POV Main

Time of my story is different for different threads, as I need to put thread on some stopping point, to change attention to another thread. Those stopping points are conclusion moments. So I need to say, that this thread starts a lot earlier, than conclusion, that we would show magic to chosen lokas.

First important matter was report from Coal, that he had strange encounter. This Ghost guy was able to create special magic in [Will resonance]. I was interested in his magic almost so much, that I wanted to break deal, that Coal made with him. Luckily we were discussing things together, so others calmed me down. We decided to respect deal with Ghost. But we also gathered data on him from former cultists. Hail barely remembered him. There was some low tier cultist, but I didn’t care as long as he did orders from me, he said. So, we asked, what orders he gave to that one. He didn’t remember any. Asmo told us more. Gustav was another low level cultist beside him, but that one always avoided most of orders and punishments. He was able to be seen as so ordinary and unremarkable, that was rarely bothered and even when he was bothered, he somehow avoided trouble. Now it seemed, it was his ability not appearances.

There was one more question on this topic. Why it didn’t work on Coal. At least not in a way, that Ghost expected. Coal dropped a bomb. He developed another kind of magic. My excitement was short, as he said, that he had to choose between his new magic and lightning. One excluded another. He chose sensory radar. It let him feel people, animals, bio-stones, electric generators around himself in quite big range. When he was close to human, he separately felt heart and brain. There were limits, as he had problem in sensing people in car. Overall it was great sensory ability and created even grater combo with plasma ball. He also told us, that he felt hosts of bio-stone clearer, than other people, to the point, that he could identify us from distance. Even our levels from distance.

He would trade his knowledge inside Unlimited Devas only. I liked my lightning. Huntress was ready to trade. Lynx was wavering, as he would lose quite a progress he had in lightning. Lily was thinking. Sith couldn’t resign of lightning, as he was creator of this magic.

Another topic, involving magic, was brought by Sith. He was riding around Poland, visiting morgues. When they saw chance to fish some bodies, they pushed with [Will resonance]. He was talking and Asmo was using [Will resonance] on interlocutor. They even created and tested different strategies to use pressure from [Will resonance]. In the end, they had script, which moves and when worked best and they used it. Many times. At some point Asmo developed specialization in [Will resistance] offensive – irresistible suggestions. It wasn’t as with [Flow bending], as learning irresistible suggestions didn’t block another slot. Sith already learned it, and he told, that it was worth it. We all, except Huntress, wanted to learn. As Asmo was creator, we needed to trade with him.

I learned it. Or I learned, how to learn it. Process was quite complicated. You need to have specific suggestion, like - I will risk and sell bodies – and person, who thought over decision, what to do. Then you focused offensive of [Will resonance] with that suggestion inside. After some tries, you should be able, to feel waving of options in someone’s mind. You could use [Will resonance] to leverage your option, your suggestion. When someone already decided it wouldn’t work. But you could talk with this person and gave it some arguments to start his decision making process again. Then you could attack. It was similar to mapping brain near decision making crossroads. We all, humans have similar brains, so mapping one is almost as mapping all. When you mapped crossroads, you could influence movement through it. Unfortunately almost all suggestions had different crossroads and you had limited time and people to experiment with. You needed to choose your suggestions and found object to learn on.

The obvious idea I had, probably we all had, was to suggest somebody, to attempt suicide. As we discovered later, great, massive feelings could render irresistible suggestion null. Our older evolutionarily parts of brain had their own pathways for decision, that could be affected by transfer of our own feelings, but not by suggestion.

Another great suggestion I discovered was – stop, you’re arrested – suggestion. It worked with few very strong pathways in human brain. Our reaction on immediate threat is fight or run or play dead or harmless. In English countries police screams freeze. In Poland, there is no such phrase. I was no policeman, but suggestion led to right crossroad.

What others invented, I didn’t know, as those were our secret weapons.

POV Arthur

I met with Lily, as Sith was occupied. She was strong. She was good talker too. We met at Golden Terraces in War-Saw in coffeehouse. I was very glad, that I talked with someone that understands me. We didn’t talk on our curse at all. Rather we talked about books, life, and shopping. I felt really refreshed, that I was able to talk so carefree. At the end, she asked me, how could they help me. I almost broke inside. That was it, for sunny part of this day.

-= You’ve heard about my problems?

-= Yes. I know, that you have emotional downs without reason. But I don’t know why. You said, that you have minimal interaction with your stone enchanted entity, but it doesn’t explain, what is happening. – She answered. She talked a lot. – I thought, you would have signs of sleep deprivation or insanity bursts, as people, that starved its bio-stones. You’re totally different. If you didn’t told me, that you have troubles, I wouldn’t know.

If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

-= Others feed this bio-stone normally.

-= Yes, otherwise in our head starts this unbearable pressure. That make us little insane, till we would feed bio-stone.

-= Didn’t you try to, how can I say it, slower feeding.

-= Oh, we tried. We only found out, that different kind of food works different. Also, that some poison obviously helps bio-stone digest its biomass.

-= So you didn’t find it.

-= Oh, you found out something. How exciting. Was that some major breakthrough? – Lily clapped her hands with emotions.

I redden on face. She was so lovely.

-= Nothing like that. – I said. – I just put my bio-stone into deep freezer. It gives me few days between feeding times.

-= Really. You’re so smart. And there’s no backlash.

-= Other than this strange sad moods in the middle of the night, there’s no backlash.

She had face, as she was thinking intensively. She looked at me seriously.

-= I can’t help you. Maybe someone from Unlimited Devas would have nice suggestion. I surely ask them. But I think, that neurologist and drugs are more reasonable course of action. – She had sad face. – Sorry, I couldn’t help more.

-= Thank you. I knew, that there was slim chance for help. You all became reconciled with this curse. No, no, don’t speak. I have something important to tell you. I came here, because I tried to pour liquid nitrogen on my bio-stone. I failed. My hands didn’t do it. Part of liquid nitrogen poured on floor and my shoes. Then I wanted to ask some friend to do it in my place. I couldn’t speak it out.

She looked at me, as she saw me for the first time. She wanted to say something, but stopped herself.

-= Why am I here now? I thought it over. I want to risk it all.

-= Risk it all?

-= It’s not the best of moral choices, but maybe there will be willing one. I want to pass my bio-stone to another person. I know, that is dangerous. I know, what happened with this girl, Viki. Can you, can Unlimited Devas help me with that task.

-= Let me finish my coffee and pie. - She said. She needed to think. I waited calmly. She wasn’t the same energetic and laughing person anymore. I wanted to ask, why she reacted like that. She finished.

-= I must tell you, cause I like you, - She started. – that there are, how to say, positive effects. You call it curse. You sure can see, that there is more to it. We, Unlimited Devas, are selling medicine it produces. That way we can feed it, even earn money for ourselves. No, no, please wait, I don’t want to argue with you. There are some things I must say or I won’t feel good. – I waited. Listened. – Still, bio-stone grows and needs more. That’s the ugly part, but we are trying to live in civilized way. I won’t tell you secrets, but you must know, that there are some unique perks you will lose. I think, that bad side, curse side, is at least balanced by good things. You should reconsider, I tell you this from my heart.

-= You are you and I am me. I like you too, so please forgive me, if I would say something harsh. I already decided. I will free myself from this curse with your help or without. You said, that I would lose some good stuff, but I didn’t have any good stuff, so I can’t lose it.

She looked at me, like I said something stupid. She didn’t understand, that I hated this entity from bio-stone. I hated, how it could touch mine mind. I felt it being evil.

-= So, can you help me? – I asked.

-= I believe we can. – She was talking slowly, thinking about every word. – I need to ask others, but I’m sure, they will agree with me. But this plan needs new, willing host. It probably will take some time to find one. Will you wait?

-= I can wait about month, then I will take radical steps.

-= Good. I think, that it will take less time than month. I want to request something from you, that can help.

-= What is it?

-= Can you write down, what you did with your bio-stone, especially freezing part?

-= Yes.

-= Also effects it took on you and bio-stone. Then send it to me.

-= No problem. – I got her e-mail. Also her phone number.

-= So that would be it for now. I have to inform others.

She paid for coffee and pie. She wanted to give me some cash, I declined, telling her that I didn’t want money made with stone medicine. She was rather silent and thoughtful. We said goodbyes.

I thought, that she was one of those people with rich parents, that know nothing about real life. I didn’t want to be one that would show her, how cruel live is. She was likeable, but naive.

POV Paladin vel Sicario

There was not so many jobs, I had to do. Cursed stone was asking for good meal, as not each job lets me have body after. I went to night club for criminals. I stalked some junkie criminal. He seemed to have bad days lately.

He left club in late night. It was cold night. He went with some shortcut. There was this dark alley he had to cross. It was my best chance, as I saw nobody else there. He was in the middle of alley, when I called him.

-= Hey buddy, is it your wallet I find? – Oh yes, each and every lost wallet belongs to those people.

He came back with speed.

-= Leave it there, I know how much money should be there. – He screamed at me, as I was waving my own wallet before his eyes.

-= I just check id inside…

He jumped at me trying to wrest wallet from my hand. He succeeded. In the meantime I stuck screwdriver into his heart. Surprised, I thought. He was surprised.

I dragged his body into shadows. I had big bag prepared. I needed to tie him up into squished position, before he would become cold and stiff.

In the middle of my efforts came another criminal. He was low lackey of my new bosses, Frog or Toad we called him. He saw me. I was putting s-man squeezed, shaped body into big bag.

-= What are you doing? – His hands were shaking.

I looked at him calmly, maybe little coldly.

-= I’m training. Practice makes perfect.

He backed off. He turned around and walked away with long steps.

I couldn’t order taxi, could I? No, there was too much risk. Next time, I would organize transport. Criminals knew some taxi drivers, that wanted good money for driving home. I could have already be prepared. But, practice makes perfect. I smiled.