Chapter 3
"Its time for Gehrman to join the hunt."

That was all that Finn neede to hear from the old man before readying himself for the bloody battle underway . Despite Gehram's old appearance, Finn could feel the power he radiated, a sweet bloody smell started to overwhelm his sense of smell, the scent thickening till that's all he could smell. The flowers, the dew, even the earth wafted the smell of blood into his nose, making him feel excited. Ever since he came to this nightmare, anything he faught would make him smell blood, and that smell would always get his heart thumping, always heighten his senses, always tempting him to just let it all go and just enjoy the carnage he was going to inflicte upon his prey. He fell to it involuntary at first, becoming its victim, it's slave, wanting nothing more than to tear his enemies and bathe in their blood. He has learned to keep it on a leash now, even with how worn and frayed it was, using it as a tool to push forward! to move his body when it won't, to take his fear away and replace it with bloodlust and demented pleasure! He refuses to let it take his remaining sanity and whatever humanity he has left! refuses to be so lost in the bloody waters that he becomes a monster of this Nightmare! A monster tthat's worse than what he's been facing! A beast with no other drive than to commit a neverending slaughter of prey. HIS PREY!

Gehrman notice the subtle changes in Finn. His eyes started growing more animalistic by the second, the dark blue brightened to an icy shade that it was almost purely pale, just a tiny of blue to them now. red bled in from his slitted pupils, a maniac gleam now shining in them. Eyes that have seen to much, eyes that a 17 year old boy, or was he technically older, should never have. His eyebrows grew slightly thicker as his mane of hair bristled like an angered beast, sticking out straight and sharp. He could hear his teeth grind against each other as they grew sharper and larger. He could feel the boys need to sink his fangs into something as the sound grew for a few more moments . The boy shifted his feet, coiling his legs, ready to explode in any direction necessary. His left arm was loose to quickly aim his gun while his right arm was slightly tense to administer a strike from the all to familiar blade he holds. The blade started to glow a faint green light around the edges, giving off a soft hum of power so faint that it could barely be heard. The blade whispers to Finn, mad ramblings and secrets.

Gehrman took one final sigh, a gentle breeze blew across the field. He ready his stance, both arms grasping the scythe, lowering his legs. Ready to launch himself at the boy.

There was no other sound besides the slow, rythmatic beat of each others hearts, pumping the sweet, life giving nectar through their vains. One red, and the other growing pale

Gehrman made the first move, dashing towards Finn in seconds, arm posed to swing his scythe to take his head! Finn leapt back, mostly avoiding the strike, only getting a slight cut across the bridge of his nose that trickled a pale redish colored blood down his face, his wicked smile filled with sharp teeth and fangs grew. Finn retaliated quickly by shooting Gehrmanwith a shot from his hip, nicking Gehrman across his shoulder, the wound cauterizing from the heat of the silver bullet that grazed him!

Both hunters jumped back from each, studying each other, planing their next attack before they both dashed toward one another to continue their deadly dance.

Finn struck first by bring his sword in a one handed downward swing to cleave his opponent in two! Gehrman held his position, quickly removing his own gun from under his cloak quicker than the average eye can track, an old beat up Blunderbuss, before shooting Finn in the chest. The scattered shots pelted his front, causing him to stagger, an opening to exploit. Gehrman quickly rushed him till he was within striking range. pulling back his arm, Gehrman lanced it through the boy's chest! He crushed his fist and pulled it back, sending a jet stream of Finn's pale blood flying out of the wound, sending him flying backwards from the force of the blow and streaming blood. Finn rolled with the momentum, back on his feet, not even aware of the pain inflicted upon him or the feeling of his heart regrowing,dripping blood now pale as the moon, dripping on the red flowers, contrasting their red hues with his pale.

Gehrman pushed the assault, moving in close to finish the boy and free him from this damned dream. Gehrman detached his blade from the handle in one fluid motion, a loud clang of metal and flying sparks, slashing it sideways at Finn, attempting to cut him in two. Finn ducked low, feeling hairs being sliced by the wickedly sharp blade. He pushed the barrel of his gun into Gehrman's exposed side, finger half way pulling the trigger, the smile never leaving his face.
BOOM!

The shot ranged loud in the silence, taking a chunk of Gehrman's side in an explosion of fire and smoke, leaving a great chunk of flesh missing from his exposed side. He jumped back, grimacing in pain, and reached into his pocket to pull out a syringe of red, thick liquid before jabing it into his hip. The fatal wound sealed up with sick sounds of mending flesh. Gehrman grimaced in pain, clenching his teeth and letting out a hiss of discomfort as the blood healed the fatal wound.

Finn himself put a dark purple pellet in his mouth and stabs himself with his own syringe,this one wrapped in a red embroidered handkerchief. his wound healed instantly, sound of bones cracking and shifting as they started to grow. The boy felt a intense fiery, buring, ache as his body regrew the lost flesh and bone. The remainder of his shirt was covered in pale blood while Gerhams side was drenched with his crimson.

The two jumped at one another again! Sword striking scythe, cut for cut, stab for stab, blood for blood! Finn's blade grew brighter and brighter as he closed in on Gehrman, smiling like a man possessed, sharp teeth bared in a twisted smile. Gehrman smiled too, loosing himself in this deadly dance. His body glowed a mist around himself before giving a feral yell, exploding power outward and sending Finn flying back through the air before sliding across the ground, slamming his blade into the earth to slow down his speed. Finn looked up and saw Gerham standing upright with an aura of power covering him, something Finn smelled funny. Eldritch.

Gehrman slashed his scythe upwards, sending shape edges of pure energ toward Finn, whipping up dirt and debris into the the air and leaving deep gauges in the dirt. Finn dodged around the energy strikes, dodging between, around and sometimes over and under as he work his way closer to Gerham. A few strikes landed, opening up new wounds and sending blood and hair flying as he continue to weave and dodge, all the while the sword grew brighter and brighter as each projectile passed by Finn. It's whispers growing louder and louder by the second.

Gehrman was breathing heavily now, blood leaked out his nose and eyes from the strain this power was putting him through, but he must win. He must free this foolish hero from a fate worse than death by sending him off! The voices are growing both in volume and number in his head, slowly maddening him and slowly pushing him closer and closer to unconscious. His senses were beginning to fade. his sense of small was gone now and he doesn't even feel his scythe in his hands. The sounds of rippling energy and flying debris grew further and further away, muffled as if cotton was slowly being shoved into his ears. He could barely hear Finn yell in exertion as he closed in on Gehrman, all the while that sword grows brighter and brighter, leaving a trail of green as the blade moves. If this attack lands, then he will have failed the boy. He would lose. . .

The boy was 15 feet away now, and quickly closing the distance. Gehrman's swings started to slow.

10 feet away. Gerhman last swing of his scythe landed directly onto Finn's blade, leaving a deep gash on his face before sealing shut, leaving another scar that begins to fade. Finn would have been bisected if his sword didn't absorbed the majority of the hit, glowing even brighter as it seeming absorbed the power.

Gehrman lost his grip upon his last swing, sending the weapon flying into the air, impaling the lone tree, blade diging deep into the large tree trunk. Gehrman was defenseless and unable to move. It was over. It looks like he's finally going to awake from this nightmare at the cost of this boy's life and mind. This noble, heroic hunter deserves so much better than what was going to come and it saddens him that he has failed. What a sweet and bitter end it will be to finally leave this dream of blood and beasts.

5 feet away and Finn is pulling back his blade with both hands to run Gerham threw, having dropped the pistol behind. The glow of his sword is blinding now, fueled by arcana and the asborbed energy from Gerham's attacks. Gehrman sees the animalistic desire in his eyes but he also sees something else behind the madness. he sees the boy's resolve to free him and regret that he had to kill him. Gehrman prayed that Finn could get out one way or another. Because when Gehrman dies, the Moon Presssnce would want a new child to claim, a new prisoner to keep it company.

The blade slide right through Gehrman as if he were paper, blasting a wave of green energy clear up into the night sky. When the blast subside, the sword has returned to its stone grey color, slathered in Gehrman's blood. Gehrman let out a weak cough, blood dribbling out his mouth. He looked down at the boys and sees clarity in his eyes, the madness slowly subsiding as his eyes went back to their original color. He smiled weakly at the boy.

" Boy... this dream ... was...so long" Gehrman coughs out," i pray to what ever god will listen... that you will to awaken to your own reality ... move past the dream and nightmare..., try... to... put.. this... behind...you..." Gehrman wheezed, taking his last breath. His body went still, heart no longer beating. Tired and old grey eyes slowly closed, a peaceful expression across his features. His body starts to dissolve into a grey mist till Old Hunter Gehrman has departed from this bloody Hunter's dream. Either back to the waking world or to the afterlife for his eternal slumber.

Finn watched as the mist dissipate into nothingness , still mesmerized by the spectacle of every departing hunter creates. He watched the mist floated into the night, fading away to nothingness before making his way to the tree where Gehrman's scythe lay inbeded. He grabbed the handle of the scythe and pulled with all his might and freed the weapon, surprised how smooth and easy the blade came out, leaving a equally smooth cut in the trunk . Finn rested the weapon upon his back and held it there till he felt a connection, both physically and mentally. till letting go of the weapon as it dissolves through the the remains of his torn duster and fur cloak, moveing inside his body, feeling the weapon imprint upon his mind and blood. He saw flashes in his head, the basics on how to handle the weapon. He would never hold a candle to Gehrman's mastery, but he'll be able to use it somewhat without causing permanent damage upon himself until he trained with it. He went to retrieve his gun when he suddenly felt a great pressure fill the air. The source of this was from a black speck from the moon, growing and growing in size until it landed softly in the field of flowers and blood.

The creature was large, body and limbs so thin and stringy it shouldn't have been possible to hold up itself up, let alone its massive head covered in tendrils. The thing's hands and feet were large with 5 digits that all ended in sharpe points. Its torso and chest was nothing more than a mockery of spine and ribs from its bent hips to shoulders. Its face was the weirdest of all as it appeared to be wearing a mask, with one hole greatly larger than the other where eyes should've been and behind that were more tendrils, more than Finn could count.

The thing stared at Finn and Finn stared back, neither one moving an inch. The thing leapt quickly at Finn, grabbing him in a mockery of a hug, the teniderils on its head slowly wraping around him.
A faint light grew between the openings of eldritch thing's tenticles, green at first than blue till a blast sent the thing reeling back, with Finn the human standing there, the Holy Sword in both hands, ready to fight the thing! His shirt, cloak, and coat was destroyed, showing off his scare and burn covered body. He glared the monster down, his blonde hair bristling and moving about, seemingly moving on there own akin to the monsters tentacles. He stared it his slowly paling eyes, a faint glow that continued to grow from the outside inward.
"So" Finn whispered slowly into the silence, not caring if the thing knew what he was saying," your the one responsible for everything, right?" He barred his teeth in rage. This THING was responsible for all the pain and suffering he suffered! This THING was what tormented and drove the denizens mad or sentencing a much crueler and bloodier fate! It stand before him, and he wanted to slaughter it!

The being let out a high pitch roar, firmly planting its limbs to the ground, preparing to rush the hunter. Finn began to laughed softly, building up to to a sound of a man who found the funniest joke in the world and wants nothing more than to rip it to shreds. A laugh of a broken man than just wants to destroy . Finn looked directly at the creature, eyes glowing pale madness and hunger swimming in the pale lit eyes. It was time to hunt!

"I'll RIP and TEAR this damn bloody dream apart, piece by bloody piece! Hahahahahhahah!" Finn cackled in mad glee, rushing the monster.

The two beings rushed one another, nothing but sounds of mad laughter and high pitched roars drowned the field, slashing and tearing at one another. One a hunter with ages of pain, fear, and suffering to unload the root of everything wrong. The other with alien reason and thoughts, but the smell wasn't unfamiliar to the hunter. He smelt fear, the thing feared HIM! He wasn't going to disappoint. He will slaughter the prey in front of him, rip it piece by piece, tentacle by tendril.

He is going to finally be free, and he will do whatever it takes to bring the last thing worth saving in this bloody dream to the waking world. The Doll will finally see the sun and feel it's warmth.