The ambiance of rain covered the already tarnished landscape, as the sub-song of crows only added to its harrowing appearance. They were currently located in the south of Victoria, Solemn. A smaller city within the nation, known for its beautiful gardens and elusive wildlife.
Not that any of the so-called wildlife remained, Victor coughed as they walked into a tunnel, gently fishing in his pocket, retrieving a vial of a dark liquid.
"Isn't that?" Katherine said as she watched Victor down a vial of monster blood. She stopped in her tracks watching him carry on.
"There's a lot about me that you don't know and I won't be explaining either," Victor addressed, continuing his walk through the tunnel.
They were en route for Solemn's Pass, a large bridge that led to the main city of Solemn or as it stood currently, toward one of the few standing shelters.
He needed to see someone in there, a scientist who he believed could replicate Angelo's experiment. When reaching the shelter... he glanced back at Katherine who ran toward him... he would be dropping her off there.
There were also additional tests that needed to be conducted on her. If Angelo had been so intrigued by her blood, there had to be a reason. He needed to uncover what it was.
"I've been meaning to ask..." Katherine started, "Don't worry it's not about... what happened just now, what are these monsters, whenever I'd ask Angie. He'd brush it off."
"If he'd brush it off, it's probably not in my best interest to tell you then- hell he knew more about these monsters than anyone else." Victor stopped at the edge of the tunnel, looking around.
Katherine looked in the same direction as he did, her curiosity piqued. As he continued walking, she hurried to catch up with him. She had told herself she wouldn't ask about what had happened earlier, but she couldn't resist.
"Is it medicinal?"
"What?"
"Monster blood," She clarified. "You coughed and then drank it—does it have some kind of healing property?"
"None that I'm aware of," He replied gruffly, resuming his walk.
She pouted and turned away before noticing an abandoned shack by the riverbank to their side. "What's that?" She asked, pointing.
"Hm?" Victor looked at the shack, above the roof was a corpse and within its arm was a shining stone, a diamond. "Wait here." He walked toward it.
Diamonds, gold, silver. These became the new currency after the great lament, if he was going to get more bullets and better gear, he'd undoubtedly need everything he could get.
He glanced at the shack as he got closer to it, it was larger than he was and he'd need to climb to get to the roof, he looked for any foot clamps. He found one, and quickly he maneuvered his way onto the roof grasping the diamond.
However, something was definitely fishy. He'd come through this pass several times before and he'd never seen this body above this roof, could it be a hunter? A recent victim? No. His clothes were basic. Which meant it wasn't a noble either.
"Victor!"
He turned back and he'd been played, Katherine had been apprehended by several men in dark clothes with blades in their possession. Bandits. "Tch."
"You really fell for that little trap?" One of them spoke, his voice tiny and his physique miniature.
"Empty your pockets and leave your coat and gun on the floor next to you, then you walk a mile away from us. Only then will we spare the girl." The second one, a bigger man, clad in red and brown ordered.
"I'm sorry, it's my fault," Katherine spoke, but as the blade drew closer to her neck, she stopped talking.
"You're wasting our time, or don't you care about the girl?" The bandits spoke once more. "Don't make me do something I'd regret." He drew his blade even closer to her neck, a cut forming.
"Stop," Victor said, he was out of range for a quick shot and he wouldn't be able to get there fast enough. It was truly game.
He yanked the shotgun off his back, the leather sling creaking under the strain. With a swift motion, he hurled the weapon to the ground, the metal clattering against the hard surface, then slowly he removed his trench coat as well, placing it next to the gun. "Done."
"What do you take us for? Empty your pockets and drop the knife as well."
With a sigh, he did as they commanded, fishing in his pockets, removing a pair of shotgun shells and a small locket. Placing it on the ground. Then he proceeded to remove the blade on his ankle sheath, tossing it next to the other items.
"See, you cooperate and nothing goes wrong." The miniature bandit spoke. "Now step, we'll let her go when you're far enough."
"I won't be doing that," Victor asserted.
"What?" The burly bandit spoke, his voice irritated. "I'll slit her throat right now, is that what you want? To watch her bleed?"
"You won't get the chance to." Victor laughed, "After all, I'm not the only hunter that comes through this pass."
"You sonafa-"
A body dropped.
The miniature bandit slowly turned and beside him was another person clad in all black, a hunter. She grabbed him by the neck, tossing him aside.
"Ya'll get 'em!" The miniature bandit ordered as he hit the concrete, yet there was no response from the rest of his men and as he looked at the ground, he saw his men, all of them laid on the ground, blood escaping their necks.
"Now step, or you'll end up like your friends over there." The female hunter spoke, watching as the miniature bandit ran away, slowly dropping after he ran a few meters, dying from a puncture wound to the neck.
Katherine fell to the ground, watching as the hunter glanced at her, was she next? She wanted to turn to Victor but she was frightened, scared that she'd die the same way the others had.
"Louisa, as helpful as ever." Victor sighed as he walked toward them, swinging his shotgun onto his back.
"Couldn't say the same about you Victor, you leave for a few days and I finally see you, but of course you're getting robbed." Louisa spoke, her accent elegant, she definitely wasn't from Victoria, maybe Ira?
She was dressed the same as he was but unlike Victor. She wore a trichon, and she kept her mask up. Always. Her facial features barely visible. "I had it." Victor fibbed.
"Yes, yes of course you did. No one expects 'The Plague' to be put in a corner after all." Louisa spoke before turning to her side, glancing at Katherine. "Who's she?"
"Her name's Katherine found her at Constantine's," Victor spoke, pulling his mask up.
"Any supposed reason she's still by your side?" Louisa said before balling up her fist and then pounding it on her palm. "Oh I get it, you're lonely and you've found a new companion!"
"I'm taking her to the haven that's it. After that I'll be gone, the Monarch isn't going to kill itself."
"Still on about your vengeance." Louisa rolled her eyes softly as she started walking. "I really thought you'd have snapped out of it by now."
"You thought wrong."
"It would seem so, wouldn't it."
"I don't like her," Katherine whispered and Victor gently laughed.
"I don't either, but she saved us."
"See, you admitted that I was of some help." Louisa grinned.
"I certainly did not." Victor proclaimed, the both of them bickering for the rest of the trip.
They continued their journey until they reached the end of the pass and in front of them was the opening that led to Crow Capital, the epicenter of Solemn. Before the great lament, bodyguards were perched at the towers in front of the city gates, guarding it from potential threats but now? It was as barren as a wasteland.
They made their way into the town- now haven, people could be seen on the floor, bloody and bruised while others could be seen near local pubs, having a drink, trying their best to find some sort of joy in these dire conditions.
"So, where are you going?" Louisa asked, her pistols clinking softly at her sides as she walked.
Victor watched as Katherine walked ahead of them. Despite the world being tarnished, he could see joy on her face when she glanced over. Perhaps she hadn't been outside much, especially given the kind of person Angelo was.
People stared out of their windows, and little children her age approached her. Ever since the Great Lament, new arrivals in the city have been a cause for celebration. As the townsfolk walked alongside Katherine, clearly excited by her presence, Victor saw her smile broaden.
"Why are you still talking to me?" Victor responded, his face dull, his eyes blank. Katherine was out of earshot so there was no longer a reason to pretend. "Save me? I knew you were following me right from when we set foot on the pass."
"Well my cover is busted, so it's the girl huh? I knew something was wrong when you said more than four words to me." Louisa replied.
"Who put you up to it?" Victor inquired. "You don't hunt unless there's a decent payout."
"I'm offended." Louisa countered, holding her chest, "So you really think I can't look after my friend? Especially after you fell into the trap of those thugs?"
"Low-level bandits, I could've killed them if I wanted to."
"But you didn't, because you felt the need to hide it." Louisa snickered, her face might've been closed off behind the mask but he could see her crude grin. "All for her? I mean you never hid it from me and honestly, I'm quite jealous."
"Leave," Victor demanded, staring straight ahead at Katherine. "Continue following me and I'll kill both you and your employer."
"Hm," Louisa blurted, wincing as Victor grabbed her hand, his immense strength nearly crushing it.
"Do I need to remind you how easy it would be?" Victor droned, withdrawing his arm.
"Nope," Louisa admitted, stopping as Victor walked past her. "I'll pass the message on."
Katherine looked around, running ahead, glancing at stray animals and admiring the houses. The only glimpses of the world she had seen were through the windows of the orphanage and when she had first arrived at Angelo's house.
She bent down, reaching out to pet a dog before it ran away. "You having fun?"
Katherine glanced at Victor, noticing that Louisa was no longer in sight. "Where did your friend go?"
"She had more pressing matters to attend to." Victor smiled. "Now, I know I promised you a treat but there's somewhere we need to be first."
"Where?"
"The doc—he's the reason this place is still standing," Victor explained. "He's probably the only one who could ever recreate the compound Angelo died for."
Katherine nodded and continued walking ahead while Victor watched her closely. She reminded him a lot of what he'd already lost. The thought of sending her into the doctor's hands, to become another experiment weighed on him. His thirst for vengeance was strong, but was it strong enough to drown out what little remained of his humanity?
"Tch," He scoffed under his breath.