Cup of Blood

Chapter 2: Hyphelion Paradoias

"It has been days since elder brother Zacchaeus killed the last of the Talon family, but the investigation is still ongoing. I don't quite understand as to why the King should spearhead an investigation; he could just cover the deaths of anyone on that fateful day, but I remember asking elder brother about this, and he explained to me that we need the sympathy of the people towards us and their hatred towards the assassins. I don't quite understand, really. I still need to learn more about the system as a Paradoias and as a nobility before I decide to have my own offspring, I think."

"I see, Hyphelion. Well, I do understand your curiosity about the matter, but Zacchaeus has a lot of methods and he does have a direct tie to the King and Neodymius, so who are we to question him?"

"You're right, Lehiko. Maybe it is rather right to just be silent about the happenings and let the more skilled handle them, but I just don't understand the hatred towards the assassins. Why do we hate them? They haven't really made a move against us as far as I can remember. I know the story of the massacre at Chartres Cathedral, but I don't really know your motives, brother. I was still young at that time, may you remember, so I think I do deserve the right to know of the truth."

"You are too young, Hyphelion, but if you think you deserve the right to know, then you must invoke your right as a man."

"I invoke my right as a man, Lehiko."

"Well, then. Here's how it all goes, and how it should have been. It has been generations since our kingdom found a disliking to the assassins, but it wasn't always like that. You do know of the Crusades, yes?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then that's how it happened. Remember that everyone in England is a Christian, and during the Crusades, most of us and our ancestors battled to retake Jerusalem from the Muslims. The Muslims had one of the best organizations in history, and that is the Order of the Assassins. That is as far as I can remember, however, because the true name of their order is still a foggy memory in my brain. So, that's how it goes. At that time, there was also an order of Christians from different empires and kingdoms whose supreme motive was to retake Jerusalem and annihilate the entirety of the assassins, and that order is the Knights Templar. They were one of the greatest military organizations in the world, and there are rumors that their descendants are lurking within English territory, and that they have a direct link to the Cabinet. Not only that, but there are also rumors that they are spying over France, and many other rumors."

"But do the rumors invoke authenticity?"

"That I cannot confirm. Now, let's continue. During the battles at Constantinople, it was a draw for draw result. Some time the Knights had the place, and some time the Muslims, or the assassins had. But eventually, because the Order had the support of the Pope at that time, they won the battle, and they cleansed the entire area from assassins. They retook Jerusalem, and everyone lived through the bloody war like a dream."

"So what's with our hatred?"

"The assassins, contrary to the Knights Templar's belief, have not been fully annihilated from existence. There are still descendants from the original Muslim assassins within Spaniard, French, Russian, and English territory. Luckily, we have killed all assassins in our territory. These descendants have converted their religions, but the teachings are still being passed through."