Chapter 2: Under a Blood Moon
The red haze fades from vision and the two startled hunters are left dazed and confused inside a cavernous room. They look around quickly before staring back at each other, their eyes wide.
"What in the Gods name just happened? Where are we!?" Karigan exclaims, clearly baffled.
"Couldn't tell you, however I think I know what happened with the moon." Maria's eyebrows are drawn together in a frown.
"Do tell."
"That Byrgenwerth spider, it was concealing all of this, hiding the ritual to bring humanity closer to the great ones. It seems Master Wilhelm wanted us to uncover the ritual so that we could progress it, though I don't know why he would want that." Maria reveals.
"So you're saying that we've progressed a dangerous ritual that will bring Yharnam closer, and us, to the even more dangerous Great Ones?"
"That's the way I see it, yes."
"Oh boy, have we got in over our heads." Karigan sighs, running a hand through her tattered ponytail.
"Uh. . . Karigan. . ."
"Hmm?"
"What is THAT behind you?" Maria's face contorts in both disgust and fear. She's pointing behind Karigan, above her head.
Karigan stiffens and slowly turns around, facing the many legged behemoth clinging to the high ceiling of the room.
"What the. . . wait! I know where we are now, that's the invisible thing that kept killing me everytime I tried to get past the door. Huh, actually, it's open now, how convenient."
"Is it going to attack us then. . . ?" Maria questions, her eyes never leaving the spider like creature.
"Eh, not unless we get too close to it or the door. I guess uncovering the ritual also exposes these guys. There must be a few around Yharnam, since I've been caught by them at different places. Not a very pleasant feeling." Karigan explains.
"You seem to know from a lot of experience." Maria' slight smile creeps on the corner of her lips.
Karigan rubs her neck. "Yeah well, pretty hard to avoid something you can't see. Besides they're always guarding something, I just can't help myself." Her head perks up, "Like this coat! No wonder he was guarding it, look how fashionable it is." Karigan gives a little spin and bows, a childish grin spread across her dirty face.
"Well I'll give you that, it does look very. . .uh, practical." Maria giggles at the bowed hunter before her.
"Oh come on, you know it's trendy, don't even try to deny it." Karigan smirks and straightens herself. "So, our plan, rush through that door as quickly as possible, so we don't get caught and frenzied, then continue onward."
"Seems like our only option," Maria gestures to the open doorway, "Please, after you."
Kaigan rolls her head towards Maria, lifting her eyebrows before shrugging and sprinting through the doorway. From the other side she beckons Maria.
Maria glances up, noticing that the grotesque creature now has it's full attention on the lone hunter. It had seen Karigan and now was waiting for her to run through. Maybe she should have gone first.
Steeling herself, she puts a hand on her cap so it doesn't fall off, and runs. She sees the large claw-like hand quite close to the ground reaching for her. Knowing that if she doesn't act quickly she'd get snatched up by the beast, so she uses her momentum to slide down on the side of her leg, skidding just under the creatures reach, and scrambling to a halt at Karigan's feet.
"Wow, now that was quite the move, are you alright?" Karigan asks, sticking her hand out towards the sprawled Maria.
Maria grasps Karigan's hand and hauls herself up and groans, rubbing her skidded leg, "I'm fine, but unfortunately my pants aren't."
Karigan inspects Maria's pants, completely torn to shreds on the side. Blood trickles through the hanging pieces of frayed fabric. "Well, they'll get automatically repaired next time we visit the dream. I don't know how it works, but if it didn't, I'd be dressed in rags right now."
"Good to know thanks, so you said you knew where we are?"
"Well I think I know where we are, but let's continue on, I need to see more to be sure."
The pair walk together down the spiraling steps and are greeted by a vibrant, violet sky, where inky blotches of clouds splash through the air. A yellow-orange moon hangs low in the sky, casting the gothic surroundings in a sickly glow. Tall spirals pierce the sky, vines crawl through decaying buildings and twisted statues cast purple shadows that move through the vision like smoke.
"This is Yahar'gul, a forsaken place where only the insane reside." Karigan speaks as she recognizes her surroundings.
"You've been here before?"
Karigan looks down sheepishly, "Well yes, not intentionally though."
"Not intentionally?" Maria grins, apparently getting ready for an amusing tale.
"I got kidnapped."
"Kidnapped, you're serious?"
"Yep, by a hulking brute of a thing. He hit me over the head with a bloody sack, I either died or passed out, I don't know which, and next thing I knew I woke up in a dirty, dark cell. The gross part of it
all, is I'm pretty sure he put me inside the sack." Karigan shudders in revulsion and turns to continue down the steps, but an amused Maria stops her.
"And?"
"And what?" Karigan replies, turning around to face Maria, thinking she had concluded her story.
"Oh come on, how did you escape? You can't leave the best bit out." Maria's eyes dance with amusement.
Karigan rolls her eyes, "I opened the cell, for some reason it wasn't locked, pretty shabby jailers if you ask me, met a church blood minister whom I'm pretty sure is crazy, ran away from more sack men and killed a lightning dog-thing."
Maria laughs, "I should ask you more about your adventures through the hunt, they make for amusing tales."
"Glad to see you enjoy hearing about my misery and suffering." Karigan tries to conceal her smile. It made her feel happy to see Maria smile, to know that happiness can still be found in such a desolate place.
Karigan continues and taps the lantern that awaits them at the bottom of the staircase. She frowns at the corpse slumped in a chair, a strange cage like contraption wrapped around its shriveled face. She didn't want to even think about what it was used for.
"Careful, it's another one of those brain spider things." Maria points to the beast standing above a massive set of stairs. "I'd rather not get caught by one of those, so can we just run past again?"
Karigan nods, "We'll have to deal with the men on the stairs once we get past. Shouldn't be too difficult." She steps forward to run down the stairs but Maria jumps in front.
"Ah-ah I'm going first this time."
Maria takes off at a sprint, weaving her way through the alerted stair mob, unaware of an impending explosion. Out of nowhere, a beam of blinding purple light emits from the creature's eyeless head, leaving a trail of leaking light on the cracked ground below Maria's feet.
"Maria, watch out!" Karigan yells, preparing herself to run after her fellow hunter. Maria doesn't hear in time. The ground explodes under her boots like ruptured veins, sending rubble, dirt and Maria herself high into the air. Karigan hears a startled scream emit from Maria's lips as she's sent flying. She watches helplessly as her friend falls through the air, lost within the stone and dust, before plummeting right over the edge of the staircase.
Karigan stands there, mouth hanging open, to shocked to move. One moment Maria was beside her and the next she was falling to her death. Karigan could only hope that Maria would reawaken at the lantern like she did. Willing her legs to move, she tears her gaze away from the decimated staircase and jogs back to the lantern. She had no idea how long it would take for Maria to reawaken, since she herself never knew how long it took her to return from the black void that comes from the sweet embrace of death. After just a minute Karigan begins pacing, back and forth, getting more frustrated and impatient with every agitated footstep. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Maria rises up from the lantern.
"By the Old Blood, what happened to me!?" Maria exclaims, patting herself down and testing her feet on solid ground. Her light hair is slipping out of her ponytail and her bangs slide further down into her disheveled face. "Did you know that unsightly creature could do that?"
"I had no clue Maria, I've never seen one do that before, honestly."
"Well I suppose my eagerness to go first got me killed." Maria mutters, fixing her hair and brushing her bangs out of her steel eyes.
"But just think, it's a good thing we now know that even when you die, you will be able to reawaken at the lantern, just like I can. And look, your trousers are fixed."
Maria inspects her repaired pants, "Still doesn't make dying any less uncomfortable. Well shall we try that again? You're going first though."
Karigan smirks and runs past Maria. At the base of the stairs she turns, "Watch how it's done." With that she lunges from the ground and dashes around the enemies, all while keeping an eye on the Amygdala. She sees the purple light snaking its way across the ground and she rolls out of the way and into the far doorway. Maria, now fueled by newfound determination to not humiliate herself in such a way again, takes a deep breath and darts down the stairs. She collides right into Karigan through the doorway, effectively bringing her sprint to a halt. Maria sputters an apology before joining Karigan in dispatching the remaining crazed men inside the pitch black room. Once done Karigan pulls out a torch, casting dancing shadows skittering across the walls.
The pair continue through hoards of madmen and moaning wretches, leaving behind a trail of blood and gunpowder. They encounter more Amygdalas, intent on sending them sky high. While avoiding the explosive purple light, Maria notices a crack in one of the railings, leaving an opening to drop down on a ledge far below.
"Hey Karigan, I think I found something!"
Karigan turns, jogs over, and peers over the ledge. The drop was definitely survivable. She turns to Maria and sees her chance for revenge. A sly grin cracks through her caked face. Maria looks up just in time to decipher what was about to happen. "Wait, Karigan no-" Karigan gives Maria a light push, but it's enough to send her toppling to the ledge below. She watches from above as Maria stands up and shakes a gloved hand at her.
"Blast it Karigan!" Maria gives a defeated sigh, "Well I suppose I deserve it."
Karigan drops down beside Maria. "Damn rights you do."
"Are we even now? Or should I expect to be pushed off some more ledges?" Maria jokes.
"Yeah, I guess, though keep in mind my fall was much worse than your pitiful tumble." Karigan chuckles and walks into the room connecting to the ledge. They fight off one of the hulking brutes wielding a slab of concrete for a weapon, and drop down to the floor below. A soft twinkle amidst the
dust catches Karigan's eye. She reaches down, brushes away the ancient dust and picks up a dull, intricate key. She inspects it and secures it in a pocket inside her coat.
Maria notices. "Do you know what it opens?"
"I'm not quite sure, but I have an idea. . . I'll have to check it later, once we get out of this miserable place. Come on, we should get going."
The two hunters make their way through the decrepit city drowned in madness. They make it to the next lantern, resting there for a brief moment to catch their breaths and replenish bloodvials. They get up and trudge on till they stand in a grand chamber. A shattered lamp rests beside them. The air is heavy and stale, something wasn't sitting right in Karigan's gut. Before, when she was here, two brutes occupied the center of the room, but now, it was empty and dark. A perfect place for hiding.
"I don't like this, be on your guard."
Maria gives a curt nod and steps down the stairs and into the open room, Karigan right behind her. They hold their blades before them, ready to take action. The only sound in the gaping room is their light breathing and hesitant footfalls echoing off the high walls.
Suddenly, a burst of heavy footsteps from three different sides explodes through the silence. Three hunters clothed in black garb advance, circling around Maria and Karigan. The two hunters stand back to back, with their weapons held protectively in front of them.
"Well well well, what have we have here? Two lost hunters?" One of the black hunters taunts, his voice raspy and piercing. He steps closer and drops his hand to his rifle spear.
"We don't want any trouble. Just let us pass." Karigan firmly states.
"You're in no position to be asking questions my dear."
Maria steps forward, animosity coating her words. "She wasn't asking."
The leader of the three hunters lets out a harsh laugh and nods his head to his companions. "Time for some fun boys!"
The three hunters dash in, their weapons held out, ready to tear flesh apart. Karigan and Maria roll away from the middle, avoiding the onslaught of hungry weapons. A shirtless hunter wielding beast claws chases after Karigan, cutting her off from Maria. She whips around in a stance, ready to face the hunter. Her main focus was to defeat him as quickly as possible so she could aid Maria, who was facing the other two hunters. The strange claw hunter lets out a inhuman screech before leaping at her, his claws outstretched. Karigan ducks underneath and kicks her leg out, stumbling the charging hunter. Jumping to her feet, she lashes out with her blade, knicking the back of the crazed hunter.
"Should've worn a coat." Karigan growls as the hunter glares at her, his eyes pooling with raw hatred. He lashes out again, catching Karigan on the shoulder. She lets out a small grunt before turning
the favor with a low blow to the knees. The Hunter stumbles once more, crashing to the ground. Suddenly a ear piercing scream slices through the air, severing her focus. Maria.
Karigan whips around to see Maria. She's lying on the ground, writhing in agony, one hunter pinning her arms down while the other stands above her, grinning like a madman. He's twisting his spear implanted in her gut, slowly applying more pressure. She lets out another gurgled cry, thrashing her head. The sight makes Karigan's blood boil. Seeing Maria struggling and in pain ignites a spark in her. She knows she's going to have to take out all three hunters herself, since Maria was clearly in no shape to help. As the rising anger reaches her throat, she makes a decision. Her hand slides to the insider of her coat and she pulls out a beast pellet. Karigan hated the way they turned her into a monster, no better than the beasts themselves, but in times of great desperation, it was her only option. She pops it into her mouth, turning to the claw hunter.
Instantly Karigan feels the beasthood flood her veins. She feels the power coursing through her, accompanied by the burning rage that fuels her strength. She launches off of her feet and brings her blade down with incredible speed, slicing the claw hunter's arm clean off. He lets out a surprised gurgle before he crumples to his knees. Karigan shoves her blade straight through the hunters chest before violently yanking it out. She hears another pained cry and turns her attention to the two hunters.
Now fueled by the thrill of a fresh kill, Karigan sprints towards the hunter with the spear. "You rotten bastards!" She screams as she barrels into the shocked hunter. The two are sent flying to the ground, tangled in each other. Karigan jumps to her feet, her shoulders heaving with anger. The second hunter lets go of Maria and joins his partner. With her hands now free, Maria makes a desperate crawl for her bloodvials, which had been knocked just a few feet away. The floor is slick with her blood and she struggles to stay awake through the thick haze of pain, using all her remaining strength to reach for them. Her outstretched hand makes contact with a vial and she injects it into her leg. A clash of steel and the smell of gunpowder and blood cause her to turn her attention to her friend.
Karigan is facing the two hunters, trembling with the desire to kill, her feet in a stance, her breathing ragged and her eyes, gods above, her eyes. They were not the soft green eyes Maria had come to know. These were the eyes of a feral beast. They were wild and skittish, gleaming with pure hatred.
"I'll kill you. Both of you!" Karigan snarls, her voice cracked and dripping with malice. She lets out a beastial cry before charging one of the hunters. He lashes out with his weapon, slicing across Karigan's thigh but it does nothing to slow her advance. She hardly seems to notice and the next thing Maria knew, the hunter's head was flying through the air, followed by a paint stroke of red. His body slumps to the ground. Karigan roars and turns on the spear hunter. He turns to run away, but her blade catches the back of his knee. He lands on his stomach, his spear sent scattering away. The hunter crawls on the ground to reach his spear, but the enraged Karigan stomps on his hand. He lets out a howl of pain as she grinds the heel of her boot into his crippled hand. She flips the hunter onto his back before kneeling down in front of him. His eyes widen in terror as he sees the wicked grin spread across her splattered face.
"I told you I'd kill you." She laughs as her eyes blaze with frenzy.
"No, sto-" His words are cut off as Karigan brings her blade down with incredible force onto his chest. He lets out a sloshed cry as viscera splashes around him. Still smiling she brings her blade down again. And again. And again.
Maria struggles to her feet, still woozy from her injury and watches in horror as her friend mutilates the body of the clearly dead hunter. Savagely brutalizing him. Blood splatters everywhere as the blade comes down again and again, accompanied by a menacing laugh. Her calm, friendly demeanor replaced by a murderous frenzy.
"Karigan, stop." Maria's words are firm.
The blood soaked hunter stops her stabbing and quickly turns with a snarl to face Maria. Her face and hair are dripping with blood and gore, her eyes alight with madness, but it is the grin that engulfs her face that disturbs Maria the most. It looks feral. She rises to her feet and takes a few jerky steps toward Maria, her blade brandished before her, blood from the maimed hunter sliding off the splattered blade. She's smiling manically and her eyes are hollow and savage. She is raising her blade, preparing to strike again.
Frightened, Maria takes a step back. "Karigan please, stop," Her voice is softer this time, trying to find her friend behind the crazed bloodlust. "This isn't you."
Karigan's hard features soften and she stops in her tracks. The crazed glow in her eyes are replaced by a confused haze. Suddenly she snaps back to her old self, the bloodlust wearing off. "Maria. . . ?" She becomes aware of her surroundings, her eyes darting back and forth between the slaughtered bodies, the puddles of blood and to her injured friend. A wave of horror blankets her face, ". . . Dear gods what have I done!?" Karigan's slick hands drop the sword and she crumples to the ground, covering her soaked face.
Seeing that Karigan was no longer being controlled by the grips of bloodlust, Maria carefully kneels down beside her quivering friend. She tentatively places an arm around her shaking shoulders. "Karigan, it's all right, we're safe now."
Karigan lifts her streaked face, "I'm so sorry Maria, I. . . I couldn't stop it."
"There's no need to apologize, you're the one who saved me."
"No, you don't understand, I wanted to kill you. The bloodlust, it just overcame me. When I saw what they were doing to you, I lost my head. I wasn't myself anymore."
"Don't say that. You know just as well as I that you would never hurt me. You're stronger than that," Maria cast her eyes downwards, "I know how well the bloodlust overcomes you, trust me. I know how difficult it is, I barely had the strength to return to my normal self back in the hamlet long ago. But here you are, sustaining your humanity."
Karigan lets out a tired sigh, "Thank you Maria," She rises on exhausted legs, "How is your wound?"
Maria looks down at her abdomen. Remnants of pain rises as she inspects her shredded shirt. Underneath the skin is pink from being freshly healed. "Thanks to you I'll be alright." Maria bends down and picks up Karigan's soaking blade. It's surprisingly heavy. She cleans it on one of the coats from the fallen hunters and passes it back to her. Karigan takes the blade and wipes her face with the scarf wrapped around her neck, wringing out her dark ponytail as well. "Come, let's leave this dreadful place."
Karigan gives a nod and casts her eyes downward, avoiding the butchered bodies lying in pieces on the ground.
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