The Gate Keeper

Burning Flesh

Horoathea Mass of Aegorath

I dreamt of the Attack again. The screams, the smell, it was all there. I just stood at the edge of the forest. Looking at the sea of flames. But still I heard the screams like I was standing right there. Smelled the burning flesh as if it was my own.

In the middle of it, were the screams of my mother. Those screams filled with pain & agony. Although they were mixed with all those other screaming people, you could hear her pain clearly.

I wanted to run into the forest, to make it stop, but I couldn't move. I was frozen in place. And then I saw a light moving away from the village. Towards me. As it came closer I saw who it was. It was that guy who set my mother on fire. He grinned at me from a distance & shouted 'All Hail the King!'

Picture Inner Flames by JudgePikachu [EDITED]

Music Horoathea Mass of Aegorath by Halgrath

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Realization

Starting Disease

I woke up drenched in sweat.

Did -- did this all really happen? There's no other reason for me to be out here. I climbed down from the tree.

Why would the king order this? Why would he send such a madman to our small town to destroy it? We didn't do anything wrong --- or did we?

I was lost in thought for a long while. That was the first time it really hit me what had happened a few days ago.

Picture Creek by TWPictures

Music Starting Disease by Eduardo C.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

I pondered over what he said for quite a while I'd be not the only one that dies... What does he mean with that? Is he saying that he'd die too...? Or someone else? But why would someone else die because of my death? And how would he know that? No... that doesn't make sense, he must be talking about himself. But... why?

Night was falling over the forest. The fire had extinguished some time ago, not leaving a single ember. Which meant two things, I was beginning to get used to the cooler air, and I didn't have to worry any more about extinguishing the fire myself.

I found a suitable branch for sleeping on quickly. I guess my latest experience has loosened my demands to such branches a bit, but it did seem stable and fairly comfortable. And the climb up to it didn't seem like much of a hassle either.

As I had reached my chosen sleeping place I sat there just watching the moon for a while. How it curiously looked as if it had a face and was watching me... or rather all of the forest... or even more.

© 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

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

I ran and tried thinking of something.

Come on. I need ideas... ideas... IDEAS!!! come on, right now!! what can I do... what can I do... wait... what can I do, that a deer can't... ok, now we're getting somewhere at least... lets see... I can... climb... … … … damn it! There must be something more... if it'd be just the hound it may be worth a try, but with that rider behind me...

Yøû kñöw... yóµ cåñ dø zï$ önê síng zæt nø ônè æls$së cân dö he he he he

What?! NO! That'd be the last option, that I wouldn't do before he had cau-

Suddenly I hit something with my foot, and I wasn't moving only straight forward anymore, I was... moving towards the ground too.

In that blink of an eye lots of things happened.

First I saw the ground in front of my head, less than an arms length away, I was falling.

Then I realized that I must had stumbled over something, as I slowly looked behind I saw what too. A giant root protruding from the ground

I looked a bit further behind me and saw the hound, already preparing to jump over the root, and the rider only a few steps behind the hound.

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Note from the Author

Hey Sorry for the 'long' (I know, it was just a week) break from my side, was sick and in no condition to write anything. Anyway, I'm back to 'normal' and there'll be posts. Double as usual... But only for this week :D

Thanks for reading and thanks for the feedback so far ;)

PS: Ok, it was more than a week, just realized it's Wednesday already :D

I was back in the cave.

I wonder when I have to eat again. Maybe I’ll never feel hungry. Yeah, maybe…

I laid down and fell asleep.

“Ah, you’re back for revenge I guess?”

I had ‘woken up’ directly besides that guy.

“Hey, do you actually have a name?”

“I do”

“So, what is it?”

“I don’t know”

“How can you not…. It’s because your just the image from a memory, right?”

“Exactly. Done talking? Thought you came here for finishing something.”

“Yeah yeah, I’m ready for you”

“As ready as last time?” Ha Ha Ha

He took on the same stance. And again threw a left at me.

I blocked it with my arm.

The same stance, the same attacks? No time for thinking, remember instead.

Again he tried to hit me with the uppercut. I crossed my arms, and threw them downwards.

But I couldn’t block it. There was just too much force.

Damn it-

He hit me again.

And again I was lifted off the ground.

Picture The Art of Punching by Lutherniel [EDITED]

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Winterfell

No, it wasn't that she didn't believe. She was unsure if the huntsman lied or not. And I didn't blame her for it, neither do I blame her for it now. She couldn't have known what is true and what is a lie. Even I wasn't completely sure of it at that time.

It would explain a few things. Like what IT meant by 'having control' But what reason could IT have to feed from a dead deer ---wait. Feeding. Exactly. I was starving out there. Does that mean it needs me to survive?

This was the first time after Martin found me that I was completely lost in thought again. Just beeing held in that town by Ruth's firm grip. I was staring far far away.

Picture Still thinking of fall... by Elle-H [EDITED]

Music Winterfell by Ramin Djawadi

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016

Note from the Author

I’m sorry guys (& girls) but I have some private matters to attend to so there probably won’t be any posts this week. I’ll try to make it up for you with some extra posts next week.

The wound healed in mere seconds.

Ha ha ha ha ha

It came at me again. I was ready to dodge it again, ITs attack was far more open than the last ones. Suddenly -- it disappeard. In midair.

I felt a warm breath at my neck but before I managed to turn around, my other arm was gone too.

Høw dö yòû wännå fîght mé nøw? Ha ha ha ha

I was baffled. What am I gonna do now? If cutting doesn't work headbutting or biting---

IT dissapeared again, and the same instance IT cut off both my legs.

Picture source unkown

© The Zero 零 Squad, 2013-2016