Nightmare's End

Past: The Hunters' Life is Glorious, Indeed

"Maria, child, see who's at the door," the hunchbacked old man grumbled, the knocking on the thick oak doors of the workshop becoming more aggressive.

"Yes, master," a young, pale skinned girl complied, rising from her seat at her workbench. When she opened the door, Gehrman stood and greeted their guest.

"Laurence? Its good to see you, my friend! What brings you here?" The crooked nosed old man limped over to the orange haired lad in the doorway, and took him in a rough embrace.

"I'm here on College business, Gehrman. I am looking for some hunters to accompany a group of scholars on an expedition to the coast. Would you be interested?"

"Of course my friend! Of course! We will begin preparing immediately. Tell Master Willem I will be meeting him tomorrow to discuss payment and other details of this trip."

"Alright, I will inform him. It has been a pleasure Gehrman. Farewell." With that, Laurence left, closing the door behind him.

Gehrman called for Maria, and told her to begin preparing for the expedition. "Only essentials, girl. Your blades, your armor, and some extra clothes and food. This is not a pleasure trip. We may face beasts once more while we are away."

"Yes, master." Maria bowed, her pale blue eyes twinkling slightly in the light of the fireplace.

***

The twenty year old girl sat on her lumpy bed, her eyes scanning her room for anything important, noting little that fit the inadequate description, other than a few small portraits of her family of Cainhurst and her cutlass and armor, a gift from her distant cousin Annalise. Maria remembered when she was leaving the castle for Yharnam, and her cousin had bid her farewell, but not before asking her if she would like a parting gift.

"Well, some equipment would be nice!" Maria had giggled a little when she said that. She was very excited at the time about becoming a hunter, knowing that the few that existed at the time were very respected. Annalise had Maria stay a few hours longer, so their in-home tailor could take her measurements, and so Maria could check in at their blacksmith's shop to pick a weapon. After testing the Chikage for a few minutes, she told her cousin that while she liked the balance of the foreign blade, she did not want a weapon that relied on her blood to be effective. About a month later, Maria received a package from Cainhurst with a letter:

To sweet Maria,

Show those Yharnam peasants what for! I hope these pieces will be sufficient for your hunt. Good luck, dear cousin, and don't let the beasts get you.

With love,
Annalise, Princess of Cainhurst

In the package was the armor of their knights, but it had been dyed with darker reds, and instead of the ridiculous wig, it came with a matching tricorn cap, as well as a curious looking cutlass, with the same blade as the Chikage, but with a sharp dagger for a pommel. Maria pulled at it, and it separated with a loud ringing. Grinning like a child, Maria ran to her master to show off her new trick weapon.

"Hmm, it is a fine blade, child," Gehrman mumbled. "The question, however, is this; can you use it?"

It was on that day that Maria began her true training to become a hunter, and her fate decided...
***

After nearly a month of travel, Master Willem approximated that they were within a week of the coast, and that upon arrival the caravan would find housing in the village's finest structure. Breathing a sigh of relief, Maria rode her horse up to Gehrman, in his carriage.

"Master, what will we do? When we are at this village for a few weeks, I mean?"

"Well, you haven't mastered your cutlass yet, have you? You will practice more with that."

"Of course, but what about something more... fun? I don't like training all the time, master. Why don't we just spend a day together just talking or something?"

"Because hunters do not find pleasure in anything other than the hunt, child. We do not take days off. We do not take breaks. The hunt is never ending, and so must our vigilance. Remember that. Leave us, Maria, I must speak with Master Willem."

Riding toward the rear of the caravan, Maria thought about what Gehrman had said. The hunt is never ending, and so must our vigilance. "Ah, the glory of the hunt is great indeed!" Maria said sarcastically to herself.