The Healing Thirst

Bloodborne

by Aleš Kot, Piotr Kowalski (Illustrator), Brad Simpson (Illustrator)

Uncover the horrors of the Healing Church as we return to Yharnam for a second volume of Titan's sell-out comic series based on Fromsoftware/Hidetaka Miyazaki's critically-acclaimed Bloodborne videogame!

As the first Hunters slice the night in the search of the afflicted, The Healing Church faces a rupture in its ranks as it struggles to halt the spread of the mysterious Ashen Blood disease. Suspecting Old Blood as the cause, Priest Clement strikes a pact with the older healer Alfredius to uncover the true nature of the Healing Church and expose it to the citizens of Yharnam.

Genres: Comics, Horror, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Video Games, Fiction, Comic Book

112 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2018

About the author

Aleš Kot is a post-Chernobyl, pre-revolution, Czech-born, California-based writer/producer who started in graphic novels and now makes films, television, and an occasional novella.

A. believe in art and community.
A. doesn't believe in borders nor cops.
A. believes in love, which they know is a very Libra answer. And what about it?

Reviews

[Petrik · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher—Titan Comics—in exchange for an honest review.

I've read all four volumes of Bloodborne graphic novel adaptation so far, and I can safely say Volume 2: The Healing Thirst is the best one of them all. Similar to the first volume, the second volume out of four in Bloodborne graphic novel adaptation by Aleš Kot and Piotr Kowalski (illustrator) was good. There's no doubt that Kowalski did a great job, once again, in illustrating the graphic novel. Volume 2 shows the grim and awfulness of the healing church. And well, everything in Bloodborne.

But what made this volume better than the third and fourth volumes is the writer, Kot, didn't try too hard to make everything look like intelligible nonsense. Volume 2 actually felt like the one where it has the most cohesive and tightly-plotted story. It is unfortunate, though, that although good, the story told in this volume just doesn't feel necessary to Bloodborne video game. This graphic novel adaptation doesn't feel strong enough for it to stand on its own. But as a graphic novel adaptation to maybe enrich the lore of the game, the result is even worse. So overall, volume 2 tells a good and accessible story. But just like all four volumes, don't expect this to make you love Bloodborne more.

You can find the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel

Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!

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[Gianfranco Mancini · Rating 5 out of 5]

More a 4 stars read, but I'm really loving the storylines and grim atmosphere of this well written/drawn fantasy-horror comic book series inspired by a popular videogame franchise, and that Pet Sematary-style horrific ending just gave me chills!



My gamer days are no more, but sooner or later I just have to try playing the Bloodborne videogame.

[Brandon Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the art so much!!! I think I might need a physical copy just to flip through every now and then.

[Ƙʏᴙᴀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Molta meno azione in questo secondo volume. Meno mostri e meno combattimenti, in compenso però si parla tanto della chiesa della cura e dei primi esperimenti con il sangue antico, ci si addentra quindi nella lore del gioco che nel precedente volume era stata messa da parte.
Vista la narrazione criptica, praticamente un marchio di fabbrica della from software e dell'opera originale, è stato interessante vedere come sono riusciti a renderla fluibile su carta, anche se avrei preferito qualcosa in più, tipo l'accademia di Byrgenwerth.
In ogni caso non vedo l'ora di proseguire con i prossimi numeri.

[Володимир Кузнєцов · Rating 4 out of 5]

Другий том раптово виявився в рази кращим за перший. Там де перший був псевдо-притчею з моралізаторством на тлі суто ігорих декорацій, другий том взявся не тільки нормально розкрити (до того ж розширити) всесвіт, але й зробив це в дуже годящій манері. Тут читач бачить Ярнам до того як той перетворився на суцільне пекло - тут відкривається шлях міста до того жахливого стану. Але на початку це все ще звичайне місто, і лише сторінка за сторінкою фарби поступово згущуються. У центрі оповіді два героя: священник Церкви зцілення і вчений, і обидва намагаються дізнатися, що насправді відбувається з Ярнамом. Їх історія дійсно цікава, а фінал - достатньо драматичний. Том просто чудовий і є велетенським стрибком в плані історії та світобудови порівняно з попереднім

[Lukas Sumper · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was basically what I expected from a Comic Book companion to a video game, a run of the mill mystery story diving into some background of how things turned into what we see in the game. Well written with the right art I felt like this is the ideal story for fans of the game.
It's a good effort but I give the edge to the first volume.
3.0 out of 5.0 stars

[Divuar · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing dark story, which may be a not very good Bloodborne presentation for a person who doesn’t know anything about the game setting, but will please the fans of the original.

[Alec Lyons · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much of the same complaints I had about the first issue, however much less so. This was a much tighter story, and far more interesting dynamics. Seeing the two halves of it weave together and heighten, and succumb to the madness that is encroaching on Yharnam, and to have that pay off in the end was satisfying.

Although the dialogue at times felt forced and inorganic and a little shallow, overall it felt like there was that ever looming horror - which is a defining element of Bloodborne (until then you are faced with it.) It was an interesting snapshot into the world, city and it's people before the long night set in, and how everything fell to pieces prior.

[Allen McLean · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a review of the entire Bloodborne series by Ales Kot and has been shared on the Goodreads pages for the other volumes.
...
Ending of the hunt, \ madness obtained from paleblood, \ insights from gods' dreams.
#HAIKUPRAJNA - Bloodborne Comic Book Summary and Review
https://haikuprajna.blogspot.com/2022...
...
At the time of writing, there are four “Bloodborne” volumes written by Ales Kot, with more written by Cullen Bunn coming in 2022. These limited series are for fans of Bloodborne’s lore and premise. What I found the most interesting was how insight into From Software’s worldbuilding provides a better experience for the reader while those ignorant of this lore might be irritated by the writing style, which I enjoyed because the opposite (madness-causing insight versus the ignorance of an unending dream) is a thematic component of the story in the video game. “Paleblood” serves as Bloodborne’s macguffin, or the idea of a goal.

“There must be more than the hunt.”

Each story follows a different character living in the world of Yarhman, brought to life by the art team’s amazing work across the whole series; “The Death of Sleep” was about a Paleblood child with a hunter who knew Durja and the Powder Kegs; “The Healing Thirst” displayed a member of the Healing Church being science bros with a love-mad scientist; “A Song of Crows” told the story of Eileen the crow; and “The Veil, Torn Asunder” dealt with a soldier suffering from war PTSD, showing that the madness of insight was a universal affliction in the world of Yarhman.

“When they say healing… they mean burning… us alive.”

An important aspect of the disease inflicting the city is how the beasts were all once human, where characters grow to realize they may be “undeserving of the hunt”. The unafflicted believed that people were transforming into beasts, but the protagonists’ individual descents into madness reveal to them (and us readers) that the insight was turning them into godlike beings, which enforces one of my favorite literary themes of death being a good--an idea that drove mad the living Yarhmanites who clung to the desirables of life. Perhaps the best part of these Bloodborne side stories is how this information is revealed to almost everyone in Yarhman, but they are all unable to convey this to each other until after they transform into monsters. For these characters, going mad was equivalent to obtaining insight about the hunt and the Paleblood, as one began to see monstrous gods fighting one another throughout Yarhman. In true fashion, the more insight one acquired, the more monsters one saw.

“... but nobody taught me how to grieve without killing myself...”

The four comic book stories set within Bloodborne’s world are all about the personal struggles of individuals living in Yarhman, their own issues and trauma, and how they manage to cope until the end of the hunters’ dream.

Thank you for reading,
Allen W. McLean

... Updated 221018 ...

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[Urbon Adamsson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I continue to have mix feelings about this series.

It's still pretty fun reading this but I feel that the main thing carrying this series is the Bloodborne brand. The atmosphere in which the story lives.

I don't think this series is based on the game's original story. Well, I mean from the point of view of how the game progresses. It's related to it but I feel it follows its own storyline.

I maintain my critic of the colouring, although here I felt I was already use to it and it wasn't that bad.

Overall, without being amazing, the atmosphere of the story feels great and I'm loving reading these.

Score: 65%

[MorZa · Rating 5 out of 5]

FEAR THE OLD BLOOD

[Andrea d: · Rating 4 out of 5]

FEAR THE OLD BLOOD

[Sergio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Increíble construcción de mundos dentro de la iglesia de la sanación

[Pardis Ahmadi · Rating 5 out of 5]

ok so on my last review on the first issue of Bloodborne comics i said i wish they would dig deeper to what happened in yharnam and main characters, this issue goes to the time when the infection was spreading in yharnam, and tells the story of a Priest and a Scientist that were working on the reasons and means of the infection. i really enjoyed this issue. only problem is it's not finished yet and half of it has been published by now (#5 and #6) and the next number will be out this month. can't wait.

[Caleb Likes Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good! This is exactly the kind of thing I wanted from the Bloodborne graphic novels. It fleshes out the world and lore, while also providing some really interesting looks at the setting prior to the game.

Of course, I have to first point out the art, which is fantastic. It takes a different style compared to the first graphic novel, in terms of what it depicts; the first was more lonely, violent, and visceral while this depicts much more of the city and the people within it, and feels more urban in its depiction of the setting. The story is very interesting. It follows two individuals: a priest of the Healing Church, and a scientist. The two are brought together due to a mutual interest in the Old Blood and the effects it may be having on the city’s people, and how much it may be contributing to the beast plague. This story setup does several interesting things: it provides extra backstory on the setting of Bloodborne, shows to unique perspectives on those events, and allows for interesting themes to come into play. There are several moments throughout this graphic novel that I really sat and thought about the implications of what was happening, both in the graphic novel and related lore from the game. I also really appreciated the tone, which is far bleaker than the first graphic novel, really showing how desperate and diseased Yharnam is at this time. It also ends in an appropriately dark and somewhat mysterious way, allowing the reader to make their own inferences on where things go from here—truly fitting for Bloodborne.

My one negative point is the ending itself. I was hoping it might go a different direction, especially given some of the small hints given in the art, specifically related to the blood moon. There are certain bits of lore in the game that describe what the blood moon represents, and I hoped to see that implemented into the story here; this aspect ultimately felt a little disappointing since I felt like one thing was being set up, but wasn’t followed through with. It’s still a decent ending, just not what I thought it would be given what I assumed it was foreshadowing.

Overall, a fantastic graphic novel that I think would be an excellent read for any big Bloodborne fan. Highly recommend!

Rating: 10/10

[Bluebelle-the-Inquisitive (Catherine) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nature is indifferent.
Life and death intertwined forever at dance. — Alfredius

Of the first two arcs I vastly prefer this one. The way the story is told through a mix of interactions between characters and journal entries is enjoyable. It is set entirely in Old Yharnam and primarily follows two characters Alfredius, a doctor and Clement, a priest. This is one take on the origins of the monsters or rather the plague that causes the monsters. I appreciate the difference in the way Alfredius and Clement's worlds are presented. Alfredius's world is in yellows, well light and surrounded by a clutter of scientific equipment. Clement's is in greys/blues, dark and clean of clutter with splashes of colour only as signs of distress. Their writing styles and manner are different, simple yes but effective. The turns in the story are shown less by the words and more by the art and the colouring. It ends it's science vs faith plot in a grim manner befitting the Bloobourne verse.

I read this without knowing what I was getting into. I have never played the came but I have watched people play it (judge me if you must, my dexterity and sticktoitiveness are shit) My rating reflects that lack of knowledge as to how it works within the full game. Watching someone play it isn't like being involved in the playthrough. I own that.

Can science help where faith may be at a loss?
I believe. I... believe this could be true. For what is science if not a gift given by the gods? —Clement

A representative gif:
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[Viktor Logi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was awesome!
A self contained story about a scientist and a priest trying to uncover a conspiracy. Love it!
It was paced really well, being a short story it didn't feel rushed and it certainly never dragged. I really liked both main characters, how they have very different ideologies yet they're similiar in so many ways. It's classic storytelling stuff and it works very well here!

I liked that the story focused less on monster action and more on a grounded conspiracy plot.

Strangely enough Piotr Kowalski's art, which I wasn't a huge fan of for the first issue, I thought It was Amazing this time around.
I don't think it was much different at all but the imagery this time around, I just seemed to like more.

Really great book 4,5☆

[Nick Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Damning with faint praise, this is the only one of the three Bloodborne graphic novels by Ales Kot that actually makes some kind of sense. It's stupid, pointless, and boring, but it actually has a coherent structure and characters with some kind of definable motivation, which is much more than you can say about the prior and following volumes.

[DominiqueMS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha gustado más este tomo que el anterior. La historia se siente más completa, con más propósito que el sólo introducir al mundo, y tiene una buena dinámica de personajes; además, de que con ella podemos sumergirnos un poco más en el lore de Bloodborne y conocer a la ciudad de Yharnam cuando la "enfermedad" empezaba a azotarlos.

¿Y ese final? Perfecto.

[Travis Wise · Rating 3 out of 5]

You didn’t drop $10+ on this because it won a Pulitzer. Neither was it the first derivative of a derivative faith vs. science story you’ve encountered. But you got it so you could return to Yarnham without paying the price of having to read “you died” another five hundred times. In that: success.

[GiGi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still don't fully understand what's going on but that ending was sick

[gpears · Rating 4 out of 5]

i finally saw a scene of yharnam in the daytime lol fleshes out the lore of the healing church..bloodborne lore is just so delicious to my brain..fear the old blood 🫡

[Alyssa (HeartwyldsLibrary) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A better cohesive story this time around. I feel like I might have actually learned something about the lore behind Bloodborne with this issue. The art was great again!

[Jesse Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, this was a much better book than the previous comic in this series. The story was at least more original, rather than following a half-inept hunter through situations similar to the game.

If it has a weakness, it's that it doesn't have the time to develop everything it introduces. A healing church member is a major character, the book gives us less insight into that institution than the game does. There is a plague of beasts, most of them are on the cover art and our characters rarely encounter them. Apparently bodies can re-animate (see the coffins wrapped in chains in-game) but we never see it happen. (Well, maybe...)

Still, I can look past most of that and as a story set in a larger world the reader presumably knows about, it was at least a decent tale of an odd friendship, trust, and betrayal.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuing from the previous volume of work, Volume 2 of Titan Comics’ Bloodborne work tells a different tale within the city of Yharnam. Similar to the previous volume, this entry was written by Aleš Kot, illustrated by Piotr Kowalski, colourised by Brad Simpson and Kevin Enhart and lettered by Aditya Bidikar. Something well worth recognising here that I failed to mention in my last review was that these volumes hold some pretty interesting behind the scene elements at the back of the volume which gives a nice glimpse into the creative process behind these comics. It’s not typical you get a view behind the curtain like that so it’s well appreciated.

Titled The Healing Thirst, the narrative of this comic volume follows two central characters within the heart of Yharnam as they seek to further understand the beastly plague which is infecting their city. The first character introduced is Doctor Alfredius; a long white-haired physician-scientist who spends his days studying the impacts of the Ashen-Blood on the beasts within his city. His intention of his studies is to hopefully find a scientific root to the beastly side-effects and confront the Healing Church with his findings. The other character introduced is member of the Healing Church called Priest Clement who has his own concerns about the secrets the Healing Church is hiding from the public. As the story unfolds, we see a personal development of both these characters as their stories interconnect with one another and they unite under the same aspiration to find what secrets are tied behind the Ashen-Blood.

I was really intrigued by the storyline behind this entry. I think this one does a much better job in utilising this world as a smart foundation for the original story it’s trying to tell. The way they layer the storyline through these separate characters feels smartly set out in a way that can help you further explore different aspects to it. Doctor Alfredius takes a more direct approach to investigating this plague and he has a much more personal stake in the impact the Healing Church and its hunters are causing by hiding the truth from them. This connects to Priest Clement’s storyline well because he's deep in the order and you can understand his own doubts with the inner-mechanisms of this order and his desire to direct them on a better path. It’s a slow build story without much action or horror in it but I appreciate that the entry commits to telling its different kind of story with the utmost confidence.

The illustrative component of this entry works just as well as it did previously too. With more of a focus on people and politics this time around, the city of Yharnam gets more of a showcase as well as the factions that inhabit it. Detailing is a key aspect in every panel and it’s clear the artists wanted to get as much out of these central characters when it came to posture and expression. None of that ever comes as the expense of the key elements which make this a Bloodborne adaptation. It’s not just the narrative component which captures the world really well, the artistic reflection of Yharnam in a time before the game is really interesting to see.

The Healing Thirst is a very compelling entry into the Bloodborne comic series. It captures the potential of showcasing the world in a different light way better then its previous entry did. It’s commitment to telling a more slow-paced tale without the inclusion of much action may throw a few people off but what you get instead is a far more nuanced tale which does it’s very best to explore aspects of the lore of Bloodborne in a clever way. Fingers crossed the remaining two entries keep these positive elements.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today’s post is on Bloodborne volume 5 by by Ales Kot, illustrated by Piotr Kowalski, Brad Simpson. It is 32 pages long and published by Titan Comics. The cover has a hunter turning into a beast on it. The intended reader is a fan of the games and wants more information about the world. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this volume. The story is told from third person close of monk. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- The city of Yharnam: an ancient, gothic metropolis and home to the Healing Church. Founded by Laurence, the first vicar, the church has become renowned for its miraculous blood-based curatives, attracting the sick and afflicted to Yharnham from far and wide. However, recent days have seen the city fall foul to a nightmarish plague known as the Ashen Blood disease, the source of which remains a mystery. Hunters now stalk the streets in search of beasts as the moon hangs ominously low in Yharnam's sky, while a single citizen searches for answers.

Review- This story is different from the first four volumes, instead of following hunter in more current time, the story takes place before things got out of hand in Yharnam. The Healing Church still thinks that it has control over the beasts and the old blood but doctor Alfredius and Brother Clement both think that something has gone horribly wrong. It is interesting and fun to see Yharnam before the storm with everything already too late. The doctor is trying to stop the plague before it gets too bad and the brother is trying to understand the old blood but if you have played the game then you know how it turns out. The art is excellent without being too dark see what is going on. The volume ends in a cliffhanger with the brother discovering something in the sewers and I am very curious about what he sees.


I give this volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this volume from my local library’s Hoolpa service.

[OmniBen · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Zero spoiler review) Read my previous review for additional context.
More than my fair share of series of late have seen fit to grant me good, even great stories on their initial outing, granting me an optimism going into the second volume, only to rather cruelly dash my hopes, with the series continually spiralling downwards, into the flames of bad writing and obscurity from whence it came. I must admit, I did have those fears for Bloodborne: The Healing Thirst. The first outing was a better than expected, loyal homage to the video game, with some fantastic art and interesting narrative choices that ultimately paid off. I mentioned wanting a little more, and wondering where the author would go from here, knowing he likely couldn't tread the same ground as before. There would need to be change, its just whether that change was for the better or not. I was more than pleasantly surprised when The Healing Thirst not only turned out to somehow heed my advice, post release, but to crawl itself into the upper echelon's of the greatest comics I've ever read. Yes, it actually is that good. The story, pacing, characters, artwork all seamlessly working together to create something I didn't think was capable, given the relative difficulty of the Bloodborne universe. Maybe I should have had more faith? Maybe it speaks volumes to the current state of comics, and what we have come to view as acceptable? The change in narrative style was a breath of fresh (or foul) air, with the author at once giving the reader much more, whilst maintaining the usual minimalist mystery of the Bloodborne world. There is barely a Hunter to be seen anywhere in this story, but it is certainly no worse the wear for it. I am really and truly shocked at the creative team, and what they have managed to accomplish. This is a work of sophistication and restraint, and its damn well bloody great. The only problem now is, can the following two volumes match this one... 4.75/5

OmniBen.

[Thaisa Meyka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mais um volume de "Bloodborne" para expandir os horizontes de uma história tão esplêndida!
Há pouco tempo, uma doença conhecida como Ashen Blood se espalhou pelo distrito de Yharnam. O Doutor Alfredius inicia uma pesquisa para tentar descobrir o que está proporcionando o contágio - e sua busca por um antídoto se torna ainda mais urgente quando sua doce vizinha, Mathilde, acaba sendo infectada.
Enquanto isso, uma igreja local, eventualmente conhecida como Healing Church, apresenta uma solução: com um sangue milagroso, seus ministros passam a administrar transfusões sanguíneas que prometem curar as vítimas. Mas o padre Clement, instigado mais pela ciência do que pela fé, decide fazer suas próprias investigações a respeito da origem do poderoso sangue e o que está por trás de tantas propriedades curativas.
E quando o caminho do doutor e do padre se cruzam, eles se unirão afim de analisar mais essa doença que está tomando a população, descobrir qual o papel da igreja nesta recuperação e, principalmente, lidar com as consequências que seguirão as macabras transfusões.
A verdade é que eu gostei bastante deste volume: além de ter ilustrações deslumbrantes, a narrativa foca em pontos crucias de "Bloodborne"; entre eles, o que a Igreja fez com os cidadãos de Yharnam e como tudo isso se conecta com os Grandes Antigos (entidades extradimensionais com poderes inimagináveis para simples mortais).
Neste arco, não apenas serão aprofundados questionamentos sobre este terrível mundo, suas criaturas bestiais e seus incontáveis horrores, mas também veremos as diversas perspectivas de um grande desastre que transformou este lugar em um enorme pesadelo.
As artes de Kowalski (e de Simpson) impressionam, traduzindo perfeitamente as angústias e os dilemas que rondam o universo de "Bloodborne"; o enredo, por sua vez, é cheio de plot twists que vão além dos personagens desta trama, englobando reviravoltas que descobriremos também no jogo.
Só posso dizer que tive uma experiência revigorante com esta graphic novel tão interessante e bizarra!

Mais resenhas no instagram literário @livre_em_livros e no canal do Youtube "Livre em Livros"!

[Chloe Fandom Queen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

A tightly plotted story, compelling character dynamics, interesting discussions of science vs religion presented in a way that doesn't feel heavy-handed, cliché or out of place within the Bloodborne world - all positives of this graphic novel, in addition to the impressive art style that, much like the first volume, captures the atmosphere of the game very well.

Yet, I'm not sure I enjoyed this one as much as its predecessor. While I loved reading a story set during the early days of the scourge and seeing the Healing Church at the height of its power, this one feels almost... unnecessary? Which feels unfairly harsh and hypocritical to offer as a criticism given that one could argue the same for the first volume. But The Death of Sleep engrossed me in the tale of its unnamed hunter, a tale that, despite its flaws, felt well situated within the lore of the game, making it a good bonus companion story. The Healing Thirst, however, didn't add anything that the game didn't already provide (better). Maybe it's on me for expecting the wrong things (based on the cover, I had been hoping for a retelling of the burning of Old Yharnam and all the moral quandaries that came with such a key event, but alas).

Mixed feelings is perhaps the best descriptor of my experience here. It is a well written story with excellent illustrations and, on its own, it probably would have earned an extra star. But as a companion to my favourite game, it adds very little and so I can only give it three.

[47Time · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alfredius is a doctor who is looking into the plague that is afflicting the city of Yharnam. This puts him at odds with the hunters who instituted a curfew and with the Healing Church ruled by father Galhad who chose to solve the disease with ineffectual blood ministrations. Alfredius uses scientific methods in his investigations, but worries they are not enough. His worries are shared by a monk named Clement who has growing doubts about father Galhad's directives which do nothing to prevent the spread of the disease.

Their common concerns will bring the two together, though they have differing views on science and faith. Alfredius has a personal stake in looking for the cure for his neighbor and friend Mathilde who has fallen ill. As time passes and hope diminishes, Clement veers away from the church, instead favoring to help Alfredius by bringing him old blood from the church. The old blood is the only known - though still ineffective - cure for the disease, so its stores are under close watch.

Believing Clement has abandoned him right when he is running out of old blood, Alfredius reveals his friend's deeds to the hunters who promptly arrest him. By this time it's clear that his deeds weren't for the good of the city, but only to be close to his neighbor. In the last scene she is seen rising from her bed, though it's unclear whether healed or consumed by the disease.