Author's Notes: So, I've been playing Hollow Knight and I love it, so much so I wanna write my own spin on its story. Don't worry, I'm still working on my other two stories, in fact expect the next chapter of my Undetale novelization soon. This'll probably be the last new one until the first three are all finished. Anyways, this story is basically if the game had a two-player mode, probably unlocked after you beat the game after getting all endings, or something like that. The second player will be an OC of mine, (don't worry, I'll try and not make her cringey.) Also death is permanent, so no Shade, I just thought there wouldn't be enough tension if The Knight was immortal. Also, the bosses are harder and a few new ones are thrown into the mix to compensate for an additional player. There will also be other new characters tied to the new and tweaked bosses. With all that said, let's get on with the story.
"Come, little children.
Gather around the fire and listen to a song.
A song of a ruined kingdom, ailed by a petty light.
A song of bugs, creeping through tunnels with broken minds.
A song of forlorn heroes and mighty beasts.
A song of dreams.
Of nightmares.
Of the forgotten.
Of a Knight and a Mage.
Listen, to the Emerald Ballad."
Amidst the howling winds of the wasteland, a small, pale bug walked through the dunes of sand and dead bodies that marked the entrance to Hallownest. Why was he here? Even he was not certain. One night, while resting after a long day of combating the mindless creatures that prowled the wastes, the little bug heard a voice call out to him in screeching and desperate tones:
"COME. RETURN TO HALLOWNEST. FREE ME."
And so he did. The little bug had been wandering the wastes for who knows how long, for as long as he could remember, and had spent many a day and night wondering where he came from, but had lost hope of ever finding answers, as the few passersby he had met that could speak offered no answers. But this strange, faceless voice had sparked a feeling he had thought long lost.
Hope.
It surprisingly didn't take long to locate the forgotten kingdom. Myths and legends were plentiful about this place, tales of treasure and secrets and items of otherworldly power circled through the wastes, and it took little time to track down where they had come from. The little bug quickly ascended the cliffs that's stood in his way, cutting down the few enemies that attacked him with his worn and cracked nail. Finally, he reached the zenith of the cliffs, a few streetlamps illuminating the way forward, a straight path that led to the edge of the cliffs, from there he saw more lights in the distance, those of a town. The legends DID say there was a small town that served as a gateway to the kingdom. Perhaps he could get some supplies there before descending. If the tales of what lurked there were true, he would need all the help he could get.
The little bug then jumped down, heedless of the long drop, for it had no bones that could shatter. He landed with a resounding crash, rattling the rocks around him. Paying no mind to his loud entrance or what it could attract, he continued on. He cut down the barriers and creatures that stood in his way, effortlessly felling them with his nail, he then navigated the spike pits that seemed to serve as another way to keep trespassers out. Along the way he came across a large oval impression carved into the wall with writing on it. It lit up with a white light and, though he had never read the language before, he could understand.
"Higher beings, these words are for you alone. Beyond this point you now enter the land of King and Creator. Step across this threshold and obey our laws. Bear witness to the last and only civilization, the eternal kingdom. Hallownest."
Going a bit further he finally arrived at a large gate bearing the symbol of some sort of fly with a crown adorning its head, it too was cracked from age, light seeped out from these marks of time, promising an end to his current journey and the start of a new one. Anticipation, another thing he hadn't felt in a long time, surged through him. He then relentlessly struck the final barrier until finally it cave way, crashing down toward the ground below. The little wanderer then jumped down, landing among the debris of the barrier and what appeared to be the remnants of a large stairway. His anticipation building, the little bug ran forward, not paying attention to the other bug that he crashed into, he collided with them and both fell to the floor.
"Ow! What the heck?" A feminine voice cried.
The little bug picked himself up and looked at the other, apparently female, bug he had run into. She was about his size, with twisting horns with glowing green spikes on them. She wore a blue dress with a sash adorned with pockets hanging on her around it. Her legs were bare, revealing a pair of petite, nimble looking legs. Suddenly she turned around, looking angry. Her glowing green pupils gazing into hi furiously, from this new angle he could see she wore a compass necklace around her neck.
"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" She barked, sticking her finger into his chest. "You could've made me break my legs! Not to mention my sta-" Her face contorted into a worried expression as she reached behind her back only to grab air, she then looked around frantically for it, but failing to find it. The little bug, feeling another emotion he hadn't felt in quite some time, guilt, decided to help look, twisting his head around to find whatever it was the girl had lost. After turning back the way he came he saw what he first thought was a stick, but upon closer inspection he saw it was actually a carved wooden staff with an upside down crescent shaped top that held a some sort of fluctuating green energy blob. Glowing green thorns, similar to the ones sticking out of the girl's thorns, adorned its hilt. The guilty bug picked it up and took it to the worried-looking girl, who was still searching in the opposite direction.
The guilty bug held up the staff. "Is this yours?" He asked.
The girl straightened up and looked behind her, the let out a squeal of joy as she saw her staff. She then took it and started cuddling with it. "Oh my wyrm! I thought I'd lost you! Never leave mommy again okay?" She cooed, stroking it lovingly. She stopped when she remembered that there was someone else with her and coughed, placing her staff on her back and then closing her eyes, she then bowed. "Thank you for returning my staff to me."
The bug shrugged. "It was nothing."
The girl then assumed a more relaxed stance one of her eyes still closed and a hand on her hip. "I'll say, since you were the one who caused me to lose it in the first place."
The bug shrugged again. "I guess you're right. Sorry."
The girl looked at him quizzically. "You're a strange guy. I've never seen anyone so mellow. But whatever, it's way better the people I usually meet out in the wasteland. Most are either beasts who want to eat you or bandits who want to rob you. Not really good company."
"Yes, I suppose. But then again I've never really been one to want company." The little bug said.
The girl put a hand to her mouth. "A lone wolf type huh? Interesting, you don't see many out here. Well, none alive anyway. You must have some skill." She said, starting to walk toward the town ahead. The lone bug followed, remembering his destination. The two soon entered the vicinity of the town, a large collection of dome-like dwellings, most boarded up. A sign lay at its entryway.
"Dirtmouth. Wow, not a very inspiring name." The girl said. The lone bug didn't reply, continuing ahead, the girl followed him this time.
"Oh! Visitors!" A deep voice called. The girl looked where it came from and saw an elderly, long horned bug in a black cloak walking up to greet them. The girl stopped to greet him back but the lone bug continued, seemingly ignoring the old bug. The girl grabbed him by his cloak and pulled him back. "Hey! Don't be rude! Especially to old people!" She chastised, the bug huffed in annoyance and being stopped, but didn't move. The old bug approached them.
"Ah, don't be too hard on the lad. I see it all the time, adventurers come to venture into the kingdom below, not giving a second thought to this fading town, it doesn't phase me anymore. Anyway, welcome to Dirtmouth. Though it doesn't look like much anymore, I can assure you even in its current state it is a friendly place. Feel free to rest here whenever you like. That bench I was sitting on is a popular place to rest one's weary bones. Oh! And the entrance to Hallownest is the well just outside town. I would advise not jumping right in, as it is a very steep drop. Too many have died thinking it's but a few meters. At least based on that corpse smell that I got a whiff of one time. Oh! And you may call me Elderbug, everyone else does." Elderbug explained.
The girl bowed. "Nice to meet you Mr. Elderbug! My name is Rose!"
Elderbug smiled. "Ah, such a lovely name! And yours lad?"
The lone bug looked at him blankly. "I don't have a name." He said flatly.
Rose looked at him, shocked. "What kind of bug doesn't have a name?" She asked.
Elderbug put a palm to his chin. "I've heard of bugs that leave the nest before they're given one. But usually they pick one for themselves. Strange. Well, I guess I'll just call you lad for now." He stated, then turned away, walking toward one of the houses near the bench. "Anyway, I'm going to go take my nap, you two kids be careful down there. Too many young ones meet an ill fate down in that ruined kingdom." The two young bugs watched as he entered his house and shut the door behind him.
"Well, at least we know where to go now." Rose stated, looking down at the nameless bug, only to find he wasn't there. He once again had struck off on his own. "Hey! Wait up!" She called, running up to him, eventually catching up. She then looked at him angrily. "What'd I say about being rude?" She complained.
The nameless bug, now feeling another feeling he hadn't felt in quite some time, annoyance, replied shortly. "Last time I checked we weren't traveling together. Why should I wait?" He stated bluntly as they neared the well.
Rose looked away, then turned back to him. "Alright, fair point. On a related note, I have a proposition." She said, grabbing him by the shoulder to get him to stop. The nameless bug did, but only because he was curious as to what she had to offer.
"Listen, I don't know you and you don't know me. But, what we both know are the legends of this kingdom. That's how you got here, right? By researching the legends surrounding it?" She asked.
"If by "research" you mean asking people in settlements then yeah. Why?"
"Well, from what I've read. There are MANY dangerous creatures down there, big and small. Hell, there are even some legends that say there are GOD level beings down there. Odds are it's too much for one person to handle. Which is why so many adventurers and treasure seekers don't make it back. There are also some legends that speak of a mist that addles the mind of those who're fragile mentally, which includes those who become isolated and scared. So, what I'm thinking is that we team up to conquer these ruins and find what we seek." Rose explained. The nameless bug pondered this, then asked. "What is it you seek?"
Rose turned away. "Answers. Believe it or not, a dream called me here. A voice. Desperate and screeching. I want to know what it is and what it has to do with me."
The nameless bug felt shock radiate throughout his shell. "That...is also why I am here."
Rose's eyes widened. "You...had the same dream?" She asked.
The nameless bug nodded.
Rose gripped her head. "Wow...that's...I don't know what that means."
The nameless bug looked down. "Perhaps...we share a connection?"
Rose looked toward the well, then back at the nameless bug. "Even more reason to travel together. Wouldn't you say?" She asked, holding out a hand.
The nameless bug looked at it a moment, then shook it. "Yes."
"Alright! Then let's go!" Rose stated cheerily, running the rest of the way toward the well, the nameless bug followed. They soon reached it and jumped onto the rim.
"Huh, so, this is a weird question. But do you not feel anything when you fall down a long way?" Rose asked.
"No, do you?"
"No, just making sure."
The two then nodded to one another and descended down into the ruined kingdom.