The Great Bridge...
My vision returned quickly. My hand was hovering over the lantern, and I was on a knee single knee. The dizziness of that dream came and went much like the feel of waking up from a long, gentle sleep. I felt restocked, refreshed, and relaxed all at once. It was an almost uplifted feeling of absolute bliss same with the fact the doll silenced most of the voices that roared and raved pure maddess in the dark crevices of my mind. The blood as been infused with my body leading me to believe that the Hunter's Dream isn't a "dream" per say. It still remember the sensation of ascension as if I was being risen above the stars themselves. It's only when the messengers at the grave open to me grasp my fingers is when I felt the fall. I fell from heaven, from comfort, from threshold of bliss back to this bridge with the stench of beasts and blood.
I've long learned the difference between.
I've returned to "The Waking World" as the doll aptly put; a different world but that's impossible. There's only one world as far as I understood it. Maybe there's different worlds connected to ours for the differences are night and day. The dream felt safe and warm. It was as if I could curl into the bed of flowers, enjoy the sweet and soothing scent, and listen to the soft wind as it brushes against my exposed skin. Here in the Waking world feels as if I've descended into the nightmare. Not A nightmare but THE nightmare as if all other nightmares are built upon this one. The architecture of the building the old man was in is alike the ones here same with the cobblestone and how it clicked under my heels.
A dream with cryptic dolls, it's probably controlled by something since she confirmed that there's stuff she can't tell me, and worse is the fact her face mirrored my own. Then there's the old man. He appeared weak and brittle but he's a man who guides hunters for a reason. I couldn't tell if he was alive outside the fact he was talking to me. His chest wouldn't move and yet I felt his breath when I drew in close. He's breathing and his movements are slow but intentional without a single quiver.
Ayyyraaaa!
The beasts below prowling the streets screeched followed by footsteps and screams very human but equally bestial filled my ears. Even from so high above the putrid and yet spine quiver scent of blood filled my masked nostrils.
"Once a Hunter, always a Hunter."
I climbed up to my feet with help of a new toy that I found hand all of the sudden. I hadn't noticed before until now, but it appeared to be a cane. This happened to be one of the… "trick weapons?" I muttered to myself. This is the first time this phrase came to mind. I pondered what a trick weapon was until I remembered my kirk hammer and it's ability to double as a sword. This is trick weapon of the workshop and it's commonly used by hunters on their nightly duties. Examining the cane I found the designs to be ornate and slightly sophisticated in nature. A strange weapon for a hunter to use until I realized my garb and it's practical use for stealth over armor. These are simple clothes afterall.
Sufficiently deadly by it's own right, this is a rigid bladed cane, but also serves as a whip that splits it blade into many with a cord made of special metal keeping the links together. Concealing the weapon inside the cane and flogging the beasts with the whip is partly an act of ceremony and an excellent way covertly dispose of beasts without getting one's self bloody without reason.
I didn't question where this knowledge came from. The blood carries echoes of the past so makes sense I can recall memories that aren't my own because of those echoes.
Did the messengers give this to me during the transition from there to here? Did they hear my cries of pain from being corrupted by the filthy blood these beasts shed? Is this their attempt to curl the bloodlust of the hunt so it will never encroach upon my soul? I remembered the words of the doll and smiled softly. "Aren't they sweet indeed." I looked down to the lantern and the messengers appeared to be waving at me, their arms up over their deformed heads as if excited. I reached down and placed my hand over them and they latched into it in moments. It wasn't rough or harsh but soft and lax despite the strength behind it. I nodded to them and said "Thank you very much." The messages appeared to comprehend my words and nodded eagerly. Despite being so… different they've truly cute and sweet to gift this to me.
They released my fingers and allowed me to climb back up to my feet once more. I shook off my cape then planted the cane into the stone below. Going to the dream cleaned me up and I've a new weapon so ready for more hunting. Speaking of weapon… where's my kirk hammer! I looked around for it and reached behind me touching my entire back searching for it. It was nowhere to seen. I know I complained about the weight a lot and hard difficult it was to get up after knocked down, but it was so reliable to crush beasts with.
"Where's my kirk hammer!" I nearly panicked.
"Ugugu." I shot my attention back to the messengers. Held in many of their little hands happened to be a bag; a doctor's bag. They placed it down between myself and the lantern leaving me bewildered in what I'm supposed to do with this bag of there's and what I could possibly hold in it. Still, it was a gift in a way though not a good replacement for my Kirk Hammer. I tried my best to keep the scowl that begged to surface off my face as I reached for the bag.
"Thank you, again." My tone was strained but held firm. As I picked up the bag I noticed immediately how impossibly light it was. It's as if it was made of paper almost. "Hmm?" I placed my cane in the loops at my right hip and examined the brown doctor's bag. It appeared plain with faded brown leather, cuts and abrasions across it. I could feel the history these cuts and scarring told me. This bag has gone through many hands and sense most of them never touched a scalpel once in their lives. It was a decent size and could fit on the belt loop at my lower back with a single button keeping it securely closed. I pushed the button and the bag flew open. Out of curiosity, I looked inside finding myself immediately bewildered as I found it empty. What I mean by empty was it was as off I couldn't seen the bottom of the bag despite the soft light from the street lamps on this bridge that survived the cleric beast. It was a bag of just… bottomless void. I held it up and examined the bottom of the bag and it's sewing. It was strong without missing a single slot. I brought the bag back down with my left held up. Slowly, my hand entered the void within the bag and I reached down straight down my shoulder! This bag is not that long!
"Okay, what is this?" I demanded from the messengers. Of course the messengers didn't answer because they can't talk. I sighed and returned to the bag they gave me. Obviously a bag is meant to store items inside and if bottomless technically can store a bottomless amount, but that's not possible. I reached in once more and tried to feel for something. "Damn it. I lost my Kirk Hammer for this thing," I scoffed harshly until I felt something brunch my fingers. I pulled my arm out swiftly nearly dropping the bag. There's something in there? I gulped before reaching back it. My desire towards discovery and curiosity got the best of me once more. I touched something warm and hard. It felt like the hilt of a sword almost.
"Impossible." I shook my head. I sat the bag down in the ground and reached in with more than hands gripping the hilt and in moments pulled out in its entirely my kirk hammer still covering in blood, fur, and the remains of all the deaths it's brought. "Impossible," I nearly chuckled feeling the grip on my sanity loosen once more. I tested it further dipping the hammer in and out repeatedly. I put it back in and thought of a blood vial and pulled one out in moments ready for transfusion. I sat down next to the bag gripping my aching forehead and took a breath.
"Beasts, holy blood, blood transfusions, people turning into monsters, dreams, talking dolls, voices in my head, and now a bag that holds a hammer five times its size, 20 times its weight, and yet the bag is weightless?" I breathed hard as I compiled all this madness together in a manic attempt to make sense of it all to nothing. None of this makes any bloody sense. I'm expected to just accept all this nonsense and hunt beasts and people? By the gods no wonder this town is going insane.
I took one last calming rest close to the lantern. Suddenly, I felt something touch my arm and looked down towards the messengers. They looked worried? I think they're worried. "Are you trying to comfort me?" I asked the little people. They didn't say anything but their little hands felt oddly comforting. I felt a bit better thanks to them though and breath feeling some relief from the madness. The fact I've my Kirk Hammer still helped too.
"Yeah, I need to pick myself up. Thank you little ones." They rose their hands up again as if cheering for me exciting a soft "tee hee" from me. I picked up the bag without further word and placed it on my lower back then climbed up with help from my cane. My Kirk Hammer as seen better days and covered in scratches and dents. It probably doesn't have a lot of life left so might as well play with this cane of mine for now. I'm not alone in this hunt and a place to rest away from this nightmare. I'm going to keep that in mind as I journey further through this city.
I quickly took in my surroundings. Despite how safe I felt near this lantern I did face a massive beast here. I noticed a small shine in the edge of my vision where the cleric beast was after my 360. I walked up towards it and picked up an ornate silver cross on an equally silver cord. In the center of the cross was a blue gem. It's pretty that's for sure. I felt compelled to hang this on my neck for some odd reason. Despite it being so pretty something this shiny would attract attention I don't need.
I looked down around my Hunter Attire. It's a lot of belts, loops, and other open sections that have purpose. I guess I'm missing gear meant to hang on them. One of these areas might be for those little trophies of mine.
"This is one of the badges crafted by the Healing Church." I heard but couldn't react to it. My body was stuck in place and my eyes focused on this… beautiful badge. "The silver sword is a symbol of a Church hunter."
Like looking through the eyes of another I saw a man standing before me atop a horse. He's garbs very much mirrored those to my left and right but my attention was stuck on this man. A man at the forefront wielding a sword that looked as maddening in design as it was beautiful.
"Ludwig was the first of many Healing Church hunters to come, many of whom were clerics."
The man on the horse suddenly began to change and with it so did many others around me. Beasts; they all became beasts.
"And as it was, clerics transformed into the most hideous beasts." One such beast lunged at me, and I was pulled out through a tunnel of black once it pounced. As my vision cleared the Radiant Hunter Badge was all that remained. It belonged to one of those clerics of the Healing Church then. Clerics that didn't turn into the monsters were probably torn to pieces. Out of everything I've hunted in Central Yharnam, something much ghastlier awaits me I'm sure. That man turned beast must've gave me this knowledge once I claimed his blood and coming into contact with his badge shown me the beginning and end.
"Poor man." I clenched the badge before placing it on a loop on my belt with enough room for more. I covered it with the flap of my coat and breathed in the stale air in this long night.
Need to get back to the hunt and try out this new trick weapon of mine. I slammed the cane to the ground whilst pulling a trigger underneath the cane head all together triggering the blades to become serrated leaving a section on the shaft to grasp. "Wonder how effective this will be." Tentatively I slipped my gloved fingers against across the serrated edges feeling the sharpness even through the leather. These would tear across the thick hide of the beasts like razors through butter. Maybe make a nice garrote on unsuspecting prey. I looked up towards the way I came to get to this bridge and saw a few large wolf beasts in the distance, a troll, and Crows before them. I killed a few of them before but seems more came out of the wood work. No matter, let's see how this goes.
I approached the Crows, I counted five of them, first. Once the first turned to face me I rose the cane up and flourished with a hard spin. The whip function flew and immediately shaved off flesh and feathers with ease. Not only did I hit one though, I hit three at once. The cries of pain let me know just how effective this was against these large bird creatures. The troll whirled around swinging its arms around as if lacking control and faced me. It slowly stalked up towards me so whipped it's next aiming for it's head. I scored a hit above it's brow nearly hitting the eye. The troll roared and leaped at me with blood dripping from its head.
I grit my teeth quickly shifting to the right as it shot past me. Seems the whip at my current skill level isn't too effective against these troll creatures. I reached back towards my doctor's bag and reached inside. Just as the troll turned around I was already in the air with my kirk hammer held up high in its hammer form spamming it into its head knocking the troll back. The heavy blow staggered it to the point it stumbled to the side of the bridge. I quickly placed the head in my back in its loop and pressed the advantage wit one more jump aiming the sword downward. I struck true trained by constant repetition thrusting the holy blade into its heart. The troll roared and reached for me. I pressed my feet against it's chest and leapt back in a smooth back flip back down to the cobble stone below with blood splattering on the bridge once more.
Craw!
I whirled around and slashed the head off one crow in the air that tried to pounce. I'm not sure how these Crows grew so large. I've seen a few I'd the flying about from house to house but ones this size, almost the size of a grown man, is stifling to witness. Kirk hammer for the large humanoids and maybe whip for animals and normal izexed humanoids would be best. The whip placed a decent gash on its head ripping through bone even but lacks the push back of my Kirk Hammer. Still, this bag the messengers gifted me with is very nice. I've learned fuidity is key against these beasts and seamlessly switching from a heavy to light weapon like this will provide many advantages.
I reached back with both hands, one to open the bag and the other to position the kirk hammer over. I let go and it dropped down without a sound. Guess that means it's in the bag again then. "Gonna have to get them a present next time." I promised myself this.
I faced the rest of the Crows all slowly approaching and held my cane up. Let's get a bit more practice in.
Cough Cough*
I heard familiar cough from beyond a gate further ahead. After being lost for what felt like hours wandering through this city without any inkling of where to go I began to learn each street and the sort of beast within each section I've had to contend with. The large ones were workers mainly in the mills, warehouses, and factories. Some practiced masonry and shown when I found a letter from how wife in his corpse after I took off his head. The human sized one worked as carpenters or butchers shown by the weapons they carry that woud traditionally be used for households not hunting beasts. I've yet to find anyone with a scythe then again with the severe lack of vegetation who here needs a gardener.
Just like this one at my mercy currently he must've kindle the fires of the factories. He ran down the stairs behind me with an axe and torch and swung both at me. Of course I kept my distance and lashes out his legs first and then his left shoulder holding the torch. I don't too much like fire and rather suffer the axe than the stake. I whip him once more forcing him around and finally took his back wrapping the serrated whip around his neck. My height advantage worked wonders as I could easily hold him steady. The blades oddly never harmed me despite obviously digging deeper and deeper in the bloody neck of the mad man before me. I waited patiently as blood drenched his dirty, dingy coat feeling a fading erratic heartbeat slow through the thread. His struggle soon came to a halt and I let him drop one he was still. For good measure I stabbed my whip into his skull transforming it back into a cane
I rested my hands on top and leaned against it, the cane held firm by the bones of this poor man's skull. Remarkably, this gift from the messengers has assisted with keeping my form cleaner than when I used the Kirk Hammer. I'd be a liar if I said I preferred whipping these beasts opposed to crushing them, but the former has kept me from drowning in blood. It's been a tremendous help especially against humans and the scourge beasts. The pain caused by this weapon alone has forced trolls to recoil. I can't imagine the sensation of blades passing through skin and bone so swiftly that by the time the pain registers in your mind you've already suffered two or three more lashes. The pain must be crippling.
I pulled the cane up with ease and approached the lever I spotted hours ago from the opposite side. I opened the previously locked gate that was next to the nice mana window. It's nice to see that Gilbert is still alive and well. As well as a sickly man can be.
I walked to his window and knocked.
Knock. Knock.*
"Huh! Who goes," he sounded surprised but relented to slowly creep up towards the window. I removed my hat and pulled down my mask so he could see me clearly despite the fact I still can't see him. "Ah, my lady hunter. You're safe." He sighed a hard breath. "I'm so relieved."
Just those few world washed away the pain I've been feeling throughout this whole ordeal. I've killed what felt like dozens from men to beasts alike. Each kill has gotten easier than the last but still it's left wounds. The smell especially haunts me. The smell of a blood soaked man is nothing compared to a corpse; fresh ones too. The blood, putrid and addictive, covers the walls, the ground, and the doors no matter where I turn and it's sickening. It's not sickening because of the smell but the sensation it brings within. This town is mad and this man… thus man is the only sane piece of it I've found to this point.
"Thank you, Gilbert. I'm relieved to see you alive a well too," I giggled a bit at this man. The fatigue of the past few altercations washed over me. I felt oddly safe in his spot even though I can hear the stalking of man Yharnamites in the distance. Still, I'm a stranger and yet this mab worried this much for me. Such a kind and cute soul. Unfortunately, I'm not naïve enough to believe myself safe and quickly cleared my expression.
"Gilbert." I called firmly.
"Huh? Yes miss hunter. Ah, I see you've found clothing and a weapon of the appropriate for a Hunter. You look like a vintage hunter now."
"I make this look good," I curtsy a bit feeling my seriousness wash away once more. Gilbert chuckled but that quickly turned into a fit of coughs. I shouldn't tease him like this. I'd hate to be the cause of him keeling off. "I've bad news. The bridge to the Cathedral Ward is barricaded. I can't get through."
"Ah, I see." Gilbert walked closer to this window and sat down on something next to it. I watched the shadow placed what appeared to be a cane, oddly close to the same shape as mine, down to lean against. "The great bridge is the only way to the Cathedral Ward and you say it's barricaded? Not just shut?"
"Yes. It's barricade from both the inside and the outside. I looked through the gate and the grounds appeared abandoned as well. I couldn't see a single soul past the barricade. I just don't understand what's going on here."
"It'll be fine my lady hunter. You've survived with nothing but your strange clothes before. Now that you're well equipped "heavy cough* I'm sure you can go the other way."
"Other way?" I thought on it and there was a bridge I could spot a distance away from the Great Bridge. One that led to what appeared to be a small courtyard and church.
"Yes, you could try the aqueduct. There's a rather, how shall I put it, colorful area south of the great bridge. I feel you might have seen it."
"I did, from atop the Great Bridge." Memories of the sewers made me shutter a bit.
"Good. From there, it leads to the Cathedral Ward… cough! Cough!" The man coughed harshly once more.
"Are you okay?" Now I'm getting worried. If this man took the same blood I have then he should be better. Not cough so profusely.
"I am… fine."
"No you're not. Look," I pointed outwards towards the clinic I awoke in. "There's the clinic down that ladder. I remember there being a bit of blood left from my transfusion left that can help you. I'll get it for you."
"You don't have to risk anything for me my lady."
"True, but I will. You've helped me this far so I'll do the same. We foreigners need to stick together," I finished off with a grin up to the man that's given me more advice than anyone else I've met thus far.
Gilbert was silent for a moment but soon said, "Thank you." That's all I needed to hear before turning in my heel to return to the clinic. I rose my mask back over my nose and my hat over my moonlight silvery hair.
Going back into the clinic really gave me memories I'd rather not fall back to. It was so bad that I started seeing delusions of other people dressed as myself before getting torn to shreds by that wolf beast. It's like seeing the many ways I could die but thankfully I've shaved off death so far. I pray it stays that way. I pulled out my torch to get some light into the area where the wolf beast was. The bloody body he was eating was still on the floor. Thank the gods for small blessings like my mask same with the medicine I've rubbing into it to block most of the smell of rot and blood
Looking over the clinic I found something strange on the floor.
Foot prints?
What's strange isn't that there's foot prints here but that they're point towards where I woke up. It's as if someone came here but why? What's here to find?
I rose my torch and watched it illuminate more foot prints both made from blood but also the dust. They led me to the room I woke up in, the doors now closed. Someone had to come here and now they closed off the clinic. Not today.
I placed my torch on a stand to the side to keep the light up for this. "Let's see what's behind this door." I reached back replaced with cane gripping the handle of the Kirkhammer. This thing is heavy enough to stagger beasts twice my size. This door would need only a single good hit from this to fly open. I stomped down into the floorboards. They creaked nearing the point of breaking but held strong to wind the hammer back.
"Wait!" I heard just as I was about to let go and bash through the door. A shadow of whomever is behind that door appeared. I couldn't see who but I can assume they can see me through the one-way glass.
"Please good hunter! Don't do that." It was a woman that was behind the door. I kept my hammer on my shoulder though more than willing still to break through this damn door if necessary.
"And why not? I need to get in there and you're not opening the door for me." I leaned in until my face was in front of what I think hers was. "I need blood healing."
"Then please wait… I'll grab you a vial. Please don't bash the door in. I have patients here and I must keep safe from the scourge my lady hunter."
"Make it quick, please." I said with my hammer resting lazily over my shoulder. The woman swiftly left. I could hear her going up stairs deeper into the clinic. She returned and opened the door a tad to present something to me. It looked like a blood vial but nothing like the traditional. The liquid inside was more an orange grey than red. I placed the Kirkhammer on my back and pulled out the sword.
"What is this?" I took the vial of serum or whatever was in this. The woman tried to close the door but quickly my wedged my sword between it and the frame. I figured she'd try this and she's lucky I didn't just bash the door with my hammer when it was opened a bit.
"Miss hunter, please." The woman begged.
"What is this?" I repeated.
"It's a special blood vial of my own making. Stronger than the ones you have. Much stronger."
It didn't look like a blood vial to me. This woman though didn't sound like she was lying. "Very well." I pulled my sword out and returned it to the hammer head that acts as a sheathe. "Who are you?" I asked the strange woman.
"I am Iosefka. This is my clinic," she claimed.
"You had a wolf beast downstairs and this door wasn't closed before. When did you get here?"
"I was upstairs. M-my patients here in my clinic came here with me to escape the hunt." I dropped my mask and took in a good whiff of the door. The incense to ward off the beasts was here so she could be telling the truth. I didn't get a chance to see past the room I woke up in so she might've been further in. She might have seen the beast and left my door open for me to be killed for all I know. I was a patient and yet didn't get protection like that. "I know that you hunt for us, for our town, but I'm sorry. Please. I must get back to my patients."
"Gahhh!"
A loud groan resounded from behind the door. That man sounded very injured, probably one if the Yharnamites injured by the beasts. I have seen men with their sanity still and helped a few. All this is possible, and I've no reason to argue it. "Very well." I turned back around with the vial in hand. "I can't used this for transfusion," I took note of its size. This thing was too large for a normal transfusion.
"You drink it." She informed me.
"Oh." I rubbed my head and sighed. Why didn't I think of that? They've these pungent blood cocktails for drinking and this didn't look that different. "Thank you. I'll leave you to your work."
"Thank you, and good hunting." I hummed from the woman's words.
I reached Gilbert's window and knocked once more. He approached and recognized me. "Ah, my lady hunter. You're back."
"And I have this." I rose the blood vial up for him to take. The window opened a tad. I watched as a firm hand belonging to a working man reached out the window and took the vial in hand. "I was told it's stronger than the blood of the church so this might help clear up that cough of yours."
"I… thank you so much for giving me something this precious. Wait here." The man left the window. I heard sounds of him throwing things around and toying with something. The window opened and what he held in both hands was some manner of pot contraption. "Here, take it. I have no more use for it." Gilbert offered me the strange contraption. It was a kettle of sort with a trigger at the handle. As I took it I examined the impressive workmanship that's gone into this ornate tool. I opened ilthe lid from the handle and saw small intents within on a small plate. Looking at them it appeared to be for bullets. On the first part of the kettle there's a pump I think to create pressure. The pressure building in the kettle, flows through the second portion of the strange contraption perhaps to ignite the fuel the bullets are compound into. Then there's the next part that funnels out what's created.
It took moments for me to recognize this as special weapon of the Healing Church. The Kirk Hammer and his weapon have an engineers brand upon them. The bottom of this kettle and the pommel of my sword have the same symbol. Still I asked the man "What is this?"
"It's a tool of the Healing Church. *Cough* it's called a Flamesprayer." He told me. "Sometimes the beasts of Yharnam could use a good cleansing."
That perked my interest. Cleansing and Church goes hand in hand same with crusade or inquisition. I looked up to the window that was closed back. "How do you have so much knowledge and now a tool of the Healing Church?" Gilbert coughed but not from his sickness. I think it was surprise. I guess the question is probably very personal or too incriminating to answer. I bit back my curiosity this time and shook my head. "Never mind. How does this work?"
"Quick silver bullets are needed as a medium but… must be blood-imbued to spit flames." He told me more information a normal foreigner shouldn't know. There's more to this man than meets the eyes. "My lady hunter…" Gilbert sounded a bit sorrowful now. I looked back up to the shadow of a man behind the glass. "I was… part of the Healing Church some time ago. A long, long time ago. This… was one of my tools."
I looked down at the Flamesprayer once more. It did look a bit worn from great use. The metal is dented with obvious claw marks along the side. It was probably used to save his life once. The care he has placed in this tool shown. Not a spec of rust could be found and it's clean plus well oiled. "If I may ask, but don't need to answer," I said swiftly. "Were you a Hunter like me?"
Gilbert coughed once more but said after, "No, my Lady. I wasn't a Hunter, especially one like you, but a friend to some. You… remind me of one such hunter. *Heavy Cough* She was beautiful and just as strong as you are now."
"I-I see." I cupped my cheek a bit feeling the heat through the leather or my gloves. I took a breath before placing the sprayer in my bag to be ready encase my pistol can't measure up. "I'll return later to check up on you Gilbert. Stay safe and get well."
"Of course, my lady," he responded but his tone was different now. Now it's like he's seeing someone else but not me. Someone from the past.
"Good luck in your hunt." I nodded and turned to make my way to the aqueduct. This new tool will definitely be handy down there.