Roads surrounded by green, sandy mountains. Clouds that threaten to cover every blue sky. Flocks of unique species of winged animals flying aimlessly in search of a safe place to rest. The crackle of the motorcycle exhaust as it burns liters of gasoline. Despite a beautiful day, everything seemed gray again.
Since leaving Innsmouth, Von and Sophie had not said a word to each other. Von was driving the motorcycle, focusing 100% of his attention on the road, while Sophie was wrapping her arms around Von's torso and using the assassin's body as protection from the wind blowing against her face. This type of behavior was customary between the two assassins of the Chasseur family. Always when on a mission, their complexes manifested themselves and took over their thoughts. But this was not a simple mission, this was the beginning of a war.
Cermina's war against Dendalion has been going on for several generations. Between the conquest of strategic territories and sociopolitical agreements, the confrontation between the two nations seemed to be recreational. No really positive fruit emerged from these confrontations, in fact, only a high number of dead soldiers and a small space of conquered land, which would soon be taken up again with the next confrontation.
Two giant nations blinded by their own arrogance, live warring in a disorderly manner, no matter how much they believed they were elaborating great plans. That seemed more like collective suicide than strategic invasions.
However, the vicious cycle of confrontation between the red and the gold forced their leaders to maintain the same behavior patterns. The Verulian nations knew that at the first suspicious move that opposed the "momentary peace treaty," war would be eminent.
Despite the futility of the war, great names and political influences arose from it, such as General Krauser, the Kirve brothers, the Chasseur family and their long line of assassins, and even the Asten family, who for their deeds in war took the highest rank in the Dendalian hierarchy, becoming the leaders of a nation ruled by a hypocritical monarchy.
However tirelessly the war was repeated, it was never the same. Its leaders were different, its purposes, however futile, were different. With all these confrontations, nations sought their own improvements, some seeking improvement in warfare, magic and weaponry, others in political alliances, trade and technology.
Despite the great river of blood, all the liquid spilled served as an elixir for progress.
But perhaps this war was different, Sophie thought. Everything she understood about war did not seem to apply in this situation. Cermina's movement to attack the port and the shores was really a distraction. The real purpose of that war was up to her and the man in front of her.
She knew that by killing the Dendalian royalty, all nations would enter into conflicts of interest, and various agreements would be broken and rewritten, including the "peaceful crossing" agreement for civilians by the Sovereign Pentades.
The peaceful crossing agreement had been proposed by the rulers of Gran Tlaboc four decades ago, as a benevolent act so that civilians could travel to other nations for purposes of study, vacation, or migration without hindrance.
Due to Cermina's insecurity due to the pre-formed alliances of Dendalion and Gran Tlaboc, the arsenal nation accepted the treaty, but demanded that only migrations would occur in Cermina, to the exclusion of academic and vacation issues.
The other nations agreed to Cermina's terms, but demanded that their terms also be put without reservations in the treaty. They all agreed.
Lotevi demanded permanent amnesty on their way of doing science.
Gran Tlaboc demanded the absence of war conflicts in its territory, in exchange for a permanent agreement not to try to conquer other nations' territory.
Grebeci demanded a 200% increase in the value of snow powder, a material produced only in Grebeci territory, 10 times more efficient and durable than ordinary gunpowder.
And Dendalion, as an act of revenge for the death of one of the royal family members in an ambush orchestrated by Cermina agents, demanded that no Cermina inhabitants could legally transit through Dendalion and Gran Tlaboc.
This demand from Dendalion caused Cermina's technological and financial backwardness in the long run. The difficulty that the country of the arsenal had in obtaining relevant studies for the education and leisure of its inhabitants caused the lower classes of Cermina to become hopeless and dumbed down.
Unlike what everyone imagined, the blame for Cermina's immense inequality was not entirely on the high command itself, but also on the demands of Bion and Freya Asten.
The irrevocable law of the Verulian continent provides that all agreements between nations are to be kept inalterable until the lifetime of all those involved in the meeting ends. Consequently, after forty years, all the rulers of the nations had died of ill health or died of personal conflicts, except for the Dendalian royalty.
The redhead was easily able to reach this conclusion. The intense studies that Norgard demanded of Sophie were good for something.
Sophie was capable of understanding the workings of that world better than anyone else. Besides being an expert in close combat and long distance battle, Sophie could speak the ancient language of all the nations, their history and cultures, and the most important political agreements recorded. The young Chasseur would be the perfect person to assume the High Command in the future, but her rebellious behavior made Norgard Chasseur doubt her competence.
The motorcycle's speed gradually decreased and the engine went silent. The asphalt road that connected Innsmouth to the Pentade crossroads had ended.
A large open field, several paths to follow. Through the sandy road, through the mountains, through the forest. On horseback, on motorcycle, walking. Various possibilities, but all of them led to the purpose:
Disguise, Infiltrate, Hunt and Kill. This was the order of the mission.
Sophie got off the motorcycle and Von got off soon after. The two of them stared at each other waiting for some reaction from the other. There was no more competition in those looks, it was only concern for the life of the person in front of them.
-I believe this situation is different from Blair's mission, so I'll repeat what I said and I don't want the same answer. Sophie, if I have to, I want you to leave me behind.- He tried, but he couldn't hide Sophie's value to him.
-Don't you understand that whatever mission we're on together, either we both come out alive or we both die?
-Why are you so stubborn, Sophie? The mission must be done.- Von did the same.
-You know why.- In a gentle act, Sophie slowly approached Von's face, threatening to kiss his mouth, but before their lips sealed, the redhead kissed the BloodHound's cheek.- I promised myself never to fail again.-
The BloodHound was speechless at Sophie's attitude, who then started walking ahead of her towards Dendalion.
Sophie stopped walking and looked back for Von's eyes. The assassin was looking at her with admiration, and she realized this.
-What? Are you thinking about me, Von?- They both did not hide their smiles.