Night Terrors

Ever since I got affected by the curse of the Hessian Hex, I have never been the same....this curse is a curious and funny thing but at the same time sad and shocking.

I am cursed to become the Hessian if driven into a state of bloodlust, even the smallest drop of blood can trigger the change and cause a dark and terrifying transformation to occur.

The blood red moon also has this affect on me, it puts me into a trance and makes me want to roar.

And now the curse was starting to affect my mind, making me have all sorts of strange visions and dreams.

In these visions I would see a dark forest somewhere in the middle of the woods, a blood red moon shining high up in the sky, and a black stallion whinying out for it's owner. And I would hear growls and roars, and I couldn't help but respond to them.

Often I would awaken from these dreams and visions growling - as if what had happened wasn't a dream at all.

One night I was trying to relax when I started having another one of those dreams. I was walking through the woods with Ariana when I heard the growls again.

"Rrrrrr...aaaaaawr!"

"Nathan? What's wrong?

"It's...it's...it's...."

Before I could say anything, a loud ferocious growl escaped from my throat and I roared back in response to the growl that was being made before.

"Nathan?"

"I don't know what's gotten over me. But I feel so..so..."

"What?"

"So....evil....rrrr...rrr.."

"Nathan. Please."

"Ariana...forgive me..."

"I already have."

Just then I heard the growls grow louder and more ferocious in tone, until they were in my general direction.

Sensing the worst, I began to run as fast as I could, trying to get away from the sound but it wasn't any use.

I saw a shadowy figure getting closer and closer to me, growling as it did. What was this creature? Was it a vampire? Was it a werecreature? Was it some kind of ghoul or zombie? No...but this certainly a lot worse.

As the shadowy figure got closer still, I began to recognize what it was - it was a male figure with black and grey armour which supported a serpentine insignia, with red lines on his gloves, his hands were covered by a pair of black gloves with an H insignia on the front and red lines on them.

His feet were sporting a long pair of long calf length boots with spurrs on the side, there was a waistcoat on his body and a long black and cape poking out of the back - there was a belt with a large black buckle in the middle - holding up his black riding pants.

He was tall and pale, with spiky black hair - piercing aquamarine blue eyes, and very sharp, pointed vampire-like teeth. It was him...it was the Hessian.

"Oh no....it's....him."

"Aaaaaaargh! (translated: What are you doing in these woods?)."

"What is he saying, Nathan?"

"Aaaargh!" (translated: You should have never come here.)

"W-w-what?"

"Aaaaargh! (translated: Now you and your human companion shall perish.)

"Please don't kill us...please..."

The Hessian stopped to look at us for a few seconds before sniffing us with his keen sense of smell, he recognized my scent - and he somehow recognized me.

"Aaaaaar. (translated: Come now, brother. Calm yourself, I would never try to hurt you.)."

"What? I'm not related to you. How can you call me your brother when i'm not even related to you?"

"Aaaar. (translated: Oh but you are...you have more in common with me than you think.)

He snarled and grabbed my hands with almost inhuman strength, pulling up my sleeve to reveal the marking on my hand - it matched the draconic insignia on his gloves and
armour.

"How did you know that I am forced to suffer this horrible curse?"

"Aaaar. (translated: Curse? No it is no curse...you are lucky to have my attributes and physical and mental characteristics. I wouldn't call it a curse.)."

"Oh, but it IS a curse. I'm cursed to turn into you if driven into a state of bloodlust and the transformation hurts like hell, i'm forced to constantly deal with the possible problem of turning against my friend, the only friend who didn't run away in fright from me when I turn or worse - killing her."

"Aaaaar. (translated: What's not to love about turning into me, with all my characteristics and everything?)."

"Well...there's the whole having to worry about killing my own best friend thing, not being able to talk, not being able to control the instincts, the painful transformation sequences, the constant visions and dreams...the list goes on."

"Aaaaar. (translated: You won't be saying that when I get you to join me, brother. I just know that you'll like it.)."

"No I won't....I won't let you do this and neither will Ariana."

"Aaaaar. (translated: You are only saying that because your weak human mind refuses to beleive that I am trying to help you.)."

"My human mind is NOT weak. And I am sure you're NOT helping anyone here...all you're doing is creeping me out."

"Aaaaaaar. (translated: I know you struggle...but you won't have to for much longer.)."
"Well of course i'm struggling...you've got me in an almost inhuman vice...let me go, let me go!"

"Aaaaar. (translated: No. I will not let you go unless you join me.)."
"No...I would never join you. You're evil, sick, cruel, bloodthirsty, vicious, despicable, heartless, vile!"

"Aaaaar. (translated: Why do you talk about me like that, brother? I am not evil. It was never my fault to begin with. I'm just misunderstood.)."

"Misunderstood? Pah! You go around killing people, slicing their heads off and drinking their blood like you're some kind of vampire."

"Nathan? What's going on? Are you - talking to the Hessian?"

"Yes."

"Aaaar! (translated: Brother, I am ashamed of you for talking to me like that. I'm not evil at all really...really I am not. I think it's time that you learned some manners.)".

"What? Me? You're the bloodthirsty undead warrior that slices people's heads off."

"Aaaar! (translated: I was under a spell. What part of that don't you get?)".

"Oh I get plenty of that and I understand your predicament. But isn't killing random innocent bystanders and slicing their heads off just because you want your own head back a little...extreme? I mean half of those people didn't deserve to get killed."

"Aaaar! (translated: Those humans may mean something to you, but to me...they're nothing but prey.)."

"You were a human once too you know."

"Aaaargh? (translated: Me? A human? As in a non-supernatural? I've always been a supernatural. No matter what...i've always one and always will be.)."

"But...if you're a supernatural...then what the hell are you? I know there's a headless fairy called a Dullahan, but they have a whip made out of a spinal cord and are constantly seen on a horse - if they're not seen on a horse, people die. But I don't that's you."

"Aaaaar. (translated: A dullahan? You mean a fairy? Don't make me laugh. They may be ghoulish like me but I sure as hell aren't one of them.)."

"You feast on blood like a vampire, you growl like a werecreature and have the inhuman strength and animalistic insticts of one. But you're neither...you're either a ghost or some kind of demon that needs to be slayed."

"Aaaar. (translated: No one can slay me. I can never die. I cannot die, and you should know that, brother.)."

"Would you please stop calling me brother? I'm not related to you, I maybe cursed to become like you but i'm not like you at all."

"Aaaaar? (translated: Does this bother you, brother? If it does, it's alright, I am here to make things right.)."

"Yes...it does...and please just stop calling me 'brother', my name is Nathan and I am not like you in the least."

"Aaaaar. (translated: I know you that you are lost and afraid, brother but don't you worry...I'm here to help make things right again.)."

"I'm not lost but I am afraid..and...please stop calling me brother....I am...not...your...."

I was about to finish my sentence when he grabbed me and put his fingers to my lips, growling softly.

"Sshhhh..."

"Huh? What the hell?"

"Aaaar. (translated: Brother...please...let me help you.)."

"No...stay the hell away from me and Ariana."

"Aaaaargh? (translated: Why do you treat me so unfairly? I am your friend here...your fellow creature of the night.)."

"No...you're not. You're not my friend, you never will be. You're a bloodthirsty creature of the night, you're pure evil."

"Aaaargh! (translated: I can't believe that you would treat me like this, brother. It is truly shameful.)."

"I'm NOT your brother....i'm not your anything...I am a human being."

"Aaar! (translated: That is true, you are a human...but you won't be for long.)."

"If you're thinking about getting me to transform, then sorry...Hessi...but I will not do it. You can't make me do it."

"Aaaaar. (translated: Oh, but I can.)."

He snatched a small pouch from inside my coat pocket and opened it up, inside the pouch was a black dust-like substance.

"Hey! Keep your mits off my stuff!"

"Aaaaar. (translated: I've seen this dust before...this shall come in useful what I have planned for you.)."

"Ugh. Whatever you have planned, leave me out of it. I don't want to be involved in anyway whatsoever."

"Grr. (translated: Brother, you will be involved in this plan whether you like it or not.)."

"What? I said no...no way, nada, zip, zero, no way in hell."

"Aaaaar. (translated: I'm afraid you don't have a choice in the matter, now hold still.)."

I tried to make a run for it but he grabbed me with inhuman strength and grabbed some of the dust from the pouch and sprayed it in my face.

It made me feel weak and dizzy, I felt weak, confused and dizzy. I coughed and spluttered, trying to get the dust off.

"Gah! Get this stuff off me!"

"Nathan? What's happening?"

"The Hessian sprayed me with some weird black dust...I feel so weak, confused and dizzy. I don't know what's going on."

"He did? Are you okay?"

"I feel weak, confused and dizzy. What's happening?"

"Aaaaar. (translated: I'll tell you what is happening, brother. You are going to transform and you will join me in my nightly rampage.)."

"What? No...anything but that...oh god no, anything but that!"

I groaned for several minutes as the blood red moon peered out from behind the cloud, and I suddenly fell into a trance.

"Nathan!"

"I must resist...must resist the moon's gaze...must resist."

"Aaaaar. (translated: Do not resist it, brother. For it's light is good for you...you'll see.)."

"The moon...so...beautiful...red...like blood...blood red...no..it's not..must not think about blood."

"Aaaaarrr. (translated: Blood is good for you too, we need to feed on blood especially you, you need the blood of humans in order to survive...without it...we'd just get weaker.)."

"No it's not...blood is not good, it is bad..it is very very bad."

"Aaaaaargh. (translated: Oh but it is good and you will need some if you are to survive.)."


"But I have water and plenty of food at home and friends and family. I have a job as a scientist/monster expert. I don't need to drink blood."

"Aaaar. (translated: Those are nothing but human posessions and are unnecessary. You don't need them, all you need is my guidance and blood - lots of blood.)."

"Unneccessary? Are you kidding me? I love my friends and my family - and they are probably worried sick about me right now. Ariana is constantly worrying about me enough as it is."

"Aaaaar? (translated: But do you really need those human posessions of yours? And do you really need a family or friends? I mean do any of your friends understand what you're going through like I do?)."

"Yes....Ariana does, because she's not entirely human anymore either....I cursed her!"

"Aaaar? (translated: So she is the She-Hessian i've heard so much about, hmm? Well i'm sure that i'll be able to find a way to bring her out.)."

"No...don't...you...DARE!"

"Aaaar. (translated: What are you going to do about it? Without your supernatural powers, you are powerless and you cannot stop me.)."

I was about to go up to him and attack him, only to be greeted with a not-so-pleasant "STREETCHING" sound.

That was coming from my shirt, it was getting tighter and tighter, buttons were popping off one by one - revealing black and grey armour was start to grow and form.

With a loud "RIPPP!" my shirt ripped off completely to reveal the black and grey armour growing and forming in it's place, on the front of the armour there was a draconic insignia depicting two draconic creatures with razor sharp fangs.

"My shirt!"

"Aaaaar. (translated: I see your changes have started already, brother. Your silly human shirt is no more, now you are sporting my armour.)."

"No...no...I won't let you do this."

"Aaaaar. (translated: I'm afraid I already have.)."

"What? You monster!"

"Aaaar! (translated: There you go again, calling me insensitive words like that. Such shameful behavior shall not be tolerated.)."

There was a loud "SNAP!" as my belt snapped off and was replaced with a much larger belt which was dark grey in colour with a large black buckle.

My jeans were straining and tearing until they ripped apart also, only to reform into a pair of black riding pants. Red lines were also becoming evident in my clothing as well.

"Not my jeans too...aaaw man!"

"Aaaaar. (translated: Good, you are progressing nicely...and those look so much better on you than those stupid human jeans did.)."

"No...please..."

I groaned as my shoes started growing, contorting, blackening and hardening - they were growing not only up my feet and but also moving all the way up to my legs.

Slowly but surely they morphed into a pair of black calf length boots with spurrs on the back, I staggered back in horror as this was happening.

I tried to get up and run but I onto my back, making it difficult for me to get back up.

"Aaaaaaar. (translated: Ah yes, what a fine pair of boots. Those silly human shoes of yours weren't neccessary at all. Now if only I could do something about those hands.)."


"No...don't..."

I tried reaching out for Ariana to help me but the marking on my hand started glowing, this time giving off a rather uncomfortable burning sensation - at the same time my hands felt completely numb, I could not move either of them.

Splotches of blackness were forming on my nails, then they moved up and melded with my fingers, and then moved onto my hands - making my hands gnarl up in a 'claw' position as it turned into a pair of black gloves with red lines on them and a draconic H insignia on the front side of both of them.

There was another tearing sound as my dark grey coat shredded away, becoming nothing but scraps before the remains of my ripped shirt reformed into a waistcoat that wrapped itself around me. In addition to this, a black and red cape was growing out of the back and replacing my destroyed coat.

"Aaaaaar. (translated: Now that's more like it. Now to make you taller, stronger...and more powerful.)."

I heard an uncomfortable series of cracks and stretches as I grew taller and more lithe, normally I would be able to resist the changes or fight them but it was getting harder and harder to do it.

"No..."

"Aaaaar. (translated: Your transformation is progressing rather nicely. I am quite enjoying it...does it make you feel good too, brother?)."

"Yes...rrrr...I mean no...I mean no....i'm not your brother....i'm not..."

"Nathan! What's happening to you?"

"Rrrr...Ariana, it's exactly what I feared....i'm losing it."

"No...say it isn't so."

"Aaaar! (translated: I'm afraid it is, and soon he'll have no choice but to join me in my nightly rampages. And there will be no way to fix this.)."

I groaned in agony as my hair was being stretched and pulled in all directions, it felt like invisible hands were trying to pull at it in an unpleasant manner.

As I felt my hair, it began to grow messier and spike up as it turned from dark brown to black, making my hair look more like his.

"My hair!"

"Aaaaaar. (translated: Ah, very nice. You are developing rather nicely...I can't wait to see you kill with me.)."

"I would never...never...kill anyone....rrr..."

"Aaaaawr! (translated: Don't resist, brother....don't resist...you know that you love this...and you know it makes you feel good. Don't try to resist.)"

"Ummmm....rrrr...that's what i'm trying to do."

I grunted as my skin was slowly drained of it's normal colour and turned a ghostly pale colour, I closed my eyes but my eyes were forced open and turned from hazel brown to aquamarine blue with black around the irises.

My eyebrows were blackening and dark makeup applied itself around my eyes, as my lips turned pale.

"Aaaaar. (translated: Wonderful...that's almost perfect. Now all we need to do is..the teeth.)."

"No....no...not the teeth!"

I felt a tingling sensation in my mouth as my teeth lengthened and sharpened, at first resembling vampiric fangs.

My facial features were slowly altering and morphing as well, as my brows arched becoming more menacing, followed by my eyes becoming sunken.

My lips grew thinner and my facial expression curled from a look of horror into a menacing half-grimace-half snarl as my forehead grew higher up. My features were now fully morphed and resembled his features.

"Aaaaaaar. (translated: Not bad but those teeth need to be a little more like mine.)."

I groaned in agony as my already vampiric teeth sharpened even more until they looked just like his teeth.

"No...no...no...please...no..."

"Aaaaawr? (translated: What's that? You still have a human voice and can speak?
Well let's get rid of that shall we?)."

I groaned and cried several more times, I could no longer bear what was happening to me - it was so horrific that I felt like crying.

As I cried, my voice grew gruffer and lower and more agressive in tone, I was even snarling and growling just like him now.

"Please....don't take away my voice or my humanity....Hessian, I...rrrr...beg of you!"

"Aaaaawr? (translated: What's wrong? Don't you like this? Doesn't it make you feel all powerful and strong inside?)."

"No...I....rrr....I don't like it. So please just stop! STOP!"

"Aaaaawr. (translated: Don't cry, it will be over before you know it.)."

"Ariana, please....HEEEEEEELP ME!"

Those were the last words I ever said before my voice finally gave out and my cries were replaced by a series of growls, grunts and roars.

I roared ferociously as the instincts combined with the moon's effects took over my mind, making me think more like him.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawr! (translated: Perfect. See? I told you that this would be a lot better than being your silly weak human self!)."

"Aaaaaargh! (translated: This is NOT better than being my normal self - this is horrible. I mean look at me...i'm...i'm...)."

"Aaaaawr. (translated: Yes...you're just like me now.)."

"Aaaaawr! Raaaawr! (translated: No...I'm NOT like you...i'm NOT like you!)."

I snarled angerily, bearing my sharpened teeth at the Hessian. The Hessian just gave me a smile and growled softly back at me.

"Aaaawr. (translated: Good, good. Let that evil out...you know you want to.)."

"Aaaawr! (translated: No I don't...no I don't...)."

"Aaaaawr rrrr...rrr. (translated: Come on, brother. Let us hunt for prey together and start our killing spree.)."

"Aaaaawr! (translated: No...no..let's NOT...let's stay here...and maybe..you could just turn me back to normal.)."

"Aaaawr? (translated: What? Turn you back into your normal boring human self? Fat chance!)."

"Aaaaawr....(translated: I'm being serious here. Just turn me back, please.)."

I growled and lunged out at the Hessian, knocking him down with almost inhuman strength that rivalled his.

But then the Hessian grabbed me by the neck and reached out, putting his gloved hand on my head - making more of the Hessian's insticts take over completely.

"Aaaaaawr! (translated: Now...that's much better. Are you ready to join me now?)."

"Aaaaawr! Raaaawr! (translated: I sure am...who do I get to kill first, brother Hessian?)."

"Aaaaaawrgh. (translated: Why, your own best friend of course.)."

I snapped out of the trance I was in for a brief second, shocked and disgusted at what I had just heard.

"Aaaaawrgh? (translated: What? You expect me to kill Ariana? Well i'm sorry but i'm not going to do that because she is my friend.)."

"Aaaaaawrgh. (translated: But won't her blood taste so good? I mean you're going to need all the blood you can get if you want to be strong like me.)."

"Aaaaawrgh! (translated: What? I'm NOT going to kill her or drink her blood. She is my companion/friend and that's that!)."

"Aaaaaawrgh. (translated: Oh...do you mean that I should go first? Because that's very polite of you to say that.)."

"Aaaar. (translated: No..what I mean is that I cannot, will not and will NEVER EVER KILL MY OWN BEST FRIEND!)".

"Aaaaar. (translated: Now now brother, there's no need for hostility - save that for your first victim.)".

"Grrr....(translated: She's not a victim, she's a friend!)".

I tried to fight the instincts but they were too strong and I ended up going on full Hessian Berserker mode.

Ariana tried to stop me but she ended up dying as a result, getting mutilated severely -with blood dripping from her neck and from her lips, her clothes were soon ripped and bloodied as well.

"Aaaaaaaawr! (translated: Well done.)."

"Aaaaaawr? (translated: Well done? WELL DONE? I JUST KILLED MY OWN BEST FRIEND! AND NOW I'M GOING TO HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE GUILT FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!)."

"Aaaaawr rr..rr. (translated: Easy there, brother...temper...temper.)."

"Aaaaawr...rrr. (translated: I'll show YOU temper temper once i'm through here, just you wait and see.)."

"Aaaaawr! (translated: Brother, there is no need for you to be so violent and aggressive towards me. Save that aggression for your victims.)."

"Aaaaawrgh? (translated: What? Don't you think i've got the right to be violent and aggressive because of what you've put me through, huh?)."

"Aaaaawr. (translated: Come on, don't be that way.)."

"Aaaaawr! (translated: It's not bloody fair.)

He reached out one more time and touched my head, this time making the mind changes permanent.

I looked up at him with a confused and horrified look on my face, and he turned to face me and gave a wicked smile.

"Aaaawr! (translated: See? That wasn't so bad was it?)."

"Aaaargh. (translated: I guess not...let's go and hunt us some victims.)."

The two of us ran off into town to go and hunt down more victims and kill them, going a mini killing spree.

The vision ended when I awoke with a loud scream, but rather than a scream it sounded a bit like a roar.

"Aaaaah!"

Ariana and Chris Walken hurried in to see what was the matter, being that both of them
had heard my screams and all.

"What's wrong?"

"I had the most horrible vision. I was in a dark forest with Ariana and we ran into the Hessian who sprayed this dust in my eyes and made me transform, and then...I...I....I..."

"You...you...what?"

"I-KILLED-YOU-ARIANA....I KILLED YOU!"

"Oh, Nathan...that's just horrible. I wish there was something I could have done to make things better."

"I know...but luckily it was just a vision."

With that, Chris and Ariana both left as I went into the bathroom to wash up - as I washed my face, I gave a sigh of relief.

And why? Because it was all just a vision.. that was...until...I turned to face the mirror again, as my eyes turned from hazel brown to aquamarine blue and a low soft growl escaped from my throat.

The curse of the Hessian Hex gets stronger each and every night and as it does it gets a lot worse, to the point that one starts getting visions and dreams in which they get visited by the Hessian.

In the visions he growled to me, in dreams he came...and do I dream again...for now I find that the Hessian is there, inside my mind. His power over me grows stronger yet and though I turn from him, to glance behind - the Hessian is there, inside my mind.
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