Imperatrix Fallen: Alith's Cradle

XIV

The Hyper Highway

The Super Highway, or Hyper Highway, is a structure believed to have been caused by a meteorite. It stretches across the planar sphere from the County of the Sky to 200 kilometers south of Frontier III, ending at the sea. How exactly this geological fault came to form is still unknown, but its topology allows for uninterrupted travel from one end to the other at great speeds, thanks to its width and relatively smooth surface. Its commercial importance, then, is clear, as it opened the main trade route between all the great counties...

Introduction to the book "The Highway" by JF Sickel.

Valeria hurried down the dimly lit corridor, accompanied by two guards who, after escorting her, left her alone with the prisoner. The dark cell was empty, save for the man chained to the wall, and the stench of a recently cleaned latrine lingered strongly in the air. She grimaced but quickly regained composure, stepping forward to confront him.

"Pecto is your name, isn't it?" she asked, her voice measured.

The man, bearing the fresh marks of a beating that hadn't spared his face, lifted his gaze, nodding in affirmation.

"Why did you try to kill my cousin on her birthday, Pecto?" she demanded, her tone steely.

Pecto shifted uncomfortably, seeking a position that would mask his physical pain, but a low grunt escaped him as he finally settled.

"Miss Valeria Russ," Pecto began, his voice rough, "I didn't want to kill your cousin. I didn't want to kill you either. I wanted to kill the murdering bastards you surround yourself with."

Valeria let out a deep sigh.

"Pecto, come on. The war ended over 15 years ago. You're from Ciltro, near Poisson, right? You were loyal to Alan, and my father crushed that village, along with others. We've seen your constant protests, always violent, but it never escalated to this. Help me understand—what more do you want? Alan won. My father is dead. I won't say your little stunt nearly ruined us, but it did help solidify our position here in Frontier, so thanks for that. But you must understand, we can't let this go unpunished. Talk. How did you get the weapons? How did you get into the gym? Talk, and maybe this will be your only way out of... this."

"We don't care about politics, Miss Valeria. We bought the weapons from some mercenaries and got in by pretending to be waiters. Nothing special."

"Then what do you want?"

"Revenge for the dead."

"The soldiers..."

"No. Soldiers die fighting; they have an honorable death, as much as possible, Miss. I apologize for interrupting, but it's the innocents who need to be avenged."

"Who can be innocent in a war, Pecto? Civilians on both sides, many of them..."

"My newborn daughter, Miss Valeria."

Valeria froze at his words, momentarily speechless, caught off guard by the calm way he spoke.

"A bombing, I suppose," Valeria replied coldly.

"No. It was Roth. He came into my home and took her from her cradle. We never saw her again," Pecto interrupted.

Valeria fought to regain her composure before continuing.

"Roth is dead. He committed suicide," she said flatly.

"But his accomplices are still alive."

"What are you talking about...?"

"I feel dishonest if I don't tell you everything, Miss Valeria. May I?"

"Yes... tell your story," Valeria said, reluctant.