Chapter 7

7

Moon Scented Hunter

Druella landed at a scene of carnage, the first thing she saw was her person of interest cutting down one of her captains. Daria Noharis landed in a limbless heap, screaming in agony for exactly twelve seconds. The Good Hunter silenced those twelve seconds with a thrust. A mercy surely but Druella didn't see it that way most certainly.

The Fourth Born glared at the Hunter who pulled his greatsword out of the mangled corpse and leaned it on his shoulders. The blade glowed with an ethereal blue light, warning Druella that one good hit from that sword would be certain death.

"I seem to have murdered one of your subordinates." The man in front of her said softly, voice muffled by the cloth bandanna he wore. His eyes were crimson, not like hers but that of the arterial spray of blood. There was nothing in them, nothing at all except a malevolence unmatched by anything in this world.

Druella smirked regardless of how angry she was at the sight of Daria being killed in such a brutal way, even as she felt the overwhelming pressure press down on her. It was like staring down her mother on a bad day. This man, the Moon Scented Hunter, was not any ordinary enemy. The Lilim lifted a hand. "Unfortunately for you, I'm not about to just give up."

The Hunter readied his sword as he saw dark magic gather in the palm of Druella's hand. Druella fired off the mana shot and the Hunter reacted with such speed she barely caught him rolling under the blast of magic and rising up, charging at her with his sword. A thrust to the chest was his intention. Druella flew up with a flap of her white wings, looking down at her opponent who drew a flintlock pistol with his off hand. He fired at her. Druella flapped her wings twice, jinking to the side to avoid the shot and then dove right at the Hunter, a black blade forming in her hands.

The Hunter jumped backwards to avoid it, he raised his sword and brought it down. An explosion of blue moonlight sent Druella flying, the Lilim barely able to right herself in the air. Druella hissed as she felt her skin burning. Even her magic barrier had no effect on that sword, it was either something crafted by the Order which she highly doubted or… it was something far more ancient, something that had not come into this world by natural means.

"You're quite strong." Druella complimented the man trying to get a rise out of him. The Hunter just brought his sword back onto his shoulder and advanced on her menacingly, making no sound as he did so. His greatsword was still glowing eerily in the night.

No reaction. Druella readied another round of magic but the man put up a surprising burst of speed as he rushed towards her sword raised. Druella channeled that magic into another barrier as the sword slammed into it. Gritting her teeth, she felt her ears start ringing as the Hunter put more force into the blow striking again and again, hammering the barrier with everything he had.

"You talk too much." He told her before swinging his sword at her at her midriff. Druella flapped her wings, forcing her body back but it was far too late. She screamed as the sword cut a line on her belly. She felt her wound, it was shallow but still it burned. The sword was magic and the wound it gave her would be slow to heal even with her powers. That wasn't the worse thing though. She could feel its magic burning through her body like venom. It was honestly terrifying but if she lapsed in any attention here then her conquest would be cut short.

And she would never see her mother again…

"You're withdrawing." The Hunter said coldly, snapping Druella out of her thoughts. "Smart. But you do realize that I will catch you in the end." He hefted his blade onto his shoulder.

"You truly are strong." Druella commented, smiling grimly as she tried to fight through the pain rushing through her body. "I haven't been pushed this much for a long, long time. It's just too bad that you are a murdering psychopath."

"Murder?" The Hunter blinked. "I acted in self defense, and you had this city marked for destruction for a long, long time. You must be mad to think that no one will defend themselves if the city they reside in is under attack."

He marched towards her. "It doesn't matter. One of us will live and one of us will die." He stated.

"Who… Who are we supposed to be rooting for, Big Sister?" Ember whispered as Sasha gaped at the spectacle before her. The former priestess shook her head as Cyril Sutherland clashed with Druella, Fourth princess of Royal Makai. She only knew the woman by reputation, from the very same agent that she had been passing information to. It was clear though that she was one of the dreaded Lilim, powerful daughters of the Demon Lord.

It was also clear that Cyril Sutherland, the mysterious man who called himself a Hunter, was fell handed enough that he could take her head on in single combat. She honestly did not know which was more frightening. The obviously superior monster woman? Or the utterly murderous madman who would gladly put a sword down her gullet after he found out what she had done?

"I don't know, Ember." Sasha said. "But we have to leave the city, Cyril is buying us time that we are wasting by standing here. Aran, come."

Trembling, the boy hefted the sleeping Weresheep and followed Sasha as she led the orphans to the eastern gate. She was going to have to go on her own and prayed that Cyril could disengage in time. She was not going to survive by herself in the wilds while taking care of children. Ember held a crying Tina's hand, the young girl having been awakened by the clashing of steel. Sasha had hoped that the twins would stay asleep but that hope was utterly shattered by the battle intensifying behind them.

Sasha looked back, seeing that Druella was on one knee while Cyril stood a distance away, eyes dead. His sword was in both hands, pointing to the side. The former priestess winced as the sword in Cyril's hands glowed eerily. Truly, she had never seen such a magic weapon. She had bet that many in the Order would wish to wield such a magnificent sword in their holy crusades, but seeing it in the Hunter's hands was something else. Sasha had seen the brutal nature of the weapon close up, it had utterly annihilated a high rank monster in a single moment of combat.

She kept going, ushering her wards onward and out of the city.

Druella panted, feeling her wounds heal slowly even as she looked up at the intimidating visage of the Moon Scented Hunter. Greatsword in hand, the Hunter began to move towards her. The grip on the hilt of his greatsword tightened as he raised it over his head. He was going to cleave her open if she did nothing to get out of the way.

The Lilim flew back, flapping her wings to propel her body away from the sword as it swiped down at her. The Hunter advanced on her again, swinging. Druella barely managed to get her magic up in time to block the greatsword from cutting her in two.

Screaming in effort, Druella's barriers sparked as the sword of the mad hunter came at her with the obvious intent to murder. Druella blasted the Hunter with magic, sending the man back, gaining a little distance to figure out how to disengage. Her wounds were bleeding, an impossibility for one such as her but a situation she now had to face. A situation that saw the fortunes of battle completely shift away from her as a surge of pain locked the muscles in her legs. Blood erupted impossibly from her wounds with such suddenness she didn't have time to scream in agony, the only thing she could do was fall to her knees. The Hunter brandished his greatsword, the weapon's blue light intensifying to an eye watering sheen. Utterly without remorse or semblance of mercy, the Hunter's advance was implacable. His footsteps echoed in Druella's ears, her body unable to move. The magic that the sword contained was hurting her enough that she could hardly raise a barrier, let alone use any offensive spells. It burned through her blood like liquid fire.

Come on. Move! She willed her body to move but the pain was so, so much…

Frustrated tears gathered in her eyes as she tried to move her body despite the agony. Despite her death approaching, the man with the tattered tricorne hat. Move… Move… Please… Move. He'll kill me if I don't move…

Druella winced as he placed the sword at her neck, the magic burning her. It was agony but she was bleeding out from wounds that should not have been serious. She realized what the Hunter planned to do. Druella's red eyes looked up in shock, and fear, as the Hunter spoke.

"I did ask to be left alone." He told Druella softly. Those terrible eyes locked onto hers, there was no hint of mercy to be had there. "For what it's worth, I will make it quick." He raised his sword, readying for a horizontal strike that would behead her in one smooth swing.

I don't want to die.

Druella blinked as she realized that she had spoken out loud. The Hunter blinked, his emotionless visage was hidden behind his cloth mask the Hunter kept his sword raised. "What did you say?" He asked.

"Please… Don't kill me." Druella said, numbly. "I don't want to die."

Cyril gripped his sword tighter. This… fiend, the architect of all of this suffering, was begging him for mercy that she did not show to those who had no stake in her war with the Order. "You…" He switched to a one handed grip on his sword as his off hand grabbed Druella suddenly by the throat and lifted her up. Druella, being currently strangled, made every attempt to pry his hand off of her throat to no avail. Cyril's fury came out in full force. The gall… The gall that this murderous bitch had! To ask for the one thing she did not give to these…

"You come here… with your armies, intent on pillaging and raping your way through innocent people." He growled at her, even as his grip tightened to a painful degree. The woman started gagging, desperate to breathe as the Good Hunter strangled the life out of her with one hand. "And you have the gall to ask me for mercy."

His crimson eyes glowed as the woman's hands finally fell limp. " Die, slow. Monster. And may this tainted world become a little brighter with your death! "

"STOP!"

Cyril saw the scythe coming in and raised his sword to block. The child swinging the scythe snarled at him as she pressed down on the haft of her weapon. Ebony Demonic Silver ground against Eldritch Iron as both sides sought to overpower each other. Cyril pushed the scythe aside and headbutted his new opponent. He dropped Druella as a result and knew that this was another tough monster he was going to have to deal with.

The Hunter raised his sword as the girl with the scythe stood over her fallen mistress. He noted with some amusement that her nose was broken. Still, he assumed that she was but one of many. Cyril didn't have time for this. His window of escape was closing and if he had to deal with this…

He grinned under his bandanna savagely. Good. Maybe then his road would truly end here, dying on a mountain of corpses. It was more than what he had deserved.

"You've done harm to the Fourth." The monster brandished her scythe in her paws. "I am Kuroferuru, Black Goat of Devil Mud."

Cyril didn't reply, instead tightening the grip on the Holy Moonlight Sword. "I don't care who you are or what you are, stand aside." He said coldly. "Or die."

Kuroferuru tightened her stance. "I won't let you hurt anyone else!" She roared. "I will bring you down if I must, Moon Scented Hunter!"

"Stand down!"

Kuroferuru's eyes widened while Cyril readied his sword as another child approached. Beside her was a scowling woman who had two young girls in tow. Cyril recognized one as the very same Kunoichi who had entered his former home without permission and the other as the adventurer girl he had a problem with. His eyes narrowed as the girl in the white coat of a healer glared at her similar looking companion and then stared at the fallen form of Druella.

"See to her, Seras." She instructed the scowling woman who glared at Cyril with both anger and caution. This one, now that Cyril had a closer look, was a Baphomet. Legendary monsters who served as Generals of the Monster Lord's armies. They bore magics far more powerful than the more common monsters.

"Master Hunter, I must ask-no plead with you-to cease this hostile action immediately." The Baphomet in white bowed her head. "This situation has deteriorated-"

"Obviously." Cyril's tone was frosty.

"Indeed it has." The Baphomet agreed without losing a beat although Cyril saw that sweat had broken out on her brow. "I am Doctor Greilia Little, if I may have your name?"

"What does it matter?" Cyril returned coolly. "Aren't you here to capture me for your mistress there?" He gestured at Druella, who was being seen to. She was barely alive, the Holy Moonlight Sword was far more effective than he had realized. The Hunter took note of that.

"I am not." Greilia replied, making it clear she had no interest in continuing this fight. She waved her hand, causing the scythe she bore to disappear. "I am a healer first and foremost, and I am trying to become the voice of reason here. The Fourth Princess has done you wrong, for that I apologize but there is no need for further bloodshed."

True. Cyril lowered his sword a fraction. "Why should I trust your word?" He asked Greilia.

"I am willing, more than willing actually, to allow you to walk away from all of this freely." Greilia answered. "Causing this mess was not anyone's intent, I assure you." She threw a disapproving glance at Kuroferuru who glared at her and him. "You have proven yourself a most dangerous individual."

She smiled sadly. "So the only thing I have left is to ask you for your mercy. Please."

Cyril looked slightly to his left and right as a crowd of monsters formed up. He let out a breath, and then sighed as the Holy Moonlight Sword dimmed slightly in his hand. He heard its whispers and he lowered it. The sword did not lead him astray.

Greilia let out the breath she was holding as she saw the Hunter lower his sword. He then leaned it against his shoulder as he stared her down with those horrible, horrible eyes.

Greilia's eyes widened as he spoke with a menace unheard of in this world. Behind her, she heard Natsume let out a moan of terror as Fina held her close. Seras made ready to cover Druella's body with her own and the monstrous troops around them shivered unable to move from the solitary, utterly dangerous figure that dominated the street.

"Do not follow me." He told her. "I have warned some of you once before and you chose to ignore it. Come after me and I will hunt you down."

Greilia looked as the Hunter raised his arm and pointed at Druella. "And I will finish what I started."

Greilia closed her eyes as the Moon Scented Hunter passed her by, disappearing into the night.

Thus was the birth of a new legend…

That of the man known as the Moon Scented Hunter…

Six months had passed since that night…

Consolidation was a curious thing, Greilia realized, as she looked out over the balcony of Castle Lescatie. The Fourth did technically take it over of course but her victory was surely bitter as she was bedridden and it seemed that something had taken root in her heart. A fear that did not go away easily.

Greilia turned away from the balcony, sighing tiredly. Druella was honestly lucky that she was alive. Whatever magic the Hunter's sword had possessed had not only sapped away her mana it had also done some damage that was slow to repair. Greilia spent much of her time healing Druella, doing what she could to try and get her back to previous function. It was slow frustrating work and with Druella being how she was… Greilia was reaching her limit.

Reports came to her from witnesses that the Hunter had also cut down many in his mad rampage. That included half of the Second Company, and their Captain. The bodies were so mangled it had almost been impossible to identify them. That wasn't even a small problem she now had to deal with. Controlling this city was going to be rough as word spread of Druella's humbling and the man responsible.

Dark fear and terrible stories spread throughout the brothels, the markets and during the night the cries of monsters were tempered by self-assigned curfews and doubled guard duty. Greilia had been there during the most heated of council meetings, and had reprimanded Captain Ursula the Fourth for her part in what had happened in this city. The Demon Captain was staying at an abandoned estate, it was rumored that she was distraught at what her findings had done during the siege. There were some who considered sending out elite task forces to scour the land for any sightings of the Moon Scented Hunter but Greilia had explicitly forbade such a thing from happening.

The situation in Lescatie was too precarious for that to even happen.

Greilia was stuck here now, waiting for the missive from not just Bapho-Sama but also the reaction of the Demon Lord who would soon find out that her Fourth Daughter had nearly been killed in the streets of an Order city. Druella was still in her quarters, and refused to come out to speak. Her subordinates were busy with rebuilding Lescatie for it to become a Demon Realm.

Greilia did not know how victory could become so bittersweet.

"Lady Little?"

Greilia blinked as she saw an Imp floating at the doorway.

The Baphomet sighed and approached the diminutive monster. "It's Doctor Little, miss." She said to the Imp who bowed and apologized.

"Yes… um… There is a message for you." The Imp presented a scroll and Greilia's spirits dampened further as she saw the wax seal keeping it closed. She recognized the elegant two winged seal made with high such high quality it looked alive.

It was the seal of Her Majesty, the Demon Lord Lilith, First of Her Name, Mistress of Royal Makai, Overlord of All Monsters…

"They say Lescatie has been taken."

"Yeah, and I hear there's only one man who escaped. A man who fights like a madman they say! Took on the Daughter of the Demon Lord, I hear!"

"They say he ain't human either!"

Cyril kept his cloak closed and pulled his hood up. The port town of Oppenheimer was quiet and unassuming. But no boats were going out due to the storms. The Hunter kept to himself but it was better than Lescatie, it was neutral territory and monsters were few in number. It was disconcerting to hear about his bloody deeds but that was the price of standing his ground.

He would wander the lands, cursed as he was, to find a home. So be it. Let the memories and secrets of Yharnam die with him.

"Hey!"

A tankard of fresh ale was put down in front of him. Cyril looked up at the pretty face of the barkeep.

"You dozed off mister Tennstedt?" The barkeep said, tucking a red strand of her hair back into her head scarf.

Cyril let out a breath. "No, ma'am." He answered politely. "Apologies, just have a lot on my mind."

The barkeep laughed. "Well then, I hope that ale of yours will help! Just call on me if you need anything eh?"

Cyril waved a hand.

She was a nice woman. He hoped that nothing bad would happen to her.

Or to this town but he doubted it. Lescatie was probably the beginning of something else. No way the Order will just take that without reacting. Cyril just hoped to stay way out of the way, it would be in everyone's best interests if he stayed out of the spotlight.

The Good Hunter took a sip of ale and relaxed. For a moment, he wasn't on the run. Just a tired traveler taking a rest before moving on to hopefully greener pastures.