The Mantis Continuum - Book Four - Prologue. Prologue - Aftermath of the Massacre

***

Upon the hillside of Gunge, surrounded by the severed body parts and ruined corpses of the many slain monstrosities, Ronging approached the creature with the mechanical crown. The two naked former-humans were similar in many ways. Their skin tones were close, as were their hair and eye color. They also each possessed far too much body for a human. The extra arms and legs and fleshy bulges may have been unique to each monster, but both of them looked like an entire group of people that had been melded into the hideous amalgam of a single humanoid creature.

Ronging was not of a mind to make decisions, but his fellow monster had an air of authority and gave orders. None of that mattered to Ronging, and his pull toward the other creature was a need, which he obeyed.

When the other said, “Follow,” Ronging did. However, if it had not given the order, Ronging still would have followed it, inexorably drawn to others like himself.

The pair of them left the bloody hills of Gunge and ventured into the wilderness, abandoning their home. The crowned creature spoke occasionally, and far more often than Ronging, but Ronging rarely paid attention or replied. He was waiting for his wicked craving to rise, even though that would not happen again for several years; he simply wanted to do his waiting with another of his kind. So Ronging followed, and the other led.

The sun and moon passed above, over and over again, until the crowned monster eventually stopped by the banks of a stream.

“I can already feel my desire beginning to rise,” it said. “Not long now until I need to feed.” It looked at Ronging.

Ronging did not respond.

“Ugh… that’s why the rest of you weren’t welcome anywhere except Gunge.” The creature picked at the mechanical crown where the metal devise bit into its skin, and it continued talking to its unresponsive companion. “I was the only one of us allowed back into Teshon City and the Messiah Tower.” It turned and looked off through the trees. “Come,” it commanded.

They forded the stream, and a moment later, the edge of a village came into view. The two monsters slunk up to the back of a building.

Ronging hardly paid attention as his companion banged on the door.

A latch clicked and a tiny hatch opened. A completely normal-looking man peeked out.

“Why, master Lonklam,” the man exclaimed in surprise, “you only just left us no more than six months ago. What brings you back so soon?” Another thought interrupted him. “Oh, no, your sister!” He looked fearful.

“What about her?”

“Hang on,” the man said. He closed the little window and opened the door, and then he noticed Ronging. “Goodness me, you’ve… brought another of your kind to see us?”

The two monsters entered.

“Gunge has been destroyed.”

The doorman was shocked. “But master Lonklam, how is that possible?

“I don’t know. Now, what about Eccoodia? What happened to my sister?”

“I’m so sorry,” the man said hesitantly. “Many of the Messiahs in Teshon City have been killed. Your sister, the Principal Messiah, was among them. I’m sorry, master Lonklam,” the man repeated.

The monster named Lonklam asked, “Dead? The Messiahs are dead?” He added, “And the inhabitants of Gunge are dead.” Lonklam picked at his crown and looked over at Ronging. “We belong nowhere.”

Ronging seemed entirely uninterested in whatever was happening.

“Master Lonklam,” the man said, “can I offer you a pleasure session? Most of the regulars are not in town because we did not expect you to come back so soon, but if you allow me to gather a few of your past lovers, I’m sure that we can arrange some distractions to help take your mind off your losses.”

Lonklam stepped up to Ronging. “Stay,” he ordered, and he left his fellow monster, following the doorman deeper into the building.

Ronging could feel Lonklam. He was near enough that there was no pull toward any others of his kind. The command to stay was the only thing in Ronging’s mind, and he waited. Time passed for him with no thoughts, and the crowned monster eventually came back into the room. He led Ronging outside, and the two made their way into the trees.

Lonklam allowed his addiction to lead him, and his weird double mouth smiled as he spied his prey, and he was very pleased to know that his craving would not have the chance to overwhelm him.

The two twisted mutants came to the edge of a little back patio behind a café, and Lonklam rumbled, “I need!”