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Bloodborne belongs to FromSoftware, Horizon Zero Dawn belongs to Guerrilla Games
Chapter 12: City of Blood
LOG: Start of Your Hunt: Data Corruption Minimal
Cyrus Bishop: It would seem that you've been allowed access to the deepest secrets of the old world. I've lived too many years to count and made a deal with the devil to save the world once. So, in accordance with my agreement, I am recording this to… introduce you to the world you've been drafted into. First, I am sorry. The Hunt is hell. There is no sugar coating it. Second, if you see something or someone that shouldn't exist, get used to it. That is a common thing you have to deal with when living in the Hunt. Third, if someone doesn't attack you, then they are friendly. I can't believe I have to point this out. The Hunt sees you as the enemy. Even some Hunters see you as the enemy. Allies, however, are few and far between. If you see them, learn from them. Now… what else? … Ah, yes. You will die. You will live. You will Hunt. No matter the form, a beast is still just a beast, and above all else, you are a Hunter. And Hunters must hunt.
…/…
When Aloy next awoke, she did not recognize her surroundings. She was lying on a cot in a wooden building. All around her were strange devices and equipment, many of the bags contained a dark red liquid. She slowly stood up. A pale orange-ish light shone through the windows.
The doors to the room were decorated with ornate iron designs. Nothing about the place was familiar. She walked through the doors and down the stairs. She heard the sound of something tearing into flesh. She carefully stalked into the room. Peeking around the corner, Aloy saw a massive black beast. Its maw was dripping with blood. A pool of it lay at the monster's feet. Aloy reached for her bow.
With a start, she realized that she was unarmed. She hurried back up the stairs into the room she had awoken in to find that her weapons were nowhere to be found. Just as worrying, her Focus was gone as well. The only thing she had on her were the clothes on her back.
Aloy crept back down the stairs. The large beast was still focused on its meal. Aloy quietly crept around the edge of the room. Her foot kicked a stray bottle. The sound of glass on wood drew the monster's attention. It raised its head and turned towards the origin of the sound. Even with the beast facing her, Aloy had no clue what it was. It had a long maw lined with sharp bloodstained teeth. Its claws were equally as long and threatening. The black fur along its back appeared mangy and coarse. The beast sniffed the air and growled. Aloy rolled towards the door as the monster leapt at her.
She ran through the door and the following room, barely paying any attention to the surroundings. She crashed through the doors to the building and found herself in the graveyard of an incredibly strange place. She could easily recognize her location as a city, but she had never seen nor heard of any building styles like what she was seeing as she looked around her. Tall, pointed spires and iron craftsmanship decorated the buildings. The iron gate around the graveyard was easy to scale.
Strange, large, wheeled carts were parked just beyond. A strange dead four-legged animal that reminded her of the Striders lay next to one of the carts. Beyond the fences was a sheer drop. Far below was nothing but fog. Across the chasm she could see a large bridge. A bridge stretched from one end of the chasm to the other. On the other side was a massive opulent nest of buildings and structures.
Above it all was a pale red moon. The same pale red moon she had seen in USRC and in the dream where she talked with Cyrus's patron. It felt wholly unnatural, yet it was still recognizable. The same power that backed Cyrus could be felt in emanating from the moon.
Punctuating everything was an unearthly bestial scream. Aloy had never heard anything of the like in her life. On one hand, it sounded angry. On the other hand, it was pained. The huntress stepped back. Another sound drew her attention. The groaning of a man.
Aloy hurried around the large cart and saw a strange sight. A man with unnatural extended limbs was just shuffling along. His clothes were reminiscent of Cyrus, but nowhere near as maintained as his. Stranger still was the fur that was growing on the man's arms and legs. The strange man dragged an old ax along the ground.
"Help me! Oh God!" The man groaned.
"Sir?" Aloy questioned as she crept closer.
The man turned to her voice. A look of pure anger came across his face. He struggled for a second before lifting his ax and swinging it wildly at Aloy.
"AWAY! AWAY!" The man called.
Another of the strange men stood up behind the first guy. He had a sword in his hand.
"Plague ridden rat!" The second man accused.
Recognizing the danger of the situation, Aloy turned and ran. While she usually wasn't a slouch in combat, unarmed was another matter entirely. Her combat training was almost always with either a bow or spear in hand against the machines. Rost had never taught her unarmed combat. Until now, she had never needed it.
Aloy vaulted over a wrought iron gate to escape the crazed men. She backed up, keeping the two crazed men in her sight. The sound of much heavier footfalls drew her attention. In the alley behind her was an incredibly large, armored man. The ax it held was much bigger and appeared to require two hands. At least he didn't seem to have the same fur the other two men did.
Aloy gulped as the larger being stopped walking and just watched her. Aloy left it as soon as she could. While it was just as hostile as the first two men, this one seemed content to leave her be if she left it alone. Something the unarmed huntress was more than willing to do.
Seeing no better course of action, Aloy began following the street. Its uphill slope was gradual and littered with more beastly men. Stealth in the strange city was easier said than done. For one, there was nothing natural for Aloy to hide in. Back in the world as she knew it, patches of tall red grass did incredibly well at hiding her. No such luck in this place. The only hiding places she could find were all behind the large carts and tall metal poles.
She made her way through until she came across a large courtyard. A large group of men were arrayed around a pyre. On the pyre was another strange monster she had never seen before. Fortunately, unlike the last one, this one was dead. On one of the carts, next to the fire, she saw another beastly man standing, watching over the gathering. The weapon in his hand reminded Aloy of Cyrus's pistol, just much longer.
Aloy crept around the edge of the gathering hoping that none of the monstrous men would not see her. She managed to get by and to the level above them without anyone noticing. She breathed a sigh of relief as she exited the courtyard through the gate beyond.
The open area the gate led was dominated by a rather ornate stone sculpture. A pool of stagnant water rested at the bottom of the sculpture. Aloy sighed in relief at seeing no one near her. She sat on the rim of the sculpture and tried to process everything.
An angry growl drew her attention. A mangy pale animal of some sort was growling at her. Aloy stood up, but the beast had already lunged at her. Aloy cried out in pain as its maws clamped down around her arm. Blood leaked into the beast's mouth, and it bit down harder.
"Foul beast." She heard one of the men mutter.
Glancing up, she saw one of them scowling and aiming his gun at her. The beast on him let go as the man shot at her. Aloy rolled away from the two and dashed up another set of stairs beyond the fountain. Another set of growls joined the first as she reached the top of the stairs. Two more of the pale mangy creatures leapt at Aloy.
Thinking fast, she rolled underneath them and ran past them. Another man with a gun aimed at her from behind them. Her roll took right into the man's personal space. Aloy didn't even think twice about bowling through the man. He stumbled backwards as Aloy climbed up onto the massive bridge she had seen earlier. To her relief, it was clear of any more beasts, save for a couple dead corpses and pools of dried blood.
Aloy just ran towards the more opulent buildings at the far end of the bridge. Her arm was throbbing and bleeding still. She clutched it to her chest as she hurried to the other end of the bridge. It was a hope against hope that someone would be able to help her.
She passed under a stone arch and could see the bridge ended in a closed iron gate. Aloy slowed to a walk. The loud scream from earlier resounded again. This time it was much louder and much closer.
A massive beast leapt down onto the bridge from above. Aloy could tell this thing was much stronger than anything she had seen before. It was easily more than twice as tall as her. While it had a vaguely human shape, it was still very much a beast of some sort. A pair of horns on its head and the extended jawline of its face were menacing enough. To top that off was the incredibly massive left arm. Pale gray fur ran along its body and the beast screeched at Aloy.
Aloy rolled under the wild swing of its massive arm. The beast screeched again and slammed its fist into the ground. The shockwave threw Aloy off balance. She struggled to stand. Before she had recovered the massive beast picked her up in its smaller hand.
Aloy struggled to break free from its grip. The monster screeched once more. Aloy stopped struggling to cover her ears. Unfortunately for her, all of it was futile as the monster lowered its head. The last thing Aloy knew was the monster biting into her flesh. Its teeth tore into her chest, and she knew no more.
…/…
Cyrus grinned at the little ones who had appeared on the steps into the workshop. He knelt and spoke to them.
"I know a new Hunter is joining us, but I've already got a weapon for her." Cyrus said.
A brief look of disappointment crossed over the little messenger's face.
"I know, it's tradition." Cyrus said. "But trust me. She'll be better equipped with what I have already."
The messengers looked thoughtful at Cyrus's statements. Eventually they nodded and vanished back into the ether.
"You have a way with the little ones." Doll spoke up.
"I have been a part of the dream for millennia." Cyrus replied. "Besides, it doesn't take much to appease them."
"You said we have a new Hunter?" Doll asked.
"Yep, I suspect she'll be here soon." Cyrus answered. "Five echoes says she found a lantern."
The Doll's head tilted in thought.
"Five on a scourge beast." She replied after a minute.
Cyrus chuckled as he sat on the wall next to the Doll. The two waited in silence for a little while.
"Flora of the Moon is pleased." The Doll finally said.
"I don't suppose the Moon Presence wants to weigh in on our bet." Cyrus grumbled.
"No." Doll said. "It is simply pleased. Soon enough the Roving Hunter will be here."
"Roving Hunter?" Cyrus questioned.
"Yes. She journeys across her world, roving back and forth to find answers to the questions she has." Doll stated.
"Fitting." Cyrus said. "I'll never understand how you do it. How do you always know the right epithets to give us?"
Doll just shrugged.
"Still won't say?" Cyrus questioned with a smile. "Still though, it does fascinate me."
"How so, Good Hunter?" Doll asked.
"The titles you give us are always fitting. Then you never call us by our names. Not even when I've asked multiple times." Cyrus answered. "I've only ever heard you call one Hunter by their name."
"And you freed Gehrman a long time ago." The Doll finished.
"What do you think he would have done in my situation?" Cyrus asked. "I've been a part of the Hunt and the Dream far longer than he ever was."
"I don't know." Doll answered.
"I'll wait for Aloy in the workshop. She should be here soon." Cyrus said. "I need to find her a proper weapon."
"As you wish, Good Hunter." Doll answered.
Cyrus stood and left the Doll sitting on the little wall. She was content. His presence always filled her with joy. She pondered back on her life. Cyrus had slowly but surely taught her how to be human over the years. She'd never truly be one but feeling emotions like happiness still felt good.
Several minutes passed in silence before a quiet yet persistent hum filled the air. A woman with shockingly red hair materialized into the Dream. Doll immediately knew she was the Roving Hunter. The redhead lay still, breathing deeply for a few seconds before she shot up. A look of pure unadulterated fear across her face. She immediately began patting down her body, particularly around her midsection. She looked down and saw her arm. The pale scar of a nasty bite wound, easily visible against her skin, reminded Doll of the harsh realities of the Hunt.
The new Hunter visibly gulped as she lowered her hand. The fear and confusion refused to pass.
"Calm yourself, Roving Hunter." Doll spoke up. "You are safe here."
The newly christened Hunter spun to face the Doll. The Doll's calming, peaceful demeanor put Aloy off guard.
"What… What happened? Where am I? What in the name of all that is good was that?" Aloy questioned, her breathing still labored. "Am I dead? I died! All-Mother above, I died!"
"Calm yourself, Aloy." Cyrus said as he walked down the stairs from the workshop. "Just breathe. Focus on your breathing, I'll answer your questions."
Aloy did as she was bid and focused on breathing. Her shaky, labored breaths slowly but surely evened out into calm and deep breathing. She sat on the wall next to the Doll and tried to center herself.
"Now, yes, you did die. No, you aren't dead." Cyrus spoke up. "You are a Hunter now. And this is the Hunter's Dream. The only respite you will ever receive from the Hunt."
"How?" Aloy asked.
"Perhaps it's best to start with where she was, Good Hunter." Doll spoke up.
"Probably." Cyrus agreed. "Aloy, where you just were is the Nightmare of Yharnam."
"Yharnam?" Aloy questioned, her mind finally calming. "I thought you said it was destroyed."
"It is, in the Waking World. The Nightmares and Dreams aren't on the same plane of existence as the Waking World." Cyrus said.
"What?" Aloy asked.
"The world as you know, we call it the Waking World. It is the reality outside the Hunt. We can visit freely, but as Hunters, we aren't bound to it. We are now bound to this Dream." Cyrus said. "Your physical body can and will wither away into nothingness, but your… spirit will be forever bound to this Dream until you are granted release. Hence our inability to stay dead."
"So…" Aloy prodded.
"Yes. You did die." Cyrus confirmed.
"However, Roving Hunter, you aren't dead." Doll finished.
"Who is she?" Aloy asked.
"Aloy, this is the Doll. Doll is the source of much of my strength." Cyrus said.
"Roving Hunter, 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." the Doll recited.
"What?" Aloy asked.
"As you Hunt, you will receive blood echoes from those you kill, so long as they bleed. The machines don't have the same echoes." Cyrus said. "They are the echoes of the person's will, I think. It's my best guess. Anyways, if you want to know what it was that killed you, I have to know what it looked like."
"Uh… it was big. Had white fur, large horns… two arms, one much bigger than the other…" Aloy described.
"Cleric Beast." Cyrus stated. "We were both wrong."
"What?" Aloy asked.
"The Good Hunter and I had a bet on how you would reach the Dream." Doll answered.
"I thought you'd find a lantern, she thought it would be a Scourge Beast." Cyrus said.
"Scourge Beast?" Aloy asked.
"Large black dog-like beast. Usually, the first monster you'll see. Fairly certain there's still one that hunts in the Clinic. It got me my first time." Cyrus mentioned.
"This is a lot to take in." Aloy admitted.
"It always is. I've never met a Hunter who was disoriented, confused, and terrified upon joining the Hunt." Cyrus said. "Now, to get you outfitted for the Hunt."
"You have my weapons?" Aloy asked.
"Nope. They're still in the waking world." Cyrus said. "For whatever reason, my patron only allows the trick weapons of a Hunter into the Hunt. They'll still be waiting for you in that room where we administered the makeshift transfusion. In the meantime, here is a weapon for you that can go between the Dreams and the Waking World."
Cyrus held out a strange, curved sword. Aloy noted the odd seem that ran along the blade. She hesitantly took a hold of it. The blade was heavier than it looked.
"I don't know how to use a sword." Aloy said.
"That's something you can learn. No, it's the weapon's second form that will interest you. That is Simon's Bowblade. Give the hilt a good strong pull." Cyrus instructed.
Aloy did as Cyrus told her. To her surprise the blade morphed into a metal bow. It was much heavier than the bows she was used to, and it had no string. Nor did she have any arrows.
"Now what?" She asked.
"Hold it and pull back, as if you held an actual arrow." Cyrus instructed.
Aloy readied herself and aimed out into the void beyond the fence. True to Cyrus's expectations, as Aloy pulled back where the string would be, a glowing blue arrow formed on a now visible string. Aloy's shock at their sudden appearance caused her to release earlier than anticipated, and the arrow sailed limply over the iron fence.
"It's official." Cyrus spoke. "Aloy of the Nora, you are now a Hunter."
ERROR-DATA_CORRUPTION-BEGIN_FILE_RECOVERY…/…
Data Log TEH-012
Thus, Aloy joins the Hunt. Thank you to all who read this, your feedback and views are much appreciated.
Goodbye viewer; Fare thee well.
End Log S.T.K.