C68: Tying up Loose Ends.
5/10/26
Taking a break from the dungeons, Enjoy.
-------------------------------------------------------------
It had been a long time since I returned to the Oedon Chapel. My reason for this is I have felt a strange presence calling to me. Like a cry for help. I make my way forward from the lamp. I see that the prostitute that I never got a chance to properly talk to is bent over in her chair, holding her stomach.
Old Betty the bitch is in her chair, a kindly and euphoric expression on her face which only seems to light up further as she spots me while the idiotic nun is slightly bent, a small whisper of crazed laughter coming from her lips. As for in the corner, a random retard sits there, he scowls as he sees me before simply looking away. From the look of him, it seems to be the same dumbass I 'flirted' with some time ago when I informed Arianna about the best way to even get to the chapel.
While I couldn't get a proper view of him back then because of his window covers, the smell of him was instinctively remembered by me. I figure that the calling wouldnt mind waiting a bit longer and I turn back to the duo in the corner, Henry and Cherry.
The old man seems to be tense, shaking his head ever so often while cherry continues to hold the letter I gave her which would send her to the hunters dream if she was ever threatened. But I notice after a moment that she has a scared expression on her face as bottles of sedatives lie around her.
I frown and approach the two, henryk nearly draws his weapon at me. I clasp my hands on his wrist and say to him. "Howdy shit-faced old man. You haven't gone senile on me yet, have you?" I clap him on the shoulder a few times as my crass words seem to help him calm down as he sheathes his weapon again and trembles, sliding his back down the wall.
"Take her away from here, I can't keep her safe, I feel myself slipping back into my mindless rage from when I heard Gascoigne and my daughter died." He states as he huddles into his knees. His words are not hidden and I can see the chapel dweller is giving a sympathetic look to the old veteran of the hunt. Cherry also has a fearful expression on her face as she pulls out what looks like the last bottle of sedative I had prepared for her in case she was to lose her mind.
I try to speak to Henryk again but he seems to be stuck in a loop. "I can't, I've failed. Im the one endangering her now" he mumbles over and over again like a cry for help. I close my eyes as I try to think of any possible solution.
Thinking of something, I take out a knife and some chemicals as I grab his dominant arm and begin to chisel right in front of Cherry.
"No, what are you doing?" She calls out, not moving forward anymore in fear that i have gone mad too.
I look at her and pull down the sleeves of my arms to show her something as I get back to work soon after. "It's a Caryll rune, this one has the ability to provide frenzy resistance, I hope that by carving it onto him, he would be able to resist the madness a bit more. If not, then the sedative will have to do." I explain as I continue working on carving the 7 pointed spear onto his arm. Since I always have the materials on me for rituals, the altar has little purpose…at least I hope it has little purpose.
I continue my work as I carve both the tier 1 and tier 2 Deep Sea rune onto his arms before crossing them in front of where Henryk is looking. "Gaze onto them, look deeply, do not forget yourself just yet. There are those that still rely on you." I try to remind the old man of his duties, his obligations, the ties that bind him to life. Everything and anything to strengthen his mind away from madness.
Alas my efforts are in vain as he continues his mumbling. I bring out another bottle of sedative that I just bought with echoes and shove it into his mouth. He nearly chokes on it, but I just punch him in the gut and he does nearly choke on it again but it momentarily snaps him out of his daze so he could chug it all down.
He spends the next few moments coughing but at least his eyes clear up a bit. "Look at your arms, memorize it, let it seep into your god damn brain if you don't wish to go crazy right away."
My words make him sober up as he looks at the two runes I carved into his flesh, A few tears flow from his eyes and merge with the blood.
"I'm sorry, thank you for everything you have done, but you should take her away now. My memory fails me more and more in time. I can't do what you ask of me. I am so tired. Please, take her away. Leave me. I am only a threat to her." His words pull at my heart and I can only think back to a reward I got oh so long ago, Kin of Kin.
A device that would allow two unrelated individuals to become related by blood.
I eye the thing that looks like a double edged needle with a vial in the middle. I continue for a few moments before stabbing myself with it. The bit of blood drained from me flows to the center vial and the needle from my end is gone.
I show the vial into henryks hand. "Have her mix her blood with mine. Then inject the merged blood back into her. Finally, have her rip that letter. She will be safe, even if only a bit longer. You must be the one to send her away, a proper goodbye. I can't force her, she is but a child. She won't understand unless you do it" I tell him and he stares at the needle, confusion evident but my words tug at his heart this time around. He nods as I give him another sedative into his other hand. "Don't lose yourself until it's done and she is safe."
He trembles and nods his head as he moves towards his granddaughter, a resolute expression on his face as he prepares for the hardest battle of his life. To ensure his granddaughter is safe, he must entrust her fully to me. His son-in-law's murderer and the one who avenged his daughter.
I now exit the chapel as I heed the call I felt earlier. It leads me up the chapel side path, past the now locally extinct Church servants and up to the Grand Cathedral. It is there that I spot a figure. Lying down, blood flowing onto the very ground she lies upon.
Eileen the Crow.
I approach and she struggles to lift her head and even move herself to sit up against the stone railing.
"Oh, is that you again?" She begins to speak, recognizing me a tiny bit since I've changed a lot since we met back in the "I'm afraid I've made a bit of a blunder. I'm just going to have a short rest."
"Are you alright, do you need treatment?"
"Oh, don't worry, I've taken blood. Enough to save an old woman." She reassures me but I can easily see that she is bleeding out much faster than any blood she could have on hand. She continues to mutter to herself aloud, "No more dreams for me. This is my last chance. What a fool I am. I'll have to tread carefully."
"Best not to go further, that thing still lies in wait. Turn back, he is my score to settle"
"What is with the old bastards in this city that makes them unable to ask for help." I take out a vial and stab her in the leg.
"I don't know how much blood you've had but that should tide you over for a moment" I say and she nods.
"Yes, just a moment and ill join you for the hunt" I roll my eyes at her bravado as I get up and walk back into the Grand Cathedral.
Just in front of the lamp lies a single figure cloaked in darkness, the lamp behind it giving a glowing visage.
"Motherfuckers aura farming in my territory. Hell to the no" I curse him out as I'm the only one who is allowed to aura farm here. I approach as we both begin to slow walk towards each other. Naturally, my greater height means I approach him further. It reminds me of that one jojo meme except my enemy doesnt talk first at all.
"I can't beat the shit out of you without getting closer" i say offhandedly to at least complete the scene, the Bloody Crow of Cainhurst pays my words no mind as he takes out his Chikage and stabs himself with it to coat it in blood. He also has a repeating pistol in his other hand.
I meet him blow for blow with my superior agility and strength. Even as he tries to shoot me only for my Evelyn's bullet to land against his due to my superior reflexes and perception (ie wind manipulation and gauging the enemies body action and comparing it to my own stance when shooting.)
Very quickly I begin to overpower him even with his blood enhanced blade. It continues for a few minutes as he is soon backed into the wall. He swings once more but instead of matching his blow, I shoot him, causing a riposte as my fist plunges into his chest.
I pull out his heart, causing him to essentially fall over dead but im not done yet as I go for a second plunge and tear his soul apart for his crimes.
He leaves behind a +3 rupture Caryll rune which I simply bag up and pay no further heed. I then make my way back out of the cathedral and to the still lying crow.
"Don't you ever listen to your elders? No matter, you did save my life." I don't seem to be apt for this life anymore... My glory days are long ago now..." Hmmm, I know... Here, for you." She hands me the crowhunter badge and Hunter Caryll rune. "This too is a hunters' work, but bears no honor. A burden you may choose to carry."
"Im feeling quite tired now, let me rest." She slumps down a bit further
"Very well, but the rest you seek is not the one you will get. Nothing more than a lie perpetrated by this infernal nightmare. As I'm the only one who knows of the way to grant you a proper rest."
I plunge my hand into her chest and rend her soul apart, perpetrating an eternal rest for a long aged hunter who has given her all to her service. A maiden who took it upon herself to be one of few, if any, to tear down other hunters when they have lost their minds.
As I receive her blood echoes, her last words fall to me. "You can't go on like this". "Someone has to end this dream." I lower my head to meet her clouded eyes, closing them for her.
I bring her body back with me back down the chapel. Using my cosmology to gain Earth manipulation to grant her a proper burial. No casket since all those are gained up but she will instead properly return to the earth, no longer suffering.
I then stare at the piece of absolute shit that is Amygdala and it trembles in my gaze. It knows too much, who I am, what i have slain to get this far, likely what I will do next. Yet it will not live further to witness it itself.
Vrooooom.
------------------------------------------------------------
Word Count = 2108