Blood of the Covenant Ch. 1

AN: Hey everyone. Surprise! A new series. Yay! I'm sure you're all excited that I'm spreading myself even thinner than I was before. Anyway, a few announcements: come April, I'm going to be taking a small break from fanfiction to work on some original content. However, I will still be able to receive emails and PMs and such, so don't hesitate to contact me. Some writer friends and myself have established a new discord channel if you'd like to join us. Just send me a message with your email and I'll get you a link. Thank you all so much for your support, and I hope you enjoy the story. Best of luck in life and literature. -Kiba

My head was spinning as I opened my eyes. Where was I? I had no recollection of how I'd arrived here. "Ah, you're awake," an older man noted, peering down over me.

I opened my mouth to ask where I was, but I found I couldn't speak. My mouth was dry and my tongue felt swollen. Just as I tried to sit up, the man, dressed as a minister by appearances, pushed me back down upon the table easily.

"Conserve your energy, outsider. You've got a horrible illness in your blood. Not to worry though. You've come to the right place. Yharnam is famous for its blood healing." He held up a needle, giving it a flick to ensure that the air inside trailed out.

"Blood...healing…?" I wheezed out.

The man gave me a mischievous smirk. "Blood Ministration. The Healing Church is the head of all blood healing. And you, my friend, have a very rare kind of blood. Your relatives, you see, were very concerned for your health. They claimed you were gripped by the Black Dog, yet, no amount of bloodletting worked to cure you."

"No shit," I managed to grumbled. "Don't know why they'd think leeches would make me happy."

The minister laughed. "Indeed. However, you will be cured, none-the-less. Your contract has already been signed."

"Contract?"

There was a painful prick in my arm as he roughly inserted the IV. Blood began to pour into my veins as my body went rigid with pain. I had an older cousin who'd cut himself with a rusty razor. When he contracted lockjaw, I imagined that this was something similar to the feeling.

I grit my teeth, trying my hardest to move, but I was completely paralyzed. "Now, now. Don't worry young man. Whatever comes next, you may think of it all as simply a bad dream."

My eyes felt heavy as the room began to spin. My eyes closed, only briefly, but when they opened again, the old man was gone. My head was turned to the side, where an enormous pool of blood had begun oozing from the floorboards.

Oh God. What was happening to me?! An enormous black paw rose from the puddle, claws sinking into the wood of the clinic's floor. The head of the beast emerged just behind it, and soon a wolf-like creature, easily the size of a bull, advanced on me.

It licked its chops hungrily, eager to use me for a meal. Worse, I still couldn't move. I was a sitting duck, and nothing I could do would help me. It extended a razor sharp claw in my direction, and just as it was about to reach my throat, it's arm burst into flames.

The beast gave a pained shriek, recoiling from me in terror. The fire spread quickly, engulfing the monster as it stumbled away before collapsing in a smoldering heap in the puddle it'd come from.

My heart was pounding in my chest. Was this the bad dream the minister had spoken of? The sensation of touch slowly came to my body, allowing my fingers to slightly twitch. A low groan echoed around me, and a small, withered hand rested on my arm.

I still hadn't regained my strength, so all I could do is watch helplessly as the hand was followed by a horrifying face. It's white maw was turned sideways as more joined in. They clambered over me, moving to overtake me completely.

Then suddenly, their moans stopped. My eyes snapped open and I found myself alone in the room. For a moment, I simply lay there, unsure of what had just occurred. Upon finding that I had free movement again, I slid my legs off the operating table and stood.

The place was cluttered with jars and transfusion kits. Resting on a chair beside me was a note that simply read, "To fulfill your contract and transcend your hunt, seek Paleblood."

"Well how's that for bedside manner," I huffed, folding up the note and tossing it back in the chair. However, the minister was right about one thing. I felt amazing. My body felt as if it could go on forever. The dark cloud that had loomed over my mind seemed to vanish, leaving me in my rightful mind.

The blood ministration truly had cured me of the Black Dog. Was that what I'd witnessed burn in my dream? But what of those white creatures? Before I could ponder it any longer, a loud crash could be heard downstairs. Something else was here. Judging by the scratching and snarling sounds, it wasn't human either.

I carefully stepped down the stairs, only to see a group of the white creatures sprout from the ground like flowers. Together, they offered me a piece of parchment, but I quickly waved them off. They seemed to appear everywhere, each time offering me the same rolled up scroll.

"Leave me be," I ordered them, but they just simply stared at me with their vacant faces. I stumbled away from them, nearly tripping down the stairs before I heard a low growl. Wheeling about, I came face to face with the same beast I'd seen burn. This one, however, had blood all around its mouth, dripping from his jaw. "Nice dog," I murmured, stepping away from him in an attempt to keep him calm.

It did little to help though. His eyes flashed green, just as he lunged at me. I rolled out of the way of his heavy swipe, before bringing both of my hands down onto his spine. Sure enough, the strength given to me by the new blood allowed me to punch clean through.

It staggered, growling menacingly at me, but with my arm in its back, I just grasped its spinal column and ripped it free. The beast gave a howl as I ripped its skeleton from the connected muscle and tissue, before it collapsed to the ground.

As its heart stopped beating, I could feel the echoes of it still pulsing within my own. It was an odd sensation, like having a second heart but...it didn't feel any different. It was simply...present.

Looking at my blood soaked hands, I tossed away the creature's spine. Stumbling out into the street, I began calling for help, searching for any sort of assistance. When I saw another man, relief washed over me. Hope!

The man turned to look at me, his eyes cold and hollow. Fear replaced the hope. He lumbered towards me, an axe in one hand and a torch in the other. "Outsider," he growled. "Another beast for the hunt."

"What? What madness are you speaking? I'm not a beast!"

I shoved the man hard, turning to run, but I ended up before a locked gate. I pounded on it, trying my best to get it open, but with no luck. The man I'd pushed began to lurch forward, axe raised.

I begged the men I saw on the other side to help, and for a moment, it looked as if they'd save me. When the gates opened however, they all grabbed me, dragging me through the rough cobblestones towards the center street. "No! No, please! Release me!" I screamed.

They, however, ignored me. In the center of the square, a massive fire raged, burning a creature with the skin of its back stripped away and used to cover its face. It dangled upside down from a cross, also engulfed in flames.

The men forced up against another cross, binding me tightly so I could not get loose. "Stop! I assure you, my family is rich. I have a lot of money! I can give you all you want, but please, you must release me now."

"Silence, cur!" one snapped. "You are an outsider. Because of you, beasts now roam our streets. But we'll soon be freed of this nightmare! Light it!"

One of the men tossed a torch onto the kindling at my feet. In no time at all, the stake was burning and I with it. I screamed at the top of my lungs in agony, and then I felt my heart fall still and beat no more.

Again my eyes shot open. I was laying flat on my face on cobblestone, but the air around me was deathly still. This, I decided, was starting to get annoying. How many times was I going to wake up today?

Climbing to my feet, I continued up the path towards a wooden building. Sitting on a ledge at the base of the stairs was a young woman. She was beautiful, with pale hair and porcelain skin. "Excuse me," I called to her.

She made no response. Maybe she was deaf. I came closer to investigate, but she didn't react at my approach. When I reached just in front of her, I reached out and brushed her hand with my own.

Immediately, I jerked back in surprise. Her skin wasn't just porcelain colored. It was porcelain. A doll? I inspected her carefully. She appeared so life like. If not that her flesh was so firm and cold, it'd be impossible to distinguish her from a living person.

A low groan behind me sent a chill up my spine. I wheeled about, raising my fists and preparing for a fight. Instead, all I saw were the same small white creatures that had crawled on me when I lay in the clinic.

They all raised up objects in offering to me. I stared at them in confusion, until I realized they'd brought them to me as gifts. There was a strange saw that folded up like a straight razor, an axe with a sharp edge and a handle that seemed to extend, and finally a cane made of solid metal.

Without a word, I took the cane from the one that offered it. Pressing a button on its handle, it broke into sharp segments, connected by a single steel thread. I gave it a few swings, sending the whip-like blade snapping loudly against the stone steps.

When I pressed the button again, the pieces snapped back into place, forming the solid cane once more. I tested its heft. It had a similar weight to a foil, and my family had insisted I pick up fencing in my spare time.

I made a few lunges and thrusts, before nodding in satisfaction. "Thank you, little one," I told the white thing. "With this, you may have just saved my life."

They made groans of excitement, the small group vanishing back into the ground, taking the other weapons with them. I could feel them burrowing beneath the place, and so I continue upward. Again, the beings popped out of the ground, this time offering me what looked like a rustic firearm.

"More weapons?" I questioned. "Well, I suppose this will be helpful as well. Can't very well take on the world with a glorified stick, can I?" Grasping the hefty blunderbuss, I peered down it's sight. It may not be as accurate or swift as the pistol, but one thing was for certain...if one of those men came at me with an axe again, this gun would knock them flat.

They vanished once more, finally leaving just one thing in front of me: the doors to the building. Pushing it open, I found it to be empty, save an old man dozing in a wheelchair. "Ah, come in young hunter. I've been expecting you."

"Do you know me, old man?" I asked him. "How is it you know my name?"

"Hmm? What name?"

Wonderful. He was senile. "Hunter," I emphasized. "You called me by name, remember?"

The wrinkled old man gave a dusty cackle. "I was not aware, though it is fitting for your fate. Presently, you are in the Hunter's Dream. I called you 'hunter' because you are a hunter of beasts. Such was stated in your contract."

"Yes, about that. I didn't sign any contract."

"Your family did. It matters not. It was your blood that sealed it, and so it is you who must hunt."

"And if I refuse?" I pressed, tightening my grip on my weapons. The man was confined to a wheelchair, not that it mattered. I could sense a strength inside of him, as well as a presence that would drive fear into anyone who encountered him.

"Refuse. Don't. It matters not to me, young hunter." His cracked lips bent into a grin. "Though I fear you'll never awaken from this nightmare with that attitude. Night has fallen in Yharnam and it appears it will be a long one. It truly is for your own good to do some hunting. It will make you feel better, if nothing else."

I stared him down. Somehow, I believed him. I had died on that pyre, burned to death. I felt my body burn, before my nerves were gone and I grew numb. I felt the cold that came from my heart ceasing to beat. "Who are you, old man?"

He gave another laugh before dissolving into weak coughs. "I...am Gehrman," he introduced. "I am a friend to hunters. And a friend to you, as well. I will act as your guide, should you wish for it. You presently stand in the workshop. There was a time when hunters would use the blood echoes of their enemies to upgrade their flesh and weapons for the hunt. But now, there are very few left."

"Blood echoes? Was that the sensation I felt from killing that monster?"

"Indeed," he sighed. "Blood echoes are the remnants of one's will. Think of them like ghosts. While a ghost is the echo of a fallen person's image, blood echoes are their resolve."

"I don't feel them anymore," I noted, placing my hand on my chest. "What happened to them?"

"Ehehe. You'll find yourself asking that question a lot. Typically, when an enemy slays you, they take your blood echoes, including the ones you had claimed from others. But, they can be reclaimed. You simply must find them."

I nodded in understanding. "So, you are an ally then? This place is safe?"

"For the time being. The shop is yours to use as you will. As is the doll outside, if it pleases you." He offered a toothy grin that made my stomach churn in disgust. That is what the doll was for? "One should not pass judgment on me so quickly," laughed Gehrman. "You'll find the night can grow cold and lonely, for men like us."

"Never that lonely," I grunted under my breath. "So, how do I leave here, old man? I trust walking is out of the question."

"Clever boy. Visit the graves along the path. Kneel before one and focus hard on the safety of the lamp that brought you here."

"Lamp? I have encountered no lamp."

"Hmm...you were treated in the clinic, were you not? Did you feel safe there?"

"Until bloody beasts came tearing from pools of blood, yes I suppose."

He laughed. "Ever the quick wit. Good. Focus on that feeling of safety and comfort. You'll find yourself awakening there."

"Excellent. With luck, this night will be over soon," I commented, heading for the door.

"One last thing," Gehrman called after me. "Just because you've killed something, does not mean that it is dead. You are not the only one dreaming this night."

Hmmph. As helpful of advice as I'd come to expect, honestly. Following his instructions, I knelt before the tombstone. Closing my eyes, I envisioned the clinic's sickroom. The scattered bottles, the overturned tables and gurneys, the pool of blood on the ground...As the mental image came more into focus, my eyes opened to reveal that I now stood there.

I looked around myself in surprise. There was no evidence of the Hunter's Dream. Just as he'd said though, there was a lamp beside me, now glowing with a dim purple hue. Safety and warmth radiated from it, a comfort in this cold night.

Up the stairs, the room I'd been treated in was now shut. I could see a dim light and a feminine figure silhouetted through its opaque glass. From the way she was posed, it looked as if she were standing there, ear pressed to the door for signs of trouble.

I took a deep breath. Hunting beasts, hmm? Perhaps this would be as good of a place to start as any. Moving to the top of the stairs, her voice called out, "Don't come any closer."

I froze. That was not the voice of a monster eager to rip me limb from limb. "You are not a beast?" I asked.

"Heavens, no," she replied, giving a sigh. "My name is Iosefka. This is my clinic. Listen, I know you're a hunter. I know you are likely a good man and you're only doing your job in hunting beasts...but I beg you, please don't try to force your way in here."

"Honestly, you've no reason to fear me," I told her. "I mean no harm to anyone if I can help it."

"Whether or not you mean harm is irrelevant," replied Iosefka. "My patients here are being treated and quarantined. I cannot risk them becoming infected. You've received the transfusion, so you carry the beast blood within you. Because of that, I cannot open the door. Not tonight."

I stepped closer to the door, causing her to take a sharp gasp. "Please!" she begged. "Please, stay away from us! I beg you!"

"Whoa, easy," I told her. "You have my word, okay? No barging in, no trying to hurt you or your patients."

"Then why did you move closer?"

"Because having a conversation at fifteen paces is uncomfortable. Made more so by talking through a door admittedly, but if it's for the sake of protecting innocents, I suppose I understand."

For a moment, Iosefka said nothing. I could hear her breathing on the other side of the door, still in a slight panic. "Do you truly swear, hunter? Swear that you will not attempt harm on me or my patients?"

"I solemnly swear it upon my noble birthright," I declared, spinning my cane and tapping it thoughtfully on the ground. "I should hope though, milady, if there is anything I may do to be of assistance, you will not hesitate to tell me. I may as well have you to point me in a proper direction."

A girlish giggle came through the window, causing me to smile. As always, women were no match for my charm. "Thank you, milord," she replied. "I may not be able to do much, but perhaps I can offer you something to assist your quest."

She stepped away from the door briefly, before returning. A drawer slid out, and inside was a small vial. Inside of it was blood, and an attached injector. "What is this?" I asked, taking it gingerly.

"It is my blood," she replied. "It may not take off the edge like beast blood does. But I hope that if you do start to turn, it'll be able to help you return to your senses."

I turned the vial over in my hand, inspecting it with curiosity. Printed on the side of it was her name. "Thank you. I will try to make great use of this," I promised. "But about those directions?"

"The people of this town have gone rampant," she sighed. "I'm afraid the Healing Church has placed the blame for this curse on outsiders. If there are hunters about, you must be careful. They will most likely not see you as a friend. That being said, I know of a friend who may be of some assistance. His name is Father Gascoigne. He's not part of the Healing Church, but he is an excellent hunter, and a good man. Perhaps it'd be imperative to speak to his wife Viola on the North side of the city. Her home is just above the ladder leading down into the sewers."

"Location, location, location," I chuckled to myself. "Very well. Thank you, Mrs. Iosefka."

"Miss," she corrected. "And thank you, hunter. I hope that you stay safe."

"And you as well."

With that, I trekked back down the steps and out the front door. An overwhelming sense of Deja Vu struck me. This place was identical to how it looked the last time I was here. But that wasn't possible, was it? Surely things would have changed. I'd only been in the Hunter's Dream for a few minutes. All of the men should be watching my body burn.

Still, I cautiously made my way towards the carriage along the side of the road. Sure enough, the man with the axe was there, slowly trudging in my direction. Hmmph. He wouldn't get the drop on me a second time.

I rounded the corner, causing his eyes to widen. "Outsider. Another beast for the hunt." They were his exact words from before.

I held my cane at the ready, my other hand behind my back. I pulled back the hammer on the blunderbuss. "You got the drop on me once, monster. You won't do so again." His eyes flashed a dangerous blue. The faint sensation of my blood echoes was emanating from him. "So that's where they've gone," I noted. "Have at thee, villain." He raced towards me, swinging his axe in a downward arc. "Too slow!" I sidestepped his attack, turning and striking him hard in the back.

He stumbled forward, just in time for me to shove my cane through the back of his skull. He collapsed with a sickening thud, and I could feel the rush of the echoes returning to me. It felt odd, but there was a certain power in there. Even though I didn't feel any stronger, I could sense the power they contained, much like when one watches grass bending in a weak breeze.

I turned to look down the alleyway. Two more men, just like the one I'd slain rested against carts. Having heard their ally's death throes, they began to rise, sickles and axes at the ready.

"You too wish to fight then? Very well. I will slay every beast in the city, if I must!"

The first one rushed at me, swiping left and right. His movements were far swifter than his friends, but I was not some amateur. I weaved in and out of the fray, striking him here and there. The satisfying crack of his bones breaking under my blows spurred me on, until his friend attempted to ambush me from behind.

I parried the first man's next attack, pinning his sickle to the ground before leveling my blunderbuss into the face of the second man. His eyes widened as he stared down the barrel, just before a loud explosion erupted outward.

His head turned into a bloody mist, his will being sucked into my chest. Kicking the other man away, I allowed my instincts to guide my hand, and lunged forward, spearing him straight through the chest with my cane.

Once he hit the ground, I stood above the three defeated monsters that had once been men. So Gehrman had been telling the truth. With every blood echo I obtained, the better I felt.

I rummaged in their pockets, finding a few vials of blood, similar to Iosefka's though they were unlabeled. Beside them was a crate, and when I opened it, I found bottles of alcohol, rags stuffed in their neck. These could come in handy.

Though I was safe, the gate they'd dragged me to was closed and locked. The only way to get through the city I found, was to climb a ladder that led high above the city streets. I resolved myself to my reluctant quest.

The night may be long, but I would ensure that it saw its fair share of beasts put down. Once I finally did find the Paleblood the note had mentioned, I'd go home, and when I did, my family and I would have a "talk" about putting me in this nightmare.

I may have died for this blood before. But on this night, in the cursed city of Yharnam, I had been reborn.

To be continued...