POV Sith

I got info, that Asmo was found by Ahriman’s Order. I felt guilty, so I quickly moved on farm. I wanted to prepare proper defenses against Order, so I asked him, how cultists were doing attacks. He said, that they were checking, if target was present, then gather together. But without Diana, as she was some kind of queen, that didn’t move much. When they gathered, they were waiting till late night or early morning, then they attacked with almost all numbers. I asked, if he understood, that it was suicidal strategy. He didn’t understand. I ask him second time, pointing that any obstacle or counter attack would stop them or even would kill many. He explained, that they got ranks and food by merits, so first few, who would catch Asmo would get benefits, rest omitted. I said, that cultists were lucky, they didn’t attack some smart group, because they would at least suffer losses. He answer, that poison, element of surprise and good stats were enough, when they fought. I wanted to wake him up, show him, how stupid cultist method was, but first I needed to defeat cultists. Otherwise my words wouldn’t have enough weight.

So, I presumed, that cultists would try to force break gate on first or second night, since they knew. Then, they would go straight to center, where bio-stone was felt. I just needed to make sure, they would chose gate, with most traps behind.

Coal was monitoring them. But even, if he didn’t, they had their bio-stones by themselves. We could pinpoint them more or less.

I talked with En and he told me to make some traps less lethal, as we had some second thoughts about ancient stone rules and wanted to deescalate. En also told me, that he was working on defense plan against Diana. I had place in this plan, so he needed me to stay healthy.

POV Andy

We were taking positions around farm and observing. Seed was unmoved. In the morning after first night, since we secured perimeter, we got crucial info. One of the workers from this farm, during shopping bought watermelon. As you should know, watermelon in Poland was usual only in spring season. After season, it was expensive and of worse quality, as it was imported. Also, Asmo adored watermelons and ate them often.

It was enough of a clue to us. We would probably attack farm anyway, as we didn’t find better target, but in that moment we were more convinced, that Asmo really was there.

I wanted to lead attack, but Beria got that privilege. He found gate to farm, that looked little forgotten. At other gates, in booths, were sometimes security guards. Booth at that gate looked damaged and nobody stayed there.

Beria decided, that we would attack at 05:00 in second morning. He wanted to done it just after sunrise. All except Carol, who was rich man, our benefactor, madman and Diana, were asked to participate. In the heart of my heart, I wanted for Asmo to be punished. We had some shady deal, but I cared more to show him, that looking for better life out of Ahriman’s Order was way leading to failure. He should know, that my way was better.

POV Mary

My sister moved out. She told me about way, to earn money with help of Unlimited Devas. I was really not in a hurry. I felt, that I did some wrong choices bound around bio-stone and I was afraid, that I would do more mistakes. I wanted to live my life slowly. On the other hand, I was spending much of my monthly money on meat for Nicky, as I called enchanted entity. And I fed her with my blood.

Nicky was closed soul. Taken aback. There was always some distance between us. Alice told me, that there was almost no distance between her and Fairy.

Then, one day, I heard gossips, that Unlimited Devas and Ahriman’s Order were in serious conflict. I felt, that chances for trade of heart mixture could disappear. I contacted Lily, but she said, that she was quite involved in conflict, and that Huntress would have more time to help me. I didn’t know Huntress, I saw her once and talked only for a minute. I contacted her. We talked a lot, before I decided to go to War-Saw to trade.

POV Beria

We were ready. Sun has risen. I ordered attack and went with first line. Crowbar was enough to open entrance. There was no people inside. We knew that majority of workers left farm in the evening. There was a lot of sheds and buildings and inner fences in interior. Someone proposed splitting into two groups. Before I could protest, we were divided. I could see, that Andy wanted glory for himself. My group of three, including me, moved with caution. Andy’s group of three, was fast, but after a minute fell into pool with water. And then it showed, that it wasn’t water, but liquid manure. We laughed at them. Then we jumped over the fence and got trampled by hoard of pigs, which was released electronically from pig house. Some of us poisoned closest pigs. We went through that field somehow.

In the center, there were sheds and farm buildings. We, both groups, started to checking them. Most were trapped. We were electrocuted, shocked, stunned, got blunt injuries and drenched with different fluids. We couldn’t find seed. We felt it close. Then alarm started howling. We ran.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

POV Asmo

I watched raid prepared by cultists, in security center together with Sith. It was comical. Those people, I called brothers quite recently, were acting like children. They were playing hide and seek. I thought, that they were dangerous earlier. I was stupid.

Somehow lately, I started to see things from different perspective. I was sure, it started, when Bear came to negotiate trade with me. He wanted my poison in exchange for some heart medicine. He was level three, but even not suggested, that he could use his level advantage. In the end, I bought one batch of heart medicine in exchange for two batches of poison. He already explained, that I, as future part of Associated Devas, was able to sell medicine for good money. So I did. I got nice money for poison batches, which I could produce more of.

Then, later that day, I boasted to Coal about that transaction. He said, that I could exchange poison for medicine one to one, as that was their normal rate. Additionally, he said, that between Bear and Sith, which was another producer of poison, was a lot of bad blood. They almost hated each other. Bear was in need of poison, because he was too proud to exchange with Sith.

I understood, that Coal was, at least partially, trying to help me. I could also see, that he didn’t like Bear. Still, he was level three and was helping me without hidden motives. That kind of blow up my mind. I asked Coal, why they didn’t use levels to their advantage. They could took advantage, probably even enslave us. He couldn’t find answer. Just said, that they were doing things in a different way. Then he asked me, why didn’t people or most of people leave Order after things went south. I couldn’t answer. I was bottom rank cultist, I said, I thought that ranks over me knew, why we should be cultists.

I had some private answers, but I didn’t told them loudly. Was it about dream of easy life? Or did my pride blind me? Was I just heartless?

I watched like cultists were trying to find my seed and stole it. I was their brother week ago, wasn’t I? I ran away, but didn’t hurt them or act against them. There was no rational reason to act against me. I wrote my report, but Unlimited Devas said, that it would be confidential and would be used against Ahriman’s Order, only if they couldn’t be stopped by other means.

-= I think, that they have enough. – Said Sith and turn on sound of alarm.

Cultists ran. I saw, as Beria was threating us with his clenched fist to camera at the gate. I understood, that I wanted be different. I wanted to be more like Unlimited Devas.

-= Let’s go for breakfast. – Said Sith. – In the morning someone will come to take over my responsibilities, because I need to sleep.

He didn’t sleep that night.

-= Ok. – I said.

-= I wonder, how Coal is taking care of his sleep. He is almost all day and night on duty.

-= I don’t know. Perhaps he is taking many short naps. I saw him taking nap once.

POV Sith

Following night cultists attacked again. They had more equipment, big crowbars, baseball bats, machetes, screw drivers. They went to the center without splitting. Earlier in the afternoon, we got paintball guns. Coal was harassing cultists with one. I was again with Asmo in security center.

When cultists got over location of Asmo’s bio-stone, they started destroying everything around them. They didn’t try to catch Coal. They methodically destroyed every shed and booth in that farm area. Then, they stood in the circle and tried to locate their target. It worked, they understood, that their aim was in underground shelter. They even found hatch. But no crowbar could open it. I again started howls of alarm. They didn’t backoff this time. I waited for ten minutes and turn on additional sound of police sirens. They ran again.

Why they were coming back? If we were murderers, we could kill them all for the second time. We weren’t murderers and probably they knew it, but still we could hurt them. If they would push us too much, we would. Was Diana using some hypnotic drugs on them? They were tenacious, brutal and stupid. In real life, that combination was one of the fastest roads to fail on Darvin’s selection trials. I wanted to discuss it with others.

We had later that day appointment. En had his strategy against Diana prepared. He needed himself, me and Lynx as defensive force, with Coal as possible support, if things went out of control.

POV Andy

-= We are winning! – Said Beria. – We destroyed lots of building and got precise location of betrayer’s seed. One more push and we will win completely.

I said nothing. Others reacted in different ways. Some pointed, that we fail. Diana ordered us to go for second attack and regain seed at all costs.

I thought about war on Ukraine. Russia did the same strategy as Beria. They destroyed things. Ukrainians didn’t attack with regular military forces beside their territory. Russia acted, as they were winning. But what was that thing, that they were winning? Some destroyed territory? They were losing, and they couldn’t admit it to themselves. They were losing time, as people who fight couldn’t support economy. They were impoverishing themselves, as they produced bombs and ammunition rather than cars and furniture. They were selling their assets out. Their PR was lowest in decades. In the end, they couldn’t conquer Ukraine. They even sold they women to China, when they got to low point. As China had shortage of women, and Russia had excess of women, after many idiots died or became disabled on frontlines. That didn’t help much, as Russia became fiefdom of China.

Were our cult was doing any better? No. We were as monkey with fist full of cookies in cookie jar. Almost got the prize, but in reality were stuck doing nothing of importance. Sure, Diana fed our seeds, but we could take care of that ourselves, if we didn’t fight in Diana’s crusade.

-= I have an idea. – Said Mario. He was originally Vivaldi’s lackey, but changed sides quickly. – Only for Beria and Diana ears.

I was frightened, what could this idea be. Burning all farm to the ground? Attacking during day, because that way we could see more? I couldn’t see any decency in other cultists. I changed my mind that very moment. I would contact Asmo and provide him some info. If he could successfully desert, then I would have chances to desert too.

POV Coal

It was third night. I needed to visit my altar during following day. I hoped, that cultists would resign. They surprised me instead. They stole or rented excavator. That wasn’t biggest excavator I saw, but still, I didn’t expect so much creativity from them.

After they crossed gate with it, we attacked them with fireworks. With lot of fireworks that was loud, noisy and looked as exploding grenades. They left excavator and ran.

En said, when we had operational online meeting, that we should expect some move from Diana shortly. I had grudge against Diana. I wanted to see, if we were ready to fight her.