Echo: Moon's Phantasm
Echo Rank: Supreme
Echo Class: Beast
Echo Attributes: [Great One's Familiar], [Dreamborne], [Invertebre]
[Great One's Familiar]
Description: This entity is beholden only to the Great One that created its Arcane existence. Its resistances and affinities will reflect those of its creator.
[Dreamborne]
Description: Born of the clashing of dreams, this entity exists outside some laws of reality. Specifically, it may grow in Rank and Class, thus surpassing its nature as an Echo
[Invertebre]
Description: This entity lacks the structure of those born naturally. As such its form is malleable and free.
Gehrman tilted his head as he and his new cute Phantasm made their way through the caverns.
The old elevator that once took Johann up and down from the Fishing Hut after each time he died to that abominable Orphan was gone. Or rather, it was broken.
The chains snapped and the stone slab could be seen in a pit below.
Using muscle memory, he was able to make his way through the maze, and as he did he decided to look into the changes Phantasm had undergone.
The big thing that he was worried about: the creature's ability to grow, was thankfully a non-issue thanks to the [Dreamborne] Attribute.
Phantasm was also already of the Great Rank, technically, it far outclassed it's masters pitiful Ascended powers. Though Gehrman was a special existence, and the mere fact that Phantasm was able to be born from those Great corpses proved that his master was not entirely inferior.
Still, Gehrman would not want to fight his Echo.
The [Invertebre] Attribute seemed mundane on paper, but as they came across some of the Fishing Hamlet folk it became clear how powerful it was.
Phantasm didn't have any special abilities anymore, instead he had overpowering physical might.
He kept his spindly arms free, letting tendrils of elastic grey flesh shoot out from his back to smash the enemies before him. On occasion, it even turned those tendrils into blades, the ends sharpening and cutting through the air like a whistle.
Since the tendrils – or rather Phantasam – had no set form, he could freely use his own 5th Rank flesh as Gehrman could use his blood.
Granted, there was a big difference.
Phantasam could make his flesh hard or soft, but he couldn't manipulate it on a molecular level nor detach and control it from his body like Gehrman could with blood.
However, at the moment it seemed its physical might was all that was needed for the current enemies.
Gehrman could sit back and rest a bit as he came up with a plan.
The goal was simple: kill everything.
This Nightmares conflict was this slaughter, and it wouldn't end until everyone was gone.
The whole thing with Kos's corpse was really just a sidequest.
In order to get the most out of this, Gehrman had to make sure the sides were relatively equal, and ideally, have the Cainhurst and Yharnam forces focus on each other while Gehrman could take care of the Fishing Hamlet folk.
After all, no matter how strong those Transcendent humans were, the best they could give him was a Transcendent Memory of the 1st Tier.
…though he wasn't sure what would happen if he got a Memory for killing Gairm or the other Pseudo-Supreme.
He doubted the Spell would be kind enough to give him a higher Tier Memory, but maybe with Paleblood's interference she could make it especially potent.
In any case, a high Class Nightmare creature would be decidedly more valuable.
In truth, he would like to try and go back to the sea and see if he could take care of those remaining Great creatures, but he wasn't confident in his chances.
He had pulled out all the stops against them and still almost died. The Demon also had a bit of intelligence, using the same moves against it would put him at serious risk.
Phantasm could likely help, but he wasn't willing to risk him against such a force, especially since he was so young and inexperienced.
Gehrman did not believe in gentle parenting, but he didn't want to throw his Echo to the proverbial wolves either.
Instead, he burned some more Essence to gain a view of the situation above with [Eyes on The Inside]. The echoes of multiple beings souls resounded throughout multiple planes of existence, and so it was clear of each of their states.
It appeared that the College and Church forces were already down almost all of their Ascended and two of their Transcendents, putting their total number at around 15 Transcendents, 5 Ascended, and the Pseudo Supreme.
The Cainhurst forces had taken many more losses, but were arguably in a better position. Not a single one of their Ascended remained alive. It was likely those Knights (who were really just servants) had been thrown in as cannon fodder to test the forces of both the Yharnamites and the Hamlet.
That being said, none of their Transcendents had perished yet.
However, that was about to change, the groups were now coming to meet each other, and a dreadful clash would soon resound across Innsmouth.
This suited Gehrman well, as soon he came across the place he was looking for.
It was a larger open area with a single pillar of rock going straight up to the main plaza of the Hamlet. It did so because it led to a well, a ladder attaching to that pillar allowed the Nightmare Creatures to go back and forth between them.
And prowling about the bottom, two Shark Fiends, the very same Great Monsters that he had seen at the start of the Nightmare.
Gehrman glanced to his side, towards Phantasm. The guy was "looking" down at the cavern despite not having any real eyes. It seemed the Echo was mirroring Gehrman's movements.
"Good, you'll learn from me and become much stronger for it," he whispered to Phantasm. "Don't worry, I'm a pretty good teacher."
If the Echo understood him, he didn't show it. All Gehrman received was a blank stare.
The Hunter shook his head and focused his mind. Controlling Phantasm, or any Echo for that matter, was odd.
They could act autonomously, but they could also receive and carry out simple orders through the soul connection between the Awakened and the Echo.
Gehrman used that now to direct Phantasm towards the monster on the further end. That one held no weapons, while the closer one wielded a rusty anchor.
He suspected that Phantasm could likely deal with raw fists and fangs easier than a weapon, the less complex the easier he could adapt, after all.
Besides, Gehrman was partial to fighting the anchor wielder. Combat against someone wielding weapons was far more dangerous, but since this was a Monster without much intellect, it would also leave plenty of openings for Gehrman to exploit.
Taking a short breath to calm himself, he jumped down to the cavern below. As soon as he hit the floor the closer of the Great Monsters was upon him.
The water beneath them turned to mist under its mighty push. The assault was that of a shark in the sea, but the creature's muscular, flailing, limbs made it much more chaotic.
It roared and soon the other creature was in Gehrman's line of sight.
Of course, Phantasm got to the Monster first.
Though it lacked legs, it had already figured out how to coil its snail-like lower half and use it as something of a spring, pushing forward with great force.
Multiple tendrils struck the creature, some cutting, some striking, and some grappling.
Gehrman didn't have the time to worry too much about that fight though, he had to deal with this Great Monster first.
Wielding the [Burial Blade], he made several dodges and small cuts, causing the creature to roar out in pain.
Each blow dealt Soul damage and the pain was amplified by the concoction of Madness Gehrman coated each attack with.
He wasn't worried about it leaking too much and affecting Phantasm either. Thanks to the Echo's first Attribute, [Great One's Familiar] meant that he would retain the resistances and affinities of Gehrman. It was unclear if the resistances offered by [Greedy Bloodstone Talisman] transferred to Phantasm, but that didn't matter in this case.
Gehrman's affinity and resistance to Madness was innate. It was a part of his Attributes and his Aspect Legacy. Phantasm wouldn't be immune, but he would be able to perform at the same capacity as Gehrman could under the same level of Madness.
For that reason, the yellowish-orange aura flowed bright and heavy, closing the gap between Ranks with each swing.
Fighting Great Nightmare Creatures was always dangerous, especially ones that had such devastating acceleration, but this was a fight he had done many times before.
So with each telegraphed attack Gehrman's advantage only grew.
It was only a matter of time before he was able to create a wound deep enough, and then-
[You have slain a Great Monster, Adept Shark Fiend.]
[You have received a Memory.]
Gehrman's mind jolted. This was his first one. His first Supreme Memory gifted by the Spell, and not manufactured by him.
In less than a second he found it. Gehrman didn't even read the description, he saw the title and immediately summoned it.
When the giant [Rusted Anchor] fully formed, the Supreme weapon crashed to the ground. Gehrman was actually unable to pick it up, let alone throw it to Phantasm like he wanted to.
"Whatever," Gehrman grunted. In his mind, he made the command to his Echo. The Supreme Beast was powerful, but though it had Gehrman's affinities, he had no abilities. The conflict between Phantasm and the Shark Fiend was one that could easily end with either of them dead.
But that would change with a weapon.
Though each of their blows carried the weight of the 5th Rank, a Memory at that level, especially a weapon of the 2nd Tier, would have an enchantment that could decide the fight.
As Gehrman sprinted forward, switching with the now retreating Phantasm, he took a quick glance at the enchantments.
Memory Enchantments: [Unwieldy], [Water Moored]
[Unwieldy]
Description: This weapon is of an incredible weight and size. As such, the damage the force can deal is heightened for those with the strength and skill to wield it.
[Water Moored]
Description: When in the water, this weapon decreases in weight while maintaining power.
Perfect.
As Gehrman interrupted a lunge from the Great Monster, Phantasm reached the weapon. At the Supreme level, the [Unwieldy] Enchantment made it nigh impossible for any human of the Waking World – who wasn't in water – to use it.
Only the Sovereigns or the strongest of Saints could possess the power.
Even as an Ascended Titan, the current Gehrman couldn't use it as a weapon.
But Phantasm was of the 5th Rank, and his fluid form and potent strength meant that he could adapt his body to best use the [Rusted Anchor].
And indeed a few seconds later, mid lunge, a devastating attack came from above.
Phantasm used his whip-like tendrils to grasp and swing the weapon in a wide arc and bring all its harrowing weight down.
In one blow, the monster's head caved in, killing it instantly.
Gehrman blinked.
"Holy shit."
The Great Monster had been tired from the brief encounter, but the level of oppressive damage done by Phantasm just then was truly astounding. With this Memory, his Echo may very well be able to kill a Saint of the Waking World.
It had only been a month since Gehrman had initially received him, and now his Echo had grown into a powerhouse capable of going toe to toe with the strongest humans alive.
Gehrman looked upon Phantasm with reverence.
The faceless grey creature, meanwhile, hoisted the anchor up onto its thin and spindly shoulders, causing his body to shudder under the weight. So much so that he had to form a few tendrils to balance it.
Looking at its master, the guy seemed like a kid showing off his cool new toy.
His chest was even puffed out a bit.
Where did he get a personality? Is this supposed to be a reflection of me?
Gehrman shook his head. With this, his advantage had grown once more. It put him in a rather good position.
It was time to finish this Nightmare with flying colors.