Gehrman rested in his usual spot, a small garden hidden behind the workshop where he could not see the abominable fake he'd brought to life. When his old friend Laurence had chosen to seal away the old workshop, the home where he'd trained countless hunters to protect Yharnam and her people. After every battle fought alone in the night, to avenge his fallen students, to protect the uninfected of his home, and to elevate humanity to the level of those gods. He'd sacrificed everything to help his friend discover the secrets of the blood, even betraying their dear master Willem by following him to found the Healing Church. The betrayal of his oldest friend drove him nearly mad, only finding solace in the memories of his dear students. In the memory of his greatest student, Maria.
Oh, she was sharp as a blade and twice as deadly. Of all his students, she remained the pinnacle of everything he'd taught. Though, it remains to be seen if it shall stay that way with his final student well on his way to be her equal. His time spent teaching her had been a balm to his wounded spirit in those dark times, it had also served as a distraction from the whisperings of the great one. Countless promises of bringing the hunt to an end, of healing and power had been tuned out as he focused on bringing his memories to the forefront of his mind. He'd focused on creating a monument to his student, a doll meant to commemorate her memory, and as he'd completed it, he finally broke as he accepted that she was gone, and the fact that nothing would bring her back to his side.
It was then that the Moon Presence made itself apparent, placing a third of an umbilical chord all Great Ones possessed before they were born. A precursor to their brand of divinity, and it was with this that a pact was struck between a homicidal god and an empty man. The Hunter's Dream was born under its power, the doll he'd crafted as a memorial turned to its custodian, and himself a prisoner under his own choice, for all he had left was his own desire to bring the Hunt to an end. The hunter's were gifted with limited immortality in exchange for their prowess in times of need, and the doll he'd so foolishly crafted looked after them as dutiful as if but a simple nanny, using the blood of the slain infected to strengthen them. None of his greatest student was alive in the emotionless white orbs she gazed at him with, none of her wit, her sass, nor her grace in the mechanical movements of his creation.
This was what it took for the first hunter to understand his mistakes, but how could he resolve them when he was but a prisoner in this world of Dreams? How could he hope to be at peace when the culmination of all of his failures was his constant companion in this terrible world?
The boy would bring this to an end. He must.
Gehrman had naught the strength to carry on with this world of lies.
He was old.
He was tired.
And so he would do as he should have years ago, let go of the past for a moment and let the doll help him. To teach the boy kindness as he could not, to help him find his resolve when the night threatens to consume him. She would be the pillar he would find sanctuary with… until the day he freed his teacher from the long night and hunt forever… and in turn began his own…
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The first thing Jack could hear was a gentle humming right next to his ear. The second thing he felt was the warmth surrounding him despite the breeze he could hear just below the humming. He felt the small creatures resting in his lap. He felt the cobblestone nearly splitting his spine and the cramps in his legs getting worse by the second. Despite this, he could not bring himself to move away from the hand curling its way through his hair. How could he when this was the only memory he had of being at peace and feeling safe since he'd awoken helpless in that bed. The young hunter didn't have the heart to move away from his first taste of joy.
He refused to open his eyes, hoping to stretch the moment into eternity, existing next to the gentle warmth that suffused his body. The young man didn't know much, he was practically a newborn without his memories, but he did know this moment of tranquility, of privacy and peace, was worth everything, it was worth fighting for…
… it was worth dying for.
He ignored his body's nearly rebellious denial of the thought, so close to his supposed birth, and felt another shift inside of him. If before he was capable of imprinting the Hunter's rune onto a shelter, now he knew that all he needed to make a true Hunter's Shelter, protected even from the might of the Great Ones that his teacher had taught would be his prey, were the words needed to express his desires for their safety, and hadn't…
…
…he didn't know her name, the name of the mysterious woman who had held him and made him feel safe and happy for the first time in his short life. She'd taken care of him without thought and he couldn't even ask for a simple name…
…
…
Gehrman had taught that a man needed a foundation off of which to build himself from. The very beginning of which he'd decided to make his manners. To offer respect to those around him and their identities, after all, wasn't a name the basis off of which someone learned who they were? If the only difference between a beast and a man is their minds, then a man's identity must be acknowledged and respected.
Despite the emotions flowing through his chest, Jack was slow to rouse. His body had a taste of relaxation and it was downright mutinous, however his desire to understand the inhuman creature that soothed the pain and fear in his heart was proving itself stronger.
When he brought himself out of his dazed state, finally forcing his eyes to open a hair, the white eyed woman made of ceramics was resting against the wall behind them. She held him to her side, rubbing her gentle hands in arcs across his back as those small pale creatures dozed lazily in his lap. She'd closed her eyes to softly hum the song, pressing the back of her head against the wall.
A small shift was made by him, attempting to move his numb leg a bit without destabilizing the small ones was all she needed to open her eyes, and smile.
She smiled as if she'd just been given the best gift in the world, as if he had done some impossible task in her name. It took his breath away, as she stopped her ministrations.
"Ah. You're awake, I hope you've rested well, Dear Hunter.", she said as Jack began to pick the small creatures up to quietly set them to his side, the pins and needles in his legs growing with every second. When he finally managed to work his way to stand, the stiffness had become an agony that needed to be stretched out. The pale woman offered a small smile as the young hunter tried and failed to hold in the small whine that built in the back of his throat, hopping around on one foot until the stiffness had passed.
The pale woman watched in confusion, gently caressing the gathered little ones by her side as she pondered over what ailed the young man. "Cramp, cramp, cramp…", Jack yelped again and again as he hopped around like a fool.
"Dear Hunter, what is a cramp?", the woman asked curiously. Jack opened his mouth, only to shut it back again as he realized he had no idea what it was beyond the pain he was experiencing. Pain that doubled as his leg locked up, depositing the hunter onto the ground in a graceless heap.
The pale woman seemed unsure of how to respond, and so Jack was left there to ride out the pain until he could feel his limbs beneath the pins and needles… yet another thing he didn't know the meaning of.
"…"
"…"
"…"
"… Are you well, Good Hunter?", came her serene voice, laced with an undertone of confusion and worry, accompanied by a tilt of her head as she stared puzzled into his eyes.
"…Yes…", Jack decided to ignore the last minute of his short life span to focus on his companions, despite still lying on the ground, utterly helpless. "I apologize for not asking earlier, but what is your name, dear caretaker?"
"Oh.", came a small noise of surprise as she watched the hunter drag himself up. "I am but a doll, here in this dream to watch over you, Honorable Hunter." There wasn't any true inflection in her voice, save for a small note of contentment that only he was capable of hearing.
"… You don't know who you are either, do you?", he stated more than asked, missing the small flinch that seemed to startle her more than his words. " I don't know much of anything, to be honest I'm pretty lost here. I don't know what I'd be doing if it weren't for Gehrman… or you.", the doll flinched once more in surprise, however Jack was not finished. "I know that others have come before me, and you have more likely than not taken care of each in the exact same way, however I still wish for you to know my gratitude.", he said pressing his left palm against his heart, outstretching his right to be parallel to the ground palm up, and kneeled with eyes closed to offer his deepest respects as his teacher had taught.
The pale woman watched with slightly widened eyes, her only reaction other than her twitching lip. She seemed unsure what to do, and so decided to offer her own gratitude. "Good hunter.", the quietly melodic voice sounded, this time no longer drawing contradiction from Jack, it was as soothing as she had been since they had met. "Your thanks are unnecessary. I am but a caretaker of the Dream and yourself. It is only natural that I shall do my best to watch over you."
"Even so.", were his only words as the hunter stood up to his full height to offer the strangely beautiful woman a hand up. The supposed doll hesitated for a brief moment, finally accepting the hand while holding the little ones to her chest with her off hand. "You never did answer my question, my lady."
The woman paused for a moment, towering over the young man who hadn't noticed was still holding her hand, gently but firm. " I am but a doll.", she repeated herself, "Why would I require a name, if it does not aid my purpose?".
"… Your purpose… it's to help people like me?"
"…"
"You've never been to the real world have you?"
"…"
"You're stuck here, like him aren't you?"
"…"
"Well, if I'm in your care from now on, you'll need a name…"
"Hm… This is important… Annie? No… Elizabeth?… No. Hmm…"
The doll had gone utterly still as the young man rattled off names as they came to mind, even if he didn't know where they were coming from. She had refused to move, to breath, to blink despite her showing the ability not even moments ago. She felt something, a burning in her chest that seemed to be spreading to her eyes. She held up her hands and caught two more crystal tears to offer to her dear hunter, however this moment was more important; someone was going to give her a gift, her very first gift, something so precious and priceless as a name?
She managed to bring herself back to the present as her hunter reached for her free hand, allowing the small creatures to spread out across their shoulders. The young hunter watched them with burning curiosity in his bright green eyes, startling herself with a small giggle only she heard, almost shocking herself enough to snatch her hands from Jack's gentle grip. Only just smothering the burst of… was that joy? Oh how confusing. This was… new.
The doll decided to ignore as she officially introduced the hunter and his adoring little friends. "These are the messengers, Good Hunter. They find hunters like you, and offer their assistance. Though they are not very pretty," she said as she stroked one of their heads, the messenger offering small squeaks of joy as it pressed closer. ",aren't they sweet?", she finished preparing herself to accept her dear hunter's offer.
For a moment, it would seem he'd forgotten as he stared at the small creatures, until he set his shoulders and offered a small smile.
"How does Elianore sound?"
The next thing he knew, Jack was cradled into the surprisingly firm grip of the seven foot tall woman. Held against her chest in a hug he returned gladly, the hunter was glad his new friend liked her name. With his non existent memory, he had no frame of reference, yet more words he didn't know, he was unsure if she would appreciate a name he could make.
"Boy."
Two heads turned as one to look curiously at the aged hunter, sitting in his wheelchair in front of the now open workshop door for only a moment before returning inside. Both understood it was time to continue with his training, and so the newly christened Elianore almost desperately clutched Jack against her in a parting embrace. She reluctantly allowed him to slip free, but not before handing him four crystals and offering just a twitch of her lips, her equivalent of a beaming grin. "Offer these to your teacher Good Hunter, he shall know what to do with them."
Jack was confused to say the least, but held his peace when he saw the almost nonexistent shimmer in her eyes. Instead offering another quiet thanks as he made his way up the stairs to meet his master. And so the doll was left alone with the messengers once more, before beckoning them to continue their search as Gehrman had ordered. His first and only order for them, to find three objects of power, really one object split into thirds. One was left with the first workshop. The second with the church. The final was lost beside a corpse in a ritual. The three thirds of the object were the result of Gehrman's greatest sins, in that small little hamlet…
It would take time for the First Hunter's order to be realized. Time spent teaching his successor. To fight. To kill. Of mercy and life. Time spent preparing him for his role. These were the doll's last thought as she stared off past the moon that crept ever closer. Struggling to hold back the heat in her chest, at the second gift her Dear Hunter had given her, she clenched one ceramic hand to her chest…
…
…
…
…
…to hide the newly smooth pale flesh of the hand the hunter had held the longest…