Author's Note
As this is my first foray into Fanfiction, and in a game with such a sparse canon, no less, I decided to make a few things clear up front. The first is that I have, to the best of my ability, avoided contradiction with the canon. Still, within the story, all things must be stated as absolute fact. Since this work takes place at the beginning of the Scourge, a large part of the premise is, while not inconsistent with the canon, not confirmed by it either. These overarching ideas, such as the Tomb Prospectors of the Church becoming the first Workshop Hunters, or Henryk and Maria being among the earliest Tomb Prospectors after leaving Byrgenwerth, are based on my headcanon. My headcanon makes sense to me, and I have used it as a vehicle for a good story, which I hope even those who disagree with my interpretation of the game's lore can find enjoyable.
That being said, there are other details which are never even implied by the canon, though again, they do not contradict it. Most examples of this are innocuous, such as creating minor characters, or the Church having baths for their Tomb Prospectors. There are, of course, more egregious cases, the most prominent being having an original character as the main character and another original character as a major character. He's introduced later in the work, so you won't see him below. Every example of this, from the bathtubs to Reese, are additions I found necessary to tell the story that I wanted to tell in the best way possible. I don't anticipate many people being bothered by them, but I hope that those who are will look past them and at the story itself.
However, if anything within this work disagrees with the canon, please let me know, making sure to cite the evidence. I will modify the offending parts, unless they are integral to the story. In that case, I will profusely apologize for my mistake and finish it as it stands, making sure to note where I strayed from the canon.
In addition, anyone can feel free to ask me questions about my headcanon to clear up the premise. I will answer anything about my beliefs on what happened prior to the events described below. Do note these can serve as spoilers despite happening before the story takes place, however. As with any work of fiction, knowledge of the past can give greater insight into the present than the author may intend. Naturally, I will not be answering questions about my headcanon of what occurs after the beginning of this story and before the events in the game.
Without further ado, please enjoy.
-Valdema
Chapter One: The Scourge
"You two ready?" Henryk asked.
Maria and I nodded as we readied our weapons.
Henryk placed his hands on the massive double doors, and with a mighty push they were opened. They revealed a large circular room. Dozens of candles hung from golden chandeliers, casting the room in a bright light. Standing in the center was what appeared to be a hunchbacked man with pale skin and hair who stood almost twice as tall as a human. A Pthumerian.
As soon as Henryk was inside, the Pthumerian raised the black staff in its right hand. Fire spread from it and coalesced into a burning crossbow. There was the unmistakable sound of a bolt being released from its stock, and flames streaked across the room toward Henryk.
He dashed to the side, and Maria and I charged into the room. Her cool orders cut through the crackling of the inferno.
"Keep its attention, Henryk. Reese and I will flank it."
Henryk wasted no time in rushing the Pthumerian, and the flames changed shape again, this time into a massive scythe. The Pthumerian made vicious swings at Henyrk, but artful dodging kept him safe. Even as the two danced, Maria and I made our way around the arena.
Maria went in first, so fast that she was upon the Pthumerian in the blink of an eye. It was ready for her, however, and it swung its scythe around its back, hoping to catch her mid-strike. She ducked, and I came in next, slashing at its now-unguarded side with my saif.
The blade tore through the cloth of its robe, and blood spilled from the wound. It growled and came at me with an errant strike. I dashed out of its range, and Maria and Henryk laid into it with their own blades while it was distracted.
It began to twirl its staff above its head, and fire rained from it. Henryk and Maria leapt backwards, and the Pthumerian lowered its staff, turning its malevolent gaze to me.
Then, it vanished.
I was taken aback, but I realized what had happened when Henryk shouted.
"Behind you!"
I turned just in time to see the flaming scythe careening towards my neck.
Out of instinct, I raised my pistol and fired. The bullet struck the Pthumerian straight in the chest, putting it off balance. It fell to one knee, and I plunged my blade deep into its abdomen.
It let out a loud groan, then fell to its side.
"Nice shot," said Henryk.
"Thanks," I replied as I withdrew my blade.
Henryk looked around the room. Save for the corpse, it was empty.
"Looks like another dead end, which means this section of the Labyrinth is clear," he said, "Want to head back?"
Maria nodded and strode toward the doors. Henryk and I fell into step behind her.
The journey back through the winding tunnels took almost an hour. By the time we were back at the entrance to the Labyrinth, the bright crimson soaking our clothes had dried into a duller hue. As always, one of the members of the Choir was waiting by the entrance. He wore the black robes and gloves with a white overcoat and shawl, though he did not have on his blindfold cap.
"Welcome back," he said, "How did it go?"
"Fine," Maria replied, "We cleared the third layer of the Hintertomb Dungeon you opened last week."
"Excellent. I'd love to hear the details, but unfortunately the Tomb Prospectors have been called to a meeting in the garden outside the Workshop. You three need to get cleaned up and head over there."
"What's the meeting about?" Henryk asked.
The Choir member shrugged, "I couldn't tell you. It must be important, though. The Vicar himself will be addressing you all."
I raised an eyebrow at this, and Henryk and I shared a look. Maria seemed unperturbed, however.
"Very well. Let's not keep Laurence waiting, you two."
We made our way to the bathhouse, a part of the large building which housed the entrance to the Labyrinth, and deposited our weapons at a station to be cleaned later. Henryk then went to the men's area, and Maria and I to the women's.
My attire was caked in blood. The black leather gloves came off first, followed by the matching coat. Next came the vest and trousers, which were made of a dark fabric which soaked the blood like a sponge. Last was the white blouse and undergarments. I looked to Maria as I unbuttoned, and, as usual, she had the worst of it. Her shirt was so stained that one would think red was the original color.
We each had our hair tied back in a tight bun, but while mine was secured by simple pins, hers was fastened with a beautiful golden ornament which stood brilliantly against her silver hair. As with the rest of her attire, though, it was coated in blood.
I shook my head, allowing my brown hair to flow past my shoulders, and stepped into one of half dozen tubs which filled the room. We were lucky enough here to having running water here, a luxury not available during our time at Byrgenwerth.
I took the shower head and turned the faucet, allowing the cold water to flow over me. Rivers of crimson flowed down my skin. I took the rough soap and worked at the filth until I was red not from the blood, but from the scrubbing. Once every inch of me was clean and the water ran clear, I turned off the faucet.
I dried myself as well as I could with one of the towels, then found my usual clothes, the black robes of the Church. Maria and I kept our hair down to dry, and we left our dirty attire for the attendants to clean. Henryk was waiting for us in his own Church robes, his dark hair glistening under the candlelight. He wore one of his typical grins.
"What was that about keeping Laurence waiting?"
Maria's only reply was to walk in the direction of the Workshop.
The buildings of the district around the Labyrinth formed a maze of their own, but we had taken this walk many times. The towering edifices were an imposing sight, and the streets were filled with members of the Church and those who had business with them.
"I wonder what Laurence wants to talk to us about," I said to Henryk, "He doesn't have much to do with the Tomb Prospectors these days."
"Might be about something one of the other teams found," he replied, "Though I can't imagine anything that would be important enough for him to tell us personally."
"Maybe he just wants to congratulate us for our work," I suggested, "We have made many breakthroughs since we left Byrgenwerth, after all."
"That doesn't sound like something Laurence would do. Whatever this is, I'm sure it's significant."
Soon, we had reached our destination. It was a circular tower whose base was at the bottom of the Cathedral Ward, but whose peak still managed to be the highest in the sky after the Grand Cathedral. We went up the wooden steps and reached a large set of double doors which opened into a garden terrace that looked down on the lower parts of Cathedral Ward. At its far end was a small building on top of a hill, which housed the headquarters of the Tomb Prospectors and the Workshop which crafted their weapons.
The gardens outside were filled with the other Tomb Prospectors, some of whom were wearing their gear. At the entrance to the building were two men who stood in stark contrast to each other.
The first was tall and wore simple clothing, though the shock of white hair on his head was covered by a top hat. Despite his apparent age, he was strong enough to carry the large scythe on his back and the gun at his hip. This was Gehrman, the venerated head of the Tomb Prospectors.
The other was shorter than his peer. He had on fine white robes embroidered with a golden trim. His black hair was tied back in a short ponytail, and the flowing robes did well to hide his thin frame. This was Laurence, the first Vicar of the Healing Church.
Despite their differing appearances, both wore the same expression. The darkness in their faces was like two clouds which threatened to blot out the cheeriness of the gathered Tomb Prospectors.
Gehrman saw the three of us approaching. He waved, and we returned the gesture.
Gehrman turned and said something to Laurence, which was answered with a nod. Then, the old Prospector spoke. His thundering voice carried across the garden, smothering the buzz of conversation.
"Alright everyone, settle down please. Now that we're all here, the Vicar wishes to address you."
The Prospectors fell silent. The only sound as Laurence cleared his throat was the rustle of the leaves in the trees.
"Thank you all for coming, and good afternoon," he said. His voice lacked the authority of Gehrman's, but it held a gentleness befitting his station, "First, I would like to congratulate you all for your excellent work. Thanks to the secrets found within the Labyrinth, the Healing Church has made great strides in our research, and the role of the Tomb Prospectors in this cannot be understated"
I gave Henryk a playful nudge, and he rolled his eyes, smiling.
"However, I am sad to say that I come bearing terrible news," Laurence continued, "A new disease has come to Yharnam, and a horrific one at that. The afflicted are transformed into beasts."
There was an outbreak of muttering in the crowd, and the pleasant mood of the assembly quickly dissolved into a confusion tinged with fear.
Henryk leaned close to me and whispered, "Did he just say 'beasts'?"
Maria fixed him with a baleful gaze as Laurence attempted to settle the crowd.
"Please, calm down everyone," he said, "Allow me to finish."
The murmuring subsided, and Laurence continued.
"Many of you have encountered abominations in the Labyrinth which we call beasts, and a few of you may even be familiar with the creatures the Knights of Cainhurst combat, which also go by that name. While the beings created from this Scourge are of the same sort, they are vastly inferior in terms of strength. Indeed, a single Tomb Prospector would have no difficulty dispatching one. That is why you will be the ones to combat this illness.
"Like any other disease, this must be treated. The afflicted who are identified early will be taken in so that we can determine the best countermeasures. If someone progresses too far and turns, you will step in to protect the people of Yharnam. To this end, you will patrol the streets at night, the time the beasts like to roam. You shall be called Hunters, and Gehrman will lead you."
With that, Gehrman began to speak.
"The teams will patrol the city, searching for any sign of unusual activity. Those who have been turned by the Scourge can be identified by elongated limbs and excessive hair growth. To confirm that someone is a beast, approach them with caution. If they attack mindlessly, they must be eliminated. Remember that above all, our goal is to guard the populace. The first patrol begins tonight, and will be in two shifts. The first goes from six in the evening to midnight, and the second goes from midnight to six in the morning. The teams will be split into three groups which will rotate through the shifts, giving each group a night off every two nights. Your assignments have been posted on the bulletin board in the Workshop."
Once he had finished, Laurence spoke again.
"A few teams shall continue to serve as Tomb Prospectors, but the majority of you will become Hunters until we determine how many are needed to effectively protect the city. I'm sure you all have many questions, but we will not be taking any at this time. Again, thank you all for your service, and good luck."
Laurence headed down the steps and through the crowd. They stood aside to allow him to pass. As he passed by us, we made eye contact, and he forced a smile before heading through the double doors.
"He didn't even say hello," Henryk said.
Once the doors had shut behind Laurence, the group broke into an uproar directed at Gehrman. He allowed the clamor to persist for a few seconds, but then his voice quelled them.
"I understand your concerns," Gehrman said, "I am not happy either that we will be patrolling the streets instead of unlocking the mysteries below our feet. Still, those secrets will be waiting for us when this is all over. If we don't defend our city, however, the people of Yharnam won't be. Will you stand with me for a cause even more righteous than the search for knowledge, as a Hunter of the Workshop?"
At first, there was no reply. Then, one of the Tomb Prospectors who had his weapon with him started to bang its hilt against the ground. The clanging echoed through the garden, and soon others began to join him. Henryk began to stomp his feet, and motioned for me to do the same. The very ground shook, and even Maria joined in.
Gehrman reached over his shoulder and grabbed the handle of his scythe. The weapon spun in his hand, the various hinges turning to extend it to its full length. Then, he brought it down with a mighty thud which signaled the end of the cacophony. A smile had brightened his grim features.
"I'll take that as a yes."
After that, the multitudinous Hunters filed into the Workshop to view their assignments. Only one had to be sent from each team, and so Maria went in. Henryk and I sat on a bench near the edge of the terrace while we waited.
"What do you think of the idea of being a Hunter?" I asked.
"Do you really think they'd pick us? We're the best team, after all," he replied.
"True. I suppose it wouldn't make sense to have us deal with simple beasts."
We looked out over the rooftops in silence for a bit. Then, I spoke again.
"This 'Scourge' sounds ghastly. I wonder if they've determined the cause."
"Perhaps, but, even if they did, we don't have the privilege of knowing," Henyrk replied, "The real question is why they don't just treat it with the Old Blood. After all, they haven't found anything it doesn't work on yet."
"Which brings up the most terrifying possibility," I said.
We turned to each other, and his dark look mirrored mine.
"That the Old Blood can't cure this one," he finished.
I slid along the bench and leaned into him. He put his arm around me, patting my shoulder.
"It's going to be alright," he said, "We'll get through this together."
Part of me worried if that were true, but I pushed the thought from my mind. Then, the weariness born of our expedition into the Labyrinth caught up with me. My eyelids grew heavy, and the soft sound of Henryk's breathing lulled me to sleep.
Later, Henryk gave me a soft shake to awaken me. Maria was standing beside us, her smooth features set in a look of indifference.
"What's our assignment?" I asked her.
"We will be part of the second shift tonight," she replied.
I wasn't sure how to react to the news. I wasn't afraid, since I knew this would be far less perilous than exploring the Labyrinth. Still, part of me was disappointed.
"I want to talk to Gehrman about this," Henryk said, "Giving us such a menial task is absurd."
"Do as you will," Maria replied, "I'll meet you two at the Workshop at eleven forty-five."
She took her leave, and Henryk stood.
"Want to come too?" he asked.
I nodded. Though I didn't share Henryk's sentiments, I was interested to hear what Gehrman had to say.
We headed up the hill and into the Workshop, where Gehrman sat alone in a rocking chair by the fire. The crackling of the flames was accompanied by a soft scraping as he sharpened his scythe.
"Ah, hello you two," Gehrman said, "Maria told me about your expedition today. It was quite the tale."
"Yes, it was," Henryk replied. He held his indignation in check, but either through something in his tone or simply Gehrman's familiarity with him, the old man understood the purpose of this meeting.
"You're upset that you've been assigned to the Hunt," Gehrman said.
Henryk vented his frustration with a deep sigh. The sound of the grinding stopped as Gehrman looked up at him.
"Is it because you think it's beneath you?"
"Yes," Henryk replied.
"What does Maria think?"
Henryk scoffed, "'Gehrman knows best.' What else would she think?"
Gehrman looked to me.
"And what do you think, Reese?"
I cast my eyes to the floor, considering the question. Then, I turned back to Gehrman and said, "Well, I assume there must be some purpose for it, even if I can't fathom it."
Gehrman gave a slow nod, and he looked to Henryk.
"What about that reasoning do you disagree with?"
"It's not that I disagree…" Henryk brought up his hand and began to massage the back of his neck, "I just want to understand the purpose, but Laurence said you wouldn't be answering any questions."
"Indeed he did," Gehrman said, "And so we have reached an impasse."
Gehrman gazed down at his hands and began to turn over the whetstone. His brows became knit and his eyes narrowed. Then, he set the whetstone in his lap and fixed us with a grave stare.
"You two must promise me that you will keep this a secret. Tell no one except Maria. Understand?"
The sudden shift in tone startled me, but I nodded. Henryk's ire was gone when he replied.
"Of course."
Gehrman took a deep breath, then began.
"How well do you remember what we fought in Loran?"
"A great deal of beasts," I replied, "The Darkbeasts were the most horrific we had ever encountered. Henryk even crafted his special uniform to combat them."
"Yes, the beasts," Gehrman said, "Most were hardly a match for a seasoned Tomb Prospector, and, as Laurence said, the beasts you will be facing as Hunters will be weaker even than those. However, the beasts in Loran did not start as powerful as they are now."
My eyes widened as I began to understand.
"Over time, the beasts in Loran grew stronger, strong enough to overrun the land, driving it to ruin. There are some within the Healing Church who speculate that our beasts will be much the same."
"And that's why you want us to become Hunters now?" Henryk asked.
"Precisely," Gehrman replied, "Ludwig has even decided to put what he's learned about his sword to use. We need our best and brightest to become accustomed to the Hunt before the Scourge becomes that severe."
"Do you really think the beasts will grow that dangerous?" I asked.
"I don't know. The Choir's top scholars are researching everything we know about Loran and the Scourge to discover how to stop this. Until the answer is found, though, we must assume the worst. Can I count on you three to do your part?"
"We won't let you down," I replied.
Gehrman smiled.
"I know you won't."