[h3]Halls of the Old Lords, beyond the Old Labyrinth (depth 4)[/h3]
“You know my interest is mainly in the Nightmare,” Gerlinde remarked about what would be next in their plans, “which is where we are now, so I'm already happy. If you want to go to Cainhurst when we get back, I don't mind.”
She turned to Torquil and shot him an appraising look. “It's all right,” was the extent of her feedback.
“I think I might steal all of the Followers' arcane implements...” Ophelia mused aloud, mostly in response to Gerlinde. “Ah, something that you missed in Arrayah's chamber: there's a queer door, with a mural of the two halves of my blade. I didn't have enough arcane power to open it when we tried, but there's a lantern there so it'll be easy to get back to. When I do I suspect there'll be a bounty of arcane treasures for us to take... though I think you should probably take them, Gerlinde: this blade is all I will ever need, after all.”
Gerlinde glanced at the Cosmic Sword of Truth for a moment before smiling at Ophelia. “Considering we found the Mask Rune at the entrance to the Followers' hideout, I don't think we should expect Deception to work on them. But I appreciate the generosity.”
Farren had, admittedly, been wondering why it was taking Torquil so long, so he was rather relieved when the man finished. Though, seeing the process carried out again was indeed a rather fascinating thing. Now less startled than he had been by Ophelia being replaced by her own reflection, Farren was able to take in the changes. Torquil emerged and as he did, he did so a new man...almost literally. Green eyes with pale blue rings, a strong jaw, black braided beard with a fierceness to his gaze and more definition in his cheekbones than before. It was a surprisingly comprehensive transformation, but given how drastic the present Gerlinde's appearance differed from the image of her in his memory? Well...it wasn't entirely surprising. Still, Farren did not react much outwardly--his eyes widened only fractionally before settling back into a more measured, appraising expression--almost thoughtful really. The azure-eyed hunter brought his hand up and ran it through his own somewhat unruly beard. What was one to say in response to Torquil's question? It seemed...rather mean-spirited to say it was a marked improvement, if only because that implied he had looked...rather unfortunate before.
Farren's gaze shifted as Gerlinde replied, her own appraising look and response brief and perfunctory, yet...that did not seem entirely right either. He frowned slightly then glanced back at Torquil and a small smile curled up one side of his lips, [color=#007FFF][b]“It's a stark difference, but not an unwelcome one.”[/b][/color] That left it not entirely clear whether he had thought Torquil looked unappealing before, [color=#007FFF][b]“Well chosen I think. You've a distinct...look to you,”[/b][/color] Farren nodded and crossed the distance, giving him a rough pat on the shoulder, gripping briefly in a companionable gesture.
[color=#007FFF][b]“It suits you. How does it feel?”[/b][/color] It was slightly strange to be looking up at Torquil now, but he didn't particularly care. Farren had worked with men taller than himself--women too on occasion.
“A good point... though I don't expect it to matter too much in either case: it's quite the lethal instrument even without Deception... and will only get more lethal as we accrue more arcane power. To that end... let's take the long route fighting our way out of here, hmm? More echoes means more power, and we should take every advantage.” Ophelia replied, brow furrowed for a few seconds as she considered Gerlinde's point before she broke into a similar smile.
“It feels weird,” Torquil hesitantly replied to Farren's question. “My eyes are back to normal, and everything feels a little further away. It will take some getting used to.” He flashed a smile, showing off teeth that were now a clean and healthy white like Gerlinde's.
“I'm all for that,” Gerlinde evaluated Ophelia's suggestion, “but I'll remind you that I got killed in the next room last time I was here, so I don't know what's ahead anymore. Things are also [I]much[/I] more dangerous down here.”
Farren gave Torquil another firm jostling pat on the shoulder before letting go with a nod of understanding. He half turned to address Ophelia and Gerlinde, [color=#007FFF][b]“What of the other path, the one we did not take?”[/b][/color] The words called to mind the other doorway they'd not come through. After all, Gerlinde had led them this way in the interest of reaching the Chalice at speed.
Gerlinde shrugged. “More things that want to kill us, maybe more loot? But nothing especially interesting.”
Farren nodded briefly, [color=#007FFF][b]“More echoes then...and I'll take what we can get. If there's no lantern that way, then I think--”[/b][/color] he cut himself off and looked back to Gerlinde, [color=#007FFF][b]“You said you died in the next room...was there no lantern before the enemies that cut you down?”[/b][/color]
“There was not,” she confirmed with a shake of her head.
[color=#007FFF][b]“Mmm...then I think it best we go back, clear the remaining rooms, and head back to the Dream. We've echoes to put to good use and should we die, this way we can come back...perhaps all with Deception inscribed upon our minds to retrieve what was left behind.”[/b][/color] he replied, before turning bodily towards the path they'd cleared to get to the Chalice chamber. He glanced back over his shoulder briefly, but thought better of the query he'd considered, and instead looked back to the threshold and began to walk. If they didn't want to come along, so be it, he'd return to the Dream instead of exploring the remaining chambers.
“Deception will keep me quite safe; I think I'll head the way Gerlinde went before and try to find a lantern that way.” Ophelia replied as Farren made his intention to return the way they came clear.
“Any of you are welcome to join me, but this might be best done alone.”
“I'll come with you," Gerlinde immediately told Ophelia, her green eyes shining with greed. "I want to see what's deeper in the Nightmare, too.”
“We should stick together,” Torquil pointed out nervously. “Or... if we're splitting up, should I go with Farren? Just so no one is alone?”
“That sounds very sensible, love, having someone else to administer emergency blood vials is key to making it through I think. The boys and the girls can split up, then, take three of the vials we found down here.” Ophelia replied to Torquil with a smile before she turned again to Gerlinde. 
“Are you wanting to use the Mask rune, still, dear? I think Deception or Heir will be best--I can scout a room, let you know what enemies there are, and we can tackle them that way?”
“If we are going to be sneaky about it, I'll take the Truth Rune,” Gerlinde compromised with a smirk. “I may not get the benefits from your sword, but it does still combine the effects of Deception and Guidance.”
“Smart choice. You know, you'll be the second human it's ever been applied to?” Ophelia commented as she retrieved the runebrand and gave it to Gerlinde.

With that the Hunters split up, with Ophelia and Gerlinde delving deeper into the Nightmare in search for another lantern while Farren and Torquil ventured back the way they came to clear the rooms they had passed by and eventually return to whence they came.
For Ophelia and Gerlinde's part, they very quickly discovered that the first beasts they encountered in this area – [url=https://bloodborne.wiki.fextralife.com/file/Bloodborne/KHD_Duo.jpg?v=1500980766442]horned, fire-breathing hounds[/url] – did not so much as for an instant seem confused by the lesser Deception-effect on Gerlinde, nor oblivious to Ophelia through her empowered version of it. It also became quite clear that Gerlinde had not been exaggerating: it was immediately apparent that the denizens of this floor were much more dangerous than those of the previous one.
They fought through two rooms, each time barely scraping by, before Ophelia recommended that they try to rush through the next room while avoiding a fight. They very quickly realized their mistake as they were pelted with fireballs shot by some manner of [url=https://bloodborne.wiki.fextralife.com/file/Bloodborne/Ritekeeper_Concept_Art.jpg?v=1501162608201]ill-omened sorcerers[/url], and they both ended up having to sacrifice quicksilver bullets and blood vials just to get out with their lives intact.
Made wary by the near-death experience in the previous chamber, the two Huntresses decided that it might be wiser to slow down and go cautiously, which allowed them to conquer the next room more easily. They battled their way through seemingly endless hordes of giant spiders to finally get to a [url=https://bloodborne.wiki.fextralife.com/file/Bloodborne/Chime%20Maiden%20Concept.jpg]tall black-clad Pthumerian woman ringing a sinister bell[/url]. It was clear even without Gerlinde announcing it that this Pthumerian was continuously conjuring spiders, but as soon as they slew her, her minions vanished.
Out of the available options, Gerlinde was now able to identify one room ahead of them as the one that would most likely have the lantern they were looking for, so the Huntresses cautiously went forth to look for it. But before they could find their way out, they were set upon by another [url=https://bloodborne.wiki.fextralife.com/file/Bloodborne/Elder%20Overhand%20Improved.jpg]Pthumerian[/url], this one wielding fearsome magic, deadly weapons and displaying immense agility, all at once. Expending copious amounts of quicksilver and still having to imbibe blood vials just to survive, they did ultimately succeed by the skin of their teeth.
For them, the entire journey ended up taking a little over 30 minutes.

Farren and Torquil's trek through the upper floor, meanwhile, went quite smoothly. Not only were the denizens of that floor not as dangerous as those below, but Farren and Torquil were both strong and agile fighters in stark contrast to their female companions. They went through and cleared the remaining four rooms on the highest floor without so much as a single close call, and returned to the Dream victorious and, at least in Torquil's case, in good spirits. They made good time and got to their lantern in only a little about 25 minutes... meaning they got there a while before the Huntresses.

[h3]The Hunter's Dream[/h3]
Which only made it all the more terrifying when, a couple of seconds after Farren and Torquil had awakened in the Dream, their false Paleblood caused a reaction. They would notice the light slowly dimming as the sky itself – though the time of day did not appear to change, remaining stuck in a perpetual sunset – grew dark. The sun was still there in what they could only presume to be west, but it was as though its brilliance was now hidden behind an almost entirely opaque veil. The gloom within the shadows cast in the Dream turned to near-black, color faded from their surroundings and even the gentle breeze seemed to still.
And then came that haunting, discordant song, echoing among the headstones and sending the Messengers scurrying into the ground to hide. They had experienced this before and knew immediately what had happened: another [url=https://bogleech.com/souls/bb-winterlanternart.jpg]Winter Lantern[/url] had been summoned into the Dream.