Bloodborne: The Hero and the King

Chapter 6: The Beasts Within

"Anna?" Said the King, tears running down his cheek. "Anna, i thought you were gone..Taken from me forever."

The queen sat in her throne. She took a sip from her grail, motioning with her fingers for the king to come closer. The King ran up to her, wiping his eyes. "I was.." She said softly, wiping the red liquid from her lips. "It has been forever. Centuries, actually."

"Centuries?" Repeated the king, taken back. "No.."

"Yes.. You were gone for quite some time. Are you thirsty, my love? Have a sip." She handed the King her drink. He took a sip, and gagged, spitting it out.

"Is that-"

"Blood? Yes it is." Replied the Queen, taking the grail back, with a slight laugh. "This keeps me alive..keeps me young.."

"What..what have you become?" Asked the King, astonished.

"What have i become? Nothing. I failed in my transformation. The Great one has no use for me.." She said depressengly shaking her head. "And i loved him so.."

"You..loved..?" Asked the King.

"Yes but dont worry dear. Not like how i love you. I love him like one loves a father. Or a God..if their is a difference to a child..and children of the Great One, we all are." She tilted her head to the side."although, you may be more loved than i am."

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Your eyes, dear. They lost their beautiful brown. Yellow like the beast. Red like a demon. What have YOU become?"

"I am still me." Assured the King.

"Really? 300 years and you are still as young as the day i last saw you? Even the beasts of yharnam age in the daylight. Have you not seen the sun?" Asked the Queen.

"I-"

"You are a monster." She said softly. "I can see it inside of you, you know.. The beast within, clawing at your chest. Your tears are crimson. Your skin pale. Why is your sword bandaged? Why have you not embraced the beast?"

"Because i am not one." Replied the King, defiantly.

"Ahh. You resist the plague through will power? You smell of the moon..but you will burn in the sun. Embrace the Beast within."

"Is that what you did?" Asked the King, feeling sick, looking at his wife as she drank more blood.

"Oh no." She said. "I was enlightened by a scholar. He used blood of a captured God to create something different from the beasts. I am fully in control of my body, although the church referred to us as Vile.."

"Vilebloods.."whispered the king, remembering What Logarius had said.

"Yes that is what Logarius called us, when he led an army of your knights to slaughter us all." She sighed."all i wanted to do was reclaim my castle."

"Why didnt he kill you then?" Asked the King.

"He tried. Many times. The Great One wouldnt let him. He has a plan for me. All Logarius couldnt kill me. I can not be killed." She began laughing hysterically. "I am immortal." As she laughed, the King gripped his sword.

"Are you sure?"

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"Eileen?!" Called out the Hero. He had arrived back in the church where he had fought Amelia. There was more blood now than when he had left. Fearing Eileen had been attacked while he was gone he called out to her again and again. He followed the blood down the stairs, where he found her sitting outside the doors of the church, hunched over, breathing erratically. "Eileen!!" She looked up, and brandished her swords.

"Beast!!" She cried. She dashed at him, swinging her blades at his throat. The Hero barely managed to dodge them, although she was bleeding, she still moved at breath taking speed. He tried to call her name, but she wasnt listening to him. She kept trying to cut him down.

"Stop!" He pleaded. He defended himself with his mace, accidentally hitting her across the face. "Eileen, im sorry!!" But she injected blood into herself, and got back up.

"Men become monsters, sure enough." She said to herself. "Hunters become the hunted." She lunged at him, again and again. He dashed backwards, and fell over. He looked to see what he had tripped over. A dead body. The weapons in his hand told the Hero he was another hunter. "They all become monsters. Keep your hands clean, Hanuma..my precious son. Keep your hands clean." She muttered to herself.

"Hanuma?" Repeated the Hero standing up. "Hanuma? Is that..." Eileen swung at him again, and he defended himself. She brandished a pistol, and shot at him, the silver bullet piercing his shoulder, burning him. "AAAHH" cried out the Hero.

"Monsters in the form of Hunters." Muttered Eileen. She dashed infront of him, bringing her swords up to his face, clashing against his mace. As they struggles the hero realized her mask had been damaged, a large crack going from the eye hole to the edge of the beak. As she breathed, red mist escaped her body. "No more dreaming.." She said to herself.
The Hero pushed her away, finally realizing what was going on. He activated the electricity on the Tonitrus, and ran at her, swinging at her chest. The blow sent her flying into the walls of the church. She fell over, blood pouring from her chest. As her mask fell to the ground she looked up. "You killed my son.." She said softly. "But he dreams." She said, almost comforting herself. "He dreams..." Her voice trailed off, as her breathing slowed. "He still dreams..."

"I do.."assured the Hero, making his way to a glowing lamp that had appeared in front of him. He knelt down and felt himself be pulled back into the workshop. He looked back at Eileen, tears forming in his eyes. "I still dream, mom."

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"Why.."cried the Queen, covered in blood. She had slashes across her chest, and was coughing up black liquid.

"Because you are a monster, and i swore an oath." Replied the King, holding his sword up as he prepared to deal the final blow.

"Not you!" She cried. "You were always shortsighted. You would never comprehend the truth of Yharnam. What lies beyond your sight. No! Why has the Great one abandoned me!"

"He hasnt." Replied a voice. Before the king could react, he felt a chain wrap itself around his throat, blades digging into his flesh. He was thrown into a wall. As he struggled to his feet, he saw malic walking up to the queen.

"Queen Annalise." He said.

"Malic?" She cried. "Malic, you returned?"

"I couldnt leave my greatest creation behind could i?" He replied with a smirk. "I apologize for how long it took to free you. I did not know the nature of Logarius's illusion. The crown was the key to opening the door." Malic helped the Queen to her feet, and turned to the King. "You are a beast, King. If your oath is so important, kill yourself." As he helped the queen walk, she asked

"Are there anymore?"

"No my queen. Logarius and the executioners were successful. You and i are the last survivors. There are no more Vilebloods, but we can always start again."

"Malic.." Said the queen, but he motioned for her to be silent. "Rest." He lifted her off of her feet. A black mist began to form around.

"Anna!!" Cried out the king. "Annalise!!" But they had disappeared. The king ripped the chains off his neck and screamed out in frustration. He made his way back to the castle, killing all of the ghostly inhuman servants he could find. He wandered to the shores of the castle, drenched in blood, anger radiating off of him. He glared at the lake in front of him.

"I am not a beast!" He roared. He fell to his knees feeling defeated. "I am not a beast."