Chapter Text
Deep, down into the depths of the Abyss, the stillness of the Void lake suddenly started to bubble at its center.
It was slow at first, a few black bubbles meandering up to the surface gurgling with each bubble burst. As it continued, the bubbles shifted for the shoreline, and began to grow more rapidly. By the time the churning of black water and Void liquid reached the shore's edge, the bubbles were rapid, boiling almost before spitting out a descent size wad of Void goo onto the stone edge.
The mass then proceeds to swell till it forms a singular bubble, half as big as a normal vessel. Once it reaches its intended size, the single bubble begins to harden, forming a "shell". Everything cooled till the shell glistened like black glass. All was silent again in the Abyss as it should.
That is until perhaps minutes or even hours ticked on by, that something started to stir within the small harden Void shell. A faint nudge of movement, followed by a very faint glow of light from its center.
Another nudge and the shell begins to crack, releasing a pale light from within.
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"What exactly are we here for again and why did you think it was a good idea to bring me into this!?"
Hornet kept her back against the doorway that led into the Abyss, starring at the Little Ghost and the freed Hollow Knight who both gazed down from the ledge. Her heart was racing in her chest, not wanting to be anywhere near this place. This was no place for a bug like her. What if the shades of all those siblings come after them? One hand clutches her needle with a death grip and stares onward towards her siblings.
Hollow merely glances back to her, saying nothing of course before making a slow gesture towards Ghost who was already preparing a rope for them to use for getting up and down with only one arm to grasp.
"Right... any Arcane eggs for that old man back in the city. Don't you think four is enough?"
The bigger vessel merely shrugs, just going along with their sibling if it meant giving them purpose after being freed from the Radiance's infection. It was the least they could do as repayment, this renewed sense of freedom.
Ghost tugs on the rope a few times, testing its strength before nodding to the Hollow Knight and hands it to them. Using their Monarch Wings, Ghost makes the first leap into the darkness. Hollow watches before returning their gaze back to Hornet, still looking uneasy about the whole thing. They raise their remaining hand, asking in silence for her to come.
"Oh no! I'm not going down there. What if the Void takes me!? What then?" She states, voice trying not to show any fear. "It might be fine for the both of you but this is where you came from!"
Hollow merely tilts their head, almost looking cute if it wasn't for the silken bandages covering half their face and eye from the crack in their mask. At the protest, they stand to attention for a moment before taking their hand and makes it into a fist, tapping it to their chest. Knight's honor that no harm would come to her.
Slowly stepping closer, Hornet leans over the edge of the platform, starring at the darkness below. What could be down there? What horrors awaited her if she went. Glancing back to her older half-sibling, she puffs out her chest making her decision clear.
"Alright! But I want your word Hollow, I don't want to be taken by the Void or anything that calls that place of dread home, understand me? We're doing this for Ghost with all the things they deem worth catching up on."
Hollow silently nods and seemingly reaches out for her. Hornet approaches, still clutching her blade close even as Hollow helps her to their back and the pair descend to the depts below.
It felt so strange for both vessels to return back here after so long, but Ghost waited patiently by the end of the lead till the two were on the ground. Well, ground of the remains of thousands of shells. Pulling out their lantern, they would help light the way for Hornet to get a better look of the place.
Hornet held tight the whole way down, pausing only to get a better look of the dimly lit caverns. The air felt still, nether warm or cold. Like time paused in a sense, nothing seemed to move with the flow of time. All those shells, broken or pressed up against one another. The sight alone formed knots in her stomach. So much for feeling brave as to venture into the Abyss.
"Is it safe for me to get off?" She asks after a moment of awed silence.
Hollow exchanged glances with Ghost, who broke away to look around. After a moment, they turned back, shaking their head. Not yet. So Hornet holds onto her sibling, who seemed content with her there so long as they were protecting her. She could already feel as if a thousand black eyes were watching her, waiting for her to separate from her siblings and take the princess without warning.
So Ghost takes the lead, the group traveling through the Abyss in search of anymore Arcane eggs. Before they took on this mission, one was presented to Hornet and Hollow to understand what to look for. Even in the Abyss's dim light, it was hard for Hornet to tell anything apart. Everything just looked black on black, covered in dead shells.
After minutes of treading through the least likely places one might find one, the trio presses on till the black lake came into view. It's stillness mixed with the stale air left Hornet starring. That was a lot of Void in one location and already she felt her nerves bundling up. A small shift in weight and she looks down at Hallow.
"Do I need to get off? You need a break?" She asks, her voice echoing off the cavern walls it nearly jumped her out of her shell.
The vessel merely shakes their head, not wanting to let her off if it meant getting attacked. They glance behind them, making sure she was still secure behind them.
"I think.. I can m-manage for now."
Hollow stands their for a moment before silently nods and let Hornet gently slide off them. Soon as she stood in front, they were close to her like a second shell. The Abyss was no place for a normal bug, even one so brave as Hornet and not even her blood heritage might not be enough to save her.
"Okay, Arcane eggs... Arcane eggs. Surely there has to be at least one nearby."
Glancing around, Hornet was careful where she stepped. Each footing felt like the black fluid could leech from the ground and grabs her, pull her under, and take away everything that she was. It felt so, lonely and quiet down here. How could anyone seek this place out at all must of been out of their minds. She should know, she was created by one of them!
The black stones gave no easy indication of such relics as she pokes and prods with her needle, Hollow watching intently. For a brief moment Hornet pauses in her search for the relics and instead looks to seek out Ghost instead. After glancing around for a few quick moments her eyes finally found the little knight by the lake's shore edge, seemingly staring down at something. Sensing it was being watched, Ghost leans back up, turning towards the other two and waves them to approach only to point down to the ground.
Hornet and Hollow make their way and inspect what Ghost found.
"Is... is that what we're looking for? I've never seen an Arcane egg that large. I don't think any of us could carry it!"
Ghost continued to point, this time over a small crack that had formed. Hornet moves around to get a better look before turning back to the smaller vessel.
"Could be worthless if it's cracked Ghost. Lemm's real particular how he likes his... relics?"
The crack suddenly grew, greeted with a faint but white glow from within. Another bump and the egg like shell seemed to shift in place, moving backwards and away from the lake.
"What in all of Hallownest!? This is no Arcane egg."
Hornet readily her needle in case, body tensed expecting some void monster to spill out from the breaking shell and attack. Hollow merely gives her a wary side glance before coming closer to watch the shell crackle with more faint light. Ghost tilts their head, was it curiosity? The small vessel nearly fell into the lake the a section of shell broke free and a tiny white hand pushes out only to retract back into the shell. Even Hollow seemed surprised by this and leans in, very much interested in the events unfolding.
From inside the breaking shell, there came a soft whine and whimper, almost mewing in its attempts to break free at last. Another section of shell breaks away, revealing the same tiny white hand and light as before. Hornet was beside herself, there was no way. No possible this was happening and yet right before them...
The last of the upper layer of shell broke away and at once the siblings were greeted with a pale light.
Once their eyes adjusted, there was a hushed awe and disbelief at the tiny creature that hatched. Laying all curled up, taking a few shaky breaths into the world... was the Pale King.
Only this time, he was nothing more than a mere infant. His crown of horns reduced to nothing more than tiny spiky nubs while covered in a set of robes worn as one piece and slightly too big for his reformed tiny body. He looked so frail, so helpless that was nothing like he should of been, but this was all impossible. The King was dead, how could he be alive? Old Wyrm magic maybe? Or something the Void decided itself to toss back up into the world above, perhaps as a cruel joke.
The miniature king slowly unfurled his head from being tucked in, starring up at the trio with big, curious eyes. No hint of recollection, nothing that stated that he recognized any present. After a moment of curious silence, the Pale King lets out that strange mew like sound.
And at once Ghost reaches in, picking up the infant king into their arms and cradles them close. By the gods it was like caring for Grimmchild all over again. The tiny Wyrm immediately nuzzles up against the vessel's chest, seeking out any sort of warmth.
"I don't believe.. I can't believe what I'm seeing!" Hornet finally speaks.
Her mind was swimming with a thousand questions and none of which were being answered. Ghost and Hollow could give no explanation even if they could. The smaller of the pair gazes back to Hornet and once the two crossed eyes, Ghost seemingly held the mini King towards her.
"Oh no! Don't get me involved. You have no idea what he put me through and you expect me to just.."
At the tensed tone of her voice, the Pale King nuzzles into Ghost's chest more, whining at the sudden noise and continues. For a moment Hornet only stares at this display, before letting out a deep sigh and holds her arms out. Feeling the weight of the infant in her arms, she instinctively drew him closer till he was pressed to her red cloak. At once the mewing ceased and the child king gazes up at her. A tiny white hand reaches up, patting lightly on the chin of her mask. It was, cute in a way.
"Okay, so he's actually pretty tolerable as this. But what are we gonna do? He can't stay here, this is no place for a King, let alone... an infant King."
Hollow silently nods only to whip around, drawing their nail. From the lake, more shapes started to form till the images of shades took appear, their white glowing eyes starring at the group. Hollow and Ghost they ignored, but there were two unwelcome guests in this place of darkness. Without meaning to, Hornet uses some of her cloak to shield the infant in her arms. Ghost takes the front, drawing their nail as well before the shades.
"We should leave. Forget the eggs, we have some more important matters to attend to." Hornet squeezes in a quick word. She suddenly gasps when Hollow turns back to her and sheathing their nail, uses their only arm to hoist her up protectively. Then, they all proceeded to run.
Ghost kept the shades at bay, keeping up but putting some distance so that Hollow could reach the rope. Once the group reached it, more shades appeared from the shells of the fallen. Hornet uses her free hand to grab the rope, then hands it to Hollow.
"Are you going to be able to carry us both!?"
The older vessel hastily nods, allowing Hornet to shift her position, holding onto Hollow's cloak best she could with one arm, the other till cradling the infant king. Half of her told her to leave the darn thing, how it deserves to remain in this place of misery and darkness along with the rest of the remains of all those vessels he discarded like scraps of used fabric, that however it came to be should of been left in the Abyss where it belongs. Yet, the other half states otherwise. That maybe this was a second chance, to mend mistakes and apologize for his transgressions? That is if he could remember any of that at all and if not, then by default this was just an innocent. An innocent life of Hollownest Hornet sworn her life's mission to protect.
Hollow struggled to ascend from the rope, using the small platforms to help get some headway. A small rock chipped away from their footing, nearly sending them all over the edge but manages to regain themselves before proceeding. Ghost follows close behind, using the Monarch Wings to leap their way up.
The shades continue to follow and almost seem like they would catch up. Hornet gazes up, seeing the edge of the platform above.
"I think I can make it." She huffs out, then using all her strength, leaps off from Hollow's back.
The landing was not perfect and she ended up rolling to her side. It was rough and she felt a small strain of pain from one leg hitting the ledge. A stray, fearful mew escaped from her cloak and she was quick to pick herself up and examine the tiny King. Still alive, still safe, just scared and clutched at her cloak all the more tighter.
Standing up, she turns around to see Hollow finally making it over the ledge, Ghost shortly behind landing on their feet. Helping their sibling up, the group race back to the entrance to the Abyss. Pushing a rock they'd use to seal the entrance before, the group breathed a sigh of relief now that they were safe.
Hollow leans back up and proceeds to walk up behind Hornet, starring down at the tiny Wyrm. Hornet couldn't help herself, starring down at her charge before looking back up to Hollow. Carefully, she holds the Pale King towards them.
"Do you wish to... hold him? I know it's him and all, but I need both hands and can't juggle a baby and my needle at the same time."
Hollow tilts their head to one side and carefully, offers their arm to Hornet. She moves in, easing the infant into the vessel's arm showing how to cradle the child in a safe manner. Once fully in their arm, Hollow could not pry their eye away from what was basically their king, their father, just barely smaller than a grub.
"So... what now Little Ghost? This wasn't part of the plan." Hornet sighs out.
Ghost merely shrugs. What could they do with a baby King? Maybe someone in the city would know what to do? They'd need to get to a stag station first.