Author's note: Hey guys! So this is a direct sequel to my other fic (if you haven't read it then I'd advise you to do so, or else thos one will make no sense) I just really wanted to continue writing about these characters and I hope you enjoy this. Also, I will be taking longer to update than last time, so expect a chapter every week or so. Cheers!

Chapter 1: A New Hunt

With the ancient echoes of Kos and her Orphan weighing her down, Karigan makes her way into the Hunters Dream, fully intending to utilize them to enhance her admittedly poor skill. From the dark void of empty space The Dream comes into view and she begins to make her way up the path, her boots clicking on the cobblestones, her eyes fixed on the ground her fingers lightly trailing her pistol and her head filling up with the whispers of both grief and acceptance.

Maria. Just thinking her name calls forth a flood of mixed emotions that consume Karigan's mind. Grief. Happiness. Pain. Friendship. All of these feelings crowd her head, but she pushes the heartache away and focuses on her time spent with Maria. The setting and circumstances themselves were gloomy, but it was Maria's unwavering companionship and resolve that allowed Karigan to push through and beyond the Nightmare.

With her eyes still glued to the ground, studying the old stones worn down by countless Hunters, she comes into the main clearing where the Doll awaits. She raises her head to greet the Doll and her world collapses. Her heart lurches, her eyes widen and her mouth gapes open all while her body refuses to move or make any sounds. All she can do is stare.

Soft words float through the air. "Hello Kariagn."

There she is, sitting quietly on the ledge, right beside the unphased Doll.

"Ma. . . Maria?" Karigan's voice trembles and confusion spreads through her like wildfire. "How . . . how can this be?"

The unmistakably real Maria lifts herself off of the ledge and takes a tentative step toward her fixiated friend. Karigan sees the action and shakes her head, the murky cloud of shock lifting from her shoulders. She drops her blade and rushes toward Maria, a radiant smile blooming on her face.

The two collide with outstretched arms and grasp each other in a tight embrace. Karigan, being the shorter of the two, buries her face into Maria's neck, tears of joy slipping through her eyes. Maria dips her head over Karigan's shoulder and squeezes, solidifying their embrace.

A moment passes and the two release, taking a step back to look at each other directly. Karigan notices Maria's eyes are misty and rimmed with red.

"Maria. . .how? How is this possible?" Karigan asks again as she examines her friend's face all while patting her to ensure that she is in fact there, and not some cruel hallucination.

Maria gives a light shrug, "I have no idea, the reason escapes me, but I would assume it had to do with you ending the Orphan."

Karigan shakes her head in disbelief. By all means Maria being there should be impossible, but the laws of the dream are convoluted and puzzling.

"Are you alright?" Maria asks, incling her head.

"Yes, it's just that, this is really strange. . . I wasn't expecting this at all." Karigan goes quiet for a moment. "I thought that you were gone for good, that I'd never see you again."

Maria's face softens and she lets out a gentle sigh. "I know this must be a lot to take in, I don't even understand it myself but-"

"But I buried you Maria. I laid you to rest, is there any way you can explain this?"

Maria's eyes lower, "I'm sorry you had to do that Karigan but your guess is as good as mine. The only thing I can think of, is when you killed the Orphan, you also liberated my soul from the Nightmare, severing the ties that bound me there. It is possible that I'm now bound to you, to help free you from the Hunt."

Karigan nods, "Well whatever the reason, I'm glad you're here with me." She smiles and shakes Maria's shoulder, "So did you just appear here?"

"I remember I felt like I was sinking, sinking into a darkness and then something pulled me up. A invisible force that caused me to awaken here in this dream."

"And I see you met our friendly neighborhood Doll. . ." Karigan nods toward the watching Doll, her face as plain and unmoving as usual.

Maria's face wrinkles as she looks directly at the Doll. "I dislike it."

Karigan laughs, "She's not an it! She's a Doll."

"Laugh all you want, I just don't understand how that lifeless thing, Doll I mean, is supposed to represent me. You told me yourself but it's nothing like me!"

"I feel like she was made more in your image, not after your personality. She'd be a bit headstrong if she were."

Maria raised an eyebrow at her comment.

"Not, not that's a bad thing of course." Karigan sheepishly smiles, "Wait! That reminds me, have you seen Gehrman?"

Suddenly Maria's face lights up, her eyes sparkling with both excitement and shock. "No I haven't, I just got here. Do you know where he is? I would love the chance to speak to him once more."

"Well sometimes he's here and sometimes he's not. I honestly have no clue where he disappears to, since there isn't really anywhere to go here in the dream. But when he is here, it tends to be in one of two places. We can go check right now if you'd like."

Maria nods her head enthusiastically, her cap nearly sliding off. "Please."

Karigan smiles and turns up the steps to walk into the workshop. She peers inside, hoping to see Gehrman's creaking old wheelchair, but the spot is vacant.

She trots further in, up to the work bench and leans against it. Karigan tended to dislike whenever Gehrman sat in the workshop, hovering just behind, watching her every move. It felt like he was invading her quiet safe place.

"Not here, there's only one more place he could be, come on."

Maria follows Karigan out the workshop and into a secluded garden behind the building. White lilies shroud the ground, their petals facing the sky. Karigan steps down the path towards a dip and a small lookout area. Empty.

She lets out a sigh and turns to face Maria. The bitter bite of disappointment clings to her words. "Sorry Maria, but looks like he's out for the moment."

Maria's face falls a bit but she still manages a small smile. "It's alright, it is not your fault. We'll find him when he returns, yes?"

"Of course. I'm sure you two will have a lot of catching up to do."

Maria stops and looks out past the garden. "It's really quiet beautiful, isn't it."

Karigan turns to face the infinite void that seems to stretch far beyond the mind could comprehend.

"It really is." Karigan found tranquility whenever she stopped to rest and gaze at the pillars floating in the fog. There was something about it, a stillness perhaps, that enthralls the mind. She sometimes would spend hours while resting, sitting in the garden, gazing at the blue sky tinted red, the looming moon, the lilies and of course the strange pillars. It was one of her favorite spots in the dream, a place she could go when she wanted to forget about beast, blood and madmen who toil with things far beyond them.

"Right, well, I'm going to go use the echoes I got from the Orphan to enhance my abilities."

"And may I ask how you do that?" Maria inquires.

"Oh, you wouldn't like it," Karigan's cheeky smile widens, "through the beloved Doll of course!"

Maria rolls her eyes and huffs. "Well get on with it then." She brushes past Karigan and makes her way down the steps. Karigan lightly chuckles to herself. Maria's obvious discomfort around the Doll was becoming quite amusing.

Karigan arrives at the Doll to find Maria leaning in to the Doll's face, inspecting it, her face curled in a frown.

"Dear Hunter, who is your companion?" The Doll asks, seemingly unphased by Maria's close proximity.

"Oh, that's just Maria. Pay her no attention." Karigan smirks as Maria's eyebrows twitch. Maria continues to glare at the Doll. Karigan bends her knee and begins transfusing echoes, she can feel her skill improving as the Doll utilizes them for her. Karigan stands up and pulls out Simon's Bowblade, inspecting it.

"Well now it seems I can wield this without chopping OR shooting my foot off, this'll come in handy I bet." Karigan says as she gives the blade a few test swings, checking the transformed bow mode as well.

"Chopping your foot off?" Maria smirks.

"Eh, I'm not really the best with skill weapons, actually I'm terrible at them. Probably why I love this guy so much." Karigan chuckles as she hoists her Holy blade up on her shoulder, "I don't need any crazy dexterity to swing this, nor do I have to particularly aim. I mean, if I had to wield your Rakuyo, I'd probably end up slicing myself instead."

Maria pulls out her twin blade and holds it delicately in her hands. "Aye, this is a very special weapon, I had it made specifically for me back in Cainhurst." She smiles and sheaths it back at her side. "So, where is it that we will be going?"

"Well, Ironically I'm making my way through Byrgenwerth. It's all abandoned now, decrepit and decaying, but there's something there, I can feel it."

Maria nods her head slowly, clearly in deep thought. "It's probably a good thing I'm here to go with you. I spent a little bit of time in Byrgenwerth, before I joined the Workshop. I may be able to help you uncover something, as Master Wilhelm kept many secrets regarding his research about humanity's ascension and evolution."

"Good, now do you have everything you need?"

"I believe so. . . wait, I should probably get bloodvials, since I'm not entirely sure if I'll reawaken alongside you in the dream if I die, or if I disappear."

"Right, good thinking! Just hold on a second, I'll go get some for you." Karigan trots over to the moaning messengers and uses her remaining echoes to purchase a large amount of vials for Maria. She walks back and stands in front of the tombstone, getting ready to warp out.

"Wait, Karigan, I don't know how to use those." Maria inclines her head toward the grave.

"Oh, well, I don't know how it works, but I just envision the place I want to go, place my hand on the stone and poof, you're sent there in a blink."

Maria nods, but she looks very unsure.

"Tell you what, if I awaken in Byrgenwerth and you don't arrive behind me within five minutes, I'll come back to the Dream for you."

Maria brightens, "You better."

Karigan smiles and kneels before the tomb, visioning the old crumbling ruins of a once great institute, before warping out.

The darkened forest comes into view as Karigan awakens at the lantern. She stops to pull the collar of her coat up around her neck and face, a habit that makes her feel safer and calms her anxiety. The dark isolated ruins unnerve Karigan to the very core; the empty wasted ruins, the twisted branches of gnarled trees that reached up into the inky sky, and the shadows casted by the ruins themselves slinking in her vision, all of it deeply unsettling.

Karigan is pulled out of her trance as the lantern glows a bit and Maria fades into view. "My, this really has changed." Maria whispers, her eyes wide as she takes in her once recognizable surroundings. "I can't believe it has been reduced to such a pitiful state. A shame really."

"Well, the main building seems to be in decent shape, I've been inside of it, but all I found was a crazed hunter, an old moaning man and a lake."

"A hunter you say?"

"Yeah, she was wearing some kind of strange cap that covered her eyes. She also shot these strange cosmic tentacle things out of her hands, I've never seen anything like it." Karigan replies, remembering all too well the sting of the augur of Ebreitas.

"Must have been a high ranking member of the choir. And the old man? Did he have a headpiece as well?"

Karigan nods, "Yes, except it was a bit different, and he sat in a wheelchair, mumbling words that I couldn't understand."

"That must be Wilhelm, we'll find our answers with him."

"Right well, I don't know what you're going to be able to get out of him but he's this way." Karigan turns and walks through the gate and into the musty building. The old floorboards creak under the two hunter's boots as they wind their way up the spiral staircase.

"He's out there, on the balcony." Karigan nods her head towards the doorway and lets Maria walk past. She trots over to the man sitting in the wheelchair and bows her head. Karigan joins them.

"Ahhhhhhh. . . ahhhhhh. . . " The feeble old man mutters as he motions with his staff towards the lake.

"See, that's all he does or says." Karigan speaks, her brows knitting together in impatience.

Maria looks at Wilhelm and then at the lake and back again. "Karigan, did you not realize that he's pointing to the lake?"

"Of course I did, but it's just a lake, there's nothing there." Karigan says, slightly annoyed.

Maria gives her a quizzical look and walks to the very edge of the balcony, gazing at the full moon and it's reflection on the stretching lake. Karigan comes to join her, but doesn't get as close to the edge.

"Don't get so close to the edge Maria, that's a long way down."

"Afraid of heights, are you?" Maria smirks.

"Well, no, but I- I just wouldn't want to fall."

"Whatever you say, oh brave hunter."

Karigan huffs and edges closer to the ledge until she's standing right beside Maria. Maria leans over the balcony, peering straight down into the lakes unfathomable depths. A devilish smile spreads across her lips. She lifts her head, still smiling and looks right at Karigan.

"Maria. . . what are you doing. . . ?" Karigan takes a hesitant step away from the grinning Maria, but it's too late. Maria's hands suddenly fly out and collide into Karigan's side, effectively shoving her off

the Balcony. Karigan lets out a scream as she plummets towards the lake. Angry confusion rises like the pit in her stomach as she approaches the surface of the lake. She waits for the impact, the feeling of icy water seeping through her coat, the feeling of her bones crunching as they collide with the surface, but it never comes. She continues to fall right through the surface, into a waterless sea of white. Still screaming she lands on her stomach, with little more than a light bump.

Gasping for air and shaking the feeling of pure terror and vertigo from her gut, she slams her fist against the ground. "Argh, I'm going to kill her the next time I see that smug face of hers!"

As if on cue, Maria lands gracefully on her feet beside the sprawled out Karigan, a smile still plastered to her face.

Karigan jumps up to her feet, red-faced and boiling with anger. "What the hell Maria!? Why did you do that for!? I could have died!"

"But you didn't."

"I don't care, you could have told me there was a safe place to land here! And why are you smiling!"

Maria lets go of the guilty laugh she'd been containing and puts an arm on Karigan's shoulder. "I'm sorry Karigan, I shouldn't have done that, I just couldn't help myself."

Karigan lets out a sigh, "You're like a child I swear."

"I'm really sorry Karigan. . . " Maria's laugh turns into a quiet chuckle.

"No you're not."

"Well it was worth it, seeing your face, but on the bright side, I did point you in the right direction it seems." Maria teases.

"More like pushed, but you're right." Karigan finally takes a moment to survey her surroundings. A seemingly endless void of white and water stretch as far as the eye can see. A single shape sits in the distance.

"Maria, how did you know this was here?" Karigan asks, studying the distant shape.

"I remember Master Wilhelm speaking about the lake, and burying the secrets within it, though I left much before he conducted any of his experiments. It just seemed like the most logical place to look. Besides, why else would he be pointing to the lake."

"Well you're lucky you were right, or I would be reawakening right about now, and not very happy." Karigan uttered, still a little irritated by Maria's sudden actions.

The two make their way over to the shape, and upon getting closer to it, realize that it's a massive bug looking creature.

"Dear gods that thing is ugly." Karigan says as she steps around the passive creature, studying its spider like head. "What do you suppose it is?"

Maria shakes her head. "I'm not entirely sure, but it could be one of the experiments Wilhelm created. That, or it was once a scholar, turned into this."

"A scholar?"

"Mm-hm. Wilhelm did a lot of research, but at the heart of it all, was human ascension to a higher plane and communication with the Great Ones. He wanted to converse with them, since he believed that they held the key to Humanity's evolution. He also thought that lining eyes on the inside would allow him to see the eldritch truth, which in the end seemed to be his downfall. Insanity if you ask me." Maria explains as she fidgets with her blades hilt.

"Well what are we supposed to do with this thing? Attack it? It's not speaking or anything, in fact it hardly seems to notice us."

Maria nods and draws her weapon. "Killing it will uncover whatever it is hiding."

Karigan prepares her blade, steps into a stance, and thrusts her moonlight sword right into the creatures soft belly. It jerks to the side and swings its head up. Karigan prepares another attack but is soon interrupted by a hail of raining spiders. Big spiders.

Karigan lets out a alarmed gasp. "Why!? Why is it raining spiders! And why does it have to be spiders!?"

"Oh gods this is awful." Maria groans as she avoids the many flailing spiders descending upon her. She manages to escape the hoard and charges Rom, the vacuous spider. She twirls her blade and slashes at the defenseless bug. Defenseless, because all of its protectors are out swarming and antagonizing a overwhelmed Karigan.

Karigan dashes around the many spiders surrounding her, separating her from Maria. She slashes at them, but her attacks only seem to cause damage when she can hit their unprotected underside. She yelps as a string of sticky web clings around her body, restraining her arms against her body and rooting her in place. She struggles but it's no use. The nearest spider lunges forward, it's serrated legs slashing through her gut.

She lets out a gurgled cry as she falls to the ground, blood pouring out of her mouth and teared stomach. The web was torn off when the spider attacked, so she is able to maneuver her arms to where she keeps her bloodvials inside her coat. She sluggishly injects two vials into her leg while desperately crawling through the watery ground to distance herself from the hoard of deadly spiders. The spiders turn away from her and make their way to an unsuspecting Maria, whose back is turned and is fully engaged with thrashing Rom.

Once the gaping wound in her stomach closes itself, Karigan jumps up and runs to aid Maria. She takes advantage of the spiders turned backs and kills any she can on her way over.

"Karigan! Where have you been? I could really use your help you know!" Maria grunts as she spins her blades into Rom.

"The spiders, watch out for them! They may be small but one wound two many and we're dead. Don't let them overwhelm you!" Karigan shoves her sword into the massive spider, but then something strange happens; the spider disappears.

"What the. . ." Karigan exclaims, bewildered.

"Look, over there!" Maria yells out, pointing towards a teleported Rom. Another rain of black spiders fall from the sky and surround Rom.

"Oh come on! More!?" Karigan groans she and Maria charge once more into the fray. This time they stick together, rushing around the spiders and lunging for Rom. They only get in one or two hits however, as Rom suddenly rolls over onto her side and smashes against the ground, emitting a massive arcane explosion from her impact. The force of it sends the two hunters sprawling to the ground in a daze. They shake their heads and get back up, dodging the black spiders and advancing upon Rom. Arcane projectiles plummet from the sky and rise from the ground, but the hunters are vigilant, and dodge them while they attack. Eventually Rom teleports once more, across the lake.

"Again!?" An exasperated Maria groans as she sprints on tired feet towards Rom. Karigan follows, forcing her tired legs to push forward. So much running!

The hunters attack relentlessly, desperate for the fight to be over. Karigan's legs scream in protest, and Maria's breaths come out in ragged gasps. With a final, combined swing of their swords, Rom perishes along with the many black spiders.

They collapse to their knees, hunched over and breathing hard. Karigan shudders, "Ugh, why did it have to be spiders? Spiders! Of all things."

"Spiders and heights, eh?" Maria glances up, a triumphant smile on her face.

"What? They don't bother you? With all their hair and legs?" Karigan asks, looking at Maria's cheeky smile.

"Not really, takes a lot to get me bothered. Not you apparently though."

"Oh, stop with that! I'm sure we'll come across something that'll send you running to the hills, just you wait and see." Karigan smirks, as she stands up on shaky legs, hoisting her blade.

"Hmph, if you say so hunter." Maria stands as well and falls silent when the two hunters notice a woman standing on the far side of the lake.

"Uh, where did she come from?" Karigan asks, taking a tentative step forward.

"I haven't got the faintest idea, come on, let's see why she's here." Maria walks forward and Karigan follows. A feeling of uneasiness settles in Karigan's stomach as they approach the strange, tall woman.

"Is that crying?"

Maria nods, "I think so, but what's wrong with her face, she doesn't look normal." Karigan gets a little closer to inspect the woman but then the woman gestures towards the sky, her quiet sobbing echoing in the empty space.

"Dear gods. . . " Maria's hushed voice cracks as a red glow spreads through the plain sky like wildfire.

Karigan looks up and her mouth falls open, "What's going on. . . ?" A unnaturally large moon descends upon the lake. A moon the color of blood. It's orange red haze turns both the sky and the lake red, as it hangs lower and lower in the sky.

"The Great Ones are descending." Maria whispers before the blinding light of the blood moon overtakes them.

Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed this, chapter 2 is being written as well. Please let me know how you thought about it and any critique you may have in the reviews, since they both help my writing and moral. Thanks for reading!