The Paleblooded Hunter in Terra (Bloodborne x Arknights)

Act 1.9 Sal Viento - A Haunting Farewell

Chapter 9
A Haunting Farewell

-Flashback

In the city of Sal Viento, as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the cobblestone streets, Gladiia embarked on her mission. She had seen enough unsettling occurrences in this place to warrant a closer look, and tonight, the enigmatic chapel near the cliff beckoned her.

As Gladiia silently leapt to a nearby roof to observe the surrounding of the Chapel, her watchful eye caught sight of the growth around the Chapel, and almost immediately she caught sight of a mysterious figure draped in white robes and a black hat, his face were covered by a mask that covers the upper part of his face. He emerged from the chapel, his steps measured and deliberate, a stark silhouette against the fading light.

As the man left the chapel, the dim glow of the street lamps revealed little about him, save for the white priest-like attire he wore. To her, he remained an enigma, a riddle that begged to be unraveled. She observed him intently, her crimson eyes never leaving his form as he departed from the chapel.

In a city shrouded in secrets, trust came with caution. With her instincts honed like a predator on the prowl, Gladiia decided to shadow this mysterious newcomer, her crimson eye glinting in the dimly lit streets. She watched him like a shadow, blending into the darkness as she pursued her target, determined to discern his intentions and the role he played in this intricate web of faith and enigma.

In the cloak of night, as the stranger ventured deeper into the city's labyrinthine alleyways, Gladiia knew that it was time to act. She had shadowed him for long enough and needed to determine his true intentions. Her crimson eyes, sharp and unyielding, remained locked on his every move.

With a calculated approach, Gladiia jumped from the roof and immediately closed the distance between them, her movements swift yet soundless. She moved with the grace of a seasoned hunter, her presence nearly imperceptible to the untrained eye.

And then, with precision and speed, she made her move. The glint of her spear's blade caught the dim light as it swiftly transformed into a hooked weapon, its wire snaking through the shadows. In one fluid motion, she cast her ensnaring net, aiming to capture the stranger and bring him closer, her senses attuned to any reaction he might make in response to her ambush.

Now, her trap was set into motion. As the wire from her transformed spear coiled around the stranger, she yanked him closer and kicked him in the gut, her every move controlled and deliberate. Her intention was to incapacitate him for interrogation, and she had honed her skills for just such an occasion.

As the stranger fell to the ground, his breath knocked out of him, he began to beg. But Gladiia had no patience for pleas, and she silenced him with a swift, powerful series of punch to the face causing his blood to splatter on both the ground and her. Her hand connected with his cheek, but as she did so, she felt warmth radiating from her own body, as if something within her were burning.

However, before she could deliver the final blow, the stranger's voice broke through the haze of the moment. In a voice that carried the weight of truth, he uttered some simple words: "It's... it's me... the Hunter...", as the man's facemask that covered the upper part of his face cracks and falls from his head revealing his current face that slowly contorts into the original one yet caked with Blood from all the beatings.

Gladiia's crimson eyes widened slightly, though her expression remained stoic. She hesitated for a fraction of a second before lowering her fist. The realization of her mistake settled in, and with a touch of somber, calm, and utterly polite tone, she murmured, "...Apologies..."