Chapter 1: The Streets of Yharnam, Part 1View OnlineHunter's BloodChapter 1: The Streets of Yharnam, Part 1Matt was a hunter, having recently come to Yharnam, the city of beasts, in search of answers about the blood that was injected into him. He was sitting in front of a small, metal lamp that gave of an ethereal blue glow, resting his legs for a spell. His clothes were entirely black, consisting of pants with boots, gloves, a long trench coat, and a triangular shaped hat, with a mask covering his mouth and nose. The only color was given from his orange/bronze colored eyes, his shiny silver Hunter’s Pistol, and the grey blade of his compacted trick weapon, the Saw Cleaver. His weapons were clutched tightly in his hands. They were his only safety from the rabid denizens of this plagued city. He grimaced down at the lamp. It only ever brought him to the Dream. While Doll was there to ease his burden slightly, and the workshop allowed him to fortify his weapons, he couldn’t help but shake the feeling that the Dream was a sort of prison. He rarely visited there anymore. The streets of Yharnam were quiet, but the air was punctuated by the howls of beasts every so often. A scream shook Matt out of his thoughts. It was a scream, high and loud. That doesn’t sound like a beast, he muttered in his thoughts. That sounds like… someone sane? He stood from the lamp and turned towards the scream. A new scent filtered into his nose. I don’t recognize that stench… Another outsider, perhaps? He charged down the streets until he came across the scream coming from an alley. A Brick Troll was facing away from him, apparently entranced by the screamer. Matt caught a glimpse of something blue as he stalked towards the Brick Troll, keeping his steps quiet. As he closed the gap, he watched as the Brick Troll raised its weapon of choice. Matt crouched down, charged more power into his cleaver, and slammed it into the Troll’s back. He did major damage but it wasn’t enough to stun the Troll as it turned to face him. It raised its brick, and Matt tried to shoot it, but his timing was off and the brick slammed into his right leg. Grunting in pain and cursing under his breath, he stumbled back a few feet. Glaring from under his hat, he calmly waited for the troll to strike again. It stomped forward and prepared to strike. His timing was perfect this time, shooting and stunning the Troll just before its attack. It fell to one knee, allowing Matt to jab his right hand into its stomach, and rip a great wound out of the side. The Troll stumbled back before collapsing onto the pavement, dead. Matt injected himself with a Blood Vial to dull the pain, but couldn’t move his leg very well. He mentally berated himself on his poor performance as he switched his cleaver out for the Threaded Cane. He hadn’t actually needed to use the cane as a cane before, but it was his second favorite weapon. With the help of his cane, he stepped around the Brick Troll’s body, and got a good look at the new arrival. He stood, staring at this creature with blue fur, blue hooves, large, expressive teal eyes, and… was that a horn and a pair of wings? Must be the incense, He muttered, shaking his head. “Are you all right?” He asked softly, stopping a few feet from this… Winged Unicorn Pony. Her wings and horn weirded him out. He’d seen horses before. Granted, they were dead or undead with their eyeballs gouged out, but still. They did not look like her. She had clearly been screaming, and if she can scream, she can most likely talk, yet another things horses aren’t supposed to be able to do. She tried to answer, and rise to her feet… hooves, at the same time, but she cried out in pain and fell back to the hard cobblestoned street with a soft thud. “I’ll take that as a no,” he sighed. He stepped forward once, and she whimpered weakly, “…Don’t come closer…” He stopped and he met her gaze. Her teal eyes conveyed a great sense of fear, sadness, and pain. He slowly put away his gun and his weapon, and he slowly removed his hat and mask, revealing a shock of black hair. “You’re hurt,” He murmured simply. “I cannot find out what ails you from so far away. My name is Matt. I will protect you… if you want me to. I will keep you safe from the beasts.” “R-Really?” she asked, raising her head slightly, her voice shaking. Matt simply nodded. “P-Please help me,” Matt closed the distance between them, and gently scooped her up into his arms, earning himself a squeak. She was surprisingly light, and easy to carry. She was also, surprisingly soft to the touch. He smiled gently as he carried her back towards the lamp. Grimacing at it one last time as he passed it, he carried her inside one of the buildings nearby, making sure the incense by the door was lit before firmly closing the door. He decided against locking it for fear of the pony taking it the wrong way. Besides, he’d just slaughter any beast that tried to enter. He set her on her side on a soft pile of blankets, and began scouring her body for wounds. He noticed that one of her wings was bent in a weird angle and that she had a small cut on the side of her head. He cleaned the cut on her head as best he could, before wrapping it with bandages. He didn’t know much about treating wing wounds, but he tried his best. “I’m going to wrap up your wing now. Sorry if this hurts,” She winced as he began applying the bandages. She whimpered softly over the course of his treatment, which took a few minutes. Her wing was bound tightly to her side so it could heal. He sighed and sat back after he was done. She sat up into a better position and looked him over. His bronze eyes conveyed a sense of power, resignation, and curiosity. “Do you feel any better, Miss?” Matt asked softly, pulled her attention back. “Y-Yes, We feel much better. Thank you for the treatment. Our name is Luna,” Matt blinked several times, and scratched at his head in confusion. “Excuse me?” he clarified. “Are there more than one of you?” “O-Oh, no. I’m a P-Princess,” Realization dawned on him that she was using the Royal We. “I see. I’m glad to be of some help to you then,” He smiled softly. “Can I ask you something, though?” “Yes, what is it?” she wondered with more than a hint of trepidation in her voice. “What brings you here?” He voiced. “To Yharnam, the cursed city of beasts?” “We were…” Luna was hesitant to reveal much. There was sincerity in his eyes and voice, but also a brutal power. She’d watched him slay that brick-wielding monster with relative ease. “We were taking a flight, when a portal with very strong suction appeared and pulled Us through into the skies above… We were weak from fighting the portal, so We… fell and hit the ground several times. We found that monster above Us, so We screamed… and you know the rest…” “I see,” he murmured, resting his hand along his chin. He could tell she wasn’t telling him everything, but he didn’t have the heart to force the issue. Instead he focused on her unique physiology. “So you’re a unicorn with wings?” “The proper term is Alicorn, but yes, We are one. And what of Thee?” Matt chuckled, “I am a Human,” “There aren’t many of your kind, where We come from,” Luna responded. “ ’Not Many’? Meaning there are Humans where you come from? In your world?” “There aren’t any around anymore, but yes, thousands of years ago, Our world of Equus played host to the Human race,” Did she just say thousands of years? Damn, she’s old! But… it does explain why she talks so formally and stiffly. And damn, does she look good for being that old! No insanity, no rotting flesh, nothing of that sort. He chuckled lightly, closing his eyes. “If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?” He didn’t catch her blush as he opened his eyes; she seemed to be struggling for words. Finally she spoke quietly, “A-Around five thousand,” she couldn’t help but notice his mildly shocked look. “A-And what of you, Sir? How old are you?!” she demanded, half in embarrassment. Matt scratched at his face, leaning back and turning his gaze to the ceiling. “How long has it been…?” he breathed out, asking no one in particular. “Umm… I’m in my late Twenties, but the exact number seems to have escaped me at the moment.” He tried to stand, but his face contorted in pain at his leg. He slammed a Blood Vial into it in irritation, and relaxed as he felt the pain subside. “What is that?” Luna asked curiously, pointing at the Blood Vial. “This is a Blood Vial. I can use it to heal my wounds,” he held up a hand to stop any outbursts, but it didn’t seem like she was willing to make any. “There is a reason why I didn’t use one on you,” “And what is that reason?” she asked, a strange look crossing her face. “The blood in these vials… is the blood of beasts…” Seeing her confused, and slightly sick look, he sighed. “I’d best start at the beginning. Which is nearly non-existent. I barely remember any of my past before I woke up here, in Yharnam. An old man had injected beast blood into me, turning me into a Hunter. He tasked me with finding something called the Paleblood. It has been about a year since then, and I’m not sure if I’m any closer to finding it or not.” He sighed again, looking down at the empty vial in his hand. “Injecting you with this, while it would heal your wounds, would be the same as what that old man did to me… To put it simply, you’d become a danger to everyone around you. I haven’t figured out if it’s just a matter of time or if something else has to happen, but… You’d eventually transform into a beast, losing all sense of reason, slaughtering everyone around you, until another hunter comes along to put you down,” he lowered his gaze to the floor. Muttering, his voice barely above a whisper, “Everyday is a struggle just to keep my sanity…” He started as he felt a pair of hooves wrap around him. He looked up and met Luna’s gaze. There was… understanding in her eyes. “We, too, once felt like that. Our full title is Princess Luna, Princess of the Night, Princess of Dreams, and Diarch of Equestria. We ruled alongside Our sister Celestia and things seemed peaceful. Over time, though, We grew jealous of the ponies loving Our sister’s day, but shunning Our night. Then… We…” she couldn’t help it, she broke down and cried. She was momentarily surprised as Matt wrapped his arms around her body, before the tears ran anew and she buried her face in his chest, mindful of her horn. “You don’t need to tell me if it causes you this much sorrow,” he softly murmured to her. After a long time, her sobs died down into whimpers and sniffles. “Listen, tomorrow, We’ll check outside to see if the portal you fell through is still there.” She looked up at him with puffy eyes. “What’ll that do?” “It will confirm that you can be sent home. I don’t want you to stay here in Yharnam. This city is not kind to outsiders. No doubt you don’t want to stay here,” he replied calmly. “Though I’m not going to let you leave until we’re both satisfied that you’ve made a recovery,” he chuckled. “Try to get some rest, if you can. I’ll keep you safe during the night,” he paused. “A word of advice,” he stated as she nestled into the blankets, turning to look at him. “Most people nowadays don’t use the Royal We. You might want to try dropping it sometime. It’ll make you seem friendlier,” “We…” she stumbled over her words. “I’ll try,” “That’s all I can ask,” he smiled before pulling out his pistol and cane. He sat down, crossing his legs, resting his chosen weapons across his lap. Luna looked over at him curiously, “What are those, exactly?” “You mean my weapons?” he received a nod. “Well, fighting the beasts barehanded isn’t exactly a smart idea. I use my pistol to get in small nicks of damage, but mostly I use it to stagger my enemies. My main source of damage is this, however. This is a Trick Weapon,” He holds up his cane to give her a better look. “A Trick Weapon? What’s the Trick?” “Each Trick Weapon has a transformation,” He explained. “For Example, this is the Threaded Cane. Normally, it’s a cane, but…” he flicked his wrist to the side, and heard the familiar click of the mechanism. “Now, it’s a whip,” he demonstrated one lash to the side, breaking a pot on a nearby table. He clicked it to the ground, hearing the click again, before resting it on his lap again. “And now, it’s back to normal. There are around a dozen different Trick Weapons, all with different abilities.” He paused. “What about you, Luna?” “What?” “Is there anything special you can do?” he quickly held up his hands. “I don’t mean any disrespect. I was just curious,” he affixed her with a nervous smile. “We – I can perform magic with m-my horn,” she replied. “Magic?” “Here, let me show you,” a soft blue glow surrounded her horn as she closed her eyes. A blue glow encompassed the broken pieces of the pot he’d whipped a little bit ago. They floated in the air for a few seconds before rushing over to the table and fitting right back into place. The rebuilt pot was set gently on the table as Luna opened her eyes. Matt couldn’t help his jaw from slacking open, earning him a giggle from the lunar princess. He snapped his jaw closed and smiled. “Very impressive, Luna,” “O-Oh, it was nothing,” she brushed off the praise modestly. “It was impressive to me,” he reasoned. “Though… if you use the Trick Weapons for your main damage… why carry the pistol at all?” “Well, if I get the timing of my gunshot just right, I can interrupt my enemy’s attack, causing them to stagger and fall to one knee. When that happens, I can use one of the darker hunter techniques, the Visceral Attack, to get off some big damage. Listen; let’s rest for now. Later on, I’ll show you a Visceral Attack… or several,” Luna had nodded and rested her head back on the blankets, but Matt noticed her eyes remain open. A couple hours passed before Luna raised her head. She spied Matt in the same position, gazing back at her. “Are you not going to sleep?” “I can’t exactly protect you from beasts if I’m asleep,” he replied, shaking his head and standing. “Besides, Hunters don’t sleep. They only lose consciousness after taking too much damage,” He paused, letting his gaze roll over her features and noting the small blush that came to her dark blue cheeks. “Can’t sleep, huh? Mind too full of thoughts?” She nodded, “Yeah,” “Let’s go, then. Maybe some fresh air will help clear your head.” “I thought we were going to wait until morning?” she questioned in confusion. Matt turned away from her, “Morning never comes here in Yharnam. The sun does not rise. There is only the Night of the Hunt,” “It’s Eternal Night?!” she asked incredulously. “I don’t know how to feel about that…” “Only during the hunt,” he clarified. “Once the hunt is over, the sun will rise,” He stepped out of the house, donning a Top Hat. “Come along, Princess. We have much to discuss.” Luna rose from the blankets and trotted slowly outside, shivering from the cold bite in the air as she glanced around the street. She noticed the small metal lamp and trotted cautiously over to it. “What is this?” she asked carefully, watching Matt’s face contort into a grimace. “That…” He began, his voice laced with displeasure, “is a Hunter’s Guidepost. It allows a Hunter - one who is still able to dream, anyway – to return to the Hunter’s Dream, a ‘safe haven’ of sorts,” He sighed, turning his head away from the lamp, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth. “I do not like the place. It feels too much like a prison,” he paused. “I do not like going there anymore, it is a nightmare to me. I see images I cannot make sense of when I am there.” “We are the Princess of the Night; the Princess of Dreams,” Luna reminded. “Let Us see what this Dream has in store,” she reached out a hoof and touched the lamppost, disappearing in a burst of light. “This better be the last time,” he muttered. “I’ll stock up on all my items, so I never have to come back,” He knelt down and reached out a hand, touching the light and disappearing. After about a minute of his vision being nothing but black, Matt opened his eyes and rose to his full height in the courtyard of the Dream. Luna was standing nearby, inspecting some of the graves. She trotted up to him when he arrived. “This place is quite peaceful and quiet,” She stated. “Contrary to what you said.” “I just informed how it made me feel,” he replied, stepping past her and up the stairs into the workshop. He made an immediate right at the door and shoved open his storage box. Kneeling down, he began rummaging through the enchanted box, listening to Luna’s hooffalls as she approached, standing just to his right and observing. He removed as much as he could, filling his consumable stocks to capacity, grabbing all the trick weapons, fire arms, and attire he’d stored, before he pulled the lid back down on the storage chest. Matt stepped quietly out of the Workshop, walking slowly down the stairs until he was standing in front of a grave with one word engraved on it: Yharnam. “This is the way out,” he murmured to Luna, squatting down. “Touch the grave stone and it will take you back to the lamp we were at. Don’t worry, I’ll be right behind you,” She reached out a hoof tentatively, giving Matt a look before she touched the grave and disappeared. His hand inched towards the grave, but stopped just before contact. He pulled his hand back, and turned his head to gaze at Doll one last time. He dipped his head towards her, and smiled sadly when she bowed back at him. “Goodbye Doll,” “Farewell, good hunter.” She replied as his hand reached for the grave. “May you find your worth in the waking world,” His hand collided with the grave and his vision faded. Author's Note I hope you all enjoy this Bloodborne Crossover. Leave any and all comments below. They are appreciated.
Chapter 2: The Streets of Yharnam, Part 2View OnlineHunter's BloodChapter 2: The Streets of Yharnam, Part 2Matt sighed as he stood away from the lamp. Luna was standing a little bit away, shivering from the cold. He turned and gave her a look from under his Top Hat, and she trotted over. He removed his coat and draped it over her shoulders and back as she wore a shocked look. She won’t be able to use her wings any time soon, so it’s not like the coat’s going to get in her way, he reasoned, pulling on the White Church Garb, basically a white version of the coat he was just wearing. Matt chuckled at Luna’s appearance; she looks like a mini Hunter now. He then dug through his inventory. Oh, which weapon do I want to use now? The Rifle Spear? Why not? He pulled out the long silver spear and held it in his right hand as he pulled out his Hunter’s Pistol for his left. “Thanks,” Luna murmured, eyeing the spear with not a little trepidation. Matt stepped away from the lamp and pulled out the Monocular, allowing him to see farther. He swept across the sky until he saw a disturbance and focused in on it. It was small, swirling and hidden well against the clouded sky. “Is that the portal you spoke of?” he asked quietly, pointing up at the disturbance. She turned her gaze and followed his pointing hand until her eyes lit upon the portal. “Yes! Yes it is!” she cried excitedly before calming herself down with a cough and a small blush. “That’s good news,” Matt murmured. “You can go home when you heal up,” he shook his head. “Anyway, Luna,” she turned to face him. “I’ve got a few people I want to talk to. Stay close so you don’t get lost,” “R-Right,” she gulped. “Who are we going to go see?” “Eileen the Crow, and Marcus the Hunter,” he replied, starting off down the streets at a fairly slow pace, making sure Luna was keeping pace. “They are both wise. Eileen has many years of experience and is quite informative, and Marcus… well, he’s so smart, it’s scary sometimes,” A half man beast burst out from behind a pile of crates, swinging at Matt with a cleaver. Luna had been rooted to the spot by shock, surprise, and fear. Matt stabbed twice with his spear, downing the foe easily. He turned back to Luna, who had her eyes closed and was shaking. He knelt down and wrapped his arms around her back. “Do not worry, Luna. I am here to protect you,” he murmured into her ear. She whimpered as he pulled away and was sure to stick to him like glue for the next several minutes. They came across a patrolling group of three Yharnamites and attracted their attention. “I’ll take them down. Pay close attention to the last one, though. I’ll show you just what a Visceral Attack is,” he’d murmured into Luna’s ear before throwing a Pebble at the first member. “Away, Away!” the first one yelled, charging at Matt with a pitchfork. Matt stuck him with the spear, knocking him off balance and interrupting the attack. Matt followed up quickly until he was dead. The second Yharnamite just gave out a beastial roar before charging with a cleaver. Luna had backed off when the fighting started, giving Matt some room to work with. He backstepped out of the cleaver strike’s range before charging in with a quick jab. After a couple of follow-ups, he was dead as well. The last of the group growled, brandishing his axe and torch, yelling, “Be gone, foul beast!” Matt’s eye twitched imperceptibly as he stood there, waiting for an attack to come. The Yharnamite wasted no time in raising his axe to strike Matt down. Matt’s gun flashed hungrily as it launched a bullet at the addled man, knocking him to one knee. “This is what one of your so called foul beasts can do!” he roared, ripping through the man with his hand in a brutal Visceral Attack. But Matt wasn’t mad; he just really liked correcting those hunters. Calling him a beast did nothing. “What is that flash of white that happens when you k-kill them?” Luna asked as she trotted up. “Oh, that? For each kill, I receive echoes of the blood of the deceased. I could’ve worded that better, but it gets the general idea across. I’m currently carrying about a hundred thousand echoes, and that’s not even that much now. In the beginning, I’d be ecstatic to have a thousand or ten thousand echoes, but as I spend more time here, the numbers just stop mattering.” He led the way down several alleys until they came across a small alcove in between two buildings, where a woman wearing crow feather adorned armor was resting under an incense lamp. Matt walked slowly up to her and gave her a small wave. She pulled off her mask and did the same. She was an older woman with graying hair and a small smile, but don’t underestimate her, she can still kick ass and take names with relative ease. “What brings you here, young hunter?” she asked quietly. He turned and waved his hand, beckoning Luna forward into the light. She walked cautiously up to Matt and stopped next to him. He rested a hand on the side of her neck, just above the collar of her new coat, and he could feel her racing heartbeat. “That’s a pretty pony,” Eileen commented with a smile. “She looks just like one of us,” “That she does,” Matt replied, rubbing up and down on her neck. “But sadly, I did not come to speak about fashion,” “You came to speak about the portal, huh?” Matt blinked several times, giving her a shocked look, nodding slowly. “Marcus was by earlier. Said he was off to investigate the new portal that’d appeared,” “That explains a few things,” Matt murmured. “Anyway, about her… You do plan on taking her home, right?” she gives Matt a pointed look. “Of course I do,” he defended. “I just want her wing to heal first. She injured it on the tumble out.” Eileen nodded, somewhat satisfied with his answer. “Yharnam is not a friendly place to newcomers. Let’s not subject more people to its fate than we have to,” “Right,” Matt muttered drily. “Are you still mad about being made a Hunter?” “No… not really, anymore,” he answered. “Just keep your mind about you, and you’ll be fine,” “Thanks,” “It’s just advice,” she waved off his thanks. “You better go find Marcus before he falls into the portal,” “It’s too high in the sky for that, but I will anyway,” he smiled. “See you around, Eileen,” he waved as he turned away. “Is she defenseless?” Eileen asked suddenly. “No, she has me,” Matt replied. “And if you get blindsided?” Eileen asked, very unamused. “I won’t be, but I’ve been debating which weapon to give her. I’ve just… yet to come to a decision,” he replied. “I need a weapon she can use easily, with a transformation she can easily employ with her magic.” “Magic?” Eileen asked. “It makes as much sense as anything else in this forsaken town.” “I was thinking the Saw Spear,” he murmured. “Oh? Why not the Blade of Mercy?” “You really like that weapon, don’t you?” he chuckled. “I thought that slotting the two daggers back into one might be a bit too difficult.” “Oh, nonsense,” she scoffed. “Give her a Blade of Mercy, and I’ll show her exactly how to use it,” “Just don’t hurt yourselves,” he chuckled, kneeling down and presenting Luna with the shiny silver blade. “I’ll be right down here when you’re all done.” She gave him a worried look, but enveloped the blade with her blue aura of magic, and he stood straight again. He padded away while Eileen started Luna’s training. He walked into a nearby building and stood in a doorway leading to some rafters. His back was to where Luna and Eileen were, but that was fine with him. Both he and Luna had passed through this very building to get to Eileen, as it was the only way into her little alcove. Matt took in several breaths before cracking an exhilarated smile and dropping a vial of foul smelling liquid on the floor next to him. They’re coming, Author's Note Here's Chapter 2! Hope you all enjoy! Matt's Top Five Weapons ? ? ? ? ? (Two have been mentioned, but their rankings have not) Also, a slightly off topic question I had: is there a difference between a Griffon and a Gryphon? It's been bothering me for the longest time... Now, for a more on topic question: Do you like the idea of Luna using the Blades of Mercy? Do you think she should get another weapon sometime during the story? And... SHOULD SHE GET A TOP HAT?! Sound off in the comments below. All comments/criticism are appreciated. (Holy Crap almost forgot a little story: I posted the first chapter and check back a couple hours later not really expecting anything, but holy shit my notifications were offscreen. I was stunned silent. I literally sat and stared at my screen for like five minutes, looking at all the favorites. So thanks guys for making me feel like I'm actually accomplishing something (PS and thank you for agreeing that Bloodborne is amazing ... Unless you don't. That's cool, too) I think I've rambled on long enough, so... thanks again and enjoy!)
Chapter 3: The Yharnam RooftopsView OnlineHunter's BloodChapter 3: The Yharnam RooftopsEileen was very patient with Luna, spending several hours training her on how to use the Blade of Mercy. She showed her how to transform the weapon, some basic combos with the weapon, and some weaknesses to look out for. They took a break after that to get a drink of water. “So,” she murmured. “What brings you to Yharnam? Surely you didn’t come by choice?” Luna glanced down at the ground for a second before answering, “I-I was flying through the night sky over m-my home when a portal appeared in front of Us, I mean, me. I got pulled through by powerful suction and took a tumble to the pavement,” “Hehe,” Eileen chuckled, earning a glare from Luna. “Sorry, that just sounds like a certain Hunter I know,” she waved off Luna’s glare. “Matt was much the same way, tripping over himself and generally not wanting to be here when he first arrived. Then again, he also had no memory at the time…” “What’s your opinion of him?” Luna wondered. “Oh, Matt? Well, he probably one of the scariest Hunters I’ve seen… and I mean that in the scary powerful manner,” she murmured. “For you see, he doesn’t take combat seriously… no, that’s not what I mean. I mean he doesn’t use all his power, all of his tricks.” Luna just gave her a confused look. “Listen, he’s not a danger to you, as long as you are not his enemy. That’s all that really matters. Other than that, he’s one of the nicer Hunters you could’ve met,” “What’s that mean?” “Most Hunters only think for themselves,” she spoke in disgust. “They would’ve left you to die, or killed you themselves.” She shook her head. “Well, you two look quite comfortable,” Matt noted as he approached. They both glanced at him. Luna gasped and Eileen raised an eyebrow. Matt was covered in blood, for it was sprayed all over his torso and some was still dripping from his blade at his side. He was smiling lightly at the both of them as they stood. “I’ve taught her as much as I can,” Eileen announced. “Though I have to ask, what weapon is that? I’ve seen a few Hunters use it, but I’ve never really had a chance to ask them about it,” “Well, this is the Burial Blade,” he replied, holding it up slightly. “It can transform into a scythe, hence the big giant folded stick on my back,” he chuckled a little before settling down. “Well, if you’re done training her, I’m here to collect Luna so we can go find Marcus,” “You’re going to go talk to him right?” Matt nodded. “I’ll tag along then. I’ve got a target who was last seen near Marcus,” “Ah, I see,” Matt replied, nodding sagely, turning away. “Come along then.” “He’s my mark,” she muttered at his back. “Leave him to me,” “Whatever you say,” he waved her off, leading the way down towards the doorway he’d been protecting. Dead bodies were strewn all over the place. There were mostly Werewolves, but there were a few rats among the dead as well. Matt strode passed them, barely batting an eye. “Who are you, Eileen?” Luna asked, trotting slowly behind the two of them trying not to be sick. She’d been around death plenty of times in her long life, even being the one to deal it sometimes, but something about these bodies just… rubbed her the wrong way and made her stomach turn. Matt sighed. “Luna, Eileen is the Hunter of Hunters. Now before you freak out, remember how I said that Hunters are infused with beast blood? Well, that beast blood can drive some of us insane, causing us to transform into a beast, not unlike exactly what you see here on the streets. She is the one who has to go around and put the insane ones down. If you’re sane, like I am, she’ll leave you be, but if you turn, you’re fair game.” He paused, scratching at his head. “It’s a very necessary evil,” Luna chose not to comment and faced straight ahead. After about ten minutes of walking, Eileen spoke up, “Matt, a thought occurs,” “Hmm?” He hummed while his eyes scanned their surroundings. “You said she had wings, but they are injured?” she pointed at Luna, who confirmed that fact by levitating the coat off her body for a few seconds. “How is she going to get up onto the rooftops, where Marcus is? The only way up is by ladder.” “I’ll carry her,” he answered, not looking back. “All she has to do is wrap her hooves over my shoulders and hold me in a death lock on the way up,” he shrugged. “I’ll be extra careful. If it really bothers you, then you can climb up after us, and make sure nothing untoward happens.” Eileen rolled her eyes under her mask and shook her head, but otherwise didn’t comment. Half a minute of silence encroached on the group before Luna spoke up, “So… how far away are these ladders you were so worried about?” “They’re right ahead,” Eileen answered, pointing to the long tall ladder that was flush against the wall to their right. Luna froze as she gazed at the base. Standing, with its back to the group was a large beast holding a brick in its right hand. “I-Is that…?” she held a shaky hoof and pointed at the creature. Matt followed her hoof and glared at the Brick Troll. Truthfully, he’d been eyeing it ever since it’d come into view. “That’s a Brick Troll, Luna. It’s the same as the creature that tried to crush you after you landed. Do you want to kill it, or do you want me to?” he paused, glancing back at her terrified eyes, knowing she was probably having flashbacks. He turned to Eileen and murmured, “Please watch her for a moment? I have some business to take care of.” Eileen glanced between Luna and Matt for a few seconds before nodding. “Don’t take too long. I’m not the most patient person,” “Of course,” he bowed, turning and walking towards the monster, transforming the Burial Blade into a scythe. “And I’m not the most merciful,” The Brick Troll was none the wiser as he approached, lining himself up with its back. Charging power into his muscles and holding the scythe behind his back until the blade caught the light of the moon and seemed to flash white, he let it rip out from behind him in a large slash, knocking the Troll to a knee. Matt shot forward and ripped through its back with his hand, sending the carcass sprawling to the ground several feet away. Matt transformed his weapon back and glanced up at the ladder and then back at the Burial Blade shaft sticking out above his shoulder. “Yeah… that’s gonna get in the way…” he muttered. “I’m gonna be fighting another hunter, so… let’s go with my second favorite weapon, the Chikage.” As he switched weapons, he slowly trekked back towards Luna, who was staring at the dead body of the Troll. “You don’t waste time,” Eileen complimented. “I try my best,” he replied as he knelt in front of Luna, placing a hand on her shoulder, shaking it softly. “Hey, you all right?” “Oh… Yes, yes, I’m fine,” she replied, meeting his concerned gaze with a forced smile. “That’s… good,” he said slowly. “But how good is your grip?” he asked while turning his back to her and squatting down. “Climb on.” Luna slipped her forehooves over his shoulders and held him tightly. “Good, you have a nice strong grip,” he commented at the base of the ladder before he began rapidly ascending. She gave a start of surprise, but before she could cry out he was already at the top and waiting at the base of the next. “You… c-climb really fast,” Luna murmured. “Yeah, well… that ladder wasn’t very long. This one is longer, but it’ll lead all the way to the rooftops.” He replied, watching Eileen crest the top of the other ladder. He gave her a few seconds of a breather before he began his ascent, slower this time, up the ladder. Luna’s grip held firm the entire way up. Matt strode a few feet away from the edge of the roof and coaxed Luna into letting go and walking. Once Eileen joined them, they all started across the roof heading around towards where Marcus was. They met a few beastial birds while on their trek, but between being slashed apart by Matt and Eileen, and being shanked by Luna, the birds didn’t last very long. When Marcus came into view, he was standing on the roofs, wearing Gascoigne’s set of attire, staring at the portal while another hunter killed nearby birds; Matt sprinted ahead of the others and called out to him. “Hey! Marcus!” Marcus started and turned to face Matt, waving when he recognized him. “Hey man,” Marcus replied. “How are you doing?” “Oh, I’m doing great! You?” He sighed heavily. “I could be better,” He gestured to the other hunter, wearing a black trench coat and the regular triangular hunter hat, who was chopping up a bird carcass with a Saw Cleaver. “That guy’s Morris. He’s gone off the deep end, so I’m just keeping him up here where he can’t cause any harm. Thankfully, he hasn’t come after me yet, but that can very easily change. Who’s the pony?” He gestured with his chin at Luna. “That’s Princess Luna, a native from the other side of the portal.” Matt replied. “She injured one of her wings, so I’m going to let her heal before going through the portal,” “Are you going to join her in leaving?” he murmured. “Perhaps… if she wants me to,” he replied noncommittally. “For now, we have to help Eileen put Morris down.” “She’s not going to like that,” Marcus muttered. “She never does,” Matt chuckled back. “You can talk to Luna once we’re finished with Morris. We came to talk to you in the first place.” “Does she know how to fight?” “Yeah, she has magic, and Eileen taught her how to use the Blade of Mercy with telekinesis.” Matt replied. He watched as Eileen strode up behind Morris and crouched down for a strong attack. Matt gestured over Luna to stand by Marcus. Eileen performed a Visceral Attack on Morris and sent him sprawling several yards away, but he rose relatively unscathed from it. His eyes locked on Luna, who had her back to him, and he charged hungrily. He only stumbled back as a Quicksilver Bullet smashed into his face, bloodying one of his eyes. “Don’t interfere!” Eileen called, resuming her assault as Luna joined Marcus. Matt stood in front of the pair with his gun at the ready. “He’s all yours, Eileen,” Matt replied. “But I’ll shoot him if he gets to close to… her,” he nodded back at Luna. “Why are the gunshots so effective?” Luna wondered aloud. “We hunters,” Marcus answered, not taking his eyes off the action, “use Quicksilver Bullets, bullets infused with our own blood. They boil the blood of beasts. So the more they transform, the more effective our bullets are at staggering and affecting them.” Luna hummed as she watched the fight progress. It was obvious that this Morris was outclassed completely by Eileen, but he kept fighting anyway. He kept turning towards her during the fight, but each time he tried to approach, Matt shot him in the face, sending him reeling. Eventually, Morris got hit by a Visceral Attack and didn’t rise again. “Was he a dreamer?” Matt asked. Marcus shook his head no. “That’s the last of him, then.” “So,” Marcus said, clapping his hands together. “What brings you here?” “What do you know about the portal?” Matt asked, pulling Marcus aside. “It’s otherworldly in origin, obviously, but it isn’t connected in any way to the Great Ones.” Marcus replied. “That’s a huge relief. We don’t need them muddling things like they usually do.” Matt murmured. “Yeah, Eldritch horrors tend to do that.” Marcus paused. “If you want to speed along her healing… I’d suggest taking her to see Doll,” Matt fixed him with a glare, and he quickly held up his hands by his head. “I know you don’t like the Dream, but she could really be of some help to you.” “I’m not going back,” he growled. “Do you want me to take her to see Doll?” Marcus sighed in resignation. “If she’s all right with it,” Matt shrugged noncommittally. “How does the portal look to you?” “Well, I’m no expert, but I’d say that it’s not going to close for at least a week… just don’t quote me on that.” He mumbled to himself for a minute before turning to Matt. “Just between you and me, I can’t be sure, but it seems like the beasts are even more restless than they usually are.” “You think the portal has something to do with it?” Matt muttered. “Like I said, I can’t be sure, but it seems like a distinct possibility,” he replied. He stretched his arms into the air. “Oh, man, I could really go for some relaxation right now,” “Then go and relax with Luna in the Dream,” Matt muttered. “Just bring her by my house when you’re done,” He stepped over to and knelt down in front of Luna. He gave her shoulder a soft pat and a sad smile. “Marcus is going to take you to see Doll, to see if she can’t help your wing heal. Problem is, Doll is in a place I can’t go. Don’t worry, Marcus is a good guy, and he can probably answer any of your questions better than I can.” “B-But…” “I can’t follow you, Luna. I just… can’t go back to the Dream. Marcus will bring you by the house when you’re both done.” Matt stood and strode towards the ladder. “W-Wait! I don’t understand!” she called out, taking a step forward. Matt climbed down the first couple of rungs until only his head could be seen. “I’m sorry…” With those parting words, he slid down the ladder and out of sight. Author's Note AAAAAAAAND the next chapters out! Matt's Top Five Weapons ? Chikage ? ? ? (all of them except number one have been mentioned in name) And fair warnng, the next chapter will contain massive spoilers... for one possible interpretation of the lore of Bloodborne. Because that's the beauty of Soulsborne, the lore can be interpreted in many different ways Cheers, everyone, Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 4: Revelations in the DreamView OnlineHunter's BloodChapter 4: Revelations in the DreamSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.