Chapter III, for your viewing pleasure. There will be a larger delay between this and my next chapter; I am taking some leave to visit home, and then will be busy doing some operations. Not for too long, but expect the next chapter to be more towards mid/late October, assuming I stay on schedule. Cheers!
Vision came to Kagura gradually, like emerging up from the depths of a lake, and the first thing she saw were grey eyes that gleamed like darkened iron in the dim rays of light. They were striking and intently familiar; she'd only ever seen such eyes on one person before. A hand, frozen in the air just above her forehead, retracted back to its owner's side. Her eyes, without any real conscious thought, scanned as she heard the prattle of footsteps to her right.
It was a human woman, dressed in dark robes and rather… meek looking, her black hair and features plain. Irrelevant, she decided. Her eyes shot back towards the man in front of her, his name coming to her after a moment of staring: Vasyl. It was him, but last she remembered, he had died. His wear hadn't changed; he still had the same grey overcoat, though he also now had some sort of black cloak around his neck, just long enough to wipe away any blood that sprayed his mostly covered face. That hat, the same one Little One wore atop its head, still hid whatever blonde locks he called hair.
This didn't make sense. How was he here, alive? Where was she? She had to be back within Yharnam; she could see thick stones which she could only ever associate with the impossibly high towers, the gloomy streets, and those strange statues that littered the land. It was truly unmistakable.
He reached up with a chuckle, pulling down his mask and giving her a wry smile. "It's good to see you again, Lady Kagura." It really was him, she realized. She was back in Yharnam, somehow, and he was still among the living.
Brows narrowing, she pushed herself up from her back to a sitting position. Her lips curved downward as she stared at him. "How the hell are you alive?" The question stumped him, and he visibly shrank back just a hair. Vasyl opened his mouth to speak before snapping it shut. He followed that with a long hum, giving a side-glance at the woman in black to their side. She was watching their interactions with interest.
"A bold move indeed, Lady Kagura, to ask a hunter to reveal his secrets," he finally replied, scratching at his chin, "Though for one such as you, an exemption ought to be made." He stood to his full height, removing the coat hugging his frame as she sat there on the cold stone. He offered her a hand, one that she took without thinking, and she found herself hauled back to her feet with ease.
He offered her the coat, and she noticed his eyes twitch downwards ever so briefly. She then realized her chest was cold, and a glance down of her own showed that she was topless. She could see her fresh scar, running across her lower stomach up to her shoulder, diagonally. The flesh had mended quickly. Her kimono, as well as the kosode beneath, upper portions were both completely destroyed, which meant the bottom was barely holding on as well. The only thing really holding it fast was her outer yellow obi, a piece of cloth fashioned as a belt, as well as the obi beneath tightened around her waist to hold up the bottom portion of her kosode.
"Allow me to assist you," he said.
She grimaced, and Vasyl shifted behind her, already attempting to put the coat on her. Not fighting, she shoved her arms through the offered sleeves. As she was slipping it on, she felt Vasyl freeze. "An interesting tattoo, Lady Kagura," he commented before continuing with slipping his coat over her body, and she stiffened at his casual mention of her branded back. Ah, yes, the spider emblem carved into her flesh, right between her shoulder blades, that marked her as nothing more than Naraku's puppet and flesh.
How great that he'd seen it. Kagura loosened her outer obi as Vasyl finished slipping his coat onto her fully, retying the cloth belt around her waist with quickness and ease, it helping hold the coat more comfortably against her body. Her chest was covered, at least. She turned around, feeling the weight of the coat on her shoulders. It was fairly thick, though that made sense, given he was regularly fighting beasts.
Crossing her arms, Kagura took in his appearance. It was a bit easier to make out his true build without that coat. He was tall, certainly, and his build fit his namesake. He wasn't overly burly, bulging with muscles. He looked like a hunter. A sleek, athletic build meant for speed, but by no means lacking strength. All that was mostly irrelevant, though, because her eyes were tracking where all those bullets had ripped through him.
"Again. How the hell are you alive?!" She demanded, stomping her foot in frustration. She had seen him die, those bullets cutting through him just as easily as her wind had cut through that tribe of wolf demons. He'd fallen flat on his face, dead.
Vasyl shifted awkwardly, once again glancing at the woman in black. "Lady Kagura, I intend to inform you later, when in less… sensitive company."
With a hmph, Kagura shifted her hips to regard the woman. "P-Please, brave hunter," she said, her meek, scared voice causing Kagura to roll her eyes, "Do not mind me. I am but a simple nun, in your debt."
He nodded respectfully, smiling softly at her, polite even to his lesser. "Of course. Be that as it may, we have more pertinent issues at hand." Vasyl leaned down, retrieving his saw cleaver and pistol, holstering the latter. "Someone has brought us here, and I doubt their intentions are pure."'
Laughing lightly, his eyes glinted. "Unfortunately for them, neither are mine." Ah, there it was, the thing that put him apart from most humans she'd met. Kagura blinked, looking around to see if she could find her fan. It was nowhere to be seen. She wracked her mind. Had she left it there on her feather, when she fell unconscious? Idly, Kagura traced a finger up where that damn Inuyasha and his wind scar had met her flesh.
Vasyl laid his free hand on her shoulder, squeezing lightly. She met his eyes for a moment and no more, quickly turning away with a huff and brushing his hand off. "I'm glad you're alive," she ventured. It had taken a bit of time to place the feeling in her gut, but now that she'd overcome the shock of seeing him alive, it settled. It was the first time she could even vaguely recall caring about someone or something, yet here she was.
It was nothing intense, of course. She wouldn't have lost sleep had he truly been dead, yet all she could imagine was what a shame it would be for him to be gone. That had to count for caring, didn't it? "You're… interesting."
With a smile, he nodded. "And I am glad to have found you, as well. Truthfully, I feared the worst when I was unable to track you down."
That reminded her, actually. "Did you kill that bastard?" She asked, wondering about whoever had been manning that strange firearm atop the rooftops of Old Yharnam. He better have slaughtered that insolent fool who'd sought to kill her.
There was a slight moment of hesitation, but Vasyl inclined his head in confirmation. "Good job, otherwise I would've gone and cut him to pieces myself." Giving another terse nod, Vasyl cleared his throat, waving his hand to dismiss the conversation and continue forward.
"Regardless, we've crossed paths on a fine occasion," he said. Kagura watched with interest as his saw cleaver transformed, spotting his hand pulling a lever by the base of the blade to extend it. She hadn't truly noticed it during her last stay in Yharnam, too distracted by the rest of the sights. "Something has brought us here, together. A lonesome hunt is tiring, so care to join me once more?"
Grimacing, Kagura was forced to admit things wouldn't be as easy. She was without her fan, after all, and her adept control of the wind was pretty dependent on it. She could still command the wind without it, of course, but it was far harder to control finely without any sort of medium to direct it. The medium itself had an affect, too, but any medium would always be better than none. Opposed to a graceful force, her control of wind was more akin to a hammer without one.
"Of course," she answered. Even with her limitations she would be useful.
Vasyl turned to the woman dressed in black. "Miss, follow behind us closely. We shall get you out of here safely," he promised, and Kagura shrugged. She really didn't care whether the human lived or died, but if Vasyl wanted to babysit, she'd allow him. It didn't mean that she'd be babysitting her, though.
The human woman was stuttering some nonsense at Vasyl that Kagura dismissed, instead trying to figure out just what had led her back here. Last she recalled was being on her feather, that bastard's Wind Scar injuring her enough to force a retreat. Little One had been staring at her, and she remembered passing out a moment after that. Was that how this place worked? Every time she slept, she awoke here?
So far it seemed true, but there had to be more to it than that. When had her life gotten so complicated? Vasyl gave her a glance, and Kagura shook her thoughts free, following after him and the human woman. They moved up a series of stairs, Vasyl beginning to explain their situation as they moved.
"I awoke in a cell, one thoroughly rusted. Breaking down the door was remarkably easy, though it made quite the ruckus. It's not impossible that our captors are aware of our presence, in which case-"
As Vasyl stepped atop the final stair, turning a corner around a pillar, something lunged. Vasyl jumped forward, landing on his shoulder and rolling back to his feet. In the same move, he drew his pistol and fired a quick shot to capture whatever had attacked attention. As for what it was… Kagura had trouble telling, other than that it was some sort of gigantic, yet thin and lanky human. A black cloak covered most of him, though Kagura could see bare feet and a bit of its face. It was extremely pale, somewhere between grey and almost moon-white skin. Though, she saw traces of some dark markings on its chest and its lower arms. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of its hands; they were massive. Its nails were as long and sharp as any demon's claws.
One of its hands was currently penetrating into the stone wall, roughly where Vasyl's head would have been had he not dodged. It had tried to grab him by the neck and pin him, then. Its other clawed hand was dragging a bloodied brown sack, something still in it. Given the blood, it wasn't too hard to guess.
Vasyl's shot connected on the side of its skull, and, to her shock, all it did was turn to face him. The bullet had hardly done anything but piss it off. The giant then lunged once more, slamming its sack down where Vasyl was standing. He dashed aside, of course, but that was enough for Kagura to classify this thing as a threat above villagers. It was strong and fast.
"Oh merciful Gods, its back," a voice behind her whispered, stuttering all the while. Kagura gave a glance back at the human woman who was standing there, frozen and petrified.
"Shut up," she demanded, receiving yet another stuttered response by the little gnat. How annoying. She'd kill the human herself if it wouldn't have upset Vasyl. Kagura turned her attention away from the bumbling annoyance and onto the monstrous man across the room.
Well, she'd hardly ever tried to control her wind without her fan before, but there was a first for everything. She moved to the top of the staircase, giving a brief glance around the room they were in. There were a few stone pillars holding up the rooftop, a metal cage to her left, but it was a mostly open space. Vasyl was also leading the giant into the center of the room. Widening her stance, Kagura moved her hands in a circular, clockwise motion; a gust of wind picked up in the room before slamming into the side of the gigantic, lanky man. It merely stumbled as her force rammed into its side like a hammer.
Still, a stumble was sufficient; Vasyl moved forward, his saw cleaver in its compact axe form as he brought it down upon the thing's hands. The giant moved to retract its extended limb, and to its credit, only lost a finger from the attack opposed to its entire hand. Vasyl moved to make another strike, but it kicked out at him, forcing him another step back.
It then clawed at him wildly, one finger gushing blood madly like a torn vein. Vasyl matched the blow head on with his saw cleaver; the palm of its hand met the jagged edge of sharpened metal. The strike turned the hand that once sprayed blood into a gushing mess of crimson instead, the hand split into two sagging halfs of flesh up to its wrist. The giant didn't seem to care, not even pausing to examine the new wound. Instead, it swung the brown sack at Vasyl. She watched as its other hand bounced around uselessly, like a twig snapped in half and hanging by a thread. Vasyl wasn't quick enough to get out of the way of its blow, and the bloodied bag smacked against his stomach.
Damn it, she was worthless here. Without her fan, she hardly had any way to attack. As her thoughts whirled, it turned to her and the human, staring. Kagura seethed, clenching her fists and moving her hands in another motion: a half circle, then thrusting both palms out. In response, a wave of air shot across the room, hitting it in the stomach and sending it skidding backwards, bent over at the waist. At the same time, Kagura noticed it had also hit Vasyl, only it effectively sent him slamming against one of the stone pillars holding up the room.
Her attack hadn't done so lightly, either.
Shit! She needed to get her fan, or some other medium, now. The giant turned to look at them, and Kagura watched as he somehow willed his hand, which resembled a tree branch split up the middle, its two sides unable to do anything but flop uselessly, into a fist, the two split slabs of flesh meeting each other with an unmistakable, wet slapping sound to reform its wrist. Yet it was still bleeding profusely; nothing about its hand was healed.
It shouldn't have been possible, but the thing did it. At the same moment, it almost seemed to growl, and as its hand finished clenching, a sort of red youkai-like energy exploded around it. A screech came from its throat, sounding like the grating cry of a pig being slaughtered. Her eyes studied that energy around it, despite how hard she tried not to-
Phantom like energies, crimson in color; a red skull gazed into her eyes, its own sockets empty, yet she was staring at a river of blood within them. A body floated in the red stream. The body's- a man- features were clear; she saw the face of one of the villagers. His skin rotten grey, black fur growing from his nostril, retching downwards into his mouth and between rotten, yellow teeth that were gapped too wide, and just as many as she could see were missing. The white of his eyes were bloodshot, his pupils glazed over into a grey gleam with bits of yellow biting in from the outer rim like a spiderweb, an entrance to-
Vasyl's extended saw cleaver met the waist of the giant, shooting blood across the stone in front of them; he dashed backwards, avoiding two mad swings of the thing's sack. It's third swing was an overhead attack that Vasyl stepped into while weaving his body around it, sliding around it by the skin of his teeth. The force of the blow left a visible imprint on the ground, but Vasyl remained completely steady. He stepped forward and to the side while swinging his extended blade up in front of his body and to his side, coming down on the giant's neck and removing it in one fell swoop.
Kagura blinked and let loose a heavy, heavy breath. Vasyl gave the beheaded man a long look, prodding at it with his cleaver. He turned to stare at her- no, behind her, at the human in black. "I assume these are the large, hulking brutes that snatched you from the cathedral ward?" She nodded meekly, peeking out from her place by the stairs.
Recovering from her dazed state, Kagura reflected on what she'd seen. It was almost hard to remember, but she figured it had something to do with that thing's youkai energy. Now that she thought about it, she could almost feel youkai saturating this whole place. It was so weak, though, that she wasn't sure if she was imagining things or not. She'd have to stay aware, see if there was more going on here than she thought.
Looking around the room for any more threats, Vasyl turned towards a corpse in the corner. Whoever it was, they were dressed like a hunter. It was a woman, Kagura realized, long dead. He approached it, giving the female hunter a long look over before going through her pockets, looking for anything of value. He found a crumpled paper and some throwing knives.
"Madmen toil surreptitiously in rituals to beckon the moon. Uncover their secrets," he read aloud, having unfurled the paper. "Such maddening vague instructions." Shoving the note into his trouser pockets, he stood back up and turned to her. "It's hard to say whether she was sent here or taken here. Bah. We'll discuss the oddities of this place later."
Vasyl cleared his throat. "Lady Kagura, I can only assume without your fan that your combat abilities are limited." Her teeth grinded against each other, but she nodded. "Very well. Clearly, you can still summon your gales; I merely request you only target more… isolated targets." A fair request, but that didn't stop her from crossing her arms and sneering.
"I'll consider it," she said, clenching her fists and not meeting his gaze. She stomped forward and brushed past him, arms lowered at her sides now. She saw him look over at the human woman for a moment, confusion written on his face, but she continued forward. There were some spiraling stairs ahead; she took to the left side, hearing Vasyl and the woman following behind her at a hurried pace to catch up.
She could see light far enough above, and as she reached the top step, she saw another one of those hulking brutes stalking around the mostly open plaza. Her gaze narrowed, and Kagura clenched her fists. Swiping her hand, palm facing out, a gust of wind formed and slammed into its head; the giant stumbled.
With another motion, she moved her extended hand back across her body, keeping her palm flat. A surge of wind formed like a wave, slamming into the lower body of the giant and knocking it to the ground. There was some loud pinging sound, like metal. She only just now noticed there was some sort of grate on the ground where it was stalking over. Perfect. Kagura was breathing heavily, but she wasn't done. She was going to crush it! Gathering all the air in the room, she could hear the suction from an open window above and to her left. Wind was also rushing up through the staircase she'd come from. She was effectively creating a vacuum.
Hands resting in front of her waist, she raised them above her head and then brought them down in a quick motion. She stumbled forward, falling to her knees but not taking her eyes off the giant. She watched as wind descended on him like a waterfall, an endless surge of air slamming into his body with all the force she'd been able to muster. The force of the air converging on him pushed his body so hard against the metal grate beneath that he began to be forced through it, rusted metal embedding itself into his flesh. As the force neared its end, the metal snapped with a groan, and the giant fell down into whatever abyss was below.
She gasped for breath but didn't find any, lurching forward and her head dropping as she had to use both hands to support her weight. Vasyl leaned down next to her, resting on a knee. She could see him swaying just a bit; had she really sucked all the air out of this place? Kagura realized her hair was blowing by her face, whatever air below in the stairs blowing into the now vacuumed room with force.
Judging from that and the whistling noise she could hear, yes, she had. Still, it was rapidly returning, and eventually her longing for air was actually met. She sucked in greedily, and something collapsed against the stone as she finally breathed.
Kagura glanced behind herself, seeing the human had fallen unconscious. Vasyl gave her a glance, seeming to determine she was alright, before turning back to Kagura. He was looking at her, those grey orbs of his meeting her own own. Eventually, he nodded, rising to his feet and offering a hand.
"Good work," he said as her palm met his, and he lifted her up once more. She stumbled forward against his chest; it was so hard to stand. He put a hand on her shoulder and steadied her. She frowned, biting back a seething resort for some sort of heart-felt comment that she was so sure he'd say, yet he never did.
When her knees were no longer weak, and she could support her own weight, he let go of her shoulder. She felt absolutely exhausted, but it was worth it. She stared across the room at the hole in the metal grate where the giant had fallen through, sneering. "Worthless creature," she bit out.
"Quite," Vasyl agreed, gazing at it before turning around to gather the nun who'd collapsed against the ground. He hefted her up across his shoulder, carrying her like a sack. Kagura snorted at that, unable to stop herself. She could see Vasyl's eyes crinkle, a sure-tell sign he was smirking beneath that mask of his.
There was another set of stairs behind them, and Vasyl began walking up that way. Her ire lessened, she followed after him. "Hmph," he said as they reached the top of this small, overlooking balcony, "a lantern. We are in luck; I rather thought we'd have to go looking further. I'd be tempted to explore this place, but with this nun, it would be difficult."
Kagura nodded absently, seeing the lantern in question. It wasn't natural, clearly. The glow of white on its inside was… too wrong to be real. She almost wondered if it was like Little One; something only for them to see. If the woman was awake, maybe they could verify, but she wasn't, so.
Vasyl was examining a corpse by one the railings, this one an old hunter by the looks of his clothes. He had a piece of paper in his hand. Had he found another note? "Nightmarish rituals crave a newborn. Find one," he said, glancing at the body, "and silence its harrowing cry."
"These notes… they hardly feel like notes at all," Vasyl mused. "They're too conveniently placed, too… concise. And most we find are on former hunters. Someone is attempting to guide us, or at the very least, attempted to guide these poor fellows.
"But killing a newborn?" He asked aloud. Kagura didn't have an answer, so she stayed silent. She decided to do something but sit here and wonder. She scanned the surroundings; her gaze quickly zeroed in on something. It was yet another strange statue, but this one even stranger than the ones that just resembled humans in robes. Really, the only strange thing about those statues was the sheer abundance of them. This one, though?
It… well, frankly it looked like a demon. Long, lanky limbs not too unlike that of the snatcher they'd come across. Its hands and feet all had lengthy claws attached to them, and its torso was so thin and malnourished looking there was no way it should be able to support the weight that was its upper body. It looked like two more arms were supposed to be coming off its back, but they were broken off.
The head was the strangest part, though. She squinted, trying to figure out the best comparison to what it was. The actual shape of its head resembles something like a tall, rounded stone, but it wasn't solid. The entire head was more like a cage; it had a sort of covering, like bone, though obviously it was carved in stone. The sides of its head resembled a ribcage, even. There were gaps all over the cage-like head. The oddest part was what was within the cage. She could make out tiny little orbs, round like eyeballs. There were dozens of them, if not more.
Kagura tensed, and she twisted around so fast she nearly snapped her own neck. She stumbled, trying to speak but choking. The youkai that was saturating this place had just spiked. Her eyes drifted up, and she was staring at empty space far above the room they were in, a balcony with an open space. But she swore- something was there; something was watching her! And it was strong.
Grabbing the back of her head and groaning, the act finally caught the attention of Vasyl. "Lady Kagura? W-What's wrong?"
She stumbled towards the lantern. "G-Go. Now!" He looked confused, but nonetheless nodded, reaching a hand out for the lantern. The world shifted.
Vasyl had shifted himself and Kagura to the dream, and he'd done his best to send the nun to Oedon Chapel, where she might be safe. Whether his attempt had worked was another story, but he supposed they would find out soon enough.
His primary concern was with Kagura. She was unconscious, still; the trip to the dream was not a pleasant experience for one who was not a hunter. It could be disorienting at best. He'd picked her up, moved her to rest by the doll in the same place that, when he'd first visited this place, the doll had sat, unmoving.
Now? He was rummaging through the storage chest within the house. He grabbed the stake driver, turning it over in his hands. He'd cleaned it quite thoroughly, unable to stomach staring at the blood that had stained it. He certainly didn't feel worthy to wield it; perhaps no one was. Yet needs must when needs must, and Kagura, without that fan of hers, had proven to be less potent.
It would work. He considered getting her a gun, too, but thought better of it. She may value having control of her wind in its less precise form, still. Now, the question remained what to get her to wear. Most of what he had was more fitting on a man's body. As he was thinking, a messenger formed itself in front of him.
Strangely, it was wearing a hat remarkably similar to his own. He'd never seen it around before, though it seemed silly to expect himself to be familiar with all the messengers of the dream. In its hands it held some folded clothes, a tricorne hat sitting atop the thick leathers, trousers, and boots.
"Thank you, Little One," he said. The creation clapped in joy before disappearing entirely. Vasyl glanced into his storage bin, biting his lip. He grabbed the beckoning bell, turning around and approaching his workbench where he then set it down.
He reached inside one of the drawers he kept, gathering all the notes worth keeping he'd come across throughout Yharnam so far. Laying them out, he tried to organize them in a manner that made sense. The only concrete info he really had was on Old Yharnam, unfortunately, and even that was murky. His reasons for laying these notes out was two-fold; to get Lady Kagura on the same page as he was, as well as organize his own thoughts.
Perhaps he ought to go wake her up, he mused, turning around-
Kagura was there, his coat still covering her, already up and about, apparently. "You're awake," he said before he could really think of something more intelligent to say.
"Nothing gets past you," she said, and his cheeks tinted pink. Her dry humor and sarcastic remarks were in good health, it seemed. There was certainly a charm in her personality, though, even through the stubbornness and pride.
He cleared his throat, feeling the heat leave his face, and turned back to the notes out on the table. "Before we set out for our next destination, I thought it prudent we find ourselves on the same page." She walked closer to him, standing shoulder to shoulder and peering at the papers he had laid out with interest.
"These are all the notes I've managed to gather- pertinent info, left behind by some who had orders, some mere sprawled notes." He gestured to two notes he'd found most recently, located in the top left of his work bench. "We found two more in that strange place we both awoke in, though they make little in the way of sense."
He waved his hand to dismiss them, temporarily. It would be best to not get too far ahead of himself in his explanation.
"Seek paleblood to transcend the hunt," he read aloud, staring at the words intently. "It's the first note I found when I awoke here, in the clinic. I've heard little about it, but given the nature of this night, it seems pertinent. I'm hopeful that our journey to the Grand Cathedral will be enlightening."
Given it was blood related, he reasoned the Healing Church had to have some knowledge of this paleblood. The Healing Church seemed to have its hands involved with a great number of mysteries, which brought him to his next point...
"This brings us to what I know of the Healing Church. They abandoned Old Yharnam, by all accounts. 'When The Hunt began, the Healing Church left us, blocking the great bridge to Cathedral Ward, as Old Yharnam burned to the ground that moonlit night.
"You might recall the note we found on that hunter as well, stating 'The tablets are worthless. Ashen blood incurable, purge the unclean.' The hunter had another one on him, though it seems more… melancholy. 'The red moon hangs low, and beasts rule the streets. Are we left no other choice, than to burn it all to cinders?'
"I believe the Healing Church blocked the great bridge to the Cathedral Ward, and sent hunters in with instructions to burn Old Yharnam to the ground. I can only assume Ashen blood is what transformed them into their beastly form; perhaps a form of treatment gone wrong? The beasts of Old Yharnam looked remarkably different then those we find upon the streets now, after all. I also found many tablets after we parted ways, and they certainly look like medicine."
"Ashen blood," Kagura muttered, staring at the notes. "This Healing Church would have been the ones to give it away, right?"
Vasyl nodded in confirmation. "Yes. If Ashen blood is, in fact, a form of blood administered in mass to the people of Old Yharnam, then the Healing Church would have to have had a hand in it." She seemed to be following along with his words well enough, so he continued forward.
Everything up until then made relative sense; however, things had begun to get murkier as the night progressed. "The notes we just found in that strange place are beyond me, however. Nightmarish rituals involving a newborn, instructing a hunter to kill it? Madmen toiling in rituals to beckon the moon. They are interesting, actually, because it reminds me of something else I found."
"The Byrgenwerth spider hides all manner of rituals, and keeps our lost master from us. A terrible shame. It makes my head shudder uncontrollably.'" Vasyl nodded to himself as he finished reading the note. "We need to get to Bygernwerth, I think. It all seems to lead there; even Alfred said everything in Yharnam can be traced back to there."
"Interesting," Kagura said, her eyes scanning all the different notes. Her eyes were glued to the one that frustrated him the most. 'To escape this dreadful Hunter's Dream, halt the source of the spreading scourge of beasts, lest the night carry on forever.' Such simple instructions for one like him.
"So, we're heading to find out more about this Healing Church?" Kagura asked, and he nodded in confirmation. It was what Gilbert- a sick outsider he'd only spoken to through a window- had advised him to do, in order to find out about paleblood.
"Yes. If we can find any information about paleblood, or even more about Byrgenwerth, it will be well worth the trip." Kagura seemed content to let him take the reins, likely because she was even more foreign than he was.
"Well, then it sounds like a plan to me. But I need an answer to one question," Kagura began, crossing her arms. "How are you alive?"
Shifting, he sighed. It was about time he explained his situation, unpleasant it may be. "As I told you upon our meeting, I am bound to this dream until I halt the scourge of beasts, whatever that entails. Until such a time, a killing blow merely brings me back here, though rest assured I remember each death with… vivid clarity."
Gesturing with his arms wide out, he grinned without mirth. "I am a glorified prisoner; a hound on a leash; a slave to an incorporeal dream, instructed to save a city which hates me. Splendid, isn't it?"
Kagura gave him a long, long look, her crimson eyes meeting his, and he didn't dare look away. Eventually, she closed her eyes slowly. "I understand. You're caged, trapped without true freedom." Her words were soft, and while Vasyl might normally laugh at the idea of someone truly comprehending his situation… he didn't scoff at her words. There was more going on with Lady Kagura than he knew.
"Then we best not lounge around," Kagura said, her eyes opening back up. Such a beautiful crimson, he mused.
"Quite right you are, Lady Kagura." The sooner the night ended, the better.
"Enough of the 'lady'. Just Kagura," she instructed, and he nodded. They were a bit too familiar with each other for these formalities to continue, he supposed.
Well, he certainly wasn't going to complain about it. Kagura, he tested in his mind, enjoying the exotic name. Still, there were more things for him to focus on than a pretty name. Vasyl turned towards the bundle of clothes the messenger had brought to him, as well as the Stake Driver off to the side.
"I've retrieved some wear and a weapon, things that will make a proper hunter of you." She stared at the bundle in his arms, then at him, then back at the bundle. She rolled her eyes promptly.
"I don't need your help," she said, blowing off all he held. She was certainly capable, but their recent encounters had revealed that she needed her fan to be of real threat. Her pride would be the death of her on this night, otherwise. He would not allow it.
"You are without your fan, and frankly, any protection on the night of the hunt is better than that thin cloth you're so fond of." She marched up to him, those crimson eyes narrowed.
"I handled that snatcher just fine, didn't I?"
He blew some air out of his nose. "If by fine, you mean left gasping for breath and on weak knees, then yes, Kagura, you handled the snatcher fine."
"Don't you dare look down on me," she seethed, and he held up a hand in a placating gesture to diffuse any anger. He meant no disrespect, of course.
"What you did, Lady Kagura, was impressive considering your lack of proper equipment. Be that as it may, it was not up to your usual ease, which is why I'm trying to equip you properly."
"I'm not wearing your stupid leathers, and I'm definitely not using whatever the hell that is," she said, pointing to the stake driver. Vasyl pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation before waving his hand, dismissing his own frustrations.
"Very well," he began, seeing the smug look in her eyes, "then I shall venture into the night alone. You will remain here, in the dream."
"What?!" She both shouted and whispered, marching closer to him and poking him in the chest. "You don't get to trap me here, you audacious bastard!" Vasyl looked down at her. He would not bulge on this.
"As long as you remain irresistibly stubborn, then yes, I do." As much as it pained him to admit, she was a liability. Her attack against the first snatcher they encountered had launched him into a damn stone pillar, and if using her abilities left her as weak as the second one showed, then having her out and about was a danger to herself and others.
She screamed in frustration, stomping a foot on the wooden boards beneath them. "You infuriating gnat," she spat, grabbing the clothes from his arms and stalking off somewhere to change.
When she was out of sight, Vasyl sighed, removing his hat and running a hand through his curly blonde locks. He took to sitting on the storage chest, rubbing his face. Why did she have to be so damned stubborn? He was only trying to look out for her! How frustrating, he mused. Perhaps he ought to do something to offset her annoyance.
His fingers tapped against the wood he was sitting atop. He had been considering the nature of the blood of Yharnam for some time. He had theories- nothing concrete, of course- about whether it was a good thing or not. It was said to be able to cure any illness, any sickness. Yet if that was the case, then what of the scourge of beasts?
As if that wasn't enough, what of the strengthening aspects of the blood? He certainly believed it could push everyone to their physical peak, but there had to be more to the nature of the blood, otherwise every Yharnamite he came across would be more capable. Certainly none of them could move in the same manner a hunter did, with lightning quickness and deceiving strength.
He didn't feel as though he had changed much since he first awoke in that clinic, yet that was the thing, wasn't it? He had awoken after a blood transfusion. Perhaps not all blood was created equal? Surely the blood he healed for his wounds was not of the same caliber as that he had been treated with.
There were also the blurry memories he could associate with his awakening; a beast, blood soaked, exploding into flames as it tried to grasp him. White had filled his vision thereafter, and a soothing voice spoke words he couldn't recall. He could only barely remember the words he'd spoken to the man in the wheelchair, who gave him his transfusion. Seeking pale-blood, but needing Yharnamite blood to do so.
He couldn't risk it, he decided. Whatever advantages giving Kagura Yharnamite blood might have, there were too many unknown factors. Perhaps after they investigated the Grand Cathedral, and they knew more, he'd re-evaluate.
Speaking of Kagura, she finally reentered the house from wherever she had been changing from. His lips turned upwards involuntarily at the sight of her.
A dark grey tricorne hat sat atop her head, though he noticed she didn't wear a mask. The collar of her leather overcoat was visible, as well as the top of her blouse beneath, but much of her upper body was covered in another grey, leather cloak that sat over even her coat; it draped across her chest, hooking around her right shoulder with the leather itself sitting above her midriff, the far ends of the cloak cutting off around her elbows. Fine, brown leather gloves adorned her hands, cutting off below her elbows. Around her waist were two belts, both meant to keep a dark grey leather skirt that strung over her trousers taut. It seemed her overcoat was cut off around her buttocks, leaving way for the skirt to cover her lower half, the middle front part of the leather skirt missing, parted in an upside down V shape to allow fine movement the hunt required. A decidedly feminine approach to the hunt, and on her, it looked rather striking.
She was holding his coat, and she tossed it at him without much concern. He caught it, slipping it on quickly. Once he was dressed, he addressed her. "You make a fine hunter," he said, but she just narrowed her eyes at him and didn't say anything. Vasyl sighed, reaching over to retrieve his hat and return it atop his head.
"Let me familiarize you with the stake driver," he said, grabbing the weapon off the bench and moving closer. He attempted to not go too in depth, as he found the weapon itself quite fascinating. Instead, he merely showed her how to wield it; the lever that would retract the blade in and out, and a trick he'd discovered that almost over primed the blade, but resulted in a monstrous piercing blow beyond its normal.
Taking a step back, he gave her another look up and down. She really did make a fine hunter, he thought. "How does it feel?" He asked, gesturing to the stake driver adorning her arm, "The weight is not too much, is it?"
"I'll manage," she said dryly, and Vasyl nodded silently, keeping his thoughts internal. He reached and grabbed the beckoning bell off his workbench, turning towards Kagura.
"This is a bell, special to the hunters of the dream. The dream, I've been told, is sympathetic to cries for help. With a ring of this bell, I'll hear it no matter where I am, and may come to your aid, should you ever need it."
He placed it in her hand, curling her fingers around it for her with his own hand. "I'm unaware how exactly it works, but much like this place, I suspect no time will pass if you must call for my aid. It will all seem like a dream to me, I'm sure," he said with a small chuckle.
She stared at her closed hand, then back at him. "Fine," she bit out, turning away from him and placing the bell inside one of the many pockets her new wear provided. "Thanks. Whatever. Let's get going." Vasyl shook his head in exasperation, yet couldn't help but smile.
"Of course. Yharnam awaits."
"Oh, hello there," a voice said, her accent thick and unmistakable. Vasyl looked to his left, spotting the distinct wear of Eileen, a female hunter he'd met what seemed like an eternity ago. She wore a pointed black hat, complimented by a metal mask that resembled the beak of a bird; a cloak of black feathers was draped around her shoulders, falling all the way to her feet. She had a coat on beneath it, though not overly long, that cut off around her knees. The rest was rather typical hunter apparel; thick trousers, leather gloves, and hardy boots. "Perfect timing," she continued, though Vasyl noticed that she was staring at Kagura for a few moments too long.
"Eileen," he said, giving her an incline of the head. "A pleasure to see you again." She nodded in acknowledgement, but didn't return the statement. She was still staring at Kagura.
"What the hell do you want?" Kagura said, snapping at being stared at. Vasyl pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing.
Eileen chuckled, her shoulders shaking with the rich sound. "So, 'ya went and found 'erself a partner. And another outsider, at that. Not a bad thing to have, on the night of the hunt." Her accent was deep and distinct, a sure-fire sign that she was just as much of an outsider as they were, even if she had likely resided in Yharnam for far longer. "No matter, really."
"I must warn the both of you. Do not go to the tomb of Oedon Chapel; Henryk, an old hunter, has gone mad." Vasyl frowned. It was always a shame when he came across mad hunters.
"And he's my mark," she said, glancing between the two of them. "So, begone with 'ye. Leave a woman to her hunt." Kagura turned to leave, but Vasyl grabbed her wrist to stop her.
"Nonsense, Eileen. While I doubt you need us, we shall accompany you nonetheless. What is a brief hunt, between friends?"
She shook her head, crossing her arms. "Perhaps I thought wrong of you, back when ya were shaking in 'yer boots." Eileen glanced at Kagura, and Vasyl turned his head as well. "Though, if you two are a pair, she doesn't seem so eager."
Kagura, indeed, did not seem so enthused. "We have better things to do," she said, as if she was barely paying attention to their conversation, "than help you hunt down some mad man."
Vasyl frowned. "That's a proper hunter," Eileen said, though her voice was a whisper. "Need to find some beasts to slay, hmm? A hunter must hunt."
"No," he said, glaring at Kagura. "She's a fresh hunter, not a proper one. A proper hunter," Vasyl continued, placing a hand on Eileen's shoulder, "knows that friends ought to be helped. Beasts can wait; they hardly care about punctuality, as it were."
She brushed his hand off her shoulder, but he liked to think she did it with a smile. "Look at ya, blade only just stained with blood, still bright eyed…"
A laugh buckled out of her throat. "It's almost enough to wet the eyes of an old woman like me." She started stalking off towards the graveyard of Oedon Chapel, and Vasyl was quick to follow behind her. Kagura moved at a more sedated pace.
"But very well, 'yer an over eager youth, and I don't have it in me to stomp it outta ya just yet." He grinned as they marched through the chapel; he gave a quick nod to Lady Adella, the nun who he had successfully deposited here. They had shared some brief words upon his and Kagura's arrival but nothing at length. He was glad to see her safe regardless.
It was a quiet and brief walk to the graveyard of Oedon Chapel; Kagura, as was typical of her, was scanning the surroundings with interest. His lips curved down as he looked away. Her behavior, uncaring and aloof as to Eileen's situation, was unnerving. It reminded her too much of the people of Yharnam, yet she was a foreigner.
Still, she was no lost cause. He could see a spark in there, something special. He would not allow the night to unfurl, to change her into something unbecoming.
He did not know much about her, to be frank. One thing was bothering him, actually. That emblem on her back, a spider carved and branded onto her very flesh. He'd felt something, a slight stinging at the back of his head, when he'd stared at it. There was something special about that mark, but it wouldn't exactly be polite to ask, would it?
As they maneuvered their way towards the graveyard, moving down a ladder and some stairs and finally reached the gate, Eileen motioned for them to quiet. She stalked towards the upper railing, leaning over the pointed tips to glance below.
He leaned forward, too, scanning for what she was eyeing. It took him a moment, but he found him. Henryk, garbed in typical hunter wear not too dissimilar to his own but colored yellow. Kagura moved beside him, and Eileen gestured to the right. With silent ease, they crept towards a broken part of the fence; it seemed like a beast had broken it. Eileen jumped down, landing on the roof of a small porch to some doorway.
She was silent. He imitated her best he could, barely making a sound. Kagura… she waved her free hand, a gust of wind ruffling the leaves of the tree at the center of the graveyard. At the same time, she jumped down, the noise from the wind and leaves muffling what little sound she did make. Rather ingenious, truthfully.
Vasyl realized he was standing overtop a body. As was customary, he scanned it. Her entire body was mangled terribly, and there was some jewelry around the dead woman's neck. It was a very bright, red-jeweled brooch. He froze.
"Who... are you?" A young voice called out as he pushed open the tall, iron gate. Vasyl glanced to his right, seeing a lit window and a lantern, one lit with a burning incense, resting on the outside windowsill. He'd seen several of them; it seemed Yharnamites locked themselves indoors on the night of the hunt.
"Hello?" He said, walking closer to the window. This was the first voice he'd heard so young; most of the people in this damnable town seemed mad. They sprouted nonsense at him, talking about the hunt or outsiders. He did his best to remain polite, yet they made it difficult.
"I don't know your voice, but I know that smell. Are you a hunter?" She asked, and he winced lightly at the innocent question.
Was he really already so drenched in blood? He'd only just gotten out of the damn clinic, practically! The night seemed to do strange things, though. He'd returned to Iosefka's clinic following his slaying of that damnable, monstrous beast on the bridge. She'd sounded unfamiliar with him, until something had clicked. A stressful night, and she was a doctor of some sort. No doubt she was more stressed than most.
Still, it had been nice to hear that she was willing to receive more patients opposed to her more closed off approach when they'd first spoken. She was a kind woman, truly. He looked forward to seeing her when the sun rose tomorrow.
Back to the girl. He regarded the question, weighing whether to answer truthfully or not. She didn't seem to hate him for it, unlike the others. She seemed hopeful, really, and so he answered truthfully. "Yes, I am a hunter, Little Miss."
Her voice picked up its pace as she spoke, "Then, please, will you look for my mum? Daddy never came back from the hunt, and she went to find him, but now she's gone, too... I'm all alone... and scared…"
Vasyl bit his lip, taking a glance around to make sure nothing was approaching to ambush him. That had already occurred too many times than he would have liked. Seeing the coast clear, he turned back to the window. A little girl, her family missing, on the night of this hunt? He was hardly able to stomach it.
"Of course, Little Miss. It would be my pleasure."
"Really?" She exclaimed, and he could practically picture her jumping in joy. "Oh, thank you! My m-mum wears a red jeweled brooch. It's so big and... and beautiful. You won't miss it." Vasyl took the information in, sorting it away.
"Oh, I mustn't forget. If you find my mum, give her this music box." The window, ever so briefly, opened, and her tiny hands were presenting him with a wooden box, a handle on the side. He took it. "It plays one of daddy's favorite songs. And when daddy forgets us we play it for him so he remembers. Mum's so silly, running off without it!"
He gave the handle on the side a few turns, some soft music playing like a lullaby.
Vasyl smiled, pocketing the trinket. "I will find your mother, Little Miss. Though, I am somewhat concerned for your safety here, alone. Perhaps you should come with me, to Iosefka's clinic? It is a much safer place than this."
"R-Really? You'd do that, Mister Hunter? Oh, thank you. Miss Iosefka is a very nice woman, almost as nice as you! I love you almost as much as mum and dad- and granddad!" She was an adorable girl, really. Barely came up to his waist, and the smile on her face was practically infectious. He took her to Iosefka's, so she might wait out the night.
Vasyl blinked, staring at the brooch. He reached out, grabbing it and pulling. The chain snapped off the mangled woman's neck. Eileen and Kagura both looked at him like he was insane. He ignored them, examining the jewel that identified this woman as the girl's mother. The mother who had left her daughter in search of the love of her life.
She'd come here, clearly, looking for her husband and the girl's father. He could see claw marks on this rooftop, as well as across her torso. Gascoigne, then. The mad hunter he'd slain amidst this very graveyard.
He was garbed in black, cloth covering both his eyes. His axe came down upon a corpse, repeatedly and without pause nor passion. His mind was gone, consumed by the hunt. He'd been the first man Vasyl had encountered who almost seemed to match his own speed. Almost.
Their clash had been violent, quick, relentless.
And, when enough blood had filled the air, "oh, the sweet blood… it sings to me," he'd uttered, the final words of a man whose mind had truly gone. A real beastly shape had taken him, then. His skin turned to fur, his weapons were discarded in favor of thick claws and monstrous strength. His height grew to towering, and a howl had loosened from his throat.
They'd clashed again, then he died. Another beast slaughtered. He'd howled something with his final moments. Perhaps it was apologies? Too little, too late for one inflicted with the scourge of beasts.
Vasyl leaned down, looking into the wide open, terrified eyes of the woman frozen in death. How had she felt, seeing the terrifying visage of her husband? How had she felt when his beastly form approached her, ready to tear her asunder? Had she begged him to remember? He reached out with a hand, forcing them closed even in their stiff state. He pocketed the brooch.
Business conducted, but not concluded, he turned towards the hunter below, ever oblivious. A man who, it seems, was going the same way as Gascoigne. Vasyl readied his saw cleaver, extending the blade silently.
He then sprinted forward, silent as any hunter could ever be, and leapt, flying through the sky and bringing his blade down upon the inattentive hunter. Yet he seemed to have his instincts still in him, as he shifted when the wind whistled in response to Vasyl's falling blade.
Vasyl's cleaver met the ground, and he quickly darted forward with a wide, horizontal sweep that forced this Henryk back further. He heard the prattle of more feet landing; Kagura and Eileen would join him, any moment now. Henryk's weapon matched his own- another saw cleaver-, though his cleaver was in a more compact form. The serrated edges of both saw cleavers met, catching against each other.
It was a test of strength, and in this, Vasyl would not be beaten. He roared, pulling with all his strength and sending Henryk stumbling forward. Eileen was approaching from the side, a dagger in each hand of hers. Vasyl was fairly sure Kagura was circling behind Henryk, but he didn't dare look to check.
Henryk might be mad, but a hunter was a hunter, regardless. Even a single glance would unveil Kagura's presence. Henryk dashed backwards, bringing his pistol up and firing at Eileen. She slid, the bullets flying over her head. Henryk extended his saw cleaver, looking between the two of them, his eyes yellow with the scourge of beasts.
Growling- literally- Henryk rushed forward, taking wild swings at both himself and Eileen. Vasyl eventually moved forward to meet the blows, matching them one-for-one; a swing of his cleaver was met by Henryk's own, and vice versa. Eileen moved in and out of the fight, her daggers cutting through Henryk's leathers with ease, each cut slowing him down just a bit more than the last.
This would not be a long hunt, after all. Henryk was outnumbered, and no matter his skill, three-on-one were hard odds to beat. He was trying to be aggressive, as any hunter should, but the truth was he was being pushed back. Vasyl gave no indication that he saw Kagura sneaking up behind him, nor even the slightest tensing of shoulders. Eileen, he knew, was much the same.
Both himself and Eileen threw themselves at Henryk at the same time, weaving around each other in a manner uncanny. Eileen ducked below a high stroke of Henryk's saw cleaver; Henryk brought his blade back around, aiming for Eileen's stomach. Vasyl intercepted with his own cleaver, redirecting Henryk's blow to the ground and stepping forward with Eileen in a combined attack.
Henryk was left with no choice but to leap backwards, but it wasn't enough to stop from having Eileen's dagger cut across his stomach, spilling blood across the dirt. And, more importantly, it delivered him into Kagura's waiting hands. She thrust her arm forward- a sloppy motion, she was clearly not familiar with the weapon she wielded- pulling the lever attached to the stake driver at the same moment it began to meet flesh.
It shot forward with a clink, and Vasyl stared at the red metal covered in organ tissue that was now protruding from Henryk's chest. The mad hunter looked at his chest, and Vasyl thought there was a glimpse of sanity in him still when their eyes met. A moment later and it was gone, however, replaced with the still pupil of death.
Kagura retracted her blade, blood flicking back across her face with the motion. She hardly seemed bothered by it, save a small grimace in her lips. Vasyl regarded the corpse silently.
"This wasn't necessary for either of 'ya," Eileen began, holstering her blades and addressing them, "but 'ya have my thanks." Kagura didn't seem to care, too busy looking at the weapon on her arm. Eileen turned to look at Vasyl. "You aren't bad at all," she commented. "You must've killed Gascoigne as well, then."
He nodded. Yes, he had killed the man who murdered his wife and left his child without parents. He would've done so again, eagerly. "He was falling apart," Eileen said, "I'm sure it had to be done. But try to keep your hands clean.
"You two ought to be hunting beasts. Leave the hunting of hunters to me."
Vasyl nodded, but made no promises. 'There are no humans left. They're all flesh-hungry beasts, now,' Eileen's words echoed in his head, from when he first met her.
"You really should've given me more instructions on this damn thing," Kagura muttered, fiddling with the stake driver on her arm. She pointed it towards the ground, thrusting and- Vasyl blinked. He had just watched as a spike of wind shot off the front of her stake with the thrust, imprinting itself against the dirt with no small amount of power.
Had she discovered another method to control her wind? He shook his head, getting back to the subject at hand.
"As I recall, you were in quite a hurry to get back out to the hunt, Kagura."
"You already forced me to wear this, you bastard" she gestured vaguely to her leathers, "might as well have forced me to learn how to use it." That… was not entirely incorrect. Vasyl frowned.
Eileen laughed. "It's rare for hunters to join up, you know." That was true, actually. Alfred had traveled alone; Eileen alone, and now this Henryk fellow, mad as he was.
Kagura grumbled, giving Eileen a side-eyed glance. "Seems so. Makes me wonder how you're still alive." Vasyl palmed his face. Where had Kagura been raised, where the burden of politeness was an afterthought?
"So the little hunter's got a mouth, hmm? Do try and keep her in line." Eileen said, and Vasyl decided this little get together was beginning to overstay its welcome. The last thing he needed was a fight to break out, verbal or otherwise.
"I hardly need to keep track of Kagura. She is quite capable. In fact, myself and her will be seeing ourselves off towards the Grand Cathedral. Stay safe, Eileen."
"Good hunting," Eileen said in respect as Vasyl began moving towards the steps that led back to the inner sanctums of Oedon Chapel. His gaze fell to the left, towards the small roof where the girl's mother still lay, dead and motionless. He squeezed his eyes shut, taking a deep breath.
She was safe. Iosefka was watching over her… though perhaps Vasyl ought to go check up on her. No, no. He couldn't bear the thought of it.
"This thing is pretty interesting," Kagura commented, shaking him out of his thoughts as she repeatedly retracted and expelled the blade of the stake driver. Sometimes she'd allow her wind to move with the motions, sometimes not. Vasyl smiled as they made their ways back up.
The night was still young, but the future was looking more bearable.
Chapter III. I rather enjoy writing this, so I hope you all enjoy reading it. I also feel like I'm just a... better writer than I was during Fortune's Disfavored. Please let me know, for any readers coming from there, if you think so too. I try to measure and ensure I'm growing, so if you see things that haven't improved, let me know in a review!