I Slowly Woke Up In A Warm Bed, A Rather Slender Arm Lying On Me. It Took Me A Moment To Realize This

We went back shortly after. Neither of us said much. I looked at her every now and then, to see if she got hurt somewhere. Physically she seemed fine, but I was sure there had to be some serious mental & emotional damage after that.

She didn't tell me what had happened. She might think I know what happened, that I saw it all, but had no control over it. Or maybe... No, I had to stop overthinking this, without asking I can never guess what she thought. It was simply not possible to think myself into having no idea at all of whats up with me. I know not all of it either, but I know some important bits.

“Ingrid-”

I tried to break the silence, had to find out what happened.

“Whatever happened, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't tell you beforehand, but I don't want people to know, for their safety. And now I'm forced to not tell anyone”

She didn't answer. She just continued walking, looking at the ground, staring far far away. Just like I did back then. Seeing that helped me a bit, helped me understand. It was a different situation, a different enemy, a different time, but I think it was somehow still very similar.

“Please Ingrid...” I put my hand on her shoulder “...please, I beg you, tell me what happened. I don't know, I cannot tell you why, not even what, but I never remember those...” I paused, carefully looking for the right word, to stay true to my contract “...those moments”

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Underground

One night I was back in that blackness. I hadn't been there for a long time, but I knew what it meant.

'What do you want? Why am I here again?'

Döñ't ÿøu rrëmëmbërr? ha ha ha ¥øú S$àîd ït ýûørr$sêlf.

'I don't know what you're talking about!' I tried locating IT but it was like the first time. Always just in the corner of my eye.

¥øu töld mê tø $st@¥ qüíèt, ûñtïll ýøû ¢ôüld fîñd øût whø Î äm

The moment IT said it I remembered it like it was yesterday. That really worked back then. IT really followed the wish of young foolish me. But would IT do that again?

'I banish you foul thing from my dreams, from me, whatever you are!'

Ha ha ha ha Ï æm ñøt før¢cêd tø föllôw ¥øûrr ëvérý wî$h, bøý. Î chøsê tö

Picture Blackout found on 巫女miko's blog

Music Underground by ◄-NATURE-►

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Water!

Sam Rosenthal: six: thirteen (stretch mix 1)

It was exhausting to walk through the forest. My throat was dry as bone. But it was worth the struggle. After roaming through the forest for a while I found a small pond. Thinking about it afterwards I should have been more cautious. There could have been something wrong with the water. Instead I fell to my knees in front of it, pushed my face into the water and gulped down as much as I could. I felt how the cool water ran down my throat and moistened every bit down to my stomach.

I felt relieved as I sat up again. Not only because I finally got some water, but also because I got some of it onto my neck too. I didn't notice much how itchy the necklace was since I woke up but I felt the relief as I got some water on my neck.

Picture Forest by IIDanmrak

Music Sam Rosenthal: six: thirteen (stretch mix 1)

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Intro

Suddenly IT stood in front of me. I could clearly see it although its form wasn't stable. Constantly changing. I wanted to continue to talk to it, but I couldn't. My mouth didn't want to move. Like my lips had been sewn together. I panicked a bit.

Although there wasn't much to see in the darkness I looked around. Maybe there was something here. Then I noticed I had a sword fastened to my belt. I recognised the handle. It was the sword I had forged myself. It wasn't exactly the masterpiece of a well known Weaponsmith, but it worked well for me.

I drew it out of it's sheath to get an even better look. But as soon as I drew my sword, IT jumped at me.

Picture Demon by AlleywayNightscholar

Music Intro (City of Vultures) by Rise to Remain

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

' 'tis 'im! Guards! Guards! Capture dis monster!' All people stopped up immediately, and all gazed upon wich the man was pointing.

Me.

Two guards came. Both with there sword drawn, but as they noticed there was no danger, they sheated them again. 'What's happenen eya?' One of the guards asked

'Dis fel -- tin' dare, it ate me game.'

'Coost be a bit mower specific? Yom a hunter, many people ate the mate yaouw bren. That is naaa crime'

'Naw. Yer don't git waaat oi say. Yer man ate me game. Oi 'ad jist shot it, den yer man 'oofed over ter it. As oi came ter 'imself an' asked waaat yer man wus doin' 'is bake wus al' deformed wi' razorsharp teet an' yer man 'ad claws.'

The guards looked at each other. They had to hold back their laughter 'Is that the same kind of story loike that 'un with the three-headed elk yaouw met?'

The man was baffled 'Naw! listen ter me-'

The guards nearly pissed themselves from laughing 'It's alrooight, we'll let yaouw get awoy with this unneeded call fer help since yaouw gave us a bostin loff.'

Picture Deer-ner is Served by Hjoldir-Hildwulf [EDITED]

© 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

It took quite some time to find any tracks at all, other than those on that bush.

At first I tried looking for any traces of animals eating any other plants in the area, but finding that was near to impossible. Out of old habit I tried looking for any tracks on the ground, in the grass or in the dirt. But didn't find anything significant.

Around the time the sun was at it's highest I found a small beck.

There I took a break. Ate a bit, refilled my flask and sat down for a moment. And although I had been walking around in that forest all day it was the first time I really noticed all the chirping around me.

I was just sitting there in awe for a moment.

Those dozens of chirping birds around me, the small stream besides me, how the sun lighted up the forest right now. It was a great moment.

I wish I could have captured it somehow, and taken it with me.

Picture Stream by abyss1956

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

POWER

I looked at my hand for a moment clenched it in triumph

Moments later I was lying there anew with that fucktard right beside me

''Are you ready to lose to me another time?''

''Not this time.'' I said grinning

I held up my right hand

Closed my eyes

Concentrated

Drove the energy from deep inside into it

As I opened my eyes again they were there.

Those deep black talon like claws My skin slowly falling off, revealing what is beneath

It was difficult to hide my agony the pain of the transformation was tormenting but I managed

I was still grinning, like a maniac and I looked at him, saw fear in his eyes

I felt amazing,

POWERFUL

''Hey, you're cheating. That ain't part of your body''

''I made it part of mine''

Then his face turned

He began grinning it felt like looking in a mirror and then I realized

This wasn't me

''That's all I wanted to hear, boy. You may pass''

Picture Glowing by Eemeling [EDITED]

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

The crowd was still standing around. Unsure if they should believe the drunken huntsman or not.

Ruth grabbed my hand firmly and went through the masses of people. A few dozen paces later she stopped, turned around and crouched down in front of me.

'Don't listen to that drunkard, he always tells stuff like that.' She calmly said to me.But in her eyes I saw that she didn't completely believe those words herself.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

“What was it you wanted to talk about earlier? Had enough time to sort your mind?”

“Well... I've sorted my mind but... I still have no idea how I should ask this”

“Then work around it, what is it you wanna ask me about?”

“It's... it's this... well my, or rather our, 'contract' “

“Oh you mean the staying for winter? You're right, winter is over but... if you wanna stay for longer do so”

“That's... not really it, tho I'm thankful for your offer, but... hmmm”

“What are you worried about?”

“I... I'm... … I'm worried I leave you without giving you anything back for what you showed me. That I leave without repaying you properly”

She put a hand on my shoulder and looked into my eyes“Do you really think I did this with the plan to get some compensation for it? I did this because I wanted to, because I had a feel you could use it in the future. Compensation neither needed nor wanted.”

“r... really? You sure?”

“Yes, and besides, you gave me lots of fun memories” she smiled

“...but-”

“No buts! It was fun for me, that's more than enough pay”

She hugged me suddenly, the first time since IT forced its way out. At first I was scared, worried, but I didn't wanna take this hug from her... and didn't wanna let it slide myself. We both needed it.

“Thank you Ingrid, a thousand times and infinitely more”

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016