Word count 11,191
Eventually, we finished talking about my old life and world, falling into a comfortable silence, the Doll thinking over everything I told her and myself lost in memories of my past- eidetic memory made sure that I would easily be able to recall it all- the good, the bad and the ugly, as it were.
Then I took a deep breath, and put those memories where they belonged- firmly in the past.
I, after all, needed to focus on the future.
And speaking of which...
I stood up, the Doll blinking, and took out my Rifle-Spear out of my Inventory.
Then I stabbed forwards into the air a few times until-
Ah, there we go. (Spear Wielding Mastery).
I nodded, turning towards the Doll and extending my left hand towards her. "Blood Echoes." I requested with a smile.
She smiled back. "Of course, Good Hunter."
Over 19000 Blood Echoes later, and I was now at (Spear Wielding Mastery) Level (59).
I nodded. Defeating Bosses did give some pretty good amounts of Blood Echoes nowadays.
... For a given definition of "nowadays", that is.
Thanking her, I then made my way to the tombstone.
It was time to go to Byrgenwerth.
And once there... I would need to kill a god.
My hand clenched on the grip of my Rifle-Spear in anticipation, a small smirk on my lips.
Aeon, the Godslayer did have a nice ring to it, in my personal opinion...
I returned to the Lantern, taking in once again the now cooled lava everywhere.
I pursed my lips- if nothing else, it served once again as a reminder that, for all my strength... I was far from the strongest.
Not when only three enemies was all it took to push me this far.
Sure, they were bosses, but I was about to go fight a GOD.
I shook my head. There was no point for doubts- only firm conviction could allow one to thrive in the Long Night of the Hunt.
I stepped forwards, entering a forest filling with fog.
I actually blinked- to go from the Boss fight zone to... this was certainly a very different environment.
I cautiously moved onwards, before stopping, my eyes narrowing towards a tree further ahead.
I threw a fireball behind it.
And promptly smiled coldly as the Mi-Go zombie (An insect like humanoid creature) hiding there stumbled out, screaming, before falling on the ground, dead.
I nodded, moving closer to give it a good, long look.
Ugly bastards, that was for sure.
I moved on, finding one more [Insight] (now at 59!) and then a Lantern.
Happily activating it- considering the incoming Boss fight, it will no doubt prove useful- I then kept moving, quickly finding another of the local breed of insects monster.
I threw a fireball.
It flew over it.
My eyes narrowed.
And then I threw five at once.
THAT did the trick, I thought with amusement.
Then I moved on, killing a few more, until I found a brainsucker staring at a slumped corpse.
One who had the Arcane Lake Rune.
I grinned, slowly moving forward... And then brutally thrusted my spear through his head from behind.
Thank you, (Stealth) Level max!
I quickly took the Rune-
The Lake rippled, but stood steadfast against the fury of the elements,
I blinked, then shook my head.
Well, I certainly won't say no to more Arcane damage resistance.
I then went down the stairs, and as my memories told me- the nearest doors to the School are closed.
I turned around, staring at the Fluorescent Flower acting like a guard doing a perimeter check.
I hummed... Then shrugged, waited until it wouldn't see me, and then threw a couple of fireballs at it from behind it.
As it turns out, it's kind burns well.
Good.
What was less good was the two insects monsters dropping from the building and down at my level.
Mostly because one almost fell on me.
Thankfully, Quickening is as useful as ever to DODGE GOOD, and so besides a few cursed words and a whole lot of fire being thrown around, I was fine.
Seriously though, who thought that beasts with wings were a GOOD idea?!
Oh, wait, probably the same kind of people whose school I was about to slaughter my way through.
Well, at least there is truly some sense of karma in this fuck-up place?
Anyway, (+1) Madman's knowledge later, I found what I was pretty sure was my first Great One's Wisdom!
I claimed it and-
... Hmm...
... I nodded. "We are thinking on the basest of planes. What we need, are more eyes."
Wise man, that Willem.
(+2) Insights. (+3) in total. Go me!
Then I killed another of the Insect monsters, found some sedatives (kinda useless to me, since I didn't have to worry about Frenzy), opened up the until now closed gates of the school, turned around, took a good, long look at the full Moon shining above the Lake (which honestly felt like it was staring back the longer I stared at it).
I looked away... And finally entered Byrgenwerth.
I switched from my Rifle-Spear to my Sword and Gun- I had good memories of what awaited me inside...
I stealthily opened up the nearby "treasure" chest and took the Pearl Slug inside, putting it my Inventory, before taking a deep breath.
Then I frowned, looked carefully at the stairs... And thought up a plan.
I took out some Molotovs cocktails, silently bound them with some rope to the stairs in such a way that they won't be seen (with some luck), lied low beneath the stairs... And then threw a pebble violently towards the first step of the stairs.
And then waited, gun in hand.
Soon enough, I heard footsteps.
Trusting [Hunter's Intuitions]- and my Luck stat- I waited.
Waited.
And waited-
Now!
I shot.
The bullet hit one of the Molotovs.
There was a wave of fire and a cut-off scream.
I Quickened, throwing Fire everywhere towards the first steps of the stairs.
Eventually, I stopped.
Took a look at the burned body with (Insight).
Confirmed it's death.
Then sighed deeply in relief.
That fight would NOT have been fun considering what I remembered of it in the Game.
Thankfully, I wasn't in the game, which allowed me some... new options, if I was creative enough.
And sure, most of the time I focused on "more power" instead of trickery, but that didn't mean I wasn't willing- or capable- of it with sufficient motivation.
Like, say, against someone who was really, really deadly in a fair fight.
Too bad for her, Hunters don't fight fair. We fought to WIN.
I smiled, taking the Blue Elixir she dropped... and, of course, the Threaded cane and Rosmarius.
No reason to NOT take them, after all.
Oh, and I gained a level! And (+10) in (Int) for killing her as I did.
I hummed, putting the (+5) in (Cha) and nodding in satisfaction as I gained (5500) Blood Echoes from killing that high-leveled female scholar of Byrgenwerth.
Then I cut off the fire with a wave of my hand and, after making sure the stairs weren't damaged enough to crumble under my weight, calmly went upstairs to find the Student Set, followed by a message about the "Spider which hides all manner of Rituals".
Then I found another message saying "When the red moon hangs low, the line between man and beast is blurred. And when the Great Ones descend, a womb will be blessed with child."
I blinked. Oh, right, there -was- a prophecy about Arianna's pregnancy, wasn't there?
I frowned. That had interesting implications- the least of which was that my coming was effectively foretold... since the only way for the Red Moon to appear is for someone to kill Rom.
... Then again, for all I know, this was my Future, Godly self setting up the pieces for my Ascension in the background...
I groaned. No point in trying to think too hard about it- the answers would become clear... In time.
For now, I had a school to investigate.
So I kept going, finding the Lunarium key and then theEmpty Phantasm Shell.
I smiled at the second, using it on my sword.
I stared at the Arcane glow on it-
*Ding!*
You have gained the skill "Arcane Infusion"!
... Wait, what?
Well, that's... certainly useful!
I waited until the glow faded, before focusing on my sword.
Again, it began glowing- less than before, though.
I nodded- it WAS a level (1) skill right now.
Still, new skill! Arcane Infusion! Hell yeah!
I froze as a thought came to me.
Could I throw Arcane blasts with my weapons at higher levels?
Because having a discount Holy Moonlight Sword with -any- weapons I held sounded awesome.
Especially when I'll be able to take hold of said sword... Could I make the Arcane Blasts with the Sword stronger that way? I know that in the game, you can't combine the item and the Arcane weapon(s), but since it is a skill here...
I shook my head. Questions for later.
For now... I had a school to investigate.
Surely, Byrgenwerth would have interesting books to read?
With that thought in mind, I began opening the books laying around.
Good news, there were, indeed, interesting books to find!
Some have obviously been damaged by Time and lack of care, but I still found a great many of use!
True, the vast majority were... pretty gruesome (so much humans sacrifices! It's everywhere in those damn books!) but I can't argue that they weren't interesting to read.
In a rather horrifying sort of way, considering how clinically they talked about the ratio for Human sacrifices/Number (and types) of summoned beasts.
Speaking of which, I also found a great many books on beasts and their biology (or what passes for it, at least), so that, at least I could put to good use.
Weak points, organs positions, etc. was always a good thing to know about.
Unfortunately, I was sure I hadn't found books for ALL of the beasts in Yharnam, not by far, but even a good number of them were already more than what I had before.
Still, by the time I was done reading all that I could, I had gained the "Eldritch Teachings" "Human Biology Expert" and "Yharnamite Beasts biology expert" Traits.
Eldritch Teachings: Eldritch Ritual compiled by the mad and defiled have found their way into your mind. Whether it is the ways of the cult of Yahar'gul or that of the Witches of Hemwicks, you know their ways and have gained in-depth knowledge on how to summon a wide variety of ghastly creatures. To summon them, you must conduct a ritual of varying complexity and make a human sacrifice of some kind. Sacrificing a pair of harvested eyes while standinginside a ritual circle will call a Stalker or a "Mad One" to do your bidding. More difficult rituals and heinous crimes only raise the strength of what you summon, up to a point. Towards the upper end, requiring a complex ritual set under the Blood Moon of a Nightmare and a sacrifice of numerous infantile humans boiled alive in blood, you may summon an abominable Corpse God like the One Reborn. This grotesque being, an undead mountain of corpses, would start incredibly strong and will only grow stronger with time. After this, it becomes exponentially harder to summon something greater.
Human Biology Expert: You have studied Human biology. You know where to strike to hit a weak point, know where humans organs can commonly be found and more. You are by no means a surgeon, but you know where to best strike to kill quickly... Or not, if that is your wish.
Yharnamite Beasts biology expert: You have studied the biology of beasts commonly found within Bloodborne. You know where to strike to hit a weak point, know where their organs can commonly be found and more. You aren't a master yet, but any type of beasts you have already killed and studied the biology of will now grant you a damage bonus of (25%).
I also gained a few skills: Biology (level 75), Science (level 50), Arcane Theory (level 70) (that one granted me bonus of learning speed for Arcane skills, reduction to MP cost and a little additional damage to Arcane spells) and Astronomy (level 75).
And, of course...
I looked at the last few books that I found carefully hidden amongst others.
Oh, they all had some pretty impressive titles, but the thing was...
They were all about sex. Tantric rituals, the possibilties offered by Tentacles, tentacles with mouths, and much more besides.
I sighed deeply, looking dryly at my new skills.
Sex/Hentai sex (level 50): You are knowledgeable when it comes to sexual activities, including ones with non-humans bodyparts being involved. Now, all that is left is for you to acquire some, and magical girls everywhere will tremble at your name...
Tantric rituals (level 50): You are knowledgeable when it comes to setting up tantric rituals to more quickly fill your mana reserves and more. Now, all that is left is to find a partner- or several...
... Yeah.
People will be people, in the end...
I shook my head. Well, it's not like I was necessarily AGAINST those skills, by any means.
It was just really, REALLY weird to finish reading a dry book on humans sacrifices and the monsters one could call upon thanks to them and then to open up the next book and BAM!
HENTAI SEX! HENTAI SEX EVERYWHERE!
... Well, in any case- I had a god to go kill.
Time to get on with it after... I didn't even know how long it has been. I had neither the need to drink, or eat, or sleep, or anything like that for that matter, and with time outside being wonky...
I shook my head again, and then opened the Lunarium.
And there was Master Willem.
I stepped closer, nodding respectfully at him. I didn't exactly approve of what his School did, but the man himself was, at the very least, wiser than most in this world.
Wise enough to Fear the Old Blood, at least.
He breathed deeply, before pointing his staff at the Lake.
I waved off the message that I had gained (+2) Insights- now at (63).
I looked at the Lake, then back at him.
"This is going to make things worse before they get better, you understand." I replied softly.
He nodded.
... I think so, at least. He didn't exactly look well, to say the least.
Then again, I'm pretty sure he lived for quite some time now, since he was alive when Gehrman was, so by that point of view, he is certainly doing MUCH better than everybody else.
I nodded back, sighing slightly.
"Then let the Blood Moon rises..." I whispered.
And then I turned, staring at the Lake... I first brought out the Lunar Tear Flower, who glowed brightly under the light of the Full Moon above, and after I finished my little ritual, enjoying the scent and the flower's beauty, I took out the cannon- the one I could hold in my hands.
Might as well go big from the start in this fight.
I stepped forward, then walked off the edge and into the water below.
And the next thing I know, I was within the Moonside Lake.
And there she was- Rom, The Vacuous Spider.
A Kin, but also a Great One.
A mindless Goddess, in this case.
Though I wasn't going to underestimate her. No chance of THAT happening, I learned well enough by now that Bosses are bullshit.
Which is why I took my cannon, Infused it with Fire- and shot her.
There was a massive scream of pain, as expected considering she just took a Fire-Infused Cannon ball on the side, and then she turned towards me.
BOSS FIGHT
ROM, THE VACUOUS SPIDER
I hit her with (Insight), but...
Rom, the Vacuous Spider.
Level ?
... Yeah.
Not really useful.
Beyond informing me that, yes, she was stronger that I was.
As expected.
In any case, I reloaded my cannon-
And then I stopped, staring upwards.
"Oh, this is BULLSHIT." I complained.
The several hundreds strong spiders falling from the sky then proceeded to crush me under their bulk.
As it turns out, headbutting people is a very valid strategy when your head is literally made of stone.
I woke up.
Stared at the sky.
Sighed.
"This is going to suck, isn't it?"
I got up, waving at the Doll.
Then I went back to Rom.
Who, of course, had already her several hundreds spiders surrounding it.
I grimaced, and, standing far from them all, carefully aligned my shot.
The cannon ball flew.
And then was stopped when dozen of spiders jumped in it's path.
... I stared. Reloaded. Fired.
Again, spiders.
I frowned. At least, this way I could wipe out their numbers-
Dozens more spiders fell from the sky.
I stared again.
"You've got to be kidding me..."
I sighed.
I ran towards Rom, cannon loaded and ready.
Quickened out of the way of jumping spiders.
Came closer-
And then I took an Arcane meteor to the face.
Ow.
I woke up.
Went back.
Stared once again at the army of spiders before me.
Decided that, obviously, Fire was the answer.
So I threw waves of Fire at the Spiders.
And then Rom created an Ice Wall.
I sighed, not even surprised anymore.
Deciding that, at this point, long-ranged attacks were not going to work, I took my sword (Fire Infused) firmly in hand, and then charged.
Successfully cutting and burning my way through waves after waves of spiders, I felt satisfaction at finally making- some- progress.
I came close to Rom-
And then she flash-freezed the entire area around herself.
And that, is how I got my new skill: (Cold resistance).
Yay.
I woke up.
Shivered at the memories of being turned into an ice sculpture.
Got up.
And then thought hard.
I couldn't use long ranges attacks, the spiders would block them. And she could summon more, by the dozen, at will.
Same with mid-range attacks- any gunshots or the like would be intercepted.
Which left close quarter combat.
Except, she could apparently flash-freeze her surroundings.
And I, until now, had no resistance against Cold/Ice attacks.
... Fucking great.
Right. Time to check something out- could she use that freeze attack repeatedly? If I could dodge her attack, would she be vulnerable?
Time to find out.
I went back.
I woke up.
... Yes, she could, in fact, use it repeatedly.
Fuck.
I grumbled, then sighed.
Alright then, time to try out the all-or-nothing attack and see what happens.
So I went back. Unleashed the Volcano spell I used against the last Boss(es).
The first thing I noticed was that it was weaker- no doubt because we were standing on a Lake's surface.
The second? Was that Rom FROZE the fucking Volcano!
Now, I know it was weakened, but holy fucking SHIT!
Great Ones are bullshit!
And thus, my last thoughts before dying to the charging, jumping army of spiders attacking my magically-spent form was that, really, I should have expected a magical contest against a GOD to end this way.
Still bullshit, though.
I woke up.
Sighed again.
Okay, so I can't get close but I can't attack from afar either...
...
... Yeah, I'm screwed.
I hated to admit it, but right now, I simply didn't have the Attacks and Defenses necessary to win this.
Damn it. Well, that was the first time something like this happened, but apparently, I just didn't have the skills needed to win.
It wasn't a matter of levels- I simply was weak to her attacks, and her strong against mine.
Which meant I needed to flip the table if I wanted to win.
I sighed. Well, the obvious solution was, of course, resumed in a single word:
Grinding.
I needed to level up my (Cold Resistance) skill to Max, and...
Hm. Rom was a Great One, but also a Kin.
And those were weak to Lightning...
True, I didn't have the skill for that, but...
I did have the (Lightning resistance) skill.
And I did fight the Abhorrent beast, whose body was coated in lightning.
And I never really tried before, but if I focused on my experiences with lightning while meditating, I might be able to unlock Lightning magic/Infusion...
Either way, I needed new skills to properly win this fight.
I nodded. No point trying the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result- better to train first.
I was a Hunter. Determining the strengths and weaknesses of our preys were part and parcel of being a hunter.
As the old saying went "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the results of a hundred battles".
Well, I knew myself, I knew my enemy, and I knew that I wasn't ready to kill her.
Yet.
So back to grinding skills it was.
First thing first- meditation.
I needed those lighting magics skills.
I knelt, closed my eyes, and focused.
I needed to remember everything I could about Lightning...
Well, it took me a while, but I did it!
(Lightning Magic) and (Lightning Infusion) were now mine!
Take that, Palpatine! UNLIMITED POWER WAS MINE!
... Or at least it will be.
One day.
First, I needed to levels up my skills...
I got up, heading to the Tombstone- I wanted to go back at the beginning of the Forbidden Woods. I got quite a bit of Blood Echoes from clearing them out the first time around, after all...
"Good Hunter. Is everything alright?"
I blinked, turning to look at the Doll.
She looked at me with a bit of concern.
"You seem... frustrated. I presume that, by your frequent return to the Dream, things are not going well?" she wondered.
I sighed.
"In a way. The latest foe in my path is... Strong. Very much so. More than that, it possesses capabilities that I am not currently capable of countering properly."
She nodded slowly. "Thus your frustration. I understand. Is there anyway I can help?"
I smiled. "As a matter of fact, yes. I do believe I have the skills required to win, but they are weak right now- and thus, I plan to hunt down other, weaker foes for their Blood Echoes, using them to strengthen myself so that I may be perfectly ready to fight once more against the one who frustrate me. As such, I do need your help once I have acquired enough Blood Echoes for what I have in mind."
She smiled back. "Very well then. In that case, I will be there, in this Dream, to look after you once you have done so."
I nodded. "See you later, Doll." I said, turning towards the tombstone.
She bowed. "May you find your worth in the Waking World, Good Hunter."
And with that, I returned to the Forbidden Woods.
Sending one last Lightning Bolt at the giant Boar trying to kill me, I smiled as it crashed to the ground, dying at last.
It took me some time, but once again I slaughtered my way through the Forbidden Woods.
Of course, I made sure to use as much of my new skills along to way to levels them up, too.
Nodding in satisfaction at having "cleansed" the Woods once more, I made my way to the Lantern where the Boss fight with the Shadows of Yharnam took place, returning to the Dream- and the Doll.
Once there, I upgraded my skills with Lightning and my (Cold Resistance) to level MAX, before thanking the Doll for her help (kisses were involved) and then returning to fight Rom.
Round Two, Fight! I thought in amusement.
I smirked at Rom, hiding behind her army of spiders.
And then I snapped my fingers, and lightnings bolts fell upon many of the spiders facing me- including Rom.
They screamed, a great many of the lesser spiders dying, the rest close to it, and I smiled.
Yeah, elemental weaknesses were a bitch, huh? Especially when someone could actually USE it against you.
I shivered slightly at the memories of dying, frozen in ice.
Brr.
Still, with so many of the Spiders dead, I quickly call on the cannon and fired.
And then Rom teleported away.
... Right. She COULD do that.
I unleashed another blast of lightning to the new wave(s) of spider, noticing that Rom was hit again- and froze for a few seconds.
My eyes narrowed.
I quickened away from a wave of Arcane meteors coming from BOTH the sky and the lake beneath my feet, charging ahead.
Another wave of spiders, another lightning blast, but this time I was ready- I shot my Lightning-infused cannon ball while Rom was still electrocuted by my spell.
The shot hit, and I smiled coldly at the scream Rom made.
Finally.
She teleported again, more Meteors coming out of everywhere, more spiders, more everything thrown at me-
And then I wounded it enough that it used it's ultimate trump card.
There was a PULSE.
I froze, blinking.
What-
Warning! Rom, the Vacuous Spider has used an unique skill (Mental Drain)!
Int and Wis stats decrease by (5) every seconds for (90) seconds!
Either do enough damage to Rom to make it stop using the skill, or survive for the next (90) seconds.
All lost stats will return when the Skill ends.
-THE FUCK?!
It can turn me braindead?!
I did some quick maths and blanched.
I wouldn't survive the full (90) seconds of that technique.
Which meant I had more or less (60) seconds- my stats would protect me for that long- to stop it's use or I'll die.
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK-
Because sure, a minute sounded like a lot... but against a teleporting enemy who could call on a seemingly infinite numbers of minions?
And it's not like I could throw army-killing lightning blasts all day long, either!
I could do that an handful of times- with fingers to spare!
Damn it all! Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck you universe!
I sighed, before scowling hard. I was right- this was going to sucks.
I charged, sword raised high and coated in lighting.
I needed to mix magic attacks and physical ones if I wanted to kill this bastard fast enough.
Which was easier said than done, because Rom began not only teleporting, but jumping all over the place.
Surprisingly fast, too.
As I learned when it crushed me beneath it's bulk.
Heh, it's been a while since I got crushed to death...
I woke up.
Sighed deeply.
Mentally began cursing Great Ones passionately.
And then I went back. There were no skills or anything that could really help me here, after all.
This time, I didn't get crushed.
Instead, I discovered the unique sensation of slowly but surely becoming Braindead.
Needless to say, that one ranked quite high on my "never again" list.
It happened again.
Fuck you too, Universe.
Jumping spiders met skull. Skull lost.
Meteors. METEORS EVERWHERE!
Braindead again.
Ugh.
Again, Rom is a surprisingly nimble lady.
Especially with a bulk like hers.
Yes, I called you fat, woman! I dared!
I shouldn't have dared.
Note to self: Spider legs are very good at stabbing.
Also, sorry Doll, but I'm afraid an ugly spider stole my heart.
Literally.
Ow.
Huh, so that's what my lungs look like, huh?
Neat.
I'm starting to really hate spiders.
Especially those with stone heads.
Braindead yet again.
I swear, if I start moaning about "Brains" so help me gods...!
I looked at Rom.
Rom looked at me.
I scowled, hands griping my sword tightly.
We were both low on health, on the brink of death really, and yet...
I could hurt her, but not enough to kill her. She had two hits, more or less, worth of HP left.
I, on the other hand, had one hit left. If that. A spider's leg could scratch me and I would keel over dead.
And the damn thing was now using her lesser spiders ability to jump to act as living shields against lightning bolts too by having some on top of her.
"Vacuous", my ass!
Her skill activated again.
I scowled harder... And then stared at my sword.
... I had an idea.
It was insane, but I -did- have a max skill for Sword...
Alright then, let's do this!
I charged.
Several Arcane Meteors jumped at me from the waters of the floor.
I quickened on the right-
Focus
- dodged a jumping spider by a hair's breadth-
- Rom began to teleport away-
- I stared at her, her body wide open during this one, single instant-
Now!
- and I SWUNG!
There was a beat of silence.
And then not one, but TWO wounds opened up on Rom's body.
She screamed... And then fell, dead at last.
The other spiders died too.
I collapsed, my body tired and aching in a way that made it very clear just how close to death I was.
I laid on top of the waters, panting tiredly.
PREY SLAUGHTERED
I let out a laugh, which turned into a hacking cough from how tired I was.
I did it!
I killed a God!
And all it took was me maxing several new skills AND pulling off-
*Ding!*
You have created a new skill!
Multi-strikes (level 1): Your skills with a sword are such that you have successfully tricked the universe into thinking you struck twice at the same time. The higher the level of this skill, the higher the number of Strikes you can unleash at once.
-That!
Thank you, Sasaki Kojiro from FGO, from the inspiration to create this skill!
When I go to the Fate Multiverse, I'll make sure to thank you for creating that technique!
I looked at the others messages that I received.
*Ding!*
You have gained a new Trait!
Godslayer: You have successfully slain a god in battle. Gain (+75) and (+15) to all Stats/Bloodtinge and Arcane. From now on, gain 25% bonus damage against any divine beings and 15% reduction to damage received by such foes.
I smiled. I was officially Aeon, the Godslayer now!
Hell fucking yeah!
I looked at my others gains. Skill books for (Cold magics) and (Cold Infusion), (+2) Insights, (24860) Blood Echoes, (12) Kin Coldblood...
And some more traits!
*Ding!*
Str (250): Congratulation! You are 25 times as strong as a regular human. You have unlocked the "Charged Attacks" skill! Furthermore, every physical attacks now do 40% more damage. Your increased learning speed to physical related skills is now of 40%.
*Ding!*
Dex (250): You have spectacular grace, possessing amazingly refined control and coordination, displaying supreme elegance in everything you do. 250% increase to movement speed. 75% increased to Attack Speed. 60% Increase to Evasion. 40% Increase learning speed to physical related skills.
*Ding!*
Cha (250): Aura of High Nobility. You have the aura of High Nobility. No matter what you do, even in the midst of battle, you will always look perfectly refined to all around you. Any Noble will look at you with both respect and envy for your aristocratic features/Aura, and any non-noble will immediately recognize you as someone worthy of respect. Gain (+20) with Nobility, (+15) with any non-noble from a nation with Nobility, and (+10) with non-noble from a nation without Nobility. Furthermore, you have gained the "Empathy" Skill.
*Ding!*
Luck (250): You are amazingly lucky. It is incredibly rare for you to lose to any game of chance, and you will even more easily find an impressive quantity of Loot in your travels. Furthermore, twice per battle you will be able to avoid a killing blow and turn it into a glancing strike, whether it is through you dodging at the last second, you enemy tripping over themselvesor something else.
*Ding!*
All (250): Third Step To Glory. You are the better of most Yharnamites Hunters. 40% increased learning speed for All skills. 40% increase in all exp/Blood Echoes gain.
*Ding!*
For having slain Rom, the Vacuous Spider despite her "Mental Drain" Skill, you gain the "Drain No" Trait!
"Drain No" makes its user immune to any attempts to steal, weaken, suppress, or remove their powers, including any internal power sources such as
mana, soul(s), or chi and Stats such as Int or Wis.
I smiled widely, before looking at the Skills gained from the traits:
Charged Attacks: You are now able to "charge" your physical attacks, increasing their destructives powers greatly. The user "charges" by pausing for a moment before readying their attacks. When the wielder of this ability lands a fully charged attacks on an enemy, it has the possibility of putting them in a vulnerable state. This state could be compared to a temporary shock resulting from the force of the blow, leaving the enemy unable to move for a moment or two.
Empathy: You can read, interpret and manipulate the emotions of other people. Individuals do not need to be within visual range for you to be able to sense their emotions, you can also read the emotions of multiple people at once and detects emotional echos that allow you to track the person who left them.
I let out a cheerful laugh at the sheer deluge of traits and skills gained. Sure, I had expected it, but still!
Nonetheless, it wasn't quite over yet: I also gained no less than FIVE levels, meaning I now was Level (66)!
I was now a Veteran Hunter!
Veteran Hunter: You are a Veteran Hunter in the ways of Yharnamites Hunters. Gain 70% bonus damage to all attacks.
And as for skills I already had, my (Art of Quickening) skill leveled up to (70), my (Detect Danger/Bloodlust) skill was now at (92), My (Magic/Arcane Damage Resistance) skill did level up to level (70) and my (Physical Damage Resistance) skill was now level (68).
I didn't get any vermin though, which... Well, I somewhat expected it considering what this Boss was.
I hummed, since I had gained (25) Stats points from levels up I put (5) in Cha, (5) in Str, (5) in Dex and (10) in Luck.
Then I slowly got up, stretching out with a pained groan as my regen did it's work.
A few dozen seconds later, I nodded- and then I started walking towards the woman clothed in white, the part around her belly covered in blood, that had appeared further ahead.
Yharnam, Pthumerian Queen of old.
She raised her head to look at the Moon, the cries of a baby suddenly surrounding us.
I turned... and beheld the Blood Moon hanging low, the baby's cries growing in strength until it was all I could hear.
I passed out.
I got up, blinking, staring at the message at my feet.
Ritual secret broken. Seek the Nightmare Newborn.
I nodded. Yup, the ultimate goal of the Hunt was, indeed, to grant peace to that Child Great One.
Well, two of them, if you considered what lied in the depths of the Hunter's Nightmare...
I looked around me. If I remembered well, I was in a new part of the Cathedral Wards-
I stopped. Looked up. Stared.
The Amygdala stared back.
"No." I deadpanned at it. "Just, no."
Somehow, if it could pout, I would swear that is exactly what this one would be doing.
"Look." I began with a sigh, "I know you guys might want to send me to the Hunter's Nightmare or whatever, buuut I've got stuff to do first. So NO." I declared firmly.
It pouted harder.
"NO." I insisted.
It's head bowed.
I nodded. "Glad that we came to an understanding. Now, if you would excuse me..."
I left the Ritual room I was in.
Alright: first thing to do, I would FINALLY get Violetta her sister back.
Then... Well. I had an imposter to kill and an Umbilical Cord to claim.
Hm, maybe I should go see if Willem was still there? He did give the "Eye" Rune in the game (if you kill him), after all, and I wonder if I could get it by talking to him again...
I stepped outside the building, staring a bit at the Blood Red Moon in the sky before killing a few madmen.
Huh, they kind of exploded blood when hit now. More Eldritch nonsense at work, no doubt.
My poor, poor clothes. It was a good thing going into the Dream somehow cleaned me of Blood and Gore, because I swear otherwise the Doll would hardly be able to see me under all this blood coating me...
Ah, well. At least there was a Lantern close by.
Activating it, I returned to the Dream, gave a thumb up to the Doll, and then went back to Byrgenwerth.
I had a Rune to get.
I stared.
Master Willem stared back... and smiled.
Eye.
Our eyes are yet to open... But this will help.
I blinked.
Stared again at the old man.
Who grinned and... Fell asleep?
... You know what? I'm going back to the Dream.
Seriously, old men in this world were just... Ugh.
Well, at least this one wasn't a secret boss.
Thank goodness for that, because I had a bad feeling he would be as bullshit as Gerhman will be if he was.
I went back to the Dream, smiling at the Doll.
She smiled back.
"Good Hunter! Was your latest hunt successful? You look... Cheerful."
"It was!" I cheerfully replied. "Come, let us sit- I have much to talk about..."
We sat together, and I began telling her of my latest adventures, of Byrgenwerth and finally- of Rom and my fight with her.
By the end she smiled proudly, looking at me with respect and approval.
"I see. You certainly were busy, Good Hunter. To discover the secrets of Byrgenwerth, and then to successfully kill a Great One... You truly are becoming a Great Hunter indeed."
I blushed slightly at her praise, before grinning.
"Thank you, dear Doll. Still, with the Blood Moon hanging low, I can tell that things will get worse before they get better. Nonetheless..." My grin widened. "I have no intention of going anywhere. I have accomplished much already, but there is still much to do before the end of this Long Night of the Hunt. So, keep watching over me, Dear Doll- for I will still require your aid for what is to come."
She smiled back. "Always, Good Hunter. Always."
We smiled at one another for a moment... And then blinked, as a group of messengers appeared at our feet.
I took the item they gave me- the Old Hunter Bell.
And then they brought out another item that made my eyes narrow- Eye of a Blood-drunk Hunter.
With a message informing me that it a "deformed creature" would bring me in the Hunter's Nightmare from outside of Oedon Chapel.
Well then.
I knew it was coming, but even so...
I put it all in my Inventory. I had no desire to go there for quite a while yet.
I was only level 66- certainly not enough to fight against what was in there.
"Good Hunter?" The Doll questioned, looking curiously at the Messengers and then at me.
I shook my head with a smile. "Nothing important right now, my love. Instead..." I smiled at her.
"Blood Echoes?" she finished in amusement.
I chuckled. "If you would be so kind." I replied.
"Always, Good Hunter." she answered.
I hummed, My skill with a Spear was only level (63), and I did have (40000) Blood echoes...
I smiled at my new Level MAX skill- even if it did require (30340) Blood Echoes.
Well, I did gain new skills- such as (Arcane infusion)...
Around (9000) blood echoes later, and I was now at level (42).
I thanked the Doll, gave her a kiss, and then went to talk with Gerhman.
It's been a while since I last did, after all- since before I killed the Witch(es) of Hemwick.
He greeted me with a nod.
"Good Hunter. How goes the Hunt? No problem so far?"
I chuckled. "Well, that's a bit of a story and a half..."
And then I caught him up on everything that happened.
By the end of it, he was staring at me with wider eyes than usual.
"You..." He stopped, blinked, and then shook his head with a smile.
"A story and a half, indeed. You actually fought and killed a Great One..."
He fell silent, before nodding firmly in my direction.
"You did good work, Good Hunter. Finding the last tool of this Workshop and then everything else... Yes, you did fine work indeed. Though by the sounds of it, the Long Night of the Hunt is far from over..."
I nodded back. "Sadly, yes. There is much work yet to be done before the end of this night. Still, I am pleased to be able to say I have made progress. Now, I just have to keep going. I have grown strong, but not strong enough, I feel, to truly fight against all that tonight will throw at me..."
Gerhman looked at me for a moment, before smiling. "Yes, you have grown strong- but also wise, to know that a Hunter must never believe himself perfect. No hunter are perfect- not even me, the First. So go. Kill more beasts. Grow even stronger. Slay all the Nightmares of this terrible night. Can you do that?"
I nodded firmly. "I will." I swore.
His smile widened. "Good. Then go, Good Hunter- for a Hunter must Hunt... and yours is far from over yet."
I bowed respectfully, then turned away.
And as I walked away, I heard him whisper.
"Go, my keen Hunter... Put an end to this terrible scourge of beasts. And then, I will grant you mercy, so that you may awaken freely to a new dawn..."
I frowned slightly, focusing on my new empathy skill.
It was only level 1, but...
Gerhman felt... Anticipation. And... Pride?
Something like that. I would need to level up the skill to actually get anything clear- as it was, I could barely feel anything even while focusing.
Still... I smiled at the message informing me that I was now at (85/100) rep with Gerhman. A few more impressive kills, and I'll have gained the respect of the First Hunter himself!
Not bad, to say the least.
He was wrong on one thing, though-
He wouldn't grant me mercy. I would grant him mercy.
Soon, Gerhman. Soon, I will be strong enough to free you from this place. Just wait for a bit longer...
I took some time to meditate on recent events, leveling up my skill to level (50), before making my way to the Tombstone.
The first thing I wanted to check... was Gilbert.
With Eidetic memory, I was able to remember something:
That there was a beast in front of his house, once the Blood Moon is up, that is strongly suspected of being him.
I wanted to make sure... Just in case.
And if it truly was the case... Then I would grant him peace.
Then I would go to the Chapel, check on Violetta, slaughter my way to Vanessa, escort her to the Chapel- and her sister...
And then deal with the Iosefka imposter.
"Good Hunter. Ready to return to the Hunt?"
I turned toward the Doll, finding her smiling softly at me. Though there was something on her mind, if I wasn't wrong...
"I am. Is there a problem, dear Doll?"
She shook her head. "Far from it. In fact..." She stepped closer, hesitated, then outright hugged me, a soft sigh of contentment leaving her lips.
"Good hunter... Your presence somehow soothes even more... I sense the ancient echoes, they course your veins..." She whispered.
I frown in thought. Ancient Echoes?
Rom.
Of course. Between the Umbilical Cord and the Blood Echoes of Rom, I probably was conceptually growing closer to a Great One- close enough that she could notice it.
That was a bit surprising, since I expected that to only happen later on, but I certainly wasn't going to complain.
I hugged her back. "Then I can only hope that you will always find my presence soothing, my love." I replied.
She smiled. "I do. And I always will, Aeon. Always."
I smiled back. If I had anything to say about it... She would.
Always.
After passing one last moment with the Doll, I went to the tombstone and returned to Yharnam- more specifically, to before Gilbert house.
I blinked, seeing the familiar houses of Yharnam around me-
I quickened, my Rifle-Spear coming up to swiftly kill a beast who tried to jump on me.
I looked at it's corpse, frowning... Then looked up.
Gilbert's house had it's door open. Busted open, really.
From the inside out.
I look back at the dead beast at my feet, whose corpse gave me the Clawmark Rune.
I slumped, closing my eyes and sighing deeply.
Then I incinerated the beast, and nodded respectfully towards where it's ashes were.
"Goodbye, Gilbert. For you, the Nightmare is over. I can only hope that you will find your own beautiful Dream to rest in in the Afterlife..."
I turned around, going back to the Dream- and then back to the Chapel.
Sure, I could have gone to find Vanessa from Gilbert's house, but it was better that way- since I would be able to kill all the beasts from the Chapel while making my way to her home.
I appeared within the Chapel... And the first thing I see was Arianna, holding her belly with a grimace.
I stepped forward, lips pursed. She looked up, smiling weakly at the sight of me.
"Oh, there you are... Forgive me, I'm a bit out of sort... So no more Blood today, I'm afraid."
She grimaced harder, whimpering. "Oh...there's something wrong with me..." She whispered.
I sighed, nodding. "Very well. Take care, alright? If you need anything..."
She waved me off. "I'll be fine. I'm sure... It'll pass... Ugh." She groaned.
I nodded again. Internally, while I felt concern for her, another part of me was happy- The Third Umbilical Cord would be mine soon enough.
I mentally sighed. And this was yet another reason why I wasn't a comic book hero by any means- the willingness to sacrifice others for my own goals.
True, most humans might do the same if the result was godhood, but still...
I turned away, looking at where Violetta was staring at Arianna with concern.
... Well, that's certainly one way to make me feel even more guilty...
No matter. I had my ambitions- and I was only human, in the end. No one was perfect.
Not even gods.
I smiled at her. "You're doing alright?"
She nodded, smiling at me. "I am. Though..." She looked up, towards the windows. "Things feel different, somehow... I didn't look outside, but... I feel like I can hear even more beasts and their screams now..." She gulped.
"I would have thought there would have been less, not more, by now..." She whispered, looking scared.
I nodded grimly.
"I'm afraid things are about to get worse before they get better. Still, for what it's worth I'm doing pretty well myself, so you don't have to worry- I'll go kill them all with my own two hands if it's what it takes to save this city."
She looked up at me, smiling slightly. "That's good. You killed any strong beasts?"
I smiled, thinking back to the last few bosses. "The strongest." I declared proudly.
She giggled, her smile widening. "Well, if the strongest beasts are already dead, then I guess we've got nothing to fear, don't we?"
"Exactly! That's the spirit!" I cheerfully exclaimed.
She giggled again, before coming to hug me.
I hugged her back.
"Be careful out there, okay?" She whispered. "I know that I keep saying it, but I mean it. I started to feel a chill not long ago, so too did the others in the Chapel, and ever since the beasts outside became louder. I don't know what's going on... But I... I don't want you to die..." She whispered, her voice trembling.
I sighed, hugging her harder. "I know. As I said, things are about to get worse before they get better. Just... hang on, okay? I promise you, things WILL get better. There's just... some stuffs that needs to be taken care of first. Trust me. Tomorrow, things will be very different than ever before. In a good way!" I declared.
She looked up, staring hard at me. "You promise?"
"I do." I firmly replied.
She looked into my eyes for a moment... Then nodded. "Okay." She whispered. "I can do one night. Just... Remember your promises, okay? Don't leave me... Please." She begged softly at the end, burying her face into my coat.
I gently ruffled her hair. "Don't worry. I promised, didn't I? I'll be there for you. No one, not even the gods will stop me from doing as I swore." I smirked. "I can assure you of that." I declared, thinking of Rom.
She looked up... And nodded. "I believe you. Somehow... I believe you." She stepped back, wiping out a few tears.
Then, she nodded. "Go, then. The Hunt awaits you... I'll be there. If all I can do is hope and pray for your return... Then that's what I'll do."
I smiled sadly at her. "Very well then. Thank you." I ruffled her hair again with a grin, but beside pouting a little, she didn't react.
I mentally frowned- for her to barely react, she really must be out of it. And unfortunately, my new empathic skill let me feel enough to confirm it.
I knelt and hugged her again, Violetta gasping in surprise at the unexpected move.
"I know that you're scared." I whispered, feeling her stiffen. "But I mean it. I WILL come back. I WILL make things better. And I WILL bring you your sister. Okay?"
She sniffled slightly, before nodding. "Okay." She whispered.
I stepped back, nodding and smiling. "Good. I'll go talk to the others, and then I'll go back to the Hunt. Tell me if you need anything, alright?"
She nodded back.
I turned around, holding back a sigh. Poor Violetta... Ah, well. I least I'll bring her sister back to her soon.
I went towards the Dweller, smiling at him. "Any problems so far?"
He looked at Arianna then at Violetta, before looking back at me. "Nothing that you haven't already seen to for yourself. Ah, this night is truly dreadful... I knew it was going to be bad... Yes, so very bad... Ehehehe..."
I ignored the disturbing giggles, nodding to his words instead. "Yeah, things are about to get worse before they get better. Still, as long as you stay in the Chapel, you'll be safe."
"Oh yes, the incense wards off the beasts... Still, I hope others out there are alright..." He looked at the few people in the chapel, before looking back at me.
"I wonder, did you hear anything about Vicar Amelia by any chances?"
I very deliberately didn't react. "Vicar Amelia, you say?"
"Oh yes!" He exclaimed. "She is the one who allowed me to live here, you know! She's always been so kind... Most people, when they see me... Well, you know." He said, waving at himself.
I nodded.
"But she... She always was kind to me. Always gave me something I needed, like clothes and more in secret... She told me that I could live there, since I was a devoted of Oedon... *The Houses of the Gods are always open to their believers- ALL of them.* She said. Others didn't like it, but they didn't do anything- She's too respected and beloved by many for her kindness. Can't praise her and then judge her for it, you know? So here I am, safe. And well, I thought, since she went out of her way for me, it's only right I did the same, Yes? So... Well. That's why I want people to come here. To be safe, too, and to be kind like she was to me." He finished.
I nodded slowly. That more or less fit with what I knew of her- a genuine believer, raised by the Healing Church and ultimately becoming head of it, but doing all that while remaining a good person.
Which made her turning into a beast and dying at my hand all the more tragic for it.
Should I...?
No. There was no need to say anything about her beasthood or death. Especially since I was thinking of bringing her back once I was ready to claim this place as my own- I would need someone I could trust to get things into order, after all, and while I never "properly" met her, the more I learned, the more I wanted to see if she could be... used for a better purpose.
My own, that was.
I thanked him, then went to talk with the others two people within the Chapel.
I started with the paranoid guy, who glanced at the Dweller before leaning forward to whisper.
"I'll spare you one nugget of advice. Beware the blind man. They're the biggest seeds at the bottom of the bloody food chain. And he's here acting like he owns the place! He's not to be trusted. What's he want with all those people anyway? That little weasel has a murky past, I'm tellin' ya!"
I blinked, before nodding. "Thanks for the advice." I replied, trying not to make my amusement at him saying those words so soon after the Dweller's little speech show.
He nodded, before glancing suspiciously at the Dweller again.
I then turned to the Old lady...
Ah. She was sleeping. Never mind then.
I shrugged, then made my way out of the Chapel.
It was time to -finally- give a good surprise to Violetta by getting her her sister back.
Though I wasn't looking forward to letting Vanessa know about the death of both of her parents AND that of her grandfather...
I shook my head, before slaughtering my way through Yharnam's streets until I reached Gascoigne's house.
I called out within, and sure enough, a voice answered.
"Yes? Can I help you?"
The window opened slightly, letting me see Vanessa for the first time.
Honestly, she and Violetta could have been twins- the same golden hair, the same blue eyes, the same everything.
The only difference was that while I suspected Violetta to be thirteen, maybe twelve, Vanessa was around sixteen, fifteen at minimum.
And they were both orphans. I thought with a mental grimace.
"Indeed I can. You are Vanessa, correct? Violetta's older sister?"
The window opened fully, allowing me to see Vanessa in full- and to take in her relieved features.
"I am! You know where my sister is? I told her to look after the house, but she ran off somewhere. I've been worried sick since I came back!"
I grimaced. "I do. Violetta is at Oedon Chapel. I escorted her there after..." I hesitated, before sighing. "After your parents deaths." I finished.
Vanessa gasped, eyes going wide. "What?! You mean-"
I nodded. "I'm afraid so. Your parents- and your grandfather- died tonight, in the hunt. Your mother, worried for your father, went outside to find him and bring him back home... But ended up killed by madmen. Your father went mad in grief... And so did your grandfather when he found out about their deaths."
She gaped at me. "That- No, they- Oh, gods..."
She collapsed on her knees, sobbing hard.
I grimaced, feeling her grief through my new Empathy skill, which was steadily leveling up by quite a bit in Yharnam.
There was a whole lot of emotions in this city- all of it overwhelming in it's horror, terror, rage and bloodlust.
Honestly, if it wasn't for the fact that I was a Gamer, this whole place's aura would really get to me.
Or maybe it was that I was becoming more ruthless? I've already gone through so much... Maybe I was becoming desensitized to the horror of this place?
Could be either, really.
Still, I had a crying teenage girl before me, so I might as well help.
"Vanessa!" I called out, startling her into looking up at me. "I understand that it's a lot to take in, but..." My voice softened. "You still have your sister. Your YOUNGER sister. I've done what I can to be there for her, since there was no one else, but having her sister with her would help a lot. And I'm a hunter- I can't be there for her tonight. Not as much as I'd like by far. So, please- keep yourself together, will you? For her sake, if nothing else."
She stared at me through tears-filled eyes... Before nodding. Wiping her cheeks of her tears, she slowly got up, before taking a deep breath.
"Right. Right. I..." She swallowed, blinking rapidly. "I'll do my best. You're right. If she can be strong, then... Then so can I. Right."
She let out a shuddering breath, before looking up at me. "Can you... Can you escort me to Oedon Chapel, too? I... I saw the Blood Moon outside. I've never seen anything like that before. And the beasts..." She shivered.
I nodded. "Don't worry, I'll protect you. Though I've already killed all the beasts close by on my way here, so we -should- be safe going there. If not, then I'll kill anything that threaten you."
She smiled weakly, though her relief was clear in her eyes. "Thank you."
After that, I awaited outside as she went to prepare for the trip, and when she was ready we began to make our way to the Chapel.
"Can I..." Vanessa bit her lip, before looking at me. "Can I ask how you know about what happened to my parents and grandfather? Were you..." She fell silent, through the questions were obvious.
Were you involved? Did you kill them?
I sighed.
"Yes. I first met your sister when she asked me to find your mother, and-" I told her what I knew- her mother's death, her father insanity, despite my best attempts to reason with him, which ended with his death (I didn't mention him turning into a beast. No point to make things worse); me burying them both in the courtyard of Oedon Chapel; me escorting Violetta to the chapel, and doing my best to watch over her when I was in the area; her grandfather finding out about the girls parent's death and his own fall to madness, followed by me and a "hunter of hunter" putting him down; and, of course, the fact that Violetta saw her grandfather's death.
By the end of it, we were coming close to the chapel, and Vanessa was silently crying at everything that had gone wrong for her family in a single night.
When we arrived at the Chapel's courtyard, I showed her the graves, and like with Violetta before her she fell to her knees, sobbing hard.
Once again, I did my best to comfort her, being thankful for my [Charisma] perk which made my presence soothing to people around me- it was being put to good use right now.
I could have tried to use empathy to help, too, but I didn't quite trust that skill while it still was relativelt low-leveled.
Not with something like this, at least.
Eventually, she stopped crying into my shoulder, and I felt through Empathy that she had, indeed, calmed down. The grief was still very much there obviously, but at least for now she was too exhausted emotionally to cry anymore.
"Feeling better?" I whispered, as she, much like her sister, clung to my clothes after having cried a lot on my left shoulder.
She nodded weakly, looking with a wince at the state of my coat. "Sorry. I-"
"Don't." I interrupted her, firmly but gently. "As I said to your sister, there's nothing wrong with crying. So don't feel guilty about that. Besides," I smiled wryly. "Do you really think I care much about some tears soaking my coat's shoulder, on a night of the Hunt? Trust me, it'll get much worse by the time this night is over."
She nodded, still looking a bit awkward about having made a mess of my coat and having cried in the arms of a stranger- one who killed two members of her family, no less- but also being thankful she had someone there for her at all.
"Thank you." She whispered, looking away.
I smiled sadly, before helping her get up from where we were kneeling on the cold, hard ground.
"Come on. I promised your sister I would escort you to her, and it's about time I gave her some good news for once. Let's not keep her waiting anymore, alright?"
She nodded, wiping her tears out from her eyes, before we made made our way to the inside of Oedon Chapel- and the people within.
I opened the heavy doors with a smile, looked at where Violetta was praying and cheerfully announced "Hey, Violetta! Look who I bring back with me this time!"
Her blue eyes snapped open, looking up towards me with a smile... And then her eyes fell on her sister.
The next moment, both sisters were kneeling and hugging one another in the center of the room, crying hard- in joy, this time, thankfully- and I leaned on the wall, smiling softly at the sight and a weight on my shoulders lifting slightly- this time, I was able to do right by Violetta without things ending up in death.
After my parts in causing Violetta so much pain and always being the bearer of bad news, it felt good to have a happy ending to give her.
The others in the Chapel looked at the scene with varying expressions- though none were hostile. Even the paranoid guy's face softened ever so slightly.
Finally, they got up and came to me, both sisters smiling, though Violetta's smile was especially bright.
"Thank you so much for bringing my sister to me!" she said, before going up to hug me tightly. "Thank you for keeping your promise." She whispered.
I smiled at her. "Of course. I did promise, didn't I?" I replied softly.
She stepped back, tears in her eyes- but once again, I could feel they were good tears, this time. I didn't need my empathy to comfirm it, not with the bright, beautiful smile on her face.
"Yes, you did." She agreed softly, before holding her sister's hand tightly- as if to make sure she wouldn't disappear all of a sudden.
Vanessa smiled at her, squeezing her sister's hand gently back in reassurance, before looking at me and bowing.
"And thank you for escorting me, watching over my sister... And burying our family." She straightened, grief flashing in her eyes, before she swallowed and smiled slightly. "We're in your debt... Though I'm not sure what we can repay you with." She finished hesitantly, looking concerned.
I shook my head. "Don't worry about it. I'm just doing my job- killing beasts and protecting the innocents. No need to repay me or anything."
Vanessa blinked, looking relieved but a bit confused, while Violetta merely smiled. "Are you sure? I mean..." she trailed off.
I watched her for a moment, eyes narrowed. "I take it that others hunters might have demanded payments for escorting you two?"
She bit her lips. "Well, not all, but... Some... I heard stories, sometime, of hunters demanding payments of... various sorts... if civilians wanted to acquire their services for any reason."
I hummed, my eyes still narrowed. "Is that so? Well, don't worry about it. I'm not one of those so-called *hunters*." I declared firmly, saying the word "Hunters" with heavy sarcasm. "Though... You didn't mention anything about payment when we were at your house..."
She looked at her sister. "I needed to make sure she was okay..." She looked away. "Everything else was secondary."
"Oh, sis..." Whispered Violetta, before hugging her sister.
My eyes narrowed even more, understanding what was implied and not liking it one bit. I knew that there would always be corruption in any organization, and even worse when civilization was seemingly breaking apart, but this sounded a lot like extortion to me.
*Pay me what I want or fend for yourself.*, basically. And considering that she was the oldest remaining member of her family...
Well, there would be no one to stand up for her if I had asked for anything. LITERALLY anything, I thought with a scowl.
That certainly explained some of the distrust people had for hunters if civilians had to worry about such things. And that was without even mentioning people from the Church killing others simply for saying something bad about the Healing Church...
I sighed. Truly, this whole place really needed a good purging of all that is evil...
I really had my work cut out for me once I returned here as a God, didn't I?
Then again, if all went as planned, it wouldn't be hard to judge the guilty and save the innocents...
Fingers crossed and all that.
I shook my head, before smiling. "Well, as I said, don't worry about it. That being said, Violetta..."
She looked up at me, before sighing deeply, looking sad and concerned but not surprised.
"You're going back out, aren't you? Now that my sister is here... You'll be able to focus on the Hunt more, without having to worry about me." She said.
I smiled sadly. "I'm a hunter. I hunt beasts. And there are still many out there. So... Yes, I am." My smiled widened a bit. "Don't worry. I held true to my promise, didn't I? Trust me to hold the others ones, too."
She stared at me for a moment... Before she smiled. "Yes, you did." She agreed, hugging her sister. "I do trust you. So... Good Hunting, Mister Aeon. Kill a few beasts for me, will you?"
I grinned. "You got it."
Violetta then looked up at her sister, smiled (if a little sadly), and then brought her to where she kept her mother's brooch and the music box.
Vanessa froze at the sight, and with trembling hands she took the brooch and then used the music box.
Both sisters sat on the grounds, hugging one another tightly as they listened to the song while crying softly.
I sighed, before making my way to the Lantern. These two could grieve together in peace- I needed to go take care of another matter that I've been putting off until now.
After all, the Blood Moon was up.
And that meant I had an imposter to kill- and a second umbilical cord to claim.
A grin appeared on my face.
Three links to Greatness... Soon, I will have two.
Soon...