Bloodborne: The Hero and the King

Chapter 4: The Forsaken Carriage

"You can tell its alien?" Asked the King, as the Hero placed the stone in his hand.

"No, but that feels like the right answer." Replied the Hero. His eyes returned to normal, and they continued to move down the alleyways, eventually coming full circle back to Cathedral Ward. "Ok what?"asked the Hero, confused.

"A lot of this town is connected in the weirdest ways" Said the King, turning around he spotted the Grand Cathedral.  "Ah i remember there being a path behind the Cathedral" said the King. "If i remember correctly, it should lead to the woods, and a little ways past that, my castle. I must return, see if any of my men made it back, and how the castle turned out."

"Castle?" Thought the Hero to himself as they wandered through the forest. "Forsaken" he said aloud, confusing the King.

"What was that?" Asked the King.

"The castle..it is called the Forsaken Castle.."replied the Hero, trying to remember where he got this information.

"It is not forsaken!!" Cried out the King. "I did not Forsaken it!" The king began sprinting, his breathing attracting the attention of the wandering corrupt townspeople. His fear, attracting more beasts. He slid between the enemies, increasing the distance between himself and the Hero, who was left to deal with the blood thirsty creatures. The Hero gripped the Tonitrus, and danced around the monsters, almost with beautiful grace, as the spikes on the head of the Tonitrus removed brain matter from the beasts. He inhaled the echoes of their blood, and ran to catch up to the King who was staring down a lake, a pile of dead bodies at his feet, and his sword dripping in the blood of his enemies. The King turned his head, his red and yellow eyes glowing brightly as the blood echoes rushed through his veins. "The bridge" he said, almost as if he had lost his child. "The bridge is gone." The glow in his eyes faded, and he fell to his knees, his sword in the ground in front of him. "Logarius..did you..do this to save the kingdom? Did you forsake the rest of Yharnam in my absence? What have you done?"

In the distance, the Hero heard a horses cries. He turned and saw a skeletal horse pulling a carriage careen to a stop at the edge of the lake. Within the carriage, the stench of blood, death, and decay was prevalent. A voice spoke,

"The King has returned."the voice was oddly relaxed, smooth, and disturbing. The King did not react to the voice. He had not reacted to the Carriage's arrival either. The Hero walked over to the King, and grabbing his arm, forced him to stand. "Ahh, he lacks the insight to see the truth." Said the voice within the carriage. "But you..you reek of a Hero's aura. You can see me, can't you? You are not of this world..Guide him towards me..once he is close enough he will gain the insight needed, if only for the moment, to make the journey home." The Hero, pulled the King, who allowed himself to be guided like a lost child towards the carriage. Once he was a few feet away, the King's eyes widened as the carriage formed in front of his face.

"What is-" he stammered.

"King, there is no time." Said the voice within the carriage. In the distance, ground shaking roars were approaching them. "Amygdala seeks your castle, and will be on us soon. I have kept it hidden, as instructed..with your return, my duty will have been completed.." The doors to the carriage swung open, and a bronze skinned hand extended outwards,helping the hero aboard the carriage. As the King climbed aboard, he asked,

"your duty? To whom? Logarius? Did Logarius task you with this duty?" Asked the King, his heart beating rapidly, as he came face to face with the man in the carriage. He had sharp eyes, and dark blueish black hair, pulled back into a dreaded ponytail. At the mention of Logarius the man laughed.

"No no.." He said."Logarius is gone..well..in some ways he still exists..No king..i was sent by someone more powerful to protect the kingdom, and your return.."

"Who?"begged the king, as the horses began pulling the carriage, their hooves stomping on the water's surface, the screams of Amygdala fading into the distance."who are you? Who sent you?"

"I have many names, but ultimately i am just Malic..i was sent by Queen Annaise.."

"Queen?" Asked the Hero putting it together, as they rode across the lake, at breathtaking speed. He turned towards the King, who had a single crimson tear running down the sides of his face.

"Annaise..?"whispered the King."my wife lives?"

A sinister grinned formed across Malic's face, as the carriage entered a deep fog.
"No"