Chapter 18: The Martyr

Author's Note: I decided to stop the chapter before it got too long. Next chapter will be posted soon

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'Young Lord, these armor of Cainhurst would surely do some good for the upcoming battle'

"Thanks, but I would rather wear this" I tapped the Hunter Set's leathery texture "It's been with me since the start of the Hunt, and I would feel rather lacking to fight something without it equipped"

'But, it is tradition for a knight of our line to wear it when directly challenging a foe' The servant begged. In response I simply shook my head, continuing with my journey to castle's rooftop to fight Logarius

"I am not a knight, merely an average hunter" I gently replied to the servant's stuttering. He excused himself and scurried around the corner, bringing about a feeling of slight guilt within me

'My, young lord, please don't mind them' The ghost lady appeared beside me 'It has been a long time since they have someone of genuine flesh to serve that they could not contain their zeal. It would be best if you assert some degree of control once in a while'

"Do you not mind me being a hunter?"

'Not at all'  She smiled 'If anything it only makes you and little Maria more of a pair than before'

Something inside me squirmed. Thank you for that pleasant yet unpleasant reminder, lady

'Regardless, as the outfit provides decent protection, I would not interfere with your decisions. You may even wear an Executioner set, for all we care'

I nodded in appreciation for her understanding

"If I may ask, why are you still ghosts?" I tilted my head "No offense, of course. It's just that...people often die when they are killed"

And the people who ended up dying but are actually alive are proof of how messed up this city is

'Oh, we thought the young lord would have known. Since we are immortal, our death is merely that of our physical bodies' The lady smiled a wicked smile, baring her teeth 'It is the reason the Executioner were all vanquished in their siege of the castle. As ghosts we brought bloody vengeance upon them. A fate that they wholly deserved, if I may add'

'However, one of them proves more annoying than we thought' She

"Logarius...of course"

'Yes, and considering he wield, we are afraid the servants and us would be of no assistance during your fight with him'

But that leaves the question of what Alfred is. From what I've been told he is an Executioner, but how could he be when all but one of his kin are dead for a decade ago? 

No, better question yet is the method to which Logarius had bound this castle to him

It was...quite interesting to say the least

'We have provided all the assistance needed. Now all that is to be done is hope for the best'

I gazed at the sword hung by my side. The familiar weight settled into my hand as I drew it forth

A blade made with intricate marksmanship and a dash of nobility, befitting the gallant knights of Cainhurst. How it comes to feel so right when within my grasp, I can only guess

New Quest created

- Kill Martyr Logarius without the use of Familiars ot Hunter Phantoms

Reward: 20,000 (+5,000) [Blood Echoes]

<><><><><><>

With Reiterpallasch in my right hand and Evelyn on my left, I stood there in the raging snow storm

Once a hunter, now the supposed heir of Cainhurst. In the last hour my journey in Yharnam has taken a turn for the...worse?

Better?

Both?

On one hand, I don't have to stumble throughout Cainhurst fighting ghost ladies and insane servants to reach Logarius. 

On the other hand, said ghosts and crazy servants has now turned into overzealous subjects that wholeheartedly support me in my endevor to Logarius

As ghosts and inhabitants of this castle, they are not capable of stepping foot outside it, left to forever wander its desolate hall. That is, if the martyr before me was not taken care of

'We of the Tainted Blood may not be immortal in flesh, but it is in spirit we are unresting. Transcendence of our bodily vessel prevents us from passing away into the Higher Planes. And it is thanks to Logarius's curse that we may remain so in our eternal torment'

A thought sprung to my mind. The description about a certain wheel of the Executioners did state that they are imbued with tortured souls of the vileblood to increase the potency of the weapon. What she just said not coincide with that

'Logarius had placed a most wicked dilemma on us. Until he remains here. Until that scythe remains in his hand, we would not be able to let go of our immortality...'

My eyes gazed across the rooftop, landing on the throne at the other side. On it sat an old, tattered corpse clad in white garments

With flesh decaying from time, yet still preserved through the chilling cold of Cainhurst, the Martyr looked just like an undead going Hollow from the inside

'We plead of you, young Lord'

The corpse's finger twitched as powerful presence spread from it. Slowly, ice cracked as the man stood up from his frozen throne, his bearing hagard yet regal.

My eyes landed on the scythe on his hand'

A dark, red scythe, trapping in it hundreds of tormented souls screaing out for salvation. A weapon designed to be the Vileblood's bane, wielded by the strongest Hunter to grace the Church since Ludwig's time

A single promise, burning deep in my mind

'Severe us from this damning fate'

"Since all of you've offered me dinner, it would be rude of me not to do so"

I calmly prepared myself as he stepped toward me. Ludwig's Holy Blade and the Saw Cleaver put to the side, now leaving only the Reiterpallasch with me as I raised it, matching the stance of the Executioner

There were no need for pleasantries. This is a battle between a man from Cainhurst and the very thing created against them. Bloodshed is, and will be the only result from this fight

The snow underneath me exploded as I lunged forward. My charge clashed witb Logarius's scythe as he swung it downward. A zephyr exploded from our brush as we separated from each other, furious sparks of fire created from steel flying off to the side as we did so

He elegantly twirled the scythe. For a moment it glowed a deep red, before a dozen skulls veiled in red aura burst forth from the blade's tip rushing toward me. Like missiles they zeroed on my form and instantly homed in on me with no hesitation

I sliced four of them apart, before turning tail and run

Once I got out of their range, the crimson projectile simply dispersed.

It seems my hypothesis is right, the scythe contains the Vileblood's souls which allow their wielder to harness the power from them. The magic displayed is a part of their souls, which means Logarius has to recall them after a certain threshhold had been passed so as not to permanently lose them

The air behind me shifted. I didn't look around before firing Evelyn over my shoulder, hitting the martyr in the middle of whatever attack that he was planning to do

Quickly reloading the thing, I used the gap in reaction time to jump up a nearby tower, using it as a ledge to execute another leap that put me midair. My coat fluttered in the wind as the point of elevation between us become apparent

[Gale Force]

[Instinct]

[Razor's Edge]

I activated all three skills at once, firing off a burst of powerful wind that blew away the surrounding snow. I then used the wind to propel myself downward, my blade clashed with Logarius's a second time, drawing blackened blood as one of my wind blades grazed against his cheek

Retracing my movement, I landed in a roll and sidestepped the the martyr's vertical scythe swing, dodging the second sword swept from the side as I did so, evaded only by my enhanced sixth sense in response

A tenth of a second later and my head would be gone. It's only expected of a powerful hunter like him to be able to pull that off

Before he continue the chain of combo I closed the distance between us with successive bursts of Quickening, each time dodging a powerful swing from his weapons as gale erupted from our bouts. My pistol roared once, stunning him in the middle of his strike. I used the chance to slash down at him

My rapier cleaved through the man's wrist, drawing a deep wound across his hand. The silent corpse did not do so much as flinch, instead kicking me back and spun the Kris sword in his hand, before stabbing it into the ground

Half a second later, dozens of swords stained in crimson blood slammed headfirst into where I was standing

My form blurred as I Quickened out of the blade's trajectory, having anticipated the ranged attack. I used [Deflection] and send them back at the Executioner, to which he easily batted to the side with his secondary weapon

With a clang, they bounced off the brick walls and dispersed into mist

The fact that he used it proves the man has entered his second phrase. That is, the boss becomes more aggressive in his attacks and resort to melee more often

More swords rained down on me. I swiftly dodge them, pausing for small amount of times to regain my stamina before continuing on. Three knives appeared in my hand as I threw them at the Kris sword, causing the barrage to end abruptly

Then the Martyr jumped into the air, his scythe raised like a reaper in preparation for an attack...

[Graviational Pull]

...only to come crashing through the roof as I used one of my supernatural abilities on him. I immediately jumped after, firing shots after shots of Quicksilver Bullets at his downed form

Logarius deflected them with no problem. He engaged my slash with swift counterattacks combining both his swords and the scythe in a skillful display of flexibility. Though the man's frame was rigid, his fighting style is anything but

It's like watching a second Gehrman fights

It took me a moment to realize the golden opportunity lying in front of my eyes. Here is a man with unrivaled skills in weaponry, a physique so strong that had I fought him without my abilities, I would no doubt had been killed several times over

No, perhaps if I don't kill him here, if I just attempt to learn from him instead...

And so I held back. Windows shattered from the force of our strikes while heavy furnitures were upturned in the trail of our battle as we repeatedly clash against each other. 

Glints of silver flashed in the moonlight. Amidst the metallic clanging, the corridor was filled with sparks created from the impact of our blades. The floor rattled from the force between us while many walls were destroyed from every missed strikes

I yelled and clashed blade with him. The final strike created whirlwinds that swept through the castle, leveling up some of its looser interior to the side, with some of the lighter ones being thrown out the window

In mere seconds, the top floor of the castle was in ruins

Mentally making an apology to the servants and ghosts, I kicked him back on the rooftop

We landed on opposite sides of the snowy space. With barely a second of rest the Executioner was already on me like a haunted ghost. For a moment, I could see madness dancing behind his hollowed gaze

i rolled forward, dodging his scythe swing as it passed over my head by a hair's breadth. Grabbing a blood vial from my coat, I smashed it against Reiterpallasch's blade

The blade of the Vilebloods roared to life as it tasted the crimson fluid. I swiped it at the martyr, the sudden influx of power causing him to stagger backward. It was only for a brief moment, but that split second of vulnerability is all I needed

My hand ripped through Logarius's dried up body and emerged from the other side. Blackened blood pooled down to the snow, staning it a dark color. With practiced ease I ripped it out again, cause a jet of blood to spray in the air

His health now seems to be at somewhere between 10%-20%

I stared impassively as he stabbed his sword into the ground again. The same barrage of swords rained down on me for the second time, seemingly inumerable in number. Yet again, I deflected them with the same ease.

He jumped up and raised his scythe. The same attack from before that I countered. A pulse of gravity blast derail the martyr in his trajectory as the blade landed inches from my foot. Before I could do anything he backstepped away and jumped up again

Having seen it performed twice in a row, I couldn't help but frown

"Is this it? Is this the extent of your power?" I asked him "You have the soul of a hundred Vileblood's whose lives you've taken before. Why not use their echoes to embolden yourself?"

He swung the scythe again, and I blocked with less effort. It was the same amount of strength put in our previous clashes. It should have been easy for him to just will them to increase their output like I did my weapon, yet he didn't.

Could it be that Logarius's already using it at the start of our battle? Have I overestimated him?

I sighed at my stupidity. It has been decades, his corpse has became dried and hallowed. Obviously he couldn't have fought so hard to such a degree unless supported by something

As the scythe descended down upon my head, my pistol fired, catching him mid-swing. The corpse was stunned from the impact, creating ample time for a follow-up

A kick to the face sent the old martyr tumbling weakly to the side. I raised my sword and sliced off his chest. Before me, Logarius started swaying, the energy from the scythe having completely taken over his mind. 

With graceful quicksteps I closed the distance between us and stabbed him through the throat. Something inside the martyr dimmed. He staggered back, leaned on his sword in a vulnerable position

The wind blew betweeen us, fluttering our coats. The two hunters silently stared down at each other, finally seeing the other for their true nature

One seem indomitable, but when pushed into a corner is just a dull-witted beast. An empty shell of his former glory corrupted by madness of the hunt, not even worthy for one to stain their blade with. He is the prey that needs to be put down

The other is strong, but not invicible. Though he is weak,he turned that weakness into strength by constantly observing his opponents, gauging their strength for a strategy to use against. He is the predator that prowls on the red plain

"I have observed all your attacks" I shot the sword out of his hand. The martyr fell to one knee "All your movement tendency. Weapon tricks. Application of your power over the blood. I have fished them out of you during our encounter" He made to stab me with his sword, but I deflected them with not much effort "And while I'm impressed, it would seem as though you haven't recognize my intention until you've shown all of them to me"

"Improvise. Adapt. Overcome. I studied the way in which you fight, copying them and finding out the perfect counter to each of them" I twirled the Reiterpallasch and stabbed it into the ground

A crimson shockwave erupted forth from the blood thirsty blade, knocking him flat ito the ground. It was the same move he once used to me, executed in the exact same way he once did

"Looks like you've finally ran out of use"

I gripped the bag and sprayed it to my side. Bone marrow burst forward, coating the gun in a sheen of paleness. Evelyn was leveled at him, the lever cocked

From the start, this fight has been a joke

Even without summoning any hunter phantoms I could have easily took him down on my own. It is only due to an error of judgement that I deem him to be a difficult foe

"Acts of goodness are not always wise, and acts of evil are not always foolish, but regardless, we shall always strive to be good" I mused, repeating the mantra from the Executor helmet's description "For all that you have done, I still find you a worthy prey"

My grip on the trigger tightened. For a moment, a very much human emotion crossed the old man's hallowed gaze

Fear.

Not madness, but genuine fear. Something that requires more than the basest of one's violent instinct to perceive, something that is apparent in the eyes of emotionally-developed creatures like human

A smile crossed my face

"Goodbye, goodnight, and good sleep"

The wind picked up, gentle breeze turning into violent gale that howls at the sky, drowning out the gunshot that followed after

Quest completed:

- Kill Martyr Logarius without using Familiars or Phantoms

Reward:

+20,000 [Blood Echoes]

You have killed a Boss

+1 Stat point

White clouded my vision as everything began to get covered in snow. My coat billowing in the wind, I stared with dead eyes at where the martyr's corpse is lying

When it calmed down, there was nothing left of him but remnants of floating dust. Lying on the ground is a sword, a scythe, and a crown

A curse, a mystery, and salvation, respectively

I picked up one of them. The scythe that Logarius used in the fight gleamed under the faint moonlight. It was not the metal that shone, no, but rather the thing inside it. Blood coils around the blade in accordance to my will, snaking upward to form an aura of violent crimson that threatens to overthrow its wieleder into a state of maddened bloodlust

One of the perks created from having [Weapon Crafting] maxed out is that you can decipher more about a weapon than what is already stated. To that end, I can gleam out different information that are not prior to Hunters who aren't efficient in the craft

[Damned Fable]

- The famed blade that had claimed over hundreds of Cainhurst residence's lives. Having tasted to deep the vile scent of corrupted blood, it yearns forever more the rush of pleasure taken from the damned heathens

- Powered with a large amount of hatred from tormented souls, this weapon possess extraordinary capabilities, able of temporarily casting blood magic innate to the people of the close Pthumerian line. Wielding it will cause the user to gain increased madness, however

I stared at the thing in my hand

My mind churned uncomfortably as dim cries echoed out from the depth of whatever twisted abomination this is. Disgust tose within me, prompting my grip on it to tighten

Being a hunter, there's a lot of weapons you can use. Sometime its a matter of circumstances, other times its a matter of preference. Each hunters has their own unique style to learn from, either to be used in conjuntion or against them is dependent on you, and their weapons are a reflection of that

But for some reason, i can't bring myself to use it. If whatever the ghosts said were true, then the correct decision would be to destroy the weapon and set free the souls trapped inside

I don't need such a cursed thing by my side.

Why does it matter?

A voice echoed in my head. My eyes widened

Just as much as it can be his, it can be yours as well. A single blade that spreads fear everywhere it goes. Wouldn't it be useful to you as a Hunter?

I shook my head, trying to resist the dark temptation rising inside me. A faint whisper inside one's head is not an unccommon thing in the insanity that is Yharnam. Yet I cannot being myself to ignore it

Just absorb them. It would be a waste to set free so much power when it was within your grasp

I hesitated, my hand still on the handle. 

That's true, the scythe can grant enough power to an old corpse for him to fight on even footing with me. Imagine if it was not him, and instead an experienced hunter who constantly trained himself with a system behind his back as the one who wield it. 

How strong can I get? Much more than my current self for certain. The fights from here on will be no more than a jest as long as I have it on my side

Yes. Of course

I want power

Everyone does

If possible, the old me would be ecstatic to be a god. Who wouldn't? Unlimited knowledge of transcendental planes upon which exists human on the lowest one. Powers beyond one's comprehension, playing like a fiddle on one's fingertips. Being God breaks us free of our shackles, enabling us to see secrets we have not been able to see before

Yet I can't. 

-Why?

A promise was made. It would be insulting for a noble not to keep his words, even if he is a Hunter

I smiled

Besides, you're doing a bad imitation for the voice in one's head. Mine's pitch is higher

I gripped the blood enhanced Reiterpallasch and slashed downward with full strength, cleanly snapping the damned weapon in half. At that moment where the blades connected, I could feel everything

No, no nononoNO-

Everything exploded as lances of blood protruded from the scythe, hitting me in the chest

Hatred, sorrow, rage were all present. Hatred to their bloodline for a curse so potent. Sorrow at their family for drinking the tainted blood. Rage at the world for all the pain they're forced to endure. 

All those negative feelings, the only way to which they can vent is to lash out with everything they've got. In that split second, I was forced to withstand their torments at the hand of Logarius for years. Mauled, crushed, decapitated, defiled...gruesome scenes of all types that would make one wonder about the goodness of the church

They don't want him dead. They want empty vengeance. Cries born of frustration and sadness, given enough time, eventually turn to a cold simmering hatred that only focused on delivering pain unto others

My mind was shattered and rebuild with each soul I freed. Yet my grip held strong as the souls exited one by one. Their forms appeared as dark blur on the sky, surrounding me in a sphere. I held weapon steadily, until the last one finally broke free

A crack appeared on the scythe's surface, before its blade shattered. The wooden handle slipped out of my hand and clattered harmlessly to the ground along wuth shards of broken metal. I staggered back on my feet, slidding slowly down a tower

Before me, the snow white horizon of Cainhurst was dotted with dark red hues. They danced in front of my vision, like flickering flames of ethereal nature they spun and bob up and down in gentle motions. 

I gazed down at my chest. Where I had grasped the scythe from before a few shrapnels got stuck in there, creating a hole of decent size near the area of my heart

I'm thankful it isn't bleeding too fast. [Unnatural Recovery] should take care of the wound without resorting to Blood Vials just yet 

'O'Lord, we are most gracious for your effort'

I closed my eyes. I am too tired to make out what they were saying. The curse contained inside the blade took a lot of effort to break through. Right now my body is nearing its limit

Instead of flying away, the hundreds of damned souls levitate closer. They seems to be hesitating on something that I couldn't decipher. I blinked at the freed Vilebloods

"Go. You are freed. Just leave me here"

They don't listen. The crimson orbs stood still, before seemingly deciding on something. Their voices rang out in the raging snowstorm, as comprehensible as whispers amidst a sea of words

'Please accept our gratitude'

All at once they closed in on my hunched form

I hissed at the first one touched me. The moment it did, others followed, swarming me from all directions. They burst into smoke that entered through the wounds on my body, seeping through the blood in my veins as a strange feeling surfaced underneath my skin. 

For a moment confusion overtook me as I gazed at the orb's peculiar behavior

Then it happened

I screamed in pain as every blood cells in my body was suddenly lit on fire, a volcano of agony erupting inside them. Boiling blood condensed over seemingly a hundred times over, coursing through my veins with an overwhelming pressure enough to shut out my senses

Choking. Can't breathe. I opened my mouth to gasp in fresh air, but as if they've been clamped down none entered. My body burned with limitless invigoration, but also with it a feeling of torturous embrace

'We are born of the blood...made men by the blood...undone by the blood'

The feeling only intensified further. With my unstable state, I fell to the ground while biting on the leather of my coat, hoping to relief some of the pain through it. I gripped my chest, heaving dry breaths as the painful seconds passed

'Our eyes are yet to open...fear the Old blood'

There's only one meaning to this pain I'm feeling. I am absorbing the blood every single Vilebloods in existence

Blood Gauge: 120/120 => Blood Gauge: 0/130

+1 Stat Point

Blood Gauge: 130/130 => Blood Gauge: 0/140

+1 Stat Points

I closed my eyes as the dull ringing echoed in my head. There was little doubt as to what the Cainhurst souls are doing. They are attempting to inject my blood with their essence. Right as of this moment I could still feel the number steadily rising

The Cainhurst knights killed hundreds of Executioner in service, taking their echoes in exchange for strength

Martyr Logarius, in return, killed those very same knights, thus absorbing the accumulated Echoes inside himself

How many was it? Hundreds, if not nearly a thousand of them, all struggling to fit inside the small physical vessel of my body

Blood Gauge: 140/140 => Blood Gauge: 0/150

+1 Stat Point

Blood Gauge: 150/150 => Blood Gauge: 0/160

+1 Stat Points

Blood Gauge: 112/160

Available SP: 5

Eventually the pain faded, leaving me shivering on the rooftop. As my body condition returned to normal, I slowly got to my feet and recollect myself. Aside from the strange coldness felt inside my chest, nothing is out of place

Yet it could not be farther from the truth

Origin: [Noble Scion] has evolved into [Heir of Cainhurst]

For having discovered the origin of your ancestry line, your blood obtained the impurity needed to corrupt echo fiends. Pull upon this power to empower your attack in combat

The sound of a window appearing rang in my head. Having regained my sense of self, I looked up and squinted my eyes at the content

A skill had been maxed out

[Blood Bullet III] (Maxed)

Reborn through blood, the Hunter learns to create ammunitions of the highest calibrations through nothing but the essence running through their veins. 

- By sacrificing 30% of your HP, you can make 9 (+1) bullets as your ammunition. This skill cannot be used when your health is below 30%

A skill had been maxed out

[Blood Alchemy III] (Maxed) 

A specialty of the Hunters from the Otto workshop. The beasts are ever obssessed over the strange properties of their blood, which begs the question of whether it can be used as a weapon on the hunt

- Increase blood proficiency on group A, group B, group O and group AB blood alchemy

[Duelist] has evolved 

The Hunter's corrupted blood call out to its insatiable thirst. Each blasts of their gun promises nothing but pain and destruction to those unfortunate to stand in the sight of their pistol

- Firearms now deal 40% extra damage 

My blood felt different. I touched the wound on my chest.  My injury has been completely healed, and along with it an unfamiliar object nestled deep inside my breast pocket

Since when did I get the Cainhurst badge?

My gaze turned to the other weapons laying on the side. The Crown of Illusion was there just like in the game. Equipping it will lead me to Annalise's chamber and make the covenant pledge

What caught my attention, however, is the sword laying by its side. A Kris sword whose blade has been rusted over the passage of time, its edge duller than a butter knife

Yet still, I can sense the abnormality it possess

I bled some of my blood with a quick slit and slathered it on. The enhanced blood quickly burned through the rust, revealing the shimmering silver beneath it

[Demonbrandt] 

- Weapon unavailable for player

I raised it and swung down. Shock spread through my arm as it suddenly went out of control

The blade clattered to the ground, looking as harmless as ever. I looked at my hand. There's nothing that indicates I had been hurt in any way. Most likely there's a condition for this sword to be available for use

This piqued my interest. Never before had I encountered an item like this. I can seamlessly use every Hunter weapons in the Workshop to a degree after practicing with them, but this sword does not seems to listen to my body. At all

It was strange. It is as though the blade is actively going against me whenever I made to attack. A peculiar trait. Maybe there's something special behind it?

I searched my mind for weapon of the same name in the game. The sword doesn't come up in Bloodborne, although its appearance seems to be similar to that Drake sword from Dark Souls 

Demonbrandt...Demonbrandt...what an interesting name, but I can't seem to recall where I've heard it before

Shrugging, I opened a portal to my Workshop before chugging the blade through

There's still many things to worry about. A blade is the least of my concern at the present

<><><><><><>

Author's Note: You know what, I've never thought about this...but young Alexander Anderson from Hellsing would really fit in the universe of Bloodborne

I mean...vampires? Check. A devout man who detests the way of the church? Check. Made an organizations who are committed to the elimination of supernatural phenomenons? Triple check

This guy would be a badass Hunter