"Her Majesty has summoned you, Lady Maria."
Somehow, every time she heard those words spoken to her, she always found herself surprised. Not for the summoning itself, of course; her and Queen Annalise were of the same bloodline, so Maria was sure she would be summoned to her throne room regardless, regardless of how distant their relations may be. No, what surprised her was the reason she was being summoned. Not to ensure she was acting as a proper 'lady' or anything of that sort: instead, Maria was expected to report to the Queen the state of the company she was to lead and to provide the necessary plan of action for her upcoming mission.
Her, reporting to the queen, being in charge of her own assignment. She never could've predicted she'd get a chance like this and yet, here she was, making her way to the throne room, wearing a uniform that marked her authority among the knights of Cainhurst.
It had all started innocently enough. Pouring over old tales of valor and glory, daydreaming of embarking on some grand adventure in service of her home and family. But even in her youth, Maria knew that it was likely these dreams of hers would remain just that, for the course of her life seemed to already be decided. As a daughter of nobility, she would of course live a life of luxury, receiving the highest education available and be surrounded by servants who would provide whatever service she could desire.
Yet the older she grew, the more Maria realized that she found little comfort in the 'comfort' provided to her. She wanted something more – needed something more. And above all else, she wished to make a name for herself and to prove just what she was capable of, not just to those around her, but to herself as well.
Not far from the entrance, Maria was approached by another knight, wearing the traditional black and red garb.
"What kept you?" He asked as she came to a stop just in front of him.
"Being on the other side of the castle, for one. The better question is `what're you doing here'?" Maria asked the knight.
"Well, it's simple really. Their Majesties asked to see me." He replied.
"Did they now?" He proudly nodded to confirm. "Indeed. Though, from the looks of things, they wanted to see us together. Their guards wouldn't let me pass." The knight replied.
"Then let's not keep them waiting any longer, shall we?" Maria said, after which the two of them started walking up the staircase that led to the throne room.
"How're you feeling, Maria?" He soon asked.
"Fine. Why?" "You know why." He stated matter of factly, no doubt referring to her upcoming venture.
"I appreciate the sentiment, but you needn't worry about me." Maria said to her companion.
"Of course, but…no one has ever ventured that deep into the labyrinths before. There's no telling what you'll find down there." The worry in his words was evident and as much as Maria didn't want to admit it, it was somewhat warranted.
"Well, that's exactly why I'm going down there, aren't I?" She reminded him.
"Hmph, that and herding those scholars along." Maria couldn't keep herself from cracking a smile. "Yes, that as well." She conceded.
"Shouldn't be too hard. From the looks of things, you and that Laurence fellow are already quite friendly with each-other." And there it was. Maria knew it was coming, yet it still made her roll her eyes.
"Really? As I recall, you did a little bit of socializing yourself that night." She pointed out, recalling one particular encounter from the banquet.
"I believe that was the idea, was it not? Everyone had someone they needed to talk to." He replied just before his expression suddenly became serious. "And listen, when you're down there, be sure to keep an eye on the one they call Caryll. There's something…different about her. I can feel it." At first, Maria wanted to question him as to how he thought she was different, but it was clear that he couldn't possibly hold the answer.
"I'll be sure to keep it in mind." She assured him.
From there, the two of them proceeded to the throne room in relative silence. Two guards stood statue-like at the entrance, wearing armor that distinguished members of Queen Annalise's personal guard, who silently allowed them passage inside. The interior of the throne room was illuminated by countless candles, either hanging from miniature chandeliers or distributed around the room, burning in between the equally plentiful marble statues that the castle had accumulated over the years. And at the very end of the room stood two thrones, both occupied and surrounded by various servants, whose chatter settled down once their presence became known.
"A most warm welcome to you both. Please, come forth." Queen Annalise invited. As she had done countless times before, Maria approached her masters and kneeled down once she was but a few steps away, with her accompanying knight doing the same.
"Now then, let us not waste another moment. Maria, I presume thy men are ready for tomorrow?" Asked the Queen.
"Yes, Your Majesty. We are to travel as light as possible, as per instruction." She promptly answered.
"Very good. Thy fellow travellers have agreed to bear the brunt of transporting supplies, which should allow thee and thine company to perform thy duty mostly unimpeded." Ah. Baggage carrying baggage, Maria thought to herself.
"Make no mistake, Lady Maria. Thine primary duty remains ensuring the safety of Byrgenwerth's scholars, and part of that duty includes ensuring that they are treated well by your company." Queen Annalise suddenly reminded her, almost as if she knew exactly what she was thinking.
"Indeed. Our support for Byrgenwerth's studies has proven to be a worthwhile investment, one we do not wish to see squandered because of a petty conflict." The King then said to support his wife's statement.
Maria nodded and said, "Of course." It was true that Byrgenwerth had been a net positive for Yharnam's growth, not only producing a more educated population for the city, but also serving as its primary source of jobs and drawing in potential scholars from all over Europe, and beyond. Aside from that, the royal family's patronage of an educational center like it helped strengthen their image in the eyes of the people.
"Good. Now, seeing as we seem to be clear on that, let's move on to the main reason we've summoned the two of you here." Both Maria and her fellow knight perked their heads up upon hearing this. Admittedly, she was quite curious as to why he was here along with her.
"As you surely know, Lady Maria, the journey that you will be taking is a long and, one must not forget, perilous one. Because of this, we have decided that in your absence, your brother Adrian will assume command of your usual position." This revelation clearly surprised them both, but her brother especially so.
"Your Majesty, I am truly honored." He said while solemnly bowing his head, but something in his voice betrayed how he truly felt about the situation. Like Maria, her brother must've known why they had come to this decision. If she died, then someone would be needed to replace her.
"Are there any objections?" The Queen then asked.
"No, Your Majesty." Maria replied after a short pause. She was aware of the risks involved better than anyone and she knew it would be foolish not to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
"Very well. Then it is settled. Adrian, you will be briefed on the extent of your duties in short order; we have the utmost faith that you will be able to fulfil them. As for…" As the King was speaking, the sound of footsteps became audible in the hall. Someone else had arrived.
"Apologies for the sudden intrusion, Your Majesty, but I have news." The attention within the hall shifted to the new arrival; a man dressed in royal robes. Queen Annalise motioned for Maria and Adrian to rise, after which they promptly moved to stand on either side of the carpet leading up to their thrones, making way for the new arrival.
"Is it urgent?" The Queen asked him.
"It is. The envoy that we've been expecting has just arrived; they have been let inside and are awaiting their audience, as requested." The King and Queen both seemed to be rather caught of guard by this news, yet nevertheless appeared quite pleased.
"A most impeccable sense of timing." Queen Annalise said, a clear sense of sarcasm in her voice.
"Yes, I can see that you're occupied with…other matters." The man looked over to Maria, who could do little but look awkwardly to the side and offer a soft smile. It was bad form to intrude on someone's interaction with Their Majesties.
"What should I tell them?" He asked, looking back to the King and Queen. After sharing a brief glance, the two royals seemed to come to a decision.
"Nothing. Take me to them – I will ensure that they receive a proper welcome." The King said.
"Of course. And what about you, Your Majesty?" He asked the Queen.
"We will remain here. There is something that We need to discuss with Captain Maria in the meantime". She wasn't the least bit surprised to hear this. There was much more to discuss in regards to her mission, after all.
"I see. In that case, allow me to wish our Captain the best of luck on her journey. May you return to us safe." Maria nodded her thanks at his words.
"Thank you, father." She said to him.
Maria knew that he was as worried about her as anyone else was, if not more. He'd never been exactly keen on her choice to become a knight. He had served the Queen as a distinguished diplomat for decades and had no doubt been hoping that she would follow in his footsteps, or at the very least, live a safe and prosperous life, as any father should. But at the same time, he accepted there was nothing he could do to change her mind and respected her decision.
"Now then, Your Highness. Follow me." Her father said to the king.
"Very well." The king then stood up from his throne. "Heed me! As all of you have been made aware, there is a delegation awaiting our arrival at the main gate. Unless otherwise directed, all those gathered here are to come with me and assist in welcoming them."
With the order given, the king started making his way towards the exit, with most everyone else in the throne room quickly falling in line behind them. Adrian was among those following and as he walked away, he turned his head to look back at Maria, offering her a small smile before turning to look straight ahead. Soon enough, the only people remaining in the throne room were Maria and Queen Annalise, who sat silently on her throne until she was certain that everyone was gone.
"Come then, noble Maria. I bid thee rise." She found herself taken aback by this request, but nevertheless complied with her order.
"Very good. Now, speak thy mind, if thou will." She prompted.
"On what matter, my Queen?" Maria inquired.
"Let us start with perhaps the most pressing matter. Are thou confident in regards to this upcoming venture?" She predictably asked her.
"Of course." Maria promptly replied. For the next short while, Queen Annalise did not speak, instead appearing to be analyzing her somewhat.
"Hmm, uncertainty. How very unlike thee. Tell Us, does it have anything to do with thy…counterpart?" She inquired.
"You refer to Professor Laurence?" Maria said more as a statement than as a question.
"Indeed. If We recall correctly, the recent banquet provided ample opportunity for thee to assess him, so to speak. What is thy conclusion?" Truth be told, there was much that she had to say about him, but she decided not to mince words.
"I cannot say for certain." Perhaps that was not what she wanted to hear and she was admittedly basing her conclusion off of her first impression of the man, but it was the conclusion she had reached all the same.
From the moment she first saw him, Maria knew that something was different about this Laurence. For one, she hadn't expected him to be so young; barely older than her, no less. If he was indeed a professor, one that supposedly represented the entire faculty of medicine, then he must not have much experience to his name and yet, he was nevertheless put in charge of an expedition of this magnitude. Surely, he must've done something to have impressed Provost Willem so. The headmaster had spoken in glowing words about him, but at the end of the day, they were just words. And she knew that words were cheap.
And then he approached her. A strange thing for her to be surprised by, to be sure, but Maria had been fully prepared to be the one who had to take the initiative so they could start "talking business". That had been the case ever since she became a knight; most were seemingly too intimidated to approach her, if not by her strength, then by her status. Odds are, he didn't know that was the case, but him coming up to her rather than the other way around showed a fair deal of confidence on his part.
Confidence. Yes, he seemed to possess that in spades. And, if she might add, a certain type of charm as well.
As expected of someone of his profession, he was well-mannered and well-spoken, knowing when he should speak and when he should listen. He did not quiver in her presence or try to shower her with insincere praise; he simply spoke to her as he would with anyone else, not like he was talking to her because he had to. Though, she supposed it helped that Laurence was rather handsome in a boyish sort of way: an inviting smile, bright blue eyes and a height that was noticeable even in Cainhurst. She could certainly see why his fellow scholars would appreciate him as they seemed to.
Then again, charm would be worth little where they were going. Survival in the old labyrinths required preparation, a strong will and a great deal of courage. And Laurence wasn't afraid of what lay ahead, if his words from that night were to be believed. Hardly surprising, she supposed. After all, one would not select a coward to lead an expedition as perilous as this one. But then again, anyone could pretend to be fearless and asking a maiden to dance was hardly a way to prove it.
And yet, she could not sense any fear in his words, nor in his eyes. Only time would tell whether he was truly as intrepid as he purported himself to be, but for now, one thing was certain. He had certainly ignited a spark of curiosity within her.
"So, We see. Provost Willem seems to have chosen his agent well. Oh, but no matter. Thy objective shall remain unchanged." The Queen told her after a noticeable period of silence.
"And what of the other artifacts we find?" Maria then asked.
"Do not be so conscientious. Allow the scholars to claim their share of the spoils. Simple ceramics or jewelry are of little value to Us, but will no doubt be prized by them. After all, not all that you will find is equal in value." Maria didn't need to be told what it was that Queen Annalise was referring to.
"With all due respect, Your Majesty, do you truly believe it is wise to allow these scholars to accompany us? It is clear they have their own ambitions, which may very well run parallel to our own." Maria pointed out.
"Oh, We are most aware of what Provost Willem desires. Above all else, he desires knowledge – more specifically, knowledge of a higher plane. He will have little interest in what We seek." The Queen seemed quite confident in her statement.
"And you are certain of this?" Maria asked.
"Very much so. His success in his undertaking will have no bearing on Ours." Suddenly, she started smiling. "Of course, it is unlikely that he will succeed, but We see no reason to prevent him from trying." Just like that, everything became much clearer to her. As history has proven, the path that Willem put himself on tended to end in a very specific and unfortunate manner.
But something told her it wasn't Willem's ambition that she should be concerned about.
"May I pose a question, Your Majesty?" Maria asked.
"Of course." Annalise replied.
"Say that we retrieve what you desire. What then?" It was an admittedly simple question, but one she felt the need to ask nevertheless.
"Simply put, We will be one step closer to succeeding where our shared ancestors failed. The power and wisdom of the Great Ones is indeed great, yet for all their mystery, their desires are primitive in nature. Bartering with them is foolish, for they never see codependents, only pawns and not recognizing this was Queen Yharnam's, and indeed Pthumeru's, fatal error." Maria knew well enough of what the Queen spoke of, yet that did not make her intentions any less risky.
"That is why our people fled, is it not? All that we left behind, we did so for a reason." She reminded her.
"Indeed, but over the centuries, we have attained the power of hindsight. The fools who remained allowed themselves to become mindless slaves to the Great Ones; they were never worthy of the privileges afforded to them. We know better than to repeat this error." She arose from her throne and descended down to her level.
"To answer thy question, dearest Maria, thine success will mark the beginning of a new age for our people. We intend for the Pthumerian line – our line – to be renewed. Regardless of her fate, Queen Yharnam showed Us that such a thing is possible and the secret to doing so lies within her blood, the very same blood that courses through Our veins. But unlike her, We have no intention of entering any sort of 'contract'. The fate of Cainhurst and its people will remain solely in our hands." As she spoke, Annalise approached Maria and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"As for thee, thine accomplishment will of course be recognized and deservedly honoured. We, and all of Cainhurst, will remain indebted to thee and thy valiant service forever." The Queen gave time for her words to settle before moving back her hand.
"Now, do you find this satisfactory?" Despite framing this as a question, it was rather clear she expected Maria to only respond one way.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Maria said, bowing her head as she did.
"Splendid. If that is all, thou mayst retire for the night." The Queen then said.
"What of our visitors?" She inquired, remembering the earlier discussion regarding their arrival.
"Oh, you needn't concern yourself with them. Though thy presence would've been ideal, it is late and thou will need every ounce of strength for the journey ahead." Maria was in no position to argue with her. As it was, she was rather tired.
"Of course, My Queen." She said in agreement.
"Very good. Then, let's not waste any more time; thou art dismissed." With one more respectful bow, Maria turned away from Queen Annalise and started making her way towards the exit of her throne room.
"We await thy return. For the honor of Cainhurst." She heard the Queen say as she walked away.
Now more than ever, it was clear to Maria what she had to do. She was to find that which brought ruin to the old land of Loran, and to Pthumeru as a whole – the blood of the Great Ones. And if…no, when she returned, her accomplishment would cement her place as one of the finest knights in Cainhurst's long history. It was to be her legacy, one that would never be forgotten.
As it should be.
…..
Elsewhere.
On the outskirts of Yharnam, a stagecoach is carefully led through a dark and dreary forest. The surrounding trees tower overhead, their leaves and branches swaying in the hot summer wind, creating a hunting, if not oppressive atmosphere. It was hardly a place one would wish to find themselves alone in, which made Laurence grateful for the relative security of his transport, which allowed him to indulge in some light reading in order to drown out the gloom of his surroundings.
This was by no means the first time he had been taken down this path, yet that feeling of uneasiness never fully went away. These woods were like a maze; one wrong turn and it was unlikely you would find your path again. Additionally, no-one really knew what lurked beyond the trees: predators, venomous snakes, madmen lost to time. He had even heard rumors of a sort of cult situated in a settlement deep within the forest, who would periodically venture out and ruthlessly slaughter all those who they deem to be 'impure'. The exact criteria for this impurity were unknown, but Laurence had no desire to put these rumors to rest. He was simply a traveler, on his way to reconvene with his master at Byrgenwerth.
There were two locations that bore that name. The first, and the one most were familiar with, was the institution of higher learning within Yharnam, which was located within the center of the city. Yet this institution's roots were found within another location; a vast estate located on the edge of the gorgeous Moonside Lake. This estate was itself a place of research, home to an extensive archive of books and documents, as well as a custom lunarium, which allowed its residents to observe the various stages of the moon. It was there where the research that would lead to the establishment of Byrgenwerth College truly began.
As his stagecoach continued steadily moving along, Laurence heard a soft noise over the sound of the turning wheels and the clattering of the horse's hooves. He didn't even have to look up from his book to know what was making this noise, smiling to himself as he heard it again. And again.
"I know, Nora, I know. But we're almost there, I promise." He said to his fellow traveler, a ginger-coated tabby cat, who currently found herself within her travelling cage, a predicament she seemed none too pleased about, judging from her irritated mewling.
"Look, we've been over this. Once we get to the estate, then you can roam to your heart's content." He said to Nora, who looked upon him with her usual green-eyed glare.
"Yes, yes, you'd rather be back home, I understand that. But I have to go away for a little while, as will most of the people who usually watch you. Master Willem has been kind enough to let you stay with him until I return." He knew it was a bit silly trying to explain something like this to a cat, but doing so somehow always helped him feel more at ease. Laurence had long been fond of the creatures for that very reason; they gave him the very rare chance to talk openly – to confess, maybe – without any real worry.
And recently, Laurence found that he had a lot to tell Nora, so much that she would probably be content to go without his blabbering for a while. His duties as a professor were more than enough to keep him talking for what sometimes felt like hours, but the latest responsibility placed upon him was unlike anything he had to contend with before. Being entrusted to lead his fellow scholars into an uncharted and no doubt treacherous place, away from the rest of civilization; could one really be blamed if they found themselves a little anxious in anticipating such a task?
Laurence thought back to the banquet he had attended close to a week ago. He had said that he wasn't afraid of what awaited him that night, and in a way, this was true. Really, he was excited to have an opportunity such as this – to play such a key role on this exodus of discovery, as he was sure all those going with him were as well. He wouldn't have agreed to take this role if he really was afraid, right? Yet even now, he wasn't sure if he had convinced Lady Maria.
Lady Maria. Yet another subject he was sure Nora was tired of hearing about. Their meeting had ended up creating more questions than it had answered, chief among them being whether she could truly be counted upon to protect them when the time came. He had no way of knowing her true prowess in combat aside from simple word of mouth, but even if she was as capable as Queen Annalise had claimed, did that make it any better? Of course, it was unlikely that she and her company would turn their blades on them – the fallout from such an occurrence would be far too severe – but they could still hinder their research in other, more subtle ways.
Perhaps it was unwise to dwell on the hypothetical, but Laurence found himself dwelling all the same. Though it was officially Lady Maria's duty to ensure their physical safety, it nevertheless fell to him to ensure they remained safe as well. To do that, he had to keep their morale high and ensure that they do not splinter apart, which was exceedingly difficult to do when one party could not fully trust the other.
He did not wish for her to be his enemy, but deep down, something told him that she had the potential to be even more dangerous than the monsters she would be guarding them from.
As these thoughts continued to run through his mind, Laurence felt his carriage start to slow down, which could only mean that he would soon arrive at his destination. Placing is book back within his satchel, he sat and waited for it to come to a complete stop, watching as Nora perked up her ears and curiously looked around, no doubt wondering what was going on. Soon enough, the door to his carriage was opened by a fairly burly man, clothed in orange robes.
"Ah, Master Laurence. How wonderful to have you back." The man said.
"Hello, Dores." Laurence politely greeted. "How have things been?"
"Busy, believe it or not. You are actually the second guest that Master Willem has received this evening." This admittedly came as a surprise to Laurence.
"Really? Who's the first?" He inquired.
"I doubt that the two of you have met. And in any case, you'll see for yourself soon enough." Dores stood aside. "Please, come with me." He invited.
"Of course. Come along, Nora." Laurence said as he picked up his cat's cage by a handle at the top; while making his way out of the carriage, he handed it over to Dores, retrieving it and uttering "Thank you" once he was safely out.
From there, he followed the ever-loyal sentinel towards the estate he presided over. As he walked behind Dores, Laurence couldn't help but notice a lone, black horse hitched by a nearby tree, which no doubt belonged to this mysterious second guest that he had just learned about. Had he come here alone? If so, then it was a most daring decision indeed.
They found the door on the right side of Master Willem's estate wide open, no doubt in anticipation for his arrival. The most immediate thing one noticed upon entering was the abundance of canisters, some gathered together on various desks and tables, others seemingly strewn about without a care. But the most striking thing about these canisters wasn't so much the sheer number of them, but what they contained; human eyes, which seemed to stare back as they floated in the clear liquid that they were kept in. Yet what was no doubt a putrid sight to most had no real effect on Laurence, used as he was to this aspect of his Master's work.
As they got closer to the winding staircase that would take them up to the upper floor, Laurence could make out two voices coming from above: one belonging to Master Willem and another that he did not recognize. Though he couldn't discern exactly what they were saying, the tone of the conversation seemed to be calm, indicating some level of familiarity between them. This conversation continued up until Dores brought them up to the second floor, where they found Master Willem reclining in his rocking chair, with a stranger seated on a sofa nearby.
"Ah, there you are, Laurence." Said Master Willem before he turned his gaze to his servant. "Thank you, Dores. Now, may I ask that you go and aid our driver?" He promptly bowed his head.
"Of course, Master Willem." Dores said before he turned back to the staircase and started making his way back down, leaving Laurence as the sole center of attention.
"You wished to see me, Master Willem?" Laurence asked after a brief silence.
"I did. As you can see, there's someone I'd like you to meet." Master Willem replied, motioning to the stranger in the room, who Laurence now saw was wearing a brown jacket, as well as a red scarf around his neck.
"Well, come on then, don't be shy. Join us. Oh, and feel free to let Nora out as well, if you so please." The headmaster invited.
"Oh, yes, of course. Just a moment." Setting Nora's cage down, Laurence opened the door to her enclosure and allowed the cat to cautiously venture out. She was already quite familiar with the location and started making her way over to one of Master Willem's cushioned sofas, but along the way, she took notice of the stranger. He soon noticed her arching her back and puffing out her fur, before hissing at the stranger and running off.
"Nora!" Laurence called to his cat as she ran past him and to the other end of the floor, but stopped himself from chasing after her. She'd no doubt be back; it was better to just give her space for now.
"My apologies, sir. She usually doesn't react to new people that way." He said to the mysterious figure, who lightly chuckled in reply.
"Not to worry. She does what she feels she needs to in order to survive, just like any other creature." The stranger sounded understanding, but also rather nonchalant. In fact, Laurence noticed he hadn't so much as budged when Nora hissed at him.
"Oh, how rude of me. Please, allow me to properly introduce myself." The stranger said, promptly stood up to his full height and approached him.
"My name is Gehrman. I'm an old acquaintance of your headmaster. And you must be the young Master Laurence he's told me about." The man extended his hand for him to shake.
"Master?" Laurence thought to himself. When had he gotten that title? In any case, he pondered this for only a moment before he accepted Gehrman's offered handshake.
"I am. And to what do I owe the pleasure, Mr…Gehrman?" Laurence inquired, seeing as Master Willem had chosen an interesting time to introduce him to old friends.
"I'm glad you asked, Laurence. Gehrman here will be accompanying you on your upcoming expedition." Master Willem explained.
"Oh, are you a scholar as well?" Laurence asked Gehrman, who simply smiled.
"In a manner of speaking, yes." He replied somewhat cryptically.
"I see. Well, in that case, I suppose you are aware of where we're meant to be going?" He decided to ask.
"But of course. In fact, that is why I am here. Your headmaster has requested that I go with you into the old labyrinths, in order to keep an eye on you and, where necessary, protect you from what we will encounter below." This came as somewhat of a shock to him.
"Protect us?" He repeated, unsure of whether he had heard him correctly.
"Indeed, young master." Gehrman confirmed with a small nod.
Naturally, Laurence found himself quite confused at this sudden turn of events. Aside from his fairly impressive height, the man in front of him did not appear to be all that threatening; for one, he appeared to be several decades older than Laurence himself, as well as being rather thin and judging simply from their brief interaction, meek as a lamb.
"I'm not sure I understand, Master Willem. Has our arrangement with the Knights of Cainhurst changed?" Laurence turned to him and asked.
"Not at all. They are still to serve as your main line of defense." He replied almost immediately.
"What? Then why…" Laurence looked back at Gehrman, still trying to make sense of just what was going on here.
"Oh, Laurence. Please, have a seat. I promise all will be clear shortly." Master Willem invited, motioning for one of his numerous sofas. After a moment, Laurence complied, sitting down on the sofa opposite his master, while Gehrman returned to the one in between them.
"Now, why don't you tell us what you know about the Pthumerians?" Laurence raised a brow, taken off guard by his master's request. He assumed that in order to make things clear, they would have to do some explaining.
"That they are by no means a 'dead' civilization. They still exist to this very day and continue to expand the labyrinths in which they dwell. They're also ardent worshippers of the Great Ones and even fashioned themselves as their guardians; it is the fabric that holds their society together." He recounted as best as he could, though he couldn't quite understand one thing. "Why do you ask?"
"Because simply put, what you know does not apply to Loran." Gehrman suddenly interjected, turning his attention to him.
"What do you mean?" Said Laurence.
"Perhaps I should elaborate. As you said, the Pthumerian people are bound by their perceived duty to the Great Ones. Every one of them that remains alive today has a role in fulfilling this goal; weak or strong; royalty or commoner. Though they are dangerous and guard their domain with fervor, they still have some semblance of organization. Some of them can even be reasoned with, assuming they are not provoked." Gehrman paused for a moment before continuing.
"Loran, on the other hand, enjoys no such structure. It was abandoned and lost to the sands of time long, long ago. Yet that does not mean that the land is devoid of life. It is simply life of a more…primitive nature." Gehrman's lips formed into a smirk, which hardly seemed appropriate considering what he was talking about.
"Monsters?" Laurence guessed.
"You can call them that. Personally, I prefer to call them beasts; less of a mouthful." Gehrman replied, again, a bit too casually.
"Hold on. Surely, Loran is not the only place in which such 'beasts' can be found." Laurence then pointed out.
"You are correct, but Loran by all accounts is their stronghold. In other parts of Pthumeru, they are often exterminated before they can gain a foothold, but there, nothing exists to contain them. As such, the only danger to the beasts are other beasts, each of which share one, simple goal - survival." He could immediately recognize where Gehrman was going with this.
"And only the most adept can achieve that goal." Said Laurence.
"Precisely. It is probable that the only creatures that you will find down there are the most well-suited to life in Loran, which naturally means that they are also the most dangerous." Gehrman finally concluded, though far from making everything clearer as Master Willem had promised, it only left Laurence with more questions.
"How do you know all this?" He asked Gehrman.
"As I said, Master Laurence. I am a scholar as well. And in the same way your headmaster is fascinated by the more ethereal parts of Pthumerian society, I am fascinated by the beasts that lurk among them." Was his explanation.
"I take that to mean this isn't the first time you've gone on one of these expeditions?" Laurence concluded.
"No, it isn't." It was Master Willem who answered this time. "Gehrman has been a part of Byrgenwerth's mission for a very long time. You and your fellows will be safe under his watch." He added on, which reminded Laurence of the reason they were having this conversation to begin with.
"How much safer can we possibly be? We have an entire company of knights watching over us and with all due respect, Gehrman is but one man." Laurence reminded him.
"Indeed, he is, and sometimes, that is all it takes to change the tide." Master Willem pointed out. "And besides, I did not expect for you to have so much faith in Cainhurst's servants." He then pointed out, seeming quite amused as well.
"And you do not? You were the one who hired them." Laurence replied.
"Not exactly. We require Her Majesty's patronage for our research and her consent in order to access the labyrinths; the presence of her knights is simply a part of our agreement that she insists upon, to ensure we do not venture where they don't want us to. So, it has always been." Master Willem sounded rather frustrated, which Laurence supposed wasn't a surprise. He wasn't fond of his research being impeded in any capacity.
"But they have not failed you yet, have they?" Laurence asked.
"Perhaps not, but it would be foolish to rely upon them forever. Think about it, Laurence. If they were to fail, or heavens forbid, decide you are no longer worth protecting, what do you think will happen?" The truth was, he could only see one thing happening, and it didn't entail a pleasant fate.
Before he can really say anything, Nora meowed to signal her return, making her way over to where Laurence was sitting and taking her usual place on his lap. With a soft smile, he started lightly scratching behind her ear.
"You'll look after her, won't you, Master Willem?" He looked over to him and asked.
"I will, for as long as is necessary. You have my word." He replied, prompting Laurence to give a small, acknowledging nod before he looked back down at his relaxing cat. He hated leaving her behind, but he knew it was necessary. Besides, this wasn't the first time they'd been apart for a while; she'll be fine.
Yes. She'll be fine.
"Worry not, Master Laurence. You'll see her again soon – that I can promise." Gehrman spoke up, drawing his attention.
Admittedly, Laurence wasn't quite sure how to reply to this. He knew that there was a chance that he could meet his end down in the labyrinths; they wouldn't have had to find security for their travels if that wasn't the case. But at the same time, how is it that this man in front of him could ensure their safety when several knights could not, especially against forces that even he acknowledges are dangerous?
Just who in the world was he?
….