And hello everyone again. It's Anthos for a new chapter of Hunt Beyond The Dream. As you will notice this chapter is shorter than the previous one. The reason is simple, I decided to shorten the chapters I would publish to free myself up writing and translation time to try to correct some mistakes and improve my writing.
Remember that I am not a professional writer (we are on a fanfiction site) and that English is not my main language. If you criticize, please do so in a constructed way for the sole reason that I ignore insults and disrespect.
I would respond to my first negative and stupid comment. I quote: Pathetic Fanfic.
If you don't like it don't read. Your life must be excruciatingly sad to read something you dislike ...
In the meantime, thank you to all those who have commented positively and sent me PM to help me correct the previous chapter, I hope you enjoy this one!
I am looking for a Beta corrector if someone is interested, he can contact me.
Chapter 2 : A City Of Light
It's been five hours since he left the tower.
Ashton walked down the city street with regular steps as he looked around, taking every detail in his mind from the buildings and the street to the people he passed. As he walked down the street, the hunter analyzed everything, the other people around him, including adventurers with armor and equipment. Everything passed under his watchful eye deducing the average strength from where he was.
From time to time, adventurers would look in his direction. His gray outfit didn't seem to be the norm in this world. From time to time he heard the whispers of adventurers.
"He must be a northern drifter."
While he was still moving through the city, he still lacked the direction to go. Of course, he had already explored a small part of the city, he knew that he would get lost if ever he began to move recklessly. One of the few things he had learned gently in Yharnam was that the sense of direction was crucial. More than once he had found himself in a circle passing through side roads and falling back on areas already visited and cleaned.
The worst maze he ever met was old Yharnam before Djura set up his cannon there. So Ashton had to do it the old-fashioned way and ask someone for directions.
A plan was made in his head.
More importantly, I need money. People here pay in Vallis. So my change will be useless. I have with me a lot of pieces of monsters that seem to be able to trade for good pay. So I have to find a quick way to get rid of it. After that, find a cheap place to stay and finally get a viable livelihood. The easiest way right now is to become what they call an adventurer. Then… Understand where I ended up."
Ashton's mind had been spinning pretty fast. The most important steps were there. An annoying moan escaped him. The dream may have been deadly, there may have been suffering, but at least he didn't have to worry about starving and where to sleep. This caused a shiver to cross his back. What would become of him in this world of which he knew nothing?
He shook his head. He'd think about it later. At the present time he had to stabilize himself and find a place that would serve him as a base.
Ashton handed over his bag on the back, skillfully stabilizing the bag far too full as he approached a group of armoured adventurers.
Would you excuse me? Can you tell me where I can exchange certain items in the dungeon for money?" he calmly asked.
His empty gaze seemed to surprise the group for a moment before a man answered.
To the guild of adventurers. You don't know where it is?"
"I got lost," he said, coughing. "I don't have a great sense of direction."
The man had a amused smile.
The Adventurers' Guild is on this street. Follow this and go left. You can't really miss it," says the man.
Ashton nodded his head.
Thank you very much. Have a good day."
"Well, have a good day," said the man, as Ashton nodded and walked away.
He walked as he was told and arrived at the guild building. It was a fairly high building with 2 floors and colorful paintings all over the facade giving it a special style.
The hunter entered the guild hall and began to look around him. The room was quite large and had a lot of space. In one corner, he saw sofas and small tables for conversations as well as a counter on the left and one on the right. Ashton approached one of the counters.
"Good morning, sir. How can I help you?" asked the woman who welcomed him. She was a young woman with brown hair and a black blazer. She also had elf ears and green eyes, while holding a set of papers in her hands.
"Oh yes. I would like to exchange crystals and dungeon materials," he calmly said.
"Could I have your name?" asked the woman.
"Ashton. But… How is that important?"
"Wait a few moments."
The young woman turned and left. He was now standing in front of a counter and waiting for the elf to return. She came back with a book going through some sort of list.
"Uh ... I can't find you on the list, sir. Which Familia are you in?" she asked.
"I am not in any Familia," he replied calmly, keeping his neutral face.
"So you're not at all in a family then?" asked the elf.
No. I just got here and went straight to the dungeon to get some money back," Ashton said.
Although he did not like to lie, he knew it was sometimes necessary.
"What? But then you're not registered yet."
That is correct. So is there a way to register?"
"Well, actually, you have to fill that out."
The young woman handed him a form. Ashton looked at him. We only asked him for trivial things. Name, age and all the basic information.
Ashton grabbed the pen in the corner of the office and began to fill in the different information in English. The woman grabbed the form and went through it.
"Sir," she said. "There is no address or date of birth."
I just got here. I'll look for an inn or hotel later and come back to fill it. And…for my date of birth I don't know…"
I see it. Are you really sure you want to go down there without joining a family? Any normal person would call it suicidal, you know?" laughs the receptionist nervously. " You're still young… You could die!" she added to convince him.
"So be it… In any case, I have little choice in this matter."
The elf looked into his eyes and saw only a deep void. She didn't dare go against him. She felt sucked into the bottomless abyss that was the abyss.
"Well, good luck as an adventurer, Mr. Ashton," she said in a frightened voice.
"Call me Ashton," he said. "I am far too young to be called a gentleman." He then announced that a slight smile crossed his inexpressive face seeking to reassure her like a child.
All right, Ashton. My name is Eina. Normally, we would give beginners starting gear that is tailored to their fighting style, but it looks like you already have your gear." said the receptionist returning to her seriousness. "May I ask where you got it?"
You can. A good friend of mine gave it to me. It went well with my fighting style," Ashton said, seemingly recalling distant memories.
He quickly came out of his thoughts, shaking his head from right to left, causing his blond locks to fly. This little childish side thwarted the mature and inexpressive attitude he had.
"I also have to sell part of my first run."
Taking his bag, he simply turned it over and let gravity do the rest. Immediately, many small magic crystals had been poured on the counter and several claws, plates and furs from monsters fell on the counter. Nearby receptionists looked at Ashton with wide eyes, he had a good amount of crystals. More than an adventurer should have on his first descent. And the presence of skins that were rarely obtained added to the boy's absurdity.
"That's all I got."
The receptionist carefully examined each item before searching under the counter and pulling out a small coin purse that Ashton caught. Again his face lightened slightly before returning to its previous position.
"Thank you," he said, bowing slightly before leaving.
The receptionist Eina could not help but watch the boy go towards the door.
For someone so young and not part of a Familia, he has collected a lot of magic crystals. I wonder what he's going to do for us in the future."
Ashton was now walking the streets of Orario as he was scanning the environment for something to eat. There were several restaurants and inns, not to mention food stalls, but for some reason, Ashton was not hungry at all.
'It must be the smell of the dream,' he guessed.
In the hunter's dream, there was no need to eat, drink or sleep. None of the normal physical laws really applied in this place to cut any logic.
But a second question arose for him.
"Why did Gerhman send me into this world?"
This world was clearly not the same as the old one in which he had lived.
The countries were not the same, the technology was much less advanced and until then he had not seen anyone with a powder gun. Most adventurers were content with swords, axes or any other blunt weapons.
"I will have to find a place to learn the history of this world…" he said to himself, looking at the sky with indifference.
However, that was not the only concern he had. On several occasions, his senses improved by the old blood had allowed him to feel the looks that some were shooting at him from the sidelines and the neighboring alleys. Their intentions were clear as they hid closer and closer.
Once he had crossed an isolated alley, he had been followed by several people, but before they could make any demands to have him abandon his equipment, he had turned around in a sharp movement and had slipped behind his most motivated attacker.
Like an eel, he passed along the ground and took out his cleaver, causing it to penetrate through and through the belly of man. The eyes of the man in his forties set the hunter for a few moments, and when he opened his mouth to let go of a word, he spit a sip of blood.
The assault had been so rapid that they had not even had time to react.
"One thing's done." announced the young hunter, wiping his weapon on the body's rags.
He came out of the alley calmly as if nothing had happened.
The other thieves who had followed him quickly understood the fate of their teammates because a few moments later, Ashton was no longer followed.
He suddenly returned to reality when he saw a beautiful inn.
The sign said ``hostess of fertility''.
The inn seemed surprisingly well placed in the direct axis with the Tower of Babel and thus the keep. It was by far the most convenient to have quick access to all the necessary amenities.
It seemed that the evening lunch break had begun when several men and women had gathered inside the inn and were drinking, eating and laughing together. Among the customers, there were a majority of adventurers and a few civilians. The maids were a mixture of different races including half-animal breeds that Ashton had never crossed.
A slight shiver ran his back noticing the woman-cat. It reminded him of his time in Yharnam… But until now, he had never seen one of them be aggressive. So he was saving his bad ideas for later. Until he learned more about where these people came from.
If the plague had spread to this city, it would make its role of hunter and pass to the infected blade.
He looked up at the sky and noticed that the sun was slowly starting to drop on the horizon. He could look for an inn longer but was not convinced to find better than here.
Not that it's actually the motivation anyway.
Ashton entered the inn quickly passing unnoticed in his coat and approached the counter. A woman stood behind the thick piece of wood carrying a large apron imposing a certain authority.
She was most likely the innkeeper.
"Excuse me, miss? Do you rent rooms?" asked Ashton.
Of course. Although it costs a few Vallis. Two miles every three days," she said amicably.
Ashton nodded and searched in his pocket by taking out some of the money he had obtained from the sale of materials. It was strange to use real money for someone who had been content to pay in echoes of blood since… God! How long has it been?
He shook his head and regained consciousness.
The innkeeper looked at the money as she confirmed the sum.
"Yep, that should be enough for six days."
She then grabbed something under the counter and threw a key at Ashton, who grabbed it with ease. He had a short wire with a sign and a number.
"Thank you very much." said Ashton as he walked up the stairs.
Boy. If you want to eat something, you'll have to come down here."
"I will remember," he thanked her by going up the stairs quickly.
Ashton passed through the wooden door and came to a room. The room was not very large and contained only the bare minimum.
A bed, a desk and a wardrobe and a bedside table. That was good enough for the hunter who had been content with much less than that over his two years of hunting before entering the hunter's dream.
He sighed with tiredness and placed his bag on the ground creating a slight shock sound. Breathing heavily, he looked at what was in the bag.
Usually, a hunter would not carry anything that would weigh him down in his travels, but Ashton had made the bold choice to carry two weapons and a pistol in addition to a bag.
The container was usually used to collect any useful object that could be converted into a weapon or projectiles and to store the minimum necessary to heal himself in case of lack of blood vial. Mostly since even with the hope of waking up in the workshop, there was still so much pain in death.
If he could avoid it, he would.
He had kept this habit from the time when he was not in the dream and death was final.
Especially because unlike many hunters, he had never been greatly confident in the Church's injections of the cure they used to heal their own. And he had been quite right until he joined the dream.
Many hunters did the same and were mocked for it. But the security of staying alive was worth the humiliation and finally the story had proved its point.
The bag contained a care kit, some material to sharpen his weapons and repair them as well as a small assortment of basic alchemical tools to make some useful liquids against the beasts as well as a small collection of books that the hunter considered useful, such as a bestiary of the different types of monsters, a map of Yharnam or some information about the places to visit and especially a large steel can contain blood cocktail.
The only alcohol that had an effect on those with old blood. He took out a bottle and opened it, taking a sip of the delicious red liquid.
Strange... Usually, they left all this material at the workshop except for the medical kit and the map.
How had it ended up in his bag?
He was convinced that his bag was lighter than this when he faced Gerhman. According to his memories... He didn't even have it with him, so why did he land in the dungeon?
Another mystery... Coming from someone who had just come out of a waking nightmare it was particularly ironic to be surprised by so little.
Many theories could be true. From the ebb of the dream to Doll's latest kindness.
His gaze turned to the window as he had a nice view of the street. He put the bottle back in his bag and approached the sill. It was... peaceful... Too much for Ashton to feel comfortable. He hadn't experienced such calm in a long time.
Memories came flooding back to him.
"Move along... We'll slow you down..." said a man lying in his own blood.
"I-I'm sorry... I can't go on..." announced a young man not much older than himself.
The blood-soaked streets, the smell of burning flesh, the dead bodies stretching as far as the eye could see, the feeling of weakness and abandonment when he was unable to help anyone.
The words of the First Hunter came back to him.
"What are you really looking for here, young blood?
"We don't save. We are preventing the situation from becoming disastrous. "
"Come on! Nothing is lost yet! " spat a voice he could hear almost directly in his ear.
A familiar, friendly voice.
"Yes..." muttered Ashton. "Nothing is lost yet... But... Where are you? Just... Why do I still have to be alone? What did I do too always be alone? Why do I always have to lose everyone? "
Tears streamed down his cheeks as he fell to the ground clutching the symbol attached to his outfit that represented everything he had accomplished in the last few years.
He had gotten it from George who had passed on this heavy legacy to him despite his young age. The inverted trident symbolic of the hunters of hunters.
"We are the ones who have taken the oath of the hunter's hunter. We are the sentinels rebuking those who have become entangled in blood. Whether man or beast, we will give rest to those who have lost sight of the purpose of the hunt. "he recited.
After long minutes of sobbing, he stood up. All the sadness had left his face and his mask of neutrality was back the same way as before as if nothing had happened.
Only the red marks around his eyes gave an idea of what had happened.
He looked out the window one last time at the dancing lights of Orario and the dwindling bustle of the streets as the night had fully taken over. He could still hear in the streets the joy of the inhabitants and especially the calm of the night.
"Maybe it won't be so bad..." he said as he lay down on the bunk.
Chapter complete.
Introduces us to Orario and Ashton's first reactions to this new city to say the least.
The next chapter should be published around May 25/26 by the time I correct and translate it.
Still interested in a beta reader to help me correct mistakes.
Until the next chapter, take care of yourself and see you soon.
AnthosW Out!