[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5165889][img]https://i.imgur.com/SstS9jz.png[/img][/url]
[h3]Streets of eastern Central Yharnam, just south of the plateau elevator[/h3]
Aside from some scattered fearful whimpers, hushed mumbling and several curious glances past Stefan at the danger he spoke of – it was light enough still to see something as huge as a church giant from this distance, particularly with the lampposts casting their flickering light in the streets – Draco was the only one who really reacted to the announcement, prompting the Hunter to turn his attention to him. He cocked his head to right, blinking for a second as his left hand habitually went to the tip of his nose before moving up the bridge of it in a smooth motion, pushing a pair of spectacles that were not there back in place out of habit.
Keeping the rear guard? Stefan had not been aware that the huntsman had been doing such a thing; he had been working under the presumption that he was literally the only thing standing between these civilians and inevitable oblivion. Not that he had been entirely mistaken, considering what a minor inconvenience Draco's resistance would probably be against a scourge beast if one showed up, but still, he could appreciate the sentiment. While some Hunters would doubtlessly have been callous, arrogant or disillusioned enough to point this out to Draco, however, Stefan felt no need to rub the man's powerlessness in his face. He was trying, which was more than could be said for most people. Besides, weak or not, an extra pair of eyes and ears could not hurt. It might buy Stefan an extra second or two if Draco managed to spot a threat before he could, which might save lives out of this bunch of noncombatants.
Part of him was a little disappointed that no one had protested against the prospect of adding another half hour or so before they would arrive at the shelter, though. He had really hoped that someone would give him an excuse to not do what he was supposed to do in this situation, and risk the civilians to approach what was going on over there. Church giants usually served the Healing Church, shepherded by the similarly afflicted but less mentally degraded [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/bloodborne/images/c/c1/Church_Servant_%28Cane%29.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20180823150244]church servants[/url], but they were exceptionally weak of mind and essentially little more than beasts, even if their appearance was somewhat more human than most. One fighting something over there could mean that it was facing someone it had orders to eliminate, like intruders or beasts, which meant that its opponents were enemies of the church. Or it could mean that the church giant was out of control and was attacking anyone in sight, as they were wont to do. Either way the situation over there could probably have benefited from the presence of a church Hunter. Stefan was not about to violate his orders and put the civilians in danger for the sake of the thrill... but he had hoped that they would give him an excuse.

“All right,” he nodded his head briskly, moving to head back they way they had just come, when his eyes caught a fleeting motion [I]in that direction as well[/I], maybe fifty meters (165 feet) away. It was too quick and brief for him to identify the motion, but less than a second later he heard the echoing sound of a door being slammed shut.
He relaxed. Whoever he had seen had passed through the incense outside a house, had opened a door and closed it behind them; it had been a person, not a beast. Probably just some frightened soul returning late to their home despite the tolling of the bells, fleeing the chaos that would descend upon the city once night fell. It was probably –
Stefan felt his stomach knot as a muffled, terrified cry filled the air, immediately followed by a much more intense, but also much briefer, scream of pain that was abruptly cut short. More screams. Voices of women and children, the echoes of which mixed with the whimpering of the civilians behind him. Sounds that Stefan was all too familiar with; the symphony of human slaughter.