Maria reclined in her chair within the Clocktower, patiently awaiting the return of her unexpected visitor. For that was all she could really do. Having been so focused on keeping the ever-tenacious Hunter from discovering the secrets of the Nightmare, she had been able to ignore the unrelenting boredom she felt in between his visits. Back then he would appear every few hours, challenging her guardianship time after time. But since their last encounter, he had not returned to the Clocktower in what seemed like days, leaving Maria alone in her thoughts.
She knew she had done the right thing by helping him, but part of her was still uncertain on why she had done it. If she had been serious about her duty, she simply would have let him go and would have ensured that he would not return. But then what would she do? She was still trapped in an eternal Nightmare, surrounded by reminders of her failures. The one person she could confide in was gone, despite her efforts to spare the Blood Saint from the very fate that met her. She would be well and truly alone, lost and forgotten to time.
Part of her knew she was just as desperate as he was for any form of interaction, anything to break the monotonous cycle she found herself in. She should have hated him, for the part he played in Adeline's death, for forcing her to turn to the shameful use of bloodtinge in a desperate attempt to stop him and for forcing her to defend the secrets of the very people that led her to such despair. And for a time, she did.
Their battles had driven her to the very edge, where she was ready to abandon everything just to see him dead. His surrender had been a wake-up call, one that reminded her that her adversary was not a mindless beast, but a human with struggles of his own. Watching him patiently await his execution had awakened painful memories of her last moments, where she had felt like nothing she did mattered and that she was nothing but a failure who brought death and misery wherever she went. She realized something then.
She broke him. And anything that happened to him past that point would be on her hands. She could not in good conscious sit back and allow that to happen.
In a way he had helped her remember who she truly was, that she was not a blood-crazed murderer like many other inhabitants of the Nightmare. The least she could do is ensure he did not end up the same way she did. Listening to his confession had brought forth a wide array of emotions she had not felt in a long time; feelings of empathy, pity and even a bit of curiosity. But by the end of their encounter, she found herself feeling something completely different towards the Hunter. Affection.
He had attempted to understand when others would judge. He had been willing to share things with her that not even those he was close to knew. It was hard to believe that only hours ago they had been locked in mortal combat, yet found themselves parting ways as if they were lifelong friends.
Despite herself, she found herself intrigued by the enigmatic hunter, wanting to learn more about who he was and where he came from. He had been more then willing to describe the events of his hunt, but his reason for coming to Yharnam remained a complete mystery. She understood that she should not get her hopes up, that he would almost certainly not be willing to share this part of his life with her, assuming he were to return at all. But he had been willing to reveal his given name, which by itself signified that he hailed from a completely foreign land.
Zoran. A most peculiar name indeed.
Maria's leaned her head back against her chair, struggling to keep her eyes open. She silently reminded herself that she shouldn't let her guard down like this, for it would leave her completely vulnerable in the off-chance he decided to turn on her. But regardless of this potential danger, she soon found herself dozing off, plagued as she was with unrelenting boredom.
Just as it felt sleep was about to overtake her, she heard the sound of footsteps echoing through the stairwell to the Clocktower, causing her snap awake and turn her attention to the gate. There was little doubt in her mind as to who her visitor was, but she grabbed her weapon to prepare for the possibility of him resuming their hostilities. She kept her eyes trained on the doorway as he entered.
"What is the purpose of this visit?" She gently asked Zoran as he entered the Clocktower.
"I have something I wish to discuss with you. If I may." He responded in kind, which came as a surprise to her.
"Very well. You may enter." Maria beckoned him forward, placing her Rakuyo by her chair as Zoran made his way to the stairwell. As he settled down, she gently rubbed her eye in an effort to rid herself of her drowsiness.
"Everything alright?" He asked her, taking notice of her fatigue.
"Yes, of course. I must have drifted off, is all." She replied, turning her attention back to her visitor.
"Now, what is it you wished to discuss?" She asked him, leaning forward in her chair.
"Well, see…I've been thinking about what you said." Zoran replied, causing Maria to take a moment to process what exactly he meant.
"In what regard?" She asked.
…
The Forbidden Woods. A seemingly endless maze of lifeless trees and poisonous parasites. And the place where his journey had truly begun to go to hell.
Exiting the dilapidated windmill where he had begun his descent into the woods, the words of the strange figure that he had met there still ran through his head. Despite finding himself slightly unnerved by his rather aggressive manner of speaking, he found himself enthralled with his almost natural charisma and attentively listened as he outlined the purpose of his organization.
"The League exists to expunge all vermin, ridding us of any trace of human corruption. And so, until we are rid of all vermin, you must continue to hunt and kill. This bloody fate is ours alone. Do not expect the world to grasp our work... But remember, the confederates will always have my blessing..."
"And each other. Always."
Looking off to the side, he noticed a group of messengers holding up a bell, which signified that another hunter was calling on the aid of any that would answer. He had not yet taken advantage of this network of potential helpers, finding it to be an unnecessary hassle and nothing more. But the crushing isolation of his time In Yharnam had taken his toll on him and he found himself desperate for any sort of genuine interaction, all while placing a self-imposed exile on himself from his fellow hunters. Perhaps this was the change he so desperately needed.
Approaching the messengers, he hesitantly took out a small bell that had been granted to him on his arrival to the Dream and held it out in front of him; with it's tolling echoing throughout the forest even as he was transported to another world.
…
He soon found himself back in the same spot he had been in earlier, except this time, he wasn't alone. Before him stood a figure sporting the black garb of the Healing Church, wielding the rigid, bladed cane that had been offered to him in the early hours of the hunt and holstering Ludwig's rifle on her side. Zoran was unsure of what to say, trying to remember the brief lecture Gehrman had given him about etiquette among the hunters.
"Good day." She politely greeted him, looking at him through her spectacles.
"Hello…" He hesitantly responded.
"I thank you for answering my call. Are you a fellow confederate?" She asked him, seeming rather upbeat considering her surroundings.
"Aye. And a newcomer at that." He replied, trying to appear as composed as possible.
"Really? Well, that makes two of us then." She held out her hand after she said this. "My name is Ilise. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."
After a little while, he accepted her offered hand, not remembering the last time he had done something like this.
"Zoran. How may I be of service?" He asked her as he released her hand.
"I'm trying to get to Byrgenwerth. I was told by someone up above that I need to go through these woods in order to reach it and I've been trying to make heads or tails of it for hours, but… I can't for the life of me find the proper path." She admitted in slight embarrassment.
"Byrgenwerth, you say…"
Zoran took a moment to consider her situation, thinking back to his own time trying to find the proper path to the abandoned college. It had been a frustrating process to say the least, one that led to him discovering the eldritch truth behind everything that had occurred in Yharnam. For the sake of her sanity, it would've been best to send her away. But he could see that she was as determined as he had been to uncover that truth.
"Well, lucky for you, I know this forest like the back of my hand." He said to her after a brief silence.
"Truly?! Oh, thank the heavens. I don't think I can handle the sight of this forest any longer." She exclaimed.
"Trust me, I know the feeling. Follow me, and stay close."
With that, the two hunters made their way into the structure where the Master of the League had taken up residence, who lightly nodded at Zoran as they passed by, a gesture that seemed almost comical with the odd helm he wore. Taking the elevator down into the lower levels of the Forbidden Woods, he led his fellow hunter deeper into the forest, their combined skill making short work of whatever adversity blocked their path. As they went, he would drop coins on the ground so as to mark the proper way to go, in the off chance one of them was slain.
No matter how many times he ventured through it, he couldn't shake the feeling of claustrophobia that gripped him as he made his way through the seemingly endless myriad of twisted and fallen trees. It might have also had some sort of hallucinatory effect, as he could've sworn he had spotted a figure clad in grey lurking among the trees. But at least he was no longer travelling alone.
Soon, he led her towards a shortcut that would ease her descent to the final stretches of the forest and together, they ascended to an abandoned, dimly lit building. Lighting the lantern attached to his belt, Zoran fought back the dread he felt as he recognized the location, wanting nothing more then to leave as soon as possible. As he turned to leave, he saw that his companion was looking up at an exit further up in the building, one that was forever etched in his memory.
"What are you doing?" He asked her in a slight panic.
"Oh, forgive me. Is it all-right if we make a slight detour? There's this one path I missed while I was…"
"WAIT, DON'T!" He cried out just as she moved towards the staircase, causing her to turn around in surprise.
"What's wrong? Did something startle you?" She asked him in light concern.
"No, it's just…there's nothing of value to be found over there. Best not to waste your time rummaging through every corner, you see." He explained to her, who seemed rather suspicious of him, but didn't seem ready to argue.
"Very well. Let us go onwards."
The two soon found themselves walking along a flooded ravine, having cleared out the feral hogs that had roamed there on the way.
"If you don't mind me asking, what is it that brought you to Yharnam?" He asked her, having avoided making small-talk throughout their trek.
"Oh. Well, you can say I came here to do a little historical research." She responded rather cryptically.
"Of what kind?" He asked.
"Yharnam has always been an enigma among the scholars of my homeland. Its origins were shrouded in mystery, with many questioning whether it had existed to begin with. The more I read into it, the more outlandish the records seemed to get. Rumours of ancient civilizations carved out beneath the city, a college that aimed to ascend to the level of the Gods, a miraculous "blood ministration" that would cure any illness. The pieces were all laid out in front of me, yet I found myself unable to properly finish the puzzle. It was maddening." She explained.
"So you decided to investigate from the source?" He asked her, who did not immediately respond.
"Yes. I had to pull a handful of strings, but I managed to organize an expedition to the city. But I never expected anything like this. Ever since I've arrived here, I've stumbled upon secret after secret, so many that I now understand less then I did when I started. And something tells me that this is a rabbit hole that never truly ends." She solemnly stated, her confident demeanor suddenly disappearing.
"Frankly, I'm…afraid that when I finally do complete my search, no-one is going to believe me. I don't even believe what I'm seeing is real a lot of the time."
Zoran did not say anything in response, opting instead to travel the rest of the way in silence. They soon entered a wide area, with a thick fog blanketing the other end of the arena. Recognizing the area, he motioned for his companion to stop, before taking his axe in his hand and upholstering his pistol. She seemed to immediately understand what was about to happen, tightly gripping her own weapons as she nodded at him.
Three figures robed in black suddenly emerged from the mist, with two of them rushing towards the hunters while the other trailed behind them. They split up to face the shadows one-on-one, who proved to be fairly capable opponents on their own, but nowhere near as deadly as they were as a group. The third Shadow harassed the combatants with fiery projectiles, making their duel all the more hazardous.
After a while, their opponents doubled over in pain just before a group of parasites burst out of their chests, the two hunters taking the opportunity to regroup.
"Have any insight to share?" She asked him in between heavy breaths.
"Here, take this." He said as he handed her a coarse paper. "Rub it against your weapon and then keep doing what you were doing. Don't let your guard down for a second." He instructed her before running to face the infected Shadows.
The pair soon gained the upper hand over their assailants, managing to slay the two sword-wielding shadows and turning their attention to the final figure, who seemed like an easy mark. As his companion rushed towards it, the robed figure was enveloped in a crimson aura, sinking to its knees and emitting a quiet murmur. Recognizing the attack, he sprinted towards his fellow hunter just as three giant snakes emerged from the ground.
"Get down!" He yelled at his companion as he pushed them out of the way of one of the serpents impending jaws.
After the creatures retreated back into the ground, they sprang to their feet and rushed the remaining figure together, with Zoran firing a shot from his pistol that prevented it from launching another fireball. Once they reached it, the Shadow was swiftly overwhelmed, with Zoran's companion slicing through the snake-like parasites with her serrated whip before transforming it and impaling the shadow through the chest with her cane.
After it had faded away in a white mist, the female hunter approached him in between heaved breathes, lightly supporting herself on her weapon.
"Well…that was certainly unexpected. I would not have made it this far without you. You have my upmost thanks." She said to him after she had collected herself.
"Pleasure was all mine. Just be sure not to let your guard down next time." He replied, pride swelling in his chest.
"Oh, I will. I sometimes forget that just because I can't really die, that doesn't mean that I'm invincible." She said with a slight chuckle.
The brief rush of pride he had experienced swiftly faded as Zoran remembered their situation. Their cooperation would soon come to a close and he would return to his own world, leaving her to continue her trek alone. But what awaited her beyond that college would almost certainly shatter her perception of the world around her and in the worst-case scenario, drive her to the brink of madness. He couldn't stop her, but he had to at least prepare her for what lay ahead.
"May I speak frankly with you for a moment, Ilise?" He asked her, who seemed surprised by his request.
"Off course." She stated in reply.
"If I had the power to do so, I would tell you to abandon your search and to return home as swiftly as you can, but I recognize that it is far to late for that. But I do see it fit to warn you. Prepare yourself for the worst."
She looked back at him in surprise, not saying anything in response as he placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Soon, you will make a discovery that will shatter your perception of the world around you, leaving you questioning everything you thought you knew. You may think things are bad now, but I can assure you that it gets worse. So much worse."
"No matter how hopeless your prospects may appear, just remember that there is still something waiting for you at the end of this dark road. And that if you ever find yourself feeling isolated, do not be afraid to call for aid, for someone will eventually answer. It may seem like it is so, but you are not alone."
After looking back at him in silence for a few moments, Ilise soon nodded her head in understanding. Zoran backed away and pulled out a peculiar pistol that signified an end to inter-world cooperation.
"I'm afraid I must bid you farewell. I wish you the best of luck in your travels." He said to his fellow hunter as he raised the pistol overhead.
"Glory to the League." They said in unison as he returned to his own world.
…
Maria listened as Zoran proudly described the various cooperative hunts he had engaged in after that encounter. Working with his confederates, he had helped each of them overcome a seemingly insurmountable challenge, all while trying to steer them away from the same self-imposed isolation he had gone through.
She couldn't keep herself from smiling as he rambled about his various escapades, with the hunter showing just that little amount of energy that had been completely absent when they had last spoken. The fact that he had made the effort to reconnect with the world, even in so minor a fashion all on his own was progress enough.
"A noble endeavor, good hunter." She complimented him and if his face weren't obscured by a mask, she was sure he was smiling.
One aspect of his story caught her attention. He had spoken in glowing terms about the leader of his new order, though for whatever reason he did not refer to him by name. His description of him seemed similar to someone she had known long ago, who had seemingly vanished without a trace.
"This master that you spoke off. What was his name?" She inquired.
"Oh. I believe it was…Valtr?" Upon hearing that name, Maria's eyes widened in surprise.
"By the Gods. He still lives…?" She said more to herself then to him.
"You knew him?" Zoran inquired in surprise.
"He was a hunter many years ago, starting around the same time I arrived at the Workshop. I remember him being an…interesting fellow, to say the least." She revealed, smiling as she did.
"What happened to him?" Zoran asked her.
"Him and Gehrman always had… disagreements in terms of how to approach the hunt. Sometimes, it was hard to tell who was in command, for whenever Valtr chose to speak, he commanded the attention of everyone in the room. I distinctly remember that after a disastrous journey into the Tombs, he came to bid me farewell, telling me that he had found a new calling. He was very cryptic about it, but that was the last any of us ever saw of him. We never did figure out what happened to him after that." She explained, which seemed to come of great surprise to her visitor.
"He came to you? How come?" He inquired, which prompted her to turn her head slightly to the side as a small smile formed on her face.
"You see, in the beginning, I was somewhat of an outcast among my fellows. He was the only one other then Gehrman that made the effort to make me feel welcomed, to help me adjust to this new way of life. He was a dear friend; honourable, strong-willed and loyal to a fault." She explained, as she turned to look back at her visitor.
"Sounds like he hasn't changed a bit. I always did wonder what became of him, but it seems like he found the perfect calling for himself in the end. It's nice to know at least one of us managed to do so." She solemnly stated.
"Yes. He is very…shall we say, passionate about his work." Zoran stated somewhat passively, which caught Maria's attention.
"Are you?" She softly asked him, causing him to look up at her.
"I'm not sure I understand." He said in confusion.
"The League's mission. Are you prepared to commit to it?" She restated her question.
He appeared slightly taken aback by the question, casting his gaze to the side as he no doubt tried to formulate a reply.
"There are certain… complications with being part of the League. By simply swearing the oath, I put my own sanity into jeopardy, for staring into the face of mankind's impurity runs the risk of driving those who witness it to madness. I've been lucky enough to avoid such a fate thus far, but I somehow doubt I'm formidable enough to evade it forever." He admitted, lowering his gaze as he spoke.
"What of your compatriots?" She continued her questioning.
"Oh, that was undoubtedly the most inviting aspect of the League and I maintain that it's the closest I've felt to belonging since I've arrived here. But you see, I only ever interact with them for mere moments at a time, barely, if ever learning their real names. And I seldom see them again, for they no doubt have duties of their own to fulfill. I'm grateful that I no longer have to travel alone, but… I can't fall back on them, not truly. At best, they're a helpful distraction, something to take my mind of things." He answered, meeting her eyes after he had finished speaking.
"What do you think?"
Maria looked back at her visitor with a slight surprise, taking a moment to realize he was asking for her advice. One would think they had known each other far longer then they had, considering how casually he had done so.
"If you're having second thoughts, there's nothing to be ashamed off. I recommend that you take some time to figure out whether this is something you wish to commit to, but regardless of your decision, you should continue to cooperate with your fellow hunters. I believe it's a step in the right direction for you." She told him, which Zoran took a moment to ponder before he nodded at her in understanding.
"Yes, you're right. I'll be sure to do just that." He said to her as he stood up from his seat. "I must take my leave. Thank you for your time." He stated, which she acknowledged with a simple nod. He then began to make his way towards the gates of the Clocktower.
"Hold on a moment." She called out behind her, which judging by the silence that befell the room had stopped his march. Standing up from her seat, she only had to walk a few steps until she was in front of him. Maria took out an item from inside her coat jacket; a small wooden cross attached to a chain. "Here. You dropped this some time ago." She said as she held it out to him.
After staring at the item for some time, Zoran put a hand to his neck as if he were checking to make sure something was there. Upon doing this, he finally took the cross from her, holding it in the palm of his hand as he looked at it with a trace of melancholy. "What?" She asked.
"Nothing, it's just... in the past, the prospect of loosing this thing terrified me more then loosing a limb. Yet had you not brought this to my attention, I probably wouldn't have noticed it was missing at all." She was sure he was exaggerating, but his explanation nevertheless struck a chord with her. She imagined he had been a faithful follower of his religion up until he came here; after all, what he had seen would undermine the faith of even the most ardent preachers.
"Best of luck. Do be sure to give Valtr my regards." She called out to him as he walked away, again causing him to stop for a brief moment.
"Of course. Until we meet again." He said in response.
"I look forward to it." She said before he continued on his way to the exit, leaving Maria alone in her thoughts yet again.
...
Author's Note: So I'm sure you've seen the direction in the story summary, so I'll cut right to the chase. I've long been considering publishing a separate set of stories which added some explanation as to what happened in the time jump between Chapters 2 and 3, but I had this one distinct idea that by itself served as a major turning point in the narrative. So I've opted instead to expand the original story, both to show how their relationship developed throughout that time and to expand both of their characters, as well as to fix some aspects of the original that I thought didn't make much sense *cough* Simon's side-plot *cough*.
Unfortunately, this meant I had to shift the timeline of occurrences a little bit, so be warned that the story will be a complete mess for the next couple weeks as I catch up. But don't worry, the ending(s) will remain the same and I didn't cut anything out from the original, although one event has been completely reworked, as you will soon see. If you're new, don't read past this chapter.
I apologize to anyone who already likes this story as is, but I do hope the final product will be an improvement on what I already have.