Writer's notes: i do not own danmachi nor bloodborne this is purely fanfiction, if you liked what you read you might like "the moon haired hunter" which was the inspiration for my first project.
"What the-!" a scream rang out, echoing in the night sky of Yarnham, a boy was lying on the ground, hair as white as the insidious moon observing him from afar, eyes red, like the fresh blood in his wounds, staring into the wolf like creature that just ended him, soon too much of his own blood would flow out of him and the painfull death that he waited would come to him, as the world began turning grey, he asked himself in silence: "how did i end up in this place?", "what is this place?" and most important of all "what happens now?", his questions would be all answered soon enough, as the fog and mist around him lifts.
He was lost on a weird place, a monochrome white was everywhere, from the moonlit horizon, sometimes obstructed by giant stakes, to the flowers everywhere, following the path he found countless gravestones and a small building that he was unable to open, from the ground pale and curious creatures appeared in front of him, they held weird weaponry in front of him, offering them to a new hunter, he grabbed a saw cleaver, since the other weapons didn't really suit him, and a hunter's pistol.
"T-thank you" he said, clearly unnerved by their appearence, they did not speak however, and only made a few weird noises of appreciation.
Exploring the place more, he found an abandoned doll, sitting in front of the house, a small bath and a few notes that the messengers left him, details on how to use the weapons and gear he got from them. he would learn to appreciate the notes soon as his new companions showed him a peculiar gravestone, inspecting it he saw a name covered in dust, he tried to dust off the name but the moment he touched it the world turn grey and the last thing he saw was the words: first floor sickroom.
"N-no not again!" the boy was terryfied, finding himself just before the beast who killed him, holding his cleaver barely enough to be called steady, he prepared himself for the battle.
The beast threw itself at the new hunter, who barely dodges it's attack as the onslaught continued, for a more experienced warrior, the enemy was a pushover, however for the boy, the beast was a significant foe.
Side stepping the beast and plunging the saw in it's neck, the boy had finally won the duel, and slayed his first prey, however still bleeding from the wounds, he takes the blood vial he found and stabs himself with it.
The vial gave him a weirdly intoxicating sensation, but he still had to investigate what had happened, after all he was supposed to be dead right?, his only, and most important, finding led him to a lantern with a pale purple hue, seeing the messengers he found in the dream, he touched it and was sent back to the calm monochrome white of the realm, yet something had changed.
The doors to the building had opened revealing the bookshelves and workbenches full of tools and weapons, a weird altar and a man bound to a wheel chair, i wonder what happened to him.
"Hah, you must be the new hunter, im Gherman, friend to the hunters" the old man spoke, his unchecked appearence made him look more like a beggar than a hunter.
"My name is Bell, sir do you know how i can go back to my home?" the boy spoke with a clear objective in mind.
"Oh no beating around the bush eh?" the old man said with a clearly amused tone, "I'll tell you what, go hunt a few beasts, it will be good for you." "Do not worry hunter, your answers will come in due time" he said assuring the boy that he must hold strong even in the dark time that is the hunt.
"Oh well, i should get going then." i said, half expecting his answer, perhaps there might not be any exit... perhaps.
Defeated, i return to the nightmare that is the hunt, however, it wasn't untill i saw a human face that my nerves seemed to calm down, untill the same human attacked me relentlessly, running for my life i get to the lantern just in time to go back to my only safe place to be.
"H-hello, sir Gherman?" i said, still terrified at the thought of murdering someone.
"Ah, back so soon young hunter?"
"The people on the street, why are they trying to kill me?"
"People" he asked, filled with a grim curiosity towards my ignorance or better said innocence, "Good hunter, those are not people, perhaps you are not aware yourself, those are beasts... wearing the skin of humans, they are those who succumbed to bloodshed and the scourge that haunts these lands"
"What do you mean?" curiosity had me ask that question, little did i know how the answer would hit me.
"Every beast slain was once a man, the scourge of beasts was the reason why" he said with a serious tone "as for the cause of the scourge... some secrets are better off left undiscovered" could i be a murderer, could i have taken the life of another innocent man, maybe there is still a way to help them?
"Hunter" he said with a stoic face "You are not the only one to make the same questions, many did as you said before and many wondered what you do now, the beasts are meant to be hunted, to be preyed upon lest the innocent take their place as prey"
'
'
That was the clear resolve that pushed me to go back, however, as i appear on the same sick room i hear a sound up the stairs of the clinic.
"Hello? who is there?" i say as i venture out into the unknown trying to identify whatever made the noise, praying that it may not be a beast.
"Hello? are you... on the hunt?" the voice of a woman responded, assuring him no beast was behind the door.
"Oh yes, i suppose i am, my name is Bell"
"Well then i'm sorry but i will not open this door, the name is Iosefka, owner of this clinic, and i cannot risk the scourge to spread to my patients, surely you must understand "
"Oh i am not trying to get inside the clinic, just worried a beast might have gotten in, besides that, nice to meet you ms. Iosefka"
"Ok then, that's a relief, you are a polite one, i know that you hunt for our people, so while i cannot give you shelter i can at least do this before you leave"
She then passed me a Vial not unlike the ones i used before, but larger and with a different color.
"Thank you, i shall return to the town then, as Mr. Gherman instructed me."
"G-Gherman you say?" she asked with a curious tone in her voice.
"Yes, do you know him?"
"No it is a common name, most likely a coincidence"
"Ah well then i should be going."
"Ok, goodbye hunter, stay safe"
Well that interaction was a bit strange, but no that it matters, perphaps i should see Gherman again, climbing a ladder to a higher position i can see many buildings in the distance, i wonder how much inhabitants this land had before the scourge.
"What the...?" i say as i find a similar lamp to the one in the sickroom, lighting it called the messengers over and they took me to the dream again, having taking care of some minor prey really did help a bit, maybe i should see Gherman.
"Mr. Gherman? are you there?"
"I'm afraid i have little choice but to be here, young hunter, i presume you cleared your head a little... and that you hunted some beasts."
"Oh well in that case, do you know someone named Iosefka?"
"I do not recall that name young hunter, speak of it no more, tell me how was the hunt?"
"It went well i suppose, still a little foreign to me, despite wanting to be a warrior, i never thought i would spend so much time fighting." i say, hiding my true intentions with the dungeon and the heroes i admire.
"That is good, truly, but please remember to take care of your weapons, a hunter must never be caught unprepared."
"Now that you mention it, i was going to ask about the tools in the workshop, but i don't know nothing about repairing weapons."
Having said that, the young hunter and old veteran spent quite some time working, while teaching him some new tricks, Gherman rediscovered the passion he had for his old workshop and taking care of his hunters even if the night is long and the torment perpetual, he would always treasure the few happy moments he had in the workshop.
"Ha, that's it, all new and ready for a hunt!"
"Wow, thank you Mr. Gherman, it's even better now!"
"You must remember to screw the mechanism from time to time, lest your saw get stuck mid form change."
"Thank you again, i don't know what i would do without you and the little guys."
"Messengers, call them messengers."
"Well, any ways i need to go, the beasts are not going to hunt themselves now are they?"
And just like that, the boy went on to hunt more beasts, perphaps Gherman's sort of enthusiasm towards the hunt started to rub on him, either that or he broke the record of "Fastest hunter to succumb to bloodlust", either way he would have to put his thought about the boy on hold, more important than the new hunter was his interaction with Iosefka, "That could be troublesome." said him while looking towards the moon hanging above his abode.
He took a detour instead of just appearing on the town, i should try to kill as many beasts as i can, this feeling that i might need the experience is brutal and unchanging, maybe i am just paranoid, still better safe than sorry.
after hunting around the area and wiping most beasts from the small perimeter he went back to the lamp, only to be greeted by a new voice.
"Oh, you must be a hunter, and not one from around here i presume."
"Well yes sir you are correct."
"You must *cough* have had a poor time here huh?, those damn yarnhos sure know how to treat outsiders."
"Can't say i disagree, yet there are few who didn't try to kill me, so what's your name sir...?"
"Gilbert, the name's Gilbert *cough*"
"Well, G-gilbert sir, are you alright?"
"Don't worry hunter, this land's strange blood had bought me time, i can even die a human."
"That... that is sad."
"Well... what was your name again?"
"Ah sorry, my name is Bell"
"Well then Bell, should you know, tragedy roams free in these lands, as such you must plan a swift exit, my end will be far more envyable than whatever beast you find and slay." the words meant to comfort the boy made him worry more, such could not be helped as it was simply in his nature.
"Still, if i can help you, even a tiny bit, do not hesitate to ask."
"Very well then, we outsiders have to stick together, i shall do whatever i can to help, i may be still of help to you hunter."
"Thank you Mr. Gilbert"
"No problem Bell, now then i believe you got beasts to hunt eh?"
"Yes, i should get going, it was nice to meet you"
"Goodbye hunter, stay safe"
That was a nice conversation, unlike the hellish chase i'm in. Continuing his way into the city, the young hunter stumbles into a wide area occupied by a bonfire, a beast burning in it, full of what seemed like people, people who when approached revealed their true faces as the beast they are. Where is that damn lantern when i need it! it should be over he- *BANG* his chain of thought was interrupted by the bullet shot through his leg, falling into the ground, the last thing he sees before a beast in the skin of a man plunges a pitch fork in his eyes, now only feeling his body ache, the crude blades of another beast ripp his flesh open as his blood is spilling out, maybe rushing in without knowing anything was not so smart after all, having said that, the world becomes a familliar grey as his wounds are nowhere to be seen.
I have to think more about my steps, i need to remember, what was it on that note, the note in question was something he read after waking up for the first time in the clinic before such a dreadfull dream, still he could only remember the words and not much else before that, besides far off memories with his grandfather.
"Seek paleblood to transcend the hunt"
It was almost surreal to think about it, after all, he should be able to remember what he had for dinner last night, but all he could do is simply wonder when was last night, how long has it been. Mr. Gherman could probably tell me more about this paleblood, but... i shouldn't be pestering him whenever i have a question... maybe i should see Mr. Gilbert.
it wasn't untill he tried to get up from the ground that he noticed he had a slight fatigue, almost like being drained, Gherman told him about blood echoes, and how important they were, so in order to kill two birds with one stone he decided to go on a more safe and strategic approach to the mob of beasts in the city and to ask gilbert about the paleblood, whatever it was.
"Paleblood? can't say i heard about it..." his hopes where crushed really quickly afterwards "...but you should probably search for it in the church district, they now everything about the strange types of blood this land has to offer, go to the great bridge that connects the districts."
"Thank you again Mr. Gilbert."
"Don't mention it, now go, the church should not be that far away after going down this path." after pointing me to the right path and realising that i could probably avoid that mob made me feel like an idiot, i am probably am one but still i need to get my blood echoes back.
As the first beast raised his pitchfork in a brutal and unrefined attack, the hunter raises his pistol and, by blind luck alone, manages to stagger the wretched opponent i did, just like Gherman told me, so i guess my next step is... *splash* sticking his right hand through his enemy and pulling something out if his body. Urghh that is blergh nasty but can give me results.
The hunter continued his onslaught against the mob, but even the most carefull plan can go bad in a few moment's notice, getting sniped from afar and afterwards attacked by what used to be a random villager, with a heavily bleeding wound in his chest he resorted to using the blood vial Iosefka had given him.
Instant relief coursed through him as his flesh began to mend, soon the wounds dissappeared with minimal scars, he however used the opportunity to attack the enemy with full force learning an invaluable lesson in the process: The enemy's guard is at it's lowest when going for a killing move,
Quickly dispatching the opponent with ever increasing efficiency and brutality, he started unconciously pivoting himself in a more agressive manner the more enemies he killed in battle, while his movements were almost feral and unrefined, they were something a hunter could work into a fine fighting style, he had an almost natural killer instinct when it came to fighting, like his deep in his bloodline there were powerfull fighters who's story the boy did not know.
Now, this is the last one, throwing his cleaver against the beast the hunter gave a powerfull battle cry "AAARRRRHH-" which he immediately regretted as blood flew directly into his mouth, Blergh, that was unpleasant, need to remember to keep my mouth shut during combat, as he looked around he saw the state of the mob, nothing but corpses and blood, so much blood, it stained his clothes and cleaver with it's almost intoxicating scent and metalic taste,
i need to find new clothes. Going back to the dream he found himself soaked in blood and fat, Gherman soon noticed the scent and said
"I guess your hunt was a good one?"
"Y-yes, it was," there was a hint of embarrasement in his voice
"Now, go clean yourself, should you need new garbs, the messengers in the bath sell more than the vials and bullets i showed you."
speaking to the messenger at the bath revealled the option for an entire set of traditional hunter atire, paying his fair share of blood echoes, the boy wears the new suit, which fits him perfectly, Wow that sure is convinent, this clothes feel really light and i look soo cool in the-
"Admiring the craftsmanship, good hunter?"
"E-eh m-Mr. Gherman?" that is beyond embarrasing.
"You know, this clothes have history, designed for the hunters of the church's workshop made for the Yarnhamites who came to Ludwig's call."
"Ludwig?"
"Yes, a controversial figure in the healing church, leader of their hunters, a hero for many who witnessed his hunts, he trained the common folk in an attempt to combat the scourge using the masses, yet for all his work he suffered much disrespect towards himself."
"Wow, that is really similar to some stories my grandfather used to tell me." so this land does have it's heroes.
"I didn't know that the church had hunters"
"Well many are not aware of that, it is not a secret, however it is not something the church tells everyone"
"Well that is kind of sad, the stories of my land's heroes were respected and told to others."
"The church has it's reasons that you will learn in due time."
"Still, i had many books detailing these sorts of stories, it feels wrong to ignore just them."
"You should go to the church district then, there you will surely find more about Ludwig and make yourself usefull as a hunter."
"Well you are right, the great bridge is the best way to get there right?"
"Learning the layout of the land already? yes it is the most direct way to reach the church."
"So then, i should get going, i got a few things to do before going there."
"As you wish good hunter, stay safe."
First, i should say hi to Ms.Iosefka, she really saved me there with her vial. The hunter then touches the gravestone to the first floor of the clinic, going upstairs towards the noisy floorboards and the door of the inner parts of Iosefka's clinic, knocking on the door, the response was quick and a surprised Iosefka appeared.
"Oh, you are safe, i'm afraid i still won't open this door, of course i will still do what i can to help."
"Thank you Ms. Iosefka, your blood vial really helped me in a sticky situation, i hope your patients are okay."
"Thank you for your understanding, really, many cannot conprehend the reasons why i keep this door shut, here take this..." she slid another vial past the door"...it will help you on your hunt."
"Again, i cannot thank you enough, you are a real help in the hunt, if you need any help do not hesitate."
After exchanging a quick goodbye the hunter continued his hunt, eventually stopping after a thought hit him pretty hard: I wonder if there are beasts who can talk, sentient ones, like the beast-folk of my homeland... perphaps, although it is pretty unlikely.
His journey to the great bridge was rather quick and compared to his other fights with the mobs of never ending beasts it was going smoothly, too smoothly in fact, something bound to change as he reached his destination and heard an ear shattering howl.
You gotta be kidding me! was the first thought in his head after looking at the giant beast in front of him, the cleric beast, a name he would later discover when talking to Gherman, blocked his path towards the church district and stopped his plans dead in it's tracks.
The beast was fast for it's size, too fast, it's movements surprised the hunter but he still sidestepped whatever he could, with each attack missed the beast was punished by a lashing cleaver and the occasional molotov, a simple weapon that still held it's ground as a staple against beasts, the battle was the most difficult he had ever fought as the beast quick and dangerous, too much so, however was but a single attack from it's natural end, ignoring what he learned before and jumping to go for the kill, the hunter was snatched in mid air and devoured whole, the beast's mouth was his last sight as he eas again brought to the ever calm hunter's dream.
That was something, still i can probably try again and kill it this time, i am going to need more blood vials thou- his thoughts were interrupted by the sight of the porcelain doll he disregarded as nothing more than an abandoned toy, alive and standing upright in a elegant stance.
"H-hello?" of all weird things i have seen today (wait is it even the same day?) this one takes the cake as the weirdest.
"Hello good hunter, i am a doll, here in this dream to look after you, be it to talk about the hunt or to serve you in other means."
"O-other means" the hunters face was a red tone not unlike his eyes.
"Honourable hunter, seek the echoes of blood, so i may channel them into your strengh and embolden your sickly spirit."
"Channel the blood echoes?"
"Yes good hunter, blood echoes serve more than just to strenghen steel, it also boosts flesh and mind alike."
so it's like a falma?, falna?, the name is something like that but i can't exactly recall it.
"Well i'm out of blood echoes, but i will return with more, soo... just hold on a bit?"
"As you wish good hunter, may you find your worth in the waking world"
.
.
that was weird, but at the same time, nice?, the doll does seem like a nice person soo maybe i should trust her? were the thoughts in the boys head as he bashed the head of a beast into the ground, the grey pavement, now red with the ever flowing blood was a disturbing sight, not for a hunter though, for as much as a novice is already enough to desensitize a human to the gore and violence of the hunt, even if the boy still suffers from it.
Staring at the pile of corpses left from the hunt he wonders if being an adventurer was truly his calling, neither was being a hunter but there was nothing he could do about it. Still he should go back to the dream, the doll is waiting for him after all, but before he could, he should do something about the blood he was soaked in, it wasn't something pleasant to look at and certainly not to smell.
After cleaning himself he went over to the doll who to his surprise was sleeping, not wanting to wake her up, the hunter looked around for something to do, he was a bit tired of combat so training was out of the question, he looked at a few piles of books Gherman had on his workshop and after politely asking for one he went to nicer place in the garden to read.
The book, "How to pick up fair maidens", itself was not that interesting but killed time just enough for him to finally be able to speak with the doll.
"Oh, hello good hunter, back so soon?"
"Well yes, i wanted to speak to you earlier but you were asleep, i got some more blood echoes and i want to see what was the whole, strenghen flesh and mind thing."
"Of course, now stand close and shut your eyes and let the echoes become your strengh."
So many options, i can choose between all these different things, i wonder what is bloodtinge? i think i will strenghen my health overall, it sounds better than chooisng things blind.
"Wow, i feel better than ever, but could explain to me a few things?"
"But of course good hunter as such is my purpose in this dream"
Eventually the conversation would evolve from more than just a lesson about blood echoes and more of a therapy session for the young hunter, they talked for hours at the gardens, the doll was a great listener and an even more insightfull companion who learned from many hunters about their problems, she listened him talking about his homeland and the things his grandpa had told him, and also about the hunt who was an all too familiar topic for her.
They spent hours speaking, although the doll was mostly quiet, after a while it became clear to her that the dream had been particularly cruel when choosing it's next victim, a kind soul with nothing to do with the nightmares of Yarnham, but such was the whims of the dream's master, she also notice the fixation the boy had for heroes stories and everything alike, he was a relatively new hunter so he could still recall the stories to perfection in every detail, she eventually knew everything about Argonaut and his journeys and other legends alike, but this childish wonder had to stop sooner or later and so the hunter returned to the hunt.
So he is just there now uh?, the hunter was now stronger and had a renewed motivation, thanks to the dolls guidance of course, mentally preparing himself for what he thought a though but winnable battle, he had no idea what eas about to come his way.
Running towards the monster with a feral war cry the hunter cleaved and slashed at the beast who fell down for a moment, but this moment was briefer than expected and he was soon launched by a sweeping arm and crushed by a giant fist, with his lungs out of air and an aching body who pleaded for mercy he used the new vial given to him by Iosefka, the healing was flawless and quick, just like the other one he had used, but the beast continued the fight in an onslaught of deadly and wild moves, swinging it's arms around, jumping up and down and most importantly trying to grab the hunter for another bite, the beast was about halfway through it's vigor when it finally managed to snatch him, instead of bitting his head off however, it smashed him into the ground various times, perhaps the fight would have been over right there if the beast never toyed with it's food.
"Doon't yoou understimate me you foul monster!" was the worst insult the boy managed to find before throwing another molotov he found lying around central Yarnham, sidestepping the retaliation the beast had given him just enough time to use his last blood vial and back off, one fourth of the beast's life was remaining and the boy new it was at it's last ropes and he was being carefull this time, thus the battle was sure to come to a close but before giving itself to the jaws of death the beast tried one last ditch effort to bring the hunter down, jumping towards him and, in a frenzy, swinging it's heavy arms, tossing the hunter around like a ragdoll, with but a small piece of his own conciousness the boy threw himself against the beas with his saw cleaver raised high, sidestepping an attack and lashing out while transforming his trick weapon, the beast lost it's footing and fell to the ground, as the hunter, now bruised and with a few broken ribs, raising his weapon and bringing it down on the beast, beheading the monstruous opponent.
Heavy and barely breathing, the hunter looked like living, walking corpse, still he walked forward to light the new lantern that appeared, as well as grabbing the badge that the cleric beast dropped, feeling his conciousness slowly fading, he touched the lantern in an attempt to go back to the dream, the usual grey fog covered him and sent him back to the workshop...