So I'm doing something

what I'm doing.

   Pilaf takes the MC in, and while searching for a name he notices the brand on the MC's chest. And names him "Gear." Gear works in the camp as a cook, scavenger, unwilling hunter (more on that later), all while training to use a sword. 

  His life is finally peaceful, but still full of the trauma of his past life as well as the event with Gunlok still running in his mind. While at the camp, he meets a girl named Jil Aliek. 

   Jil Aliek is a heavily flawed and nuanced character. She's a swordswoman fighting for the Vorpal blade, and she can easily recognize the brand on Gear's chest. Within moments, Jil installs this idea Into Gear. "you Live to fight, You eat to fight another day, You wake up in the morning to Fight." This sticks to Gear, as well as a new feeling in his chest. 

  Now we would call this attraction, but him not being ever exposed to any woman for an attraction to form, nor any decency from a female human. So he keeps this motif in his head due to the simple fact he's in love. 

 But For Gear, love is a two sided blade. He's only been hurt before, he's endured two life times of nothing but torture so far. Intimacy's is a scary and brutal experience for him name. One that conjures mental images of Gunlok and the horrible things he's done to him. Gear no longer feels like a person, just a toy to everyone's will. Pilaf needs soldiers, so he will become one. For that is what the only positive man in his life wants. But peace, that gear knows, doesn't last long. 

  One morning, after three years of training and living with the camp. Getting comfortable with the people, Horns blare. Screams and fire bursts from each tent. The woods, now covered in a hot orange blanket. One scream in particular sticks out from the rest. 
 "GUNLOK! THE BEAR BUTCHER!" 

 It shocks gear, hard enough for him to grab his sword and Run. 

 As the fire spreads, deeper and deeper into the woods. Gear takes refuge under a familiar empty tree with Jil. Jil, is frozen with fear. For she too knows the horrors of Gunlok, the Bear Butcher. 

     Gunlok, the man who lives a life of pure sin and unadulterated Male aggression, akin to a wild beast. 

However, screams yell from the fire. "It's over"

  
  As Gear and Jil huddle together in fear or relief. Pilaf, pokes his head from atop the tree, with a smirk. It relieves Jil for a moment. before she spoke.

"Pilaf, you gave us a scare-" She says, stepping up, only for a tear drop of blood hit her face.
Pilaf, is in fact, dead as can be. He's cut in two, pushed into a steak, carried by Gunlok. The man who took Gear, and Killed him a few years ago, left only a husk. 

 Jil shrieks in fear, and Gear gets up.

Gunlok jumps down. And notices a familiar face, Gear. 

"Well, if it isn't my toy soldier. I see you teamed up with my nephew. Well, lets see what I left behind." Gunlok says, as he pushes Pilaf further down the steak, making the point protrude Out of Pilaf's head. And threw it at Gear. 

  As Jil is smacked into the fire, Gunlok rushes Gear. Gear picks his sword up, and tries his best.
The beast of a man, easily took down the toy. As he Goes for the finishing blow, Gear finally pushes his sword into Gunlok. Screaming all the while, Gunlok transforms. 
"I just know your all too familiar with this form"

Gear gets up, digs deep, and after an hour of nonstop fighting to the death. Rain came down, and hushed the fire. Jil, escaped from the fire, Finds refuge in a tent, now riddled with the charred corpses of both parties. It was mutually assured destruction. 

 The rain continues to make the dirt all but mud. The fires are now out, and all the crackling and noise of the fire replaces with the struggle of man vs demon. Grunts, punches, the ding's of the sword, and the screams of pain from gear is all that's left. 

 As the fight rages on, Gear's sword breaks. His will does not. Gunlok finally witnesses the beast he created, and he see's a glimpse of his own morals reflected within Gear.  He witnesses a wild, blood thirsty, and powerful man. Gunlok, is shoved through a sharp Thornkill* bush. Unable to move. Gear walks away, picks up a sword, and walks back. All while the rain continues to put out little fires around them.  Before Gear can finally kill Gunlok. Gunlok says one thing. 

  "you look like me now." 

It causes Gear to freeze up, and realize what he was about to do. He was about to kill. Just as his trauma source did. It causes him to stand there; the sword he was once holding up high, now lays on the ground. 
 But a little voice in Gear's head, only tells him to kill. That voices gets louder and louder. Until Finally Gear snaps, and Gunlok laughs. Gear pounces on top of the injured Gunlok, pushing him further into the Thornkill's large thorns. All he does for the next hour, is beat Gunlok to a bloody pulp. All while Gunlok laughing slowly fades as his devilish soul leaves his body. The rain stops, the fire is gone. Gear has beaten the demonic force of Gunlok. 
 He stops for a moment, tired beyond any realization. Pushed beyond his limits. 
  It's morning now. A mix of Gear and Gunlok's blood is everywhere over each other. As the light shines through the surviving leaves of the forest, and dot the red hands of Gear. It highlights the true brutality of this fight. it shines light, upon Gear's act of justice and vengeance. 

But to Gear, it highlights the horrendous act he's just done. He just killed a man. Not fast, but a slow and brutal death. Gear doesn't even wipe the blood from his hands, before he places them onto his eyes to cry. Jil, comforts him. 

Days past. Jil and Gear have been staying at the now ruined camp. It's now certain, they are the last remnants of the Vorpal Blade. Gear hasn't talked in days, and Jil has been comforting him. Not having any time to process what she witnessed. 
 This is where I'm going to end this "Preview."

BLüD is a vary dark and depressing anthology series. The first part, focuses on Gear's journey through this twisted world. On a quest to kill the Dead Moon Witch. Along the way, he will face inner conflicts represented by "The Figure" and "The Killer." Facing external conflicts and battles with the Knights Of White-Edge, The court of White-Edge, a corrupt King, and an Afterlife of living hell. With a sword that'll trap his soul for eternal damnation, morals are constantly thrown into question, and philosophies are battled. But one thing is certain. 

Gear Doesn't Die Easy.

The world For BLüD takes place in a world called Voidlund. The story takes inspiration from Berserk, Vagabond, Vinland saga, Slavonic Folklore, and other folklores. 
BLüD is actually given it's name from a Slavonic folklore fairy, that causes a winding and dizzying effect that'll drive any traveler insane. Cool. 

Blüd's world was created by Carson Ledger and Ethan (redacted). Story, characters, events were created By Carson with help from Ethan. I asked him if he wanted his last name here, he doesn't even want credit for the creation of it but he's my friend and he was in the room when it happened. Not to mention he gave me the idea. 

Jerk. 

(Jk your mah bestie.)

Blüd is already an intellectual property of Carson Ledger. This little preview into the first Ark of the chapter (the Haunted Swordsman) was made to share a little bit of what I was doing and to show proof I'm not lazy (It took me four years now to actually write the summery for Part 1, last night ,coming off my birthday, I finished it. I'm going to look over it in parts and correct it. Thankfully I had my notes and plot outline open when I wrote it.  Still going to look over it because Blüd is looking to become on of my defining work. I'mma publish it under a Penname though, as Carson Ledger is a book writer, HeH-Nullard is the mangaka. I know it kinda defeats the purpose of a penname but in all I want to keep my name off Blüd so if I ever do have kids, they want really link it to me until they're quite a bit older. But also Cause I don't like my name).

I'm almost at three thousand words, and it's not even 1pm yet. SMH. 

Anyways, I'm going to keep writing as long as I breath. Maybe. Idk moral's low and I'm low. But I don't really run out of energy and I can't hit a writers block writing the rest of Blüd's script and layout because I already have the summery, all I gotta do is connect the dots and stuff. Unconventional, I know. But my name is Nullard, so, I'm already unconventional. 

Oh! 30052 words.