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"Gehrman, would you spare a student some of your time?"
The crackling of fireplace resounded in the silence between us. Light illuminated the nearby bookshelves, revealing my hunched form sitting on a chair with books strewn around me
Today's lesson revolves around [Blood Alchemy]. With [Weapon Crafting] maxed out the weapons I wield are harder to break, as well as cheaper to maintain, so lately I have not been visiting the Hunter's dream
I have learned that I can fortify my gears inside my own reality using [Workshop creation]. It still costs Blood Echoes, but I am learning to reduce it to zero by exploitng the system
"So formal. Haven't we been exchanging talks and lessons between your hunt outside of Yharnam?"
That's true. The skills he taught me was a helpful addition to the ones gathered from the system, allowing more deadly combinations to be made toward individual beasts from different areas. This ensured that my techniques is on par with my power, as a hunter must excel in both to hunt efficienctly
The knowledge he imparted on me of old yharnam was particularly enlightening, in which includes subjects like the town's shortcuts and the many beasts that haunts it aside from those seen in the game. I aslo had the chance to explore different aspect of Yharnam's culture that had not been stated in Bloodborne
Had it not been for Gehrman and the Gamer ability, my journey in this world would have been very difficult, if not possible to advance through
But there's one thing he would avoid telling me. As was other Yharnamite, Old hunter Gehrman was a man with many secrets - some of which I am privy due to the game ending, and there's one particular subject that he always avoid whenever it comes up
"What do you know about the Vileblood?"
It would have taken a fully trained hunter's eyes to see the barely unnoticable flinch on the old man's frame
"Not much. Some of them are told through tall tales, some are just rumor, and some turns out to be truth. Why are you asking?"
"Because I was sent an invitation to Cainhurst" I did not gave him the envelope. Doing so would have made my teacher aware of the content inside, and then my identity would be brought into question
No, better do this myself
"An invitation? From the queen herself?" At my nod he let out a wary sigh, looking several years older than he already did "Can't you just not go?"
"My curiosity is larger than my fear of death. It puzzles me that she would send me this, so naturally I must investigate"
"Curiosity is a dangerous thing for human, good Hunter"
"So is fighting beasts on the street, drinking blood from an unknown source, and gutting maneater pigs in their back entrance" I shivered at the memory "Next thing you tell me, I'm going to have to kill Eldritch gods and their stillborn babies"
Gehrman chose not to tell him
"Listen, young blood. Though I may have been rather discrete during our talks, this time I would be blunt. You are not advised to enter there. For Hunters, it was the most dangerous hunting ground in Yharnam. And sometime...the predator becomes the prey. The bloody crows lurked in the shadow awaiting their chance to struck them down as a present for their queen"
One eye cracked open to peer at me
"Having said that, you're still going to accept the invitation, aren't you?"
"It would be ungracioous of me to decline the offer" I mock bowed. He chuckled, though it soon turned back to serious
"Then I suppose as the teacher, I am inclined prepare you a history lesson, is that what you're saying?"
"Basically the gist, yes"
The old man's hands gripped tightly against the wheels of his chair as he spun around and rolled toward a nearby shelf. His hand reached up, pulling out a small, dusty note from a hidden corner
"One of my most skilled apprentice is a woman hailed from the Cainhurst's royal bloodline" He started. I shifted uncomfortably at the mention of her "Though the stories she used to tell me when we are simple hunters were far and few in between, I can still recall some of them. Chief of them is the tale of how Vileblood were created, which was recorded down this notebook"
He handed me the note
"Read this along the way. I could just take some time and lecture you like usual, but-"
I smiled, repeating his words
""Experience is the best teacher there is""
____________
Fear the Old Blood
As is everything that come before, Cainhurst has a story of its own. A history long forgotten by the residents of Yharnam, buried beneath the terror of the Hunt and the eternal night plaguing it
A bloody history, might I add
It starts with the introduction of the Old Blood, as is everything else in Yharnam.
Rediscovery of a lost civilization from times immemorial is a shocking surprise to the students of Byrgenwerth, but not as dreadful as the thing they found inside it, living and covered in moss, yet as alien and unperceivable as the day they found it
A Great One, a daughter of the cosmos, made contact and allowed scholars in Byrgenwerth to extract the fluids running inside her.
A Great One, a being whose presence is enough to shatter reality, whose voices are spoken on such a high plane of existence that men either can't understand them or went mad trying to, offered them a chance of studying it, to finally make humanity's dream of evolution possible
The thing that ran in their veins can hardly be called blood due to the sheer paleness of it. Yet, it carries the name "blood" due to the symbolism behind older beliefs regarding its origin
Blood runs in human veins, emboldening their spirits. It is the blood that guides them. It is the blood that makes them feel alive, makes them feel human. Blood, in the simplest of terms, can be referred to as "life essence". So, it is misunderstood by the people back then that simply injecting blood, regardless of the origin, inside their body will heal them of their ailments
And that is exactly what the Great One's extractive does. It heals.
The most infective of ailment. Healed
The most serious of wounds. Healed
Snapped bones. Torn flesh. Missing limb. Healed. Healed. Healed. All with a drop of that accursed blood. The scholars were overjoyed at such a discovery, seeing what could only be counted as rewards for their years of research
But did they immediately starts distributing it to the people immediately after discovering its miraculous healing property?
No, these intellectuals conduct research on live human to test the limit of the healing blood.
They would experiment, observe, then improvise the blood to fit their own design, after that the experiments started again, this time in hope of finding out how to twist this liquid and perverted it to their own desire. A blood that would constantly heal, despite the patient's agony. A blood that would grant them immortality, despite their will
A blood that would grant them knowledge, regardless of their sanity
And thus, the tainted blood was birthed. Only, a problem arise
The doctors argued among themselves. Some want to keep the knowledge of the Blood to themselves, some wants to share the joy of godhood to the masses, and some, like the Provost, grew to despise it, deeming the Old Blood too dangerous to be a tool for ascension
It was a disillusioned scholar that went to test them on the nobles of Yharnam. Those of the higher class, distant descendants from the queen of Yharnam herself, took interest in the healing blood and their miraculous properties.
Tempted with the promise of power, they allowed that scholar to secretly inject them with the blood. The Great One's extract, combined with the lingering effect of the Pthumerian bloodline allows each of them to experience a half- transcendence.
In an effort to become something more than human, they did not realize just how less than human they had became
Their skins and hair, regardless of their colors, became a pale shade as white as the snow of their home. Their physiques changed, losing away fat and growing substantially taller. Though a small part of them are still human, looking at one of them would be no different than looking at a...Doll
And in return, the Cainhurst nobles came close to true immortality more than ever. Their anatomy reacts to the echoes, granting them superhuman strength and speed, as well as an affinity toward blood. It is also these reasons that will later caused them to be orchestrated by the people of Yharnam
Monsters, they are called. They forsake the good blood's blessings in exchange for corruption, an irony that is lost at that moment in time. So the Cainhurst gates are closed - the bridge that led to them sealed, but not burned down. A martyr later took advantage of that in his crusade against queen Annalise
A bottle of tainted blood, consumed by an entire bloodline, cursed them to a cruel fate forevermore
______________
Like most tales in the Souls universe, the story of Cainhurst is a tragic one
The chilling wind of winter howled around me. My midnight coat fluttered, standing out amongst the white snow around me in abstraction.
Up above, a crow flapped its wing, it's crimson eyes surveying the area for any potential threat. Not seeing any, it glided down and landed on my shoulder, a high trill escaping its beak
The carriage had stopped. The horses are long dead. Now what stood before me is the imposing sight of an abandoned castle, once a hunting ground for the executioners, and before that a place of living for the noblest of Yharnam
Bricks made of stones, with blurred windows looking down at me. My nose twitched as the pungent smell of blood reached my nose, far older and intoxicating than those back at Central Yharnam
Something about the sight...agitated me
"Welcome to Cainhurst. We hope you had a nice stay"
Foreign memories...forgotten, but remembered
There's no doubt about it. I have been here before. The question is how? How could I have recalled this when I am only a normal man from the real world pulled into this terrible nightmare?
Perhaps the answer lies upon what is not spoken, but what is seen.
My boots crunched against the snow as I made my way up the castle ground. As usual I explored the surrounding land to find more loot. Fromsoft has a tendency to hide items in obscured places, so it is always wise to take your time with each location
Especially if said location may contain stray enemies. In such case, it is better to take them out first before proceeding
Ludwig's Holy Blade swept along the ground, swinging upward in an arching strike as it buried itself into the Bloodsucking beast's stomach. I twisted the handle and ripped it out, causing a geyser of blood to ruptured from its hideous stomach
I quickly sidestepped as a tongue lashed past me, blade deflecting the tongue whip of two other beasts before dashing in again as I engaged with the third one. A swift thrust, two horizontal slashes, I Quickened back as another two other jumped me from the sides, smashing the ground with their claws
Snow scattered from their strike, allowing me to circle to the left and ambush one of them with a parry. As the visceral landed I squeezed down on the innards, tearing the monster's insides apart
My afterimage blurred as one of them attempted lunged at me. The bloodsucking beast did not have time to react as a greatsword speared through its back, pinning the creature in place. I drew my pistol, killing it with a shot to the head
The thin blade was ripped from its sheathe as I blocked the claw strike of the second beast. Gusts of wind roared from the blade as I used [Razor's Edge] to cut him in half, revealing the last one mid-way lunging at me. [Instinct] flared up as I threw a knife that hit it between the eyes
[Gravity Pull]
It smashed against the ground, driving the knife fully through its brain. With that final blow, the last of them were taken down
I pulled the holy sword from the beast's corpse, flicking the vile thing's blood away before sheathing it back to the holster
Taking on a horde of Bloodsucking beasts at the same time is not the best idea. But it's nothing an average Hunter couldn't handle
I shook off the remaining blood and, ignoring the severed corpses around me, start picking up the scattered items
+9 [Frenzied Coldblood]
+3 [Tempering Blood Gemstone]
+6 [Numbing Mist]
Having found them, I made my way up the staircase and into the castle itself.
The large gates creaked open as I pushed them aside, where only silence and darkness greeted me. Blood stained on the walls, where ruined cobwebs and cobbestone lies. My eyes quickly scanned the room and picked out the different items scattered about
Wooden floor creaked under my foot as I quickly collected the items.
'4 Madman's knowledge and...ah..of course, my guiding blood'
I kicked open a chest. Inside laid a rapier blade, heavily coated in dust from a long time of inactive duty. Yet still, the blade remains deadly sharp
+ [Reiterpallasch]
A fond smile crossed my face as my hand gripped around the rapier. Even though this was the first time I'd directly touched it, the blade felt exactly as I'd imagined it to be in game. Gripping it in my hand almost felt right, familiar even
I whipped it to the side, watching the weapon snapped open to reveal the barrel beneath it. Another flicked of my wrist sent it smoothly back to long blade mode
In my first and last playthrough of the game, I had always opt to choose the bloodtinge build. Natually Reiterpallasch, Chikage, and a few others including the Bloodletter has been my main weaponry against most of the bosses, aside from Lady Maria whom I just cheesed with a cannon
Seeing this familiar weapon in an unfamiliar land, it brought a sense of safety to me
CLANG
I quickstepped away from the transluscent shape behind me, hand already grasped around the handle with the rapier's blade poised toward them
Chilling gale ruffled my coat as the gate creaked opened, flashing the the pale form of the Widows in the darkness surrounding me
The sound of whisper reached my ears. Instinctively I dashed back a second time to put some distance between me and the Bound Widows. So absorbed was I in inspecting the weapon that I forgot their presence
There was a tense silence as I watched their transparent silhouette drew closer to me. Most of them stood to the side, blocking the entrance and the staircase, while the tallest one in lead stepped toward me
I secretly drew my firearm behind my back, my body already tensed in readiness to Quicken away at the merest sign of hostility. She stopped in front, just a step away from me pulling the trigger on her
And then the Bound Widow...bowed to me
'Welcome home, young Lord'
"...." It took my mind half a second to comprehend what they said, and another full second to come up with an intelligeble response
"kjwunlsdnlkad-I'm sorry what?"
I lowered my blade in confusion, watching as the white-clad women all followed suite, their heads bowed to me not unlike what Vicar Amelia had done. Thankfully they did it with dignity and respect, as opposed to feverish chanting and prayers to me
After a long silence of confusion and anxiety, I finally gathered my wits. The widows are still bowing much to my surprise.
Why are they genuflecting? There must surely be a reason. Ever since coming to Yharnam my mind had been hard-wired to believe "everything is hostile unless proven otherwise", so it's unlikely I would so easily drop my guard around them.
Most likely they are tricking me. A form of deception for a sneak attack. I warily glanced behind me, but saw nothing. Or perhaps they are waiting for the right moment to strike? It's unlikely for my paranoia to wear off, so I allowed them to rampant through my head while I grew agitated at the lack of movement from them
They may be just faking it. However, even then I have to do something about this
I cleared my throat
"You...may rise?"
All at once, they slowly rose. The one in lead slowly stepped forward, her hollowed voice echoing from the space around us.
'For so long we have waited, you finally returned. This call for a feast of the greatest proportion'
My eyes gazed down at the woman's slit throat, wondering just how she can still be capable of speech
'But alas, a feast is no more possible. Sister Annalist is in trouble, trapped in the hand of that fiendish martyr. You must rescue her'
I stepped back as they took to swarm me. Though their body language displayed no hostility, it would not hurt to be wary
"I know none of you. Yet you speaks of me as though we are acquaintanced. Why should I trust any of your words?"
'The young master must have been quite tired from his journey here. Why that brat Maria, leaving her spouse to suffer such cold shoulders' A ghost balked, completely ignoring my question 'What uncouth manner from a lady of nobility'
Amidst the middle of that conversation, I stood there in confusion. Not only was one of the supposed enemy in Bloodborne being friendly to me, they are also looking up to me as the "young master". Surely the name must mean something
I rifled my mind for that word
Young master. A young man who is one's employer or social superior, used especially by servants to the sons of noble families or of the gentry, or "scion to a respectable line with faith in their pedigree". A person of nobility, in other words
And I chose the [Noble Scion] with high bloodtinge as my Origin class...
I don't like where this is going
'It does not matter. Now that our master is back, we of the Cainhurst bloodline could finally let go of our purpose'
The Silver Lady smiled
'Come, Lord. The castle recognize you as its master. Let us not waste time in idle chatter'
They moved toward the door before I could reply. Reluctantly I followed after them. We passed through many winding hallways, some of which are being cleaned by the castle's servants
The Indentured Chavelier, instead of attacking me like in game, instead bowed to me. Some of them shook their head in disbelief before immediately prostrating to me as I passed through
The widow in the lead, which I will now call the 'head lady' - not because she is holding her severed head in her hand, but because she's the one with seemingly the most authority among them - clapped her hand
'Lighting, please. We must show hospitality to our esteemed heir!'
Candles flickered on, showing a dining hallway of luxurious quality. The interior starts rearranging themselves into a neater order. Tables set into parallel rows while silverware set themselves upon the table as the castle's servants get to work
The Head Lady guide me to the farthest seat of the King's table, where I figured is only reserved for a person of great authority to sit on
The other Boound Widows stood the side like royal attendants, while the castle's servant brought out a bottle of wine and a silver cup. As the liquid was poured down the intricately designed container, I noticed its red color was unnaturally dark, and the smell it has is ore intoxicating
"Blood of an Ashen hunter, my Lord" He grinned "Dated to te' times of Old Yharnam's destruction, a drink fitted to those such as yourself"
I hesitantly eyed the blood
Sure, I'd injected them some times before. But...drinking them? Does the nobles reallly have a taste for this?
'We are terribly sorry for the castle's state. A decade of human presence can lead to neglect of our duty, but that should not be an excuse for you'
"That's alright" At this point I don't know what else to say "Just...what do you want from me?"
Since they have shown no apparent ill intent I was forced to play along. These widows may have been aiming to kill me, but it would be bad manner if you reply to hospitality with rudeness
'While you were gone with your oversea endevors, a lot has happened' She placed a dish in front of me. Dried lamb heart 'A vicious Church Hunter, Logarius, along with his brand of brothers formed a group called the "Executioners". Together they led an assault on our castle, brutally slaughtering the knights guarding it, before executing us and the children '
Snarls and hisses of rage, combined with choked sobs reached my ears in a tragic cacaphony of noises as the other Widows grieved at the mention of their family
'Silence, you will not show such disgracefulness in front of the young Lord!'
As the hall once again become quiet, I crossed my arms in front of me.
The hunt had long been forgotten at this point, overwhelme by the desire to find out about what transpired here. Not the history, but the lives of the people inhabiting this castle before their eventual end was playing in front of me
"And..queen Annalise?"
The name felt so familiar coming from my tongue. I realized with growing dread that just like the castle itself, I also had a history with her
'She is among the living. But imprisoned deep within the heart of the castle. Since Logarius tried and failed to kill our Queen, he ldecided to lock her up with a crown behind veils of illusion'
'As expected of the First Blood, she truly is unkillable!'
'We'll see about that, Giselle. We'll see about that'
"From what you've told me, Logarius is a formidable foe. I suppose you want me to kill him and free the queen" I pierced the fork through the blackened lamb heart and placed a knife on it, slicing off a section that I then put into my mouth, chewing somewhat to get a taste
Blergh
I quickly drank the wine in hope of washing the taste off, only to realize a moment later that the servant did not lie about it being old hunter's blood. So not only did the heart's bitter taste not go away, it is now enhanced by a decade-old blood sloshing around in my mouth in a disgusting manner
Someboy please kill me
"I-In that case, I will need some information on him" I coughed, finally managing to swallow down the abomination. At the very least my stomach doesn't seem to reject the horrendous meal "How he fights. His history. Also, I will need some access to Cainhurst's libary. Do you think you can do that for me?"
If they're going to call me young lord and starts offering me these terrible food, I might as well use them for all they're worth
'Of course, young master!'
Rather than being put off by my demeanor, the ghosts beamed at the command
Coming here was a mistake
<><><><><><>
"...."
"Is this really okay?"
I asked in concern
The Bound Widows surrounding me nodded.
Around us was a cacaphony of noises. The yelling of servants, the dropping of books, and the sound of interior scraping along the floor as they are moved to make space for me
I had expected them to be reluctant in handing what can be called free service to a hunter like me. Not only was my expectation broken, it was also threw to the ground, be trampled upon by metal boots, get tossed into a grinder, before finally being lit by Molotov fire.
How can people be so happy when ordered to do something?
"Master Hunter, here are the chests of equipement that may help you in your fight. Please feel free to take as much as you want" A Cainhurst knight servant said as he placed stacks of ornate boxes atop my table. I walked over and opened one of them
"Gold. Jewel. Money" I blinked "Did the Executioner not take them?"
'Take them? Those hideous monsters won't even come close to whatever they deem as Vileblood's possession'
"I won't be taking these. Currencies are no good on the night of the Hunt" I continued searching, stacking up some Blood Vials and Blood Chunks among many other things
+1 [Bold Hunter's Mark]
+ [Knight's Set]
+ [Knight's Wig]
+ [Executioner Set] (The ghosts hissed at this)
+ [Knight's Set]
+ [Noble Dress]
Since most of my storage in the Hunter's Workshop was already near its limit due to sparse use, I put them in inside my own reality using [Workshop Creation]
If there's an advantage that came with this skill, it would be its limitless storage storage. Since it is my own reality I can infinitely expand it to store more items, and directly recalling them to my side at any given moment
After another while of filtering I came across a familiar face. A sleek, ornate long pistol with a curved handle greeted me. The scent of blood was strong, inviting me to wrap my hands around it
+ [Evelyn]
I decided to put the Hunter's Pistol away. It has been a good companion for me through the hunt, but it is now time for it to rest.
"And these are the records, books, notes and potentially useful documents that may contribute to your battle"
+ [Vileblood Register]
I picked them up and inspect the record. There were a few names among them, mostly unrecognizable from the game itself. There are no player name, as deductable from the lack of numbers and special symbols usually associated with gamers
My hand traced the yellowed pages. The record was old, at least five years must have passed since it was last updated. Yet still, I can make out the names written on it with clarity
"Catherine du Couteou" and "Maria LeBlanc". Each with over fifty blood dregs offered, along with details of their biography under their name. One came from an old family of Cainhurst knights, the other an accomplished swordsman that is under training to become a full-fledged hunter
"Is this-"
'The same Maria? Yes' The Head Widow smiled with a hint of pride in her tone 'Your fiance is not the weak wallflower most ladies from nobility are. In your time gone travelling she has been busy in her training'
Ah, I forgot Maria and I...Lady Maria and I were supposed to be betrothed. I would argue in this case it could not be the same person as the name itself is common. However, a Maria that hail from Cainhurst while being a skilled hunter is few and far in between
Thus, I was forced to swallow a bitter pill
I'm the boyfriend to a Bloodborne boss. Color me surprised
<><><><><><><>
Author's Note: You may not know it, but everything in this chapter has already been foreshadowed or some time
A painting of Lovecraft made using the artist's blood. Just thought it would be cool to put it here
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