“I need to become stronger if I want to have a chance at defeating stronger foes. Do you know of any way that can help me get better?” He was at a loss. Gherman disappeared from the dream and no one was there to help him out. “I can channel the will of the dying ones within you good hunter. You will hunt beasts, and collect their echoes, as it is the hunters’ gift. I will then transform them into your assets. You can choose to develop your strength, skill, bloodtinge or even arcane. That of course, depends on the type of prey you have slain and the echo you collect from it,” said the doll in an almost mechanical tone. ‘Say what again? This looks like a lot of information to process.’ Surgit thought to himself then asked the doll: “So I’m supposed to kill beasts and collect something from them right?” “Yes good hunter. For every beast you kill, their dying will is transferred to you. Didn’t you hear many voices whispering in your head before?” “Yes! I’ve heard them many times. I must have too many then, don’t I?” Surgit remembered the voices that almost made him go crazy during his most intense fights… or embarrassing moments. “Good hunter, have you died recently to any enemy?” asked the doll, still in a mechanical tone. “Yes I did, that’s why I want to become stronger.” Surgit felt his cheeks burn in embarrassment. “Good hunter, every time you die to an enemy your echoes and those of the ones you possess are transferred to the one who killed you. If you don’t retrieve it from them, you will lose them forever.” “How do I know that I have echoes in me then? Is it only the voices I hear in my head?” “Use your insight good hunter.” Said the doll as if expecting Surgit to understand what that was. “And what is that insight you’re talking about?” Surgit was exasperated at the amount of information he just received. “If you can see and speak to me, then your third eye has been opened. You can see what others cannot. Just close your eyes and concentrate on the point in your forehead, the one between your eyes.”

‘This is just plain stupid’ he thought as he executed her instruction. He then saw it: fire, too much of it, burning beasts, alive, and around half a dozen hunters surrounding them looking at the fire as if in trance. The scenery changed again and he saw a man or woman, he couldn’t tell, hanging from their legs while from the neck, blood was seeping drop by drop.

“What was that I saw just now?” he exclaimed loudly “I cannot see what your third eye had witnessed good hunter. But you need to train your mind to use insight. Insight helps you envision extraordinary beings but also induces frenzy. So beware of its excessive use good hunter.” “I still cannot see if I have any blood echoes at the moment though.” “I will inspect them for you good hunter. Give me your right hand,” she said as she kneeled down. “Now close your eyes, I will examine the amount of echoes you possess.”

A white aura glowed around Surgit’s hand as the doll inspected his echoes. It looked like a magic spell of some sort. But of course, Surgit couldn’t see that. He could only hear a hypnotic sound emanating from the doll and soothing sensation enveloped his hand. Her melodious voice made him obey every instruction she gave. When she was done, she looked at him with the same emotion ridden, yet beautiful eyes and said: “You don’t have any blood echoes good hunter.”

‘Great, I have none’ he said in a faint whisper as he opened his eyes. Well, at least now I know the nature of what almost drove me crazy. He thanked the doll and went back to the city of horrors and beasts. As he was about to leave though, the doll called out to him from where she stood. “You can always check how many echoes are within your mind by using your third eye.”

Once in Yharnam, he used his newly discovered ability to inspect how many echoes he had. He couldn’t believe what the doll had just told him. He was used to hearing too many voices in his head. But then again, they all went silent the moment he resuscitated.

After some failed attempts, he could finally perceive, or rather ‘know’ what the number was. It felt like when someone gets a déjà-vu feeling. Or when they just happen to know something and imply that it was their great sixth sense that bestowed upon them such unexpected knowledge. It felt like he was alone, swimming in a dark void. He confirmed that he had no echoes.

He then concentrated on reducing the amount of beasts that roamed the streets. He knew he had to become stronger in order to face that hunter. The old man was better than him in every aspect. He was faster, brutal, and more importantly, he could transform into a hideous beast that tore Surgit to pieces every time.

The voices multiplied in his head, each advising him to do a different thing. He almost died to an axe wielding man once because the voices were fighting to decide on his best plan of attack. He did his best not to pay them any heed and concentrated on the task at hand.

He was soaking with blood and minced meat adorned his whole body. But he was satisfied. He had managed to clear most of the streets of dogs, man-beasts and disgusting crows. He was ready to go see the doll and see how the voices in his head could be used. He was most of all curious, if they’d ever shut up at all. He used his insight this time to see if he can discern how many echoes he had. The feeling came back to him, but more intense. He was no longer swimming alone in a dark void. Shapes in different sizes surrounded him.

They looked like a distant star light as observed from the ground. The light had a faint green glow to it. He couldn’t approach it but he could hear the echoes’ voices. They all had something to say and the more he concentrated on one of them, the stronger its voice became. The chatter among all the voices became too loud for him and he opened his eyes. He was back at the city and ready to get rid of them.

He went back to the doll and she was the first to speak.

“Good hunter, what would you like to enhance?” “I need to get stronger and deadlier, so what do you advise me to do?” “I can channel the echoes into your muscles. Or if you wish, I can embed them into your blood stream.” Her melodious voice always made him lose track of what she said. Or was it that the information was too ambiguous? “I want more strength. Will it allow me to be faster too? I need faster reflexes to dodge swift attacks.” he asked. “It will certainly make you faster. However if it is perception and reflexes you’re after, you’re better off enhancing your skill. It would allow you to observe your enemies’ patterns and predict their movements.” “I understand a little better now. Oh and one more question, will the voices in my head subside after you channel them?” “From what other hunters told me yes, they do subside.” The doll answered.

Surgit liked the sound of that. He asked the doll to channel his echoes and strengthen his body first then his skill. When the doll was done with the channeling, he felt his body with his hands and there were definitely some changes. His muscles were thicker and tenser. His whole body felt invigorated as if he had just received the ministration for the first time. The doll advised him to use insight again and inspect his status. He did as he was asked and titles popped up in his trance state. It looked as follows:

Name Surgit

Insight level Narrow minded

Strength Waste of Skin (2)

Skill Skillful (1)

Bloodtinge Blood Hungry (1)

Arcane Blind (1)