POV Main
After we dealt with Ghost we had period of almost calmness. There was some little disturbances, like implementing Jack, retired policeman, into Devas structures. He called himself Oldman since he needed alias. There was some dragging of the rope with international corporation as they still tried to spy on us from time to time. Devas supporters were growing in numbers. Even misfits were growing in numbers. But overall we didn’t hear anything about Diana or other suspicious Devas. I also helped Coal with his Druid Manor project, as he called it.
It was grinding time. There are different ways to prepare for future. Universal is to make yourself more able. In simplified version it’s, to make yourself more fit. In stupid version, it’s to make yourself stronger. Hammer needs to be strong, hand needs to be fit, mind needs to be able. If you choose to be hammer, strength and hardness is what you need as someone’s tool though. People as generalist specie need to train all, but main focus is what one decides.
I was doing magic abilities training like a madman. After I got forty percent in lightning and it became magic, that I couldn’t drop, it also grew in reach. Then my progress slowed to a crawl in it. I trained friction control then more. I would like to train wind sphere, but it was easier with friction. I could train it in all sort of circumstances. It became training about moving with awareness. I also trained wind sphere, I just needed to do that in specific room. I almost didn’t train with freezing.
Sometimes I tried to train with three magic abilities at once. It was too hard for me. I couldn’t control where my lightning struck when I moved around inhumanly fast in dome of wind. Or, if I focused much on lightning other abilities slipped out from my control. I maxed my stats long ago. I knew, that some exercises could better some aspects of control my stats were barrier. They showed me my limits.
Name
Nameless
Daevo
Equilibrium indicator
Efficiency status
Compared worth
Max of stat
Muscle
150%
150%
24
25
Body integrity
150%
150%
25
25
Nervous system
100%
100%
20
21
Metabolism / Stamina
101%
101%
19
20
Will resonance
Major
--- offensive
20
Irresistible suggestion
25%
25%
18
18
Short memory loss
10%
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8%
11
11
--- defensive
25
25
Minor
--- offensive
20
20
--- defensive
25
25
Great pointed attention
12%
12%
12
12
Flow bending
Major
--- lightning
42%
41%
20
20
--- friction control
21%
23%
16
17
--- wind sphere
17%
16%
15
16
Minor
--- freezing
15%
17%
14
14
My stat page was becoming too long with too many stats. I was working on making it more visually pleasing to eye. In fact I was pretty sure, that percentages weren’t needed anymore. I could use them, if I had some problem, that could be shown by them like some poisoning or inner injury. Otherwise, they were just showing me the same as numbers. Dee said, that he can show me my stats whatever I liked them to look. I thought about showing me just menus about [Physical stats], [Will resonance] and [Flow bending].
What was interesting, Devas supporters, that learn magic ability said, that if one couldn’t train ability to some point, that we evaluated on about fifteen percent of [Equilibrium indicator], what meant about thirteen of worth in stat, his ability in that magic quickly deteriorated. To the point, that magic ability was lost. Training that ability prevented that loss. Only when they got there, they were able to achieve so called minor completion. Ability could get rusty, if you didn’t use it, but you couldn’t lose it permanently there. There seemed to be another, so called greater completion, because all they gain over fifteen percent was falling down to level of minor completion without intensive training. We thought, that greater completion would be at level of thirty percent for them. Unfortunately we didn’t have anyone who achieved that number at that moment. We, Devas, didn’t have that kind of problem. Our achievements seemed stable. Still, if we would find ways to help them with greater completion, I saw, that we really could make something like cultivation sect.
I talked with Dee a lot. I started to ask obvious questions to him, like, how could bio-stones make us to fight each other. He didn’t have clear answer, but said, that it was in his ancient memory, that that would come. When I got back on straight road of logical thinking, I really didn’t need clear answers. I knew, that one could make someone do something one didn’t want to do, by pain or pleasure. It could be the same way as bio-stones were making slackers to feed them. I hoped, that it wouldn’t come to that. Other possibility was, that hosts could be used as some kind of resource. If I, by eating another host or providing him to my bio-stone, could have substantial benefits, than maybe I would consider it. It seemed natural as any other more developed creatures below bio-stones were hosts, as far as we knew. But it hurt bio-stones, because one was benefiting, but other would lose host that provide him feeder. That strategy was evolutionary valid only if bio-stones wanted hinder themselves.
I already knew, that I wouldn’t have answer. I needed to create countermeasures. What was best countermeasure, best way to stop people from fighting each other? It was common threat. Also it was common interest. Luckily we lived in times, when military or police were strong enough to act, when some of hosts would rampage. We already seemed armed forces as common thread. It was in bio-stones best interest to stay hidden from society.
Did we, Devas, have common interest? Maybe loosely we had. It was easier to manage things in group. We also needed other people to talk and our aura seemed to pressure normal people. We also got a way to earn money easily and safely. But we all could exist without any of those. Some existed already. We called them Wicked or Neutral Devas, but they showed, that one could live alone.
I couldn’t find it. I didn’t see interest strong enough, that could link hosts with stronger ties, than bio-stones could manipulate against. I thought, that only some kind of friendships, compassion or some inner rules one had, could helped us. I decided, that I wanted to be first, that would get to level four, to see and judge, what was there. On some big Devas meeting I told rest of hosts about my suspicions. I did it, because I was afraid, that if I didn’t, I would try to take advantage of them later.
POV Diana
We were training, than testing ourselves against people, that we know, were part of slave business. We stayed on Poland side and rest, went to Germany to punish evildoers and went back to training after. At that time, we aimed small fries. That way I had many bodies in my fridge. Some of them were my Revenger cultists, but I didn’t care as long as those were low in numbers. We even got new members as girls were open to share their stories with some people. Any young hero would feel, that he needed to provide justice after hearing that stories. It was best strategy for us, sadly stories were true. Not really sad for me, but surely for them.
I knew, that girls wanted to free another batch from another place, but they weren’t ready. I was afraid, that when we would try this time to destroy some big slave market, it would be lot harder, than my first time. So I let them attack small fries and gather numbers.
I talked with Ahriman’s seed I had inside. He was content with situation we had. He said, that we needed more time to get to next level, than those that didn’t merged, but we would win any fight one on one after next growth period. I would get magic ability. Probably I would also win one on three easily, but it said, that if opponents would use some fortress, I could be blocked. One on five should be disadvantageous for me, if they would have proper magic abilities. I could wait little longer, if it would go that way. I really wanted to show some of them, that they deserved to crawl in dust.
But at that time, I just let my cult grow. It helped a lot, that we had just cause on our side. I didn’t think earlier, that easiest way to make one murderer, was to give him just cause.
POV Vivaldi
Some general asked me for a meeting. I couldn’t refuse, could I? We talked about different things. He asked me what I wanted, I told him, that I wanted to be part of military in future. We talked about hunting and war. Then he told me, that Kirk died and that old policeman due to some of his contacts became next host. It was surprise. He told me about deal they had for sale of medicine, without naming numbers. He wanted to know, if that old prick cheated him. I had really interesting moment, when I thought, what should I tell him. I saw many ways to take revenge on that old guy, as he was to blame, that I was under military control. But all of those would bite me too. I knew, that general came to me, because he counted, that I would inflict my revenge anyway. I told, what they probably already suspected.
-= There is another mixture, that can be produced. – I said. He showed me to continue. – It takes more time, but I could produce mixture, that enhances strength.
-= That’s all? – Tall general asked.
I wanted to grab him and throw him up, so he could feel, that that’s all wasn’t proper response.
-= I thought, that it could be used in military.
-= No. Today weapons and technology is more important. – He paused. – I thought that Jack cheated me in more obvious way, than by not telling me about secondary option.
He did, but I wouldn’t tell that to some general, that wanted to have info free of charge. I said nothing.
-= He also have some contacts in War-Saw with others that have that things. Bio-stones as they call them. – General started another topic. – Some friends of yours?
-= Not really. – I started to combine in my head, if they were ones pulling ropes that put me here. I wasn’t sure and couldn’t decide in my head. – But maybe I can ask them, who they are?
-= You think, that they will talk with you. Why is that?
-= I’m a host.
-= I will think about it. – Said general. – If you would remember something interesting, feel free to contact me through my soldiers.
-= Sure.
I saw, that he change his attitude on less trusting at end of conversation. I said something, that made him suspect me of something. He left after.
I was living easy life as military was providing me with bodies. I was hunting on animals mainly. They let me go to city, but there was always group that was stalking me. They knew, I would come back to bio-stone. I was growing bored. I even tried to befriend some soldiers, that were stationed nearby. It was half success. We didn’t became friends, but they also wanted to know why were they stalking me, so we talked sometimes.
I thought about Kirk. He wasn’t so bad, he just shouldn’t betray me back then. I needed to understand, what general wanted. Old prick didn’t tell military about bio-stones, so couldn’t I. Could I blackmail Devas and ask them to save me? Probably that was good plan. I just was sure, that military could read any message, I would send. So I needed another way of contact.