I Woke Up In The Forest. The Clearing Was Familiar, The Sun Was Shining.

“Gate keeper? Of what gate?”

“One of them who stand between you and your goal.”

“One of them?”

“Yes. One. But enough talk, you want through here, right? Then fight me.”

He changed his stance. Bent his knees slightly, raised his hands. He had no weapons, but he had his fire. Wherever he takes it from, he has control over it.

“How about this. I know you’ve got your fire, and I’ve got my sword. Let’s make this fair instead. No weapons, no fire, just bare fists.“

I took the risk of trusting him.

“You sure about doing this? My fighting involves far more movement than yours”

“You heard me, I won’t go back on that.”

An evil grin spread over his face.

“You’re on, boy”

His eyes began glowing red.

Might have been a bad idea to trust him

Picture Hellsing Fan art by Sharprock86 [EDITED]

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Nightmare

Sam Rosenthal: six: thirteen (stretch mix 1)

It’s so dark already. I’m sure it will be night soon. I should find some tree I can sleep on.

I found a nice tree fast. It was climbable and probably high enough so wolves couldn’t get me. After finding a ‘comfy’ position on a branch I fell asleep fast.

Prepare for the Onslaught

’…Survive’ I yelled. Someone came in the front door. It was a man. He had a wound on his face. His eyes were glowing red. I started crying. 'Leave me be, please. I don’t want to die’ He looked at me and grinned 'Like I give a shit. It’s all on the king’s orders’Hahahahaha

He snapped his fingers and suddenly I was burning. I screamed. Louder and louder. Screaming out of pain & agony.

Picture forest by fdasuarez

Music Sam Rosenthal: six: thirteen (stretch mix 1) & Prepare for the Onslaught by Epic Score

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I woke up As tense and abrupt as usual But for the first time I was thankful for it

I looked at my hand it was still normal

What happened there what happened to me?

I was still clueless only had the assumption that it came from the claw

but how could that be? How could just that claw make me that hideous?

It doesn't matter at least not right now

I know how to turn my body back I just need time

And it wasn't just time I was out daily, to feed, to replenish my energy but I ceased to count the days after a while

I remember there beeing three snowy seasons but I do not know how many there were before I managed to turn my hand

in the end I learned how to channel my energy more effectively it actually took less and less work to turn a part of my body

Picture Snowy trees by TheMichaelMacRae

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I just ignored him in that moment, even considering that for a moment could have been a severe risk.

Another high swing from Lord Whatever. I managed to pull myself together and dodge it, even tho I had to use my left leg again.

AAARGHHH!!! without this leg... could beat him... attacks... too open

Another high swing. He seemed to be getting slower, taking longer between each swing. They didn't look as powerful anymore either.

I noticed something moving in the corner of my eye. I risked a short look only to see that his hound was about to jump at me. I held up my arm as defense. He bit right into it.

Lord High-and-mighty grinned at me triumphantly.

Suddenly something gripped and pulled on my other arm too. I took a quick look

Another hound? From where?

A short hissing sound behind me. Then something hit me in the back. It pushed me to my knees.

I looked down at myself, something metal-ish gray and pointy was protruding at the side of my stomach. I couldn't make it out clearly, my sight got blurry all of sudden.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

In the beginning, the traveling itself was very exhausting. I took breaks often, even tho I walked at a comfortable pace most of the time. I drank lots of water, really, lots. Until I was reminded that the content of my flask was only finite, and that there wasn't always water around to refill it.

Learning that was rough, but I think I'll never forget that again.

In the Night I mostly sat up a small fire and slept next to it. After these long days of walking I was mostly deep asleep within moments after lying down. Looking back on that I was pretty lucky actually. It was foolish to just set up camp out there, especially when you're going to be sleeping like a rock till sun up and beyond. I could have got attacked by animals, robbed by other people... IT could have taken over. But I was lucky, nothing happened.

Woke up every time just like I laid down. With the exception of being rested & kinda stiff from sleeping on the ground.

Must admit, even now the whole walking all day is still quite exhausting, less than in the beginning, and even less if I'm on horse-back part of the day, but I guess it will never quite stop taking most of your vigour.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Thoughts

But what now? I had learned to transform by will, had gained back my human self.

There was something I still had to do but... I was much to scared of that scared of going back to my dreams scared of continuing on that path wherever it leads.

So what else do I have left? Living out here would be an option, no one has come yet to solve this monster problem I guess it's true what they say; Out of sight, out of mind

But then again, it would be quite lonely out here peaceful, at least at peaceful as it can be with IT around but very lonely

And I could walk around without problem I got this transforming thing under control But how to continue out there? I can't stay with Martin & Ruth, I'm unsure how much they did notice, and I don't want them to live in fear

But I should at least them tell what happened or at least bits of it, maybe just that I'm alive They should know at least that

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

My stomach growled as if it wanted to say “Yes!”

“Well and what would the sir desire to eat? We've got dirt, bark or leaves.”

Nøt s$ôlëlý ha ha haa

Wait... you don't mean I should...

I looked down at the rests of Lord whatever...

...Ï dø ... ëxåctlý thæt

“No. NO!...”

I took a step backwards

“People are not for eating! Even if it's an enemy!”

Whý?

“Because... because...”

Séè, yøü'væ göt nô gòód ræ-

“NO! Simply NO! If you've got nothing else to contribute go fuck off!”

Yøµ évên hævê twø... wôn't gö húñ-

“Right! That other guy, he had a horse. That I could eat”

Whý?

“Leave me be”

... Whý?

“Ah Fuck you, I'll just ignore you for now.”

...hrg hrg hrg … Whý?

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Just a Nightmare?

Underground

‘Where am I?’

Yøü? Yõü ærrê ïn mÿ tèrrrítørrý. Wåñnâ knøw whæt'ss fùñ about zãt?

Its voice was omnipresent. It came from everywhere. And it was so deep that it was soothing and horrifying alike. I was unsure if I wanted to know, but I asked. 'What?’

Zæt whílè yøû årrê hërê, Ï hâvë còñtrrøl. Ha Ha Ha

I didn’t see anything. But still I felt how devilishly that thing on my back was grinning. What does it mean by that? It has control? Control over what? And where is its territory?

Picture Blackout found on 巫女miko's blog

Music Underground by ◄-NATURE-►

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I was unsure at first. Feared meeting an unfortunate end in that forest, but without risk; no reward.

So I went further and further into the forest. Always as low as possible, constantly switching focus between eyes and ears. Between seeing and hearing.

It was quite a bit harder to find any tracks on the overgrown forest ground than in fresh fallen snow. I had to look more closely if I ever wanted to find anything. Not only that, I had to learn about other tracks animals leave behind too; claw marks on trees, ruffled soil, trampled grass...

Lotsa things I had to keep my eyes open for. And it wasn't helping that it got dimmer by the moment.

I could use ITs eyes but the idea itself feels like playing foul. After all it's still kind of... a contest... I guess... between the hunter and the hunted. One flees to save his life, the other attacks to save his own... or that of those he cares for. And then there's me, right now, hunting for my own luxury. For being comfortable. So I can travel a bit in peace, don't have to worry about hunting my own food.

Still, there are things I need. Things I can't make myself, things I can't hunt out here. So I have to get some coin. After all I can't hunt for books with bow and arrow, neither for clothes, or armor.

While these thoughts ran through my mind it had gotten dark around me.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Note from the Author

My hundreth post \(^_^)/ Yeah not quite my hundreth story episode but I'm still very happy I got so far. And again I have to thank a very special woman for that.

Or at least blame her for getting the ball rolling <3

Whø ëls$ê shøµld håvæ döné ìt?

Errh... I don't know

Æxåctlý

But still, why?

Årë yøû såýìng yôu'd råthër bê dæd nøw? Håd räthêr gôt chøppéd òf yøµr hëâd bý thîs såd ëxcú$sé ôf å swørds$smân?

Nono... Just wonder why you do help me

Ëâsy, yøû'ré nøt thè önlý ønë thât dïê$s

...Wait... what?

Yøû hærd mê, nów léàvê mê bë

No! If I die, you die too? But you're just some... thing, you'd just go back to where you came from.

He didn't answer anymore. What he said really left me wondering. If I'd die, he'd do too. But that shouldn't cause any problems for him. He's just some... I don't know what he is, but I can't imagine dying being of any concern to him and his like.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016