POV Main

It was good week. I mean, that week we got after big meeting, after battle against Ahriman’s Order. I felt less pressure and could do things I liked.

There was this talk with Tom, who told me about some moves from international corporation. I let him negotiate with them in our name, and sell them additional seven batches of heart medicine. We had new Associated Devas, and we were in need of money as Unlimited Devas, as developing farms for our necessities was expensive. I expected, that this corporation would act less aggressive, when they start doing business with us.

Asmo got to level three in day following meeting. At the end of that week, Hail advanced to level three too.

Huntress and Mercy, which was Mary’s alias, started public activities. They used few rooms in War-Saw headquarters. They organized cultural evenings, and meetings with interesting people. In the afternoon one could come and sit and maybe read about us. There were security guardians, that people could feel save and no drunks or homeless were allowed. Even some loud activist, that came, were forced out.

We all bought ourselves means of transportation, as we needed to go to our farms quite often. They all were part of our company fleet. That way prices was lowered and we were more tied to our company.

Sith and Asmo had some successes with bodies from morgues. They paid for ownerless bodies and we get real nice support for our needs. We knew, that it was effect of good start, because nobody else was buying. After we would buy out stock of bodies, new ones would restock rather slowly. They reported, that use of [Will resonance] helped them a lot.

I discussed a lot with Dee. I wanted to get another magic ability. I wanted something, that was opposite of plasma ball. I wanted some defense mechanism, as magical shield or something. Plasma is hot, ionized matter. Opposite would be cold, unmoving solid matter. Lynx could made plasma from air with help of fire. I thought hard and I found only one solution, which was, that only natural way of cooling was wind. I was mistaken, but I didn’t know that, till much later. So, I was going for cold magic, as it was done in refrigerator. Ok, let’s say I could blow cold winds, where could I apply that coldness? I didn’t see any other uses, as creation of ice from water. Then I read some physics books and watched science videos about coldness.

Coldness made things more solid and hard. Too much coldness, could made them fragile. It was beyond my abilities, to found a way. But I got something else. I invested my time in learning how to fight with saber and rapier. I bought special cane with blade inside it. My lightning magic was supported by use of metal. Metal imbued wooden cane was enough to increase reach of lightning. It was elegant solution, as I could probably use cane against plasma balls too.

At this time I started to learn about quantum physics effects. It had more magic than our magic. Problem was, that this quantum magic only worked on atomic distances or under very special circumstances. If you heard about all this quantum computers, you should know, that commercial ones wouldn’t be constructed, till the end of twenty first century, or someone would explore very big breakthrough. It was similar case, as with graphene.

Graphene was perfect material for many uses. You could even say, too perfect. There was nothing close to it. We, humanity, couldn’t even produce half-products, that could let us produce graphene or manipulate it. Situation by analogy was, as if you tried to use scissors, having boxing gloves on your hands. The same was true for quantum computing.

Humanity had similar problems on other areas too. For example, hydrogen storage and transportation, energy storage, weather or climate problems. Humanity was lying to itself, as it was in interest of the richest.

My failure in obtaining another magic wasn’t so big, compared to failures of humanity.

POV Coal

Hail was another poison producer. Only two, from former ten cultists, including Diana, had ability to produce heart mixture. They were selling it by shady Diana channels. Hail didn’t know, if those two cultists had proper money from that trade.

The real, unsaid thing, was that Unlimited Devas didn’t need too many poison sellers. Still, we had plan to get one or two cultists from Order.

I didn’t come close to Ahriman’s order headquarters, as we, as Unlimited Devas, promised that to Diana. But Hail could went closer. Not too close, cause we were afraid, that he my be trapped in cult headquarters.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

We were stalking cultists, when they left headquarters. For few days, they ignored us. Then, when Hail got to level three, they started talking with us.

POV Mario, Ahriman’s Order, originally Vivaldi’s lackey

There was a lot of changes in Ahriman’s Order after, not fully won, battle against Unlimited Devas. All seeds were moved to headquarters and were under constant Diana’s control. We had seeds there even earlier, but since that time, they didn’t leave headquarters.

Once daily Diana ordered control of our cell phones. We also heard terrifying stories, about fate of Andy, which by Diana’s words was slavery and torture. We told her, about sightings of Andy, but somehow, it only confirmed her story from her point of view.

Acolytes, which we had two, had been restricted to part of headquarters. If they wanted to talk with Carol in headquarters, their rich friend, he have to go to them. There was always guardian at the door. We rotated on that place.

LGBT guy was coming back to sanity. He had periods of almost normal interactions. He renamed himself as Legibot and called his seed John, after cultist he murdered. It was frightening. I could only describe him as psycho killer. He had this quality to himself, that, when he looked long at you, you were afraid, that he would attack you and try to kill you. Only Diana didn’t seem to be bothered by him. We long since stopped punishment on him for John’s death. But then, we felt threatened in his presence.

After some time, when we saw Andy again, we felt that he was level three. He wasn’t as strong as Diana, but we felt, we were inferior. We, as often, were send to hunt with two teams of three people each. Andy was stalking team, in which I was. It lowered our chance for successful hunt. Luckily I was with Kirk and Carol. I convinced them, that we should separate to lose our tail.

My aim was to talk with Andy privately. After we separated, I went back. Andy was waiting, as he knew, that someone was coming back.

-= Hello Andy, - I said. – I want to talk.

-= I’m no longer Andy. Call me Hail. – He said.

We went to some roadside bar. It was good practice, to talk in places, where were neutral people. We all avoided conflicts against police. Those places guaranteed some safety.

-= You’re really level three. – I began.

-= I freshly advanced.

-= Diana said, that you are their slave.

-= Much less than, when I was part of cult. They care, that my seed would be fed. I also got some money in exchange for poison. Only problem is, that I can’t live my own life, till Order would fall.

-= Are you their prisoner?

-= Yes and no. It’s partially for my safety. Diana would surely attack me, when they would stop forbidding her.

I thought about his words. He thought about something and then added.

-= It’s also because, they don’t believe, I can change myself in one moment. They don’t want me to live by cultists standards anymore.

-= What does that mean?

-= They said, that we were tempered in our heads somehow. We were made into morons. It will take time to heal, they say. They're afraid, to let me lose. They are teaching me smart way.

-= Smart way?

-= Yes. Like, earn money, buy cow, feed seed. Clean and easy.

I looked at him. That was good. That way I could be independent. Well, not any more, as my seed was under surveillance.

-= What about Asmo? – I asked.

-= Asmo was somehow different. He is already free. They treat him as friend and he sticks with them closely.

-= Strange. He was the lowest of us here. – I felt, that I needed to go. I had limited time. – Do you believe, that we were made morons?

-= I know, that is true. My stats page is showing it to me clearly. – He said with ugly face.

-= Thank you. – I said. – I have to go. I wish to talk with you in future.

-= Next time, - He said. – it will be your turn to give some info.

I rejoined my group. They complained, that I wasted too much time. We had empty hunt and they blamed that result on me. Diana didn’t feed them more, because I was to blame. Results was criterium, not blame.

Then, this guy come to me. I couldn’t remember his name for long. He was so forgetful to memorize. We talked, and I told him much. I was little worried, that I told him too much, but then I forgot about that conversation.

POV Mercy, earlier known as Mary sister of Alice

I took alias Mercy, as I wasn’t aggressive by my nature. My enchanted stone entity was distrustful and was backing of, so I called her Hamster, Hammy in short. I was working with Huntress and I enjoyed it a lot. I thought, that we became good friends. Sometimes Hunt looked at me long and then often said, that I shouldn’t hurry to level three. That I should slow bio-stone growth as much as possible. I believed her and I was feeding Hammy only minimal amount. Hammy wasn’t happy about that, but she trust me, that I was right, listening to Hunt advice.

When Hail got to level three, Bear organized meeting only for Associated Devas. I, Asmo, Hail and Bear were present. Bear said, that even Unlimited Devas had their flaws, so he left them. He proposed to us some inside knowledge in exchange for our mixtures or secret abilities. I had nothing to trade. I didn’t want to know too much at that moment, as it could potentially spoil my friendship with Hunt. I didn’t know Bear too much too.

Asmo said, that he seemed Bear decision to left Unlimited Devas, as unwise, and that he didn’t want to be used in some revenge campaign.

Only Hail wanted to talk with Bear in private, to trade poison for heart mixture at least.

Bear seemed little disappointed at the end of meeting, but when I thought his talk over, he didn’t provide us with anything useful. Only suggested, that there was something wrong within original company. What was he expecting from us? I wouldn’t trust him since then.