"Are you alright, Miss Ais?!" Lefiya asked as she runs up to her. "You're wounded!"

"Nothing a healing elixir can't fix," she assured.

"It's pretty much over for the hordes of Yharnam," Jonah said. "Now it's just a matter of simply hunting down the strays, which won't be hard since I've never known them to run from a fight . . . Although I must say that I'm impressed with the adventurers of Orario," his tone respectful to the others around. "You all really held your ground against them."

"Why thank you very much, Mister Theron," Finn answered. "And I must say that you are certainly impressive yourself as you were able to fight them without a Falna."

"Right, now fuck off with you!" Bete snarled at Jonah from close by.

"Jonah!" A familiar voice shouted.

Then grabs onto him.

"Hello, Tiona," Jonah sighed.

"Guess what?! Guess what?!" Tiona said while staring up at Jonah while still holding onto him. "I fought so many of those freakish monsters!"

"Good for you," Jonah said dryly.

"And I did it all with this!" Tiona said while letting go of him then bends down to pick something up and show off.

"What sort of a weapon is that?" Jonah asked.

"It's called an urga!" Tiona chirped. "And I used it to chop through lots of those monsters!"

"I see," Jonah said, then turns to Bell. "We should go and meet up with Hestia."

"Right," Bell said.

"The Argonaut can go, why don't you stay here?" Tiona said as she has ahold of Jonah's arm.

"I'm afraid I've overstayed my welcome," Jonah quipped as he looks from a scowling Bete to an equally scowling Tione. "Besides, I'm only over at Babel."

"Oh yeah," Tiona mused as she lets go of Jonah.

"Let's go, Bell," Jonah said.

"I also want to meet up with Loki," Riveria said. "So I'll accompany you two."

Together, the three leave. The streets are a mess of blood and the stench wafts in the air. All along that route, they encounter the corpses of various monsters.

"It's a nice night," Bell said while looking up the moon.

"Indeed it is," Jonah agreed while looking up. "And I also ended up collecting a lot of blood echoes tonight as well."

Only to stop, prompting Bell and Riveria to do the same.

"Is something wrong, Jonah?" Bell asked.

"I collected their blood echoes," Jonah repeated intently.

"I've heard of what they are," Riveria said.

"So have I," Bell said. "Those are the echoes of the people that those monsters used to be. But what of them, Jonah?"

"Those Yharnam monsters that invaded two days ago," Jonah noted, "did not drop blood echoes after I killed them. I wonder why?"

"Maybe it's because they entered our world through the Dungeon, in other words a different route?" Riveria suggested. "So maybe they lost their blood echoes upon entering our world through that route."

"That's about the only thing that makes any sense," Jonah admitted, then starts walking causing Bell and Riveria to fall in. "But on to more important matters now. Do either of you have any idea as to what will happen to me after all this?"

"You'll probably get banished from Orario," Riveria answered.

"That's what Goddess told me," Bell added.

"Yeah, I figured," Jonah said dryly. "Then if that's going to be the case, maybe I'll go look for the One-Eyed Black Dragon."

Bell chuckles. "Goddess figured you were going to do that."

They arrive at Babel and there is a crowd gathered around up next to the Tower.

"What's that all about?" Bell asked.

That crowd suddenly breaks away, turning and running with startled looks and yells.

". . . What the heck are those . . .?!"

". . . They came right up after he turned that on . . .?!"

When the crowd cleared, Jonah, Bell, and Riveria can see it.

A lamp, now lit, and with . . .

"Little ones!" Jonah exclaimed, then quickens toward the lamp from his world with the Messengers underneath it.

Bell and Riveria watch as Jonah now standing before that strange lamp with those strange beings underneath it looking up at Jonah as he bends over to them.

"It's obviously something from his world," Riveria said.

"And those are obviously friends of his," Bell winced.

They continue to casually approach as they watch Jonah converse with those beings. They nod in synchronization, then shake their heads in synchronization.

They stop close as Jonah rises then turns away from the lamp and strange beings to regard Bell and Riveria.

"We know that lamp and those things are from your world," Bell said. "But what are those beings?!"

"They're nothing to worry about!" Jonah answered. "Okay, now listen. I learned that this lamp will take me to the Hunter's Dream, but it will disappear once I leave here."

"So this is farewell," Bell said flatly.

"Bell, go find Hestia and bring her here," Jonah said. "I want to say goodbye to her too."

Bell nods and hurries off. Jonah turns to Riveria.

"Riveria," he said empathetically. "I want to thank you for what you did for me while I was in the Twilight Manor. I really appreciate that."

"You're quite welcome," Riveria said with a smile. "And I really appreciate you catching me. Jonah."

The Good Hunter smiles, and a surprisingly pleasant one at that.

Bell soon returns with Hestia, and even Loki, in tow.

"I only came along because Riveria accompanied you guys," Loki sneered, then notices the Messengers. "Eww, what are they?"

"They are nothing to worry about," Jonah answered assuredly as he walks up to Bell and Hestia. "Bell, I'm pretty sure you explained the situation to Hestia."

"Yes, he did," Hestia answered instead, then looks. "That lamp is from your world and it will take you away from here and be gone afterwards."

"I just want to say that even though it was only for a little while," Jonah said, "it's been great knowing the both of you." Then shakes hands with Bell, then Hestia. "Thank you for letting me stay at your place. And I'm sorry for the trouble I caused you."

"Ah, well, you're welcome," Bell answered as he rubs the back of his head.

"Yeah, we're kinda gonna miss you, Jonah," Hestia said.

"Now while Tione and Bete will be happy to hear that you're gone, hopefully never to return," Loki piped up in her usual mischievous manner, getting Jonah's attention. "Tiona is gonna be cryin' a river of tears, and probably Riveria. We gods all saw how you caught her."

Jonah looks back to Bell and Hestia for a moment, he nods, then turns away to walk back over to the lamp.

"Wait!" Loki said as she extends a hand momentarily, causing Jonah to give pause and regard her once again. "We watched as you battled those monsters. We watched as you fought to defend that orphanage all by yourself until help arrived."

"Yes?" Jonah said dryly. "And your point is?"

"My point," Loki begins in bewilderment with opened eyes, "is that I managed to capture you, had you stripped down to your underwear, shackled, beaten, imprisoned, and made you do yard work . . . ! And throughout it all, you remained humble about it . . . ?! How come you never went into killing mode on us since you have that much power and skill to begin with?!"

The Moon-scented Hunter sighs while looking upward in thought as he scratches his head.

"You know what?" Jonah finally answered as he lowers his hand then regards Loki in a statement manner. "You're right . . . I could have gone into killing mode on you and your entire familia. I could have busted those manacles, grabbed my Saw Cleaver, and painted your manor with blood and strewn your guts and theirs all over the place . . . But what would have been the point other than to make a bad situation worse? So . . ."

Loki gasps in wide-eyed shock as Jonah is now up in her face while holding the serrated side near the left side of her neck. The others also gape as well.

". . . be thankful I can afford the luxury of humility," he said coldly as he glares into her eyes as his gaze seemingly bores through hers.

Jonah takes a step back as he returns the Saw Cleaver to his back while turning away, and walks toward the lamp. Loki grimaces as she momentarily rubs the left side of her neck on a reflex.

"Oh," Jonah suddenly said as he stops before the lamp with raised hand and forefinger as if having forgotten something important, then turns, "but I do have one final thing to say to you Loki, and I might as well include Riveria: tell Bete that his arrogance will be his doom."

Then turns to the lamp while kneeling and extending his right hand to the Messengers. A white light envelopes the Good Hunter, the Messengers, and the lamp.

They disappear.

"He's gone," Bell sighed.

"Good riddance," Loki humphed.

"We were fortunate he was someone who understood how to be humble," Riveria said.

"But you cannot deny that he was a good man because of it," Bell said.

There is a moment of silence.

"Now we have a city to clean up and repair," Hestia said

"And adventurers to level up," Loki said. "That battle has definitely earned a lot of adventurers lots of Excelia. Isn't that right, Riveria?"

"Right," Riveria answered.

"Come along, we're headin' back, " Loki said as she starts walking. "See ya, bunny boy. Oh and you too, shorty."

Hestia scowls after Loki.

"Come along, Bell," she sighed as she turns to walk while taking hold of Bell's arm, making him walk with her. "Let's get your status updated."

"I wonder what Jonah's gonna do?" Bell said.

"Probably go back to hunting monsters," Hestia answered.

Riveria and Loki are walking.

"He knew," Loki said while still looking forward. "Jonah Theron knew exactly where you were gonna fall from, and when. Now I truly know that he had far more going for him than just plain ol' intuition."

"I agree," Riveria said. "He can perceive a certain distance into the future."

"And he could also perceive when he is being watched by gods be they invisible or not. Freya told me that he saw her through her Divine Mirror that day when he first entered Orario. No doubt he could see us but was ignoring us as he was battling around Orario. I can also tell you now that he really did have that cool, sweet, bloody smell about him."

"It's strange that neither I nor the others could smell anything like that from him."

"Only us gods could smell it. And Aisy-poo too. Also, since Mister Theron had ichor pumped into his veins to replace his blood, that technically makes him a god."

"It makes one wonder if Jonah Theron is still human."

The Hunter's Dream, a place of perpetual night with a full moon that is perpetually up in the sky. The Workshop, now in flames, is on a hill surrounded by fields of white flowers. There are headstones that lead to various places back into the waking world.

Gehrman sits in a wheelchair out back, where Jonah briskly enters and stops only long enough to get a visual on the First Hunter.

"Gehrman!" He yelled upon getting it and runs to him.

Gehrman regards the Good Hunter, who finally stops before him.

"You were gone for a long time, Jonah," he said in a tone of curious relief. "That must have been quite the hunt you were on."

"It was," Jonah answered. "Now what is all this?!" As he gestures at the flaming Workshop.

"You've done well," Gehrman instead answered in a solemn manner. "The night is near its end. Now, I will show you mercy. You will die, forget the dream, and wake under the morning sun. You will be freed from this terrible hunter's dream."

There is silence, stillness even as Jonah stares down at the First Hunter in contemplation.

That stillness is broken by the Moon-scented Hunter casually raising his right arm to reach over his right shoulder, removing the Saw Cleaver then lowering it down to his side. Then finally breaking the silence.

"No."

NOTE: Epilogue coming.