Disclaimer: I make no claims of owning Bloodborne or Claymore, only the OC that appear in this fanfic. Don't sue me, I'm really poor.

Doll carefully arranged the flowers she had picked. There was a faint smile on her lips, apparently satisfied with how it turned out. She knelt before the gravestone and reached out, her delicate fingers tracing the engraved letters upon the stone.

Like many of the gravestones around her, this one had belonged to a Hunter she once knew. She prayed for him. As she always did for every single grave in the Hunter's Dream. The other Hunters did not know why she did so.

And yet…

They could not bring themselves to rebuke her for it. Perhaps they found some small solace that at the very least, upon passing from this world of dreams and beasts, there would be someone to pray for them. Even if that someone was just a doll.

Doll closed her eyes.

Slowly she stood and tilted her head towards the perpetual night sky of her world. Opening her eyes, she saw the large and bright surface of the moon hanging right above her.

"Good Hunter?" she said. "You stir from your dreams. Will you finally wake? It has not been long since your slumber, but I do miss you so. Will you soon come back to me? My heart aches to see your face once more."

An unusual warm breeze caresses her cheeks. The touch of it upon her face brings a slight smile from her. Even as he slept, he seemed to be comforting her without the need for words.

"Very well," she answered, seemingly content. "I shall wait. I shall wait for as long as you need me, because I will always be there for you."

She clasped her hands in prayer. The moon in the sky momentarily brightened, basking its glow upon this world of perpetual night and dream. The white flowers scattered throughout seemed to copy that radiant moon light, including those Doll had placed on the graves. It was a moment that made such a bleak and dark place transcendently beautiful with resplendent light.

"As you desire, I shall wait to welcome you home, Good Hunter," whispered Doll. An indescribable feeling of joy built up inside her. "As it is my desire as well…"

In the black darkness of nothingness, there appeared a sound. It echoed throughout this void of shadows with a clear ringing. What was once empty, is filled with this sound.

It was the loud chime of a bell.

It chimed once. Then twice. Then Thrice.

It's ring resounded all throughout, haunting and swaying. The bell rang, called, and beckoned.

It continued to ring repeatedly for some time. Soon, the frequency of its ringing slowed down, as if the ringer finally seems to be getting tired. It finally ended with one final loud ring.

It's final ring seemed to last forever through the vast empty void, searching and pleading for an answer. That ring dimmed as it reached the end of its journey, its volume slowly going down until not a note could be heard it no longer; making way for hollow and empty silence to, once again, claim its place.

A pity, a shame.

Then, surprisingly, a small resonant sound appeared, seemingly lighter than the first bell.

But it was clear.

Something had heard the call. And it answered.

It answered clearly with a small voice. One. Then two. Then three.

The resonating sounds of more and more bells began to ring through the darkness. They chimed repeatedly in discord, never once stopping until the void was filled with their notes. They clamored and rang as if hoping to hear from the first bell once again.

Until finally…

"Welcome back to the waking world."

Gehrman inhaled deeply as he saws the face that greeted him. Her face was pale. Oh, so very pale. Her skin seemingly free of flaws and imperfection like that of a porcelain mask. Her lips small and tender. So very much like that of a doll.

Her eyes, however, held a glint of warmth to them.

"You slept so soundly," she said. "Did you have a pleasant dream?"

"It was…" Gehrman rubbed his chin, trying to think back on it. "It was fleeting. My memory of it… fades, as quickly as I wake. It's quite unlike anything I've experienced before."

"Are you well?" His dear Maria held his shoulder in concern. No doubt she thought the experience had shaken him.

"I do not find it disturbing," smiled Gehrman, holding on to her hand. "Maybe this is how dreams should be, ephemeral and hard to remember. I very much prefer it this way."

"I am glad," said Maria. "I could sense your… discomfort in needing to sleep."

"Indeed," Gehrman nodded. He looked out the window of his modest bedroom to see the orange glow of the rising morn. "You don't need to dress your words around me. I was afraid. Scared of the thought of dreaming. I had even feared to blink my eyes when I first awoke, dreading that that too would cause me to fall back into that endless dream…"

"But you did not." Maria gently cupped his chin and stared into his eyes. "You are here. You are awake. And you are with me."

"I know, my dear." Gehrman wasn't sure if he had ever felt the emotions he had as he did then. "I know."

Gehrman had lost many in his path as a Hunter. He lost his friends, his family, his city… He lost a great deal many things. He had lost Maria.

Even losing his own self.

The thought that had most occupied his mind from that time was the thought of when it would finally all end. When would he be free? It might have been then that he'd also lost his will. Stuck in a never-ending dream, continuing to lose more and more. Piece by piece until he had nothing more to lose.

"…I wasn't so sure I'd wake to see the sun rise," said Gehrman.

"We shan't waste this moment then." Maria stepped behind his wheelchair and grabbed its handles. She leaned over and said to him, "There should be a better view outside this dreary room. You do not oppose this, correct? After all, was it not you who said that I spent much too confined and isolated?"

"That is true." A small grin made its appearance on the old Hunter's face. "I am told that I am a poor conversationalist, but please keep this old Hunter company for a bit longer, if you'd kindly."

Maria gently pushed him outside of his room.

"…I am here for as long as you need me," she whispered.

Nike furrowed her brows.

She had taken a walk by herself away from the inn. Her other sister's had advised her against this since they still felt wary of the Hunters, however she had always been more restless compared to them. Being cooped up in such a tiny place made her feel caged.

This was the reason why she was now roaming the streets of Diaemus. It was certainly a place more vibrant and colorful than Rabona. Although she still met a few people that looked uneasily at her, it would seem that most were somewhat accepting of her. This, however, was not what made her furrow her sharp brows.

There were Hunters here and there wherever she went. They did nothing more than glance at her passing, however, Nike had never felt so uneasy, even compared to the complete hostile looks that humans had given her during the days of The Organization. When she was with her sisters, the feeling was less obvious.

"Feeling frail, young one?" a familiar voice calls her out from her thoughts.

Beside her was the old woman they had encountered when they had first arrived. An odd woman wearing a crow's mask, black clothing and a feathered cloak.

"Mustn't lose your nerves around others," she said. "Make it clear you are a Hunter, not prey."

"You're that old woman from before," said Nike.

"Just an old crow," she answered, "by the name of Eileen."

Nike felt somewhat reluctant, especially after her sisters had commented about the scent of blood coming off this old woman. She did not know whether to just leave or not, but Eileen had given her no reason to. She seemed perfectly nice to her.

"…I'm Nike."

"Nike…" worded Eileen, as if engraving the name to her mind. "It is fancy meeting you once again. Although, this city isn't all that large compared to Yahrnam, so I suppose it wouldn't be unimaginable. Would you care to accompany this old woman on her stroll?"

"I… don't really think I should." Nike could already hear Anastasia's nagging in her thoughts of her fellow Claymore.

"Come now," insisted Eileen. "Are you to leave a lonely old woman to walk the streets by herself? I'm sure you'd like to see much of this city yourself, would you not?"

"Hmm…" Nike was unsure. Thinking about the consequences of her actions had never really been a strong suit of hers. This seemed to be benign enough. After all, Cynthia was also with a Hunter showing her around. "Sure, I guess. Why not?"

Eileen chuckled. "Much appreciated, keeping this old woman company. It makes quite a change of pace having someone to walk with."

"Don't you go with those other… Hunters?" asked Nike as they started to walk.

"Most Hunters prefer to hunt alone. Some take a partner or form groups, but the rest are usually far more introvert in their ways. Although, that began to change recently." Her voice seemed unsure. Nike wasn't sure if it was good or bad. "Who could have known that a single Hunter could change things so very much, and so quickly?"

"Isn't that better?" said Nike. "I mean, I enjoy fighting by myself a lot, but I'd still rather have my sisters have my back."

"It could be…" Eileen didn't seem confident in her answer. "Though new problems will arise from it."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just say there are many reasons why Hunters prefer to hunt alone," said Eileen darkly.

Nike could feel the weight behind those words. She did not pry any further. Even she could understand that there are just things that had to be kept private from others.

"I find it surprising to see such… uniformity between you and your fellow Hunters," said Eileen. "Not since the peak of the Church Hunters have I seen such drive from a group such as yours."

"We're warriors," said Nike. "Not Hunters. My sisters and I grew up together. I guess maybe that's why we're very close to each other." Her days of training with the others passed through her mind. "The Organization taught us to fight yoma. Every day was nothing but training." Although those days were harsh, she smiled. "It was tough, but at least we had each other. Anastasia can be annoying at times, though. She always has this haughty attitude whenever I messed up."

"You sound fond of her."

"No way!" quickly denied Nike. "She always nags at me. Although, I guess it's probably because I deserved it." She deflated a bit after admitting. "She always was the better one. It's kind of hard not to feel like I'm dragging her down."

"Feeling inadequate, are we?" said Eileen, amused. "I find such emotion to be refreshing. For better or for worse, that is a good feeling. Remember it well. The time when you feel you are adequate, consequence shall rid you of it. And when it does, it does so violently and without mercy."

"Feeling a lot less inadequate and a lot more worried now."

Their wanderings soon led them to a secluded area beneath one of the inner city walls. The light of the sun seemed to be unable to pierce through because of the high towers sectioned around it. It made the place damp and cool.

"This place…" Nike scrunched her nose.

"Aye," nodded Eileen. "T'would appear we've located a beast's old nest."

This place was one of the locations where yoma had hid and taken their preys to. The stench of blood and death seemed to rise from the ground itself. Dark patches on the ground could easily be bloodstains from victims.

"You don't need to worry." Eileen crouched, taking a bit of the soil in between her fingers. "The beast no longer lives. There are none that reside here in this city anymore. Hunters made sure to purge it thoroughly."

"It doesn't change the fact that they killed so many people here," Nike said through gritted teeth.

She couldn't help but feel so frustrated and helpless. This wasn't the first time she found a place like this. There had been others. Many of them were a lot worse off when the yoma had not bothered with hiding their presence. The slow or lack of response from the warriors had left many to do as they pleased.

"Maybe if I was stronger…" Nike was gripping her fists so tightly that they began to bleed.

Eileen was silent. She gave a sigh after a while.

"A single Hunter can only do so much," she said. "That was what he said to us."

Nike blinked, unable to understand.

"Even the strongest and the best of us had admitted to that," continued Eileen, her voice seem to echo her past. "Not without trying, no one can deny that. No matter how strong, no matter how fast, no matter how much he hunted, he was only a single Hunter. Even one such as he who would tear the moon itself. He cannot save everyone alone." She looked at Nike. "Which is why he had asked for help."

"What?"

"I remember when he came to me," she cackled. "I've never had a Hunter come beg to me on his knees for anything more than his life. I had known him when he first came to Yahrnam. I'd seen how strong he had grown. I've considered how I would hunt him if he had turned." Her amusement seemed to die down somewhat. "My chances of living through that were… slim. Very slim. Yet, I've never once thought he would be the kind to come begging on his knees."

Nike stood silent.

"That man… he was strong. Yet for all his strength, he still found himself… inadequate." Eileen chuckled. "Laughable. I suppose it was how he'd succeeded. He had gathered Hunters to his cause. To his hunt. To end it all. To end the dream. Although, I can't say he came out unscathed from it."

"What are you saying?" asked Nike.

"Just recounting another tale of woe for us Hunters," dismissed the old crow. She looked at the surroundings. "Given time, this place will lose the stench of blood."

As Eileen took the alleyway back to the main streets, she barely mumbled, "…But there are places where blood will forever linger."

Nike stood there alone, in the center of that stained place. She thought there was something profound in the story she'd been given. It may take a while for her to truly comprehend it, but she'd think about it until she did.

"Come now, dearie!" Eileen's voice called out to her, waiting from outside that place. "We've much places to be and losing daylight."

"Ah, wait up!" Nike gave one last look at the place before chasing after the old crow.

"Are the preparations almost finished?" asked a hooded figure.

"Only several more days before we are ready," said a burly man that knelt before him.

"Good."

The Organization had been busy with the new intel that they had received from the surviving Awakened Being that returned to them. There had been much deliberation and confusion amongst their ranks in the arrival of these new/old warriors that they had not encountered before.

Their reaction could be said to be extreme.

"Now is the time to truly start our war in this place." The hooded figure stood from his seat and raised his arms. "The Claymores shall fall, and these troublesome beings with them."

Irene knelt atop a tree branch, hidden from view by the leaves and smaller branches from those she observed. Her keen silver eyes surveyed the mass of activity in a valley below.

Awakened beings and yoma spread across a large clearing in the valley. There were thousands of them moving about. It was a literal army of monsters. There were just so many of them gathered. She had never seen so many before. But that was not the most disturbing thing to her.

What truly sent chills down her spine was that these monsters seemed to be organized.

She could see clearly that some of the monsters were directing others among the groups. They lined up and nodded their heads as if following orders. There were no infighting between the them like what would be commonly seen among yoma and awakened beings that worked together. It was as if these ones were well-trained soldiers.

In at least one small measure of comfort, Irene found that the ones below seemed to have a weaker yoki than most awakened beings she had encountered. Although, she did not know which she'd have preferred to fight: A strong but disorderly force, or a weaker but vastly more disciplined monster troops?

At the very least, she could not feel the presence of anything like an Abyssal One among them. If there was such an enemy to lead them…

Irene shook her head. There would be plenty of time to think of such things once she returned to Rabona. For now, she had to make sure that her Clare and her sisters are informed of this massive force building up so close to them.

It took her some time before she reached a makeshift campground shielded by a large rock formation facing east. She was sure that she was undetected in her surveillance, however, she still chose to make sure that she wasn't being followed.

"How fare the beasts down below?"

Djura stood atop the rock above her. No doubt he'd been keeping a vigilant watch for anything that got too close to them. He let gravity take its course and fell from that height, landing without making too much of a noise on his feet.

Irene was, once again, reminded that this man—this Hunter, was closer, if not the same, as she and her sisters. There was difference surpassing that of humans and resembling that of beasts.

"They look just about the same as ones I've encountered before, but…" Irene could clearly understand that there was a big difference from all those. "They appear to be… organized. Much more so than any even those that had been under an Abyssal One's control."

"Organized, you say?" Djura muttered, rubbing his beard. "Much more than a pack of beasts?"

"Like an army."

"Curious."

Both of them had never seen nor heard of such a thing happening before in their lives hunting monsters.

"They don't seem ready to leave the valley straight away," said Irene. "Nevertheless, we should probably hurry to Rabona. I have no doubt that that is their destination. There can be no other reason for them to hide so close by. How is the girl?"

The now orphaned girl slept nearby, the journey having worn her out even though they had been going at a slow pace to make it easy on her.

"Slept about an hour or two ago," said Djura. "Seeing as we must make haste, I suppose I will have to carry her the rest of the way." He moved to where she was and gently carried her small body in his arms. "I'll try not to wake her. Young girl like her needs her rest."

Irene nodded, moving to pack the few items they had around the camp.

They moved swiftly across the forest terrain. Even with the girl in Djura's arms, he was able to keep up with Irene as she led the way, making sure there was no danger ahead as he had his hands occupied. The little girl slept soundly without a stir.

At the pace they were going, they should arrive at their destination without more than half a day passing.

However, Irene still felt that it was still too long. Her sister's will need all the time they need to prepare themselves against this army waiting at their doorsteps. She just prayed that they had enough warriors at Rabona to defend it.

A/N:

Not much for me to say. Been busy and all that.

Be sure to tell me if there any mistakes or whatnot. I'll try and correct them when I have time. Make sure to read and review.