The Ashen Keeper

Chapter 122

She stayed lying on the ground not bothering to get up from the pool of blood while looking upon the red moon that illuminates the nightmare. She opened her mouth as she started to speak.

"I do not know much, milady. I died an early death. All I can tell you is what happened before my death."

"That will be more than enough, Lady Maria for I desire to know more of the Healing church."

"It all started with the human desire. In this world, we humans desired one thing and that is evolution. Even when we hunted the Pthumerians to near extinction, we were still inferior species. And so, feeble humans longed for evolution.

That was when we discovered the blood of the Great Ones that were in the possessions of the Pthumerians. What I am saying to you now milady, is something very few had knowledge of."

"What are the Great Ones, Lady Maria?"

"The pthumerians resembled humans and the Great Ones resembled no one. Every great one was unique in their own way. Powerful, multidimensional beings hailed as gods. Like all other species, they longed to reproduce.

But, they were all far too unique to reproduce with one another. So instead, they would grant their subjects the honour of bearing their child. They were the pthumerians.

Only few succeed while many others failed. That is also why they possess the old blood of the great ones. Later, they would eventually abandon the mortal plane and ascend higher into other higher realms not meant for mortals.

Eventually, humanity would discover the civilizations of the ruined pthumerians and they founded the school of Brygenwerth to explore these ruins and find ways for humans to ascend into a higher plane.

The schools was headed by a cautious man known as Master Willem. He believe that by gaining more insight and knowledge of the great ones, he would be able to ascend. He feared the old blood and its capabilities.

The same however, could not be said for his disciple Laurence. Laurence can be said to be the start of this nightmare. he founded the bloodiest organization in history. He founded the Healing Church after breaking away from his master."

"Laurence? Thou speaks of him with great hatred."

"Of course. If Brygenwerth had even an ounce of good intentions, the Healing Church has none. It broke off Brygenwerth to study the old blood. They have forgotten the saying 'Fear the old blood'.

Using these blood that they gathered by murdering countless lives, they would then administer them to the populace of Yharnam. They gathered good will from desperate people finding a cure for incurable diseases.

They gain prestige so quickly. So fast it was unbelievable. But by curing incurable diseases, they give birth to the scourge of the beast. It would turn men into lunatics. Turn them into beasts who would destroy everything around them."

"Yet the people worship the church?"

"Oh, they keep it a secret you see. They founded an organization called the Hunter's workshop. It was headed by German. He wielded the weapon you were using. He was the first hunter. He was also ... my mentor.

The church had three main branches. The hunters of the workshop. The choir. And finally, the worst of all ... the school of Mensis. I was obviously of the hunters of the workshop. We worked under the cover of the night.

The choir existed to continue the work at Brygenwerth. It was to gain insight and find a way to communicate with the great ones. They have made many discoveries and even found a Great One that was left behind by the others when they ascended.

And finally, the school of Mensis headed by Micolash, undoubtly the worst man in all of Yharnam. He was in a way, at the centre of almost everything negative in Yharnam. That is as far as I know. I died not soon after."

She listened to her words carefully. Lady Maria still laid on the floor of blood with no intentions to move. She did not look like she will move anytime soon so, she just sat on the blood soaked floor beside her.

She did not tell her everything. She left out a very crucial detail. It was about herself. In a way, Lady Maria reminded her of her past self with no thoughts for herself.

"Are there anything more thou would like to say? I promise thee that I shall listen to all of thy troubles."

"What more do you want? I have said everything I can. What can you even offer me in exchange other than getting me out of this realm?"

"I could offer to be thy friend, if thou wishes for it."

"A friend? There are no friends among hunters, milady keeper. Only colleagues who would betray you at any given moment. Other than what will you give me? Gold? Riches?"

She smiled at this knowing full well that she was implying that friends were useless to her. So much she considered gold and riches to have greater worth.

"A friend is one who would not even consider giving their life for you. That is a friend. Not everyone thou hast come to know are friends. Most are there with thee for something else in exchange. For what they can get. Thou hast no friends, it appears.

Friendship is a priceless gift that cannot be bought nor sold but its value is far greater than a mountain made of gold. For gold is cold and lifeless. It can neither see nor hear. And in time of trouble, it is powerless to cheer.

Gold, it has no ears to listen, no heart to understand. It cannot bring thee comfort or reach out a helping hand. So, when thee asks thy great ones for a gift. Be thankful if they sent not diamonds, pearls or riches but the love of real true friends.

Lady Maria, friends are truly rare. Allow me to have the honour of becoming thy friend.

I shall offer thee all the warmth of the sun by bringing thee out of the cold moon."

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This is chapter 122.

The friendship quote is not mine but was spoked by Muhammad Ali.

Tell me what you think of it.