A/N: Good news, everyone! I found a beta reader for the story, and they've been really helpful. I also came back from a business trip recently, so I can upload more often. I'm removing the interlude for the time being and will re-upload it after another chapter or two so the timeline flows better.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Darkest Dungeon belongs to Red Hook Studios and the Trails series belongs to Nihon Falcom.
Farmstead
My Estelle, you shine like the sun.
Moments after the root cellar door closed behind him, Joshua heard a loud explosion, and a quake shook copious amounts of dust from the ceiling. Mildred told him to stay put, saying something about needing to check on her husband.
The sun is a star.
Minutes later, there were panicked cries from above. Joshua heard Mildred's voice among them.
The stars are Estelle.
Hours later, there were screams of horror. Always about the same thing: crystals. Mildred never returned.
The time I spent with you was the happiest I will ever have.
Days later - maybe months or even years - Joshua finally emerged from the root cellar. The ruins of the farmhouse were bathed in eerie blue light, with no soul in sight. While he had appropriated some of the food in the cellar for himself, Joshua never felt hunger. Strange.
There is no time.
Time meant nothing to him anymore as he skulked around the ruined farm, trying to find a way out. Sometimes he would end up at another farm building. Sometimes he would end up back where he started, at the root cellar. Sometimes he would end up in places that he couldn't even name, could barely even make sense of. But never did he find any place that seemed like an exit.
I will never be happy.
A voice called out. "Joshua, it's been a while." A familiar face framed by silver hair, long coat, sword in left hand. An echo of the dead trapped forever.
My Estelle, where are you?
Hamlet Residence
Well, that's enough paperwork for the day. Planning both the expeditions and the reconstruction of the Hamlet is tiring work, the Heir thought as he tucked away the last of his papers into his desk's drawers. He drew back the curtains and peered out the window, only to be greeted by near-total darkness with moonlight and the sporadic oil lantern illuminating the Hamlet's public spaces. A far cry from the glowing streets of the city.
Guess I worked late again. No rest for the weary, I suppose. The Heir yawned as he made his way to the door that connected his office to the bedroom. He opened the door, only to be greeted by the shimmering blue phantom of his ancestor Ambrosius.
"Good evening," the Heir said. "I suppose you have some important news for me?"
Ambrosius said nothing and simply made his way over to the Heir's desk, examining the glass jar containing the late prophet's eye. He rubbed his chin, deep in thought, before gesturing at the Heir's office chair as if instructing his younger relative to sit back down.
"Now that your motley militia has vanquished the prophet, I suppose I should enlighten you in regard to that recently-deceased opponent. Excavations beneath the manor were well underway when a particularly ragged indigent arrived in the Hamlet. This filthy miscreant boasted an uncanny knowledge of my ambitions and prognosticated publicly that, left unchecked, I would soon unleash doom upon the world.
"This raving creature had to be silenced. But doing so proved maddeningly impossible. How had he survived the stockades, the icy waters, and the knives I delivered so enthusiastically into his back? How had he returned, time and time again, to rouse the townsfolk with his wild speculations and prophecies?
"Finally, resigned to his uncommon corporeal resilience, I lured him to the dig. There, I showed him the THING and detailed the full extent of my plans. Triumphantly I watched as he tore his eyes from their sockets and ran shrieking into the shadows, wailing maniacally that the end was upon us all."
The Heir sat in stunned in silence for a few seconds, pondering the sudden revelation he had received. With shaking hands, he retrieved a bottle of whiskey from the drawer, poured himself two drams, and swiftly ingested the drink with a sharp tilt of the glass. He exhaled violently from the burning feeling in his throat before speaking.
"That prophet, he was an innocent man before you corrupted him with that 'damnable portal of antediluvian evil'?" the Heir said, quoting the letter which had summoned him back to the Hamlet in the first place. "And his leadership of the cult was your doing? You hid this from me. Why?"
"I warned you when you first arrived, did I not? 'In time, you will know the tragic extent of my failings.' The prophet was not my first 'achievement' nor my last. While his defeat is a significant milestone, there will be other obstacles. As victories mount, so too will resistance," Ambrosius explained.
"Then tell me about the others, damn it! Tell me about those 'obstacles' and 'resistance'!" The Heir shot up and slammed his fists on the desk, heart pounding and mind racing from alcohol-induced rage. He was beyond irritated by the fact Ambrosius had hidden the full extent of his depravities and left him in charge of cleaning up after that mess.
"All in due time. There is little utility and much despair if I revealed everything too early," Ambrosius said. "Do have yourself a good night. The Hamlet is in your hands, after all."
Adventurer Barracks, Next Morning
Ugh…this is so gross, Estelle thought as she left the communal privy, making sure to firmly close the door behind her to prevent the smell from spreading. One of the most shocking differences was something she barely paid attention to back in Zemuria: running water. Patting herself down with wet towels was nowhere near as refreshing as a proper shower, and the less said about the privies, the better. Even something as simple as brushing teeth was a chore, and Estelle had to ration her toothpaste carefully so she wouldn't have to resort to the strange herbal powders the others rubbed in their teeth every day.
After freshening up as much as she could, Estelle left the barracks to take a walk. The panicked rush to try to find Joshua on her first day, departing for the expedition the next day, and her utter exhaustion upon her return meant she never had the time to properly explore the Hamlet. Even in a land where the Bracer Guild didn't exist, Estelle still stuck by the principle of exploring the location she was responsible for. Having tried to call Joshua on her ARCUS multiple times and being greeted with nothing but static, Estelle had to do things the old way.
If I walk around enough, I might meet someone who knows about Joshua! Estelle thought as she walked around the town square. It was relatively simple by her standards, a series of buildings surrounding the statue of some bearded man the inhabitants were very hesitant to talk about. Afterwards, Estelle ventured beyond the center. Despite how squalid and gloomy the place looked, there was more construction than she expected. Guess Mr. Heir is trying to rebuild the place.
Overall, the Hamlet's population couldn't have been over a thousand, and the entire place made Estelle think she got sucked into a history book about the Middle Ages. The place reminded her quite a bit of some of the smaller farming towns she had been to, like Ravennue and Armorica, except for the complete lack of orbal technology. One curious thing she noticed was that the west side of town was always covered in some putrid stench no matter the time of day, despite the absence of a noticeable source like an open sewer or a garbage dump. Guess I'll ask the others about it later.
Aside from the town square and a handful of traders scattered about, the Hamlet had very little in the way of attractions. One thing that surprised Estelle was that the Hamlet was actually situated on the coastline, and there was a river along the outskirts. It was something Estelle missed the night before due to how dark everything was. Witnessing first-hand the extent of the Hamlet's plumbing (or lack of) convinced Estelle fishing in the stream was the opposite of a good idea, but the harbor seemed more promising. As she made her way back to the town square, Estelle made a mental note to find a fishing rod. Estelle noticed the Heir was there as well, staring at the statue of the bearded man.
"Morning, Mr. Heir." Estelle waved and made her way to the statue. Her greeting snapped the Heir out of whatever reverie he seemed to be in, and he turned to face her.
The Heir nodded. "Good morrow to you too, Bracer."
"I didn't get the chance to ask you last night, so I might as well get this over with. Any word on Joshua?" Estelle asked, her question short and to the point.
"Unfortunately, there has been no news about him. However, I have dispatched an expedition with specific instructions to be on the lookout for people matching your lover's description," the Heir replied. "In the meantime, I do ask for your cooperation and patience."
"Thanks anyway." Estelle sighed in disappointment before making her way to the tavern. The Heir's reassurance eased her worries a little, but she knew she had to make plans to look for him herself sooner or later. After entering the tavern, she saw Reynauld and Dismas sitting at one of the tables and walked towards them.
"Morning, Estelle." Dismas said. "Reynauld and I are having breakfast. Care to join us?"
"Sure, I'm starving."
After skulking around eating hardtack and dried goods for nearly a week, the simple and rustic breakfast seemed like a feast at Grancel Castle, and Estelle gladly wolfed down her meal. After finishing their meal and some chatting, Estelle decided it was a good time to ask Reynauld about something he said back in the ruins.
"Reynauld, that word you used after we took care of the prophet. 'Necromancer', right? What does it mean?" Estelle asked, drawing raised eyebrows from her two companions.
"You…you do not know what a necromancer is?" Reynauld asked.
"No, I never heard of it before," Estelle said, wondering if she had somehow offended him. She noticed Reynauld was starting to tighten his fist and shake. He took a few deep labored breaths before finally answering her question.
"A necromancer is a foul…thing that raises the dead and manipulates them with their black magic. You should consider yourself blessed to be ignorant of them!" Reynauld said through gritted teeth. He then excused himself from the table, saying something about attending a prayer service. The fact he deliberately avoided mentioning necromancers as people did not escape Estelle.
"Dismas, was it something I said?" Estelle asked, feeling concerned and a little guilty.
"Somewhat. Reynauld has a strong hatred for necromancers and the undead in general because of an unpleasant event in his past, but that's a story only he is fit to tell," Dismas said as he got up. "We have all of next week off at the gambling hall. You coming?"
"Sure, I'd love to, but all of next week? Isn't that too generous?" Estelle asked as she got up as well.
"It's the boss's standard policy for people who are particularly shaken after an expedition. If you ask me, a week is barely enough considering some of the shit I've seen. Come on, let's just enjoy ourselves for now. There will always be expeditions." Dismas then headed for the gambling hall with Estelle in tow.
The schedule Estelle set for herself over the next week was rather simple. She would either train with her staff or patrol the Hamlet during daytime, allowing her to keep an eye out for Joshua should he turn up. The evenings would be reserved for gambling with Dismas. Despite the welcoming distraction provided by the thrill of gambling and the Heir's reassurances, her worry for Joshua's safety grew day after day. Whenever she spoke to the Heir during the week, he didn't have any new leads – in fact he was even rather dismissive at times. There was still no luck raising Joshua on the ARCUS either, despite the occasional combat link-induced resonance that proved he was alive and somewhere nearby. Deep down, Estelle knew Joshua would have already found his way to the Hamlet if he was able to, so something was definitely wrong. Estelle decided that if the Heir still didn't have leads by the time the other expedition had returned, she would go look for him herself just like a couple years ago.
As the week neared its end, Estelle started to talk to more people around the Hamlet, including her fellow adventurers, during her self-directed patrols. They were able to provide insights into how dangerous the surrounding areas were. One of the townsfolk, a survivalist who lived in a tent on top of a cliff overlooking the Hamlet, even gave Estelle a crude handmade map of the area. A search plan began to form inside Estelle's head, and she decided to confront the Heir over the weekend once the other expedition had returned.
He proved easy to find, as he was once again at the statue of the old man with Paracelsus, debriefing a group of adventurers who seemed to have just returned from an expedition. As Estelle got closer, she could make out snippets of the conversation, and they all seemed to be carrying sacks full of some strange blue crystal.
"That Farmstead is cursed, I say!"
"…fiends from a madman's nightmare!"
"...nothing but crystal-studded husks!"
"…an old colleague would be interested in these…"
The group began to disperse upon Estelle's arrival, leaving only her and the Heir who seemed deep in thought as he examined a sample of the crystal they had brought back.
"Mr. Heir, we need to talk. It's been two weeks since I showed up, and the other expedition just came back empty handed. I'd say that's plenty of time to find even a small clue about Joshua," Estelle said. The Heir looked up at her and sighed deeply before continuing.
"You are a persistent one, Bracer. Unfortunately, I still have no leads. I do not know how quickly word travels back at your home, but here they only move as swiftly as the horses or the pigeons that carry them," the Heir said, clearly annoyed.
"It can't take that long for you to find him! I don't really know how to explain this, but I have a feeling he's alive and not that far from here!" Estelle pulled out her ARCUS. "It keeps doing this…thing which wouldn't be possible if Joshua's dead or far away."
The Heir stared at Estelle's device, deep in thought once more, and ignored her attempts to rouse him from his contemplative state. After a minute or so, he motioned her to follow him to his office where he pulled out a map that was more detailed than what the survivalist had given her
"This is the estate I inherited. Aside from this Hamlet and some nearby farms, the majority of the region is rife with dangers, from brigands to other, more arcane, horrors. Even the old road that leads to the Hamlet is not safe," the Heir explained.
"So, what? It's the same way back in Zemuria. Even the major roads have monsters prowling nearby. Hunting down the truly dangerous ones is one of the things we Bracers do."
"You do not understand, do you? If your lover is in this region and alive, as you so dearly believe, there is no way for him to make his way here by himself, and an expedition will find him eventually. If he's further away, then my connections in more distant regions will inform me once he has been sighted." The Heir said. "In either case, you need to be patient and carry out your tasks as I assign them. And if he's dead…"
"Joshua is not dead, damn it!" Estelle suddenly shouted, cutting him off. The mere mention of the possibility of his demise, coupled with her growing worry, caused her temper to erupt. "Why can't I just grab a few people who are sitting around and go look for him myself?"
"Overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer, Bracer! Have you not seen the number of headstones in the cemetery? Far too many adventurers are buried there! Some of them were beset by misfortune, others had died valiantly, yet even more end up there simply because they falsely believed they were ready for the horrors that claimed their lives! What good will you be to your lover if you end up there? And I assure you there will be no others to join your fool's errand."
"I'm not like the others! I've got several years of fights and monster hunting under my belt, plus I've been to worse places than some gloomy countryside. Joshua is out there, trying to find me too! What kind of girlfriend and Bracer would I be if I just sit around waiting for leads?" Estelle retorted.
"I see there is no convincing you to give up this idea, then. Very well, you have one week from now to find your lover by yourself. If you do not return by then, I will assume you are dead. If it helps, an expedition is leaving for the Cove this week. As with all expeditions since your arrival, I have already instructed them to look for your lover. If you wish, you can rendezvous with them should you head there, but I'll not spare others for this foolish endeavor." The Heir then gave Estelle a smaller copy of the region's map and ushered her out. "Now leave."
Guess I better get to work. Hold on, Joshua. I'm coming, Estelle thought as she sprinted back to the barracks to gather her supplies. At her desk, Estelle pulled out her ARCUS and her quartz case to try to figure out the best setup for a solo run. As she tweaked her quartz set up, she realized something.
Wait a minute, my ARCUS should be at a full charge by now! It's been a week since I got back! Estelle emptied her backpack and took inventory of her supplies, focusing on counting how many EP charges she had left.
Think, Estelle, think! Orbments should recharge slowly on their own, usually getting back to full power after a good night's sleep. That could only mean there's no orbal energy at all here! Guess I can't just buy EP charges either. This is bad, but not terrible. It's just like the Orbal Shutdown Phenomenon back in the day, and I made it through that in one piece. Plus, my ARCUS still works, I just can't use Arts that often. Okay, Estelle, you got this.
She ultimately decided on a quartz set up that boosted her speed, endurance, and strength as well as allowing her to cast healing Arts. Among her setup was Ingenuity, a quartz that used the motion of her own body to recharge her ARCUS's orbal energy. In her mind, that struck a good balance between fighting ability and energy conservation. Having finished taking inventory, Estelle then finalized her course of action. She would follow along the old road first to see if Joshua was making his way down, then she would cut through the Weald for the Cove to try to find that week's expedition and search those seaside caves together. While the Heir's domain seemed large, Estelle figured she could always head out on her own some other week if Joshua didn't turn up right away.
After quickly running to the general store to buy more supplies, Estelle followed the map and set out on the old road, lighting a torch to help her see better. As she walked along the old road, Estelle noticed just how lifeless the forest seemed. Gigantic mushrooms infested every tree, seemingly draining whatever nutrients the tree's roots could draw from the corrupted soil. The familiar sound of birdsong was completely absent, replaced by the chirping of insects, distant growls, and the occasional shuffling foliage.
Man, this place is way spookier than Mistwald, Estelle thought as she walked along the old road, looking for any signs of Joshua. She had barely ventured beyond the confines of the Hamlet and the place was already giving her the creeps. Still, she had to press forward for Joshua's sake. She was barely twenty minutes out of the Hamlet when Estelle noticed the growling had stopped, and the chirping bugs disappeared soon after. Her Bracer-honed senses told her something was extremely wrong, and she immediately readied her staff and scanned her surroundings. The forest was silent like a tomb, and with no traces of life as far as the eye can see. What little sunlight that had managed to trickle through the thick clouds and the canopy cast long shadows all around Estelle. An unseasonal chill shot up her spine, and a being sprung up from the dirt road in front of her in the blink of an eye.
The thing in front of her was shaped like a human and dressed like one, but it was no human being. For starters, it was far too tall. The thing's head, an exposed human skull, was wreathed in blue flames and rattled unnaturally in its cage, the only movement from its otherwise still body. While it had empty sockets instead of living eyes, Estelle somehow knew it was staring at her. It wore a thick yellow coat that reached where its feet would be, leaving only the creature's skeletal hands and ghastly skull exposed.
Estelle had fought otherworldly enemies before, but only in the illusory realm of Phantasma and isolated areas that some of her allies described as having active higher elements. She didn't know the details behind their explanation, but she knew that the thing which stood in front of her was something that shouldn't be roaming the land of the living.
The creature snapped up its right arm, allowing the coat to open up slightly. Several mummified heads, glued together by necrotic flesh, sprung from the opening in the creature's jacket, their glowing eyes wide open and mouths locked open in soundless screams. Three of the heads pushed forward, their severed spines trailing behind them like strings on a macabre balloon, and came to a floating stop in front of the creature while the remainder withdrew into its jacket. By that point, every fiber in Estelle's being yelled at her to run away while she still could before her own head joined the twisted collection.
"Sweet Aidios!" Estelle yelped in horror as a spectral body suddenly formed around one of the heads. Its knife slashed at Estelle, who barely recovered from the shock in time to block it with her staff as she backpedaled. She swung her staff at the severed head, caving in the skull, but it simply kept coming and slashing at her, joined by its brethren. While she was distracted, a spectral body formed around the third head and raised its mace. A bolt of unholy lightning struck Estelle, shocking her and forcing her to her knees. Its master dashed forward and, in a twisted mockery of showmanship, threw open its jacket in full, revealing its entire collection.
Mummified heads, all locked in expressions of pain and horror, formed the creature's body and lined the interior of its coat. All of them stared at Estelle with wide glowing eyes as if trying to bore a hole in her soul and screamed as one. The shrieks of the damned echoed down the old road and through the trees, overwhelming Estelle's senses and causing blood to trickle from her ears. The sight of the writhing disembodied heads, piled high and cloaked in malice, shook Estelle to her very core, yet she was unable to block her ears or look away because of her paralyzed state.
Aidios! Mom! Anyone! Help me! Estelle prayed in desperation as she tried to get her body moving again. The spectral knifeman with the damaged skull charged at her, and Estelle summoned all her strength to dodge to her left. The phantom knife felt just as sharp as a real one as it slashed her right flank, carving a deep gash and causing blood to flow freely. Estelle shrieked in agony, but the pain and motion was what she needed to finally start moving again properly. It charged again, followed closely by its healthier brethren, but Estelle was ready. She roared and batted away the knife arm before spinning her entire body to put enough force behind her staff to pulverize the skull. Finally, the phantom knifeman was down for good. As she got into position to counter the second knifeman, another skull floated free from the tall creature's coat and replaced the fallen knifeman.
Crap! I'll never get away at this rate! I don't even have an opening to use Arts! She parried a knife strike before thrusting her staff forward right into the middle of the second knifeman's face, caving it in and causing the entire head to dissolve into ash. Yet another skull floated free from its master's heavy jacket while the creature simply stood in the back of the fray, watching her.
Wait a minute, it's trying to wear me down! For all I know, that thing has thousands of heads! As horrified realization dawned, Estelle backpedaled in an attempt to gain breathing room only for the three heads to attack at once. Their master floated closely behind, observing the action. A knife slashed out. She blocked. A second knife stabbed towards her. She dodged. But that put her right in the path of the phantom mace, which struck her shoulder with a resounding crack. Estelle screamed, falling to the ground. Another knife was already scything down towards her. She quickly rolled to her side, wincing from the pain in her shoulder and getting dirt in her wound, and used her staff to push herself to her feet.
With mounting wounds and an endless supply of enemies, Estelle knew it was a fight she couldn't win. She did the next best thing and pulled out a smoke grenade from her pack, primed it, and threw it at the spectral warriors who were charging at her. A thick white smoke erupted immediately, giving Estelle the scant seconds she needed to slip away. Her shoulder and the gash on her side needed to be taken care of, but any delay caused by a healing Art would give the creature the time it needed to catch up with her. The old road was an unfamiliar locale, so trying to hide would only open her up to ambushes, either by that creature or other parties. Estelle simply clasped a hand tightly over the bleeding wound on her side and hobbled back to the Hamlet.
Relief hit Estelle as she reached the Hamlet after a trip that felt like it took hours. A member of the town guard rushed to her side and guided her to the sanitarium's medical ward, where she was finally able to cast a healing Art on herself, away from the prying eyes of the Hamlet's residents.
Isn't this the same room I woke up in? Great, just great, Estelle thought as she laid in bed, staring at the bare ceiling. She soon heard a knock on the door.
"Are you awake, Bracer?" the Heir called from the other side, a hint of concern in his voice. "We need to speak to you."
"What is it?" Estelle asked in return, and the door opened. The Heir walked in, followed by Reynauld and Dismas.
"Reynauld? Dismas? Why are you guys here too?" Estelle asked.
Dismas shrugged. "We were the ones who accompanied the boss here a year ago, so I guess we're the two most senior adventurers in the Hamlet."
"Due to their seniority, they have become trusted advisors for all things related to expeditions and adventurers, including yourself," the Heir continued. "Look, I'm not here to gloat about your poor decision, but I do hope you now understand how unwise it is to venture off on your own."
"How're you holding up, lass? They said you were in pretty rough shape when you came in," Dismas asked, and Estelle quickly recounted her encounter with the creature on the old road.
"You ran into the Collector?" the three of them asked in unison, with equal degrees of surprise in their voices.
"Is that what the thing is called? What the hell even is that thing?" Estelle asked.
"While my ancestor has a ledger of the various foes that plague this estate, there are no records of the creature," the Heir said.
"The Collector is completely unknown even to those of us who do battle in the name of the Light. All we know is that it is an unholy creature who preys upon unsuspecting adventurers for sport and takes their heads as trophies," Reynauld said. "We have slain that foul beast before, with great difficulty, yet it continues to plague this land."
"Encountering it with four people is a nightmare all on its own, yet you managed to survive it by yourself. Damn, I've really underestimated you," Dismas said. "In any case, glad to see you're still in one piece."
"I guess that Collector thing made your point for you, Mr Heir." Estelle sighed in resignation. "As much as I hate to admit it, venturing off on my own to find Joshua is a bad idea here. I'm going to need your help if I'm ever going to find him, even if he's somewhere nearby."
"Very well, then. Once again, I pledge to use the connections and resources at my disposal to locate your lover. As this week's expedition has already departed, I will not have anything for you until next week at the earliest. Do take the time to rest up," the Heir said as he headed for the door with Reynauld and Dismas.
I'm so sorry, Joshua, but I won't give up just yet. Estelle laid back down, her eyes staring at the ceiling. Maybe I'll find you in the next expedition, or maybe a few more runs down the line, but I will find you.