Another Dreary Hunt: Forbidden Studies

10 O'Clock: Breaking Point

"YOU BASTARD!" Rom screamed as she clocked Laurence square across his jaw. He stumbled back, eyes averted before he spat blood onto the grass.

The Hunt had passed, it must have taken around an hour before we could be sure they were really gone. We lost two more in the wait, whether they abandoned us or met their fate at the hands of the beasts I could not be sure but what I did know is that we were all shaken. A group, including Rom, had elected not to continue. I, on the other hand, believed in Laurence. A man of his caliber, his intellect would not simply lead lambs to the slaughter, there must have been some...Greater reason for it all. Casualties are expected, it is the way of hunters. Rom did not see it that way, the death she was expecting; it was the total lack of action which flipped her switch. She watched as Laurence simply cleaned his blade whilst her friends were being cut down and torn apart. She watched Ludwig stare off into the distance, his mind elsewhere and ears deaf to the screams of innocent students. She glared at Amelia as she prayed for their souls - That annoyed her the most...The acknowledgement yet the failure to do anything about it. The priestess was already healing some of the lucky who survived their meetings with the beasts, whereas Ludwig was performing a headcount. I stood by Rom, the blood sticking her hair to her face as she panted. I could sense her rage building, I did not want to witness what would happen if the container burst.

"You volunteered, girl." Laurence explained. "Have you not read of the beasts, and the Hunt? It is a bloody affair. One which oft ends in the death of any involved."
"Horseshit! You sat back as my friends were murdered!"
"I am not much of a hunter. I am a Vicar, the First Vicar. I can kill one of your mindless Gardens but these beasts are relentless, still with that inkling of human consciousness bestowed by Oedon." He gestured to the sky. Rom's rage was still burning, yet she was speechless. Instead she turned and walked away from him, over to a few of her fellow students to help with their wounds. That was when I swooped in. "Vicar Laurence, sir," I formally began. "what is the purpose of this little crusade? Will we be heading to Yharnam?" He seemed puzzled, tilting his head before thinking for a moment. "No, we will not."
"Then, what are we doing?"
"Tying up loose ends." He put his hand on my shoulder. "There are greater things at work than these beasts, Chester Alexandre. Dear Rom is a sign of that, for sure. I have a friend we must visit, then it will all be made clear." I looked at his bloody hand, the moon catching it just enough so I could see it reflected. Only, she was different. A figure floated before it. No, I shook my head, I was still in shock. I looked into Laurence's eyes and nodded. "I'll make Rom see sense, sir."
"Good...She will be rather useful." He turned and walked over to Ludwig, who was counting the amount of quicksilver bullets we had for the journey.

I walked over to Rom, I hated the tone she had. That gentle anger in her voice as she spoke to the wounded and terrified, the reassurance carried that underlying hatred for those around her. Possibly including me.

"Rom?"
"Chester." She did not look at me. I stumbled for the words, pacing in little circles behind her. "We have to keep going."
"No we don't, we could go back to Willem and wait until the morning. We could take everyone back." She stood up, still turned away. "So how about you get those delusions out of your head..."
"Rom, please. We're doing important work here!"
"How do you know!?" Her voice sounded odd."You haven't a clue what Laurence wants! Remember those rumours about the Church and Old Yharnam, what if we're just another kill squad!?" I would be lying if I said she did not have a point, there was plenty of slander against the Church. "I'm confident in this one, Rom. When have I ever been wrong about these this before?"
"You haven't!" She turned, her cosmic purple eyes filled with stars and a blue tint around her eyes. "That's why I'm scared this may be the beginning! Your luck can't last forever, Chester..."
"Rom? Are you okay?" I moved towards her, she pulled away. "I have a bad feeling about him, Chess...Ever since he came to Willem I get these voices." She held herself, her blonde locks blowing in the rancid breeze. "They mutter things to me, tell me things I should not know. The blood runs through him, the Old Blood." Her hands shot up to her head, her lips forming a rapid barrage of voiceless words. "Fear the Vicar, dear Rom. Blood in his veins, blood on his hands. Blood in his veins, blood on his hands. Blood in his veins, blood on his hands. Blood in his veins, blood on his hands." She repeated, progressively getting louder before she let out a terrifying scream. I covered her mouth quickly, though after it was over she fell to the dirt unconscious.

I lifted her slightly, gently shaking her. "Rom? Rom are you okay?" I noticed the pale liquid dripping from her nose. I had never seen anything like it, I was bewildered until Amelia drifted over and placed a hand on my shoulder. "She's bleeding, here." She handed me a handkerchief in her thin hands. I took it and began to clean my friend up as Amelia investigated her, tugging her hand and even checking under her clothes. "Hey!"
"Do not fear, I am simply looking for signs." She glanced at me, her blank face rather unsettling. "Your friend is rather special, don't you think?"

What was it that made her so special, if anything she was in agony. I picked her up and held her head against my chest, her sleeping face was so peaceful. So rare in these times of horror, it was a wonder she could rest after what she saw. Every time I closed my eyes I saw crimson, that glistening syrup crawling towards me across the ground.
When Rom closed hers, she saw the lake. So gentle and calming, almost like a guardian against her demons. The indescribable vastness of it, like an unexplored ocean. She would never see the other side, though she did not need to, as such great lakes are augurs of the eldritch Truth. The previously locked knowledge poured into her fragile mind as she rested against my frantic heart.