Warning - blood and gore warning

Forest of the Zombie Harts

Fledermaus awoke with a nasty headache. The air was strangely foggy and had a decrepit smell. He coughed a little, trying to get used to the air. He noticed many of the trees were rotting, and the limbs were bare. What has happened to the Forest?, he thought.

Standing, he looked around, not seeing any other deer in the area. He began to walk toward the Pond, hoping to find someone there. Approaching, he could see the water wasn't quite what he remembered.

He stopped, staring in horror when he saw the water. The Pond was murky, and bones littered the shoreline - deer bones. Fledermaus was sick, and he could not stand to see the Pond in the condition it was in. Turning away, he ran toward Twin Gods' Hill. He wanted answers.

"Michael! Auriea!", Fledermaus cried out. The hill was coming more and more into view, and his hopes rose with each hoofbeat. Sliding, his hope sank in one moment. The stag collapsed, saying under his breath, "...no..."

The idols were completely destroyed. Bits of the Gods protruded from the ground, and thick weeds were already growing in the area. The Hill had never been unkempt.

"Fledermaus?", someone said nearby. The voice was familiar, but odd to his ears, and turning, he saw a zombie stag standing at the base of the hill. "Who...who are you?", Fledermaus questioned. The stag was nameless - their pictograms had vanished when the Twin Gods' magic left the Forest.

"It's me, Fled! It's Masque!", the Zombie said. "Masque? But...you're...", Fledermaus began to say, when the zombie nodded, "I know...and you need to become a zombie quickly. I'll take you to the Big Zombie Deer, you must submit to him, or...", he shook his head, "...or we'll have to kill you!"

"Masque, what do you mean by that?", Fledermaus questioned him. The zombie began to lick his teeth, "You always did look appetizing...", Masque replied, and turning, let out a loud shriek. Fledermaus could not control himself - he darted away from his relative, knowing that he was calling for trouble.

Masque turned to the running stag. "You won't get far, Fled! They will find you!", he screeched. Fledermaus heard it, but kept running. He soon found himself at the Ruins, where many other zombies had congregated. There, he saw the great zombie himself, the Big Zombie Deer, who snored loudly in the center of the Ruins. Each exhale sent mist into the air, and made a great howl with each breath. He was powerful even in slumber.

Fled's body went completely cold. The great zombie terrified him, and this new development was too much for him to bear. Without notice, the great zombie sat up and stared at him, the soft red glow in his eyes piercing deep into Fledermaus' heart.

"A living stag, in the Forest of Zombies?", the Big Zombie Deer asked. Fledermaus could not speak, he shivered in fear before the zombie god. "Do you wish to become one of us?", the great zombie asked. The living stag backed away slowly, he dared not to speak to the god.

When he turned, he saw a wall of zombies, their skulls drooling with the sight of a fresh meal. Fledermaus felt entirely overwhelmed - there was no hope of escape, no Twin Gods to protect him...no Endless Forest...

The stag watched as the zombies closed in on him, and then from behind, he heard the voice of the Big Zombie Deer once more, "This one belongs to me! He will be the sacrifice that binds us to this land for an eternity!"

The others watched as the great zombie breathed mist into Fledermaus' face. The living stag could not keep from breathing in the toxic gas, which immediately sedated him. He felt his muscles relax, and his vision blur. He collapsed on his legs, his head resting on the Big Zombie Deer's chest. He curled instinctively, trying to protect himself, but feeling completely helpless.

The great zombie bent down, staring him the eyes for one last time. "At long last, the throne of the Twin Gods becomes mine!", he cried, and with one snap, bit into Fled's side. The living deer cried out as the teeth pierced him, his body bleeding and going into shock.

The great zombie gripped the poor living stag in his jaws, his head raised up as he drank Fledermaus' blood. The stag's legs hung lifelessly, his body nearly numb. He closed his eyes and waited for death - but it wouldn't come quickly.

Raising his head, the Big Zombie Deer opened his throat up, and gulped Fledermaus' body in one great swallow. He could feel nothing more from his body, and he let out one sigh of death.

"Live, Fledermaus. Live and see your gods are here.", his ears perked up and heard the familiar voices.

"Michael, Auriea...why...?", Fledermaus said weakly. He opened his eyes, and was able to feel again - the warmth of the sun and the gentle breeze that rustled the shining strands of a great plain. He sat up and saw others there - living deer, his brothers and sisters.

The dream would haunt his mind for the rest of his life, and he would continue to question the Twin Gods every day for it.

The end of this chapter...