124 Runes

Surgit had been using the sinister bell for at least three hours. He was only able to invade two other worlds. During the three invasions, he only managed to collect three Green Echo Clusters. "This is not getting me any results. I thought I would have been able to invade a lot faster."

Surgit was frustrated at the rate at which he was progressing. On the back of his head, something was pressuring him to move forward and stop wasting too much time on invading others. "Perhaps this area doesn't have too many hunters going through it. I'll have to try this again after I get to a new place."

While Surgit was busy invading other worlds, he awaited with anticipation the images displayed to him at the end of his hunt. The state he was in was akin to a dream. He felt like he was lucid dreaming. He was in control of his body but unfortunately not of his surroundings.

All he could do was move closer towards the images.The old man's facial expression in each picture seemed resentful and sour. Despite looking very old, his appearance never changed in any of the images. It looked like the man never aged or got younger.

"This man is the only constant in all the images, he must mean something." Surgit had gotten used to how Yharnam only threw snippet of information his way. He felt that he'd get a clearer idea about what was happening in each of the images if he kept digging into the matter.

He wanted to keep using the sinister bell. The more he got transported to another world, the more he could investigate those images. However, Surgit felt that he was wasting too much time. If he wanted to get stronger, he'd need to gather as many echoes as possible.

It is noteworthy to mention that clearing all of Central Yharnam from all the roaming beasts would only grant Surgit one Green Echo Cluster. Killing one abnormal beast like Gascoigne would get him one Green Cluster as well. So the stronger the beast becomes, the more Surgit has to gain.

Surgit thought that invading would at least put him against hunters who had collected enough echoes for him to steal. In theory, that constituted a good shortcut to collecting echoes. In reality, most hunters in the first areas have only few clusters. At most, they'd be carrying two at a time. The rest would be used by them to upgrade their attributes or to buy items.

After experiencing it first hand, Surgit decided to leave invasion until he reached areas with much more violent beasts. He would concentrate on reaching the Forbidden Woods. At least, he was sure that he'd gain more by going in there.

Not only are the beasts stronger in there, but he'd read in some of the dingy books at the workshop that the forbidden woods have a strong guardian. Surgit decided to look for a way to reach the dangerous forest.

From what Alfred told him, accessing the Forbidden Woods requires a password. Surgit had no idea on how to get it. He was back to the state of not knowing where to go next. He decided to get to the Cathedral Ward and explore the bottom of the dark tower.

The last time he went there, a kidnapper surprised him and snatched him to Yahar'gul. He had a feeling that this area held some kind of secret. He went back to the dream and soon after, he was teleported again to Oedon Chapel.

Scenes from the previous battle against Gavril flashed before Surgit as he appeared in the chapel. That man's attack was so fast that Surgit had his head on the ground before he realized what happened. He wanted to have that much strength and more. If he had been as powerful as that mad hunter, Karla wouldn't have had to suffer that fate.

At that moment, after picturing Gavril's eyes as he fought, Surgit had an epiphany. Gavril's madness led him to the power he held. The hunter didn't seem to dread being attacked. He seemed like a calculating man, but in reality he was just bloodthirsty.

His skill exceeded both his and Francis'. But it was his mental fortitude that made him feel certain about his victory against two hunters. It was like Surgit when he fought the Watchdog of the Old Lords. The odds weren't in his favor at first. But when he saw the opportunity to weaken his enemy, he grasped it and his beastly transformation took care of the rest.

"Beasthood, something hidden in every hunter," Surgit was mumbling while the Chapel Dweller looked at him, puzzled. "The werewolf in my first dream…"

For someone like the dweller, watching Surgit from afar, the man looked like he was losing his mind. He was mumbling nonsense that nobody understood. But for Surgit, those were sequences and experiences he lived. It felt like he was solving a puzzle, connecting pieces together to reveal the bigger picture. "Every hunter must have his or her own dormant monster. I saw mine in the dream I had during blood ministration. I wonder what his monster is."

Surgit thought of the moment his beastly hand stayed activated while he ponded at the fiery dog. He dreaded the fact that he was losing control of who he is. "What would happen if I let that beasthood take over?"

On one hand, Surgit feared that the beast would take over. "Beasts all over the shop. You'll be one of them, sooner or later." Those were Father Gascoigne's words when he first encountered him. Surgit didn't grasp the meaning then, but now it got clear.

On the other hand, Surgit saw what hunters who have completely accepted their beasthood could accomplish. Father Gascoigne was terrifying. If it weren't for his ability to come back from the dead, Surgit would never have defeated him.

Gascoigne fought as if it was his last day. That kind of resolution made him relentless in his attacks. Gavril had a hint of madness in his eyes. He wanted to draw blood and he only focused on that aspect. He quickly managed to dispose of the three of them without mercy. Those two hunters were focused, giving their maximum effort.

Surgit still played around and made stupid mistakes. Those two would rarely make one. It wasn't just the difference in skill, but also in mental fortitude.

The prospect of being one with the beast looked dangerous. But to Surgit, that danger was well worth the effort. If he wished to obliterate his enemies, he'd have to give his maximum effort on preemptive strikes. The harder he hits the more chance he has of completely destroying his prey.

He clenched his fists and went towards the tower. A voice brought him back from his reveries. "Surgit, I thought I might meet you here." Francis was standing next to the chapel lamp. "I have something for you, here." He threw an item towards Surgit and the latter caught it midair.

Surgit inspected the item then looked at Francis. "What is this?" Surgit was holding a strange item that looked like a corkscrew. "This is the tool used to imprint Caryll Runes in one's mind." Francis casually spoke as if he expected Surgit to know what that was about. After he understood the confusion in Surgit's eyes, Francis clarified.

"Have you ever come across a piece of cloth on which a strange symbol was drawn?" Surgit nodded then smiled. He finally understood the use of the corkscrew item. "So we're supposed to use this thing to imprint them. Francis, thank you," said Surgit to Francis. "It is only to repay you for that bell you gave me. Keep it in the dream. This way, both of us will get to use it."

Surgit nodded then pocketed the item. "Will do, where are you headed now old man?" Francis smiled then replied: "That snake left me a letter with the Dweller," Francis lowered his head then continued. "He is toying with me. I will have to bid you farewell now Surgit. I'll make sure to summon you when I need you, just keep your resonance bell with you."

Surgit looked at Francis and sighed. The pride in that old man's face disappeared. It was replaced with melancholy. Francis and Surgit couldn't be called friends, so Surgit didn't try to talk to him anymore than needed. He watched Francis vanish after he touched the blue lamp.

From his pocket, Surgit took a piece of cloth and looked at it with anticipation. It was a rune. When inspected with insight, it would reveal a name: Beast. Now that he had the tool to use these runes, he was excited to try them.