Another Dreary Hunt: Forbidden Studies

8 O'Clock: Fear The Old Blood

Outside were people in white robes, semblances of armour across their limbs as they gestured to a box full of uniforms. The garbs of the Healing Church. It was Laurence's pride and joy, not only as a place of worship for Oedon but as an institution for those in need. When Yharnam was overcome with blight and ashen blood, the Healing Church was there to cure them with the miracle the great Formless One bestowed upon us. "Chester, think."
"I've thought, now I'm doing."
"You can't go to Yharnam! It's still far too dangerous." Rom was clearly still shaken, but she pushed past it to join me outside with Laurence and two other people. One was a tall, exquisite man with short blonde hair and a large sword by his side. It was decorated beautifully with a long piece of white cloth wrapped around the blade. The woman was small, with a white hood shrouding her face as she held an amulet close to her breast. She seemed to be in prayer.

"Ludwig, Amelia." Laurence greeted them, the two nodded in response. Rom kept me between her and the lake as she glared at me, I felt her gaze piercing deep within me. She could always do that, make you doubt yourself with a single look; no doubt why she became such an esteemed student. "Chester...I don't want to find your corpse torn apart in some alley by some turned citizen." She sounded genuinely worried, her voice growing softer. "This is my chance to make a difference, Rom. I've been waiting for a chance to join the Church, and now my research may actually come in useful! I know you don't see the sense in it but that's the difference between you and me. You follow your mind, I'm following my heart."
"It'll get you killed."
"And what will sitting in a lecture theatre for hours upon end do for the dying people of Yharnam, huh?! We've tried to cure this scourge and it's been useless, but do you know what works? Fire and steel. Hunters are the cure, I am the cure." I panted, the passionate speech getting me worked up. I heard the blood pumping in my ears as I looked at the blonde deep in thought. The tall man approached us, "So, volunteers I assume?" he asked in a rather angelic voice.

"Yes." We said.

Wait, we?! I looked over at Rom who had that hardy look on her face, the one which meant she was committed. Nothing would change her mind now, not me nor the prospect of death at the claws of a beast. "You don't have to-"
"Yes I do, if you die I'm at least going to avenge you." She looked at me with those burning sapphires of fury, and I smirked back. "I should be saying that of you, shorty." Suddenly, a rush of pain as I felt her jab me in the shoulder. The man laughed and gestured to a box of white robes. "You'll be needing these, and find a weapon that suits you."

Ludwig helped Rom sort through the uniforms, finding one that would fit her. I took more interest in Laurence returning to the building. I slowly followed behind and quietly closed the door as Laurence approached Master Willem who sat peacefully in his rocking chair, despite the priest's cattish steps Willem seemed to have sussed his presence.

“Master Willem, I've come to bid you farewell.” Laurence approached.

“Oh, I know, I know. You think now, to betray me.” The wise man did not turn his head, simply kept rocking with a gentle creak wailing through the air.

“No, but you will never listen. I tell you, I will not forget our adage.” Laurence lowered his head.

“...We are born of the blood, made men by the blood, undone by the blood. Our eyes are yet to open..."

"Fear the old blood." They both proclaimed.

Laurence thought for a while before turning away, “I must take my leave.”

“By the gods, fear it, Laurence." Willem's voice shook, so did the large old man in his chair. Before Laurence had a chance to see me I slipped out the door and back to Rom, who had changed with the other volunteers into the church uniform. She looked out of place, the thick robes not suiting her studious charm, yet she looked determined and carried the strange blue book in a kind of holster on her belt. "Where were you?"
"Oh...I just forgot a few things, don't worry." I smiled, walking over to don the robes too. They were magnificent, bearing sigils and glyphs of the church as the cloth seemed to shine in he dark blue night. It was as pure as the white-hot sun, and would bring fear to those unsightly demons we were heading towards. Ludwig then handed me a long iron blade with a thick metal handle, it was wrapped in tattered cloth as a form of makeshift grip. "The Church Pick, a righteous weapon to vanquish those vermin." He announced, I could only stare at the masterfully crafter trick weapon with a form of...Glee, is the only word I can use to describe how I felt.

That was when Laurence exited, and immediately pushed past the new Church Hunters to the front and made a small gesture with his hand. Ludwig immediately shouted for us all to follow, and follow we did. With Rom beside me, reading her book, and a weapon at my waist I felt invincible as we approached the entrance to the Forbidden Wood.

Two gravestones, partially collapsed, formed an archway we passed under. Thick mud tainted our boots and hindered our movement as we trudged past a larger marker, beautifully carved to remember whichever figure the monument was built to remember. These woods were older than Byrgenworth, and who knows what horrors lie off the beaten path. The wood itself was thick and dark, a miasma of ancient air filled our lungs and made breathing difficult, as if we were inhaling steam. The mud never ended, rains for the past few days had obviously had an effect as we constantly had to change course due to collapsed hills and landslides. I could not see the stars, which was unsettling. No god could see us, no god would save us. We walked for what seemed like hours before Ludwig spoke up. "Stay close! The snakes out here are venomous, and the villagers wild with the scourge."
"You think our first fight will be in here?" I asked, slightly excited.
"What, and waste all of our energy before we get to Yharnam? No, we'll probably just avoid them."
"The girl is smart." Amelia piped up, who I had only just realised was next to us. "You'd best heed her warnings." She still never looked at us, simply headed towards Ludwig. "Wierdo." I muttered.
"Coming from the wierdo." Rom retorted, smirking at her own wit. Before I had the chance to even think of something to bite back at her with we heard a low growl and the scraping of iron against the dirt. We all backed off into the undergrowth, as we saw flames in the distance. We waited...And waited, until the growls grew louder and the cries of men grew more deranged. We finally saw them, a procession of the Hunt. All beasts now, awful, disgusting beasts.