Several days after the BloodStar funeral had captivated the world, Jarek sat at his oversized desk crafted from the empire’s finest oak woods. He flipped through a medical report consisting of results from various tests including next-generation sequencing, minimal residual ki, chimerism studies, and other state-of-the-art laboratory tests.
The chief medical officer of the Heraklinos Empire, Dr. Kimbrough, sat across from him waiting patiently. Thus far, Jarek had silently and intently read Dr. Kimbrough’s report for thirty minutes.
Finally, Jarek looked up, “Obviously, I am not a doctor. But this is the tenth report from very accomplished professionals in medicine, and all signs point to Xenia’s body being the real deal. Am I correct in my interpretation?”
Dr. Kimbrough smiled happily as the silent waiting was at last over, “That is correct. There isn’t a single laboratory test that we have run that would suggest otherwise. Of course, we have no prior samples to compare it to, and identification is somewhat difficult as her head and other parts of her body have been completely vaporized and-“
Jarek nodded and held up his hand, “There is no question regarding identification. I am the one who vaporized her head. Jacek and St. Michael have also attested to the positive ID.”
Kimbrough nodded with a faint smile, “Then Master Heraklinos. I think our rigorous testing regimen is over. We have not a single iota of evidence to suggest the body in our possession is not Xenia Victoria BloodStar.”
Jarek stood and walked over to the window, “Thank you Dr. Kimbrough. Please understand my paranoia stems from past events. Killing a BloodStar isn’t easy. Keeping a BloodStar dead isn’t easy either. There can be no room for mistakes this time. This war is over, and I plan to ensure it stays over.”
Kimbrough sat gazing attentively at Jarek who stood in thought looking out his floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the palace grounds. Jarek then turned and questioned Kimbrough again on a topic they had previously covered in depth, “And you said there is not a trace of residual ki on her body, correct?”
Kimbrough nodded, “Master Heraklinos, you have studied these reports so in depth that I daresay you are becoming more of an expert than myself. You are correct, not a single trace of ki on her body.”
Jarek fell back into his chair and assumed a lax posture with his hand up to his chin, “And tell me this. Is it possible for a person to create a replica of a body with ki and leave no residual ki from the process? What I’m asking is… Is there even a one in a million chance that the body in our possession is a replica? A ki clone?”
Kimbrough furrowed his brow, “In theory, it is possible. Professors in their ivory towers will say it’s possible; however, in practice it’s simply impossible. An apt comparison would be that faster than light travel is technically possible, but we are nowhere near reaching that technology.”
Kimbrough sighed, “And in ki physics, the act of creating a clone of such pristine quality would require a massive amount of pure ki. The theory and the models would suggest it is possible to approach the zero-bound of leaving no residual ki, but… it is no more a theory than faster than light travel or other hopes and dreams of our brightest minds in the world.”
Jarek gave a half-smile, “So you’re telling me you are 100% certain the body in my possession is Xenia without a shadow of a doubt? Because at one point miracle healing was just a theory until she achieved it.”
Kimbrough leaned forward, “I’m telling you I am 110% certain. Miracles aside. I cannot account for miracles as you say.” He then leaned back in his chair and said, “Whether she stays dead or not though, I will have to defer to you.”
Jarek chuckled to himself, “And I am 110% certain I will keep her dead.” He stood and outstretched his hand, “Thank you, doctor. That will be all, finally. Thank you for your time and expertise on the matter. There can be no room for error, so forgive my thoroughness.”
Dr. Kimbrough shook his hand, “I am honored to be of aid in such an important worldly matter. Of course, should any questions, concerns, or doubts arise, don’t hesitate to contact me at once.”
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Jarek walked Dr. Kimbrough to the door and saw him off. Waiting in the hallway was Jacek Heraklinos. Jarek looked to him, “Walk with me Jacek.”
The two men began to walk down the opulent hallway, and Jarek began, “You have a weight on your mind. One doesn’t go through what you went through and simply forget about it. We all had a hand in a rather grey area. Killing a pregnant Xenia, passing judgment on unborn life… it’s something we won’t soon forget, and it’s something the world should never know.”
Jacek nodded, “I rest easy at night. There were no good options. Had we not killed her, more people would be dead today for it.”
Jarek looked at Jacek with an appreciation for his maturity, “Nonetheless, you need closure. Something Erika refused you. Follow me.”
The two men walked side by side taking up the entire width of the oversized hallway with their broad shoulders and muscular arms until they came to a stairwell of normal width and Jarek led as Jacek walked behind descending the stairwell.
They walked down no less than 10 flights of stairs until they came to an open landing with bright artificial lights and a massive vault door. Jarek entered a code on the keypad, scanned his retina, scanned his thumbprint, and confirmed his identity with voice recognition to open the vault door.
As the door opened, they were greeted by Vega Magnus, “Master and Lord Heraklinos, welcome.”
Jarek nodded to Vega, and Jacek gave him a big hug while slapping his back, “It’s good to see you, Vega.”
Vega smiled, “It’s good to see you too, Jacek.”
Jarek called out, “You are on duty Vega. You are the leader of the most important post in the empire now. Save your tears of reunion for when you are off duty.”
Jacek and Vega looked to each other, and Vega nodded for Jacek to follow his father. Jarek walked up to a massive glass tank filled with formalin. The formalin was murky and dark, but within the tank a body was obviously present.
Xenia’s already embalmed body floated in the formalin tank preserving what remained of her body. Jarek looked at her through the glass, “We thought of destroying the body entirely; however, it seems once we lose track of a BloodStar body, it comes back again. So, we decided to keep guard of it, 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year.”
Jacek looked at her mostly intact body save for the most vital organs: the brain and the heart. He also took note of the transmural gash through her abdomen where his spear strike had made contact.
Jarek then looked to Jacek, “Vega is now the head of an elite unit known as the Eternal Guard. The eternal guardsmen are always on watch. If she makes a miraculous comeback that BloodStars are so famous for, we will be the first to know, and we will squash her before she has the chance to regain meaningful power.”
Jacek stood silently staring at Xenia’s body. Jarek softly said, “Closure is important, Jacek. Take your time.” He then turned around and yelled, “Clear the room! Lord Heraklinos is on guard!”
Jarek, Vega, and the other guardsmen exited the basement containment room and closed the door behind them leaving Jacek to himself.
Within the room, Jacek solemnly looked on at her body and put his hand up to the glass, “You could have been anything in this world. You could have done anything. You had more potential than anyone alive today. More potential than anyone throughout history. I am sorry we failed to steer you on a different path. I am sorry it came to an end like this.”
He then gazed at the superior portion of her shredded uterus which would’ve carried her eventual heir, “And I am sorry to you. The world is a cruel place. But we took your chance to experience the world for all its good and all its evil.”
Jacek shed a tear knowing that it was he who killed his child with Xenia. His child that could’ve changed the world. He softly said to himself, “We presumed you to carry on Xenia’s hate and evil in the world without stopping to think of your Heraklinos pride and integrity. I am sorry.”
He then allowed his hand to slide down off the tank. He lifted his head and wiped his tears away, and he then turned to exit the room.
He opened the vault door to find the others waiting, and he said, “Thank you all for allowing me my closure, and thank you for guarding our enemy’s body eternally. We have always been the peacekeepers of the world. I can think of no better men to oversee this task.”
Vega pat Jacek’s shoulder and nodded as he and the other eternal guardsmen walked past him and resumed their guard. Jarek turned and said, “Come on. You need a break. Lest we forget you took a beating and served as a prisoner of war. Xenia’s death has overshadowed what must be an exhausting chain of events for you.”
Jacek laughed a little, “The most exhausting part is the lack of thanks from Erika. Though I can’t blame her. I impregnated our sworn enemy.”
Jarek nodded, “If the world knew, it would make for the stuff of legends centuries from now.”
The two laughed until Jarek finally said, “I plan to oversee much of the daily operations between the Heraklinos and Sage Empires in the upcoming month. You and Erika should take a break. Go surprise her. Take her on a vacation. Get away. She can’t stay mad forever. And things will only improve as the world moves forward in a time of peace.”
Jacek smiled, “I think I will, dad. Thank you. Any destination suggestions for our travels?”
He smiled back, “The beach! Somewhere tropical. With umbrella drinks, white sand, and crystal-clear waters.”
Jacek replied, “I think I know just the place.”