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(Caelestinum Finale Termini — Stormterror Dvalin's Theme)
They crested a hill and saw a horrifying sight. Mondstadt was up in smoke, with flames and explosions erupting from various buildings. The air was filled with the sounds of battle and screams of agony. They saw the city gates broken open, and the knights of Favonius engaged in a fierce fight against Ursa's mercenaries.
The mercenaries were a motley crew of outlaws and cutthroats, armed with swords, axes, spears, and crossbows. They wore leather armor and helmets with horns or feathers, giving them a savage and ruthless look. They fought with no honor or mercy, killing anyone who stood in their way.
The knights of Favonius were the defenders of the city and the people, loyal to the wind god Barbatos. They were armed with swords, shields, bows, and magic. They wore blue and white uniforms and cloaks with the symbol of the wind god. They had a noble and brave look on their faces. They fought with courage and loyalty, defending their city and people.
Jayce, Diluc, and Timeaus didn't hesitate to join the fray, slashing and shooting their way through the enemy ranks. They fought with skill and experience, using their weapons and abilities to their advantage.
Jayce wielded his saw cleaver and his pistol, Evelynn. He used his saw cleaver to hack and slash at his foes, cutting through flesh and bone with ease. He used his pistol to shoot at his foes from a distance, aiming for their heads or hearts with precision. He also used his hunter tools, such as throwing knives, molotovs, and pebbles, to distract and damage his foes.
He saw a mercenary charging at him with an axe raised high. He dodged to the side and swung his saw cleaver at his neck, severing it in one clean stroke. He heard another mercenary behind him, cocking a crossbow. He quickly turned around and fired his pistol at his chest, sending him flying back.
"Nice shot!" Diluc shouted as he ran past him.
Diluc wielded his claymore and his vision of pyro. He used his claymore to smash and slice at his foes, crushing their armor and limbs with force. He used his vision of pyro to unleash fire attacks at his foes, burning them alive or exploding them into ashes. He also used his elemental skill and burst, Dawn and Searing Onslaught, to create flames that followed his blade or summoned a phoenix that scorched everything in its path.
He saw a group of mercenaries trying to flank the knights from behind. He charged at them with his claymore in hand. He activated his elemental skill, Searing Onslaught, making his blade glow red-hot. He slashed at the first mercenary, setting him on fire. He slashed at the second mercenary, sending him flying into a wall. He slashed at the third mercenary, causing him to explode.
"Take that!" Diluc yelled as he watched them burn.
Timeaus wielded his crossbow and his vision of electro. He used his crossbow to shoot bolts at his foes, piercing their flesh and organs with speed. He used his vision of electro to infuse his bolts with electricity, shocking them or paralyzing them. He also used his elemental skill and burst, Lightning Storms Eye and Thunder Shockwave, to create an orb that zapped nearby enemies or summoned a thunderstorm that rained down lightning bolts.
He saw a mercenary hiding behind a barrel, aiming a crossbow at Diluc's back. He aimed his crossbow at him and fired a bolt infused with electro energy. The bolt hit the barrel first, causing it to explode. The mercenary was thrown into the air by the blast. Timeaus fired another bolt at him while he was still in mid-air.
"Gotcha!" Timeaus said as he saw him fall to the ground.
The three friends fought their way through the city, hoping to find Ursa and stop him before it was too late. They encountered more and more resistance as they got closer to the center of the city.
"Where is he?" Jayce asked as he shot a mercenary in the head.
"I don't know, but we have to find him fast!" Diluc said as he sliced a mercenary in half.
"Look out!" Timeaus said as he saw a mercenary throwing a lit dynamite at them.
They ducked behind a wall as the dynamite exploded, sending shrapnel of debris flying everywhere. "Are you guys okay?" Jayce asked as he checked for injuries. "I'm fine, just a few scratches," Diluc said as he wiped some blood from his face. "I'm good, just a bit shaken," Timeaus said.
"Come on, let's go!" Jayce said as he got up and ran towards the next street.
The battle was chaotic and brutal. Jayce dodged a spear thrust from a mercenary and sliced off his arm with a swift swing of his saw cleaver. He heard loud footsteps picking up pace as those sounds were getting closer. He whips behind him and lets his trusty pistol roar. Evelynn was smoking in his hand as he had just shot another mercenary who was about to stab him in the back.
He looked around for Diluc and Timeaus but couldn't see them in the crowd of fighters. He hoped they were okay. He had to find Ursa before it was too late.
Jayce raised Evelynn at a mercenary who was about to shoot a fellow knight in the back with their crossbow. But before he could pull the trigger, he felt a sharp pain in his side. Jayce grunted slightly as he looked down to see a small dagger stuck on his ribs.
He turned around slowly and saw one of Ursa's presumed captains standing behind him from a distance with a wicked smile on his face. The captain was wearing a red cloak over his leather armor and had a bandana covering his mouth. He had a sword in one hand and a vision of pyro in the other.
(Blame! Soundtrack - Disc1, 04. Kujo Kei Semaru I)
"Names Blaze," The Captain said. "Pleasure to meet ya for the first and last time." Blaze said as he chuckled darkly at the leather clad hunter. "I do apologies in advance, Adventurer." Blaze stated in a crazed smile. "I have a... knack... for setting things on fire."
Jayce felt a surge of anger and pain. He grabbed the sword in his side and pulled it out, ignoring the blood that gushed out of his wound. He then puts Evelynn away for a moment to dig into his pocket with cold resolve towards his next opponent, and calmly pulls out a blood vial. With the vial jammed to his chest and its contents depleted. He soon felt the familiar taste of the vile blood in his mouth as his wound instantaneously healed as if it was never there in the first place. Jayce then placed the vial back into his leather coat, readying himself for battle. Blaze eyed the hunter with slight intrigue at the sight but was more focused on the coming battle between the 2.
Jayce dashed forward with slightly above average speed and swung the sword at Blaze, who blocked it with his own while letting out a grunt at the hunter's strength behind the weapon that looked absolutely evil. The two blades clashed with sparks flying. Jayce felt a wave of heat hit his face as Blaze used his vision of pyro to send a blast of fire at him. Jayce dodged the fire and threw a molotov at Blaze, trying to catch him off guard.
Blaze caught the molotov with his hand and threw it back at Jayce, who avoided it with ease. The molotov exploded behind Jayce, setting a nearby tent on fire. Jayce and Blaze continued to exchange a series of blows, parrying, and countering each other's moves. A few bandits would use Jayce's with the captain as an opportunity to stab him in the side or back as he was distracted. However, their plan failed horribly when a shiny glint of steel forged metal struck their heads true with power and accuracy, causing them to drop like flies. Jayce dared not take his eyes away from his challenger as they continued their battle for dominance.
Jayce was surprised by Blaze's skill and speed. He had never seen anyone use fire like that before, and he was also intrigued by it. The hunter has read about the elements of the Archon gods a while back, and has an idea on some people abilities, but has never really seen it in action before a few moments ago with Diluc's and Timaeus's fights.
But Jayce didn't have time to think about it, though. He had to focus on the fight.
The hunter saw an opening and lunged at Blaze, aiming for his heart. Blaze saw it coming and dodged away, but doubled back and dashed to his opponent, slashing Jayce's neck in hoped to remove the head from its body. Jayce ducked and rolled, avoiding the slash. As Jayce got up, he threw another Molotov at the captain. As predicted, the captain dodged out the way, but took his eyes off Jayce for a split second to glance at the flaming bottle pass by his face with such speed and lethality; That was all the time the hunter needed. Jayce came up behind Blaze in blinding speed, and grabbed him by the hair, earning a surprised gasp from the captain as he was pulling his head back.
He placed his saw cleaver against Blaze's throat and pressed the button to transform it into its much longer form. The mechanism was so strong that he felt the blade cut through Blaze's flesh and bone like butter with a hot knife. Blaze did not even have time to scream as he felt the blade severing his head from his body. The body won't limp before it twitches a few moments. He let go of Blaze's head and kicked his corpse away, aiming his sights towards the scum that invaded this wonderful city he called home.
Jayce Continue to thin out the mercenaries, but soon realized that the mercenaries were not the only ones who had invaded the city. Slimes and hilichurls had also taken advantage of the chaos and attacked both sides indiscriminately.
Slimes were blob-like creatures that came in different colors and elements. They could spit acid or fire or ice or other substances at their enemies, depending on their element. They could also bounce around or split into smaller slimes when attacked.
Though Jayce has been hunting these monsters for a bit now, he never truly knew what they were until he took a really close look at their clothing. He noticed that they kind of resembled goblins or orcs he was once told were just folktales of his world, but very real here. They wore primitive clothes made of fur or leather and wielded crude weapons made of wood or stone or metal. They had a low intelligence but a high aggression. They attacked anyone who was not one of them.
Jayce cursed under his breath as he dodged a slime's acidic spit and stabbed a hilichurls in the throat with a small dagger in his free hand. He wondered how Ursa had managed to sneak in such a large force without being noticed. He also wondered where Jean and the other heroes were, and if they were safe.
He got his answer when Kaeya ran up to him, panting and bleeding from a cut on his arm. "Jayce! Thank goodness you're here! Some of Ursa's men have gone to the cathedral! They're after Jean and the others!" he shouted.
Jayce felt a surge of anger and fear. He knew that Jean was the acting Grand Master of the knights, and that she was a very powerful and important figure in Mondstadt's society. He also knew that some other knights had to at least be with her at the cathedral. He couldn't let Ursa harm them.
He told Kaeya to find Diluc, and Timeaus and tell them to stay and help the knights and adventurers fend off the enemies, while he headed to the cathedral without a moment's notice.
He ran past corpses of civilians and bandits, killing any looters he saw along the way. "Hey! Stop right there!" one of the looters yelled, pointing a knife at Jayce. Jayce didn't even slow down. He shot him in the head instead with his pistol and moved on. He steeled his face and focused on his objective.
He reached the cathedral yard and saw several mercenaries guarding the stairs leading up to the front doors. He charged at them, slashing with his saw cleaver and shooting with his pistol. He reached the cathedral stairs, where he saw several mercenaries guarding the entrance as well. They spotted him and raised their weapons.
"Stop him!" one of them shouted.
Jayce didn't waste any time. The hunter made a beeline at them with his weapon, slicing through their armor and flesh like nothing. He made quick work of them and reached the cathedral doors. He kicked them open and entered the holy place, only to find more horror inside.
The cathedral was a scene of slaughter. The pews were overturned and broken. The stained-glass windows were shattered and stained with blood. The statues of the archons were defaced and toppled.
But what caught Jayce's attention was the sight of Jean lying on the altar, unconscious but still alive. She had several wounds on her body and her clothes were torn. Her long blonde hair was matted with blood. She looked pale and weak.
Near her was Aether, who was surrounded by a group of elite mercenaries. He had cuts all over his body and his clothes were ripped as well. He held a sword in one hand and a bow in the other. He was fighting bravely, but he was clearly outnumbered and outmatched.
Beside him were Amber, a small woman wearing white, most likely a priest, and a few other knights who had survived the attack. They were also wounded and exhausted, but they refused to give up, even as they fought to their last strength. Ursa and his elite soldiers had overpowered some of the knights of Favonius and left them bleeding on the floor.
Ursa's elite soldiers were armed with swords, shields, spears, and crossbows. They wore metal armor and helmets with spikes or horns. They had a cruel and arrogant look on their faces. They fought with skill and coordination, overpowering their opponents with ease.
And standing above them, all was Ursa, the leader of the mercenaries. He was a tall and muscular man with a scarred face and a wicked grin. He wore heavy armor and carried a shield in one hand and a one handed warhammer in the other. He looked down at Aether and his allies with contempt and amusement.
"Well, well, well. Look who we have here. The traveler and his little friends. How nice of you to join us." He said to Aether, mockingly as either he or his soldiers didn't hear Jayce enter the cathedral. "You know, I've been looking for you for a long time. Ever since you stole that treasure from me in Liyue. Do you remember that?"
Aether glared at him, his eyes burning with hatred. He remembered Ursa very well. He was the leader of the Treasure Hoarders, a notorious group of thieves and bandits who operated across Teyvat. He had encountered him in Liyue, where he had tried to steal a precious artifact from a temple. Aether had managed to stop him and take the artifact for himself, but not before Ursa had sworn revenge on him.
"I remember you, Ursa. You're nothing but a greedy and cruel bastard who doesn't care about anyone but yourself." Aether said defiantly.
"Ha! And you're nothing but a naive and foolish brat who doesn't know his place in this world." Ursa said with a sneer. "You think you can go around stealing other people's treasures and meddling in their affairs? You think you can defy the will of the gods and the order of the world? You think you can save everyone with your pathetic powers? You're wrong, boy. You're so wrong."
He raised his warhammer and slammed it down on the ground, creating a shockwave that knocked Aether and his allies back. They fell to the ground, groaning in pain. The small blond-haired priest tried to heal Aether and the rest with her vision, but was too weak to even stand after that shockwave knocked them down.
"You see, boy, this is the reality of this world. The strong take what they want, and the weak suffer what they must. The gods are cruel and indifferent, and the world is chaotic and unfair. There is no justice, no mercy, no hope. Only power, wealth, and glory."
He walked towards Aether, who tried to get up but was too weak to do so.
"And I have all of those things, boy. I have power, wealth, and glory. I have an army of loyal men who will follow me to the ends of the earth. I have more treasures than you can ever imagine. And I have glory, boy. Glory that will last forever."
He reached Aether and grabbed him by the neck, lifting him up in the air.
"And you know what you have, boy? Nothing. Nothing but pain, suffering, and death."
He tightened his grip on Aether's neck, choking him.
"You have nothing, boy. And soon, you will be nothing. "He laughed maniacally as he prepared to crush Aether's skull with his warhammer.
But before he could do so, he heard Jayce's voice behind him.
"Let him go, Ursa."
(Bloodborne OST – The One Reborn)
He turned around and saw Jayce standing at the cathedral door, behind his elite soldiers. He had dropped his saw cleaver and summoned the Rakuyo in its place. The twin blades glowed with a faint blue light, ready to cut through anything. Jayce glared at Ursa with a fierce expression. His eyes were cold and determined, his mouth was set in a thin line, and his brow was furrowed. He looked like a man who had nothing to lose and everything to gain.
"You're too late, hunter," Ursa sneered. "The city is mine. The grand master is mine. And soon, the traveler will be mine too. You can't stop me...but you are welcome to try." Ursa tossed Aether back to face Jayce with his weapons ready, causing him to cry out in pain from the impact of the ground affect ted his body.
Jayce didn't reply. He just charged at Ursa, pushing past his elite soldiers. He didn't care about them. He only cared about Ursa. He knew he was the one who had orchestrated this attack, who had hurt his friends, who had threatened his home. He knew he had to stop him, no matter what. He reached him and swung his Rakuyo at him. Ursa blocked it with his shield and countered with his sword. Jayce dodged it and slashed at Ursa's side. Ursa grunted and kicked Jayce away. They began to duel, exchanging blows and parries.
Ursa was surprisingly fast and strong, but not fast or strong enough to match a hunter. Jayce was faster and stronger. He had been trapped for hundreds of years, hunting in the nightmare of a world called Yharnam, where he had faced countless Eldritch horrors and beasts. He had honed his skills and reflexes to perfection. He had learned to kill without mercy or hesitation. He was a hunter, and Ursa was his prey. What's one more challenger to his tally score?
"Is that all you've got, hunter? You're pathetic!" Ursa taunted, trying to stab Jayce in the chest.
"You talk too much." Jayce retorted with a near emotionless tone, fully set on shutting slaughtering his prey. It is here when Jayce found an opening in Ursa's defenses as he swung a Warhammer a little too wide. Jayce used him momentum to close the gap, parrying his blow and sliced off Ursa's hand.
Jayce found an opening in Ursa's defense and cut off his main hand. Ursa screamed in pain and dropped his warhammer. Jayce kicked him in the chest and sent him flying to one of the cathedral pillars. He crashed into it and slid down to the floor, bleeding profusely from his many wounds.
Jayce looks at the fallen body of his foe for a moment, before running over to Aether's group and saw that they had defeated Ursa's soldiers. Only two knights had died in the fight, while the others were injured but alive.
"Are you okay?" he asked them.
"We're fine, thanks to you," Aether said, smiling weakly.
"Jean...is she...?" Jayce asked, looking at the altar.
"She's alive, but she needs medical attention," Amber said, checking her pulse. Jean was still unconscious, but her breathing was steady. As he saw her chest rise and fall at a consistent pace.
"You're amazing, Jayce! You took down Ursa like a boss." Amber said with more cheer in her voice, giving him an exhausted, shaky thumbs up.
"You're very brave, Hunter. Thank you for your help. I thought we were a goner, for sure" The priest, known as Barbara, said as she was blushing slightly.
Jayce nodded and smiled back at them. He felt a sense of relief and gratitude. He was glad that they were safe and sound.
"C'mon. Let's get her out of here," Jayce said.
He lifted Jean in his arms and carried her towards the door. Aether, Amber, and the remaining knights followed him.
He was about to say something when Kaeya and Diluc entered the church, followed by some more knights. They looked relieved to see them alive, but also shocked to see the carnage.
"Hey! Im glad you guys are okay! We finally were able to thin out the Mercenaries and the rest are on the run as well are the other monsters." Kaeya said with a smile on his face, which was reinforced with some small cheers and hollers from the knights.
"Good job, Jayce. You did great work." Diluc said, walking up to him and patting him on the shoulder.
Jayce was surprised by their gestures, but he appreciated them. He nodded at Kaeya with a smile and thanked Diluc for his compliment. Diluc then noticed Ursa sitting up, barely breathing on the pillar. He walked over to him with a cold expression on his face. He confronted Ursa, who laughed hysterically.
He had a twisted smile on his face and a mad gleam in his eyes.
"You think you've won?" he croaked. "You think you've saved the city? You're wrong! You're all wrong! The bomb…the bomb is still here…it will blow up any minute now…and take you all with it…hahaha…"
"The bomb" Diluc said with cold fury behind his eyes. "Where is it?"
Ursa laughed harder and coughed up blood. "You'll never defuse it…it's hidden…under the altar…you're too late…too late…"
Ursa's hysterical ranting was cut short when he was shot in the head by Jayce's pistol, Evelynn. Jayce had followed Diluc and heard what Ursa had said. He decided to end his misery and silence him once and for all.
Diluc looked at Jayce with a nod and a small thanks. He then turned to Kaeya and asked him if he found out about the possible locations of the bomb in the cathedral might be, as he was briefed by Diluc a few moments prior.
Kaeya shook his head and said he didn't. He suggested that they search the cathedral for any clues.
Diluc agreed and told Jayce to help him find the bomb. He also told Aether, Amber, Barbara, and the remaining knights to get Jean to an infirmary as soon as possible.
They nodded and carried Jean out of the cathedral, followed by some of the wounded knights. The others stayed behind to guard the entrance and clean up the mess.
Diluc, Kaeya, and Jayce searched the cathedral for any signs of a bomb. They looked under the pews, behind the statues, in the confessionals, but they found nothing.
They were about to give up when Kaeya heard a faint beeping sound coming from under the altar. He followed the sound and lifted the alter cloth, revealing a large metal device with wires and a timer attached to it. It was hidden under a cloth that matched the color of the altar.
"Guys! I found it! It's here!" Kaeya shouted, waving at them.
Diluc and Jayce ran over to him and saw the bomb. They gasped when they saw that it had less than a minute left before it exploded.
"Shit! How do we disarm it?" Diluc asked, looking at the device nervously.
"I don't know! It looks complicated!" Kaeya said, examining the wires and buttons.
"Let me see." Jayce said, pushing them aside and taking a closer look at the bomb. He had some experience with explosives from his time in Yharnam, but this bomb was different from anything he had seen before. It looked like it was made by someone who knew what they were doing.
He tried to find a way to disable it without triggering it, but he realized that it was useless. The bomb was designed to be tamper-proof and detonate if anyone tried to mess with it. There was no way to stop it from blowing up.
His heart slightly sank as the beep went a small bit faster, signaling its imminent detonation. He knew he had to act fast, and had an idea, but it was risky and crazy. He decided to take the chance anyway. The hunter failed to save the few souls in a city once, and he will not fail again.
He grabbed the bomb and ran towards the back of the cathedral, where there was a large stained-glass window. He smashed through it with his shoulder and jumped out of the building. He landed on a cliff behind the cathedral, overlooking a Cedar Lake.
A hand grabbed jayces shoulder, halting him in his tracks. He turns and sees Diluc and Kaeya, both wearing almost unreadable expressions with a hint of worry "What are you doing? Diluc asks with a serious tone."
"Saving you all." Jayce retorted, voice full of conviction "Even if I drop this bomb in the water and let gravity do its job, it will still be to close to the surface and will cause unnecessary deaths as it detonates. It must be deep for the water to dampen the blow and pushing it will do just that" Said Jayce with a stone expression "Don't worry. I'll be back to help the wounded too. Don't you worry." He added with a small smile.
Both Diluc and Kaeya knew that the hunters last words were almost a lie, but they knew that they couldn't stop the powerhouse of a man even if they wanted to. They also knew that they were about to lose a valuable ally: A person who they barely know but has done so much for the citizens behind the walls of Mondstadt. In the short time that they knew him, the two thought that they could have been good friends if given the time; time that they no longer have.
(Eden (Harlem) – Nicholas Britell)
With a solemn look on Kaeya's face, he gave Jayce a nod. "Don't you die on us. We must drink some of Diluc's special wine when this is over, ya hear?" "That sounds wonderful." Jayce responded with a nod at the 2 knowing that this might be his last night on this world.
"You both should go and help the civilians. They need their tavern owner and captain of the knights around to raise their spirits, no? I'll be back." With that being said, he threw the bomb as far as he could into the water and dived after it. He hoped that the water would cushion the blast and prevent any damage to the city.
He swam as fast as he could, reaching the bomb and grabbed it with both hands. He began to push it further down, away from the surface as he held a steady breath. He thought about his time in this world, about the people he had met and befriended, about the adventures he had experienced, and all the happiness he felt in the first time in a long, long while. He wondered if he would ever see them again, but he knew there might be a fat chance on that.
'I did good.' Jayce thought with acceptance and sorrow. 'I'm sorry Adella, Arianna, Eileen, Alfred, Chapel Dweller...Gehrman...I'm so sorry I was not able to save you all from your fates...I Could only hope...that you are watching me from above, as I save the fates of those in this world to prevent them experiencing what you felt in your last moments...I guess I'll be joining you in the end, huh...?'
Jayce looked at the bomb and saw that it had been beeping incredibly fast with the water muffling the beep sounds. fully accepting his own fate, he closed his eyes and braced himself for the explosion.
The bomb went off, creating a massive shockwave underwater. The force of the blast tore Jayce's body apart, killing him instantly. The water turned red with his blood.
The explosion also created a huge column of water that shot up into the air, reaching hundreds of feet high. It then fell back down into the lake, creating a huge splash and waves.
No building was damaged by the bomb, as Jayce had managed to swim deep enough to contain most of the impact. However, the shockwave was still felt throughout the city, shaking the ground, and rattling the windows.
Diluc and Kaeya were helping some knights and citizens by bandaging their wounds when they felt a mini earthquake. They looked around and saw people panicking and screaming.
"What was that?" a knight asked, confused, and worried.
"I don't know. It felt like something exploded." Another said, equally puzzled and concerned.
The knights then saw a huge amount of water fly up and fall into the lake. They realized that it must have something to do with the bomb.
Diluc and Kaeya looked at each other with horror and dread, knowing full well what happened. They remembered what Jayce did, and prayed he was true to his words. They ran towards the cliff behind the cathedral where Jayce had jumped. They were followed by Aether, Amber, Barbara, Jean, who had regained consciousness, and some other knights who had heard about Jayce's decision.
They reached the edge of the cliff and looked down at the lake. They saw nothing but water and bubbles. They saw no sign of Jayce anywhere.
They thought the worst and felt a surge of grief and guilt. They couldn't believe that Jayce was gone. He had been their friend, their ally, their comrade. Diluc yelled Jayce's name in vain, hoping for a response. But there was none. Only silence.
"Jayce! Jayce!" Diluc shouted, his stone-faced façade slowly breaking at the heart-breaking sight of no response or movement other than the explosions ripples in the lake.
Kaeya put his hand on Diluc's shoulder and tried to comfort him. He also felt tears in his eyes. He had grown fond of Jayce, despite their initial first introductions. He admired his courage and skill as a hunter, and in a way, they had quite a bit in common.
"He's gone, Diluc. He's gone. There's no way he would have survived, and he knew that." Kaeya said softly, choking on his words. Aether, Amber, Barbara, Jean, and the others also cried for Jayce's loss. They thanked him for his sacrifice and prayed for his soul.
They all mourned for Jayce, The blood scented hunter of Teyvat.
(Eclipse of the Sun – Tim Quick)
He blinked his eyes open and felt a surge of disbelief. He was lying on a soft bed of white flowers next to a grave. He remembered the explosion that had engulfed him, but he felt no trace of pain or injury. He felt alive and well, as if nothing had happened. He was shocked to be here, in this place that he had left behind long ago. This was The Hunter's Dream, the realm where he had been bound as a hunter of the nightmarish Yharnam. He had escaped this place when he had broken the cycle of the hunt and freed himself from the curse. He had thought he would never return here again. He looked around and saw that The Hunter's Dream was unchanged. It was still a peaceful and serene place, with a pale moon hanging in the sky and a gentle breeze caressing his face. He heard the sound of water flowing from a fountain and the happy moans of his little helpers.
He then saw her, the one he had longed to see again: Lily. The Doll was kneeling on the ground, tending to the white flowers next to the graves. She was humming a soft lullaby, a melody that he had heard many times before. She looked as beautiful and graceful as ever, with her porcelain skin, golden hair, and blue eyes. She wore a simple white dress that hugged her curves and a blue ribbon that adorned her neck. She heard some footsteps behind her and slowly rose to her feet. She turned around and saw him, the hunter she had grown fond of. She smiled warmly and greeted him with her sweet voice.
"Welcome home, good hunter. I am very happy to see you again." The Doll said, walking towards him with grace. Jayce felt a wave of emotion wash over him. He was overjoyed to see The Doll again. She had been his only friend and companion in Yharnam, his only source of comfort and solace in the nightmare. She had cared for him, healed him, and guided him. She had been his light in the darkness. He had cared for her more than anything. He got up from the bed of flowers and ran towards her. He embraced her in a hug that seemed to last forever. He buried his face in her hair and breathed in her scent. He felt her arms wrap around him and squeeze him gently. He felt her warmth and heartbeat. The Doll hugged him back, feeling his warmth and heartbeat.
She was also overjoyed to see him again. She had missed him terribly when he left Yharnam, wondering if he was safe and happy. She had worried about him, prayed for him, and waited for him. She had been his faithful servant in the dream. She had cared him more than anything. They held each other tightly, feeling each other's presence and affection. They didn't want to let go. They didn't say anything. They didn't need to. They knew what they felt for each other. They were happy. And in this moment, he realized something, something that he was always afraid to admit:
He was in love with Lily.