and St. Michael at the meeting area as the others including Master Chief Washington, Arthur Davis, Katya Nova, Ramses, and Zara watched from the camp site in the distance filled with anxiety.

Jarek stood with his sword drawn resting on the ground with his hands atop the hilt. He looked to the citadel and spoke to Erika and St. Michael behind him, “This is the most important moment of your life. It may not be honorable to execute an enemy at a negotiation; however, history will see it as a necessary evil to stop an even greater evil.”

He turned his head back to both of them, “You are both prepared for what is to come, yes?”

Erika and Michael both nodded. Jarek turned back around. He saw in the distance two figures exit the gates of the citadel, and he said, “Here they come. Remember. Allow Jacek to act first. Without him, this fight will drag out. She is a powerful, gifted, smart, and cruel opponent. We can afford no mistakes if we are to be successful. Stick to the plan as discussed, and we will all survive this encounter. And we will all be saviors engraved into the books of history.”

The three looked on as Xenia approached not in her usual black leather outfit or her black armor set but in a silk-white short house robe. Jarek scoffed to himself, “Sorry to wake you so early Princess BloodStar.”

Xenia smiled as she approached them. Jacek stopped behind her holding his spear as she walked forward to greet them. She opened her arms with a huge beaming smile, “Master Heraklinos, Master Sage, St. Michael! So wonderful to see you all on this glorious day. The sun shines upon us. Let us not waste a second more of daylight. I-”

Jarek abruptly cut her off, “Enough talk Xenia! You have given us reason enough to act by your own actions. We are here to end this war. Prepare to fight!”

Xenia put her hand up to her chest in shock and smiled, “Yes, I quite agree. Let us end this bloody war. Life is too precious is it not?”

She looked around at the three before her and saw them take tense stances ready to pounce. Jarek inwardly thought, “Come on Jacek. Come on!”

Jacek made no move just yet, and Xenia continued, “Where are the papers? Where is the treaty you undoubtedly have drafted? I will sign it at once. This war is over. There. I said it. I surrender. This war is over, and I am going home.”

Jarek smiled and laughed in disbelief, “You think you can simply go home after all you’ve done. After all of the lives you’ve taken? After every single war crime on your hands? No. Today we fight. Today you die, Xenia.”

She shot him a murderous look, “Fight? I’m afraid I hardly know that word any longer. You would attack me as I surrender?”

Jarek nodded, “I would attack you not as someone who has surrendered. But as someone who has brought massive pain on to this world and will continue to do so for a century to come.”

Jarek began to power up with a furious ki building around his body, and Xenia took a step back in fear covering her stomach with her hands, “You would kill a pregnant woman?”

Her words cut through the air like knives. Jarek stopped gathering ki. St. Michael couldn’t believe it. Erika’s mind began to race jumping to conclusions, “Pregnant?” She shot a look to Jacek knowing this could only mean one thing, “Jacek? How could you? With her? No. No!”

He outstretched both hands to his sides and then suddenly clapped them together on her head. The impact of his ki-powered clap on her head resulted in her head exploding with bone, brain, and blood flying in every direction. Some of her head was even annihilated into nothingness from the impact of the ki.

Her headless body slumped over to the ground as blood ran from her neck pooling around her body and running free along the ground.

Jarek breathed rapidly and knelt beside Xenia taking note of her injuries. Others walked up to her body as well, and Jarek said, “No brain, no heart, no ki. This is the only way to kill a BloodStar. It is over.”

He stood and looked to his team, “Do not let the circumstances of her death phase you for one moment. Her heir would have wrecked this world for centuries to come. Don’t give her a second thought. You all. We all, did the right thing.”

Jarek’s words rang through the air for everyone to hear; however, it only sounded as if he were trying to convince himself of his own words, and the others felt the same internal conflict. They had done what needed to be done but at the cost of their own humanity.

They all stood around shell shocked. Few words were spoken. Then from afar, they heard a slow clap followed by a shrill voice.

They looked to see a crimson robed old woman approaching them.

The old woman smiled from beneath her robe, “Well. Well. Well. You finally killed a BloodStar.”

The woman lowered her hood to reveal her shriveled and ghastly face full of wrinkles. Her grey hair looked unhealthy, and her fingers poked out of her sleeves with her skin molding to her bones with very little flesh present.

Having exerted none of his own ki during the murder of Xenia BloodStar, Jacek powered up and stepped forward, “Halt! State your name!”

The woman cackled, “You mean to say you don’t recognize me? You don’t know the face of the Crimson Witch?”

They all looked to one another; however, Jarek was the only one who maintained his sight on the old lady, and the old lady returned his stare as she said, “You finally did what you could not so many years ago, Jarek. I should say I am proud of you. You are a monster after all.”

Jacek looked to his Jarek, “Father! You know this woman?”

He nodded, “You know her too. Empress Victoria BloodStar.”

Everyone looked back to the old woman with terrified expressions. She then cackled again and said, “So you can kill a defenseless BloodStar. But what about one with a powerful lust for blood?”