Surgit had visited Iosefka at her clinic and exchanged a few words with her regarding blood healing and the possibility of curing people from the beastly scourge. Her speech about healing patients was pretty ambiguous and Surgit felt that Iosefka hadn’t been acting like her usual self.
Since he came back to see her after his fight against father Gascoigne, she had changed her beliefs about not letting anyone inside her clinic and accepted to allow the ill in order to receive more treatment.
What struck Surgit as odd was that Iosefka wasn’t willing to open her door under no circumstances. That was also aligned with what Yharnamites did during the night of the hunt. Her sudden change of heart surprised Surgit even if he felt that it was a positive move. He thought about Gilbert and how the poor man couldn’t stop coughing.
He was on his way out from the clinic and was heading towards Gilbert while he was processing all the information received from the doctor. As he reached Gilbert’s house, he knocked at the window from which they usually talked. He heard intense coughing from behind the curtain and the sound intensified as Gilbert approached it.
“It’s you…*cough cough*…I’m glad you’re still breathing” said Gilbert in between his fits of coughs.
“Hi Gilbert, I see that your coughing has intensified.” Surgit couldn’t conceal his worry towards the sick man.
“You needn’t concern yourself with me now…” and Gilbert started coughing again violently unable to speak again for a moment.
“You’re the first person to ever help me in this foreign city. I owe you a lot Gilbert. I think I have a way of helping you defeat that illness that’s eating away at you.”
“As I said before dear hunter, you shouldn’t concern yourself with me… *cough, cough*… I’m afraid I’m of little help to you now. But before you go…” Gilbert disappeared from behind the curtain and went inside his apartment. When he came back he opened the window and handed an object to Surgit. “Take this… I made no use of it, but perhaps you…” And the heavy coughing resumed again, halting his speech.
“Gilbert there’s this doctor, Iosefka’s her name. She has a clinic near your house. She can help you get back on your feet again. I can escort you there and keep you safe.” Surgit was almost pleading to him. He really didn’t want to lose any more people who have helped him in Yharnam.
“What inflicted me was incurable…” Gilbert started speaking again after his coughing fits had stopped. “But this town gave me hope. Their strange blood bought me time… I was most fortunate, unharmed by the plague of beasts. I can even die human. I’m no longer looking for a cure for my affliction good hunter.”
“But… you’ll finally be able to leave this city and live your life anew. This doctor, she’s good and she oversees a clinic full of afflicted humans. I’m sure she can help you.”
“I have nowhere to return to. I prefer to end my days in peace, in this house. Thank you for your offer good hunter, but I’m no longer seeking that miraculous cure people spoke of before.”
“But…” Surgit’s mouth was open, he tried to say something but didn’t find the words to use in this situation.
“I had a home once,” started Gilbert before coughing stopped him on his tracks. “I never felt welcome there. Because of my sickness, people shunned and avoided me…” Gilbert’s coughing intensified even more. Surgit felt the pain Gilbert had been through.
“When I set sail to retrieve the city of miracles, I never thought I could walk among humans, without feeling like an outsider. This city was brimming with foreigners, seeking refuge and healing. Even though Yharnamites didn’t like us, we had each other. I could finally walk in peace and observe the sun, setting beyond the valley.” *cough* *cough* *cough*… Gilbert’s words left Surgit speechless. He patiently waited for the man to regain his composure. His story didn’t seem too unfamiliar to Surgit.
“I am grateful for the second chance I had in this city. It is here that I could feel the wind against my face without worrying about others’ judgmental eyes. It is here that I could laugh with others wholeheartedly. It is here that I lived a normal life, and it is here that I wish to die. This is my home.” *cough* cough* cough* “I wish you a fruitful hunt good hunter, the night of the hunt is long. It even feels…. Unending.”
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Surgit took his leave from Gilbert. His heart felt heavy and his soul crushed. Gilbert had arrived to Yharnam and managed to get his treatment. Despite all of that, blood didn’t stop what illness had befallen him. ‘What makes one worthy of blood ministration? Why wasn’t Gilbert given a hunter’s blood transfusion?’ Surgit didn’t know what made him worthy of the blood ministration he received. Or is it that they all get the same transfusion? But only the worthy get chosen? His mind was racing.
At every encounter, every conversation, Surgit felt that Yharnam had gotten even more mysterious. He needed to understand more. He wanted to know more. He felt helpless without information to explain what had happened in Yharnam. He had to explore more of this city’s past. Surgit started seriously considering exploring the Chalice Dungeons. It was there that most of Yharnam’s secrets were buried.
He hoped that Karla would use the bell to summon him when she arrives to Oedon Chapel. Using the bells would mean that he could be at two places instead of one. That helped convince him more to get the material required, perform the ritual at the altar and open a path to the tomb of Gods.
Surgit looked at the object Gilbert had handed him. It was a flame sprayer, useful to put distance between him and hordes of enemies. He thanked the sick man for his gift mentally.
There was nothing else he could do in Central Yharnam anymore. He kept in mind that if he ever came across anyone in need of medical attention, he would send them immediately to Iosefka’s clinic. Oedon chapel was for sure a safe place for any sane human who sought asylum from the beasts, but if the person was sick, it would be better to send them to Iosefka who would know how to deal with their disease and take care of them.
He walked through the dark streets of Central Yharnam. Night had settled and the moon started to rise in the sky. The sky had cleared, unlike the stormy weather during which they had arrived to the city. The memory of their arrival to Yharnam seemed like it happened ages ago to him. As he walked, he thought of the people who accompanied them on their journey and the end they have met.
Was it fate that the captain had died as soon as they landed? Was it luck that caused him to meet that blood minister who accepted to administer blood to him? After all, he had no special gifts or talent. At that time, he was just a dying man who could’ve died during the first attack that welcomed them into Yharnam.
As memories came back rushing to his mind, he remembered that he was blasted away by cannon fire and left unconscious in the street. No one cared to help him apart from that old minister. His companions didn’t think much of him and didn’t even bother checking on him or dragging him along to a safer place. He only gained Karla’s respect, or in other words her fear, after he became a hunter.
As for Francis, he always knew that he cared only for himself and now that he became a hunter, he couldn’t help but wonder at the nature of his agenda within Yharnam. If he had given him the information regarding Paleblood and the way out of Yharnam, it must mean that he had no intention of leaving the city.
And what about Karla? After they had gotten separated earlier, he hadn’t seen her anywhere, not even in Oedon chapel. He knew that she was a good fighter, but he feared for her life against the bigger beasts that await at every corner.
‘What am I doing concerning myself with other people’s lives? They don’t even care about my own existence!’ He thought to himself and stopped in his tracks. He was already in the graveyard where had fought father Gascoigne. ‘I should pay more attention to my own well-being and development. And I should find a way out of this city as soon as possible. I don’t think I can take it in here longer than expected.’ He had reached Oedon chapel and found the dweller and the old lady, tending to their own needs. The door that led upwards was still open and he went through it.
He stepped on a round platform that served as an elevator and went upwards. The platform went further up until it came to a full stop in front of an open door. He went in and found himself in a large room with a door leading outside.
He could tell that it led to an open space as strong winds came through it. He heard a creaking noise and turned right to see a man on a wheelchair approaching him. As soon as their eyes locked, the old man stopped and started turning a device which was attached on his wheelchair.
Surgit saw the device and ran quickly towards the old man. The wheelchair had a mini gun attached to it and the old man was definitely trying to kill him. As soon as Surgit heard the first sound of exploding bullets leaving their barrel, he jumped high to avoid them and landed behind his attacker. In one swift strike, the old man was dead and the shooting stopped.
“Fool me once…” he said as he inspected the mini gun and tried to detach it from the wheelchair. The firearm was tightly attached to the chair and it was impossible to take it off without breaking the mechanism that could make it work. ‘Damn… it won’t work!’ cursed Surgit. The first time he came through this room, the old man had surprised him and pierced him with bullets. He hoped he could use that weapon too. ‘I guess I’ll have to wait until I get a hunter Gatling gun…”