POWER

Beat by Memories

Looking at it afterwards I’m unsure what I thought. Although he was just an image from my memories, I did barely know how to fight.

The only experience I had was the training with that one guard. And hitting at a tree stump on my own.

I didn’t even know how to use a sword properly, and I had the brilliant idea to fistfight with this guy.

Oh shit-

He came at me with a right. By acting like I had a shield in my hand, I actually managed to block that.

It was a hard swing, It hurt like hell. But I had a small success there.

I was actually able to block that p –

He hit me under the chin.

I felt how I bit through my tongue, then lifted off the ground. Still pushed by his punch.

I woke up again. Panic-stricken, sitting up instantly

He beat me. Should have expected as much.

Picture DOWN + B by vashperado

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Ancient Stones

I slept very good that night. No nightmares and after those cold nights in the forest this hay was as soft as a cloud.

Next morning, after we ate breakfast & Martin went out on the field, Ruth repaired my clothes. I was wearing one of Martin's cottes in the meantime and did stuff around the house. Afterwards I helped her in the garden. And I helped her spin yarn from wool.

My days were back to normal again. But, although I knew that Martin & Ruth treated me like there own child, it was still not the same.

Music Ancient Stones by Jeremy Soule

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

The first half of the deer didn’t last for long. But it sated my appetite, so I took the other half with me.

How long until raw flesh gets foul? I wish I knew. I should eat it by tomorrow ‘round this time, just to make sure it doesn’t get tainted.

After I was back to my cave and had ‘stored’ the remaining half of the deer a question came up.

So… what now? I figured out I can only see moving things, everything else is blurry and reddish. I am able to hunt, apparently I got amazingly sharp claws. Only question is; What to do with this new won free time? Hunting for fun is a waste and only gives me unnecessary attention – What do dragons do in their caves? I guess they sleep in their piles of gold, until some brave hero comes who ends up eaten alive. But I am no dragon, at least I don’t look lik…

Then it struck me, What do I actually look like in this form? I went out again, in search of water. It didn’t take too long till I found some.

I gradually moved my head over the water. To not scare myself too much.

Picture Inside the Cave by Joaru

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

It didn't take long till I found the other guy and his horse. I pushed the headless and blood soaked rider out of the saddle and removed the saddle too.

I inspected the wounds on the horse. IT had sliced right through muscles, bones and several organs. And altho it already was beginning to rotten in the stomach area, the meat was still fresh at the chest.

My stomach growled again.

As I reached for my knife I noticed it was missing Must have lost it while being in ITs form... maybe I can find it around

I got up and searched for my knife. Already after a short while I noticed the sword of my attacker, but I wanted to rather find my knife than use his sword. Altho thinking back... it didn't really make much sense. Don't know why I didn't pick up his sword in that moment instead.

I searched for a while. I don't know when I started but by the time I gave up it was getting close to dusk.

I sat down besides the dead horse.

“How am I going to eat you if I can't find my knife to cut you to pieces?”

It didn't answer, I didn't expect an answer either.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

The Madman

Descendent of God

They marched into the village. It was still early. The Sun had just dawned and the cock hadn't crown yet. Behind them lay already the soldiers who were supposed to watch the road.

Finally. After all these years in that goddamn dungeon someone saw my potential. Someone saw that my power, my lust for destruction isn't something bad, it's useful. He snapped with his fingers and a spark emerged from them. It flew to a house in an instant. WOOOSHH The house was ablaze an instant later.

Mwuahahuahahua After all those years... His eyes started glowing red. He snapped his fingers again and another house stood ablaze. ...I nearly forgot how much fun this is Hahahahahaha Burning people started running out of the houses. Screaming out of pain.

'Go. Do has he told you. Don't let a single one survive. All Hail the King' Mwuhahuahahuaha

Picture Crimson Mage by Izzy Medrano

Music Descendent of God by DeVso Music

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

My only real problem at the beginning was I didn't have any coin. So I hunted.Began setting up rabbit traps, selling those to other people on the road or sometimes in towns or villages.

After some three or four dozen days I had enough to get a bow and some arrows. And then I was at it again. Hunting.

I still traveled while hunting, but I usually went a bit off the main road to look for tracks or any other signs of prey or predator. Tho I usually just found rabbits, no big game. I guess I was still to near that road, but I didn't wanna lose sight of it. Had surely lost my orientation somewhere on the way.

It stayed with rabbits for quite a while. They fed my hunger and I could still sell a few. Survived well for quite a while with that, tho one day I dared to venture further into the forest. Search for bigger game. And get some coin out of it. So I could get my main focus on the traveling again.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Wåkëy wækêy lørds$släyérrr

“What?!”

At first I felt panic when I woke up, but I noticed that I was on a branch so I moved slowly. I cautiously looked down.

Not that high, can easily climb down.

Said, done. I was back on ground again, looked around to see if anything was nearby.

What happened? Last thing I remember was... In front of my inner eye I saw Lord stuck-up grinning at me, nearly felt the thud in my back, that I was pushed onto my knees, and saw something blurry protruding from my right flank.

I grasped for it immediately, but there was nothing there anymore.

A bad dream? No... I was... hunting... and became the hunted

While thinking I walked by myself. Suddenly I kicked into something mushy. Instinctively I looked down.

Oh fuck!!

The moment I saw it all that happened flushed into my mind.

I had blacked out as I got that hit in the back, and IT took over. Killing first someone on a horse, sliced open the horse, then decapitated the man. Then pushed his claws into Lord Rage's chest while he was begging for his life and... ripped him apart.

Guess that is part of him then.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

At first she used me mostly for carrying her game. I stayed in the back, observing her. And already through that I learned a bit about hunting. But she was always silent. Never said a word. Only gave me hand signals. Pointing to places, sometimes mimicing what she wanted me to do.

After a while tho she had me closer by her. Showing me what different tracks look like, whispering to me what you could tell from them. What kinda animal it was, the animals size, if it was hurt, how fast it was going. And all that from just a series of footprints.

After some time of just showing and describing she began having me look around in the area. Look for tracks, tell her what I'd read from them.

In the beginning I was often horribly wrong. I stopped counting how often she had slapped the back of my head for being wrong. But afterwards she always asked me questions about the tracks. Why I thought it was that animal, why at that pace etc. I got better with time. But I still made mistakes, but then we followed the tracks. I'd always knew there was something wrong when she let me go in front and trace the tracks.

The first time I mixed up deer and boar tracks was also the last time. That time I couldn't fathom how fast Ingrid was up in that tree. But after thinking about it, it definitely is understandable. She was on guard, she knew what tracks I was following and she had keener ears than me. She probably heard them already from far away. I was too focused on not losing the tracks.

Happy I survived that, but I guess I wouldn't if that Sow hadn't been distracted by her piglets.

Note from the Author:Sorry for not posting anything last friday. I wasn't really in shape to focus much on anything other than slow mewsik to be honest. So I had rather a day without a post than a day with a crappy, headache-filled post.

Thanks for reading and hope you leave some feedback.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

The Attack - Bjorn

Prepare for the Onslaught

One morning I woke up to the smell of smoke and burning flesh. To screams of pain and agony. To the sounds of clinging metal. At first I thought it was a bandit attack. They must be after the gold father got for that jewel he sold to the king I thought. But I was wrong.

Mother tried to stay calm. Father took his pickaxe and was on his way out the front door. Suddenly the door burst open and someone came through it. It felt like time was frozen. I looked at him and saw every detail on his armour. This is no bandit. This is a mercenary. Time unfroze again as father rammed his axe into the intruders head. He fell onto the floor and father went over him and out.

Mother didn't look. She did her best not to. To keep her calm. But I knew she wasn't calm. I could see the fright in her eyes. She took of her necklace and put it around my neck. Then she mumbled something I didn't understand and kissed me on my forehead. 'Run!' She said. 'Run out the backdoor. Get away from here. Survive.'

Picture Nibelheim by jordangrimmer

Music Prepare for the Onslaught by Epic Score

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Dreams

A Way of Life

Then I snapped out of it.

What the hell am I doing? How could I accept to be this demon, to continue to live like it?

It was like I had lost myself, my own thoughts. Somehow. I had been controlling this body. But all this time, it wasn’t my will who steered me.

Did IT take over on that clearing? When I gave up on life?

I didn’t want to stay in this form. I wanted to become myself again. To rid myself of this unnameable horror. And so I did what had to be done.

I need ITs… help. ITs… counsel. IT knows how to shift shape, it can surely teach me how I can regain my body. My face.

I went back to the cave. Found a place to lie down. To sleep.

Is it that why dragons do sleep for eternities? Do they too search for something in their dreams?

So I went where I first had met IT. Where ITs domain lies.

To my dreams...

Picture Sleeping Dragon by Disse86

Music A Way of Life by Hans Zimmer

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016