《Cathedral Hounds》


 Chapter 1: Never Enough

    As the clocks struck twelve, all the routine patrols came to a long-awaited end. Large, ornamented doors of headquarters creaked wide open, and like clockwork, Hounds from all over the Cathedral Ward started slowly piling up in the main lobby. For some of them this was definitely the lowest point of their regular duties. Having to line up before the reception desks and fill out pages and pages of detailed reports, although mundane, sometimes felt even more draining than an entire night of hunting. Irritating as it was, no one really dared complain. After all, rules like this were set in stone almost six hundred years ago. Even thinking about the possible repercussions for breaking them, could send a chill down one¡¯s spine.


    Marked by all this paperwork, a sunny afternoon passed quite peacefully and around one and a half hours later, business as usual resumed. Voices engaging in light conversations, rustling of cutlery from the canteen, calming songs of birds outside the windows and occasional sound of heavy footsteps, made by hunters dragging their sore feet up the dormitory stairs, filled the narrow corridors. Beast activity dropped significantly for the past few weeks and the world around reflected that. Both Hounds and their Church authorities eventually lowered their guard. Of course, opinions that the recent developments were a bad omen circulated around the central once in a while, but at the end of the day it wasn¡¯t nearly enough for anyone to so easily let go of their newfound sliver of freedom. For that, they first needed a painful lesson¡­


    It¡¯s safe to say that when the alarm bell rang aggressively, without any previous warning, the entire headquarters trembled. Instinctively dropping everything they might have been up to, all Hounds sprung right back on their feet at the very same moment. Many years have passed since the last time this god-forsaken bell could make a sound. Hell, for some hunters this was the very first occasion to have the displeasure of hearing it.


    ¡°Emergency! Emergency!¡±


    A distressed, shaking voice of a young priestess echoed through the hallways. Easily piercing right through the awfully thin walls.


    ¡°All available Hounds are requested to appear in the main lobby at once! I repeat¡­ All available Hounds are requested to appear in the main lobby at once!¡±


    The order reverberated in the ears of every hunter, and it seemed like all hell was suddenly let loose. Despite having all the emergency procedures drilled into them from a very young age, with that many people being called up at once, Hounds inevitably spiralled into a bit of chaos.


    Among all the commotion, without a sound, doors of one room opened up slightly. Out of them, a young man with bags under his eyes and long, unmaintained black hair crawled outside. He wore a mostly leather armor, mixed here and there with some chain mail or small steel plates. Trousers untidily tucked into heavy boots were held in place by a wide belt, with a one-handed sword attached to its left side. On top of all that lied a slightly tattered, ashen cloak and a dark, bloodstained scarf tied loosely around the neck. It was a rather standard-issue hunter''s uniform, but on him, with this hunched-over posture and gloomy aura, it looked unfitting.


    Paying no mind, to how disheveled he looked, the boy took a shaky step forward and almost instantly bumped into another Hound, the impact of which nearly sent him right back inside.


    ¡°Make way weakling!¡±


    Strapping man growled at him, without stopping. Vince¡¯s ears ruffled up, as he himself stumbled back and forth through the door frame. The word ¡°weakling¡± was something he¡¯d gotten used to, but hearing it first thing after another sleepless night, still made his eye twitch in frustration.


    ¡°Asshole.¡±


    He cursed under his breath, before quickly looking left and right to make sure no one else was there to trample over him. With that done, he stepped out once again, slammed the door shut, and ran down to the main lobby. There, most of the Hounds were already lined up in files, standing at attention before the speaking platform, but with no one to take the lectern yet, they discreetly whispered to each other.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°No idea¡­ But it has to be something big. Last time we got an alarm like this, it was about a bishop passing away.¡±


    ¡°Dear Gods¡­¡±


    Vince did not listen in on any more of the conversation. Spinning conspiracy theories was never something he liked to engage in. Nevertheless, he too was a little anxious. As he took his place in the rank, his head hung low. With fingertips tightly gripping the folds of his trousers, he took a deep breath and locked his eyes on the tips of his muddied boots.


    ¡°Look who showed up¡­¡±


    ¡°No less filthy than ever.¡±


    Barely audible sound of another conversation, coming somewhere from the back, caught Vince¡¯s attention. Unlike the previous time, however, it was much harder to brush off since it was clearly about him.


    ''Please¡­ We have better things to do now.''


    He thought to himself, squinting his eyes and trying to focus on anything else. Unfortunately, it proved to be a futile effort. Whether he wanted this or not, his supreme hearing could neither ignore the voices nor muffle them in any meaningful way.


    ¡°It looks like he managed to recover from the last encounter.¡±


    ¡°For someone who can¡¯t even properly regenerate, you have to admit, he¡¯s awfully tenacious.¡±


    ¡°He is, but doesn¡¯t his persistence disgust you? It reminds me of cockroaches.¡±


    Vince felt their judgmental eyes on the back of his head and bit his lip. As discreetly as possible he turned his head in their direction and caught a short glimpse of the gossipers. He knew these men. Not by name, but as scarce as the Hounds were in number it was inevitable to one day recognize most if not all of them. If his memory was correct, those two were from the first generation. Most basic of hunters with so little black blood in their system, that the extent of their power reached only as far as enhancing their physical attributes. This was awful. Belittling somebody else so casually and in the face of such dire circumstances. At times like this Vince thought that maybe, just maybe, the one who was unworthy of being called a Hound, wasn¡¯t him after all.


    ¡°I never heard about him using any of that Blood Sacrifice power too¡­ Honestly, without the uniform and a blade, I surely could mistake him for a regular human.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because he is, in fact, unable to perform those arts¡­ From what I heard, he lost consciousness at the closest attempt.¡±Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Thankfully the pair in the back must have said a word too much. At last, their whispers caught the attention of the nearest supervisor, causing him to step in and finally silence the ill-behaved. ¡°Disgraceful¡± was the last thing Vince heard from there before much more important matters arose.


    Footsteps pierced the now dead silent lobby, as an old cleric, dressed in snow-white, ornamental garbs, hurried onto the platform. This already was something to have bad feelings about. Most of the time orders and announcements were extended to Hounds through regular priests, or at worst by a high-priest. Seeing a cleric appear in the headquarters understandably made everyone hold their breaths and a single thought came to the collective mind. Dear Gods.


    Once the old man took the stand his arms extended forward, swiftly pushing flaps of his heavy robe to the sides. Like all other clergymen, he wore white gloves. A symbol of both his high ranking in the Church as well as great achievements made in the past. Despite this, when he reached upward to quickly adjust his glasses, those more perceptive could clearly see that his hands were shaking. Trying to calm down, he took a deep breath before gripping the lectern, but even that did not help.


    ¡°Almost half an hour ago a Beast has appeared on the south of the Cathedral Ward.¡±


    He spoke and with a single sentence, managed to make all colors instantly drain from the faces of gathered hunters. In one moment, almost seven hundred years of rules and knowledge vanished unexpectedly as if they were nothing more than a load of questionable commons and some fairy tales. Hearing that, Vince¡¯s eyes widened. Words that couldn¡¯t be said or thought in the presence of an individual such as the cleric, crept up his mind and hung on his tongue. Struggling to breathe in and out, he felt his knees and hands slowly grow more and more numb. Until today, it was widely known and accepted that the only thing Beasts fear or at least can¡¯t tolerate is sunlight. Certainly, as it is with all laws, there were exceptions. History recorded a number of incidents when these vile creatures poked their heads out during the day, but even those, happened only on particularly rainy or snowy days, with sun rays being unable to pierce through the thick, dark clouds.


    ¡°The creature was pushed back by passing Hounds. However, as keeping the attacked civilians safe came first, it wasn¡¯t killed just yet. Regrettably, we have no further details about potential casualties on either human or hunter side. With that in mind, we have to take action as swiftly as possible. You will all be sent outside immediately.¡±


    Having said that, the cleric paused for a second. His grip on the lectern tightened and a single drop of sweat ran all the way down his wrinkled forehead. He stubbornly avoided making any eye contact with the Hounds, instead fidgeting nervously by poking hair from his grayish beard. Even though he wasn¡¯t the one being put in immediate danger, it was evident, that giving out the order filled him with uncertainty. The burden of authority must have been merciless.


    ¡°I, Father Dunward, as a Cleric of the Church hereby command¡­ All Hounds are to move out at once and begin their hunt in accordance with the emergency procedures. On-field leadership will be taken by Cain, Evelyn, and Zachary, who is already outside, for generations first, second, and third respectively. You answer before them and under their guidance you assess the situation, provide aid to those in need, spread the news further, and hunt down that hellish filth, which dared show its face in the holy light of day! Now go! Let the Gods guide your way and watch over your safe return!¡±


    Gathering all his strength and determination, Father Dunward frowned and slammed his fist against the lectern. A moment of silence downed, but in it, a spark of passion was also ignited and its flames burst out harder than ever before. All Hounds proudly saluted the cleric, before letting out an empowering battle cry. Sharing their commendable enthusiasm, the old man too, stood up straight and raised his head high before answering his brothers and sisters with his own tribute. A truly touching moment, which unfortunately couldn¡¯t last longer than a single second. With no more time to spare, Hounds arranged into groups under their designated leaders and scattered in the blink of an eye. Vince, who currently had no leader to fall back on, followed a few steps behind. His whole body, still shaking in fear. After all, he knew better than anyone else that no amount of blessings and grand words could lift his curse of weakness. At best, it could only give him just enough strength to take a single step forward.


    ***


    Running through the streets of Cathedral Ward during the day and seeing all these people gathered there was a strange experience. With only a few exceptions, Hounds generally only leave their headquarters at dusk and are required to return no later than noon. Sadly, their exposure to large quantities of people is therefore quite limited. For Vince, it was especially true. Lacking severely in nearly all hunting capabilities, more often than not, he was delegated into the least populated areas of the district, which at night tend to look like literal ghost towns. Making his way north, he couldn¡¯t help himself but admire the liveliness of the city and its residents. Being the one who had to turn their peaceful day into a struggle for survival was heartbreaking.


    ¡°Run into hiding! Quickly! A Beast has appeared!¡±


    He shouted continuously, passing street after street at an almost break-neck speed. In defiance of his orders, Vince had no intention of reuniting with other third-gen Hounds and their leader. He had known Zachary and the others for quite some time now. He witnessed first-hand how absurdly strong they were, how fast they moved and how mighty were their blows.


    ¡°I¡¯d only slow them down.¡±


    He muttered to himself. The only way, he could potentially make a difference was to just spread the news further and further. As such, his priority laid in making sure people knew what was going down and in giving them an opportunity to act accordingly. Having the citizens seek refuge in churches or at least their own homes, was the least and all he could realistically do. Being an anomaly with no way to either regenerate, even small non-lethal wounds or tap into the all-powerful Blood Sacrifice peculiar to the Beasts, Vince could only be compared to the first generation. Wanting to be specific, however, even that was actually a great overestimation. At the end of the day, what those hunters lacked in terms of the supernatural, they compensated appropriately with years of on-field experience. The only good thing to come from this was that Vince didn¡¯t have to struggle with the number of downsides other third-gens had to regularly face. For them, the line between men and beasts was the blurriest. Human bodies were never destined to hold that much power and because of that, these Hounds often had to pay the price for it. Unstable minds and major drawbacks for every time they infringed onto the territory of Beasts and used their strength were only the tip of the iceberg. Although Vince was able to bypass those side effects, he too had a steep price to pay. This price was weakness. Inadequacy that eventually pushed him into developing a whole new way of getting by. Despite being a Hound, he avoided fighting as much as possible, unsheathing his blade only when there was no other way. Having been trained in the art of battle, if a situation called for it, he could still take on some smaller or equally weaker monsters. Having to face off with a new mutation, strong enough to withstand the light of day, however, was far beyond him. With that in mind, he preferred his usual ways of providing support to other Hounds.


    Unfortunately for him, in this line of work, this kind of mentality was just a half-measure and as the old Hound saying goes¡­ Half-measures are never enough.


    ¡°Watch out!¡±


    A familiar voice, the same one that called him a weakling not so long ago made Vince halt suddenly. Again, his ears ruffled up and eyes tried to shift in the sound¡¯s direction. Before he managed to catch a glimpse of a fellow Hound though, something huge and heavy ran straight into him. This time the crash didn¡¯t make him just awkwardly stumble around but rather sent him flying, as if he were a bolt launched from a crossbow. His body pierced the air and shortly after slammed hard into a brick wall of a nearby tenement building. The boy coughed up some slimy, black blood as he struggled to stand up from under the crushed stone. His vision blurred horribly, and ears filled with a nauseating ring. Coming back to his senses took him a solid second, but eventually, he managed to inch forward and raise his head a little. Laying eyes on the source of the collision, his luck must have run out. There it was. The Beast he tried his best to avoid stood right in front of him. It reached forward with bloodied claws while its white, hollow eyes made it seem like the grim reaper himself was staring him down. Feeling his whole body go numb, Vince let out an embarrassing squeal and his mind went blank. The only thing he heard was his own voice.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die.¡±

 Chapter 2: Reunited and Divided

    The Beast, much more menacing than Vince could have ever envisioned, towered above him. Even when slightly hunched over, it was still well over three meters tall. It¡¯s long body, vaguely resembling that of a snake, was made of what seemed like an enormous human spine and covered in patches of thin skin hanging down like old, worn-out bandages. Unlike real snakes were the creature¡¯s dissimilar four arms, a pair for each side. Thin, long limbs on the front were made for hunting as suggested by the scythed claws. Ones on the back meanwhile, much shorter and muscular, most likely served as a means of movement. Something to drag the rest of the unholy frame around. The devil¡¯s small head was barely visible, covered almost entirely by a thick, black mane. Only a pair of uneven, hollow eyes peeked out from underneath, staring mindlessly at its prey.


    With his demise, in shape of the bloodied claws, inching closer and closer, Vince only grew more and more detached. Obediently awaiting the killing blow for what felt like hours, he saw the world around him slowly fade. Transforming eventually into an unknown void of boundless black. Enshrouded by this darkness, awfully reminiscent of being cast underwater, he heard nothing, smelled nothing, and felt next to nothing. The Daylight Beast was the only entity he was still able to somehow perceive, but as time went on, deciding whether it was truly there or not became a different matter altogether. Somewhere along the way, a grim idea sparked in Vince¡¯s mind. Maybe he was already long gone? If so, maybe the monster too, was just a figment of his imagination. An effigy burned into the brain at the very last second?


    ¡®I hope everyone managed to escape.¡¯


    He thought to himself, making use of what remained from his quickly escaping consciousness. As for who was everyone and what they were supposed to escape¡­ He unexpectedly found himself rather unsure.


    Sinking even deeper into the abyss with each passing minute, Vince¡¯s memory got all foggy. Desperately trying to recall anything, any point of his life, no matter if it was good or bad, he saw only blurred-out, fragmented scenes. Filled only with faceless, indistinguishable figures. Eventually, even his own name seemed to somehow elude him.


    ¡®Who am I?¡¯


    ¡®Where am I?¡¯


    Asking questions was much easier than coming up with answers for them. The hopelessness of it all was overwhelming and as everything that built his sense of self was lost one after another, he contemplated just letting it all go. After all, why should he struggle that much? Wasn¡¯t it all already decided? If he was able to accept his weakness so long ago, why should he stand so opposed to it right now?


    Welcoming this dark fate, Vince finally closed his eyes and decided to make that frightening leap. The results, however, were nowhere near what he could have envisioned. As he came in contact with the bottom of the void, it unexpectedly spoke back at him.


    ¡°Not¡­ yet.¡±


    A distorted voice echoed, as Vince¡¯s body was brought to a sudden halt. With it, both his memories and senses came flooding right back. Clearer and sharper than ever before.


    ¡°You are not allowed to perish yet.¡±


    It continued in an increasingly aggressive tone. What followed it this time was a feeling of flames, quickly engulfing the young Hound¡¯s flesh and bones. His fingers stretched out and bloodshot eyes opened up wide. The landscape of the abyss cracked at first, then shattered completely like glass. Its remains vanished just as fast, swooped away by the soft wind. What hid behind it was a nearly forgotten, cloudless blue sky, which welcomed him surprisingly warmly. Vince had no clue as to why and how, but one way or another, he was back amongst the living.


    ¡®A Hallucination?¡¯


    He wondered, surprisingly logically for someone who was just about to cross the line between life and death. Humans tend to experience a vast number of strange phenomena when put under immense stress. Conjuring a whole other dimension was surely a bit out there, but it wasn¡¯t completely outside the realm of possibilities. Vince hung onto that explanation and stubbornly muffled all potential doubts. Whatever the truth may be, he had no intention of facing it anytime soon. Once the smoke clears, he will have all the time in the world to ponder about this strange experience. For now, there were other, much more important things he should focus on. Smelling a strong stench of blood and hearing the unsettling sound of ripped flesh it was made apparent. Just a few meters further a battle still raged on.


    ¡°I have to help¡±


    He muttered, slowly raising his head and trying to move off the rubble that still pinned him to the ground. This unfortunately brought to his attention another, not-so-good revelation. Adrenaline and confusion must have dulled the sensation, but Vince was in fact wounded. Pretty badly at that¡­


    ¡®Damn it¡¯


    Three slashes of the Beast¡¯s claws covered his entire torso, after piercing right through the frail armor with no issue. Fortunately, cuts on the flesh didn¡¯t look all that deep, but nevertheless crystals of black blood, a trademark of Vince¡¯s improper regeneration, already began poking outside.


    ¡®How long was I unconscious?¡¯


    The young Hound asked himself, laying hands on the crystals and debating whether he should rip them off or restrain himself from it for now. He felt no pain but knew very well that leaving these wounds unattended for too long would have horrible consequences. He needed medical attention, and he needed it fast.


    Frantically shifting his gaze upwards, he could see the ongoing fight. Things were looking grim, to say the least. One of the hunters laid motionless on the other side of the street. His left shoulder and a small chunk of his head were crushed completely, grotesquely painting the wall behind with real, red blood. He was dead. There was no doubt about that, and from what Vince saw, a similar fate probably awaited the other Hound. For now, he seemed to go toe to toe with the monster, trading blows almost equally. With every other strike, however, it was clear that should one of them fall. It would definitely be the man.


    ¡®I have to help¡­ I have to¡­¡¯


    Vince repeated to himself, once again gathering all his strength to try to get back on his feet. Blood poured from fresh wounds, his nose and mouth, but he pushed through it.


    ¡®I was meant to die anyway. Let it be just me then¡¯


    Pushing his strength close to its limits, he managed to finally rise up and a little later, regain some of his balance too. As he reached for the sword, however, a wave of dull pain spread through his entire body. At first, he nearly folded over, struggling to even breathe in, but with a little time, the crippling sensation somehow passed. After that, with not a single second more to spare, he bent his knees and prepared to join the fight. If there was one time he had to pretend his weakness did not exist, it was today. Right here and right now. Hunter¡¯s pride sparked in his eyes and with no regard for his well-being, he swiftly leaped forward. In a flash, the young Hound appeared next to one of the Beast¡¯s back arms and aimed a confident blow. The slash was extended, fast as lightning, and the creature suffered its damage. The disgusting sound of flesh suddenly coming apart rang in Vince¡¯s ears and a bit of black blood sprayed onto his dusted face. Furthermore, the unlikely lead was followed. Matching the speed of his predecessor, the other Hound flashed forward and delivered a cut of his own, aimed appropriately at the adversary¡¯s opposite limb. Unprepared for it, the Beast swayed left and right, before letting out an ear-shattering screech.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Forced to cover their ears, both hunters were unable to continue their assault and instinctively took a few steps back. Making some space seemed like a good enough course of action, but unfortunately, Hounds greatly underestimated just how tough the Daylight Beast really was. While the roar still echoed, the creature suddenly lunged forward, raising one of its arms high into the air, telegraphing a mighty slam directed at the closest target ¡ª Vince.


    The young Hound had no time to dodge and instead decided to brace for impact. He fell on one knee and held his sword high. As lackluster of preparation as it was, Vince astonishingly managed to block the attack. Still, the unbelievable strength dazed him horribly.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    He groaned, hanging his head low and seeing some of his blood drip onto the cobblestone. The other Hound tried to step in, but despite his best efforts, proved to be a little too slow. The Beast swiped the ground with its other arm, catching the man off guard and sending him flying. Vince did not witness the strike but heard clearly how the body of his companion slammed into the bricks. Furious, he gritted his teeth and tried hard to push the Beast¡¯s arm off of himself. Sadly, his own strength was clearly nowhere near enough. In an act of desperation, a last-ditch effort. For the first time in years, Vince called upon the Patrons, praying for his comrade''s health.


    ¡®Let him survive. Let him be safe.¡¯


    The Beast meanwhile, displayed no intention of giving up, rather it pressed down even harder. Pushing himself to the utmost limit and hearing his bones rattle, the young Hound still fought bravely. No amount of courage and persistence, however, seemed to outweigh the raw strength of the devil¡¯s hand. Eventually falling on both knees, Vince¡¯s eyes filled with tears. Even with a second chance, he made no difference.


    ¡®Endure it! You have to!¡¯


    He kept repeating in his head over and over again. Hoping foolishly that the strength of character will somehow translate into just a little bit of real power. However, as the Beast¡¯s claws enclosed him and dug themselves into his back, this fantasy only proved all the more worthless. With all hope lost, Vince let out an agonizing scream. The pain of both old and new wounds and the monstrous force crushing him slowly but surely, were something he couldn¡¯t bear for much longer. The death he seemingly once escaped, loomed over him once again like a famished vulture.


    Dangerously close to resigning, Vince¡¯s eyes wandered off, but what appeared before them this time wasn¡¯t the black void. It was still a miracle, but much more familiar and much more real. A dark crimson entity resembling an absurdly overgrown centipede slithered past him, making its way onto the Beast¡¯s arm. It quickly wrapped itself around it and a moment later, ravenously bit into the filthy flesh. A scream of pain echoed once more, but this time it didn¡¯t belong to the Hound. A few seconds passed and as more and more centipedes appeared, one after another, Vince felt the Beast¡¯s strength diminish greatly. All to the point where the roles reversed completely and what cowered unsightly on the ground was his soon-to-be executioner.


    ¡°Stand down. You did great.¡±


    A rough but no less gentle voice spoke to Vince, as its owner passed by, patting him lightly on the shoulder. It was a tall young man with short, dark hair and round glasses. His uniform was outstandingly well-kept, the same as his armor and weapon. All that complete with a pair of striking, red gloves and an almost royal-like aura. At first, he appeared as more of a church official, rather than a Hound, but Vince even in the dead of night would never mistake that person for someone else. Who stood before him now was none other than the Hound¡¯s Red Reaper. Third-generation Zachary in the flesh.


    ¡°Forgive me.¡±


    Vince whispered in a shaky tone before closing his eyes and slumping over, exhausted to the point that even holding his body straight became an almost impossible task. Yet, in another stroke of luck, just before he could hit the ground, someone caught and held him.


    ¡°Dear Gods¡­ Vince? Are you alright? Hey?!¡±


    This gentle touch and a soft, melodic voice too, were a characteristic he could always recognize. The pair he grew up and trained with. The only two people who never ostracized him. His only brother and sister.


    ¡°Check on the others¡­ Would you Cass?¡±


    Vince had no strength left to as much as open his eyes. Despite that, he knew exactly what Clarissa looked like at this very moment. Her long, dark purplish hair was probably tied up in a high ponytail and her violet eyes looked at him like they always did, with a strange mix of care and frustration. Throughout all these years she hasn¡¯t changed one bit. When they were young Zachary used to sometimes say, that Cass was never a girl, that she was born as a full-grown woman.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you worry about yourself for once?! Have you seen what you look like?!¡±


    ¡°Cass¡­ Please.¡±


    The older sister did not answer this time. Unlike Vince, she could clearly see that there was no one to check up on. The fate was twisted and as unlikely as it was, from the three Hounds who fought this battle, somehow the weakest one, was the sole survivor¡­ Breaking this news didn¡¯t come to her easily, but the truth was always one of her saint-like virtues. For some reason, lies just couldn¡¯t pass through her lips.


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one left.¡±


    She exclaimed with great sorrow, coming close to tearing up as she watched Vince¡¯s face twist in anguish.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If only we had come here sooner.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t. It is not your fault.¡±


    Vince answered, gripping his friend¡¯s hand. His eyes opened up slightly, letting a few tears run down his bloodied cheeks. If there was someone who should take the blame for these two lost lives it was definitely him. It was his curse, that rubbed onto them and extinguished their flames. No one else should carry that responsibility¡­ Besides him.


    ¡°It¡¯s all taken care of now.¡±


    He added after a short pause, directing both of their gazes at Zachary, who took it upon himself to face off with the Daylight Beast.


    Although to be honest, it could hardly even be called a fight. It was a hunt in its purest form. The Beast didn¡¯t really clash with the Reaper, rather it was relentlessly hunted down by him. Using his Blood Sacrifice to summon forth one centipede after another, Zachary must have decided to enact revenge for the fallen, and show the vile creature just how it feels to, for a change, be on the receiving end. The scarlet vermin crawled all over the monster¡¯s body, chewing on its filthy flesh and violently ripping it to shreds in the process. Overlooking the execution, the so-called reaper displayed no emotion. What took place before his eyes, he considered to be nothing more than a causal part of the relation between cause and effect. The cause being the Beast¡¯s audacity to appear here today and the effect ¡ª its merciless demise. Zachary¡¯s expression shifted only when the time came, to finish the Beast off. Only then, he frowned visibly and his eyes sparked with anger and disgust.


    He took a step forward, ceremonially drew his sword, and raised it high. Reflecting the bright sun, the blade flashed and whistled as it was swung down. A fraction of a second before it came in contact with its target, however, the Beast¡¯s eyes lit up. The pool of black blood beneath the mutilated body boiled and in it, the monster dissipated suddenly, leaving next to no trace behind.


    The Hounds stood in awe, their eyes widened with shock and fear. Blood Sacrifice¡­ Used after suffering such extensive wounds? The atmosphere shifted. Abruptly, things became more grim than they were at the very beginning.


    ¡°What the¡­¡±


    Cass broke the silence, but as quickly as she spoke, Zachary cut her off.


    ¡°We have to regroup.¡±


    He exclaimed, turning to the others. His tone was more commanding than ever before.


    ¡°We have two deceased and one critical.¡±


    ¡°You can leave me he¡­¡±


    Vince tried to butt in, but just like in Cass¡¯s case, Zachary knew exactly what he was going to say, and didn¡¯t let him finish the sentence.


    ¡°Absolutely not. We will split. Cass will help you get back to the headquarters. Once there, you will notify the higher-ups about the Beast¡¯s ability and seek medical as fast as possible. Make the church send out messengers. We have to immediately extend the patrol routes outside the Cathedral Ward. There is no accurate way to determine how far the Beast can transport.¡±


    Even if he wanted to, Vince couldn¡¯t really argue. To point out a flaw in his friend¡¯s judgment, he would have to first make up one, and then still, Zachary most likely wouldn¡¯t struggle at all with finding a fitting counterargument.


    ¡°What about you? You¡¯re going alone?¡±


    Cass asked, in spite of the answer to her question being quite clear already.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to gather anyone who I might come across, but for now I guess so. Time¡¯s not really on our side. I¡¯m sure you understand that.¡±


    A moment of silence ensured. Not keen on admitting it, everyone knew that there was no other way to work around this new development. With two lives already lost, there could be no discussion about suspending the hunt. Vince¡¯s condition too, wasn¡¯t something that could be overlooked in favor of giving immediate chase. The divide was necessary, even if neither of the sides wanted it to be.


    ¡°Be careful.¡±


    Cass whispered finally, hanging her head low.


    Zachary answered with only a slight nod, before swiftly turning on his heel and breaking into a sprint.


    ¡®I¡¯ll see you, once all this is over. Be safe.¡¯


    They all thought in unison, as their brief reunion came to an unavoidable, yet sorrowful end.

 Chapter 3: Will of The Weak

    Feeling like he had dragged everyone down more than enough already, Vince was eager to act as soon as possible. Once he tried to stand up, however, the young Hound found himself much more roughed up than he initially believed to be. As if exhaustion itself wasn¡¯t enough of a handicap, it seemed like his regeneration too, grew considerably out of control. Huge, spiky lumps of crystalized black blood formed rapidly and excessively, covering most of his upper back, chest, shoulders, knees, and parts of both hands in just a few seconds. Caught by surprise by his own powers, Vince was unexpectedly immobilized by it and thrown off balance. Collapsing shortly after and hitting the ground with a loud thump.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    He groaned, as a wave of dull pain spread through his body and yet another splatter of blood painted the cobblestone. Thankfully, some of the crystals shattered from the force of impact, allowing Vince to regain a degree of control over his left arm¡¯s movement. Still, the change for the better was marginal at best. Just as he thought that an opportunity to make a positive difference for once finally arose, he was brought right back to his knees and reminded once again of all his inadequacies.


    ¡®Once, just once¡­ Can I just once not be a burden!?¡±


    He asked himself, striking the ground with his fist. Just how many faults can a single person bear? An inability to use Blood Sacrifice, impaired regeneration, low physical prowess, and inexperience ¡ª it was all a vicious cycle. No matter how strong of a desire to fulfill his duty Vince held, he would always end up either unable to act at all or with his feats proving completely worthless. Why was he the only person who should struggle that much? Isn¡¯t there a limit to how much misfortune can befall on one¡¯s shoulders?


    ¡°Vince!? What happened!?¡±


    Witnessing the sudden deterioration of her friend¡¯s condition, Cass¡¯s face was painted with an expression of fear and confusion. She instinctively rushed in to help, kneeling next to her fellow Hound. As soon as her hand reached forward, however, it was abruptly shoved away.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    She blanked out for a moment, having trouble understanding what had just happened. Did he really push her away? No¡­ He would never do that, right? Cass strayed among her thoughts and not until Vince spoke to her, was she really able to snap out of it.


    ¡°You should go on without me.¡±


    The young Hound¡¯s voice was devoid of emotion and not much louder than a whisper. His hair, tangled and soaked in blood, covered most of his face. Yet, even with all this, he could communicate his intentions well enough. He was done rubbing off his curse onto others.


    ¡°We are quite far from the headquarters, but if you hurry up¡­¡±


    Hearing all that, Cass lost her composure and without giving Vince a chance to finish his sentence, she raised her hand and unceremoniously slapped him across the face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it!¡±


    She called at the top of her cracking voice, with tears slowly welling up in her eyes. The hand that struck him was shaking, Vince could feel it, once Cass hesitantly tried to hold him once again. This time he couldn¡¯t bring himself to object.


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you here. I¡¯ll carry you back to the headquarters if I have to.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool, Cass¡­ You heard Zachary, didn¡¯t you? You have to get back as fast as possible.¡±


    ¡°Enough. That¡¯s only part of my order, the other one was to take you back and I have no intention of disobeying it. A Hound''s purpose is to save lives¡­ Whether it belongs to a few or many doesn¡¯t matter. As long as they are within our reach, we help. Don¡¯t give up on yourself Vince¡­ There are still ways for you to grow. I know you can get stronger. I believe you can one day overshadow all of us, but for that to happen you have to push forward. You have to fight, lose, and get back up. Again and again, until you finally win.¡±


    Vince hanged his head low, but somewhere along the way, as he listened to Cass¡¯s words a faint smile appeared on his face. He certainly did not expect to hear a motivational speech right here and now, but realized quickly, that he needed it much more than he could ever admit. The young Hound chuckled quietly and raised his head. On his face, an expression of utter defeat remained. Yet¡­ even on this wrecked battlefield, a glimmer of hope prevailed. It sparked bright in his dark eyes. The will to fight. The desire to help. It was all still there.


    ¡°You have your way with words Cass. It¡¯s a shame you became a Hound, the world lost a great poet this way.¡±


    Vince remarked jokingly, tightening the grip on his friend¡¯s hand and pulling it slightly, to let her know he was ready to go. Cass answered with a wide smile, before picking him up on her back and taking the first step towards the headquarters. Brimming with pride from her success.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad I came through to you.¡±


    ¡°You did, and for that, I am forever grateful.¡±


    Making their way back, Vince could once again see all the streets he passed through before. Once full of people, noisy and bright, this time they were hollow and grim. Even so, this painted a rather hopeful picture. With no one in sight, it could mean that the civilians managed to flee in time. If so, could it be said that his efforts weren¡¯t completely in vain?


    ¡°What are you thinking about back there?¡±


    Vince¡¯s stream of consciousness was broken by the sudden question, which at first, he didn¡¯t quite understand.


    ¡°Huh?¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully quiet, so I figured you¡¯d be lost in thought. Mind if I cut in?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I was just thinking about the people I passed on these streets before.¡±


    ¡°From what I know, they are all safe.¡±


    Hearing that, Vince breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Thank Gods.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s thanks to you, not the Gods¡­ You were the one who informed them about the danger and gave them time to seek refuge. Take some credit when it is due.¡±


    The young Hound smiled at this remark. It was sweet of her to try and lift his spirits up this way, sadly he didn¡¯t really consider himself worthy of it. At the end of the day, the assistance he manages to provide is only the bare minimum, things so miniscule that one could argue they made no difference at all.


    ***


    Pushing herself to the brink, Cass managed to reach the headquarters in a bit over an hour, almost falling through the doorframe. As the doors creaked open, priests and priestesses quickly gathered around the entrance and hung their stressed-out gazes on the two Hounds. The atmosphere tensed up considerably and it was apparent that only one thing could help it in any way. Unfortunately, what they had to hear this time was not a proud declaration that the Beast was dead¡­


    ¡°Get the messenger doves ready!¡±


    Vince shouted, getting off of Cass¡¯s back and latching onto a nearby wall. Cass herself, in between her shallow breaths added another command.


    ¡°And take him to the medic!¡±


    The clergymen were all much more used to giving out orders, rather than receiving them. Nevertheless, they recognized the seriousness of the situation and moved in to help with no hesitation. Two tall men eagerly assisted Vince in dragging himself to the medical area, while his friend was taken care of by the receptionist. A young priestess with long blonde hair waited for her to catch a breath, with a notebook and a quill ready.


    ¡°What is the message?¡±


    She asked unsurely, not wanting to push the Hound lady too much.


    ¡°All Hounds have to be informed that the Beast is able to use Blood Sacrifice, even after suffering extensive wounds. Its ability works as a means of transport with unknown range. As such, Zachary believes that the range of patrols has to be immediately extended. It''s no longer just the Cathedral Ward that is endangered.¡±


    Cass explained, watching as the woman swiftly copied all of her words down onto the yellowish notebook page.


    ¡°I assume you are here on Zachary¡¯s orders, but can you tell me where is he currently? Is there a way for other Hounds to rendezvous and regroup with him?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly. As of now, Zachary is giving chase on his own. There is no way to pinpoint either his current location or destination.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Thank you for your service. We will begin getting the message ready at once, but it may take some time¡­ At that, you can rest here or join your friend in the medical area.¡±


    The priestess explained, before hastily turning on her heel and disappearing in the hallway leading to the main office.


    Cass meanwhile gripped the desk and tried to stretch her back. Overgrown with all those crystals Vince proved a bit heavier than she anticipated. With that said she would love to get some rest, but with so much work to do, it was sadly out of the question. She had to go back out there. She had to find and help Zachary. Just like she said before, she had to push forward.


    ¡®Fight, lose and get back up¡­¡¯


    She repeated to herself before taking a few more deep breaths and promptly storming out into the streets.


    While Cass rejoined the hunt, Vince was already being treated. Slowly, one wound at a time, the lumps of crystalized blood were removed, then the area was thoroughly cleaned and the ripped skin was finally sewed up. This wasn¡¯t Vince¡¯s first time going through surgery like that, but like never before he screamed in pain throughout the entire, over an hour-long process. Every time the crystals were amputated and its anesthetic effects wore off, it felt like the medic tried to skin him alive. The sharp pain radiating onto his entire body was unbearable, for some reason much worse than when he originally got all these wounds. In spite of that, Vince did his best to push through. He briefly lost consciousness a few times along the way, but after what felt like whole days of torture, the excruciating surgery finally came to an end, and he lived to see it.


    ¡°So, how are you feeling?¡±


    The medic asked Vince after giving him some time to recover. The Hound sluggishly tilted his head to the side and gazed at the man behind the surgery. His name was Henri and throughout the years he was mostly responsible for Vince¡¯s surgeries. Because of that and since he wasn¡¯t much older than the hunter, they managed to get along quite well. Henri was a tall man with a messy beard and a mustache. He had brown, naturally curly hair and dark, green eyes. All in all, he looked rather soft and clumsy, but on the contrary, his voice was deep and commanding.


    ¡°Quite good¡­ What did you give me?¡±


    ¡°Well, you lost a lot of blood, both black and red. With that in mind, I injected you twice with enhancers, the ones that assist in refilling the black blood. It should help you get back on your feet much quicker¡­ If we overlook the crystallization and the fact that it doesn¡¯t begin on its own, your regeneration is in fact quite powerful. One could say that in terms of speed, it could rival Zachary¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ Enough¡­ If the faults could be overlooked I wouldn¡¯t be here. Where is my equipment?¡±


    ¡°Sword and clothes are right here, but the armor couldn¡¯t be salvaged. They will issue you a new one at the reception desk, once you are ready to leave.¡±


    ¡°And when would that be exactly?¡±


    ¡°Difficult to say for now, but I am inclined to say about four of five hours.¡±


    Hearing that, Vince stood up from the stretcher and stumbled closer to the shelf, where his clothes and weapon were stored. His head was still spinning, but thanks to the enhancers, he already felt much better than before. He not only could go back, but he needed to. Fight, lose, and get back up. This was the last step.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    Henri inquired, both confused and slightly irritated. He stepped forward and grabbed Vince¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Five hours would almost be nightfall. I can¡¯t wait that long.¡±


    ¡°You can and you will! Don¡¯t you understand? If your wounds were to open, the supplemented blood would burst out into crystals again. If worst comes to worst the entire surgery would have to be repeated and there is no guarantee that your body would handle it!¡±


    ¡°Lives were lost because of me Henri¡­ I should be dead in their place, yet I am not. Handle it or not, I am a dead man walking. This is a rare second chance and I will not let it go to waste.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s exactly what you are trying to do now! Focus up, Vince! You don¡¯t need to push yourself this much. There are other Hounds who can and will take care of the situation. Zachary is outside, isn¡¯t he? It will all be over soon, you can just rest here.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t keep pushing everything onto one person¡¯s shoulders¡­ What do you think will happen if Zach one day crumbles under the weight of all the expectations placed on him?¡±


    Henri frowned, taking a step forward in a confrontational manner. He clearly had no intention of letting Vince go and with that, he reached for something he thought would stop the Hound right in his tracks.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong Vince, but even if such thing happens, you are the last person who can make a difference.¡±


    Vince¡¯s face twisted into an unpleasant grin. He expected that sentence to be uttered, he was more than ready for it.


    ¡°Then whether I live or not won¡¯t make it either.¡±


    He countered with an unusual fire burning bright in his eyes.


    Henri took a shaky step back. He treated Vince numerous times, he heard uncountable stories about how weak and useless he was from other Hounds and the man himself. Up to this point, he believed all of them, but now, a shadow of doubt crept up his mind. The man who stood before him at this very moment¡­ A lot could be said about him, but weak was not the word.


    ¡°Now get out of my way¡­¡±

 Chapter 4: Unlikely Ally

    It is unclear whether the medic really felt intimidated or simply didn¡¯t want to continue the unnecessary quarrel any longer, but overall, he actually yielded to Vince¡¯s demand. Without as much as another word, Henri hung his head low and stepped aside, leaving the clinic¡¯s door wide open.


    Identically, the Hound passed right by him, forbidding himself from even a moment of further delay. As he was making his way back to the main lobby, however, he was appropriately made aware that his act sparked from overconfidence.


    ¡®Damn it.¡¯


    Vince cursed, feeling his head get light and steps all wobbly. Not without difficulty, but a second later he managed to stumble closer to the wall and hug it to avoid falling once again. The enhancers were capable of great things, but it seemed like the young Hound underestimated just how long he would have to wait for them to take full effect. Still, in for an inch meant in for a mile, and as such, Vince stubbornly pushed forward and eventually dragged himself to the reception desk.


    ¡°Sir?! Are you alright?¡±


    In a worried tone, the priestess asked him. Reflexively standing up from her chair and extending a helping hand forward. Even now Vince did not take it. Instead, he just leaned himself slightly against the desk and tried his best to appear as if he was only a bit tired.


    ¡°I am, thank you¡±


    He answered, giving the lady a friendly nod and a soft smile.


    ¡°The medic informed me that a new set of armor should be issued to me here since my last one was allegedly damaged beyond repair. Is it true? If so I came to collect it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is here. Back in the storage room, but¡­¡±


    She paused for a second, unsure if she should just act as if nothing is out of the ordinary and let the Hound follow through on his orders, or speak out her concerns. It was nowhere near the first time she saw someone in a similar state. She knew very well that thanks to the enhancers, Vince would be back to working condition shortly, but she was well aware too, that this would only be a temporary improvement.


    ¡°Excuse me Sir if I¡¯m stepping out of line, but are you sure about this? Shouldn¡¯t you rest a bit longer, before heading out again?¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your concern, but there is no need to worry about me.¡±


    The priestess frowned, seeming not all that keen on accepting such shallow vouch. Still, making it harder for Vince to rejoin the hunt could technically be considered as an act of insubordination on her part. Leaving the clinic at his own volition meant that the Hound was once again considered ready for deployment. On paper then, trying to make him stay now would be the same as persuading him into disobeying an order.


    ¡°Wait here Sir. I¡¯ll get it for you¡­ Keep in mind, however, that I warned you.¡±


    She sighed, turning gracefully on her heel and stepping into the storage. Shortly after a brand new set of armor was laid on the desk, right in front of Vince. Feeling better with each passing minute, he wore it rather quickly and stretched out a little. The leather was a bit stiff, but outside of that the armor fitted perfectly, and getting accustomed to it should take no time at all.


    ¡°I will sister. Much obliged.¡±


    He expressed, making a few final adjustments to the equipment and taking the first step toward the ornamented doors.


    ¡°Wait! One more thing!¡±


    The priestess stopped him promptly, handing out a letter to the Hound.


    ¡°New orders.¡±


    She added an explanation, as Vince took a step back to take the paper and give it a quick read. Already familiar with the parts concerning the Beast¡¯s ability, he could skip over them and get straight to the main point.


    The contents were mostly what he expected. Lockdown bells were tolled throughout the entire Bastion and headquarters in districts all the way up to the Outer City were ordered to mobilize. Above that, each leader was temporarily granted full authority and clearance to disperse his or her troops in whatever way they saw fit.


    Although partially demanded by Zachary, the decision to extend the hunting range up to the Outer City seemed a little blown out of proportion. With Cathedral Ward itself being the size of a small city, and each subsequent district only growing bigger and bigger, chances of the Daylight Beast slipping out into the third region were next to none. At the end of the day however, since the orders made no real difference to Vince¡¯s modus operandi, there was no need to think about it all that hard. The Bastion was big, way bigger than Vince could ever imagine, and the wasteland beyond it too, was twice or thrice the size. In situations like that he liked to come back to this fact. It reminded him that some things are not worth pondering and should just be taken at face value.


    ¡°Let the Gods guide your way, Sir.¡±


    Seeing him finish reading, the priestess bid Vince¡¯s farewell. Like the gentleman he always was, the Hound answered bowing slightly.


    ¡°And let them forever watch over your safety too.¡±


    After exchanging the last pleasantries, Vince eagerly stepped out through the doors. Since the enhancer''s effects still didn¡¯t fully kick in, however, he remained unable to break into a sprint right off the bat. Trying to effectively manage his time, he instead opted to focus his hearing, and with it, try to pick up something to take as a starting point. At first, his efforts were fruitless, but soon enough, he finally caught a faint sound of quick footsteps. From this distance, it was hard to distinguish whether it belonged to a male or a female, but the tempo left no room for error it was definitely a Hound.


    After roughly ascertaining the direction, Vince began moving, and with each step, his condition slowly came back to normal. The feeling of dizziness was gone and every other minute, he was able to speed up a little. Eventually, the enhancer effects were in full swing, and just a few minutes later the Hound managed to catch up with the overheard person.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    He shouted to the hunter, who in turn halted abruptly and looked behind. Recognizing Vince, he welcomed him with a nod and turned towards him.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re that third-gen boy. Good to see you in¡­ manageable health. What are you doing here? Were you allowed to split off?¡±


    Vince stuttered, as being asked something like that came to him a little unexpected. With who he got to stop though, he shouldn¡¯t be all that surprised.


    ¡°Y-yes. Yes, I was¡­ Me and Clarissa were sent to the headquarters.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think I see that¡­ With all these bandages, I guess you were injured and are just now rejoining?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right Sir. After leaving the central I heard and followed the sound of your footsteps. Assuming that a lone Hound would either be Zachary or Clarissa.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to disappoint kid. I sometimes wish I was Zachary or Clarissa too.¡±


    The person who Vince caught up to was Cain, the leader of the first generation, and by far one of the most intimidating figures among the Cathedral Ward Hounds.


    ¡°Unfortunately I am not, and as such, I personally can¡¯t have you running around on your own. I¡¯m sure that Zachary would allow it, but since he¡¯s not here you know the drill right? Come with me for now.¡±


    Saying that, the man turned on his heel and steadily picked up the pace. Vince of course followed right after him. Cain was known for being an uncompromising leader and an absolutely relentless, brutal hunter. No matter how he worded it, disagreeing with him naturally wasn¡¯t within the range of options the young Hound took into consideration.


    Following the menacing commander for quite some time, Vince had an opportunity to take a closer look at him. For someone with such a heavy reputation, his appearance could be considered a little deceiving. Cain was rather short, about the same height as Vince himself. He had a rather slim physique and a young-looking, pale face with light, blue eyes. His white, neither short nor long hair was neatly slicked back, but his armor on the other hand, surely saw better days. All in all, he didn¡¯t look all that different from the other Hounds, but still, his looks were not the thing that made him so widely known and respected.


    ¡°Excuse me, Sir, I should¡­¡±


    ¡°Drop the Sir already. We are hunters, not some church officials right?¡±


    ¡°Right, yes. Um¡­ I¡¯m not sure if it is a good moment, but I should inform you¡­  I came across and fought briefly alongside two of the first-gens. Your subordinates.¡±


    ¡°And from the way you stumble over words, I guess they didn¡¯t make it huh?¡±


    Vince felt a lump in his throat and in turn couldn¡¯t bring himself to answer properly, giving out only an approving grunt.


    ¡°Know their names by any chance?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I apologize.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunate.¡±


    After that remark, Cain didn¡¯t really comment on the matter any further. His monotonous, almost emotionless voice made it kind of hard to decide whether he was deeply displeased with the provided information or took it as just another bad news.


    ¡°You don¡¯t happen to know where Zach is don¡¯t you?¡±


    Seemingly putting the last topic behind, Cain asked after a few minutes of silence. In the meantime, he slowed down a bit, to even out his pace with the other Hound.


    ¡°No, after sending us back, he gave chase on his own.¡±


    ¡°Guess that¡¯s sensible. We only have a few more hours after all.¡±


    Since he suffered from chronic nightmares, Vince''s sense of time was always a bit twisted. As such until it wasn¡¯t pointed out to him like that, he didn¡¯t really acknowledge how late it was getting. As of now, it was around 4P.M, meaning that at best the Hounds had five more hours before nightfall, when a new Beast would crawl out of the shadows and join forces with the mutation. All this gave a grim outlook on the situation. Being spread so thin all over the district meant that the Beast would be found soon enough, but whether someone who was actually capable of bringing it down was in range or not, depended entirely on luck.


    Vince tried to focus his hearing once again. He and Cain made some distance now, so there was a hope of potentially picking up something new. Despite his best efforts, however, nothing came up. Maybe Zachary didn¡¯t overreact when he expressed the necessity of extending the hunting range, and the Beast did, in fact, leave the Cathedral Ward?


    ¡°Hear anything unordinary?¡±


    ¡°Not really. I¡¯m beginning to doubt whether it is really still in the district.¡±


    ¡°Well, if it somehow got out, then technically it¡¯s no longer our concern. For now, though, keep listening in.¡±


    Vince did as he was told, but to no avail. The only sound he caught once in a while was other Hound¡¯s footsteps. Yet, when he reported them to his current supervisor, he decided not to deviate from the path.


    ¡°What path? Are we heading somewhere specific?¡±


    ¡°Letters said that the Beast can use its blood to teleport around. Logically it should be restricted only to its own blood, meaning that the monster should reappear at the site where it was first spotted and fought. I verified that to be false, so the next step is to assume that the Beast can manipulate all of the Beast-originated blood¡­¡±


    ¡°The underground!?¡±


    ¡°Glad you follow, yeah. That¡¯s by far our best bet now, and since I¡¯m sure Zach figured it out too, he must have headed to the closest passage. With that said we will make our way to the other side and if the Beast is really there, we¡¯ll close in on it.¡±


    Closely following the explanation, Vince gave it a few understanding nods along the way. The plan Cain laid in front of him made a lot of sense. He even took into consideration already, what conclusion would Zachary come to and predicted what course of action The Reaper would take. The first-gen¡¯s leader quick-wits were truly impressive, even more so, when his assumptions were proven right.


    ***


    As Vince and Cain got close to the underground passageway, the younger Hound could hear the muffled echo of water, being splashed around in a rather unusual way. Either something was there, or some part of the Cathedral Ward suffered from a flood.


    ¡°I hear it.¡±


    ¡°Bingo then.¡±


    Cain remarked enthusiastically. A spark ignited in his eyes and a wide grin appeared on his face. He picked up an even higher pace and stormed down the stairs. In spite of catching up to him before, Vince now found it hard to keep up. A shadow of doubt about whether he really is in a position to follow crept up his mind. Will he be strong enough not to weigh Cain down in the most important moment?


    The underground, although used this way now, wasn¡¯t really a fully realized sewer system. Instead, it was a small, buried city, used by survivors from seven hundred years ago. Although it is now forgotten, it was once the very heart of the Bastion, the last safe place on earth, from where the civilization was slowly rebuilt.


    Streets here were narrow, with water lazily streaming down all of them. The architecture itself was no less cramped most of the time, but a few points of interest such as the market squares or church plazas came with more open spaces. Exactly what Cain needed to use as an arena.


    Making their way forward and slowly getting used to the unholy stench of sewers and beast blood, the hunters reached one such arena after a short while. They both overlooked the peripherals, making sure that the area could be safely used for battle and prepared for it.


    ¡°Here you filth!¡±


    Cain shouted, drawing his blade and in one fluid motion using it to make a small cut on the palm of his hand. As he dripped some of his blood into the water, Vince raised an eyebrow and wondered.


    ¡®Some ritual of his?¡¯


    From what he remembered, Beasts usually had no sense of smell or hearing. They could see clearly in the dark, something that thankfully was inherited by the Hounds, but in the end, they were guided mostly by an exclusive sixth sense. A kind of presence recognition, that made the monsters aware of all humans within a certain range and could navigate them to the targets.


    Time for pondering Cain¡¯s pre-battle customs, however, ran out quickly. The water on the streets stirred and from behind a ruined house, the Beast suddenly lunged towards the ecstatic hunter, letting with it an ear-shattering screech.


    Cain bent his knees and quickly jumped out of the way. Although even pushed into defense, he somehow found a split second to land a blow of his own. A shallow cut appeared at the Beast¡¯s arm and black blood dripped from it into the water.


    Standing before the Hounds again, in full, the creature was different. For some reason, it got roughly a meter taller and longer. The arms on the back looked even more massive and muscular while the front-reaching ones received a considerable range increase. Seeing this, Vince felt a chill run down his spine. Yet, it was far too late to back down. He was not allowed to perish yet.


    The young Hound drew his blade and prepared for the grand rematch.


    The lives lost¡­ They will all be redeemed right here and right now.


    ¡®Cass, Zach. Give me courage.¡¯

 Chapter 5: Taste of The Hunt

    As Vince drew his sword, the stage for his and Cain¡¯s performance was finally set. A sorrowful melody of claws and steel filled the air, and to the rhythm of this hunter¡¯s lullaby, the all too familiar danse macabre began.


    With its shallow wound disappearing without a trace already, the enormous body slowly lowered itself closer to the ground. Preparing to lunge again, the Beast stretched out its arms in an intimidating fashion and let out a violent, rageful screech. The menacing stature tested Vince¡¯s resolve, thankfully his more experienced supervisor remained rather unimpressed and didn¡¯t bother hesitating. Allowing his instincts to guide the way Cain stepped forward and while far outspeeding the Beast, aimed a powerful blow at its poking head. Severed by his slash, strands of the black mane flew chaotically into the air, uncovering at last the devil¡¯s cursed visage. It looked disturbingly like a human skull, though twisted and deformed beyond recognition. The head was flattened and lacked its lower jaw, leaving only the pair of swollen, uneven eyes as the dominating feature. Tattered flaps of skin dangled from either side of the unholy face, linked just now by the jagged slash, a mark of Cain¡¯s merciless swordsmanship.


    Still, as the wound began regenerating almost instantly, the triumph proved terribly short-lived. Only Gods may know what happened to it, but somewhere along the way not only did the Beast¡¯s size grow, but the potency of its regenerative powers increased greatly too. Taken aback by this, Cain cursed under his breath and hastily tried to jump away. This time, unfortunately, he was the one to be forestalled.


    Screeching in pain, the Beast clamped the claws of its left hand together into a primitive spearhead and answered with a quick and dangerous counter. In effect, aimed roughly at the commander¡¯s still slightly exposed torso, a savage blow flew in from the side. Unprepared for it, Cain barely scraped enough time to react, managing in the end only a sub-par, risky block. An eerie, chilling sound of quivering steel reverberated throughout the arena, and the Hound was pushed back, struggling to maintain footing. For now, it could be said, that he luckily got by, nevertheless the assault was not over just yet. Leaving no room to breathe, the Beast raised its other arm high into the air, casting a shadow over the hunter¡¯s figure and preparing to slam down on it. The whole situation turned grave surprisingly fast, however, as the conflict''s pace increased, somehow Cain seemed only more and more enthralled. Like an adrenaline junkie, he grinned from ear to ear, seeing the next attack loom over him. Still, with how he answered, it was clear that despite the unexpected change in his behavior, he had everything well under control.


    Cain leaned forward driving his weight against the claws and using the monster¡¯s own force to deflect the attack with a quick shift of his body. As the momentum carried through, he dropped into a crouch and rolled aside, narrowly escaping the strike. Seizing the moment while the Beast remained overextended, he tightened his grip on the sword handle and on top of all that, unleashed a powerful sweeping slash at the creature¡¯s wrist. The blow landed with devastating precision, cleaving through flesh and bone to entirely sever the devil¡¯s hand. Black blood splattered around and the whole underground rumbled from the ear-shattering roar. Amidst the chaos Cain jumped back a little, catching a much-needed breath and getting ready to swing right back into the clash.


    ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t come here just to watch!¡±


    He shouted to Vince, who after getting a glimpse of what this battle would look like, had yet to join it. Despite his previous eagerness, the young Hound now struggled to shake off his feelings of doubt. His eyes wandered around uncontrollably, his hands were shaking and numerous drops of sweat slowly poured down his forehead. He was no stranger to battle, but this¡­ This was something else entirely. The way Cain and the Daylight Beast moved and exchanged blows was unreal. Vince wanted to help, he really did, but could his desire alone be enough to not only stand beside the others but keep up with them too?


    ¡°You think too much kid. Hounds are meant to fight, not ponder. We run on instincts, not logic.¡±


    The commander¡¯s voice cut in between the young Hound¡¯s thoughts, forcefully snapping him back to reality and subtly pushing him towards the metaphorical crossroad.


    Vince had a tendency to overanalyze, to limit his approach by relying heavily on previous planning. The uncomfortable truth, however, is that a hunt has no room for such logic. Detached from the real world, this place is not ruled by knowledge and order. This is a domain of chaos, ruled by instinct and ego. An environment built on a selfish will to conquer, to consume the weak and challenge the strong, and to lay waste onto everything in your path. All until you either perish or finally stand at the very top. This is the essence of the hunt, the ugly pathway to unrivaled strength. What Vince wished for was buried right here, sadly he was still far from fully realizing it. Before he could come to any solid conclusion about the meaning behind Cain¡¯s words of advice, his time to think was cut short. With the monstrous body twisting and turning, clearly setting up for another assault, the interlude was reaching its end.


    Just like Cain said, there was no more time to hesitate. Instinct of logic. Kill or be killed.


    The Beast¡¯s claws lunged forward, this time targeting the younger hunter. Vince stepped up to face them, but years of relying on strategy and calculation weren¡¯t so easily undone by just a few words. Change like that couldn¡¯t happen overnight. Still, he forced himself to, at least for a moment, tap into the instincts he had grown to suppress. Briefly merging theory with practice, he focused on replicating the moves Cain showed before, determined to put his philosophy to the test. The young Hound locked onto the path of the incoming strike, holding his position until the last possible moment. As the claws closed in, however, he didn¡¯t waste his time trying to block, instead, he sidestepped with a sharp, precise motion, slipping right past them. Though the move left him unsteady, he quickly regained control, tightened his grip on the sword, and channeled every ounce of strength into mimicking the severing slash. His mind might have been in the right place, but unfortunately the same could not be said about his skills. As all Vince could manage was a moderately deep cut, he was promptly reminded just how wide the gap between him and real hunters was. That said, for a change, his efforts didn¡¯t go completely unrecognized.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Yeah! Just like that!¡±


    Cain commented, following in his fellow Hound¡¯s footsteps. His blade sparked once again as he tried to proficiently finish, what his companion began. Fortune, however, seemed to favor him no longer. Before the strike could connect, Cain was unexpectedly swept off his feet by the Beast¡¯s tail and plunged into the mixture of blood and sewer water beneath. Vince, distracted by what had befallen his superior too, failed to notice a strike aimed right at him. The stump of the monster¡¯s previously severed hand slammed hard into his back, sending him flying high into the air.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    He groaned, planking head-first into the ground and rolling over a few times. The icy cold water ran up his nose and mouth, nearly drowning the hunter, as he tried to cough it all up. Alongside all this, little by little, the sews on his back too, began to come undone. Not enough for the blood to crystalize outside yet, thankfully, but if Vince didn¡¯t before, he surely had to pay attention to it now.


    Immanent danger shifted back at Cain, who although managed to avoid taking a sip of the sewer waters, found himself in a much worse position. Trying again, the Beast raised its hand over him and forcefully slammed the claws down. Time to react was too short and even with an attempted roll to the side, Cain didn¡¯t manage to fully avoid the strike. As one of the claws stabbed into the commander¡¯s arm, throughout the arena echoed a sound of ripped flesh, then a crack of bone, and finally a painful cry.


    ¡®Get up, get up, get up for fucks sake!¡¯


    Vince repeated to himself, spitting out the rest of the water and hastily trying to stand back up. Bones in his body rattled with each movement, his skin was hot and the injuries felt like they were about to burst open any second now. Tears welled up in the young Hound¡¯s eyes as he bit down on his lip and forced himself to push forward.


    ¡®You can¡¯t let that happen again¡­ Hunt!¡¯


    As he drifted in and out of consciousness, from the ever-increasing number of wounds, Vince¡¯s body moved on its own. The instincts he had tried to tap into earlier fully took over, though this time, it was beyond his control. With his sense of danger dulled and pain numbed by his fading awareness, he rushed toward the spot where Cain had been struck. His eyes, distant and hollow, seemed to focus somewhere else, while his labored breaths took on an almost animalistic tone. It was clear Vince was no longer fully present, but this proved to be his and Cain¡¯s saving grace. The young Hound¡¯s blade sparked like lightning and struck like thunder, slicing the Beast¡¯s arm clean in half a mere moment later.


    Cain¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he witnessed the weakest Hound so unexpectedly display such a feat. Still, he didn¡¯t allow the amazement to keep him on the floor for too long. Assisting himself with his sword, he sluggishly retreated a few meters back and took a brief moment to check up on his injuries. The Beast¡¯s claw stabbed quite deeply, but all in all, it seemed like he got off somewhat lightly. The pain was crazy, sure, but trying to move his arm around, Cain could confidently confirm that the bone wasn¡¯t broken. It was all alright, he¡¯ll pull through.


    Vince on the other hand, still in his trance, growled at the Beast, overlooking with malice how it stumbled around in pain. It was apparent that this thing wouldn¡¯t fall by normal means. Cutting off its arms was the easiest way of dealing considerable damage, but in the long run offered no real advantage. Being able to regenerate the Beast would eventually force the hunters into a battle of endurance, where they would surely fall much sooner than the monster. Without some kind of leverage, this fight was hopeless. In what remained of his sense, Vince seemed to somehow realize that.


    The young Hound suddenly jumped forward, grabbing onto the fresh wound and using the flapping arm like a lift to the monster¡¯s back. Landing there the desired weak spot was found right beneath his feet. A single conjunction of muscles where the Beast¡¯s spine, neck, and front arms were all connected to each other. This was exactly what they needed to tip the scales, and Vince didn¡¯t hesitate one bit to grasp this opportunity. As he took up his blade and aimed it to pierce to vulnerable joint, however, the Beast fought back fiercely. Moving all of its arms to the sides, the monster suddenly fell onto the ground and began frantically slithering all over the arena, quickly throwing the hunter off of its back.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Cain cursed seeing Vince hit the ground, and hurried to help him. With the Beast now circling around them, the hypothetical, hopeless scenario slowly became the new reality.


    ¡°Hang in there boy.¡±


    After being pulled up from the water and lightly slapped across the face, Vince opened his eyes and gasped for air. Although shaken and roughed up, for better or worse, he was right back to his senses.


    ¡°Focus up... Now¡¯s a good time to make use of that brain of yours.¡±


    The commander ordered, helping Vince stand back straight and sticking with him back to back. Vince didn¡¯t answer him at first, fixing his gaze at the Beast. From what he was able to conclude based on his clouded memory and the situation around, they were trapped in a stalemate. The monster would circle around them, waiting for its damages to heal fully, and then jump back in, essentially resetting the whole battle to the point where it first began. To put a wrench in this plan would require the Hounds first to find a way to stop the monster in place and then deliver a blow to its weak point. With how injured they both were¡­ Not one of these requirements was realistically within their reach. What could be done to make it out of here alive?


    ¡°I¡¯VE GOT YOU NOW YOU FILTH!¡±


    Suddenly, a new voice resonated throughout the arena. Recognizing it almost instantly, the eyes of both Hounds widened in shock. What Cain spoke about before, and what they both forgot in the process of fighting, proved true in the most crucial moment. There he was, on the opposite side of the plaza. Covered in blood and sweat, with his eyes burning and face twisted in a wide grin. Zachary was here, ready more than ever to finally put an end to this wild chase.


    He drew his sword and made a quick cut along the inside of his hand. Black blood oozed from the wound, spilling into the water below and a mere moment later, the familiar scarlet vermin manifested. Within seconds, three centipedes raced toward the Beast, quickly closing the gap and halting it in its tracks. The massive insects swarmed over the creature, their mandibles sinking into its flesh without thought or mercy. With the Red Reaper''s arrival, the balance of power shifted instantly. What had been a struggle between predators now became a one-sided hunt, with the Beast clearly marked as the prey.


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you slip away once more. This time I¡¯ll fucking bury you for sure!¡±


    Zachary continued, shouting unsettlingly. Not often did he display his emotions in such a way, but assuming he¡¯d been using Blood Sacrifice ever since Vince first saw him today, it could be that the bloodlust had already begun creeping up on him. To avoid tragedy it was best to join up with him and finish all this as quickly as possible.

 Important Notice

    Hello dear reader.


    I regret to inform you that Cathedral Hounds has to come to an unexpected halt.


    I don''t expect the hiatus to last longer than three to four weeks, but I cannot write new chapters with how things are going now. In short... University work got really out of hand and was quickly followed by a sudden decline in my already feeble mental and physical health.


    It pains me to go on a break so soon, and at such a point in the story, but there is unfortunately no other way...


    To the few people who read Cathedral Hounds... I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I realize my work is rough around the edges. I''m aware that the prose is sometimes lackluster.


    I do my very best to improve, but it is not easy.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Keeping a schedule, writing in a foreign language. It all takes enormous effort for someone like me, but I wish to continue.


    I believe Cathedral Hounds can later really spread its wings and tell a truly captivating story. There is a lot in store for this tale. A lot of twists and turns, mysteries, characters, and events. It''s a really big project. Sometimes I feel like it''s still too big for me to be honest. Nevertheless, I wish to write more. I wish to pour my blood, sweat, and tears into it and one day bring this story to its conclusion. No matter how many people read it.


    As far as I''m concerned it can just be You. Just one person. As long as You are here I will continue to write.


    Thank You for your support! For every view, every follow, every favorite, every comment, review, rating. It means the world to me.


    Seeing that there is someone on the other side really keeps me going and I wish you the best!


    I am sorry for how things turned out. Still, I''ll do my best to push through it.


    Thank you once again. I hope you have a wonderful day, and will come back here once everything is settled and the story continues.


    Sincerely.


    ~ Ihiete