Disclaimer: I own nothing. Darkest Dungeon belongs to Red Hook Studios, the Trails series belongs to Nihon Falcom, and any mod content belongs to their creators. The fic contains graphic violence and disturbing imagery, so reader discretion is strongly advised.
To Night Rogue: I think Camperor is someone who needs professional help. I don't want anything to do with him or his issues.
Estelle sat stone still on the pier, her eyes fixed on the floater bobbing in the water. The gentle sea breeze blew past her, ruffling her hair, and she sucked in a deep breath of refreshing salt air. With the morning sun warming her skin and the familiar feel of the fishing rod gripped in her hands, she could almost imagine she was back home. How often had she sat just like this on the shores of Lake Valeria or the beaches of Ruan?
It wasn't long before the line twitched and Estelle reeled in her first catch — a small catfish that she took pity on and tossed back into the water. She re-baited the hook and settled comfortably to wait for the next bite.
The scene was so tranquil, so similar to her memories, that Estelle could almost hear Joshua's harmonica playing. He'd often sit with her, keeping her company with his music.
"Am I interrupting you, Estelle?" Joshua asked her, his harmonica sitting on his lap.
"Of course not, Joshua!" She grinned at her boyfriend. "If anything, your tunes help me relax and focus."
It was so peaceful. She enjoyed fishing in any environment, but the sea was her favourite. The background wash of the waves on the shore, the gulls circling in the blue sky above... And as Estelle tossed a salmon into her bucket of catches, she couldn't help but smile as she reflected that the sea also yielded the biggest catches and the tastiest meals. Meals that she and Joshua always shared.
The thought made her hungry, so as the midday sun flitted in and out of the clouds, Estelle took a short break to eat a light lunch before returning to her rod. The fish must have been as affected by the lazy warmth of the afternoon as she was, because they barely resisted as she reeled them in one after the other.
When she bent down to put yet another catch in the bucket only to realise it was nearly full, Estelle looked up in surprise to see the sun crawling towards the western horizon. When did I...? She wiped her forehead in confusion. Has it really been that long?
"Estelle? It's getting late, you know," Joshua said as he snuggled up right next to her. "Not that I mind."
The floater began to quiver before suddenly sinking below the surface.
"Huh? What's that?" Joshua asked, peering into the water.
Estelle began to reel it in, but the line went taut as the fish resisted. You wanna play? I'll play. She unreeled her line, letting the fish swim away a little, before reeling it back in until the line tightened again. After a couple rounds of tug-of-war, she figured the fish was tired enough, she stood up and paced backwards to pull it out of the water. The fish was heavy enough to bend the rod.
"Come on, Estelle! You can do it!" The normally stoic Joshua cheered Estelle on as she furiously reeled in her catch.
Come on, come on… Estelle gritted her teeth as the resistance in her line became even heavier. When she saw the fish's mouth break the surface, Estelle reached for the line and yanked the fish onto the pier. She whistled sharply when she saw the enormous sea bass flapping and floundering on the wood. Caught up in the excitement, Estelle whipped her head around.
"Joshua, look! Check this…out…"
But the pier was empty, and her triumphant excitement gave way to bitter loneliness. She'd only caught something this big a handful of times before, but the victory seemed hollow without Joshua around to celebrate with, cheer her on, or even rib her about her cooking skills when she talked about eating her catch.
With a sigh, Estelle deposited the sea bass in the overflowing bucket and plopped down on the edge of the pier. She cast her line once more and tried to return to that happy, semi-meditative state, but the spell was broken. All the memories that came to mind were bittersweet now.
The two of them having a proper tea party with Renne for the very first time.
The two of them huddled together in the same bed on a cold snowy day.
The two of them kissing on that beach for the very first time.
Joshua, Joshua, it all goes back to Joshua… Her eyes stung with hot tears, but Estelle blinked them away and focused on reeling in her latest catch. After adding it to her collection, she decided to give up for the day. Damn it, it just doesn't feel right without Joshua here.
With a long sigh, Estelle packed up her fishing gear and trudged back with her bucket in tow. Her first destination was a small hut that served as Paracelsus' makeshift laboratory. Estelle gave the door a quick knock and was answered almost immediately by the Plague Doctor.
"What is it?" Paracelsus asked tersely. "I'm quite busy at the moment."
"Hey, doc. Just wanted you to check these fish out to see if they're safe." Estelle hoisted the bucket full of her catch, only for Paracelsus to let out an annoyed grunt.
"You're just like the fishermen, paranoid about whether the local sea life is tainted because of those monstrosities from the Cove. While it is true those pelagic nightmares occasionally plague the Hamlet, that Occultist and I both agree the fish are quite safe to eat," Paracelsus said and led Estelle inside. "I suppose my word won't do, especially for a newcomer like yourself. Have a seat, and you shall have your reassurance soon enough."
Paracelsus then used some tongs to pick out one of the larger fish before slicing off a small chuck of flesh with a scalpel and depositing it on a small metal plate. After that was done, she put the fish back into Estelle's bucket. She then opened up a jar containing the severed hand from a recently-deceased pelagic grouper, submerged in some kind of chemical. Paracelsus sliced off a small chunk from the hand and put it on a second plate before walking over to grab a glass flask filled with a bright red liquid. Estelle walked over to have a better look and noticed the preserved hand had several chunks missing, all of them apparently having been neatly incised. A cough from Paracelsus made Estelle move out of her way.
"Observe," Paracelsus said before dripping some of that red chemical into both plates. The one containing flesh from the severed hand immediately began to fizz and bubble with a hissing sound while the plate with Estelle's catch remained inert. "My solution has elicited quite the strong reaction from the tainted flesh but not your catch. Are you satisfied now?"
"Yeah, I guess I am. Thanks, doc," Estelle said. "You mentioned something about me being like the fishermen. Do you do that test often?"
"Yes, I do. That expedition you just came from? The one with the protective wards? We've had to do that multiple times in the past year because the waves were too dangerous for the fishermen to head out. No matter how many times we enact those rituals, the sea simply becomes chaotic again some time later. Such is nature, I suppose," Paracelsus sighed in frustration. "Every time we come back, it's always the same superstitious fishermen bringing me their catch, asking me to make sure the flesh is free of taint or curse or whatever they think has affected their catch that day. I run the same tests, and Abdul always performs the same rituals. Do they listen and calm down? No! Those fools keep coming back!
"I am a learned scholar. These tests are nothing more than unwelcome distractions from my real work," Paracelsus told Estelle. "Still, I trust you are at least somewhat more receptive to my results than that uneducated rabble. I understand you are not versed in the ways of science, but from what I've seen of your 'ARCUS', an average person in your homeland is more educated than the lot here."
"I guess so. The church back home does a good job running Sunday School for everyone under sixteen. They are also experts in medicine and very tolerant of science and technology." Estelle said. "There are a lot of people that are smarter than me, though. School just puts me to sleep. Don't worry, I trust your test and won't come back to bug you any time soon."
"Good. Now please be on your way. I have work to do. By the way, I imagine those fish would fetch a pretty good price at the Tavern," Paracelsus said, and Estelle noticed for the first time she sounded very, very tired. Estelle wanted to ask, but knew she was starting to outstay her welcome. She said goodbye before picking up the bucket and heading for the Tavern. The place was starting to fill up with guests, and the chatter in the background was starting to get a bit animated. Estelle ignored the other patrons and walked straight up to the bar and put the bucket on top of the counter.
"Huh, you got yourself a pretty good haul there, girl," the owner said as he looked inside the bucket. "I'll fry up one of them for your supper and pay for the rest. How does that sound?"
"You got yourself a deal." Estelle gave a small smile and sat down at the bar. She found herself staring at the counter as she thought back to the way she acted on the pier. Damn it, I miss Joshua so much, I can't even fish in peace anymore. How long has it been since I last saw him? Almost two months ago? And there still aren't any clues about where he could be. This might be a big patch of land, but he's gotta be here somewhere…
The clattering of coins snapped Estelle out of her reverie, and she found herself staring at a modest pile on the bar counter in front of her. The owner was looking at her with concern on his face.
"Here's your payment for the fish, lass. They should make for some good soup and keep the guests happy until the fishermen come back with the real haul." The owner then leaned close enough to whisper to her. "You don't seem to be in high spirits, even though I heard nothing but good things about the last run you had. I hope you don't mind me prying, but is something else bothering you?"
"Joshua."
"Right, of course. Your boyfriend. I'm sorry for what I said when you first came here, about him being dead," the owner said. "I was simply being realistic about his prospects knowing the dangers lurking in these lands. That was before I heard from the others about how strong you are in a fight. If your boyfriend is anything like you, then…actually, you tell me what he's like. And as an apology for my words, have a stein on the house."
Estelle decided she didn't have much to lose by telling the owner. If there's anything she learned from her Bracer travels, it was that bartenders were great for venting after a long day. Since the last thing she wanted was to end up like Schera, who associated a time to vent with alcohol, Estelle decided to start talking before she got her drink.
"I guess he's like me in the sense he's good in a fight and has an Orbment just like me," Estelle said as she pulled out her ARCUS and set it on the countertop to show what she was talking about. "But he's also really different. For starters, Joshua's much faster and better at sneaking around than me. He's also calm, collected, and a thinker. When I started out as a Bracer, he was the one who led me around and helped me realize being a Bracer doesn't just involve smacking people around with a stick."
The owner placed a stein full of beer in front of Estelle, and she quickly took a couple of gulps before continuing.
"In a lot of ways, he's kind of the exact opposite of me. Whenever I rush out to do something, Joshua hangs back and comes up with ideas and plans. On top of being lovers, we've also been Bracer partners for the past three years," Estelle explained in between sips. "The only time we didn't do something together was because…because…you know what? I don't want to talk about that part. I just miss him like crazy, you know?"
The owner simply nodded as he listened to Estelle vent. "I totally understand. Having a loved one missing, especially in a place like this, will drive anyone crazy. But if your boyfriend is very good at sneaking and hiding like you said, then maybe he's laying low and waiting for you?"
"That's what I've been thinking too, and I just need to work a little harder finding him," Estelle said, her face starting to feel warm. "But where? This place can't be that much bigger than a single province back home. Still, it's too early to give up. Joshua is gotta be around this neck of the woods somewhere."
Estelle then downed the rest of the stein and stood up. From a mix of beer and bravado, Estelle pointed a finger at the ceiling and shouted: "You hear that? Joshua? I'm going to find you no matter what! I'll comb through this place until I see your face again!"
"That's the spirit, lass, but do you mind not disturbing the other guests?" the owner said. "Don't run off either. We're still working on your meal."
"Right, sorry," Estelle said sheepishly as she sat back down. Soon, a waitress brought a plate with roasted fish, potatoes, and pickled vegetables to Estelle. She thanked the waitress then immediately dug into her food. The flavorful freshly roasted fish practically melted in her mouth, and Estelle relished every single bite. This is so good! When I find Joshua, I'm going to stuff his face full of fish!
After finishing half of the fish, she heard the door opening behind her, followed by two sets of footsteps approaching the bar.
"Ah, Audrey and Margaret. You two came at a good time," the owner said as he set down two glasses at the bar and poured some strong liquor into both. "We'll be serving soup shortly. Freshly caught fish, courtesy of Estelle here."
"Oh, my. It's always a pleasure to make acquaintances with a fellow connoisseur of nature's bounties. I very much admire the discipline and patience of fishermen," Margaret said as she looked at the half-eaten fish on Estelle's plate. "It appears we have so much more in common than I first expected."
"Aww, you're just flattering me," Estelle smiled sheepishly. "I just like to fish, that's all. I've been doing it since I was a little girl."
"Practice makes perfect, darling!" Audrey interrupted, her glass already empty. "That reminds me, the three of us are visiting the seamstress first thing in the morning. We still need to get you a new outfit, after all."
"Remember, I want something orange," Estelle chuckled before going back to her meal. Soon, fish soup was served. Being the one who caught the fish in the first place, Estelle was treated to a bowl on the house. The atmosphere in the Tavern, already relieved from the calmed sea (even if temporarily), became much more jovial as the patrons savored the fish soup. As Estelle dug into her soup, she heard excited chatter flare up all over the Tavern, accompanied by an impromptu solo by that Jester (Sarmenti, right?) she'd gambled with a few weeks before.
"We did a good thing back at the Cove, didn't we?" Audrey said to Estelle as they both drank from their bowls and soaked in the cozy atmosphere. "I haven't felt this good about my work in a long time."
The Next Day
"Isn't this the general store?" Estelle asked Audrey and Margaret as they approached the two-storey house Estelle had become very familiar with. "I didn't know the owner also did clothes."
"Not quite. His wife is the town seamstress, but their businesses are separated by a wall. They also live upstairs," Audrey replied as they walked past the general store's front door and headed for a side entrance. "Margaret and I always enlist her service whenever our outfits get roughed up."
"I was never a fan of shopping for clothes. Guess that's why I've never even met the seamstress," Estelle said as she walked inside with her two companions. She found herself in a wide-open room dotted with shelves full of various kinds of clothing and fabric. Next to the door was a wooden counter with a bored-looking older woman sitting behind it.
"Well, well, if it isn't my favorite customers, Audrey and Margaret." The older woman's eyes lit up as she walked around the counter to greet the trio before looking at Estelle. "I think I've seen you around in my husband's store next door before. Who might you be?"
"I'm Estelle. It's very nice to meet you," Estelle said as they shook hands.
"Estelle, that's quite the lovely name," the seamstress said. "So, how can I help the three of you today?"
"We're helping Estelle with a new outfit," Audrey grinned. "The girl needs a few options to wear for future jobs."
"Ah, I see," The seamstress said as she looked over Estelle's long tunic and simple shoes. "I take it this isn't what you normally wear?"
"Nope, not at all," Estelle said. "I usually go for something a bit sturdier and easier to move around in. My normal adventuring clothes are a bit more form-fitting."
"I see. Well, you came to the right place. I would have referred you to the blacksmith if you normally wear plate mail like that Crusader. What's his name? Reynauld?" The seamstress smiled as she led the trio further inside the store. "Anyway, I'd like to ask you a few more questions and take some measurements."
"Sure, go right ahead." Estelle said.
"What's your fighting style? Do you normally wear gloves?" the seamstress asked.
"I'm good at staff combat and was taught by my dad. I can also do hand-to-hand combat. A few swordsmen I worked with use hand-to-hand as a backup technique, so I picked it up from them," Estelle said. "I can punch, kick, and do some basic martial arts moves to help me buy time and grab a weapon. I do wear gloves to help me get a better grip and soften the wear and tear on my hands."
"Yes, I see. Very nice," the seamstress said, and Estelle could tell gears were already turning inside her head. "Any preference for colors?"
"Orange and red," Estelle said.
"Mm-hmm…" The seamstress then went on to ask a few more questions about Estelle's other preferences, what kind of gear she liked to carry, and some miscellaneous items before taking Estelle's measurements. She then instructed the three women to stay put before disappearing among the shelves.
"Wow, that seamstress sure is thorough," Estelle said.
"This is why she's so good at her job," Audrey said. "When I first came here, I was wearing patched rags. With her help and some hard-earned gold, I ended up with something far more comfortable and stylish. It's almost like…you know what? Don't worry about it."
Estelle notice Audrey's sudden souring mood but decided to not ask her about it. Before she or Margaret could steer the conversation in a different direction, the seamstress re-emerged from among the shelves.
"I'm sorry, Estelle, but you'll have to wait for your new outfit. Unfortunately, nothing in this store really matches up to what I have in mind for you," the seamstress said. "I'll put in an order today, so make sure to check back every week. My policy for this kind of order is a small deposit up front, then you'll pay the rest after your outfit is ready."
Estelle and the seamstress then worked out a price for her outfit, and Estelle handed over some of her gold as deposit. She and her two other companions then bid the seamstress goodbye and left the store.
"That wasn't too bad. Reminds me of the time a mentor took me shopping after I became a Senior Bracer," Estelle said. "Thanks for bringing me along, Audrey. I wouldn't have found out about the seamstress by myself. By the way, what's everyone up to for the rest of the day?"
"I'm just going to take it easy and enjoy a stiff drink or few," Audrey said.
"I'll be practicing my aim some more," Margaret said. "One can never be too prepared for a hunt, especially considering our foes."
"I guess I'll change into my regular outfit and patrol the Hamlet a little," Estelle said. "Then I can go fishing in the afternoon."
The three of them said their goodbyes before going their separate ways, with Estelle heading straight for the barracks. She found her usual outfit already dried and folded neatly on top of her bed, so she wasted no time in changing back. I wonder what my new outfit will look like. I bet Joshua will be so surprised when he sees me with it on.
After picking up her staff and making sure she was ready, Estelle ventured outside once more. Despite the gloom, the townsfolk seemed to be just a little more cheerful than before, no doubt due to the calmed sea. She altered her route to take her closer to the docks, where she could make out the distant shapes of fishing boats on the horizon — no doubt eager to take advantage of the gentle tides to catch as much fish as possible. I bet there'll be more tasty fish for dinner tonight.
Estelle then took out her ARCUS and checked how much orbal energy she had left. Using healing arts on top of the Chrono Burst and Dark Matter drained a lot of her orbment's power. Even with the Ingenuity quartz and a lot of walking courtesy of the trip back from the Cove, her ARCUS was only about halfway charged. Guess I better keep doing my rounds. This is gonna be so slow…
Ruins
The noble family to which Ambrosius and his descendant belonged once held considerable power, and the fiefdom they ruled over even fielded entire regiments in the family's glory days. The Ruins, all that remained of a sprawling hillside fortress, was the crown jewel of the family's glory. At the center, beyond the maze of hallways and legions of skeletons who had once been stalwart and honorable soldiers, lay the throne room. What was once an opulent and imperial chamber had been reduced to a rubble-strewn tomb, and the Necromancer Lord sat upon the ancient throne which once belonged to the forefathers of the man who betrayed him and his coven.
To the unaware observer, it seemed the Necromancer Lord was slumbering, but that was far from the case. After countless experiments upon the gullible cultists and enterprising brigands who were unfortunate enough to stalk the Ruins' lightless halls, he had perfected a certain technique that would extend the reach of his power.
Enchanting an old military bugle was the first step in his plan. Those instruments were plentiful in the Ruins, and so were their owners: bone bearers who continued to wield battle standards and inspire troops with their bugle calls even in death. The second step was to project his will onto the enchanted bugle's owner, assuming direct control of the skeleton. The technique was a trifling matter for a master necromancer such as himself. Using his power, the Necromancer Lord marched the bone bearer from the ruins all the way down to the Old Road, then sent his puppet along it to the Hamlet.
From the bone bearer's hollow eyes, the Necromancer Lord saw the confused expressions of the town watchmen who stood guard at the Hamlet's edge. It would only be a matter of time before they drew their weapons on the bone bearer, so the Necromancer had to act quickly. Like an expert puppet master, the Necromancer Lord raised the enchanted bugle to the bone bearer's lipless mouth. Even without lungs, the enchanted bugle still sounded its unholy call the moment it touched the bone bearer's teeth. The last thing the Necromancer Lord saw before severing control was the two town watchmen starting to stab the bone bearer with their spears.
Pathetic mortals. Your efforts will not matter once my plans come to fruition. The Necromancer Lord grinned under his hood. When the Hamlet is under the rule of the dead, raising that bone bearer will be a trifling concern.
Hamlet
As Estelle walked into a residential area, she heard some shouting coming from the West, followed by what sounded like a long blast from a trumpet. For reasons Estelle didn't quite understand, the sound caused shivers to crawl up her spine and a festering dread to grow in her mind. She noticed the other villagers had stopped in their tracks too and were looking at the direction of the trumpet blast, all of them with confused or fearful looks in their eyes. The ground suddenly started to quake, almost making Estelle lose her balance. What the? An earthquake? I better go make sure everyone is—
A shrill scream came from the direction of the Abbey, and Estelle broke into a sprint. Her Bracer instincts went on full alert, and Estelle instantly knew something was very, very wrong. The only reason she could think of for a scream like that was an attack. But how? How can there be monsters in the middle of the Hamlet?
She ran through the streets and past the fleeing villagers, determined to find the source of the commotion and screaming. As she got closer to the Abbey, a putrid smell filled her nose, and Estelle soon discovered the source.
The graves were empty.
The cemetery's former inhabitants were trudging out in full force, attacking passersby with whatever weapons they had been buried with or even bare hands and teeth. Estelle momentarily froze in horror, seeing the walking corpses of deceased villagers and the same fallen adventurers she paid tribute to murdering and terrorizing the population they once called neighbors and friends. Estelle gagged as she saw the chewed-up or dismembered remains of a few villagers who didn't get away in time.
Some of the marauding dead looked rather recent, others were rotten and bloated, and the remainder were barely skeletons covered by taut dry flesh. To Estelle's horror and disgust, she could even make out buzzing flies and wriggling maggots feasting on the moving corpses without a care in the world.
"No…this can't be real…there's got to be at least a hundred of them!" Estelle muttered. "How did those witches raise the bodies so quickly?"
A shrill scream snapped Estelle out of her reveries: a little girl had tripped while trying to run away from one of the walking corpses. With the shroud covering his face having been torn off, Estelle could tell the reanimated corpse was an old man and recently buried. She recognized the young girl from that funeral she witnessed a couple of weeks ago.
"Grandpa, no!" the young girl screamed as she tried to back away.
"Hey, you!" Estelle shouted as she ran towards the old man with her staff. She swiped sideways at his skull with enough force to completely shatter it. Fortunately for Estelle and the little girl, she hit the skull in a way that sprayed bone fragments and decayed flesh away from them. The freshly re-killed corpse collapsed onto the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.
"Go home!" Estelle warned the girl. "Lock yourself in and don't come out until it's safe!"
She then turned towards the crowd of the dead as they advanced in her direction. Judging by their speed, she had plenty of time to fall back and cast a powerful art that could take most of them out in a fell swoop. The presence of archers and crossbowmen among the dead, however, made her reconsider that course of action. Guess I'll have to do it the hard way…
"Estelle!" Reynauld called out, joined by Dismas, Baldwin, and the three Crusaders who came with him on the stagecoach.
"Reynauld, everyone! I'm okay!" Estelle said. "I need your help. I can't deal with them by myself."
"That's what we're here for, kiddo," Dismas said as he drew a pistol from within his coat. "The town watch and the others will be here soon. Just need to hold the line until they get here."
"Come, old friend," Baldwin said to Reynauld as he hefted his gigantic sword. "Once more unto the breach."
"Indeed, Baldwin. Once more shall we cleanse the unholy. Brothers, lend me thine hands as we close in with the enemy!" Reynauld said before turning towards Dismas and Estelle. "Estelle and Dismas, the two of you shall provide support at a distance, be it Dismas' pistols or Estelle's arts. Onwards!"
With battle cries shouted in unison, the four Crusaders charged headlong towards the walking dead with gleaming swords. Baldwin trailed behind them as he strode forward with purpose. Estelle could hear him mutter what appeared to be prayers under his breath as she readied a La Forte art to strengthen her five allies, followed by a Chrono Drive to speed them up. Meanwhile, Dismas aimed his pistol at a bow-wielding corpse and fired, blowing a gigantic hole in its head.
"Damn, I missed the eyes." He chuckled as he tucked away the expended pistol and took out another one from his coat.
The four Crusaders crashed into the horde with the force of a tidal wave. They began to hack away at their enemies with a disciplined fervor, presenting a united line that left no gaps in their defence. Even at a distance, Estelle could hear them chanting hymns and timing their slashes and stabs with rhyme and meter. She didn't want to give the dead any chances, so Estelle focused her attention on the corpses that were either too far away or in the Crusaders' blind spots. Fire Bolts made quick work of individual corpses, while small groups were burnt to ash by Heat Waves.
Baldwin didn't join the Crusaders but rather fought by himself a small distance away. With a furious grunt, he swung his broken sword in a wide arc, cleaving several walking corpses' heads straight off their shoulders. Baldwin patiently set to work hacking the undead to bits with slow, powerful swings. He occasionally missed, leaving himself open to attack while he recovered and reoriented himself, but none of the enemy's strikes could get past his thick bronze armor. When his hits did connect, they did so with such a force the Crusaders could only dream of, slashing dozens of corpses at once. A rotting hulking brute tried to challenge him, only for Baldwin to split it cleanly down the middle.
"Rain in the forest," he said as he continued his grisly work.
The previously tranquil area surrounding the cemetery became a cacophonic battlefield, with the sound of blows clanging against armor, rending flesh, and the Abbey's frantically ringing bell. Estelle's nose and eyes began to sting from the smoke and the acrid smell of the dead, both burnt and unburnt. She coughed and gagged as a sudden breeze blew some of the rancid smoke her way.
Where are the town watch and the rest of the adventurers? The battle seemed to last an eternity, with the overwhelming numbers, horrid stench, and howls that might give her nightmares for the rest of her life. For every corpse she burned, five more would take its place. Estelle recalled Alfred's words, about how the Hamlet had long suffered death and misfortune. Are we seriously fighting everyone who ever died here?
Some of the dead started to trickle towards Estelle and Dismas, apparently not wanting to get eviscerated by the five warriors of the Light. Estelle focused her attention on the closest ones. Okay, looks like our efforts to distract them might be working a bit too well.
After she cast a Heat Wave, Estelle suddenly realized something was gone from the furious din of battle: the sound of Dismas' pistols firing. She looked to her side and saw the Highwayman had ducked behind her, furiously stuffing a ramrod down the barrel of one of his pistols.
"They're all dry. Buy me some time to put some ball and powder in 'em, will ya?" Dismas asked, and Estelle noticed beads of sweat running down his head. "I'm kind of working under pressure here."
Estelle nodded wordlessly as she readied another Heat Wave after using up an EP charge to keep her ARCUS supplied with orbal energy. The Crusaders had resorted to fighting back-to-back, and Baldwin was doing his best to cut the horde down to size. As more corpses were burnt away, Estelle wondered if she would have to use the ultimate technique her father taught her. I can probably wipe them all out in one go, but I might burn down the entire Hamlet with it! Damn it, I might not have a choice…
A blast from behind her interrupted Estelle's train of thought. She looked towards Dismas, but he hadn't even been aiming his weapon.
"That wasn't me!" Dismas said before taking his own shot.
"Come on, Dismas. Don't tell me you've forgotten me already!" Margaret's voice called out. Estelle turned and saw the town watch pouring into the square along with what must have been every single adventurer who didn't go on the week's expedition.
"We marshaled the forces together as soon as we heard the howls from the graveyard," said Missandei the Arbalest, a dark-skinned woman wearing plate mail and wielding a particularly large crossbow. She hefted her crossbow and fired at one of the larger corpses. "Attack!"
Arrows rained from the rooftops, cutting down most of the corpses with deadly precision while leaving the Crusaders and Baldwin alone. Missandei then commanded the assembled troops to advance. "Cut off their heads! Make sure every one of them can never move again!"
"You two can take a break. We got this," Audrey tapped Dismas and Estelle from behind before withdrawing a few poison darts and throwing knives from her coat.
"Thanks for the relief, Audrey, but we'll only need a minute. I wouldn't be a good Bracer if I left the job half-done." Estelle smiled at the Grave Robber before turning to Dismas. "Come on, let's go take a breather."
"You read my mind." Dismas said before retreating towards Missandei's position. While Dismas reloaded his weapons, Estelle leaned against the wall of a house, watching the battle come to its conclusion. The troops were quick in linking up with Baldwin and the Crusaders, cutting down every walking corpse they came across. Estelle could make out everyone she'd met doing their own part in the fight.
Boudica and Amani in a duet of death as they slashed and stabbed their way through the horde.
Paracelsus dousing the enemy in blight with her grenades.
Margaret taking out enemies with pinpoint musket shots.
Even Annabelle was knocking down corpses on William's command, allowing the Houndmaster to finish them off with a well-placed billy club strike to the head
"Well, isn't it just grand? This might be the first time the entire Hamlet has fought together," Dismas chuckled. "I need a really stiff drink after this is over."
"Same here, but first things first," Estelle said as she stood up. "I think my break was long enough. What about you? Feel like getting back in the fight?"
"Of course I do," Dismas said, drawing his knife to use in conjunction with his pistol. "Can't let the others have all the fun."
The two of them charged back into battle. Now that reinforcements had joined the fight, Estelle decided to forgo the use of her Arts and resort to staff attacks as a way to save energy. She and Dismas fought back-to-back, with Estelle parrying the blows from the corpses while Dismas slashed and shot at their enemies. She no longer cared about how disgusting her enemies were, but rather to put the dead back to rest and avenge the villagers who fell.
Between her strikes and Dismas' shots and slashes, the horde around the two began to thin out. The battle to save the Hamlet soon ended, with the combined might of the town watch and adventurers mopping up the remainder of the walking corpses in short order. Soon after, the Heir arrived on the scene, dagger and cutlass in hand. He looked worn and haggard, and Estelle noticed both of his weapons were dripping wet with the same black decayed ichor that coated the blades of the militiamen and adventurers who closed in with the enemy. Accompanying him were several more militiamen as well as a young woman who was carrying a large tome with her.
"Have a priest perform last rites then burn all the corpses," the Heir instructed one of the older militiamen before turning his attention to the nearest adventurer, which turned out to be Boudica. "Gather all the adventurers. We need to have a meeting."
Boudica whistled loudly and gathered everyone around the Heir.
"I know what all of you are thinking. This brazen attack upon our Hamlet cannot go unanswered. Fortunately, we already have clues as to who is responsible thanks to our Librarian here," the Heir said, gesturing towards the young woman with the book.
"Based on the recovered remains of the bone bearer and witness reports of the dead rising shortly after a bugle was sounded, we can pinpoint the culprit with great certainty," the Librarian said. "Raising the dead beyond the bounds of the ruins in such great quantities is certain proof that the Necromancer Lord who has evaded our wrath for so long has begun to act. Due to the fact he has evaded our forces for so long, it can be assumed he is extremely dangerous."
She then set her heavy book on the ground before opening it, revealing a folded map.
"Based on the findings from previous expeditions as well as ancient maps, the cartographers and myself have determined that the Ruins house a yet-undiscovered inner sanctum known as the throne room," the Librarian continued. "Furthermore, there is evidence of corrupted altars in the area that channel and amplify necromantic energies, making foes close to the throne room far more dangerous."
The Heir picked up where she left off. "The objectives of the next two expeditions have thus been determined," he said. "The first group will bring consecrated essence into the Ruins in order to purify the altars. This will weaken the magic in the area as well as the Necromancer Lord's forces. The second group will then take advantage of the opportunity and assault the inner sanctum in order to eliminate the necromancer.
"The first expedition will leave in two days since the Abbot needs that much time to prepare the necessary materials, and maps will be distributed to both groups once team compositions have been finalized," the Heir continued. "Reynauld, you will be the leader of the second team due to your experience in combatting the undead. Bracer, you'll be on the second team as well."
"Huh? Why me?" Estelle asked.
"Your skillset means having you on a team makes it much more likely for everyone to survive against powerful foes," the Heir replied. "Reynauld will determine the remainder of the second team while I shall decide on the composition of the first team. All of you, go get clean up and rest. The eight among you will need it in particular."
A/N: In case it's not obvious by now, I'm taking some liberties when it comes to game mechanics for the sake of better storytelling. One such example is the Hamlet being constantly threatened rather than that one town event with the brigands. Some mod contents will also be introduced. Also, who else is hyped for Darkest Dungeon 2? I know I am.