The Mantis Equilibrium - Book Two - 11. Chapter 11 Vion, Part Three

As the evening’s early winter sunset began to steal the light from Teshon City, the Principal Messiah was with Vion and his two lieutenants in front of the west dormitory. They huddled together in the glow of a single lamp surrounded by the oncoming darkness.

“Since the bodies inside,” the Principal Messiah declared, “are in the same three conditions as the first murder scene, I presume that we are dealing with a trio of very powerful Shifts who are going around and murdering our brethren without cause.”

Vion kept his cynical snickered to himself. In his mind, the cause for these Shifts’ actions was not up for debate. He would not have hesitated to murder every single Shift in Teshon City, and he could understand that some of them might have similar feelings about Messiahs, but he did not interrupt his superior.

“You three will spend the night examining the crime scene while it is fresh, but an example needs to be made,” the woman continued, “and it needs to be made in Gate Town. I will not stand to have our authority questioned or resisted, nor will I be satisfied until we have access to every part of the city and each inhabitant. No angry mob will stop us.”

She pointed at Vion and the two inquisitors. “You, my holy Truth Seekers, will go find where these murderous Shifts are hiding, and if you cannot bring them to face my judgment, I expect you to end them outright.”

“It shall be done, milady,” Vion replied.

The Principal Messiah smiled. “Tomorrow night, you three will rein vengeance on our sworn enemies.”★