The beasts of the bridge laid before me, their bodies completely pulverized by the power behind the hammer on my shoulder right now. The same can be said about the third brick troll I've face and it's crow like beasts. After traveling through Yharnam and hunting like there was no tomorrow I finally reached this bridge. My kirkhammer was saturated with blood same with my sword. There's so much more for my to hunt with these amazing weapons through. My pistol came in handy forcing the same position I can place a beast in at the right time I fired upon the beast. Stabbing my hand into the chest of a beast felt more pleasurable than going through the back.
"Finally," I breathed out. It took too long for me to reach this damned bridge. Longer than is legal. The bridge to the Cathedral Ward only to find the bridge blocked off by damned carriages and other stuff. I'm not climbing over all this stuff any time soon. These gates are beast proof and higher than life. I might get impelled trying.
"God damn it," I sighed and turned on my heel to find another way. Maybe Gilbert will know.
SCREECH!
My blood froze when I felt the screech of before. I remembered it from when I was climbing that damn ladder after leaving the clinic. Then I felt it. All my senses flared as the beast that made that screech landed behind me. I could smell it, feel it, smell it, and practically see it despite my back facing towards it. I turned though. I had to turn around and see this monstrosity for what it was. Somehow, I knew what it was. I'm not sure how, could be because of the Madman's Knowledge I've acquired before, but this thing was a Cleric beast. A beast that should be as large it the thing that's standing before me now.
The beast dropped down to its smaller arm and sized me up. Its head was as large as me. It sniffed my body openly checking me out. "So, you're what happens when a cleric becomes a beast?" I said more than asked. I'm not sure how I know, but I do.
Must have pissed it off because it shot up to its hind legs and roared. I placed the hammer head back on my back and pulled out my sword. After a good couple dozen of prey, I've gotten comfortable with my new weapon. I've fought many wolf beasts, and this is just another, just a bit bigger.
"Don't like being reminded that you're a man turned into a beast. Well don't worry," I took my stance with my pistol at the ready. "I'll free you from this dreadful existence." The roared at me instead of thanking me for my mercy to come. That's fine though. I don't need thanks for doing hunter's work. The cleric beast crawled at me placing a smile on my lips. I shot to the side away from its hand that slammed in the placed I was in and slashed across its arm. I ran beneath its leg to the back. I slammed my sword into the hammer head and slammed it against its back leg forcing it to buckle. It dropped to the ground leaving its head open for a hammer slam it met in moments. It screeched throwing its massive arm towards me. I was hit but let the force drag me back away from it.
"Not gonna make it easy for me huh?" I asked not at all expecting an answer. It stood back up and fired at me. I stomped down forcing me back and slammed it arm down in front of me. The force pushed me back further. It's massive and it's strength shows. I slashed at it's hide but my limited about of strength made me incapable of cutting through. I'd have to use the hammer and force then.
Like a dance, I flowed through the attacks of the Cleric beast taking my time with waddling it down. I slammed the kirkhammer into the join of it's massive arm with a heavy attack and it backed away to nurse it wounds. I threw the hammer back and swung it down on it's foot making it fall down to the stone of the bridge.
I felt it. I felt it before I knew it.
I dropped the hammer down and walked to the beast as it struggled up to it's knees. The moment it looked up to me was when I stabbed my hand into its neck. The beast cried out when grabbed hold of its essence. I pulled it out and it fired away from me. I collected my hammer once more and charged at it. I can't let this beast recover and quickly attack relentlessly.
It scored hits on me, crushed my arm, and nearly took my head, but the blood kept me moving. I attacked despite being injured and my body shaped back together faster than the blood every could. Yes, this is a hunt. This is what I'm here to do. To save the city from beasts like this and nothing will stop me.
I rose the hammer up and slammed it against it's claw forcing it back. Once more, with all my strength, I slammed the hammer into his head and forced the cleric beast back into the side of the bridge. It fell in a heap of blood and limps, alive but very weak. I placed my hammer head on my back and drew my sword to end this. It rose it's small arm but a pistol shot forced it back down in moments. I stopped at it's head.
"Rest." I placed a hand on its head with my sword in position to trust into it's head. "Rest knowing that this nightmare is over." The beast simply looked at me and suddenly did something that shocked me. It closed it eyes. A beast would never do this only further proving that what I hunt isn't just beasts but people that turned into monsters. "Rest," I repeated once more. I thrusted my sword into its head. The beast didn't move an inch. I felt the blood of the beast enter my form as proof enough that it's dead.
"Rest," I said for the third and final time giving my respects to the power man or woman that turned into this. The cleric beast went still and then suddenly faded away. Another one of those "Strange Yharnam Occurrences" to add to the list. Normally the body doesn't' go anywhere but this one did. Still, I was left alone on the bridge with no way into the Cathedral Ward. At least I had a moment to rest.
I leaned again the side railing of the bridge and leaned against it. I've used up seven blood vials against that beast. It hit hard and my clothing is nearing its breaking point same with my weapon. Once the sword breaks I won't be able to use the hammer. I'll be left with a head that can barely wield without a handle. I'm low on blood vials and gear with the blood within me screams loudly. In the midst of the hunt they're easy to ignore but not during the quiet times. The quiet is louder to me than anything else. I wish I could silence these voices.
Hmmmmm.
Humming. I heard humming.
I looked up. I didn't realize when I gripped my head with my hands but looked up past them and saw a other one. A lantern on a wooden stand in the middle of the bridge. Another one but what's it meant for? I activated the other but didn't find a use behind it. The little beings at the bottom beckoned me forward like before. I pulled myself together.
"Come on. It's just a lamp." I slapped my cheeks. Something to get my senses back. I walked to the lamp and touched it. The lantern glowed brightly singing a beautiful song. A sound that resonated with something in my body calming the voices within. I touched the lantern against to let this sound take me. Then it all went black.
I opened my eyes. A sense of tiredness faded away. One I built for my hunt for that last… goodness I'm not sure how long I was hunting. My fatigue was gone though and felt as if nothing every happened. I was on the ground through somehow. That lantern took a lot of me but the trade of having my fatigue fade away quite a bargain.
I climbed up to my feet and breathed in the air. The air smelt and felt different. I pulled my mask down to make sure it wasn't just the mask. My air around me was completely different of the air on the bridge.
What happened?
I looked around and to my shock I wasn't on the bridge as I remembered. I surrounded by tombstones slightly obscured by a deep fog surrounding me. The fog cleared a bit once I climbed up to my feet revealing a large building in the middle of the graveyard I woke up in. What the hell?
Before the building and with me in this graveyard stood a single woman. One with a face very reminiscent to my own. It was like looking in a mirror only this woman was dressed so pricy and cute compared to me. I'd never be caught dead in those clothes and yet she wore them well.
I walked up to the woman and she bowed respectfully towards me.
"Hello, good hunter." The woman greeted me. Even her voice was very close to mine if only a bit softer than how I speak. What is this thing?
"I am a doll," she answered my unspoken question. It sounded ridiculous until I looked a little closed at the woman. Her hands were segmented like a dolls. She spoke but her mouth didn't move either. For all intents and purposes this thing was a doll. A living, talking doll that blinks. Not the strangest thing I've seen today unfortunately.
"Where am I?" I checked out my surroundings once more. "This place doesn't feel like Yharnam. There's no building either."
"This is a dream and I am here to look after you."
"A dream?" I asked the doll. She nodded her head stiffly. "So I've bloody fever dreams, beasts as tall as houses, and a talking doll one of these dreams." I listed off all of this feeling a headache coming. I can't catch a break even when I sleep since this is a damn dream. How did I pass out on that bridge for this to happen? Is my body okay? I need to get back asap.
"Honorable hunter," the doll pulled me from my thoughts. "Pursue the echoes of blood, and I will channel them into your strength. You will hunt beasts... and I will be here for you, to embolden your sickly spirit."
"Right," I finally answered this doll's nonsense that has my face. I brushed past her and aimed for the little building above. I past by a couple of those little beings in pools of white serum like around the lanterns to the open doors. Inside I found was could be called a workshop. An alter was at the end and work benches on sides. I spotted a large coffin labeled "Extra" above where the lock should be. Amidst the books and papers scattered everywhere was an Elder gentleman in a wheel chair. The man was missing a leg as well. He appeared out to lost and didn't seem aware of me at the front of this workshop.
"Excuse me." I walked up to the man and stop directly in front of him. The old man looked to struggle just to lift his chin to look up to me. He peered at my face.
"Ah," he pointed at me. His hand didn't tremble and was remarkably still. Normally people this age can't control their bodies like this. This man could. Then again this is a dream and I'm humoring it at best. "You must be the new hunter."
"Yes." I shrugged to follow along with this dream of mind.
"Welcome to the Hunter's Dream. This will be your home, for now. I am…" the old man took a moment to think. "Gehrman, friend to you hunters."
Old man can barely remember his name. Why is he even here?
"You're sure to be in a fine haze about now, but don't think too hard about all of this. Just go out and kill a few beasts. It's for your own good. You know, it's just what hunters do! You'll get used to it..."
"I suppose," I muttered. "I've already killed my fair share of beasts though. What can you offer me to help me hunt?"
The old man smiled at me. "This workshop for one. It's where hunters like you have used blood to enhance their weapons and flesh. We don't have as many tools as we once did, but... You're welcome to use whatever you find." This old me gestured for me to get closer. I leaned in as he wished. "Even the doll, should it please you..." he chuckled.
Creepy much but what else would I expect from a dream after everything I've been through today. I huffed and walked to the work bench first. I saw a small book on top of it and gave it a skim. This bench had the purpose to infuse blood stones into my weapon through use of blood. I did find a few shards of blood I could use so placed my kirkhammer on top and got to work hammering them in. My blood covered the hammer I used alarming me at first. It didn't hurt and assumed it was part of the process. I couldn't do much but it's something.
This dream wasn't to bad. A massive improvement to the evening streets of Yharnam. It's quiet, comfortable in the workshop with a fire in the center, cool outside at a perfect temperature, and I can do little things like this. Fake black smiting only with blood instead of fire or ingots. There's the scent of flowers in the air as well almost calming my thoughts.
"Did you speak with Gehrman?" The doll dragged me out of my thoughts. I blinked taking in my surroundings. I didn't even realize when made my way down from the workshop. I frowned at the mention of that perverted old man as well. Telling me to use the doll if it pleases me was weird in every way. I'm too old to play with dolls let alone one my height, sharing my likeness, and betraying signs of life.
The doll probably noticed my sour expression but made no note of it. She looked up towards the work shop and said. "He was a hunter long, long ago, but now serves only to advise them. He is obscure, unseen in the dreaming world. Still, he stays here, in this dream. Such is his purpose..."
I didn't understand any of that she just said.
"Look Doll," I stomped up to the doll. "I don't care about that old man or anything about him. I just want answers to my questions, understood?"
"Of course good hunter. Whatever you want to know I'll answer to the best of my ability."
"Good. First off," I pointed to the little people at the small fountain and around the workshop. "What are those things and why do they follow me everywhere I go?"
The doll turned to see what I was pointing at. "Ahh, the little ones." She turned back around to face me. "They too are inhabitants of the dream. They find hunters like yourself, worship, and serve them."
"And the Lanterns I've seen them at?" I questioned.
"They are your guide back to this dream." The doll answered in my voice. By this point it was starting to bother me.
"Speak words, they do not, but still, aren't they sweet?" The doll spoke in the same tone. It's pretending to copy human life as far as I can tell.
"You mentioned echoes of blood before. What are those?"
"I am sure you noticed. With each kill you abide the echoes of blood, gathering them and housing them even now." The doll said in a soothing tone.
"But what is it?"
The doll titled her head to me. It was a gesture of one confused by something. "They are the Bloody memories of those cursed by the plague of the Beast. Carriers of blood belonging to the ancients."
"Ancients? What are those?"
"Those above that of humans. Many of the ancients have existed before humanity and some after. Their blood is what you need to embolden your strength."
"And pale blood is the blood of the ancients I can assume?" The doll didn't answer this time. Her lips instead arced upwards into a maniacal smile. One that left me uncomfortable more so than being in that sewer did.
"Yes, good hunter. You could say that it is."
"So I'm hunting a God? An ancient? That's why I'm here?"
"I… cannot say anymore." I was about to protest until I saw this shine in the Doll's eyes. Was it not her choice? Can she answer only so much? I left this questions for another time though.
"Fine." I breathed out.
"Forgive me for not being any more help good hunter." The doll bowed to me once more.
"Instead tell me more about emboldening my strength as you told me."
"Yes good hunter." She doll held her hands out for me I think to take. I placed my dominate in her hands and she kneeled down. "Let the echoes become your strength," the doll recited. "Now shut your eyes... And envision what you wish to have enhanced."
I closed my eyes and thought on what she said. I thought of maybe my vitality. I can't take hits too well. A stronger body is one that lasts the longest. I thought of my skill as well to assist me with moving as a Hunter should easier. I've amble strength to use my weapon and don't need much more.
My mind was made up. Skill and vitality are my main areas meshed with Endurance so I can dodge more often. I noticed a few times my lack of stamina cause my retreats to be too slow earning blows I wished to avoid. The doll did as she promised and strengthen my body faster than even a year's worth of training could do.
"Wow." I rolled my shoulders and found them relaxed and loose. I could get used to this. Most noted is the quiet. The voices are gone. This made them go away. My thirst for blood was dampened severely on top of this. Maybe this is what the old man meant by using the doll. If so it's a priceless commodity.
"Thank you, doll."
"Of course, good hunter." The doll gestured to a set of tombstones. Only one had messengers as she called them at it. "Touch the tombstone. The little ones can transport you back." I nodded without another word and walked to the messengers.
"Farewell good hunter. May you find worth in the waking world."
I waved back at the doll before resting my hand over the messengers. A set of them grabbed hold of my fingers and everything went black once more.