The Last Peaceful Night

Mandatory Disclaimer: I don't own Shit. If I did, Bloodborne 2 would be announced by now.

After the battle, and recruitment, the Shepherds headed down the road. The village people offered to allow them to stay, to celebrate. But much to Lissa's surprise, they apparently weren't going to stay the night. Gehrman quickly retrieved his bag, all continents still within and they set off. They traveled for the length of the day, but eventually they had to stop. Like all days, it came to an end. With the light fading, Chrom ordered for a camp fire to be built, and consequently, supper to start. Lissa volunteered clearing a space, just so she could get out of picking up the firewood.

Chrom and Robin set out to get some firewood while Gehrman and Frederick were tasked with getting some supper. When it was decided, both men glanced at one another before walking in opposite directions just so they could get away from one another.

Currently, Robin was picking up sticks and offloading them to Chrom. It was mean of her, letting him take all the hard work, but then again, she didn't have to carry near as much.

"You think that's going to be enough?" Robin asked, handing Chrom one last branch.

The leader of the Shepherds shifted his weight, keeping all the wood in his arms while trying his best to nod.

"This should last us just long enough through the night."

Robin clapped her hands together, clearing off the dust before setting off back to the campsite. Despite their hopes, the best wood for the fire was located a fair distance away from the place where they chose to make camp. It wasn't too bad, but it was still a bit of a walk. And seeing how that neither member of the party cared for silence, they were waiting for the other to start something up. They very well would have stayed there in silence, with both of them waiting. But Robin's curiosity got the better of her.

"Chrom,"

"Huh?"

"What do you think of us? Gehrman and I?" She asked.

Chrom raised an eyebrow "Interesting time to ask questions. Where did this come from?"

Robin shrugged "I don't know. I barely know my own name, I'm walking around a country I know nothing about. I don't even know when the last time I ate was."

Chrom understood. It was reasonable given the circumstances. He had never known someone with amnesia, but he knew that it could be terrifying. What if Robin was leaving behind a family? A brother or sister? Of even a husband. Not likely, she didn't have a ring on her finger, but it was still a possibility. She could be leaving an entire life behind, but here she was. Standing tall and walking, it was amazing. Nothing more need be said.

"I'm sure that Frederick and Gehrman will bring us back a feast worthy of the Exalt herself." Chrom said.

"That I have no doubt about." Robin said "But you still haven't answered my question."

Chrom let out a small chuckle "Fair enough. If I were to start, I'd say that you two are amazing people."

"Flattery is going to get you nowhere." Robin joked as she stepped over a downed tree.

"I mean it. Both of you had no obligation to protect the people of Ylisse. You have no memories, and Gehrman had no allegiance to the people that I've seen. But without even thinking, you both jumped in and helped. You put your lives on the line to make sure that no villagers were hurt. You lead us through the battle effortlessly, and Gehrman saved a woman I feared was going to be hurt, or worse. In the end, everything turned out better than ever all thanks to you too. Because of that, you're friends in my book."

Robin took a glance at the man behind her. She had yet to fully form a full opinion on the man, but what she had so far was good enough for a start. He was kind, noble, handsome, and willing to help those he considers friend. Tactically, it made him weak to sneak attacks. But outside of it, it made him the best possible commander for his troops. He would be a good leader.

Robin bowed her head slightly "Well thank you for that."

"My pleasure." Chrom said.

"So, you respect us and consider us your friends?"

"Yep." Chrom said without hesitation.

"Even when Gehrman was checking out your sister all the way here?" Robin asked.

Chrom's smile dropped off his face. He came to an abrupt halt and stared at Robin. The tactician noticed that he stopped and glanced behind her.

"You didn't notice? If it makes you feel better, he was looking at me too."

Chrom blinked "I… well I had to keep my eyes in front of me so I didn't trip. But… really? Lissa? She's not old enough to marry yet."

He stopped and his eyes gained an angry glint "Wait a second, he just joined and he's already looking to make a move? What kind of man moves that fas-?"

Chrom stopped his tirade when he noticed Robin holding in a laugh. He rolled his eyes "Ha ha very funny."

"I can't have some fun?" Robin asked, her laughter breaking through a tiny bit "You're my first friends, I have to start building memories sometime."

"Yes, but can we leave my sister out of it? If she gets anymore ideas for pranks I'm going to go grey early."

"Noted."

They moved through the brush and arrived back at the sight. Lissa was setting up the sleeping mats while Frederick was readying a few rabbits for supper. Chrom heard his stomach growl at the sight, it had been a while since he'd had rabbit. Robin was a little queasy at the sight of the dead animals, but then she remembered that they were going to be her supper. Needless to say, her stomach overrode her mind.

Frederick looked up from his work and bowed to Chrom "Milord." His smile disappeared when he looked to Robin "Robin."

Undeterred by the glare she was getting, Robin took a seat next to Frederick around the hole where the fire was going to take place.

"Frederick, I see you've got dinner. Have you seen Gehrman?"

The knight shook his head "I haven't seen Gehrman since we parted ways at the start of our assigned tasks."

"He's probably still hunting." Lissa chimed in before taking a seat on the other side of Frederick.

Chrom finished setting up the wood and with a quick spell from Robin, the fire was blazing. Frederick got to work on the rabbits instantly, skinning and preparing them for the meal to come. They waited with bated breath for the knight to finish, their stomachs demanding sustenance. They heard a branch crack behind them and they all looked into the brush to see Gehrman coming into the clearing.

With a fully-grown bear on his back!

Lissa and Robin's jaws hit the floor, Chrom had to quick pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming and Frederick dropped the rabbit he was working on. The First Hunter smirked at their surprised faces.

"I hope you're hungry." He dropped the bear carcass down on the ground in front of the fire "Because I got a good meal of all of us."

Lissa looked at the bear, then back to the hunter. Back to the bear, and then the hunter. She massaged her temples, fighting back a headache "You killed a bear! Couldn't you spear something normal?"

"Like what, a rabbit?" Gehrman asked.

Lissa nodded, and it was then that Gehrman noticed the animal Frederick was cleaning. He tipped his hat in respect of the fresh kill and Frederick looked… slightly impressed at the bear. The two men got to work on their respective kills. Size played the key factor in the creation of the meals. Gehrman hacked up chunks of bear meat to use, but Frederick was the one laying them out over the fire. As such, the five of them feasted on rabbit before moving onto the bear. Robin's rabbit barely lasted a second she finished it so fast. In fact, Gehrman was pretty sure that she didn't even breath once while she ate. Eventually, the bear was skinned and it's meat was cooked over the fire. With his work done, Gehrman finally joined his companions next to the fire.

Just like the rabbit, they ate in silence. Robin went from piece to piece, eating as much as she could while Chrom and Gehrman slowly enjoyed themselves. Lissa was… slowly eating her piece while Frederick hadn't even bother making himself a piece. Once he was finished, Chrom let out a content sigh "Ahh. It's been too long since I've tasted bear meat. Delicious."

He then noticed that his sister was still working on her piece.

"Something wrong Lissa?" He asked.

Lissa grimaced and slowly set her piece down "I still think that Gehrman should have gotten us something normal, like Frederick. I swear you're messing with the food chain or something!"

Gehrman bit down on his piece and shrugged "Meat it meat, doesn't really matter what beast it came from."

Chrom nodded in agreement "He's right Lissa, meat is meat. And while I thank Frederick for the rabbits, this bear is going to fill us all up. So, dig in."

"People don't eat bear!" Lissa complained.

"People also don't see a town get sacked every day." Gehrman argued "Hasn't stopped anything from happening."

Lissa pouted at the hunter, earning her a grin from the man.

"Robin, back me up on this… uh… Robin?"

Everyone who wasn't paying attention looked to the snow haired tactician. As it turned out, Robin was still picking off pieces of the bear and having her fill. She hadn't even looked up from her meal this whole time. Lissa sighed in defeat "I suppose anyone would enjoy something if they hadn't eaten in the last few days."

"It's still meat Lissa." Chrom said, pleading with his sister.

"Most meat doesn't smell like old boots!" She stops for a second "Wait, I take it back, boots smell better!"

Gehrman blinked before taking a whiff of his piece of the bear. It smelled just like any other cooked animal to him. He looked down at his boots, and decided against smelling them. Even the presence didn't want to know what those old things smelled like. He didn't care if they were cleaned, he walked through rivers of beast's blood, and that couldn't have been good for the smell of the leather. Next to her, Frederick let out a tired sigh "Every experience makes you stronger milady. Even the ones we don't enjoy."

Lissa crossed her arms and looked at the knight questionably "Really? Then why don't I see you eating any Frederick?"

Frederick's eyes widen when he realizes his blunder, but quickly puts on a smile "Me?...Oh no...worries milady, my rabbit had more than enough meat on it to fill me up."

The blond healer rolled her eyes "Yeah right."

A moment of silence ensued between the group before everyone broke out into laughter at the situation. Once everyone calmed down, Chrom looked to Gehrman "So Gehrman, where are you from?"

The question took the Hunter off guard but he hid his surprise quickly. What was he supposed to tell them? From a city wracked with Beasts and slowly dying? A little house beyond time and space? He looked around, and found that everyone, Robin included was looking at him expectantly.

No choice then.

"Not really much to tell." Gehrman started "I grew up in a city that prided itself on its secrecy. It's called Yharnam, and it… didn't take to kind to guest."

"How so?" Robin asked.

Gehrman let out a rue chuckle "Let's just say had a special way of saying hello and keep it to that."

Robin blinked, that was cryptic. Despite her expression, Gehrman continued.

"The city itself is towering. Building stretched to the skies, scraping the clouds and looking over the smaller buildings below it. The people there are protective of their own. Some of them, I wouldn't trust with a good bottle of whisky, but most of them were good people just trying to get by with the help of the church, doing anything to stay in it's good graces."

"Religion is a powerful force in your city?" Chrom asked.

Gehrman nodded "The church's word was law. With their help, the city grew in size, power and authority. Should the church order it, dozens of men would take up arms against its enemies and they would be willing to do it without hesitation."

"Just like you." Robin said.

Gehrman looked at her with a questioning brow raised.

"You joined the ranks of the army, or whatever militia they used, didn't you? You said you were a blacksmith, but you know how to fight. You have to get the training somewhere, and experience is the best teacher in… anything really."

Gehrman nodded his head in admiration and tipped his cap to her "Sorry I forgot just how sharp you were."

Robin leaned back slightly, basking in the complement. Gehrman shook his head and continued.

"Robin's right, I did join when the call came out. But I was the only one whose call did not ring across the city. It came from a desperate man, seeking help…. A friend even."

Robin's smile dipped slightly. She watched as Gehrman's eyes seemed to grow older. They clouded over, reliving memories that must have been years old. He instinctively gripped the shaft of his sword, or, spear thing, holding onto it like it was a safety line. But then, it's gone and Gehrman's back to smiling once again.

"I think that's enough storytelling for tonight, wouldn't you say?"

Chrom nodded, he didn't catch Gehrman's hidden meaning, but he seemed to agree. It was getting late. Lissa brushed off her dress before taking the closest sleeping mat. Chrom just put his arms behind his head for a pillow and closed his eyes. Frederick kicked some dirt into the fire, putting it out before taking the first watch. Gehrman just fell backward and closed his eyes. A second later, he was asleep.

Most men take a few minutes to fall asleep. But soldiers on the battlefield. When you're in the field, if you want any sleep at all you need to figure out how to instantly go from conscious to unconscious. Clearly, Gehrman had this skill mastered. Clearly, he'd been in the field more than he let on.

But Robin didn't dwell on it, she was tired and wanted just as much sleep as the next Shepherd. She placed her arms under her head and closed her eyes. Sleep came to her instantly. Slowly, everyone found themselves lost in their own dreams. Some of them great and grand. Some of them filled with romance and spectacle. But for Gehrman, he didn't even dream at all.

He couldn't let himself.

His entire being teetered on the edge of the two states of consciousness. He wasn't awake, but he wasn't asleep as well. He wanted to sleep, he did. But he didn't want to dream. If he started dreaming, he would go back. He would see the city he loved, burning and screaming its life away into the dark. He would see Laurence, working himself to death in his lab, all the while saying that he was so close to a breakthrough. He would see Master William, sitting in his chair, mourning the choices of his fallen students. He would see Ludwig, charging out with the people of Yharnam, leaving Gehrman, the old and useless mentor behind. Utterly forgotten and worthless.

And worst of all, he would see Maria. She would be standing proud, her Rakuyo in her hand ready for battle. But slowly, the blood would tarnish her smile. The sights she has seen would be too much for her. And the admiration she had for her partner, would lead her to kill herself just so his name wouldn't be tarnished in the annals of history. He wouldn't see the doll, so kind and comforting. Her smile… how it hurt to see it every second of every moment.

It wasn't the most peaceful of nights for him, but it was far better than what he'd been experiencing. But it seemed that it was going to get cut short. Gehrman heard the rustling of someone else in the group, and his senses switched back to on without his say. He opened his eyes to see the forest ceiling staring back down at him. Looking to the side, he saw Robin and Frederick sleeping calmly and Lissa and Chrom slowly sit up from their positions. The leader of the Shepherd noticed the hunter looking at him.

"Did I wake you up?"

Gehrman shook his head "I'm a light sleeper, don't worry about it."

Lissa sighed of relief "Oh that's good. We were thinking about going for a walk, want to join?"

Gehrman looked to the sky, watching the starlight and the moon shine down upon him. He didn't recognize any of the constellations, probably for the best. Even while he was traveling, he didn't sense any insight around the woods. Nor were there any signs of Great Ones interfering on this plane of existence.

For all he knew, there weren't any great ones. Here's hoping that was the case.

To the question, Gehrman smiled fondly "I haven't had the chance to have a peaceful walk under the starlight in a long time."

He got up and quietly, the three followed an old beat up trail leading through the forest. They walked in silence, though none of them payed that any mind. They were trying to clear their heads in the night air, conversation wouldn't do good to help that along. Lissa looked to the trees, trying to see if she could find any birds. Chrom kept his eyes focused on the area in front of them, leading the group through the brush so they didn't trip over anything. Gehrman, for once in his life, was enjoying the night air. He couldn't remember the last time he was able to just walk through the night with a friend and enjoy the cool breeze. At this point, normally he'd have killed at least a dozen or so beasts and smell like something out of a nightmare.

It was an enjoyable experience. So enjoyable, that Gehrman didn't start noticing things as soon as he otherwise would have. Despite being in the middle of the night, away from the city and anything else, he didn't hear a single animal. There weren't any birds chirping, no animals running through the forest. There weren't even any bugs making some annoying chirping sound. Gehrman placed a hand on his burial blade and stepped in front of Lissa. The healer nearly bumped into the man and Chrom stopped in his tracks. He turned around to see Gehrman scanning the surrounding area while Lissa was looking at him strangely.

"Something wrong Gehrman?" Chrom asked.

Gehrman kept looking through the forest, passed the trees and into the beyond "Do either of you hear anything?"

Chrom and Lissa share a sibling glance, both questioning the other before looking back to Gehrman.

"Nope, I don't hear anything." Lissa said.

"Exactly." Gehrman said.

He brandished the blade of his burial scythe and took a step forward into the clearing. Just then, the ground began to shake underneath them. It had no buildup, no telling of it's coming. One second all was calm, and the next the earth itself was seemingly trying to rip itself apart. Lissa screamed in surprise and fell into her brother's arms. Chrom barely managed to keep the two of them upright, while Gehrman planted his feet and widened his stance. He waited for a second before he noticed the trees in the distance start to fall to the side.

"Run." He ordered.

"Huh?" Lissa questioned.

Gehrman was already running in the opposite direction, not even wasting the time to answer Lissa's question. Thankfully, Chrom was on the same page as the hunter. He pushed his sister along and ran for all he was worth away from the falling trees. As they ran, the ground literally broke apart. A chasm split the earth apart. Seismic powers beyond human comprehension forced a huge chunk of earth skyward.

Then, from the new opening, red hot magma erupted from the earth, lighting the sky with liquid fire. If that wasn't enough, red hot balls of fire shot out from the depths of the magma. They rained down on the forest, setting the trees ablaze and crashing down around the three Shepherds. Chrom and Gehrman dipped and dodged, their physical prowess more than enough to give them enough speed to dodge. Lissa however, with her skirt, was the most impaired when it came to agility. Gehrman's instincts screamed, and he looked to the sky and saw a rock head straight for Lissa. But she didn't see it coming.

The ground underneath Gehrman cracked as he forced his limbs into quickening. He disappeared from sight, leaving only a wispy cloud in his wake as he flew straight at Lissa. The First Hunter wrapped his free hand around Lissa and kept going. They were at least ten feet away when the rock hit, and only then did Lissa's mind catch up to the situation. One instant she was running, the next she was being curried by Gehrman. She would have protested, if she didn't see him cut straight through a tree to keep his momentum going on his run. Lissa felt that anyone who was going to do that, didn't want to be distracted by anything.

Gehrman, with Lissa in tow, followed Chrom down a ledge, away from the fire. They didn't stop running until they arrived in a clearing about half a mile away from the worst of the fire. When he was sure that nothing was going to fall on them, Gehrman finally set Lissa down. The healer stumbled to the ground and took several deep breaths, mostly from shock if anything.

"You alright?" Gehrman asked.

Lissa nodded through breathing "Yeah, thanks for that by the way. But warn me next time you're going to carry me."

"I'll try." The hunter said.

Lissa cracked a smile before her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.

"What IS that!?" She screamed.

Both Gehrman and Chrom followed her finger to the sky line. In the air, a collection of power seemed to appear out of nowhere. It separated itself into hundreds of tiny dots before coming together and exploding in a shockwave of power. That power radiated outwards for a few waves before coming in on itself again. It formed into two hard light circles. They layered on one another, with symbols decorating the space between them. They looked like the words to some ancient language that no one knew. Everything was foreign, except for one. It was only there for a second, but Gehrman saw something that made his blood run cold.

At the bottom of the circle, a single symbol stood out. It was a single straight line with two lines jutting out slightly before coming together at the end of the main line.

The rune for the Hunter.

White light appeared in a crystal line in the center of the circle, before opening. It was a giant eye that seemed to be watching the world. Inwardly, Gehrman cursed himself. It really was too much for him to have one peaceful night.

He expected it to glow, to bulge and explode as light shot out as a beam of power. But instead, something slowly started crawling out of the eye. Seven things fell out of the eye, falling the fifty some feet and crashed into the ground below. Whatever they were, they didn't seem to care about the fall. They got up, and all three of the Shepherd's knew that these things weren't human.

Their flesh was purple and rotting, their eyes glowing an unnatural red. They wore basic leather armor, wielding axes and swords. They stepped forward and let out a roar so inhuman that Gehrman's mind flashed back to the great beasts. Both men readied their weapons and stood in front of Lissa.

"Gehrman," Chrom said, causing the hunter to glance at him "Take care of Lissa."

Gehrman nodded, and slowly lead Lissa back away from the fight that was about to begin. Chrom unsheathed his sword, Falchion and stood ready. The second he was, the first of those things charged forward. It moved like a puppet on a string, but that didn't really do it justice just how fast this this was. It went from standing to a full sprint faster than most first time hunters could quickstep. Thankfully, Chrom was more than ready.

He ducked under the things charge and slashed his blade straight across it's chest. To anyone else, it would have been a fatal blow. But the thing just turned its head and swung its axe. Surprise and shock dulled Chrom's movements, forcing him into blocking the attack. The edge of the axe came inches from his next, but was stopped dead from Chrom's blade. The two warriors struggled against one another for a second. Then, Chrom flipped up the thing's guard and kicked the thing over. Before it could get back up, Chrom leaped into the air and ran his blade straight through its chest.

The thing silently screamed in pain before it started dissolving into purple mist. Lissa smiled at her brother's victory before screaming as something charged her and Gehrman. Unlike the other warriors, it had a more decorative helmet with feathers sticking out the ends. It also seemed broader than its counterparts. At its side, it had a club with spikes running along the sides. It charged Gehrman and Lissa, just as fast as it's friend did to Chrom. Only, at the last second, it moved.

To the normal eye, it would seem as if the thing suddenly got twice as fast, closing the remaining distance in an instant. To Gehrman however, it was something else entirely. He only took a single step, and in that step, he pushed himself straight through the air, ignoring any resistance that he might have gotten for an instant. A quick step, the technique taught to every hunter that walked through the dream or any workshop worthy of the name. It swung its beast cutter but Gehrman parried with the blunt end of his burial blade. Undeterred, his enemy flicked his wrist, revealing a throwing knife and stabbed it straight towards Gehrman's heart.

Thinking quickly, Gehrman tipped the shaft of his scythe off his back and in front of himself. The knife sparked off the hilt of the blade as Gehrman swung it over and around himself, connecting to the end of the blade on its way passed. He pushed the club away and spun his scythe around, catching the enemy on the back of the head. But clearly, he was dealing with a hunter with some experience. It ducked, narrowly avoiding getting its head taking off. In the same moment, it dodged back. Gehrman readied his scythe and the two fighters regarded one another.

To Lissa, it all seemed to happen in a second. Both Gehrman and the thing he was fighting were moving faster than she thought possible. She had questions, obviously, but right now she was just thankful that Gehrman was here for her.

Gehrman however, wasn't having many happy thoughts. The majority of his mind was looking for opening in his opponent's guard. He had other thoughts yes, but they wouldn't help with the battle at hand. So, he ignored them and focused instead on the battle. His opponent tilted its head at an unnatural angle.

They waited, then they moved. Both of them shot forward faster than an arrow at met one another with a clash of sparks. Two spikes on the side of the club didn't survive the impact, but its wielder didn't seem to mind. It pulled back and Gehrman kept up the pressure, not allowing it any time for reprieve. He launched his scythe forward, up and over its head before swiftly pulling back. Luckily for the thing, it only caught the back of its head, but it was still enough. The sickening sound of flesh being forced off a body filled the air as black blood erupted from the thing. It wasn't enough to kill it, but it did cause it to stumble forward. Gehrman swung his scythe in an upward motion, sending it flying into the air. He jumped after it, hooking his scythe around it's body and smashing it down to earth. His scythe sang as it cut through the air, carving through the wind as its tip was aimed right at the thing's head. Whatever it was, it moved its head at the last second, striking back with its club at it moved. Even though Gehrman wanted to dodge, he couldn't. The universal law of gravity determined where you were going to go when you started falling. And yes, if he channeled his arcane, he could change his position, but against an opponent like this, it wasn't worth it.

Gehrman tilted his head to the side, narrowly avoiding losing an eye as one spike scraped along his face. It drew a bit of blood, but not enough to be considered more than a paper cut. Gehrman knew the pain of getting his chest ripped out repeatedly and it didn't even slow him down. And that was when he was older than a wrinkle on dirt. Here, he figured he could go even longer.

Redoubling his efforts, he slammed his foot down on the thing's elbow. He heard something crack, and it dropped its weapon. It stabbed Gehrman's leg with the knife, but Gehrman thanked it for the new cramp by putting the tip of his scythe through its skull. It convulsed and then disappeared into a pile of purple mist. Gehrman sighed and cracked his neck. But he stopped when he heard Lissa scream.

His head snapped around as one of those things raised its axe, about to end it all. Instantly, Gehrman was back in Yharnam. He watched as a beast towered over a screaming girl. It brought it's claws down and the screaming stopped. The girl's head fell to the side, limp, her eyes still open and pleading for someone.

That, had been Gehrman's first hunt. The first night he went into the city to fight against the scourge that Laurence told him about. He would kill the beast, but he never killed the memory. A little girl, who didn't deserve the fate she received. Years later, Maria asked him, why do you hunt for people you don't know? In response, the First Hunter smiled.

"These people, these kind, innocent people, are not beasts. No matter who you are, no matter your past, you don't deserve to live as a beast. I hunt… so that they don't have to spend another second screaming in their nightmare."

Anger and desperation rushed through Gehrman, forcing him to forget any pretenses of holding back. Instinct forced a bit of arcane energy into his legs, causing them to glow an ethereal blue. Then, he moved. Time seemed to move to a crawl as Gehrman closed the distance. It moved it slow motion while Gehrman wasn't hindered by anything. He was going to make it, he was sure of it. He wasn't going to let this thing hurt anyone! But, someone else jumped in to make sure that he would.

At first, he thought it was Chrom, given the blue armor. But Chrom couldn't quickstep, and whoever this was could. He stepped into the small space between the creature and Lissa. He raised his blade and ready to block and stop the axe dead in its tracks should the creature be given the chance. Then, an instant later, Gehrman sliced his scythe right down the middle. The two sides of the thing fell apart and turned into mist before it hit the ground. Lissa sank to her knees in relief and Gehrman took a second to make sure she wasn't hurt before checking out the newcomer.

He was average height and wore blue leather armor with several pieces of metal protecting vital areas. Other than him having blue hair, Gehrman couldn't tell anything more because of the newcomer's mask. He seemed to regard Gehrman, then his scythe before taking off to fight the remaining creatures still in the forest. Gehrman felt a little peeved, but he paid it no mind. He stabbed his scythe into the ground and helped Lissa to her feet.

The healer smiled her thanks before her eyes bulged "Gehrman your leg!"

The first hunter glanced down at his leg, where the knife was still sticking out.

He shrugged "I've had worse."

Lissa gave him a deadpanned look "That doesn't matter!" She screamed.

She knelt as Chrom joined the two of them. The leader of the Shepherd's had a line to sweat running down his face from fighting. He was about to ask something before noticing the knife sticking out of Gehrman's leg.

"It's not too bad." Gehrman said.

Just to show he wasn't lying, he didn't even react when Lissa pulled it out and started dressing it. Chrom took Gehrman at his word and checked how their situation was. More of those things had come from the portal. In the clearing, there was about five of them with a few extras in the forest but they probably didn't have to worry much about those. Lissa finished dressing Gehrman's wound just as Frederick and Robin appeared out of the brush. Naturally, the knight was instantly at his charges side.

"Milord, milady, are you hurt?"

"We're fine Frederick," Chrom said, reassuring the knight "The only one here that got hurt is Gehrman here."

"Hurt is a strong word, I got annoyed more than anything." Gehrman said in his defense.

Lissa and Robin looked at his bandaged leg before giving him a questioning look. Gehrman decided that it would be best to look at the situation. He picked up his scythe, disengaging the blade and holding it at the ready while Robin's face went through several different emotions at once as she got a good luck at what they were fighting.

"Are those things common around here?" She asked.

"They aren't from Ylisse I can tell you that much." Chrom said.

He glanced at Gehrman and the hunter shook his head "I've never seen anything like them."

That was a bit of a lie. The kin could get ugly when they wanted to, but it didn't really matter to Gehrman. He'd never seen walking corpses before, so it was good enough.

Robin pointed to Gehrman and Frederick "Gehrman, Frederick, you're in front. We take them down one at a time, don't waste time, cut them down."

The two men glanced at one another, going through a similar situation as the hunting. Only thing time, they looked at one another's weapons and seemed to be content with the situation.

"Chrom, you and Lissa are with me. You and I will support the sides while Lissa keeps us all healed."

The group got into formation and charged. There was no battle cry, no loud exclamation of challenge. They were a soundless machine, running through the field towards the first creature. It raised its sword, ready to strike but Frederick ran it through the chest as Gehrman took off its head. They did it so fast the group didn't even break stride. What did get them to break apart, was the archer. It pulled out it's bow and fired several shots at the Shepherds. Everyone chose a side and jumped, or in the case of Gehrman, ducked to get to safety. The creature reached into its quiver for another arrow, but earned itself a trip straight to the afterlife as a horse crashed into it like a demon from the pit.

She cursed under her breath when the thing kept moving before putting her spear through its head.

"Damned monsters! Alright! Who wants to see how my spear tastes next!?"

Apparently, there was one that did. An axeman charged her horse ready to kill the animal and the rider. For its dedication into killing, it earned an arrow in its eye socket. It flipped over and fell to the ground dead as another figure stepped into the fray. He looked… like a dandy if anything.

"Hold milady!" He called.

The mounted knight looked just as confused as everyone else "Huh?"

The man seemed completely at ease despite the fire and his bluntness "Life may be long, but attraction is fleeting. Why would you leave me in your sweet dust?"

"... who the hell are you?"

The intent was obvious, but it was clearly lost on the poor man.

"Ha! Is the lady intrigued? Of course you are, it's only natural."

Robin looked at Gehrman with a look that said 'Do you know this guy?'

Gehrman just shrugged. He was used to crazy at this point. Nobody left the School of Mensis with all of their sanity still intact.

Outside of the private exchange, the man continued "I am myth and legend! I am he who strides across history's greatest stage! I am he who puts arch, in archer! My name, dear lady is Vi-"

The mounted knight almost kicked the man in his head she moved away so fast. This at least put a damper on his spirits.

"Virion, my name is Virion."

Gehrman blinked at the sight and laughed a little. Micolash would have loved this guy. The hunter got up and took a stance next to him. Instantly, Virion's downcast gaze was replaced with his smile.

"Ah good sir, I'm sorry but I must-."

"Start shooting at these things and flirt with the knight later." Gehrman said interrupting the man.

Virion looked a little perturbed but Gehrman knew how to change that "If you kill these things, don't you think that'll impress the lovely lady?"

Virion's expression turned thoughtful, then, he smiled.

"A brilliant observation good sir. I shall endeavor to cast down every one of these vermin so that I might-."

At this point, Gehrman just left and got back into position with Frederick. The heavy knight broke into a stride as he and Gehrman rushed for a swordsman. The two men didn't exactly attack the poor knight more than they obliterated it. One second, it was swinging its sword, the next, it was in several pieces. Across the battlefield, the mounted knight was running her spear through an axeman's face and with a single arrow from Virion, the job was finished. The final one of those things was getting double teamed by Robin and Chrom. Chrom clashed his blade against his opponents again and again until it shattered. The poor thing moaned questionably a second before Robin put a lightning ball into its chest. It flew through the air, crashing into the ground. It tried to get up, but Chrom ran over and cut off its head before it had the chance.

Everyone looked around, trying to see if there were anymore, but breathed a sigh of relief when nothing came. Slowly, they made their way to the center of the clearing as the masked man appeared from out of the bush. Chrom, Robin and Gehrman took steps to greet the man, but he was as stoic as ever.

"It seems that there are no more of those creatures left." Frederick said, using his boot to clean off his spear "This young man took care of the rest."

The man didn't even bother looking at Frederick and responding to the complement. Lissa took a hesitant step forward.

"Um, I never got to thank you… for before. So... thank you."

Chrom smiled and held out a hand. The masked man looked at the hand like it was poisonous, or at least covered in something unsanitary. The man was completely undisturbed by the fact "You saved my sister's life. My name is Chrom, can I ask yours?"

The masked man looked at Chrom for a second before his lips slowly curved upwards into a smile "You may call me Marth."

Chrom blinked, "Marth? Like the hero king of old?"

His surprise quickly turns to a kind smile "Well, you certainly fight like a hero. Where did you learn to fight?"

Marth takes a step back "I'm not here to talk about me. This world teeters on the blink of an endless nightmare. What you witnessed tonight was nothing but a sweet dream in comparison."

Then, just like that he started to walk away but Gehrman wasn't going to let it end right there. He cleared his throat, stopping Marth in his tracks.

"Marth, what workshop do you hail from?" he asked.

It wasn't a harmless question, even though he deserved as much. After all, he had made sure that Lissa wasn't going to be harmed. But that thing knew a quick step, a clunky, unfinished version but close enough to the real thing to make the first hunter question it. And once more, this man knew how to quickstep. Gehrman's question stopped Marth in his tracks. His hand slowly circled around his sword and he had to visibly restrain himself from touching the blade. Marth glanced back but didn't say anything. He just walked away, leaving the group where they stood. This had the double effect of confusing almost everyone and angering Lissa. She didn't like cryptic, she liked straight answers!

"Not much for conversation is he?" Robin commented.

"It appears that his skills lie elsewhere. I have a feeling we'll be seeing him again." Frederick said "But for now, I'm more concerned about the capitol. We should make haste."

Chrom nodded "Yeah, we're only a few hours away so we should be there before long."

"Augh, more walking!" Lissa complained "Haven't we had enough excitement today?"

Chrom ruffled his sister's hair as the two started on the way. Frederick followed soon after and Robin would have joined them. But she stopped when she noticed Gehrman looking into the forest where Marth had disappeared too. His brow furrowed in concentration.

"Gehrman, something wrong?"

Gehrman seemed to snap out of his concentration at the sound of his name.

"Sorry?"

"We're leaving, all of us." Robin said half glancing at the fleeting forms of the mounted knight and Virion.

Gehrman blinked and put on his smile "Ah yes. Shall we?"

He started making his way, but something was still bugging her.

"Gehrman, that question you asked Marth. What was it about?"

Gehrman glanced to her and Robin noticed that his smile never faded, even for an instant.

"Don't worry about it. It's nothing, I promise."

Gehrman forced the smile, and he hoped that Robin would believe it. She didn't, and some part of Gehrman knew that she wouldn't. But he couldn't live with the alternative. Marth… he used the quickstep, and so did that creature that he fought. Only hunters can use that. Which means, that there had to be a workshop here. And judging from Marth's reaction, it was quite the secretive workshop. But with a workshop came hunters.

And from hunters, old blood.

Gehrman watched his companions walk down the road. Chrom, so trusting and kind. He deserved a life free from the stresses of war and the horrors that came with it. Lissa, young, but full of fire and determination to be useful to her friends and family. Frederick, who would give his very soul if it meant saving his charges. Then, Robin, who without any memories, wanted nothing more than to help those that couldn't fight for it themselves. Despite not knowing them for long, Gehrman considered himself a good judge of character. He knew compassion when he saw it, and he knew kindness as well. It was rare in Yharnam, so he remembered every moment. Everyone here, just wanted to help.

Laurence just wanted to help as well, but Gehrman wasn't going to let the same mistake happen twice.

He gripped the end of his blade. The next time he found Marth, he prayed that he isn't alone. Because if he was, then Gehrman wouldn't be able to stop himself. He would rip the location of his workshop, and how many members it had out of him, no matter what he had to do to get it. He would kill Marth if he had to, and any member in that workshop. And if he had to, he'd go to war against an entire city. Because these people, these Shepherds, they were good. They were kind, innocent people. They deserved to live their dream.

On that road, the First Hunter promised to them, and to himself, that he wouldn't let them fall into his nightmare.

AN: Well, seems like people want to see more of this. Hopefully the outcry is equally nice with this chapter.

To answer a few questions, I see this as more of a narrative story, meaning in game classes don't have much sway over anything. But if I had to say, Gehrman wouldn't be a hunter.

He'd be the maxed out advanced version of the class.

Think up a name, cause I got nothing. Just not Reaper though, too generic for my tastes.

And concerning a poll of who Gehrman is going to end up with, I'll put it up the second I get the chance/get a list in front of me so I don't forget anyone.

Finally, concerning Gehrman's promise of protecting people. It's in his nature/my characterization of him. He just wants to help as many people as he can so they can live happy lives. In his experience, if you don't protect something, it's going to die. Look at Maria. He loved her, but he didn't keep her close enough to stop her from ending her own life just to protect his name. So here, he's going to go out of his way to make himself look like a damned angel of death. And he'll do it to. When you fight him in game, he's probably in his weakest moment, being so old and decrepit. But here, he's in his prime again. So, if you've ever played Bloodborne, you know what this guy can do as an old man. Imagine what he can do here.

Food for thought!

Anyways, thanks for reading guys.