POV Kirk, alias of one of people who choose Diana group

We went after Diana and her goons. Near Mokotov field, one could even said, it was part of it, was terrain belonging to sport club Spark. This club was in ruins after bankruptcy. It was trying to revitalize itself, but it wasn’t looking good for it. In the meantime some of buildings, that belonged to it, was wrecked. We used one of this building which looked as graffiti board. We sat inside on whatever stool we could find. Diana was provided with better seat. She seemed to enjoy, acted as some noble with servants. We used lights of our mobiles and there was lamp nearby outside, so we saw ourselves clearly.

-= Give me bar. – Said Diana to one of her goons.

He gave her steel angle bar.

-= If you can bend it, you don’t need me. If you can’t, you will do ritual.

She passed bar to the guy right to her side. We all tried to bend it, even her goons. It was too thick. Maybe some culturist, bodybuilder or strongman could do it, but not we. Then she took it and bended. She wasn’t bodybuilder at all.

I chose her group because I saw, that she is somehow powerful. I didn’t think it was physically, rather as a witch or mad, haunted person could. I wanted power too.

-= Now, about ritual. – She started talking. I knew we all would do ritual. Nobody would want to be bend as angle bar.

POV Arthur, one who went with Vivaldi’s group

We went on little hill. We could be seen from afar, but also we could see, if someone was coming.

-= We are here now, so let’s make it quick. I won’t accept any crybabies. – Vivaldi said with aggression in voice. – My friend Mario went on this procedure and he is fine and well. So which one of you will start ritual? If there is no volunteer, fattest will start.

I didn’t know, if I believed story about magic stones, but I wanted to have it behind me. This Vivaldi guy seemed unpleasant and unfriendly, maybe even exalted himself against us, but it was fine with me. I didn’t want to know him either, just move over.

POV Mary, Alice’s sister

Alice, under alias of Mirror, told girls about enchanted souls in stones. Her soul was friendly entity, which tried to be helpful. But there was also dark side. Souls were trapped in stone and wanted to live again under the sky. Souls in stone were sustaining themselves with blood and flesh, she said. I watched terror showing itself on girls faces. I knew this story for some time and decided to help my sister with soul in stone.

-= By choosing ritual you will be connected by fate, to help that poor soul. - Said Alice. – It is not so easy, but it can bring satisfaction. I can’t find words to tell you all I want, because it is this inside feeling, that is hard to describe. For me it’s worth much more than adversities.

There was lot of questions.

In the end two girls decided to try. Last one said, that she didn’t want it, but was pressured by sleep deprivation, so asked to stay and watch.

Girls, one after another, pricked hand and smeared few drops of blood on theirs stones. We watched as drops of blood moved on surface of stones to fill symbols. That was all. They said that somehow they felt refreshed. Relived.

The last one, Viki, didn’t feel convinced by them. We talked with her, to let her see reason, but it achieved opposite effect. She said that she didn’t care about this soul, that her soul in stone must be cursed, and more hurting things. She then started to cry wishing, that all of this didn’t happened, and that maybe she overdosed her medicines. My heart was bleeding listening to her.

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After some time, Alice and other girls stopped trying to comfort her or reason with her. She didn’t trust us, she didn’t even trust herself, that she is completely sane. I saw in my sister’s eyes that she wanted to surrender on Viki and left her with her sleep deprivation. I felt urge to react.

-= I will take your stone. – I said quietly. And then louder. – I will take your stone, your burden.

She looked at me stunned. Then slowly passed me her stone.

POV Lynx, one of Nameless group participant

-= We are not convinced. – Said Mike.

I even thought that Nameless story was said in a way, to made us consider resigning and not doing ritual.

-= I know. – He slowly said. – But I want to have clear conscious afterwards, without guilt.

He told us then, that there would be no happy end. Just exchanging sleep deprivation for moral problems. Maybe even criminal problems. When asked, he said that there were very good benefits too. Then asked, if he would do the same, if he was on our place, he said, that he would do ritual second time. Afterwards he added, that we shouldn’t compere to him too much, because he always had this dark side of him.

I chose to join his group at the pub, because he had second thoughts. That kind of person would show more truth, than the ones, which were using you for their aims. During talks I reassured myself, that I should go through ritual. I understood that stone was weight, but weight can be used to sink you or to destroy walls that were trapping you.

-= I am still not sure. – After we finished talking, Mike concluded.

-= Ok. If anyone wants to do ritual, let’s do it now. – He said. – And you Mike, if you don’t want, you can afterwards show yourself to Paladin and go home.

-= I can do ritual. – I said.

Few moments later I was watching my blood drops, as they were sailing through the stone. I felt that something was changing, but I couldn’t pinpoint where exactly. I was feeling stronger, all whole.

Afterwards Anna decided to try it too. She looked me into the eyes and I saw the same understanding in her eyes. It was good choice, that we made.

-= Sorry Mike, - Said Nameless. – I want to talk with this two privately for a moment. Can you stand somewhere near. It won’t be long.

-= I will take it. – Mike said. – I will take it too.

So he did.

-= Now you just need to go to sleep. – Said Nameless. – Afterwards you will know more. Will you be part of my alliance?

We agreed.

He took ours phone numbers or other private contacts. He gave us some little packs.

-= There are money there, as I want you to find some hotel for night. Don’t go to suburbs with rest of them, because it’s safer that way. You don’t need to tell me, where you will stay. There are some notes, what to do at the beginning. You can call me tomorrow morning to talk. There is also this liquid, which will help you get rid of influence. Before you go asleep put one or two drops of it on your stone. It would be best if you set clock alarm to wake up two or three hours after you fall asleep. Your stones are level one of growth now, so make sure you will not lose them.

-= That’s all? – Mike asked.

-= There is a lot to talk and to do, but only after you make contact with consciousness in your stone. Let’s go back to pub for now.

There were lot of money in package for a few drops of blood. We felt relieved and wanted to enjoy the moment, but Nameless seemed to be in a hurry. He even said, that we three could talk all night when we would be in hotel, but that he was under pressure right now. He was sorry, but only said, that it was problem with stronger stone wielders.

POV Alice

My sister offered to be host for the stone of that girl. It was not the smartest, as we both was helping for my stone’s sake. I knew she felt guilt, that I took up her place as stone host. I couldn’t tell her anything against her decision, afraid that it would complicate things more.

She pricked her fingers and few drops of blood dropped on stone. She squeezed few more, as first ones didn’t move. In that moment I started to hope, that she was not fated to that stone. She spilled more. Blood was moving very slowly. She became pale and wobbly, as if some huge weight was draining her strength. Slowly, very slowly, blood started to fill symbol.

-= Eaaaak! – Viki got seizures. There were convulsions and spasms. We tried to help her.

-= Call for ambulance. – I ordered one of girls.

Meanwhile we arranged Viki in a way, that she couldn’t hurt herself. My sister wasn’t helping. Her all attention was on stone. Then, it wasn’t long, but I felt as after a long time, symbol was filled with my sister’s blood.

-= I did it. – She said and vomited into the bushes.

At the same time Viki lost consciousness, her convulsions stopped. She was breathing.

We had few minutes to calm down, before ambulance came. We told paramedics, that we had evening out, perhaps Viki drunk beer or two, then we came here for girls talk, and she got seizures. We didn’t know her very well, but she told us that she take some medicines for her nerves.

Viki didn’t wake up during paramedic’s tests. They took her, luckily she had some id with her. We were shaken. Mary was pale, but told, that she didn’t need paramedics help. When ambulance drove away we talked, or tried to talk. There was no much to say. We moved to the pub.