07-22-2015, 03:46 PM
The soft whisper of metal swinging through the air was the only warning, Eileen did not even see it coming. The man, her old apprentice had vanished, the art of Quickening taking him out of sight. She had to try and guess which way he went and Eileen guessed wrong. The Cainhurst Crow, that was what people had started calling him. A good name, for this Crow had defeated his elder. Blood sprayed, creating a pattern of vibrant red on the floor of the massive Grand Cathedral, dripping down her side and covering the inside of that feathered cape. The Hunter of Hunters stumbled, her face contorting into a rictus of pain beneath her mask. However, she could not afford to stop, stopping would let him land the finishing blow he was even now pulling back for. Her left hand lifted, the elegant Hunter's Pistol clutched in her fingers. One shell was loaded, she only had six left, this would take her down to five. At this range it was impossible to miss, there was a loud, powerful crack and the shell, a mixture of quicksilver and her own blood, flew true. It struck the Cainhurst Crow and he staggered backwards, falling onto one knee as the powerful mixture infiltrated his blood. This was her chance. The Blade of Mercy went into its clasp on her belt with a flick of the wrist. Stepping forward, she jammed her hand into his abdomen, right below the solar plexus! He let out a groan of pain before she ripped it free, knocking him flat onto his back. It was not enough to kill him, but that was not the point.
When the Crow picked himself back up, a vial of blood going to his wound to reinvigorate him and heal his wounds, Eileen was already gone. There was a trail of blood though, leading towards the massive set of stairs that led to the Grand Cathedral. The great ridged heads of the Kin stared down at Eileen as she stumbled her way down, rows of them to either side of her, watching her flight. She could not slay the Cainhurst Crow, he was stronger than she, and Eileen's prime was so very long ago. The hunter of hunters couldn't give up though, but for now she simply had to rest. Would he follow? He was so mindless, he had not even spoken a single word this whole battle, brief though it was. Once outside the massive double doors, Eileen let herself collapse. Well she was forced to, the great gaping gash in her left side refusing to let her go any longer. Gloved hands fumbled for a blood vial and injected it, feeling it course into her veins. An invigorating feeling...but such a painful strike, it would surely take time to recover from. Was the Cainhurst Crow coming? She heard footsteps as she rested against the railing of the stairs, on her side and helpless. No, they were coming from the wrong direction, one of the beastly priests of the church? No...no it was that hunter. There they were, silver longsword in hand, the greatsword sheathe on their back. "Oh...is that you again?"
She tried to convince the hunter to not...but despite her warnings she could only watch as they walked right through those massive doors into the Cathedral. They had proven an adept fighter against Henryk, but could they really take on that Cainhurst Crow? She could only wait feeling her wounds slowly mend. It didn't always take this long to heal did it? Eileen really was getting old. Then, naught but ten minutes later, the hunter came back. Covered in blood, looking like they'd been through the wringer, but alive! "Don't you ever listen to your elders?" They had done it though, and it was time. Yes, time, she gave that hunter the rune to become a Hunter of Hunters and bade them farewell. In her own words, "I'll be fine, just wait." Then as the hunter walked away, Eileen's eyes closed, and she passed out.
What followed was bizarre, surreal. It was an unpleasant feeling and a reminder of her old past. She found herself just floating in a black void. It was endless and unpleasant and then he appeared. A strange being all in white, no features. She had never seen the like, and when one had not seen the like in such bizarre surroundings. Well a Great One was often a safe bet to make. He spoke of strange things of a world where she would resurrect, and of some strange force called Omnillium? It struck far too much of the Hunter's Dream and the use of Blood Echoes for her liking. It brought up old, painful memories...and then suddenly he vanished, and darkness claimed her once more.
The first sound she heard was water trickling, falling into some kind of pool. The next thing Eileen noticed was that the pain in her side was gone completely. Her eyes opened, peering out of the holes of her beak like mask. A pure white void, nothing but white and...the stone of a fountain. Eileen pushed herself up, the old veteran hunter feeling oddly reinvigorated. There was just the fountain and a white void. It was so hard to tell distance with these blank, simple features all about her. Then she spotted one other thing, on the other side of the fountain. A figure, walking away but not too far yet! Were they friend or foe? If they were she could handle herself, she had...no, no the Blade of Mercy was gone! So was her pistol! The crow shifted, feeling distinctly uncomfortable. Had this 'Omni' taken her gear from her? She did not know, he had said something about the Omnillium and gaining what she needed with it. For now though she was going to take a chance. That figure did not look like any beast. So she was going to take a chance. She stood up fully and began to walk around the fountain. A hand lifted as if in greeting as she called out. "Hold there friend! I don't suppose you'd have the time to answer an old hunter's questions?" He wasn't too far, so hopefully he'd hear and answer. Hopefully he wasn't a beast.
When the Crow picked himself back up, a vial of blood going to his wound to reinvigorate him and heal his wounds, Eileen was already gone. There was a trail of blood though, leading towards the massive set of stairs that led to the Grand Cathedral. The great ridged heads of the Kin stared down at Eileen as she stumbled her way down, rows of them to either side of her, watching her flight. She could not slay the Cainhurst Crow, he was stronger than she, and Eileen's prime was so very long ago. The hunter of hunters couldn't give up though, but for now she simply had to rest. Would he follow? He was so mindless, he had not even spoken a single word this whole battle, brief though it was. Once outside the massive double doors, Eileen let herself collapse. Well she was forced to, the great gaping gash in her left side refusing to let her go any longer. Gloved hands fumbled for a blood vial and injected it, feeling it course into her veins. An invigorating feeling...but such a painful strike, it would surely take time to recover from. Was the Cainhurst Crow coming? She heard footsteps as she rested against the railing of the stairs, on her side and helpless. No, they were coming from the wrong direction, one of the beastly priests of the church? No...no it was that hunter. There they were, silver longsword in hand, the greatsword sheathe on their back. "Oh...is that you again?"
She tried to convince the hunter to not...but despite her warnings she could only watch as they walked right through those massive doors into the Cathedral. They had proven an adept fighter against Henryk, but could they really take on that Cainhurst Crow? She could only wait feeling her wounds slowly mend. It didn't always take this long to heal did it? Eileen really was getting old. Then, naught but ten minutes later, the hunter came back. Covered in blood, looking like they'd been through the wringer, but alive! "Don't you ever listen to your elders?" They had done it though, and it was time. Yes, time, she gave that hunter the rune to become a Hunter of Hunters and bade them farewell. In her own words, "I'll be fine, just wait." Then as the hunter walked away, Eileen's eyes closed, and she passed out.
What followed was bizarre, surreal. It was an unpleasant feeling and a reminder of her old past. She found herself just floating in a black void. It was endless and unpleasant and then he appeared. A strange being all in white, no features. She had never seen the like, and when one had not seen the like in such bizarre surroundings. Well a Great One was often a safe bet to make. He spoke of strange things of a world where she would resurrect, and of some strange force called Omnillium? It struck far too much of the Hunter's Dream and the use of Blood Echoes for her liking. It brought up old, painful memories...and then suddenly he vanished, and darkness claimed her once more.
The first sound she heard was water trickling, falling into some kind of pool. The next thing Eileen noticed was that the pain in her side was gone completely. Her eyes opened, peering out of the holes of her beak like mask. A pure white void, nothing but white and...the stone of a fountain. Eileen pushed herself up, the old veteran hunter feeling oddly reinvigorated. There was just the fountain and a white void. It was so hard to tell distance with these blank, simple features all about her. Then she spotted one other thing, on the other side of the fountain. A figure, walking away but not too far yet! Were they friend or foe? If they were she could handle herself, she had...no, no the Blade of Mercy was gone! So was her pistol! The crow shifted, feeling distinctly uncomfortable. Had this 'Omni' taken her gear from her? She did not know, he had said something about the Omnillium and gaining what she needed with it. For now though she was going to take a chance. That figure did not look like any beast. So she was going to take a chance. She stood up fully and began to walk around the fountain. A hand lifted as if in greeting as she called out. "Hold there friend! I don't suppose you'd have the time to answer an old hunter's questions?" He wasn't too far, so hopefully he'd hear and answer. Hopefully he wasn't a beast.