Chapter 13: Infiltration; of the vapid Vilebloods

Third Descent of the Blood Moon Arc

Disclaimer: I don't own Bloodborne, this is just a Fanfiction.

Featured Music: "Hunter's Dream" - Bloodborne OST. Chapter Briefing.

"Martyr Logarius" - Bloodborne OST. Scene 3.

In his search for information, Stewart has taken to investigating the mysterious Hemwick Charnel Lane following a strange letter addressed to him in doctor Iosefka's Clinic. Once there, he discovers many chilling and even horrifying sights; a hunter, much like himself, tied to a chair and seemingly tortured. The blood-red moonlight shone down on the nameless hunter's corpse eliciting the watching Stewart and quiet Butcher to finally collaborate on information, even if one-sided.

They come to the conclusion that the corpse was tortured but with a strange purpose; it would appear the Hemwick Witches were attempting to contact the nameless Great One commanding the Hunter's Dream, the very background that Stewart himself is attached to.

But why?

Stewart's questions remain unanswered and, as he finally makes progress with his adventure, he obeys the letter he received in Iosefka's Clinic. Finding himself in a carriage of horses seemingly driven and commanded by no-one, the youth exits into a snow-storm covered castle; Castle Cainhurst. Utilising the information his companion Alfred gave him of the Vilebloods and of Cainhurst itself, Stewart opts to press on in search of answers...

Scene 1

Twirling the smaller sword normally attached to Ludwig's Holy Blade on his back, Stewart's eyes narrowed as he slashed it across one of the many Bloodsucking Beasts. He spun around its screeching carcass, blood from its chunky belly sailing into the cold, night air; Stewart's eyes narrowed past the droplets of descending blood before soon wandering his gaze to the strangely silvery moonlit sky.

In spite of his efforts earlier the moon as far as Cainhurst, it would appear, had not coincided with Yharnam's.

Strange, he thought.

Turning on his heel to glare his eyes forward at the rest of the snow-infested path ahead the young hunter soon found himself staring at just a small part of the magnificently humongous sized castle of Cainhurst.

If I remember, correctly, he thought to himself.

Cainhurst is ruled only by its lone queen.

"Time to see what you want with me." The youth finished his pondering words in a low murmur; his voice gave vent to the very light exhale of white visible breath, the cold air smoking his respiration for all to see.

As he approached the huge double-doors of Cainhurst Castle, Stewart's eyes stayed slit-narrowed; they darted around as the one door on the left slowly creaked to life before him.

Ominous, he thought.

Like something from a horror novel.

Pushing those thoughts deftly from his mind he pressed forward and immediately found himself confronted with heat.

Strange; where did that come from?

His thoughts were interrupted in tandem; once by the similarly odd presence of mass-lit candles around the lavish castle foyer and secondly by strange movement at the corner of his eye.

Someone else was in here.

CLANG

In a flash the hard-faced youth clashed his transformed great-sword with his enemy's weapon. His eyes narrowed in quick recognition of the steel hammer he was engaged with.

A Kirkhammer?

Though the grip on their weapons stayed tightened, the two hunters relaxed their stances as they turned to view their enemy.

Stewart couldn't help but laugh when he saw the wide-eyed, shaggy blonde-haired Alfred staring back at him, clearly shocked and all.

"S-Stewart...?" The church hunter gasped out in thinly veiled bewilderment. The named youth in response merely smiled, his grip on his great-sword relaxing very quickly; he pulled his large weapon back and let it hang on his back safely. The shock-expressed Alfred could only stare back as he pulled back his huge hammer. "I... must say; it is a surprise to see you here..."

"I could very well say the same," Stewart chuckled amicably in his similarly friendly smile; he folded his arms and cocked a grin at the older young man before him. "From what I remember you telling me you weren't a big fan of this place."

"Ah-ha-ha!" Alfred could only laugh in response as he similarly pulled his Kirkhammer back to rest on his rear position, similarly to his comrade and companion. "Yes, I despise those disgusting Vilebloods...," he hissed out contrastingly with a low scowl, his eyes narrowing. "But I'm here for another reason."

"Y-Yeah?" Stewart smiled out in an awkward blink, unused to his hostility.

"I wished to see the resting place of my mentor... the great Master Logarius!" The newly smiling Alfred explained grandly as he placed his well-toned arms to his sides. Stewart's eyebrows lifted in recognition, his memories of speaking to the venerable man returning to him.

He vaguely recalled him make mention of a man by the name of 'Logarius'.

'Logarius' was here?

"More ya know." Stewart could only chuckle as he tilted his head very lightly in response, visibly surprised.

"Why are you here, sir Stewart?" Alfred asked as he furrowed his brow forward at the younger youth, curious-faced and all.

"I was... sent a letter from here, believe it or not," the dreaming hunter chuckled amiably as he rubbed the back of his head; an old habit. "And I'm not entirely sure by who."

"Hrm... I believe I have an idea from whom," the church hunter growled out lowly as he turned his eyes to the staircase next to them; Stewart traced his gaze with a curious-faced blink, unsure. "Damn Vilebloods..."

He really doesn't like these people, Stewart thought to himself.

Maybe I shouldn't confront him about it, he pondered onwards.

"Well, what say you then?"

"H-Huh?" He stammered, surprised by Alfred's sudden question. The church-affiliated hunter chuckled and nodded his head toward the youth.

"What say we combine our forces together?" The man suggested amicably. "We both have our goal in exploring this place after all."

Oh he wanted to co-operate?

All's said and done Alfred really was a nice man.

And yet...

In spite of how he often felt around the man, he couldn't help but sense an off sensation about him, specifically whenever he talked about the 'Vilebloods'.

Whoever they were.

Stifle it down, he thought.

"You have a friend that's willing to help," he nodded in his hard-frowning contemplation. "That's more than enough information that I need."

"So, what say you then friend? Do I pass your test?" Alfred humorously shot out with, a light grin adorned on his face as he did so. Realising he hadn't spoken in perhaps a short while, Stewart threw in a laughing smile of his own, rubbing the back of his head as he did.

"Of course," the dreaming hunter nodded in jolly assenting before reaching forward with his free left hand, presumably to be shaken. "You and me; let's do this!"

Alfred reached forward and took the younger youth's hand in his with his grin, similarly nodding. "Yes! Let's enact some jolly co-operation!"

His mood lifted by his new companion Stewart couldn't help but smile, even very lightly, as the pair turned a corner from the foyer, stepping into the first hallway together. His eyes lit up when he noticed a dead cadaver lying in the centre of the large room; separated by two opposite and similarly large tables to both sides, Stewart made movement to approach the cadaver and check its contents.

However, the narrow-eyed and suspicious-faced Alfred shook his head vehemently, grasping at the gasping youth's cape-less hunter's garb he wore. Stewart turned his long-haired head to frown back at the firm-faced veteran.

"W-What is it?"

"Cainhurst is a plague my friend," the church-affiliated hunter claimed boldly as he took a step forward; walking just a single stride further than his companion he glared on ahead. "Watch this..."

At his words, he reached into his robe-like garments and procured a single item; Stewart's eyes narrowed down at it.

A pebble?

What was he going to do with-?

Without another word, Alfred gave vent to a single grunt before reaching back and tossing the pebble forward with surprising strength. A number of event-less seconds passed between the listening and silently watching pair; when the pebble finally hit the ground next to the dead corpse, nothing else seemed to happen. Stewart could only watch and turned to face his friend, unsure on his motivations.

"What did you hope would h-?"

SCREECH

Stewart's eyes widened and he nearly jumped out of skin; the youth's head snapped 'round to find the strangely translucent forms of dull, white ghosts.

Literal ghosts.

Shaped as women wearing dresses, with suggestive cuts across their necks and bodies, they let loose angry-filled shrieks as they slashed at the air where Alfred threw his pebble, almost as if summoned by it. When they seemed to realise the pebble was but a ruse, the three dead women turned their heads very slowly and deliberately to glare over at the smirking-faced Alfred and the shock-expressed Stewart.

"You knew?" Stewart could only gasp out as he traded glares with the now slow approaching spectres.

"Of course I did," Alfred chuckled in response, his confident grin widening; he nodded over towards the left side of the table. "Come, through there!" The wiser fighter exclaimed as he burst forward to walk through the diversion; widening his eyes in surprise, Stewart suddenly broke into a run to catch up. "You can trust nothing in Cainhurst to be as it seems my friend." Alfred spoke over his shoulder as the two neared the next corridor, reaching to a balcony outside.

"W-Who and what are they?" Stewart could only ask before re-turning his head behind him to narrow his eyes at the slow-moving spectres chasing them fruitlessly.

"Dead women," Alfred merely spat out venomously, his tone seemingly directed at them themselves. Stewart turned his curious frown on the wiser man, listening intently. "When Master Logarius and his glorious Executioners came to purge these traitors for their blasphemous actions, they left those disgusting parasites in their wake."

"I... I see..." The dream-attached youth murmured out, re-turning back to give the disappearing ghosts one final look as they ascended the staircase before them.

"They are to be given no quarter," Alfred advised as they made the final climb, stepping to each other's sides; Stewart turned to his companion in a light blinking frown as he also faced him. "I don't see them giving you any mercy, after all..."

"Y-Yeah..." Stewart laughed in amiable but awkward agreement, nodding as he did so.

There it was again; that strange feeling in the way he spoke.

Either Alfred was hiding something or there was something he couldn't quite pick out about the man.

"I'm one to talk...," the youth thought to himself in twitching-faced admonishment. "If only he knew..."

I doubt he'd be so willing to help.

"Eyes front Stewart!"

The youth, wrenched suddenly from his ruminations, widened his eyes only to find the pair standing on a ruined path leading into yet another outside corridor. They stood back to back and, as they did, a similar duo approached them from the skies. Stewart's eyes shot up to his top right to find the horribly looking gargoyle descending down to glare back at him.

Wasn't this just a decoration?

"Remember... give no quarter." Alfred whispered over his shoulder, glaring back at the second gargoyle that similarly glowered back at him; it crawled toward him very slowly and deliberately. The church hunter gave vent to a battle-cry roar as he suddenly rushed the gargoyle, clinking his sword into the large hammer resting on his back.

As if called to life by the man's voice, the first gargoyle facing Stewart gave vent to a shrill sounding screech as it shot forward and attempted to bat the youth with its monstrous wing-like arms. The young hunter narrowed his eyes quickstepped to its undefended rear, reaching for his Tonitrus. Swiftly buffing it with electricity he shot similarly forward and swung the mace roughly into the shrieking creature's back; knocking it over, his morale shot up with his widening eyes when he realised its weakness. Reaching up with the Tonitrus he grunted a final time as he smashed it down to snuff the final life out of the monstrosity before swiftly turning to watch his comrade.

"A-Alfred; it's weak to lightning!"

SMASH

Stewart gasped, flinching as he felt the named man's Kirkhammer mash the poor gargoyle down into dust. A period of a few seconds passed between the two before, the dust finally settled and Stewart got a full look at the man before him. Alfred stood glaring down at the fallen gargoyle before soon re-turning back to face the youth curiously, almost as if surprised. Stewart stared back incredulously before eventually giving vent to a hilarity-filled laugh, amazed at his sheer strength. Alfred joined him very modestly, holding onto his two handed Kirkhammer, a light smile on his expression.

–

2

"Come Stewart; up here!"

The named youth gasped as he attempted to keep up with the speedy blonde. Rushing up the stone staircase he soon found his clicking steps evolving to crunching ones, taking note of the snow and the fact it led directly outside to a winding balcony. He had to stop from shivering when he stepped on out to join his comrade and companion on one of Cainhurst Castle's many roofs; his eyes widened at the majestic view he was given.

Incredible, he thought.

"What's keeping you?"

Alfred's voice, so impatient and flustered, caused him to turn and blink in light surprise. The church-affiliated warrior stared back at him in a brow-furrowed frown, clearly vexed by his friend's inaction.

"We should be more careful Alfred," Stewart chuckled good-naturedly and with a smile. His soft voice and foreign tongue was carried by the frosty night air. "We don't want to get ambushed again."

Alfred stared at him, as if surprised for a moment before soon chuckling and shaking his shut-eyed smiling head. "You are correct my friend; of course you are," he chortled, similarly cordially. He stepped forward to join his younger ally; the pair stood at one of the roof's edges, watching over the vast landscape of Cainhurst. "I can see now why you take the time to look," he smiled on quietly as he scanned his eyes across the scene before him. "It is certainly quite breathtaking."

"Yeah," Stewart laughed affably, nodding as he briefly turned to face the tougher fighter, his long brown hair blowing very lightly in the chilly wind. He soon returned his eyes to the far-off scenery once more however, smiling as before. "Sometimes it's nice to be able to stop fighting and smell the flowers."

"You are a strange one Stewart," Alfred couldn't help but laugh in response to the youth's words; the dreaming hunter could only blink in a zig-zag frown, as if unsure on his meaning. "Most hunters; they care only for blood and for the prey itself but you...," the shaggy-haired man began out in a lightly-eyed narrow frown, shaking his head softly as he spoke. "You're different."

"I-In a good way I hope." Stewart laughed back nervously, rubbing the back of his head in a show of his old habit.

"Ha-ha, of course, of course," Alfred laughed jollily. "'Let he who is without sin... cast the first stone'," he reiterated in his light smile; Stewart lost his own smile in place of a blinking frown as he listened. "An old lesson from our first vicar, Laurence," he claimed in a light raise of his head, smiling once more. Stewart's eyebrows lifted in brief surprise, immediately recognising the name. "As true now as it was then."

Laurence, he thought.

Who are you?

"Anyway, enough of the bible lessons," Alfred chuckled well-heartedly before turning his eyes down to the light cliff overlooking one of the castle's large supports. "Shall we?"

Even as they approached the seeming end of the castle, the hard blizzard the two men waded through only got worse. Stewart grunted and raised up his arms to shield himself from the sheer ferocity it commanded. Alfred, as if unfazed by the fierce and biting weather, frowned hard as he stepped forward, the path suggestive and ending.

Stewart reached forward in his wincing frown, his headaches growing worse in the cold weather.

"Wait, Alfred!" He attempted to call above the loud din of the snow-storm but it was no use; the church-affiliated hunter merely took a few more crunching steps forward, undaunted by the weather. His eyes narrowed forward and Stewart followed suit; he widened his own however when he saw a shape raising up from a throne-like seat not far from their current position.

Oh no.

It moved closer, ebony and all; soon the snow-storm began to lessen somewhat and they both got a better look at what they were dealing with.

A man-shaped figure stood threateningly over the pair, spinning a similarly long scythe into the air with it.

"Ah... Master Logarius...!" Alfred breathed forward as he stepped towards the unusually large shaped man, a bright and inviting smile on his face; he sent both his arms to his sides as if looking for an embrace. "I can't believe I'm finally meeting you in the flesh!"

"Master Logarius...?" Stewart murmured out as he listened, his brow furrowing in light recognition.

Was that the name he mentioned back in the Cathedral Ward?

This was Logarius of the Healing Church?

How?!

"Master Logarius... I am Alfred of the Healing Church's Executioner division; it is an absolute honour to meet you." Alfred smiled in a duty-bound bow, his eyes shutting as he did so. When the large figure slowly and deliberately advanced on the defenceless Alfred however Stewart's eyes widened in growing horror.

"No; Alfred!" He called forward as loud as he possibly could. The man seemed to hear him but not long enough to make a difference; the shaggy-haired fighter raised up his head in blinking surprise only to find the shadow smashing his scythe into his torso.

Time slowed down for the pair of adventurers; Stewart rushed forward, gritting his teeth in an effort to catch up and make a difference whereas the poor Alfred could only gasp in a pained gurgle as he was easily lifted off his feet into the air. He stared down at the similarly long-haired tall figure below him, blood dripping from his mouth as if shocked. Finally however, the tall Logarius gave vent to a single effort-filled grunt as he tossed the gasping Alfred half-way across the sky.

"No!"

Stewart's meaningless call echoed across the air with the wide-eyed and sailing bloody form of his companion; he snapped his head 'round to follow the flying form of his friend, his stress growing by the second.

CRUNCH

Stewart's eyes widened and he lost his worried grit-toothed frown in place of a horrified one.

CRUNCH

He turned his head around very slowly and deliberately, his eyes wincing with each loud step Logarius made toward him.

CRUNCH

The dreaming youth put on a firm frown as he turned his eyes up to the looming shadow of the approaching and glaring form of the ebony dressed Logarius. Finally, he stopped just short of the young man and spun his scythe around once in a hard-eyed glare, watching him hungrily.

All expectations to go to Alfred's rescue were now off the table.

I have to win this now he thought.

–

3

Logarius began with a simple diagonal swipe of his similarly long scythe, eyes glaring down at the young man below him; with ripened feet, Stewart back-shifted in an attempt to evade him. Sure enough, in spite of his growing fatigue and headaches, he at least managed to put some distance between himself and his new opponent.

The looming form of Logarius hovered his scythe up into the air and Stewart had to narrow his eyes skyward to see what he was seemingly planning.

What was-?

The hair on the back of his neck stood on end when he saw a visibly crimson-shaded energy charging upward.

Hide!

With that thought driving him on, the youth dove to his right to evade the telegraphed attack, slamming his back against one of the building walls decorated around the area. He grit his teeth together tightly, turning his head to his right, his eyes narrowing.

Where is it coming from?

He heard the ball of Arcane energy fizzle in the cold, night air somewhere close; his paranoia very quickly grew. It hit a climax very swiftly when he felt movement both to his left and right; the youth tore his back off from the small building and ran around the snowy surface of their battlefield, eyes narrowing as he did so. His eyes soon widened in horror however when he caught the tall, intimidating form of Logarius shift promptly to his front.

Oh no.

With the Arcane energy approaching from the back and his new enemy to his front he was almost out of options entirely.

Unless...

Just as he half-expected, Logarius lowered his scythe backward to attack with.

Now!

He pulled out his Hunter's Pistol and fired off a round.

BANG

Logarius gasped visibly and audibly, recoiling back to a kneed position. Stewart's eyes widened and, in similar urgency, he quickstepped forward to deliver his counter-attack.

SQUELCH-SMASH

"Come on!" The adrenaline filled youth called out, his voice echoing throughout the ancient battlefield. His long brown hair tossed around similarly wildly as he grit his teeth together in his war cry; his eyes widened however when he heard the dull whine of the Arcane energy behind him.

No!

BZT

Stewart yelled aloud in great physical agony as the slow ball finally collided with him, sending him spiralling through the snowy air. He could briefly catch the sight of the growling Logarius kneeling down, as if storing energy of some kind through his scythe. Using his free left hand, Stewart grunted in effort as he grasped at the frigid ground beneath him mid-flight to recover with; side-flipping to his right he gasped as he landed in a kneeing position. The youth could only breathe for air desperately as he watched his opponent, blood dripping from the left side of his mouth. Gravely injured, he reached down for a quick blood vial; stabbing it into his lowered left leg he soon found energy and stamina returning to his body.

I hate when I have to take those, he thought.

Surprising him once more, Logarius' shockingly quick form reappeared to his right; his eyes snapped sharply in response, his eyebrows lifting to match it. The youth quickstepped to his left, narrowly avoiding the tall man's new weapon; a longsword of some kind. It slashed apart the ground he once rested on and, attempting to take advantage, Stewart quick-shifted back forward, the small-sword part of Ludwig's Holy Blade ready.

Ducking his head with widened eyes, he managed to evade the tall man's diagonal scythe strike; he spun around in his evasion, turning it into a swift counter-attack. His weapon slashed apart at the big fighter's side; he grunted lowly in response, clearly damage being done. Logarius growled as he back-stepped to get some distance between the pair, eyes narrowing carefully forward; Stewart watched him, unsure on his motives.

What was he-?

Suddenly, and shockingly, the tall man abruptly leapt into the air with incredibly resolve and speed.

"What the-?!" Stewart gasped out; he attempted to follow his movements...

… but it was no use.

He looked around blindly for the intimidating enemy, his awareness of his task in saving Alfred's unconscious form burning in his mind.

If I die here... then so does Alfred, he thought.

I can't lo-

SMASH

Stewart's eyes widened; time slowed down to a mere peep as he attempted to piece together what had just happened.

The looming form of Logarius reappeared directly above the youth, having seemingly descended back down from the skies he previously leapt into. With his right arm he sunk his scythe deep into the young man's torso, drawing blood. When time finally returned to normal, Stewart let out a single but deeply painful coughing gurgle of crimson, held aloft from the sheer force the scythe and its owner commanded. Logarius finally finished his fearsome assault with a spinning toss; Stewart could only shut his eyes and grasp at the blade and his wound, extreme pain coursing through his body.

Soon he found himself sailing desperately and agonisingly through the air a second time, grunting in his shut-eyed suffering. Crashing hard into one of the small buildings he used as hiding places he soon dropped back down to the ground, unable to move. He struggled to breathe as he turned his wavy-eyed vision upwards, watching the tall form of Logarius slowly and menacingly advance on him.

Was this it?

This at least spelled the end for Alfred, he thought.

And that was the greatest fall of all.

Despair accompanied the blinding headache that had continually plagued him, leaving him gasping painfully for air. When Logarius had finally reached his position he spun his scythe around expertly before raising it skyward, intending to finish him with. Stewart could only watch in blood-addled despair, his eyes widening.

"N-No...," he could only gurgle out, his eyes twitching in growing horror. When the blade finally came crashing down toward him his headaches shot up contrastingly alongside it. "No!"

Author's Note: Aha-ha, I'm glad you're enjoying the writing Mr. Guest. Yeah if you know the game you'll know what's happenin' down the road ha-ha. I've planned a lot of this out so I apologise if it doesn't fit any sort of idea you might otherwise prefer; I can only hope you'll still enjoy the humble work I put out.

Ha-ha yeah I'm sorry about the unusually long wait in this chapter; inspiration's a fickle thing unfortunately. I've yet to update my Fire Emblem stuff in relation to that actually ha-ha; I'll have to eventually get back to that. That's incredible though; you know all that? I only know bits and pieces about the game's unfinished stuff personally ha-ha, that's amazing.

Anyway, once again, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart of taking the time to read my stuff.