(Scars do not appear to be cause of death –shock ... - Bad Request

The embers in Vhailor's eyes suddenly went black, and there was a terrible
silence in the air.
Just when I was beginning to wonder if Vhailor's eyes would re-light, there
was a FLARE, and I was forced to shield my eyes.
"Vhailor..."
“I am VHAILOR. I am a MERCYKILLER. My ACTIONS speak my HEART. I am
JUSTICE'S SERVANT.”
"But... Vhailor, what did you SEE when you looked inward?"
His voice grew into a roar, “I AM NOT FOUND WANTING. WHERE MERCY
LIVES, I SHALL KILL IT. WHERE COMPASSION POISONS THE HEART, I SHALL
BLEED IT FROM ITS VICTIM. WHERE LIARS AND BETRAYERS OF TRUTH
FOSTER LIES, I SHALL ANSWER THEIR LIES WITH JUSTICE'S BLADE.”
"But what I asked was..."
“WHO ARE YOU TO QUESTION A SERVANT OF JUSTICE? YOU ARE NOTHING.
YOU ARE A SHELL. I WILL NOW SEARCH YOUR HEART. WE SHALL SEE IF YOU
ARE FOUND WANTING.”
"But..."
Vhailor's burning red eyes fell upon me, tearing at my skin, blistering it, then
peeling it back - but there was no pain, just a wash of dizziness and a sense
of drowning. My head snapped back, and a familiar electrical tingle ran
through my scalp...
~~~~~
I run the checklist through my head to make sure everything is in order. It's a
short list... I have a much larger body of random contingencies to execute if
things go wrong. If I'd learned anything in all these years, it's that the
best-laid plans go out the window the moment they're executed.
A temporary setback, I remind myself, and not for the first nor last time I
chastise myself for going too far. It was necessary, of course. It always is. If I
had been a bit more careful however, they wouldn't have had to chase me
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