Chapter 67: Chapter 66: Terms of Engagement

The next morning, Michael awoke in his own personal tent which outsized the negotiation tent easily by ten-fold and was decorated to the brim with luxury items and furniture. He had decided to sleep on the counteroffer in order to clear his mind before presenting it to his father.

He dressed himself in his armor and prepared to call his father, Pope Gregory, on the floor-to-ceiling monitor system for a video chat.

His father answered promptly and said, “St. Michael! What is the latest word from the war front in Texas?”

Michael stood respectfully and said, “Good morning father. I have what I would refer to as good news.”

Gregory quickly said, “Has Xenia agreed to the trade?!”

Michael answered, “No.” His father’s posture slumped with disappointment. Michael continued despite his father’s disappointment, “The good news is that Xenia has offered an enticing, and I daresay, a desperate counteroffer.”

Gregory’s interest was piqued as he leaned forward again, “Go on.”

Michael continued, “She has offered the following terms. Rather than participate in a long and drawn-out bloody war, she has challenged you to a winner-take-all duel. If you win… you receive the territories, you receive Peter, and you receive the glory of finishing off one of the world’s most despised persons. However, if she wins, she receives the Holy Light Empire to rule over. To entice you into agreement, she has offered for you to determine all of the details regarding time, place, use of weapons, use of items, and other parameters.”

Gregory paused for a moment in disbelief before laughing in earnest and saying, “Has she forgotten that I was the one to whip her little behind all the way to death’s doorstep last time? And now she dares to give me a handicap to entice me!? I accept! I graciously accept her offer!”

Gregory bellowed as he leaned back in his chair with utter delight and laughed to himself for a few moments. He finally gathered himself and stood from his desk as he carried his device with him walking through the basilica while talking to Michael, “Michael, this is fantastic news. She came up with this counteroffer all on her own? You did nothing to guide her to her own destruction? She is a menace and a fool.”

Michael nodded, “She suggested it on her own accord. In fact, she seemed eager and confident. Father, I don’t think she should be taken so lightly. I think she has drastically improved in power since we saw her last.”

Gregory waved off Michael’s concerns, “No one can improve that much in such a short time. Even if she had though, I have the upper hand in defining the terms of our duel. Look!...”

Gregory opened a vault door at the base of an ornate staircase. This room was the lower level of Pope Gregory’s massive personal space within the basilica consisting of what amounted to a mansion within the church.

He opened the large door protected by various ki defensive measures and entered. The room was a veritable treasure trove as Gregory held the screen for Michael to see the various treasures ranging from healing Holy Water to ki-enhanced weapons including maces and spears.

Gregory walked to the very end of the room and said, “The terms now. We will fight in a neutral location. The battle arena within the Heraklinos Empire.”

Michael nodded, “Neutral, yes. But the Heraklinos Empire clearly supports our cause. Would it not be better-“

Gregory snapped at him, “Such is the folly of allowing your enemy to choose the terms! Of course, that is a favorable location for us. For me. And that is precisely why I choose it.”

He then said, “We will fight at noon with the sun high in the sky. Weapons will be allowed.”

Gregory then turned to face the magnificent sword at the end of the room. He reached out to pull the blade from its resting place within a large stone.”

He powered up his ki aura in order to pry it loose from its stone enclosure. As Gregory’s power soared, the sword began to budge as it slipped from the rock and into the air with the blade letting out a metal ‘shhinnggg’.

Gregory held the blade vertically in front of him and said, “The immaculate blade. It has never known defeat. Each Pope is allowed to call on this blade’s power but once in their lifetime before never being able to use it again. My time has come.”

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Michael was floored. He had no idea his father was prepared to go this far in his fight against Xenia, “You intend to use the God Sword?!”

Gregory smiled at the blade and quietly said, “Yes. I intend to make this my legacy. I intend to strike the demon down with the power of God.”

Michael had previously been unsure of his father’s chances against an extremely confident and powerful Xenia BloodStar. However, now Xenia wouldn’t just be fighting his immensely powerful father. She would now also be facing the might of the God Sword.

Gregory carried the sword by the hilt with reverence. The sword weighed 50 pounds; however, in the hands of those who can call forth its power, it weighs no more than a feather.

Gregory walked over to a wall of several items and said, “For the use of items. I forbid it.”

Michael frowned, “Would it not be advantageous to carry a vial of Holy Water with you into the fight?”

Gregory smiled as he reached forth and grabbed just that, a vial of Holy Water. He said, “You have not been properly trained in the use of the God Sword as you are someone who will never know the power needed to wield it. One feature of this blade is its ability to absorb the properties of items, including Holy Water.”

Gregory laid the sword on the counter before him and opened the blue vial of Holy Water. He then gently poured the Holy Water into a groove down the center of the blade.

Michael looked on as the Holy Water seemingly disappeared into the blade of the sword.

Gregory smiled at the blade and said, “One of this weapon’s magnificent abilities is to absorb the effects of items and then use those effects upon command when needed. Sadly, even this mighty blade can only hold one item as powerful as Holy Water. The ability to bring one back from the edge of death is no small task.”

Gregory grabbed the sword and walked out of the vault sealing it behind him. He looked to his monitor and said to Michael, “Lastly, the final term of the duel. It will be to the death. Only one person leaves the arena alive!”

Michael wrote his father’s terms down as he spoke them as to relay them to Xenia later. Michael asked, “One last detail, father. Will this be a private duel? Or will it be public to an audience in attendance?”

Gregory grinned, “You bring up a very good point, son. Let’s make sure to inform the Heraklinos Empire of our wish to have this duel broadcast globally. I want the world to see the death of the miserable Xenia BloodStar, and I want the world to know at whose hands she falls.”

Michael nodded in agreement, “I think it is important for the world to witness such an important victory. An important moment in the history of the world to be sure.”

Gregory was feeling his oats as he smiled to Michael on the digital screen and said, “Deliver my terms to Xenia BloodStar as soon as is permitted. I am eager for her to accept, and I am eager to finish what I started in Houston.”

Michael replied, “I will relay your terms this evening.”

Gregory maintained his happy composure and said, “Please let me know her response as soon as permittable.” He then disconnected the video call and continued to stroll through the basilica with an extra pep in his step.

Michael sat in disbelief. He was square in the middle of two opponents who exuded confidence. Both sides felt themselves to be invincible. He thought to himself, “Why do I feel obligated to warn Xenia of her demise at my father’s hands? I should allow her to fall to his God Sword. I suppose it won’t matter much. There is nothing I can say to dissuade her from entering the arena against my father. One thing is for sure… the world will have lost at least one extremely talented ki user at the conclusion of this duel.”

Michael then turned to his wardrobe closet. Although the world might lose a talented ki user in short time, he still had a date of sorts to prepare for this evening. It had been far too long since he had been with a girl as captivating as Xenia. In fact, her charm outmatched every girl he had ever encountered within the empire. Given her likely short life expectancy, Michael was intent on enjoying his time with her while it still lasted.

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