Her silence was answer enough that she had not, in fact, considered the problem thoroughly. Cults or armies or causes did not persist with such fanaticism unless they were so thoroughly steeped in belief that their devotion could not be shaken.

"It is possible that their current leadership is employing other methods to keep the rest in line, but if there weren't something implicit about the cause motivating them - even a promise that was compelling enough, whether true or false - they wouldn't still be at it," Devin continued after several long moments of quiet. "Or only those most desperate would be. And if they were desperate, they would not be nearly so organized. We've been asking the wrong questions because Malicant is gone."